Which candidate poses the biggest threat to Donald Trump?
Columnist Mark Steyn goes on 'Hannity' to discuss Ben Carson's surge in the polls
This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," September 15, 2015. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: And welcome to "Hannity." And this is a Fox News Alert. 2016 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump just wrapped up an event in Los Angeles. We'll have analysis of his speech with Mark Steyn in just a few minutes. But first, in case you weren't able to watch, here's what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP R-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am with the veterans 100 percent.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: They're our greatest people. They're being treated terribly. The -- not only the number of deaths, which are -- obviously, that's tantamount -- that's what's going on is incredible. But as of two weeks ago on Wednesday, the vets had the longest wait in the history of the Veterans Administration. You go in and see a doctor, you wait for days -- for days.
And it's not going to happen. Not going to happen. If I win, believe me, it's not going to happen. And one of the things I thought I'd do, and I'd stress so strongly, the veterans' hospitals -- obviously, they have problems. They're not properly run. And when you have to wait long hours and long days and then in some cases have the doctors say, I'm sorry, I'm going on vacation, believe me, it doesn't get much worse than that.
So we're going to create a whole new system. We're going to take the system apart, and if they're not doing the job, the veterans are going to go to private doctors, private hospitals, public hospitals.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: And we're going to reimburse those doctors and those hospitals, and you're going to get the greatest service of any veterans in any country because you deserve it. And that's going to be...
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: That's going to be broken down into something that's going to be very special. Right now -- and you know it -- we have illegal immigrants that are treated better by far than our veterans.
(BOOS)
TRUMP: That's not going to happen anymore. It's not going to happen.
So Joe, I just really appreciate it, so unexpected. To be here is an honor. They don't build ships like this anymore, folks, you know? We don't do them this way anymore.
I actually said, What about recommissioning -- look at this thing, the largest guns in the world, most powerful guns. I learned a lot about the Iowa. By the way, Iowa's a great place for a lot of reasons, you know?
(CHEERS)
TRUMP: We have been treated so well in the state of Iowa, it's been incredible, number one in the polls. And we love those people. They're great.
So this is a great ship. Hawkeye, he goes. This is a great ship, and that's a great state.
I just want to say that we're going to come out with some plans in a very short time. We're going to be building up our military. We're going to make our military so big and so strong and so great...
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: ... and it will be so powerful that I don't think we're ever going to have to use it. Nobody's going to mess with us. That I can tell you.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: And we're going to have a president who's respected by Putin, who's respected by Iran. You know, let's talk about -- for two seconds, let's talk about the Iran deal. Now, Obama...
(BOOS)
TRUMP: Obama and his people call him the supreme leader of Iran. Obama talks about the supreme leader. Well, I'm not calling him a supreme leader. But he said the other day that after this rip-off deal is completed, he will never touch, do business with the United States again. We're finished with the United States.
They're taking $150 billion. They're getting a deal that's going to need -- it's going to go right into nuclear weapons. Much sooner than you think.
They're going to self-police. Think of that one. They are going to go and self-police. They got the 24 -- they have 24-day provisions.
And by the way, what people don't understand, the 24-day provision doesn't start -- you know this, right -- it doesn't start for a long time before you get to it. The clock is ticking. It could take forever. We may never get in there. It is one of the dumbest deals and one of the weakest contracts I've ever seen of any kind.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: So we are going to do things in this country right. We're not going to sign deals where we have four prisoners over there and they're still there and we don't even ask them. One of them's there because he's a Christian. We have a writer. The whole thing is absolutely insane.
You know, they asked the president and they asked Secretary of State Kerry, who may be -- you know, I've been saying Hillary Clinton is the worst secretary of state in the history of this country, right?
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: All right. I've been saying it. But it's possible -- the world blew up around her. It blew up, just blew up. The whole world looks is a different place. It's possible that because of this deal made by Secretary Kerry, who has absolutely no clue how to negotiate -- it may be that he's going to supersede.
And I understand that he may want to run for president. He has no chance, like she has no chance. So we're going to see what happens.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: We have many problems in our country. One of them is immigration. Now, I took a tremendous hit when I brought up illegal immigration when I announced I was running for president. And for two weeks, I said -- you know, Rush Limbaugh, who's a great guy -- he said he has suffered more incoming, meaning the press, than anybody I've seen.
