'The Five' revisits the top news stories of 2013

This is a rush transcript from "The Five," December 30, 2013. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE, CO-HOST: Hello, everyone. I'm Kimberly Guilfoyle, along with Bob Beckel, Jesse Watters, Dana Perino and Jedediah Bila.

It's 5 o'clock in New York City. And this is "The Five."

Now, are you awake?

(MUSIC)

GUILFOYLE: 2013 is winding down, but before we ring in 2014, let's take a moment to revisit some of the top news stories of the year.

What were some of the hot topics you heard about here on "The Five"?

Here is a look back.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If you like your doctor, you keep your doctor. If you like your health care plan, you keep your health care plan.

And I am sorry that they, you know, are finding themselves in these situations based on assurances they got from me.

SEN. RAND PAUL (R), KENTUCKY: I rise today to begin to filibuster John Brennan's nomination for the CIA. I will speak until I can no longer speak.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We the jury find George Zimmerman not guilty.

(EXPLOSION)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS: I intend to speak in support of defunding ObamaCare until I am no longer able to stand.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We, the jury, duly impaneled and sworn in the above entitled action upon our oath do find the defendant as to count one, first-degree murder, guilty.

AMANDA BERRY, KIDNAP VICTIM: Help me, I'm Amanda Berry.

OPERATOR: Do you need police, fire or ambulance?

BERRY: I need police.

OPERATOR: OK. And what's going on there?

BERRY: I've been kidnapped and I've been missing for 10 years, and I'm here, I'm free now.

HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: The fact is we have four dead Americans. Was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night who decided they'd go kill some Americans? What difference at this point does it make?

(END VIDEO CLIPS)

GUILFOYLE: Remember those words? 2016, we'll be hearing them a lot again.

Bob, I'm going to start with you and go around the table. Say what was your top story for 2013.

BOB BECKEL, CO-HOST: Well, first of all, let me just say how shocked I am that we started with ObamaCare and the first one, the second and the third one of this list. So, I think I'll keep off of ObamaCare say that the biggest and almost under rated reporting was the national security agency spying on Americans. I think that's got a precedent for the future. It's extremely dangerous. I think it's unconstitutional. It will be tested in courts and we'll find out.

GUILFOYLE: All right. You've been strong on that story.

Jesse?

JESSE WATTERS, CO-HOST: Bob, big surprise. I'm going with ObamaCare. It was the top story this year by a landslide. You know, when the president lies to the American people and the rollout is a disaster, it's been October, November, December, you are still seeing it blow up in people's faces, I think it blows everything else out of the water. I hate to see it because a lot of people don't have health insurance and you want them to have health insurance but, unfortunately, it is the top story of the year.

GUILFOYLE: And do you expect it will trend in 2014? We haven't seen the last of it.

WATTERS: I do. I think there's still going to be some fallout, obviously, as people try to go to the hospital and try to go to the doctor and find out, whoa, I don't have insurance.

BECKEL: Why don't you ask another follow-up question about ObamaCare?

GUILFOYLE: I'm trying to ask with another.

(CROSSTALK)

GUILFOYLE: I want to get Dana in.

What do you think, Dana?

DANA PERINO, CO-HOST: I think ObamaCare will be Jessie's choice next year because all of the things that are starting to roll out in 2014 which were designed to come after the president's election, they're going to continue.

So I'll choose another one even though ObamaCare is certainly the most significant story of the year. It's the IRS targeting of conservative groups. That story has faded to the background, however, I think the consequences of that story, the impact of it will be that if you'll continue to see the distrust of government across the board, that will actually hurt America in the long run. So that story I think was maybe -- doesn't show as much on some of the lists but for impact that, that was a good one.

GUILFOYLE: Significant story, for sure.

All right. Jedediah, how are you this evening?

JEDEDIAH BILA, CO-HOST: I'm doing well. I think particularly Obama saying if you like your plan, you can keep your plan, period, over and over again. I think it affected the credibility of the president.

A lot of people believed him up to that point. Then people questioned the man behind the presidency.

But Bob makes a great point about the NSA, because I think this was a moment when a lot of folks on the left began to question Barack Obama and whether or not he was standing up for people's privacy rights and gave an opportunity for the libertarian wing of the party, the Rand Pauls, to come out and support those things and show the American people that we are on the side of civil liberties and privacy protection.

GUILFOYLE: Bob, would you like to follow up with something or has that said it all? You can't see and understand his face on radio. But --

PERINO: The Syria story, you liked that story.

BECKEL: I do. I think the most under-reported story was Syria and the devastation and tragedy is going on there, the millions of people who have been displaced. It looks like Bashar will probably survive all of this. But I think the Mideast is in a position -- we're very close to seeing things explode to the extent that I still think there is a possibility that the terrorists will take over the Suez Canal. If that happens, it will send the world's economic order into disorder.

GUILFOYLE: OK.

All right. So I think you gave some good answers. Bob, we're going to let you stay.

(LAUGHTER)

BECKEL: Thank you very much.

