Report: Clintons 'livid' at Weiner scandal comparisons
Huma Abedin compared to Hillary Clinton
This is a rush transcript from "The Five," July 29, 2013. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
ANDREA TANTAROS, CO-HOST: Well, the Clintons are now being drawn into the Anthony Weiner sexting scandal. And The New York Post says they're -- quote -- "livid about it." Evidently, Hillary does not like being compared to Anthony's wife Huma.
Now, you remember, Hillary stayed with Bill after his sexcapades with his young intern, Monica Lewinsky, and now, Huma is standing by her man after he sent messages to a bunch of young women on the Web.
But it's not just the Clintons that have had enough. Listen to David Axelrod and former press secretary, Dee Dee Myers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID AXELROD, FORMER OBAMA ADVISER: At this point, it is absurd. He is not going to be the next mayor of New York, he is wasting time and space.
Americans believe in second chances but not third chances.
DEE DEE MYERS, FORMER PRESS SECRETARY: This isn't a story anybody, particularly the Clintons, is happy to see splashed on the front pages and on the news relentlessly. And they, as much as anyone, would like to see this go away.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TANTAROS: But Bill Maher made an interesting point about media hypocrisy.
Why is Anthony Weiner any worse than Bill Clinton or JFK?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL MAHER, TV HOST: My friend Chris Matthews, I like him a lot. I see him endlessly talking about how awful -- he went on and on for a whole year about his book about John F. Kennedy. He loves Bill Clinton, never stops kissing his -- those two guys did things way worse. I mean, Kennedy, so much more reckless. Bill Clinton, Paula Jones, true -- you know, sexual harassment. There seems to be no sort of consistency in the media.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TANTAROS: Wow, OK. So, is it a fair comparison between Anthony Weiner and say Bill Clinton?
Greg, what do you think?
GREG GUTFELD, CO-HOST: Well, you know, Hillary apparently is upset about this because of the comparison. She's upset of the comparison. Bill was way better at philandering than Anthony Weiner, like comparing a Little League ball boy to an Olympic athlete. Bill actually had sex with live human beings, not cold smartphones. Remember -- I mean, Weiner never got close to an actual female, which makes it even kind of stranger.
KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE, CO-HOST: Are you (INAUDIBLE)
GUTFELD: No. But I've got to say this. If you look at it, look at the infidelity on both sides of the political spectrum. I made a list. You got Filner, Clinton, Spitzer, a couple of Kennedys, a Weiner, a McGreevey, on the left, you got Sanford. When it comes to infidelity, the left are Harlem Globetrotters, the right are the Washington Generals, they don't stand a chance.
TANTAROS: But, you know, Maureen Dowd made an interesting point over the weekend in The New York Times over the weekend. She said Bill never said he wouldn't do it again. Anthony Weiner stood in front of the world and said he would never do it again.
GUTFELD: Yes.
TANTAROS: Dana, the Clintons are trying to walk this story back, trying to back away from it and dispute it. What do you think?
DANA PERINO, CO-HOST: You can see the Democratic establishment trying very hard to figure out a way to not complicate further the relationship between
-- which is a close friendship and working relationship between Hillary Clinton and Huma Abedin. They also don't really love the comparisons, right? How long can this -- they would love for Weiner to get out of the race, because every day you're reminded of something Bill Maher said.
I feel now that people that watch our show, find themselves every once in a while agreeing with Bob Beckel, I am like wow, Bill Maher and I agree. I can understand how the Clintons are now trying to have on background, saying, well, we're not mad about this, but it's more about the problem for them, it reminds everybody about 1998.
GUILFOYLE: True.
TANTAROS: And, Kimberly, didn't Bill Clinton open the door for this thing? I mean, wasn't it the Clinton machine that told us that sex scandals are private, that it's no one's business, all these people are all of a sudden in the Democratic Party, coming out and saying, oh, come on, Weiner is worse than bill. It's a private matter, private matter.
Didn't Bill Clinton open the door for things like this, for Anthony Weiner to be able to say, yes, I can get away with it and run?
GUILFOYLE: Well, because Bill Clinton was Teflon. He's the ultimate NASA space tested version of Teflon. Plus, some women I hear find him sexy.
Now, Weiner, me don't think so. And then I find myself wanting to take a lot of Pepcid AC for the acid reflux I'm already feeling because I agree with Bill Maher. I cannot believe it. That's the one thing the guy said that I agree with, the hypocrisy, because all of a sudden it is OK if you're Clinton. But if you're not, then forget about it.
And I do agree with you, Dana, the sooner this gets put away, the better off for Hillary.
PERINO: At this point, why should Weiner get out of the race? At this point, he's already said I'm staying in and you know what, in some ways -- I would just let the -- if I don't win the primaries in a few weeks, let it run its course. And then if he loses, then he'll be done.