So what happened is you have now found out what illegal immigration is all about. And I am so happy that I'm the one that brought it to the fore because, believe me, it's a big problem.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: It is a big problem. So you remember for about two weeks, I said, Boy, this is tougher than I thought, running for president. And then you found out there's tremendous crime. There's tremendous drugs pouring across the border, tremendous, beyond -- going to Chicago, going to New York, going to LA, going all over our country. So the drugs pour in and the money pours out. Not a good deal. We get the drugs, they get the money.
The drug cartels are going wild. They cannot believe how stupid our government is. They are making a fortune. The drugs come in, the money goes out daily. And I saw it because I was on the border. I was there. And we saw it. And everybody sees it every day.
And we have the kind of people that can do something about it, but we have no leadership, none, none whatsoever. So we're going to build a wall...
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: ... and Mexico's going to pay for the wall, believe me.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: You know, a lot of politicians have said, Oh, they're not going to pay. They don't know anything about -- they never read "The Art of the Deal," first of all. So here's the story -- so here's the story. I said the other day to one of my people, What is the United States trade deficit with Mexico, Japan and China?
So let's start with China, almost $400 billion a year. Now, if you have a company, when you're losing $400 billion, you got do something very fast. We don't. We've been losing hundreds of billions of dollars a year, frankly, for decades. Not going to happen anymore. Not going to happen anymore.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: With Japan, where their massive ships float right here and they drop off the cars, right -- they drop off thousands and thousands and thousands of cars, millions of cars, and we sell them beef. We sell them beef. And they don't want it because their farmers don't want our beef. They protest and they send it back, all right? It's not going to happen that way anymore.
Now, with Mexico -- and I love Mexico. I have many, many people, many, many people from Mexico that work with me and they work for me, and they buy my apartments. Same with China. I have so many people, they pay me millions and millions. What, am I supposed to hate China because they gave me millions of dollars to buy an apartment? I don't think so.
I have the largest bank in the world as a tenant. It's from China, bigger than any bank in this country by many times. They're from China.
The problem we have is that the leaders from Mexico, Japan, China and every other country that we do business with -- they're smarter, more cunning, sharper than our leaders.
I love free trade. The concept is great, but you need smart people. I have the smartest people in this country lined up. I know the smartest.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: I have Carl Icahn. I have the best business leaders, and they all want to do it. They're wealthy because they make good deals, like me. I make good deals. You know, it's a talent. It's a talent.
You can't be a politician -- look, I'm fighting some very nice people, very nice, even though I'm leading in the polls. But they're very nice people. But they're never going to do anything with these countries. They're never going to be able to do it. It's an instinct. It's something that's special. They don't have it. Believe me, they don't have it. It's just going to be more of the same.
So we're going to make our country so great. We are going to make it strong. We are going to make it powerful. We're going to rebuild the military. We're going to make it so strong. We are going to take care of our veterans.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: And in the end -- in the end -- I want you people to look around and look at each other because this is going to be a special day. The other week, two weeks ago in Mobile, Alabama, 31,000 people showed up - - in a rainy, rough day, 31,000 people came to see us speak, and we're talking about making America great again.
Last night in Dallas, at the American Airlines Center, 20,000 people, the basketball arena of the Mavericks...
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: ... 20,000 people showed up. And I want to tell you, it was a lovefest! Everybody -- there wasn't -- think of it, 20,000 people. There wasn't one heckler in the whole room. I kept saying there's got to be one.
There was a word, two words that used to be used a lot, called silent majority. They stopped using them. The silent majority, believe me, is back. And I think...
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: And I think we can use it somewhat differently. I don't think we have to call it a silent majority anymore because they're not silent. People are not silent.
They're disgusted with our incompetent politicians. They're disgusted with the people that are giving our country away. They're disgusted when they tell the border patrol agents, who are good people and can do the job -- they're disgusted when they're allowed to people just walk right in front of them and they're standing there helpless and people just pour into the country.
They're disgusted when a woman who's nine months pregnant walks across the border, has a baby, and you have to take care of that baby for the next 85 years.
(BOOS)
TRUMP: They're disgusted by what's happening to our country. And you're going to look around, you're going to remember who the people are that are here because we're doing something special. This is a movement. We're going to make our country great again. Believe me, we will make our country great again.