GUILFOYLE: He's so happy because I have some more ObamaCare thoughts. Just to tantalize him.

OK. So, Dana, let's talk about this. There is a Gallup poll out talking about Obama, Clinton, most admired in 2013, did these numbers surprise you in terms of popularity, admiration -- given the tumultuous year the president has had.

PERINO: I actually think that this poll, because it's open-ended, they just asked who do you admire most. I mean, President Obama and Secretary Clinton are the two that you know the most. They're the one in the news the most. It's -- I would imagine that Democrats find it hard to believe that George W. Bush is second on the list.

But it is people who are in the news and people who are in your conscious. So I wasn't that surprised that he would be on that list.

GUILFOYLE: But as President Bush 43 always said, you know, history will tell, time will tell. He's still reading books about the first president as he is known to --

WATTERS: I mean, I'm personally just shocked that Bill O'Reilly was not at the top of the list. He's been at the top of every list this year. I just -- it astounds me.

But this is one of the sloppiest polls I've seen in a long time. Rand Paul, the 8th most admired person in America, I have no idea how that is possible. You know, the margin error was I think plus or minus four.

So, statistically speaking, Rand Paul was more admired than the pope. I just don't get that. I think it's totally outrageous.

BECKEL: You know, I want to say how amazed I am that you did, your kiss up to O'Reilly.

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

BECKEL: One of the thing that is clear about the polls is the president always win these polls. And Dana is exactly right. It's a reflection of what people know, the first thing that comes to their head.

Now, the one thing about Obama, it's nice -- from my stand point, he's number one. But he came down from 30 percent the last time this was polled.

GUILFOYLE: That's the real takeaway, right?

BECKEL: So, yes. I mean, I think that's -- but, you know, his poll numbers are down everywhere because of a simple thing, which is ObamaCare. But it will get better.

GUILFOYLE: Bob, this poll was taken between December 5th and December 8th, and there was more ObamaCare fallout after that. That might have continued to hurt the president.

BECKEL: Well, I mean, you can't -- I mean, how do you have anything about negative poll ratings in the face of the ObamaCare stories? Everybody is down in this thing now. I think wrongly.

December was -- we got to talk about this. But December was a very good month. And when these states do their own work, which are Democrats, unlike the Republicans who want to see it fail, there will be over 2 million people.

PERINO: Can I mention one thing about the polls and the Republicans? Because if you're looking to 2016, one of the things you can say is that, all right, so the Democrats have Hillary Clinton at some of the highest approval ratings for their party, but also the biggest name idea across the board. If you look at any of the other Republicans who might throw their hat in the ring in 2016, they have such a big hill to climb on name ID. Nobody could name them. So, they have a lot.

GUILFOYLE: That's a huge challenge.

PERINO: A lot of money.

GUILFOYLE: No amount of cash is going to make it happen overnight.

WATTERS: I just can't believe Angela Merkel was the seventh most admired woman in America. I just can't believe it.

(CROSSTALK)

WATTERS: I think someone just answered the phone and tried to get Gallup off the phone.

BECKEL: Merkel's name is in the list. They've got to give her the list.

(CROSSTALK)

WATTERS: No one knows Merkel.

BILA: I will say also, though, don't underestimate Hillary Clinton because everyone keeps saying, well, with the Benghazi issue that's going to be a huge problem for her. She may have dropped in her numbers, but people still really like her. I think we have lot --

PERINO: We don't discount her.

BILA: Yes. No, never. I would never discount her,

And also with George W. Bush, I think what was interesting, he got a chance this year to show his personal likeability. He went on Jay Leno, people started to like the guy, separated him from the presidency. So I think it's a lesson to candidates, to say, you know what? Do these things. If you're running for office, the connection you make with the audience that I think President Bush has made this year is enormously powerful and do not forget that.

GUILFOYLE: I agree. And he's been (INAUDIBLE) and a gentleman. I got into a heated situation about that --

(CROSSTALK)

PERINO: You did? With your relatives?

GUILFOYLE: I'm the winner.

(LAUGHTER)

PERINO: You didn't call me for a life line, you didn't call a friend.

I've threatened, too. I said don't make me get Dana Perino over here.

BECKEL: Bush is doing very well. I mean, I think he is -- when he left office, I had a feeling this guy was going to come up, not as much as he has, and I think you are right, it is his personal side.

The problem for the Republican candidates for president, to try to get personal like that is, the first thing they've got to do is establish the right wing bona fides, which is exactly Mitt Romney. They didn't really believe him, but he moved over to the right to do that.

The Republicans have a big primary in front of them and number of candidates. Hillary Clinton won't have much of a primary in front of her and that makes a big difference.

BILA: I agree.

GUILFOYLE: Well, she is still the winner, too, you know, on that full screen we just showed of the Gallup poll and she is at 15 percent. So that's --

PERINO: Did you see that Oprah Winfrey edged out Michelle Obama?

WATTERS: Yes, you know --

(CROSSTALK)

BILA: I did see that. She is not happy about that.

WATTERS: She's burning alive right there in the White House. She's very, very upset.