GUTFELD: But his campaign manager quit, so technically his staff is shrinking.
(LAUGHTER)
GUTFELD: What are you talking about?
PERINO: Why are you laughing?
JUAN WILLIAMS, CO-HOST: Why am I laughing?
TANTAROS: I know you're probably going to be surprised by this, Juan, but as a Republican in New York, I kind of love watching this a little bit. It's watching your opponent set themselves on fire, you get out of the way when they're dousing themselves with gasoline.
WILLIAMS: (INAUDIBLE), I think that's the worse for that.
TANTAROS: Let me ask you, do you think Weiner is worse than Bill Clinton?
WILLIAMS: No.
TANTAROS: So, you think Bill Clinton is worse than Anthony Weiner?
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: Hey, look, I come home, say you know what I did today, I sent a picture. She would say you're a sick puppy. Yes.
If I come home and say, hey, meet lollipop here, she's my new girlfriend.
I think we have serious trouble.
GUTFELD: I think her name is lollipop.
(CROSSTALK)
GUTFELD: Clearly a stripper.
WILLIAMS: Yes. Lollipop the stripper. Exactly.
But I got to tell you, I think first of all you're wrong about who's the New York Knicks and Harlem Globetrotters. Senator Vitter is still in the Senate, right? Larry Craig knocking out the bathroom doors.
PERINO: Governor Sanford is now a congressman. I am helping you make your point.
WILLIAMS: I know. I appreciate it.
So, I'm just saying, I think men -- you know, this weekend, I thought, it occurred to me, like, why do men in terms of sexuality behave so badly. I don't get it. You know, it's like we have this thing in our brains, we are hard wired to go after women, but you got to, you know, control it at some point, right?
TANTAROS: One thing if you're running for public office, almost said -- it is another thing to say you're never going to do it again.
WILLIAMS: But men lie all the time. What are you talking about?
TANTAROS: What about this theory? Do you think -- this is a conspiracy theory that really is a big one. Do you think the Clintons put this out there as one of the apo (ph) dumps in history to get it out there so it wouldn't hurt her in the presidential run?
Dana?
PERINO: I think their team is too rusty to have pulled that of successfully. I think this is just a coincidence, I think they would like to get it behind them.
I also, here is what I understand he said he would never do it again. When Anthony Weiner enters the mayor's race, and they did all the press, "The New York" magazine and "The New York Times," he said there is more to come out. There's going to be more stories about this.
OK. So then when they did come out, I don't understand why everybody was so surprised.
WILLIAMS: Well, he should have emptied the trash can, don't you think, Dana? He should have got it out at one time, because when it dribbles out, the fire starts again.
But I will say this -- I think the guy is sick. So, I think he has some psychosis like compulsion about this. But otherwise, given the fact his wife has been really supportive, he should have been able to stop.
GUTFELD: I think, you know, the bigger issue, we are a distracted country run by buffoons. When you think of the names that are other, whether it's from Clintons to Spitzers to Weiners to the Filners, we are run by idiots, but we are distracted and they're benefitting from our distraction.
Our only savior in a weird way are the scandals, because the more scandals that are out there, the more they're attempting to save their lives rather than ruin ours. I'd rather have this moron Weiner running around trying to save his skin than making more programs that make me broke.
WILLIAMS: Don't you think politicians are all narcissists and egomaniacal sorts, that's why they take so many risks, they go out there, say please vote for me, please love me, I'm the best ever.
GUTFELD: Yes.
WILLIAMS: I mean, in Washington, when I meet them, sometimes I think these guys are so dependent on their aides, on their family to prop them up, then they want to tell you it's all about me.
GUTFELD: Yes.
TANTAROS: Kimberly, can I get back to Clinton, Weiner comparison?
GUILFOYLE: Please?
TANTAROS: Hillary Clinton -- she actually didn't do exactly what Huma is doing when she was -- when Bill was caught cheating. Remember she gave that comment, I'm not standing by my man like Tammy Wynette, and sit home, and bake cookies, and she went out and had her own career.
So, do you think there's a similarity between Hillary and Huma, or is Huma being more, I don't know, docile?
GUILFOYLE: I think she's being more supportive in many ways, because right away, she's by his side. That's a personal decision, and their marriage, and maybe she really loves him and is willing to forgive and forget, but I think his behavior is very narcissistic and shameful at this point, because what he's done to his family and to his wife, he should be the bigger man to say, I think I have done enough damage. I want to continue to focus on my personal issues, my personal demons, my wife has been amazing to stand by me and the voters, people in New York, deserve more.
Bu I think he'd rather go down in flames, in the race and have --
(CROSSTALK)
PERINO: -- some people might say about Hillary Clinton's example and now, Huma's example of staying in their marriage. We should want as society for people to stay married. I don't mean you should stay for a jerk, I'm all for having the option to end a bad marriage if that's what it comes down to.