I love you all. Thank you very much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: And coming up, Mark Steyn will be here with reaction to Donald Trump's big speech.
Then later tonight, Governor Scott Walker has a bold new plan to take on the federal government unions. He'll be here to explain.
Quick programming note. Be sure to tune in tomorrow night right here, 10:00 Eastern, right after the Republican debate, to the Fox News Channel for the very best post-debate analysis, starts right here, 10:00 Eastern tomorrow night. Mark Steyn's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: This is the hottest thing out there! This hat, you can't get them!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: All right, that was Donald Trump earlier tonight throwing his "Make America great again" hats to his audience after his speech in Los Angeles.
Here now with analysis on the GOP front-runner's speech, and of course, a preview of tomorrow's big debate, the author of "A Disgrace to the Profession," our friend, Mark Steyn, is back with us.
You know, Mark, I'm listening to the speech. He's talking about vets. He's talking about making America great again. He's talking about, you know, stopping illegal immigration, not being politically incorrect.
All of these things are resonating, and I don't think some of the pundits, the so-called experts -- I don't think they understand his success about negotiating better deals with Iran and China and Putin. I get it. Do you understand it?
MARK STEYN, "A DISGRACE TO THE PROFESSION" AUTHOR: Yes, he's got something real. The immigration issue is real. The fact that the foreigners are kicking our butts all over these trade issues the real. The Iran and the Putin stuff is real.
And just when you see him, what he's doing there, leaning on that podium -- he hasn't -- there's two kinds of political speeches in a presidential campaign. You've got a guy like Obama doing his teleprompter speech, doing those robot head swivels, like somebody watching the world's slowest rally at Wimbledon.
And then you've got these guys who give these fake speeches that they've been up in front of the mirror all night practicing, like Mitt Romney's speech, you know, I believe in an America where every American has the right to be as American as Americanly possible, or whatever. And that's totally fake, too.
And whatever you feel about Trump, just standing there, riffing off several core themes, he's real. And this is something that the Republican establishment and the other Republican candidates down in the basement with the single digits, they got to -- if they want to get rid of him, they've got to figure out a way to make it happen!
HANNITY: You know, it's interesting you say all that. Between him at, what, 30, 32 percent and Ben Carson at 20, 22 percent, that -- of a -- of a field of 16...
STEYN: Right.
HANNITY: ... we're now looking at two guys that own well over half of the Republican voters right now.
STEYN: Yes.
HANNITY: Insurgent candidates, not experienced politicians.
STEYN: Right.
HANNITY: So I'm expecting tomorrow night that a lot of these candidates, they're going after Trump hard.
STEYN: Yes, I think...
HANNITY: Because of backfire.
STEYN: Yes, I think -- I think they have done. I mean, in a sense, when you explain it like that, Sean, I feel a bit sorry for the guys at the so-called kiddies' table, the Bobby Jindals and Lindsey Grahams, because in the scheme of things, there isn't really a lot of difference between, you know, George Pataki's 0.8 percent and Lindsey Graham's 1.2 percent and then Chris Christie's 2 percent and Marco Rubio's 3 percent.
I mean, the real difference is between all those 1 and 2 and 3 percent guys and Trump and Carson. And all those people who said back in June that Trump was going to implode -- instead, we've seen the implosion of Jeb Bush. We've seen the implosion of Scott Walker. We've seen the implosion of Marco Rubio.
So clearly, this isn't a flash -- he's -- he's -- he's a guy who's been -- to put it in his terms, put it in Carly Fiorina face terms, he's been living this persona for 30 years now since he first became a celebrity in the '80s. He's not just a bumbling, stumbling blowhard. He knows what he's doing here. He knows how to pitch it. And so far, it's working for him.
HANNITY: Yes. You know, it's very interesting to me because if you watch the Club for Growth -- they asked Donald Trump for a million dollars. He declined it. Now the Club for Growth is spending a million dollars attacking him. I would argue they would be viewed as establishment. And then I read Bill Kristol -- I have nothing against Bill Kristol, but Bill Kristol now is threatening to support a third party candidate if Trump wins the election!
And I'm thinking, what, some establishment guys are going to pick up their toys and go home if they don't get their candidate to win this, after Donald Trump was pressured by everyone to sign an allegiance pledge?
STEYN: Well, that -- that...
HANNITY: What's your reaction to that?