GUILFOYLE: The president will be sleeping on the couch, like, with all of that love and affection, you're doing great. Oprah, you've edged me out.

All right. Now, we've gotten, one other thing I want to talk about that was interesting that someone of you might watch this other station, you might have seen the "Today" show did a ranking of political events of 2013.

Take a listen to this bit of sound of Matt Lauer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATT LAUER, NBC NEWS: Number ten, the event that everybody said should make the list was Wendy Davis defending abortion rights.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wendy Davis, people really felt like if we had more leaders like Wendy Davis willing to stand up for what's right, we might just get somewhere.

LAUER: And number five, the government shutdown. I think that was on most of our list as well.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, but I called it the GOP shutdown.

LAUER: I know you did. Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I thought it's a false equivalency for people to say it was a government shutdown, a failure of government. It was not. It was a few individuals who are trying to extort the government.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of our users put a lot of blame on Republicans.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUILFOYLE: I just rubbed my eyes for a moment because I thought it was MSNBC, Dana.

PERINO: I actually think the point about the shutdown, if I were them, I would call it the GOP shutdown as well. Unfortunately, nobody remembers the shutdown, and also, the economic numbers that the administration was touting last week, that were very good, showed it didn't have an impact in the quarter like they thought it would.

BILA: The shutdown is something that people in the media like to talk about, but people across the country weren't talking about that. What they were talking about. What they were talking about was jobs.

What should have been on that list are the number of people that have left the labor force, which is the only thing that pulled the employment numbers for Barack Obama. Also, more than half of the country is pro-- life, I don't think they're identifying with Wendy Davis.

BECKEL: Yes, I think that's right. But also, the Congress, generally, the Republicans, particularly, in the House, have got terrible ratings, as do the Democrats.

And when you're coming out of Congress as a candidate and most of all, the one I've seen so far for the Republicans are coming out of Washington, except for Christie, it's going to be a tough road.

PERINO: Scott Walker.

BECKEL: Because the Republican brand is not in very good shape.

PERINO: Scott Walker, I think you could say.

BECKEL: Scott Walker, yes, but it's going to be a crowded field.

WATTERS: The Wendy Davis pick, that just amazes me. I think the looks have a lot to do about it. I mean, there's no doubt about it. I don't think there's any way she'd crack top 10 if she looks like anything - -

PERINO: I was surprised that the Jodi Arias trial made it on top of some of the list of --

WATTERS: No, they Googled Jodi Arias more than they Googled ObamaCare.

GUILFOYLE: That's the problem. I know, Dana.

Dana still has a bad taste about that.

PERINO: I am still angry about the Jodi Arias.

(CROSSTALK)

GUILFOYLE: Dana was like, there are no words.

OK. All right. Well, we've got a lot of words left. Let me tell you -- because up next, an alarming report from the left-wing media about the Benghazi attacks. Obama just keeps on coming.

Why is The New York Times still pushing the video? And what impact could this have on Hillary Clinton's possible 2016 White House run?

All the heated reaction and Bob's nonsense -- coming up on "The Five." Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PERINO: The New York Times published a front page story over the weekend about the deadly attacks on our consulate in Benghazi last year. Just by multiple reports across the media to the contrary, The Times says Al Qaeda was not involved and revived the suggestion that an American-made video mocking Islam led to the attack that killed four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens.

The author of The Times report was on "Meet the Press" yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID KIRKPATRICK, NEW YORK TIMES: She made some clear misstatements there. This was not a street protest and it was not a copycat of what happened in Cairo. That was an unarmed street protest. This is a group of armed men who inspired by a video deliberately attacked a compound. It was an armed terrorist attack motivated in large part by the video.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PERINO: But House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers is not buying that and insists that Al Qaeda terrorists and not the video are to blame.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS WALLACE, FOX NEWS: There was one group that everybody says was involved, Ansar al-Sharia. They say it's really an independent, radical Islamic group that doesn't have links to Al Qaeda.

REP. MIKE ROGERS (R), MICHIGAN: I dispute that and I think the intelligence to a large volume disputes that al-Sharia. Now, do they have differences of opinion with Al Qaeda core? Yes. Do they have affiliations with Al Qaeda core? Definitely.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PERINO: And his colleague Adam Schiff, congressman also on the Intel Committee, on the Democratic side of the aisle, had this to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PERINO: Congressman Schiff, does The Times reporting, in your opinion, exonerate the Obama administration, from the president to Susan Rice to Hillary Clinton?

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D), CALIFORNIA: Well, I don't think The New York Times report is designed to exonerate the security lapses within the State Department that left our people vulnerable. I agree with Mike that however the intelligence indicates that Al Qaeda was involved. But there were also plenty of people and militias that were unaffiliated with Al Qaeda that were involved.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PERINO: So, Bob, I'm going to start with you, because we talked about this over the weekend on e-mail. The story praised for journalism and for the writing and the detail that David Kirkpatrick was able to unveil. But then when you have a bipartisan members of the Intel Committee but saying the same thing, that they don't think that the story is not accurate, do you think The Times is left not much of a story here?

