This is a rush transcript from "Fox News Sunday," February 5, 2017. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
CHRIS WALLACE, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: I’m Chris Wallace reporting from Houston.
As America sports day get set for its biggest game, President Trump fights a judge’s ruling blocking his travel ban, and raises tensions with both foreign friends and foes.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When you hear about the tough phone calls I’m having, don't worry about it. Just don't worry about it. We have to be tough. It’s time we’re going to be a little tough, folks.
WALLACE: We’ll discuss the Trump administration’s blunt words for world leaders.
MICHAEL FLYNN, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We are officially putting Iran on notice.
WALLACE: And his controversial immigration order with Vice President Mike Pence.
And Mr. Trump urges Senate Republicans to go nuclear if necessary to confirm his Supreme Court nominee. Will Democrats try to block Judge Neil Gorsuch? We’ll ask the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dianne Feinstein. It’s a "Fox News Sunday" exclusive.
Then, we kick off FOX's coverage of Super Bowl 51 as the Atlanta Falcons take on the New England Patriots, two years after deflate-gate. We’ll have an exclusive Sunday interview with Patriot’s owner Robert Kraft as his team goes for a fifth Super Bowl victory. Plus, the gang from FOX’s "NFL Sunday" stops by.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We would love to be on your show every Sunday. I think we can wear you out.
WALLACE: And our power player of the week, Houston’s hometown hero J.J. Watt on the big game and teaming up with former first lady Barbara Bush.
J.J. WATT, HOUSTON TEXANS: Obviously, they’re beloved in this city. They’re beloved all across the country.
WALLACE: All, right now, on "Fox News Sunday."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: You are looking live at NRG stadium, home this weekend to Super Bowl 51 on FOX.
Tonight, the New England Patriots play the Atlanta Falcons for pro-football's biggest prize.
And, hello again from Fox News today in Houston. We’ll have plenty on the big game this hour, including a raucous session with the FOX "NFL Sunday" crew you don’t want to miss.
But, first, we want to bring you up-to-date on another whirlwind week for President Trump, who’s now fighting a court order that puts a nationwide hold on his immigration travel ban. In earlier today, an appeals court denied an administration request to reinstate the president's order.
To discuss that and much more, we are joined by the vice president, Mike Pence.
And, Mr. Vice President, I want to start with that court order temporarily blocking the president’s ban on travel. Federal Judge James Robart says the ban does, quote, "irreparable injury in areas of employment, education, business, family relations and the freedom to travel."
Question: Is there a danger to the U.S. now that these immigrants and refugees are again allowed to travel to the U.S.? And what do you think about the federal appeals court’s decision not to reinstate the travel ban?
MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, first off, from the very outset of his campaign for the president and the outset of this administration, President Trump has made it clear that he is going to put the safety and security of the American people first. And the executive order that he signed suspending travel from countries that have been compromised by terror is consistent with that objective, and also, Chris, it’s consistent with his powers as president of the United States of America, both under the Constitution and under statutory law.
It’s quite clear that the president has the ability to determine who has access to this country when it comes to national security.
So, we believe the judge made --
WALLACE: But, sir, a federal court of appeals --
PENCE: We believe the judge made the wrong decision, the Boston court made the right decision. We’re going to continue to use all legal means at our disposal to stay that order and move forward to take the steps necessary to protect our country.
WALLACE: But the federal court of appeals didn’t seem persuaded by that, and a judge of the case says that there is not a pressing safety issue. He notes the fact that there hasn’t been a single terrorist act committed by anybody from any of the southern countries on the travel ban since 9/11. Not one. Neither the lower court nor the appeals court seem to be persuaded, sir.
PENCE: Well, I think that's why the judge's decision in the Washington court is so frustrating. And, of course, it’s different from the judge’s decision at the district level in a Boston court.
But we don’t appoint judges to our district courts to conduct foreign policy or to make decisions about the national security. Under statutory law and under the Constitution, that authority belongs to the president of the United States. And while the court did not impose a stay of that order at this point, we’re going to move very quickly into the merits of this argument. And as the president said, we are going to win the arguments because we’re going to take the steps necessary to protect the country, which the president of the United States has the authority to do.
WALLACE: Mr. Vice President, let's turn to the sections that President Trump imposed on more than two dozen entities related to Iran's missile program. Here is what his national security adviser, retired General Michael Flynn, had to say about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FLYNN: Instead of being thankful to the United States in these agreements, Iran is now feeling emboldened. As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Hasn't with that notice, a statement by General Flynn, hasn’t President Trump issued in effect his own red line on Iran? And if they continue with missile test, how far is the president willing to go to try to stop them?