STEYN: I think that was the genius thing. I think he -- he gamed them on the pledge. They're stuck with him now. But the fact is -- the fact is, if he's the candidate, that poses a lot more of a problem for half those candidates on the -- you hear this stuff, and these guys sound like they're living in cuckoo-land.
I mean, you hear the donor class because they're disenchanted with Jeb now, is thinking that maybe if Trump becomes the nominee, they're going to dust off Mitt Romney and run him as a third party candidate. I mean, this -- this is -- they are to blame for this situation. And they're...
HANNITY: I've said this. Yes, you know what, Mark? He is a creation...
STEYN: Right.
HANNITY: ... of the broken promises of Republicans that they made in 2010, repealing and replacing...
STEYN: Right.
HANNITY: ... and stopping the illegal, unconstitutional amnesty.
All right, I want to get your advice because we're running out of time, real quick. If I'm Trump, I would hit the tone and cadence of the exchange with Jorge Ramos, assuming they go after him tomorrow. And if I'm one of the other candidates, I think I would want to stand out by articulating my vision to solve America's problems, not be attacking someone else.
What's your thoughts?
STEYN: Yes, you've got to -- you've got -- you can't beat Trump and you can't attack Trump, but you've got to match him in size. So you've got to say, I know I'm a senator and I know I'm a governor, but I can match this guy in size and nimbleness and flexibility. I'm not just the creature of consultants and minders. I'm not a performing seal who's been trained by my minders to give poll-tested responses, because people loathe all that.
HANNITY: Yes. Well, it's going to be interesting to watch the whole thing. Do you think he -- I don't think any of these guys with low poll numbers, though, run a risk because what have they got to lose if they attack him? I think it's really going to be how Donald responds to them that's going to be the news of the day tomorrow.
STEYN: Yes, because you can't have, you know, whatever it is now, 13 or 14 candidates at 2 percent or 3 percent. They'll all be going the Rick Perry route, it's just a question of the order they drop out. So one of them has got to try and actually bust out of that.
But it's interesting. If you go back to the last debate here, Sean, people said, Oh, Marco Rubio won the debate. No, it didn't do any good for him. Oh, John Kasich gave a brilliant answer about God balanced with compassion on gay marriage. He didn't get anywhere from that. You got to match Trump on the realness front.
HANNITY: Yes. I think that's some superb advice. By the way, congratulations on the success of the new book. Always appreciate you being with us. Mark Steyn, thank you.
STEYN: Thanks a lot, Sean.
HANNITY: All right, when we come back, Governor Scott Walker. He fought the unions. He won in Wisconsin. He's now promising to do the same thing at the federal level if he wins the White House. The 2016 presidential candidate -- he's here to explain.
Then later tonight, you won't believe what group Bill Clinton wanted to give a paid speech to while his wife was actually serving as secretary of state. We'll check in with Ed Henry. He has the shocking details, as we continue. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: Welcome back to "Hannity." Governor Scott Walker held a rally in Vegas yesterday and made big headlines by announcing a bold new plan to take on the federal government unions. Joining us now with more details, 2016 presidential candidate Governor Scott Walker.
By the way, you know, one of the things I've always really admired about you, Governor, whether people agree with you or not, you were willing to let your entire political career go down because you thought the issue with unions in your state was that pivotal. Are you -- is this pretty much the same plan, except nationally?
GOV. SCOTT WALKER, R-WI., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes, really, we're taking that plan and we're saying this is power to the people, not the big government union bosses. We pushed back on the National Labor Relations Board. We eliminate it. Remember when they tried to stop Boeing from bringing those jobs into South Carolina.
We make for (ph) national right to work. We give the presumption so that all state and local workers, as well as private sector workers, would have the freedom to choose whether they be in a labor union or not.
And we stop federal labor unions. We don't need the big government union bosses. One of the most amazing things is last year alone -- or in 2012, I should say, the last year we have information, there were more than 3.3 million hours. That's $156 million of taxpayers' money spent on official time, time that federal employees spent on union and lobbying. That's really not what the federal government should be paying for. The federal government should be run by the people and not by the unions.
HANNITY: Let me ask you -- you've had this back and forth with Hillary. She referred to you as a bully. You had a pretty good line back on Twitter. Now, you said you're protecting American workers who are being forced to support candidates like you, and you're a proven deceiver-in- chief. Looks like you're taking your fire to Hillary.