BECKEL: Plenty of story. I mean, they have more sources in this story. I read that whole thing. I hope everybody here did. It's extremely well-done. Let's remember that al Sharia is a Libyan-based terrorist organization. Everybody's got an Al Qaeda -- it's like a McDonald's burger, you know?

I mean, there is no core Al Qaeda any more. They are gone. They are running independent operations and some of them adopt the name because it's a well-known name.

The question about the video, I mean, I don't necessarily agree with that, but I do think this -- that this was not Al Qaeda connected. We do know that the CIA were arguing among themselves whether they should go in to this thing or not. I think The Times did an extraordinary job and the Republicans in the House have done an extraordinarily bad job in uncovering what, in fact, is not a smoking gun.

Our producers say this is an epic, epic scandal. If this is an epic scandal, then my bad left ankle is an epic scandal. I mean --

PERINO: OK, let me ask -- Jesse, you've been involved in journalism for a long time. If you have a Republican and a Democrat sitting on a committee --

WATTERS: Yes.

PERINO: -- both investigating with the same investigation at their finger tips who dispute a report in The New York Times, do you not think that's valid?

WATTERS: It's a bipartisan situation when you have Democrats and Republicans both on the House Intel Committee saying it was Al Qaeda related. You know, you have the number two guy who was Stevens, the ambassador, there saying there was no video situation. It had nothing to do with the video.

And you also have, you know, an independent analysis of social media reports saying there is no mention of this anti-Muslim video, even 24 hours after 9/11.

You know, my problem is though, it's not really about the video for me. For me, it's about on 9/11, we had a planned and coordinated attack against our guys. We did not have the security. We did not go in to save them.

The president, no one knows where he was that night. He flew off to a fundraiser the next day and now they are wishy-washy about terrorism video, this whole nonsense.

What was the ambassador doing in Benghazi to begin with? We still don't know --

BECKEL: That is a good question.

(CROSSTALK)

WATTERS: No one knows. So there is a lot of unanswered questions.

PERINO: It does seem like the CIA has some things to answer for.

WATTERS: They do. And Petraeus left soon afterwards.

GUILFOYLE: Perhaps they do, but so does The New York Times because the only thing amazing is that it was amazingly inaccurate.

BECKEL: You think The New York Times made this up?

GUILFOYLE: I didn't say they made it up.

(CROSSTALK)

GUILFOYLE: This is such high-priced journalism because it's lacking factual justice.

BECKEL: You name one piece --

GUILFOYLE: Stand by, Bob. Your education can begin right now.

(CROSSTALK)

GUILFOYLE: Ansar al-Sharia was a name chosen by Usama bin Laden because they knew they needed to rebrand Al Qaeda. This is the name he chose. These are documented seized by the Navy SEALs at his compound where he was killed. Deal with this Bob.

(CROSSTALK)

BECKEL: Why do you say that?

GUILFOYLE: Because that's the fact. That's a fact. That Ansar al-Sharia is the name Usama bin Laden chose when he rebranded Al Qaeda, OK? That is a fact.

PERINO: Let me get Jedediah in here because I want to ask about the timing of the story. I thought that the editor of The New York Times with the tweet said this is done now, we are our cocktail party talking point, anybody who thinks that Benghazi is a story is insane, but yet, it seems they have stepped on their own story.

BILA: They have to clear the way for Hillary Clinton also, remember. So she's tied into this in a bad way, making very bizarre statements, lack of leadership. Did she or did she not see the cables that requested security in advance? They have to clear the way for her and passed the blame on to something else.

Pretend that it's spontaneous or suggest that it's spontaneous. That's important because that takes the blame off of them. There is plenty they could have done. No, there's plenty you could have done. There were repeated requests for additional security in advance that weren't filled. Eight and a half hours where no one assisted. The State Department is accountable for that.

BECKEL: Are you suggesting that The New York Times got together and said let's do a story that exonerates Hillary Clinton?

BILA: What I find interesting is that the guy, David Kirkpatrick who did this investigation, who they chose to do the investigation, if you look back on 9/11/2012, he wrote an article titled, "Anger Over A Film Fuels Anti-American Attacks in Libya and Egypt." He was already putting the blame on -- and they sent somebody out who already made that hypothesis to prove his own point.

(CORSSTALK)

BILA: I still think that is interesting.

BECKEL: There are 65 sources here. They have more sources than Issa is having.

(CROSSTALK)

WATTERS: And this reporting contradicts previous reporting by "The New York Times" that Mohana Jamal (ph) --

BECKEL: I understand that and I think --

(CROSSTALK)

WATTERS: -- that Al Qaeda affiliate was involved in the attack.

BECKEL: -- they decided to do definitive investigative piece. They got it. The Al Qaeda thing is a brand name.

PERINO: It's not definitive, Bob. I think if anything, it's actually raised more questions again and brought it up to a point where -- the families, I think they deserve some answers. Also, this idea of the video -- let's just say that a video sparks a riot, are we in America where we say, OK, you are excused for rioting because of a video. You are not in trouble, we're not going to arrest you, we're going to arrest the person who exercised free speech?