But to work on a marriage, it is really difficult. It is the hardest thing in the world, I'm kidding.
(CROSSTALK)
PERINO: I think in some ways, looking at this, you know what, it is amazing to think somebody could care for you that much that they're willing to be humiliated, be on the front page of the newspaper every day, on your 37th birthday, Huma's birthday this past weekend, that you could be ridiculed on national media, around the world probably, global media. But that you're willing to try to work it out and stay with him to try to get it done.
I don't know -- I hope maybe the opposite would be true if it were the other way around.
TANTAROS: I guess so, at what point? And, of course, you know, I'm pro- marriage, but at what point is she setting a negative example for women by sticking by him?
You know, Greg, Hillary Clinton was at the White House to have lunch with President Obama and it was announced as well, but looks like the media is rallying around her, there's going to be a CNN movie on Hillary Clinton.
There's also an NBC miniseries.
Do you think these miniseries will include the line what difference does it make and focus on Benghazi?
GUTFELD: You know, it's interesting. It's like American politicians are like Jamaican bobsledders. They're not good but still we make movies about them.
GUILFOYLE: That was a good movie.
GUTFELD: It was a good movie.
(LAUGHTER)
PERINO: If that scene in the movie, what difference does it make scene, it will be told through the lens of what Bob or Juan might say, which is that
-- look, the Republicans were being horrible to her, they were so mean on her, and the lighting will be soft on her, when she says what difference does it make, it will be out of a sense of frustration because the Republicans are so mean. That's how it will be perceived.
GUTFELD: And Diane Lane playing her.
PERINO: It's so huge.
GUILFOYLE: She's adorable.
GUTFELD: She is.
GUILFOYLE: I mean, really.
GUTFELD: Yes.
WILLIAMS: Which one, Diane Lane or Hillary Clinton?
(CROSSTALK)
GUTFELD: The similarity is striking. They're both gorgeous women.
Can I bring up one point about Weiner? He spent $45,000 to look into, hired investigator to look into the sexting, as though he hadn't done it himself, that there were somebody else that hacked, spent 43 grand to falsely investigate a cover-up that he was covering up, which has to be illegal. That's like --
PERINO: Was it his money or camp --
GUTFELD: I don't know, who knows?
It's like Bill Clinton telling the secret service to investigate a strange man having sex in the Oval Office. Oh, it might be me.
GUILFOYLE: Narrow the pool down.
PERINO: The other lesson in that is that if you're going to college in a month, study cyber security, become a private investigator, get 45 grand to help these guys out.
TANTAROS: It's thriving business in New York, by the way, private investigators.
WILLIAMS: You mean, like girlfriend hiring investigators to track the boyfriend?
TANTAROS: Because of divorce laws, it is incredible.
WILLIAMS: Can I make a quick point?
TANTAROS: Yes, you can. And I want Kimberly back.
WILLIAMS: Bill Clinton is so popular, I think it has faded. Your point about well, he may have set us all up -- the question for me is do New York City voters think that Anthony Weiner is not a good politician because he has this obsession? I am not convinced.
GUILFOYLE: Oh, yeah.
PERINO: There are almost zero legislative accomplishments that Anthony Weiner has.
TANTAROS: All you have to do is look at the new polls. They're willing to forgive easily because again, the way the Clintons changed our perspective of sex scandals in this country.
However, he dropped to fourth in the polls. People don't like to be lied to. Now you have news networks like CNN, NBC rallying around Hillary with these films. Do you think she's inevitable that they're going to make her inevitable?
GUIILFOYLE: She's the chosen one. Obama was the chosen one. They elbowed her like, hey, get to the back of the line.
TANTAROS: Do you think this is reward for edging her out?
GUILFOYLE: She has been a loyal trooper. She served her country. She took the position, didn't like have sour grapes about it.
So there's something to be said. Some of that is party loyalty.
PERINO: If you're a Democrat, why would you vote against her? I actually think -- I don't know what her policies are going to be, but if you're a Democrat, I don't understand why they wouldn't.
TANTAROS: So unfair to Joe Biden.
GUTFELD: You say you don't know what her policies are, does anybody? She never made a statement that isn't politically manicured.
PERINO: She's got three years now. She's got -- everything is being set up. She will -- this is what I want to know. Will she tact to the left or
try to bring the party more to the center, as Bill --
WILLIAMS: Well, it depends like -- initially, she's got to go left, because, you know what, she's got to watch for Elizabeth Warren and those on the left.
TANTAROS: She's going to do the hokey pokey.
WILLIAMS: It's primary. Republicans have to worry the primary. Democrats have to worry about the primary.
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