And it seems that some other candidates, Rand and Carly and Jeb and maybe Ben Carson a little bit -- they seem to be focused on Trump. Is that by design?
WALKER: Oh, we got to go after Hillary Clinton. I mean, she's -- she would be worse than Barack Obama, as amazing as that sounds out there. We're going to talk about this on Wednesday, as well as the debate.
Our plan on labor is really about jobs. I don't think any economic plan is complete unless you talk about moving the federal labor laws into the 21st century. But we're going to talk about the contrast with Hillary Clinton.
I pushed back on her, for example, when she came after me on her higher education plan. I noted in one of her tweets, as well, that while we froze tuition for four years in a row at our University of Wisconsin system campuses, she was out charging $225,000 a speech on college campuses.
I'd love to have the debate with her. Everywhere in the world that Hillary Clinton has touched is worse off today than before she and the president took office. That's where the real debate is at.
HANNITY: All right, so you got 11 people on stage tomorrow. I guess it's scheduled to be a two-hour debate. Who knows, maybe it goes over a little bit. But that's not a lot of time.
So you went through the first debate. What's going to be different this time for you?
WALKER: Well, we got to show a little more passion. We got to be aggressive. You don't want to be rude. You don't want to be obnoxious, but you want to show the same kind of passion I showed when I didn't back down. You know, we had, as you know, Sean, more than 100,000 protesters. We didn't back down. We had death threats against me and threats against my family. We didn't back down.
We had a recall election against our senators. We didn't back down. And of course, we had a recall election against me, and again last year, a lot of these same Washington-based liberal groups tried to make me one of their top targets in America. We didn't back down then.
We're not going to back down from doing the right thing to put Americans back in charge of their government if I'm president, as well, and people want to see that. They want to see that passion. They want to see that you've got a real plan and real solutions. And that provides the contrast to anybody else up there on the stage.
HANNITY: You know, Governor, when I spoke with you last, you're laying out a repeal and replace "Obama care" plan. Republicans in Congress really -- they failed to get the job done. And I think a lot of people -- if you look at the polls, 72 percent, ABC/Washington Post poll, they think Washington is full of a bunch of liars.
Now, I would argue that conservative governors are different than Republicans in Washington. Do you believe that? Are you going to explain that to people? Are you going to encourage Republicans in Washington to do things? And what is the plan to repeal and replace? Is it savings accounts, health care savings accounts?
WALKER: Well, Sean, we were told last year that if they elected a Republican Senate to go with the House, they'd repeal -- they'd have a vote to repeal ObamaCare. So it's after Labor Day, and they don't have that.
I think that's why Americans are put off by Washington, not just because of the lies of this president but because they're frustrated with the Republican leadership even in the Congress.
And I think it needs to be clear. I'll take on anything. I won't back down from unions, from liberals, from Democrats and even from Republicans in my party if that's what it takes to do the right thing.
What I've said is we've got a day one patient freedom plan. I hope people go look at it at ScottWalker.com. It's the only plan that anybody's got out there of anybody's going to be on the stage with me Wednesday night.
What it really is about is on day one, I send the bill up to repeal ObamaCare entirely and put patients and families back in charge of their health care decisions. But to get Congress to act, on day one, I sign the executive order to require Congress, their families, and their staff to live under the same rules as everybody else. And then get rid of the mandate, give people their money, allow them to use those tax credits to go out and purchase their own health care if that's what they want. Give them money for health savings accounts. Let them control and have the freedom to control not just their health care decisions but their health care dollars.
HANNITY: All right, governor, good luck tomorrow night. And we'll be talking to you in the days to come. Thank you so much for being with us. Appreciate it.
WALKER: Thank you, Sean.
HANNITY: Fox News has obtained disturbing new e-mails related to the Clinton Foundation. You won't believe what Bill Clinton wanted to give a paid speech to while Hillary was secretary of state. Ed Henry is standing by with the very latest.