PENCE: Well, as the president said this week in the Roosevelt Room, Chris, all options are on the table. The Iranians will do well to look at the calendar and recognize that we’ve got a new president in the Oval Office. That disastrous nuclear deal that the last administration entered into with Iran, as General Flynn said, should have encouraged better behavior by the Iranians. But instead, what we see, whether it’d be, they’re flouting U.N. Security Council resolutions, banning ballistic missile test or whether it’d be the way they’re arming of Houthis in Yemen who just last week attacked a Saudi Arabian ship.
What we’re seeing here is hostile action, belligerent action being supported by or taken by the Iranians. And we’re just not going to put up with it anymore.
WALLACE: The president issued other orders this week, basically saying that he is going to revisit the Dodd-Frank regulations on the financial sector that were enacted after the 2008 crisis. Isn't this president sending a message to Wall Street that he is going to back off?
PENCE: No, the message that we’re sending to Main Street is that we’re going to pull back this mountain of red tape that is stifling access to capital loans particularly for small businesses across this country and we’re going to get this economy moving again. I’ve to tell you, both on the campaign trail with the president, and since the outset of the administration, in meetings with business leaders and labor leaders, they tell us that in addition to cutting taxes, that rolling back the avalanche of red tape that’s stifling this economy, and, frankly, stifling the availability of loans and financial resources for companies is a paramount importance.
And the action that the president took this week surrounded by leaders in Congress who have been working to reform, if not repeal Dodd-Frank is just the beginning of that effort, and we’re going to continue to work hard while we protect consumers along the way. We’re going to continue to work hard to advance that kind of regulatory reform that will make resources and loans available for a growing America.
WALLACE: But, Mr. Vice President, the market spoke on Friday. The price of Wall Street firms, their stocks rose sharply. And the fact is that two of the key players in revisiting the rules are going to be Steven Mnuchin, the treasury's secretary, and White House advisor Gary Cohn, and they are both former top executives at Goldman Sachs. That sure sounds like you’re aiming at Wall Street, not Main Street.
PENCE: Well, but -- and, you know, I understand that. And we are proud to have both of those men involved in this administration to bring their expertise.
But, look, the reality is that you can talk to small business owners across this country and since the passage of Dodd-Frank, frankly, we’ve seen the availability of loans in banks across the country began to dry up small businesses. Simply, the cost of compliance for smaller loans is too heavy in the wake of Dodd-Frank. That’s what we’re hearing from Main Street.
WALLACE: Right.
PENCE: And what you saw the president do this week is begin to rollback those regulations, use common sense, and really unleash that kind of resources that are going to make it possible to see small business America, and all of business America grow and create jobs.
WALLACE: The president -- in another action this week nominated Neil Gorsuch to be his first nominee to the Supreme Court, and he said that if Democrats try to filibuster, Senate Republicans should change the rule so they can confirm him with 51 votes, not 60.
Here is the president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: If we end up with that gridlock, I would say, if you can, Mitch, go nuclear.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: And yesterday, Mr. Vice President, you said that Gorsuch is going to get an up or down vote, quote, "one way or another", which raises the question, is it helpful for one branch of the government to be interfering or poaching somehow on another branch? Is this helpful to set this up as some kind of standoff between the Trump White House and Senate Democrats?
PENCE: You know, over the course of the campaign, President Trump made it clear that he was going to appoint for the vacancy on the Supreme Court a jurist in the tradition of the late and great justice, Antonin Scalia, and in Judge Neil Gorsuch, he’s done that.
This is someone who is extraordinarily qualified. His academic background is remarkable from Columbia, to Harvard, to Oxford. He literally was ten years ago, Chris, confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate and we’re very encouraged at this point that more than a half a dozen Democrats have committed themselves to an upward look on the floor of the Senate.
Neil Gorsuch belongs on the United States Supreme Court. But no associate justice to the Supreme Court in American history has ever faced a successful filibuster and Neil Gorsuch should not be the first. So, that’s why the president and I both made it clear we’re going to work with Senate leadership in one way or another, Judge Gorsuch is going to get an upward vote on the floor of the Senate and we’re confident that he’ll be confirmed as the new associate justice to the Supreme Court.
WALLACE: I want to pick up on that, because after President Trump sent out one of the tweets dismissing the judge in the immigration ban case as a, quote, "so-called judge". The Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer said that that just shows whether it should be extra scrutiny of Gorsuch, because there is a need for an independent judge to stand up against the president who is talking about so-called judges.
PENCE: Well, I think it just shows frankly, I just think it shows how Senator Schumer is going to reach to anything to try and continue to obstruct the nomination of Judge Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. But that’s nothing new. I mean, I’ve got to be honest with you, it’s really been surprising to me since the advent of this administration to see the obstruction by Senator Schumer and Senate Democrats of one cabinet nominee after another.
