Exclusive: Scott Brown makes debut as Fox News contributor

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," February 13, 2013. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Real reform means establishing a responsible pathway to earned citizenship, a path that includes passing a background check, paying taxes in a meaningful penalty, learning English and going to the back of the line behind the folks trying to come here legally.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: Immigration reform, just one of President Obama's promises to the country during his State of the Union address last night, and one we, I guess, all eagerly wait to come to fruition, maybe not ,during a second term.

Joining me now with exclusive reaction to the president's speech and controversial goals laid out last night, former Massachusetts senator, now a Fox News contributor, Scott Brown. Welcome, Senator. How are you?

SCOTT BROWN, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Sean, great to be on and hello to you and your viewers.

HANNITY: We appreciate you being here. I've got to get one political question out of the way, you knew I'd throw this in.

BROWN: Sure.

HANNITY: Why not run for Kerry's seat?

BROWN: It's the people's seat as you remember and to do five races in six years and raise another $30 million to $50 million and then go and participate in a Congress that's dysfunctional and extremely partisan, I felt he would make a difference being on this show and doing other things and plan to stay involved, certainly. But you know, I'm going to continue to work and be part of the election process back home and other elections throughout the country.

HANNITY: Well, we welcome you to the program and the network, thank you so much for being here.

BROWN: Thank you.

HANNITY: Through the prism of the president's speech last night and your experience being in the Senate, what are the things you think he could get accomplished, if any?

BROWN: Well, listen, there weren't too many olive branches passed out to the members of Congress, especially the GOP, and there were certainly things that felt had some promise, for example, the trade with Europe and trying to develop jobs. But the problem is that everything that he's laid out --and he's certainly laid out his priorities very clearly -- how are you going to pay for them?

If we had no debt and everything was marching along swimmingly we'd be great, but we're at $16.5 trillion national debt. When I went down there almost three years ago, it was $11.95 trillion. And people need to understand that that's real money, obviously, and we need to get that under control. We're not going to have the ability to do any of those wonderful things that he's pushing. Obviously, the immigration issue is important, so, there are things that we can work on, but the key is to do it together.

HANNITY: How is it the Senate didn't pass a budget, the Democrats in the Senate, for four years, how is that possible? Isn't that a constitutional duty sort of like you were supposed to be the 41st vote against health care and didn't work out that way either?

BROWN: Well, it worked out somewhat, but more importantly, yes, it is the Senate's responsibility, and it's Harry Reid's job, Harry Reid and his lieutenants obviously Schumer and Durbin, they are supposed to get that budget done. It's shameful, and really should be doing it. They say they're going to do it this time. I wouldn't hold your breath. How do you run a business and your own household if you don't have a budget? How to you set the priorities of the Senate and Congress if you don't have a budget. It's unacceptable.

HANNITY: You've been at State of the Union addresses and you have experience at that level of government. What are the things that if people knew about the Senate, what would you want to tell them that most surprised you in terms of its dysfunction?

BROWN: Well, the biggest thing that people need to understand that there's one person, and that's the majority leader Harry Reid, that controls everything, the scheduling, what a bills are brought up. And when he brings up a bill, for example, when he brought up the DREAM Act. He brought it up, "We're going to pass it tomorrow. Take it or leave it." No amendments, no nothing, fills up the amendment tree, shuts off debate and tries to ram things through and spot people over those votes or lack thereof. He can bring up any vote he wants anytime, and the fact that he's in charge, they think somehow the minority party is in charge.

That's the first thing. The second thing, you can get things done once you let the body have their time and say in a particular issue, things will work out. Remember last year, I think you guys caught it. The president was walking up the galley and I said, "Mr. President my insider trading bill is on Harry Reid's desk, tell him to get it out." And in fact, after that he got it out, we passed that insider trading bill and the stock act. So you can do things, but you need to include everybody and that's not happening.

HANNITY: I thought you were the 41st vote. That was the whole purpose, you ran --

BROWN: I was.

HANNITY: But then they used the reconciliation process.

BROWN: It was unbelievable, they went through political machinations to circumvent not only my vote, but actually didn't take any amendments, didn't try to make it better, tried to ram it through, and you see what's happening now. It's really not doing everything it should be doing.

I have always said that I would not have supported it, I would have voted as I did to repeal it. I think the states have the ability to do it better. And the federal government is not the answer to everything.

HANNITY: All right, Senator. Thanks for being with us. Welcome to the family. Appreciate you being here.

BROWN: All right, Sean, thank you.

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