What have we become if that's really --

GUILFOYLE: Right.

(CROSSTALK)

BECKEL: Let me ask you one question before we get out of here. Do you really think this is going to have any impact at all on the elections in 2016 for Hillary Clinton?

PERINO: I think it's going to become an issue that is partisan from here on out for decades to come, Republicans will always think that there was some sort of a shady cover-up and the Democrats will always think the Republicans are crazy for thinking so. And if you are n independent person thinking about who to vote for, this might tip away from Hillary Clinton.

And her imperious attitude at that hearing is what turns people off. She's got to watch it.

BECKEL: You think after 27 hearings, Darrell Issa could finally come up with a report?

GUILFOYLE: Oh, here we go --

PERINO: All I care about is that we get answers at the end --

(CROSSTALK)

BECKEL: You are a knee-jerk defender.

GUILFOYLE: No, I'm not, because there are documents that were seized from Usama bin Laden, on his computer. Quote, "Usama bin Laden has expressed desire to change the name of organization, according to prepared message on his computer, which was confiscated from his home in the Pakistan City Abbotta -- whatever -- after his death and the letter are revealed that the organization needed to be remarketed and change its name to include the new organization so as to not be linked to the activities of Al Qaeda.

PERINO: OK, but we have to go.

BECKEL: And that organization was in place before Usama bin Laden wrote those.

PERINO: We have to go because we got so much more coming up. It has been a fascinating discussion.

All right. Coming up, a look -- alarming new examples of leftist media doing their best to fuel the flames of race-baiting. We're going to report, you decide. Next on "The Five". Don't go away.

Kimberly and Bob are still going at it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BILA: It seems as though the left wing media is back to stirring the race-baiting pot. That's right, Bob.

We'll highlight a couple of examples. First up, check out "Washington Post" columnist Eugene Robinson sparking outrage with his inflammatory prediction for 2014.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EUGENE ROBINSON, THE WASHINGTON POST: In one story, a huge story in 2013, that we kind of don't mention was the acquittal of George Zimmerman and the racial issues and conflict that remain just under the surface that bubble up from time to time that erupt, and I think you can predict we'll have more eruptions in 2014. We come to big anniversaries of the civil war, big anniversaries of the emancipation, this and that, and we'll see more --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BILA: Kimberly, I have to ask, why do some in media refuse to acknowledge they play a role in this race-baiting? If you remember when the George Zimmerman trial came out, they made that about race on minute one, before we even had any facts about it. Why can't they just assess themselves as part of the problem?

GUILFOYLE: There is no self reflection. They're incapable of doing so. They came down to earth without the chip and that's the problem. They can't -- you can try to keep pressing up on the remote control, it's not going to work.

So, it's safer. It's easier. It's more mentally convenient for them to cast it out and not actually say they have a role or participatory in it. And now, I think the prediction will be that we'll see more of this in 2014, because guess what? It worked.

BILA: It worked.

GUILFOYLE: To a certain extent, it worked. They got play off of it and they're going to keep riding it until it doesn't work for them and they'll go to something else.

BILA: Now I want to play a similar clip that I think will cause quite a bit of discussion amongst us. It's from MSNBC. Melissa Harris-Perry had some interesting things to say about Mitt Romney. Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MELISSA HARRIS-PERRY, MSNBC: A lot of people had emotions about this baby picture this year, this is the Romney family. And, of course, they are on Governor Romney's knee, his adopted grandson, who is an African- American, adopted African-American child, Kieran Romney. Any captions for this one?

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think this picture is great. It really sums up the diversity of the Republican Party.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALI: This is -- to me, this is beyond the pail.

Now, Bob, I have to ask you, should she get a pass for that?

BECKEL: No, she shouldn't. Let me say fast thing about what Robinson said about George Zimmerman, though, is that George Zimmerman, in my view, was a cop wannabe racist white beater, who should have been -- who murdered a kid and should have been in jail.

BILA: OK, on this though.

BECKEL: On this, it is absolutely outrageous. The number of black children in America who desperately need a family and cannot find that family, it would be nice if they were all in African-American families but they don't have enough people to adopt. The idea of them taking this on is a very, very healthy thing for them to do and it is absolutely beyond the pale. I do not want to associate myself -- most liberals wouldn't agree with what she said and I certainly don't.

BILA: Jesse, this talking point about the GOP, that the GOP isn't diverse. You know, we have Allen West, we have Jim Scott, you could go on and on, Michael Steel, on and on about how the Republican Party does have a lot of diversity.

So this is an idiotic point but the left keeps making it. Why do they keep going to that?

WATTERS: Well, look at the last couple of Republicans we've had. Cheney's daughter was a lesbian, OK? McCain adopted a girl from Bangladesh. You have Romney adopting a black child. Bush did more for America than any other president in recent history, OK?

So, it doesn't fit the caricature of a racist, white Republican, and they try to demonize and they try to marginalize and they try to mock. And you understand that.