Plus, that's not the only bad news for the Clinton campaign. Texas Senator John Cornyn is now calling on the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel to investigate Hillary's e-mail server scandal. That and more as we continue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, D-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I kind of wish I had that same sort of mentality, like, oh, listen, I don't need to tell you anything. When I get there peace will be breaking out everywhere. Prosperity will be raining down upon you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Oh, this must be the warmer, funnier Hillary. Anyway, she's taking on Donald Trump and mocking him. Let's see if Donald responds. More as we continue.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: Welcome back to “Hannity.” So the Clintons have some explaining to do. Now this after Fox News has obtained new e-mails related to the Clinton Foundation. Bill Clinton's office reportedly asked the State Department while his wife was secretary of state if he could give a paid speech to a group that has ties to Iran. Standing by with details tonight is our own Ed Henry. Ed?
ED HENRY, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Good to see you, Sean. This was in June of 2012. The summer of 2012, of course, a very sensitive time for then secretary of state Hillary Clinton because, remember, July, 2012, one of her top aides started meeting in secret with Iranian diplomats in talks that paved the way for the nuclear deal.
Now in this e-mail obtained exclusively by Fox an aide to Bill Clinton wrote to three aides in the State Department saying, quote, "Would the U.S. State Department have any concerns about WJC," or Bill Clinton, "doing a paid speech for the National Iranian American Council," going on to say that they were having this big fundraising gala. They wanted Bill Clinton to be in the center of it."
The NIAC has denied being a lobbying group for Iran but has called for an end to all U.S. sanctions against Iran. The email was obtained by Citizens United and conservative activist David Bossie who recently shared, as you remember, other e-mails about the vetting process for these speeches. Bill Clinton did not deliver those other controversial speeches for groups tied to North Korea, Congo, or this one with the NIAC.
The former president's office telling Fox News today, quote, "As we've said before, as a matter of course, all requests were run by the State Department. Most importantly, ultimately the president did not give this speech." But, of course, critics in those other speech requests that have come up before and said why did the former president's office even entertain it at all? All of this of course coming at a time when Hillary Clinton has been dealing with a real slide in the polls in part because of this issue of trust that has popped up again and again, Sean.
HANNITY: And what do you know about, it crossed my mind, those are the words that Hillary Clinton thinking about Bill Clinton as her VP. Somewhat surprising, not possible, but surprising.
HENRY: It was surprising. She opened the door by saying it's crossed her mind. And in the next moment kind of shut the door by saying constitutionally it wouldn't make sense. It is sort of curious that she left the door even slightly ajar because of the idea of a couple being the presidential ticket at a time when she's struggling seems like it wouldn't be a good idea politically, especially because she's kept Bill Clinton far from the campaign trail.
This week he's doing a fundraiser for her in Chicago. That's the first one he's done, number one. remember, the only appearance he made was at Roosevelt Island a couple of months back in New York when she sort of re-launched the campaign. So it's all very curious. And remember the context. It came in this very soft interview with "Extra" where, again, she's doing these kinds of interviews to deal with what's been a real slide in the polls.
HANNITY: And her new ad, web ad, titled "Hillary's message to survivors of sexual assault," not gone over well with Kathleen Willey and some other people.
HENRY: That certainly may be the case. I think the broader view, of course, is, she's reaching out to female voters. She talked about that very important issue of sexual assault. She talked about Planned Parenthood, abortion, hot button issues, and more broadly women's health in a stop in Iowa yesterday. Why was she doing that? Well, look at the context here. Washington Post ABC News poll shows she's dropped some 29 points just in the last two months among female voters. Women were supposed to be sort of the bedrock. If all else was struggling for her, you would think that this potentially historic candidacy, first female president possibly, potentially, female voters would be propping her up. Instead there's been real erosion, Sean.
HANNITY: I don't think old photos or being nicer and funnier is working right now. We'll see, though. Ed, thank you.
That is not the only troubling news for the Clinton campaign tonight. Earlier today Texas Senator John Cornyn sent a letter to the attorney general Loretta Lynch asking for the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel to investigate the Clinton server scandal. Here to explain is the man himself, Senator John Cornyn of Texas. Senator, good to see you. Thanks for being back.
SEN. JOHN CORNYN, R-TEXAS: Thank you, Sean.
HANNITY: OK, I agree with you it's time for a special counsel, but I don't suspect that Loretta Lynch is going to do what is a fairly well known practice when we're dealing with high-ranking officials in an administration.
CORNYN: Well, this is a test for her. There's no question about it. As you know, she succeeded perhaps the most political attorney general in the history of the United States who was really, frankly, an embarrassment, Eric Holder. And this is a test for her, whether she as a professor prosecutor that she is, she believes that politics ought to be subjugated to the rule of law. And this is her chance.
