Ainsley Earhardt, 'Fox & Friends' go live from USC Columbia

Ainsley Earhardt returned to her alma mater Friday morning to co-host a broadcast of “Fox & Friends” in front of the Thomas Cooper Library at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

Earhardt started the day before sunrise with the Keenan High School marching band and some of her sorority sisters. Her co-hosts, Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade, remained in the New York studios.

Doocy, Kilmeade and Abby Huntsman handled the news of the day, cutting back to Earhardt for segments with local personalities. U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy of Spartanburg, Sens. Tim Scott and Lindsey Graham, and Gov. Henry McMaster were guests on the 6-9 a.m. show.

“It’s nice to be back on Southern soil,” she said.

Earhardt, a graduate of Spring Valley High School, began her broadcast career as a reporter for WLTX-News 19 in 2000. After a stint as an anchor on San Antonio, Texas, newscasts, she moved to New York City and began at Fox News Channel in 2007.

She recently released her third book, “The Light Within Me.”

Friday's show was a nearly three-hour commercial for USC and the Gamecocks. Earhardt took viewers on a tour of the university, with stops at Williams-Brice Stadium, the Horseshoe, the Alpha Delta Pi sorority house and the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, where she surprised a former professor, Rick Peterson, in one of his journalism classes.

A crowd of about 100 USC students and other Midlands residents gathered near the set to watch or take part in President Donald Trump's favorite morning show.

"It's an exciting opportunity for us to represent the university on a national scale," said Katelyn Barber, a sophomore marketing major and a member of the school's dance team. Also in the crowd were Cocky, University of South Carolina cheerleaders and about 100 other people.

The crowd held up several signs, including one that said, "Welcome back Ainsley. #usc #gogamecocks." Another touted "Fox & Friends."

At one point during the show, a group of college Republicans and Democrats chatted near the set before appearing live on a student panel led by Earhardt.

Rachel Kalles, a senior political science major and a member of College Democrats, said she volunteered for the panel. She said she wasn't concerned about appearing on a show known for its conservative views.

"If it wasn't a South Carolina alum, we would feel a little more like we were going into the lions' den," Kalles said.

Brendan Sullivan, second vice chair of the USC College Republicans, said he doesn't usually watch "Fox & Friends" because it's on so early in the morning. But he does watch Fox News.

"Since I'm a conservative, it's my go-to," Sullivan said. "But I try to watch CNN and other news sources to get diversity of opinion."

In one group interview with the student panel, Earhardt asked for reaction to rapper Kanye West’s support of President Trump.

“We have to get to a place where we can listen and respect each other,” said one student.

Graham joined Earhardt during the 8 a.m. hour and discussed the historic meeting several hours earlier between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea's P resident, Moon Jae-in. Graham said Trump could merit the Nobel Peace Prize for the way he has handled North Korea and China.

Earhardt finished the morning introducing her father and brother to viewers.

This story was originally published April 27, 2018 at 6:42 AM with the headline "Ainsley Earhardt, 'Fox & Friends' go live from USC Columbia."