How will Obama handle a GOP-controlled Congress?

Brit Hume on what the election results mean

This is a rush transcript from "The Kelly File," November 5, 2014. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

MEGYN KELLY, HOST: Joining us now, Fox News senior political analyst Brit Hume.

So, Brit, when you hear the president, you know, his tone today, and in particular Ed made reference to it. I want to play you this sound bite of the president speaking to these two-thirds of the electorate who didn't vote issue. I want to get your thoughts on what he was trying to say. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: The two-thirds of voters who chose not to participate in the process yesterday, I hear you too.

OBAMA: Part of what I also think we've got to look at is the two-thirds of people who are eligible voting just didn't vote.

(END VIDEO CLIPS)

KELLY: Brit?

BRIT HUME, FOX NEWS SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, Megyn, I mean, it's arguably true. I mean, I think if you look at the numbers of registered voters it would probably be a larger number who actually voted. I think more than anything he was trying to call attention to the fact that there was a small -- it was less than half of the electorate participated and thereby belittled these results -- is not all that meaningful or important. And to take it a step further, not all that related to him. At least that's how it struck me when I heard him say it.

KELLY: The implication seems to be that the two-thirds are in his quarter. Is there any indication of that?

HUME: Well, either that or he has, you know, with all his wondrous qualities he has magical ability to hear people who haven't said anything, which would be quite something if we were able to do that. Well, maybe he's simply saying that we need to do a better job here because so many people are so turned off, such a huge percentage of the public is turned off, they didn't even vote.

Now, if that's what he meant, well, he's got a point.

KELLY: But what he said, he went onto say, "The American people sent a message, one they've sent for several elections now. They want us to get the job done." Is that the message?

HUME: Well, that's always the message, if you think about it. I mean, the public always wants whatever government it installs in power and whatever party it installs in power to get the job done. That's kind of a -- that doesn't really say anything. If he's suggesting that, you know, the job hasn't been getting done, then presumably he means that he and his team and his party play a major role in that. They've after all had, you know, two legs of the three-legged stool that has to do with legislation. They've had the Senate and the White House, the Republicans for the last several years have controlled the House of Representatives.

So, you know, that's what he meant. That's kind of a peculiar thing to say when you think about it.

KELLY: What do you make of the chances of an actual outreach, you know, by the White House to the now-Republican controlled Senate? Because when the president was asked about it today, he said "surely we can find ways to work together on issues," and he says, "sso I look forward to Republicans putting forward their governing agenda. I will offer my ideas on areas where I think we can move together."

When I read that, it reminded me when I was practicing law. It sounds like a lawyer trying to reach a settlement in a litigation. Like, you never want to make your offer first. You try to get the other side to say what they want and then you react. And the question is whether he's in the right role here or whether he's supposed to be leading.

HUME: Well, I don't think we're at the negotiation stage really yet. That will come when specific measures are before the Congress and the president is deciding what role he wants to play in trying to shape the legislation or what position he will take on them or how he will react if the legislation passes and reaches his desk. It seems to me that's how that more or less works.

You know, there's an old saying the president proposes and Congress disposes. The president today seemed to suggest that it would work the other way this time. Now that Republicans have gotten control of the House, it's up to them to come to him with their ideas, and then he will make a pronouncement or a decision about whether he finds them appealing or not.

At one point he said something, and this is nowhere near the exact words, which sounded very much like, if the Republicans have some ideas that I like, I'll entertain them. Well, that doesn't sound like somebody who's been at all chasing by an election in which his party suffered in a major across-the-board defeat, not only including in the House where, you know, they expanded their majority, loss of the Senate to the Republicans but also, you know, a turn of events in the governors chairs that nobody really quite saw coming. It looked like the Republicans were going to lose governorships this year.

So, it was really quite a terrible night for his party and it certainly reflects on him whether he likes to think that or not.

KELLY: Well, he said it was a good night notwithstanding --

HUME: A good night for the Republicans. Yes.

KELLY: -- the rep from The New York Times that he was irritated, which who could blame him? And yet, we didn't really get the, I don't know --

HUME: He never --

KELLY: -- the (INAUDIBLE) of "it's a thumping, it's a shellacking" this time.

HUME: Yes. Irritation seems to be about as upset as he gets. He gets irritated. Maybe he's even been annoyed.

KELLY: He must be a happy man. I wish I were more like that. Brit, good to see you.

HUME: Thank you, Megyn.

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