Clearly if there's a conflict of interest, the appearance of a conflict of interest, the FBI's looking into her e-mail server, and what is not a matter of inadvertence or negligence, it was by design. A private e- mail server subject to being hacked by our enemies, China, Russia, other intelligence threats, and just violating laws with regard to open records, and you name it.
HANNITY: As you look at the law, Senator, we had Rudy Giuliani on last night. He thinks as many as 13 statutes might be applicable to this case, laws that were broken, criminal statutes. What is your reaction and what is your reading of the law? Do you believe based on what you have as knowledge and evidence now that the former secretary of state broke the law?
CORNYN: Well, I think certainly that she violated what are the standard rules of the guard to freedom of information requests. In other words, this is the public's information, not private information. Those are civil issues primarily.
As far as the criminal issues, I think you'd have to look at the class five material. She's now amended her statement, saying she sent no documents designated as classified. That really doesn't answer the question. That evades it. So I would defer to Rudy on the number, but clearly there's some serious concerns about violating both civil and criminal laws.
HANNITY: We learned yesterday that the server in fact may not have been wiped clean, which raises the question. With the FBI investigation ongoing, is there any chance that the Justice Department can politicize this case even if the evidence suggests that laws were broken and stop an indictment?
CORNYN: Well, my impression of Director Comey, the FBI director, is he's a pretty stand-up guy. And I don't think he's going to be bullied by this White House or play politics with this. That's certainly my hope and any expectation. So it remains to be seen.
I would tell you that the FBI is pretty good at getting things that people think they've erased off of their hard drives and recovering those. So even though Secretary Clinton thinks she might have wiped this clean, I bet there's material that can be recovered from the forensics experts at the FBI.
HANNITY: If the mom and pop shop didn't erase or wipe clean the server that was in the bathroom in New Jersey or Colorado somewhere, I've got to believe that somebody else did and we need to know who.
Anyway, Senator, good to see you. We'll watch this closely. Thank you.
CORNYN: Thanks, Sean.
HANNITY: Coming up next tonight right here on HANNITY --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: I kind of wish I had that same sort of mentality, like, oh, listen, I don't need to tell you anything. When I get there, peace will be breaking out everywhere. Prosperity will be raining down upon you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Just not funny. I know she's trying. She's lashing out at Donald Trump after a new poll shows the candidates are neck and neck. Is this another sign the Clinton campaign is in panic mode? That and more as “Hannity” continues tonight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: Welcome back to HANNITY. In the face of some pretty terrible poll numbers, Hillary Clinton is now lashing out at Donald Trump and even mocking him on the campaign trail. This is part of her warm and fuzzy and funny, Chris Rock, Larry the Cable Guy, Amy Schumer Hillary Clinton. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: Donald Trump is entertaining. I have to tell you.
(LAUGHTER)
CLINTON: I really do. I really do find it entertaining. And you know, I kind of wish I had that same sort of mentality, like, oh, I don't need to tell you anything. When I get there, peace will be breaking out everywhere. Prosperity will be raining down upon you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: That is not all. Hillary Clinton isn't the only 2016 hopeful taking some shots at Trump. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
TRUMP: We lose everywhere.
Murders, crime.
Very, very stupid people.
You're finished.
The American dream is dead.
JEB BUSH, R-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So many challenges could be overcome. If we get a few big things right, we can make life better for millions of people in this nation where every life matters and everyone has right to rise.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Joining us now for reaction, from the Tea Party News Network, Scottie Hughes is back with us, and from National Review Rick Lowry is here. It's obvious what's happening. I think we all agree here. Scottie, they're going after Trump because Trump is killing them in the polls at this moment. So the Club for Growth who, Trump says, asked for $1 million and didn't get it. I wonder if he gave the million if that ad have come out. My guess is it probably won't have.
SCOTTIE HUGHES, TEA PARTY NEWS NETWORK: It probably won't have. That is how Washington, D.C. works, Sean. And not only did he say, he actually posted, Trump posted the letter. And that is why I think Trump is resonating. He's not only just saying the words, he's backing it up with documentation, and that's what people like about it. But as I told Mr. Trump yesterday, eagles don't hunt flies. And the same thing goes on the other side as it does for ours. Everybody who has tried to attack Trump, it has not worked out well for them. And I imagine the same thing is going to go for Hillary.