But I'm personally offended by this is my uncle adopted a black child, OK? This kid, this boy who is now an adult, was in family photos.

There is nothing funny about that. There is nothing weird about that. We love him and he's part of the family.

So, what NBC News is doing right here, they are not just making fun of Romney, they are making fun of this little boy, OK? When this little boy is older, is he going to watch this video, what is he going to think. It's just sad to me.

BILA: It is sad.

Dana, I just want to ask you, former press secretary, you have experience of handling things like this. Has the same people --

PERINO: Well, no one ever said something like that.

BILA: No, but I mean, in terms of response -- should we acknowledge something like this or ignore completely? What's the best way to response to this?

PERINO: I think we have to thank the group the right scoop, they are the ones who actually watch MSNBC and they point these things out. I think they could say, needy children need loving parents. Think we should all be able to agree with that as Americans.

And so, I do wonder if that had been a gay couple that had adopted a black wild, would they have made fun of them? I think the answer is absolutely not. So I think the liberals who laugh about something like what she said and make fun of Republicans who need to have more diversity in the party and reach out to more people, some self-reflection on the liberal's part would be appropriate in this sense.

BILA: I agree.

GUILFOYLE: I think the way the panel to make fun of and belittle the situation, the generosity and spirit of humanity that the Romney family and the future of this child -- I'm sure he's going to be absolutely delighted to be part of a loving and spiritual family and the fact that they belittled that I think is shameful.

I don't know why she still has a job there, actually.

BILA: Yes, and it's not funny. You know, it's just -- there is nothing funny about it. It is bad comedy.

(CROSSTALK)

BILA: Exactly.

Directly ahead, is Black Monday in the NFL and heads are rolling. Which coaches were sent home in a blood bath of pink slips today? We've got the surprising details in the football frenzy next on "The Five".

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WATTERS: It's a dark day in the NFL with the arrival of Black Monday, the day immediately after the regular season closes when failed teams clean house. And here is a sobering thought for coaches everywhere. Two years of failure to make the playoffs is too much.

So far, five head coaches have gotten the ax. Redskins coach Mike Shanahan, Vikings coach Leslie Frazier, Brown's coach Rob Chudzinski, Tampa Bay Buc's coach Greg Schiano, and Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz.

With so many surprising casualties, who could be the next to fall?

Now, Bob, you are a Redskins fan.

BECKEL: Yes.

WATTERS: OK, I hear. Which is racist, by the way.

(CROSSTALK)

WATTERS: That logo is very racist, you know, Shanahan had a strange relationship with RG3, he put him in the game last year and got hurt. There was a trust situation there, they were 3-13, won the NFC last year. And now, 3-13 is pretty pathetic.

What happened there?

BECKEL: Well, what -- part of it has to do with the fact that he had his own son being the offensive coordinator, which is not a good idea. But, you know, Redskins fans, like most fans. But the Redskins fans have particularly have no patience at all to wait.

The Redskins have been rebuilding. They've had top draft choices, they've done reasonably well with them.

I don't think Shanahan was the right coach, but we have to do it over again. We've had seven coaches there in about 10 years, it's ridiculous. And if you don't win, you're right. If you don't win after two seasons, goodbye.

GUILFOYLE: I like Mike Shanahan. I think he is a great football coach. His roots are starting out as an offensive coordinator and he's worked for the great teams like the 49ers and the Raiders, West Coast. So, they didn't really I think give him the chance --

WATTERS: And you're a Niners fan?

GUILFOYLE: I am a Niners fan and I have a lot of respect for him. Those that have followed him over the years. I mean, I don't think it's best idea to have. It's the same mentality. So, sometimes, it's good to change it up a bit because he's probably pretty dominant in terms of putting forward his opinion in how the offensive should run, right? So, I don't know, I think sometimes two minds that are different might help.

WATTERS: And Giants fan, do I have that right?

BILA: That is correct. I'm embarrassed about it.

WATTERS: I don't know if that coach will make it out of the day. We'll see. You know, Coughlin has had two Super Bowl rings but he's had a terrible season this year. Eli had trouble.

Do you feel bad for these coaches for getting axed?

BILA: No. They make way too much money for me to feel bad for them, to be perfectly honest. No, look, you have to have accountability and you got to turn out the results as part of the process. And if you don't, you still get paid a lot of money. Usually, they have to pay you out in the end when you go off and you wind up coaching another team or something.

But no, I mean, accountability is the name of the gay.

WATTERS: Yes, it is refreshing seeing guys under performing getting the ax. It doesn't happen enough in this country, certainly not in Washington, D.C.

Now, Dana, Broncos fan. Do I have that correct?

PERINO: Always.

WATTERS: Always a Bronco.

PERINO: Lifelong.

WATERS: All the way fan.

PERINO: Definitely.

WATTERS: So, you guys are number one seed this --

PERINO: I remember Sammy Winder. Do you remember him?

WATTERS: No, I do not.

PERINO: You're not a Broncos fan.

WATTERS: No, I'm not. I'm a Eagles fan. So, big game last night.

PERINO: Big game.

WATTERS: Got the win.

PERINO: I said at the beginning of the season that I think the Broncos will go to Super Bowl and I think I will be proven right.

WATTERS: OK. Well, let's go around the table here. The predictions for the Super Bowl. I'm going Eagles in the Super Bowl -- obviously, because I'm from Philly, OK? Probably going to play the Broncos, cold weather scenario, Peyton Manning, we'll see what happens.

Bob, what's going to happen?

BECKEL: Broncos versus the Seahawks, Broncos will win by two touchdowns.

WATTERS: You're going to put money on that.

BECKEL: Sure.

WATTERS: All right.

Kimberly?

GUILFOYLE: I'm going to with never bet against a Manning, especially when it's Peyton Manning. Sorry. So, tragedy is going to befall your Eagles, I'd say.

WATTERS: I'm used to it, Kimberly.

GUILFOYLE: Denver by seven.

BILA: Pigs are flying because Bob and I finally agree. Broncos and Seahawks, Broncos are going to take it. I don't know by how much but --

PERINO: I don't know who gave you the cheat sheet, but I chose Broncos/Seahawks earlier in the. Kimberly was here, I chose the broncos.

BECKEL: But you weren't sure whether they were football teams or basketball teams.

PERINO: No, I didn't know if they were the same like division, if they had to play against each other or not.

WATTERS: Are the Broncos in the playoffs?

PERINO: I did learn to confirm they made it in.

GUILFOYLE: You love the Broncos so much, she buys all her cars from his dealership. That's how loyal.

PERINO: I haven't driven in three years.

WATTERS: Just take me up the car next time.

All right. Coming up, one of Bob's favorite people on the planet, Kanye West, finishes his tour with a rant to end all rant about 2014. Bob has a lot to say about Kanye's New Year's pledge, next on "The Five". Don't go away.

GUILFOYLE: Including changing his name.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECKEL: All right, Kanye East or Keenan West, whatever his name is, is shy -- is not shy about running his mouth off. No kidding. So it's interesting that on the last stop of his "Yeezus" tour, the rap star made a bold New Year's resolution, to stop talking trash in 2014. Here's part of Keenan's [SIC] rambling 27-minute rant.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KANYE WEST, HIP-HOP STAR: And this year, this might be the last time I talk (EXPLETIVE DELETED) for a long time. Maybe like six months. This is the last time I will say anything negative about anyone. You only get the energy that you put out into the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECKEL: Yes. Anyone want to place a bet on how long this negative- free zone lasts? Jess?

WATTERS: I mean, I don't really mind when he rants. I have a problem when he compares himself to people. He's compared himself to God, Thomas Edison, Walt Disney...

BILA: Greg Gutfeld.

WATTERS: Yes, Greg Gutfeld. The list goes on and on. So -- so you know, my problem's really not with the rant. I think Kanye just needs to be Kanye and just feel comfortable being Kanye.

And don't hate on Kanye. He's got some good songs.

GUILFOYLE: You just like the video with Kim on the motorcycle.

BECKEL: Now, there's another waste of time.

WATTERS: I have never seen that. I don't know what you're talking about.

BILA: You know you're going to look at it. You have, like, a poster.

BECKEL: I have to say, Kim Car-douche-an...

WATTERS: Whoa!

BECKEL: Car-day-she-an. What do you think, Car-tush-in?

GUILFOYLE: Car-tush-ee-an.

BECKEL: OK. Go ahead. What do you think about Kanye? Think he'll make it?

GUILFOYLE: Look, I think he's very talented. And if you look at Forbes, being like a post- -- from an analytical perspective, and his net worth, he's worth about $35 million. He's ranked fourth in terms of hip- hop stars. So he's certainly talented, and he writes his own lyrics, as well.

They're a -- I guess a unifying force together. They're a whole marketing brand, and they seem to do quite well in business. Other than that, I mean, Bob, we talked about them quite a bit on this show, so they're doing something right.

BECKEL: They do that great. Even though brains don't matter. Yes.

BILA: I wish they each got a little bit of humility just injected.

BECKEL: Gee, what a thought. Yes.

BILA: It's so crazy. I don't know how you get a head this big. I mean, my parents were good to me, and they boosted my self-esteem, but I don't know how you go from good self-esteem, to that, to "I am like bigger, larger than life in every way." I wish they would just get a little -- just a little humility. Just a little bit.

BECKEL: I know you didn't want to cover this, but they gave their daughter, who's 6 months old...

GUILFOYLE: Yes.

BECKEL: ... a Lamborghini for Christmas.

BILA: The mock.

BECKEL: The mock Lamborghini, which she can drive, because her daddy has a Lamborghini.

PERINO: Isn't that weak? That's why I had a John Deere tractor. I'd drive around in my little Wrangler Jeep.

BECKEL: These people -- is -- you're right about humility. Typically -- does anybody know what they do for good works? I mean, do they...

PERINO: I'm sure they'll come up with a big list for you.