HANNITY: Rich, you have got to admit it's pretty funny the Club for Growth comes out with these ads, they want to call him a liberal, but they were begging him for $1 million. He posted the letter. That's pretty funny.
RICH LOWRY, NATIONAL REVIEW: It's funny, but I have to say the Club for Growth would attack any candidate who favors tax increases. And Trump is on the record in the past, on the record right now favoring tax increases.
HANNITY: I don't believe that. I do not believe if they gave the millions they'd attack him.
LOWRY: I don't know. They're purists at the Club for Growth, and it is their job to be ideological enforcers in the Republican Party.
HANNITY: Why don't they look at his record when they were asking for the millions?
LOWRY: If anyone had ever predicted that the frontrunner in the Republican race would be someone who speaks favorably of socialized medicine right now, talks about improving taxes right now --
HANNITY: No, no, no.
HUGHES: Come on, now.
LOWRY: He said socialized medicine works in Scotland, it works in Canada.
HANNITY: Wait a minute. But I've interviewed him a lot. And I've asked him every question I can think of including his past position, support of Hillary, once saying he's a Democrat, the Canadian system. I asked him all those questions. I said what is your alternative to ObamaCare? His answer was health care savings accounts. He gave some specificity about portability, about free markets, about competition, about preexisting conditions. He gave a solid answer.
LOWRY: That is fine, but socialized medicine does not work.
HANNITY: I agree.
LOWRY: He stood up in that debate just four or five weeks ago and said it did. And the Club for Growth is not going to like that kind of candidate in any circumstances.
HANNITY: Scottie?
HUGHES: I love, Rich, how you're sitting there and going along with the talking points of the establishment and defending the Club for Growth.
(CROSSTALK)
HUGHES: I don't know. The same thing the establishment has said.
LOWRY: Who sent me these talking points?
HUGHES: I would love to know because you're saying the same thing that you're hearing out of Jeb Bush's campaign.
LOWRY: So, Scottie, socialized medicine works in Scotland, you agree with that, it works in Canada?
HUGHES: That's not what Donald Trump said. Stop saying that is what he said.
LOWRY: Yes. He did.
(LAUGHTER)
LOWRY: It's really hilarious to see conservatives twisting themselves into pretzels to make excuses for --
HANNITY: I'm not making excuses.
LOWRY: Every single thing --
HANNITY: Wait a minute, Richard, I asked him the question. I asked him where he stands on it. Everyone has to decide for themselves. I'm not committed to a candidate. There's four and a half months to go. We've got plenty of time.
Last question, Hillary says she's going to be warmer, fuzzier, and she's releasing old pictures of herself. Is that going to work?
LOWRY: I have really good, free advice for her -- do not try to be funny. That was the worst possible Donald Trump impression ever. And the problem she has is she's completely inauthentic and you can't fake sincerity and authenticity.
HUGHES: And you can't fake conservatism, which is what Jeb Bush and others are learning right now. The people like action and they're reading straight through the BS that the establishment is trying --
HANNITY: I would argue that Jeb Bush governed solidly as a conservative when he was governor. I think his big issues that really have put him at odds with conservatives are immigration and Common Core.
HUGHES: And those are two huge issues that deal with governing, to be honest with you, Sean.
LOWRY: Remember, socialized medicine doesn't work.
HUGHES: That is not what he said. Remember, Rich --
HANNITY: We'll replay it. We got it. Thank you both.
Coming up next, we need your help, an important "Question of the Day" about Hillary and about a special prosecutor, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: Welcome back to “Hannity.” Time for tonight's "Question of the Day." All right, with all we know, should a special prosecutor now be appointed to investigate Hillary Clinton's private server? Yes, I think it's about time. Go to Facebook.com/SeanHannity, @SeanHannity on Twitter, let us know what you think.
Quick programming note, right after tomorrow night's GOP debate, don't forget, tune in, 10:00 eastern right here for the Fox News Channel's best post-debate analysis and reaction. We kick it off at 10:00. We hope you'll join us. Set your DVR so you never miss an episode. We take attendance. It hurts our feelings when you're not here. We hope you'll join us. Have a great night. See you tomorrow night.
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