GUILFOYLE: I know. But I agree. They have a real unique opportunity to engage in charitable works and do some incredible things in the world to change other people's lives. I suggest children is always a great place to start.

PERINO: No, remember -- remember she did that whole thing where she auctioned -- she did the auction, and she gave, like, 10 cents away. Like, if they don't want to give to charity, that's fine. If they just want to make a bunch of money and be on the cover of all these magazines, I don't really care.

BECKEL: All right. Well, Keenan [SIC] -- Keenan [SIC], whatever part of the -- of the compass you're on, good luck.

"One More Thing" is up next.

GUILFOYLE: North, South, East, West.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GUILFOYLE: This is a FOX News alert. Dana Perino in full dance was doing this, like, kind of bizarre, lame thing, but I like it. I like it.

PERINO: I have a whole dance to the "One More Thing."

GUILFOYLE: She loves it. She feels the banjo. All right. But I hope you feel yourself some New Year's Eve FOX now, baby, because 9 p.m. Eastern me and the big daddy over here are going to be kicking it off. We're not sure exactly what's going to happen.

BECKEL: We aren't talking about Benghazi.

GUILFOYLE: We might. I may have to just give you a little bit of that.

BECKEL: I'll shoot you.

BILA: Give you the full Benghazi.

GUILFOYLE: But we have a FOX News first, an exclusive with "Duck Dynasty," Willie and Cory, and that's going to be handled by Bill Hemmer and our very own Elisabeth Hasselbeck. We're very excited to have that interview here, first and on FOX. It's going to be an exciting night. We've got great bands.

As I said, we have Bill and Elisabeth, Ainsley Earhardt, Rick Leventhal, Charles Krauthammer, Bill O'Reilly, your BFF, Jesse. You'll be sure to be watching.

WATTERS: I'll be.

GUILFOYLE: And of course, Mr. Bob and myself. So it's going to be great. I've been down there many years before, but I'm moving on up, people. I'm with Bob now, and we're going to be handling an hour by ourselves.

BECKEL: It's going to be cold, baby.

GUILFOYLE: OK. We're going to snuggle together. All right -- Dana.

PERINO: All right. I, a couple of weeks ago, I went to see Kathie Lee Gifford and her husband, Frank Gifford, and I participated in her new podcast. It's "Kathie Lee and Company." It's been a great podcast. She talked about a wide range of topics. One of them was ""The Five"." She's a fan. She watches. And I talked about Bob. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PERINO: Bob Beckel and I used to take the train back together.

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD, HOST, "KATHIE LEE AND COMPANY": I heard you talking about that the other day.

PERINO: And just yesterday we went to the 21 Club for the wonderful Christmas brunch, and he has become a very good friend. I've learned a lot from him. We marvel at the fact that we are the same species, and we think so completely differently about the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PERINO: But there's lots of different topics. We talk about ""The Five"" and all sorts of different things. So thanks, Kathie Lee, for having me on.

GUILFOYLE: It's very nice, very nice. And Bob is crying over there.

Bob is wearing what I think is a cashmere scarf, and I'm not sure where he got it. It was a Christmas gift, Bobby.

All right. We've got Jesse Watters on deck.

WATTERS: OK. Beyonce has a new song, "XO," which is generating some controversy. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My controller's here, looking very carefully at the situation. Obviously, a major malfunction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATTERS: All right. So what they did there was they sampled some audio from a NASA official, 1986 when the Space Shuttle Challenger crashed off -- after liftoff. Now seven crew members died that day. And now the widows from some of the lost crew members are speaking out, issuing a statement, saying they're very distraught and saddened by the fact that the pop star would use that in a pop song.

And Beyonce has now come out and tried to defend it, saying that she was trying to honor the Challenger. Now, if it was up to me, I would drop the sample from the song, but you know, that's just me. I'm not a pop star.

GUILFOYLE: Cashmere Bob is next.

BECKEL: I'm going to bypass my "One More Thing," because I was going to have -- because we don't have much time, and I want Jedediah to say something.

But I do want to take this opportunity to wish our missing compatriot here, Andrea Tantaros, a very happy birthday. She's 26 years old today. And Andrea, we do miss you, and happy birthday to you. If you were here, you'd have a cake just like I did. All right.

GUILFOYLE: That was a nice wish.

BILA: Happy birthday, Andrea.

I want to just close with something about gratitude. Parents, you should teach your children to be grateful, to be thankful. New research is showing that kids who express gratitude show real benefits. In some cases, they have higher GPAs. They have lower levels of depression. They have better outlooks on life. So parents, teach your kids to say thank you after everything. They'll be happier, and you'll be happier, too.

BECKEL: An attitude of gratitude.

GUILFOYLE: Something tells me your mom taught you that.

BILA: She did.

(CROSSTALK)

GUILFOYLE: An attitude of gratitude here on "The Five." Thanks for watching our show. Don't forget, set your DVR so you never miss an episode.

Content and Programming Copyright 2013 Fox News Network, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Copyright 2013 CQ-Roll Call, Inc. All materials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of CQ-Roll Call. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.