I’m going to be called on next week for the first time in American history as vice president to cast the deciding tie-breaking vote for a cabinet nominee. Chris, that’s never happen in the history of this country. But I think it shows obstruction by the Democrats in the Senate.
And the American people are tired of it. They want to see the Supreme Court have a new justice.
WALLACE: Yes.
PENCE: They want to see this president have his cabinet. And we’re going to continue to work our hurts out for the American people to make sure all those things happen, despite Senator Schumer and his colleagues’ obstruction of efforts.
WALLACE: And in ten seconds, Mr. Vice President, how confident are you that you have the 50 votes so that you can cast the tie-breaking vote to put Betsy DeVos in as education secretary? Ten seconds.
PENCE: We are very confident that Betsy DeVos is going to be the secretary of education. It would be my high honor to cast the deciding tie-breaking vote on the floor of the Senate next week.
WALLACE: Mr. Vice President, thank you. Thank you for your time. It’s always good to talk with you, sir, and I know you are headed here to Houston for the Super Bowl, and that you’re bringing two wounded servicemen with you. Safe travel, sir.
PENCE: Thank you, Chris.
WALLACE: Up next, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dianne Feinstein, on the president’s Supreme Court nominee and the battle over the Trump travel ban, as "Fox News Sunday" continues its coverage of Super Bowl 51 from NRG Stadium in Houston.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: A look at the field here at NRG Stadium, home of the Houston Texans, and tonight, site of the Super Bowl 51 on FOX.
First, back to politics. Joining me from Washington, Senator Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will hold confirmation hearings on Supreme Court nominee, Judge Neil Gorsuch.
Senator, you just heard Vice President Pence’s reaction to the judge's order on that immigration travel ban. And also, his reaction to the fact that the federal appeals court out in California refused to overturn it.
Here's what President Trump tweeted yesterday, "What is our country coming to when a judge can hold a homeland security travel ban and anyone, even with bad intentions, can come into the U.S."
You say the president’s travel ban is unconstitutional. On what grounds, Senator?
SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN, D-CALI., JUDICIARY CMTE RANKING MEMBER: Well, I’m not claiming it’s unconstitutional. That’s not my judge. I’m a legislator.
We have -- you know this, Chris, we have three branches of government. They are equal. The federal court has a right to make a judgment whether a law or an order is lawful and constitutional. And that process has begun. As a matter of fact, I believe there are some 60 filings on various things that the president has done thus far.
So, this is not something that is unusual, that is out of scope. It’s very much within the scope of the three branches of our government -- the executive, the legislative, and a judicial providing oversight.
WALLACE: But the presidents -- presidents generally, Senator, has wide discretion when it comes to immigration, and this White House says that there is no religious test here that yes, they are banning people from seven largely Muslim countries, but there’s no test on what religion the person has. Everybody from those countries is being banned.
FEINSTEIN: Well, you know, we listen for months while Republicans said that Obama was issuing too many executive orders and exceeding his authority on executive orders. So, you know, what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. And I think there is great concern, there has been a blizzard of executive orders and memoranda, some vague, some specific, some most probably unlawful. And you’ve got people in the streets here.
This president has not brought the nation together as he says he is working for his base. Well, there are a majority of people that are outside of that base. And I think -- you know, my best advice has been, and I was able to say this to him directly: Please, Mr. President, you have to bring this country together.
What he’s doing is splitting it apart more and more and more.
WALLACE: But, wait, Senator, wait a minute. I mean, you remember the Tea Party rallies in 2010 when people were very upset with President Obama's actions, especially on Obamacare. I didn’t hear you or any Democrats saying, maybe you should slow down, President Obama. You’ve got to bring the country together.
FEINSTEIN: Well, we’re talking about ten -- no, six executive orders and ten memoranda that have been put out. This is not one thing. This is one they call "shock and awe", and there’s every right for somebody to go to a court and see if "shock and awe" is in essence lawful and constitutional.
The president is not a dictator, Chris. He is the chief executive of our country. And there is a tension between the branches of government -- specifically the framers of our Constitution wanted a strong Congress for the very reason that most of these kinds of things should be done within the scope of lawmaking.
This is done within the scope of executive power. And the challenge to executive power I think can be made is appropriate to be made when you think that it’s exceeded. And there are people, in terms of particularly the Muslim ban aspect of this, that believe that the president’s executive power has been exceeded. So, we’ll see.
The court memoranda -- excuse me, response has to be made through the courts by tomorrow. It will go to the Ninth Circuit. It will be reviewed. I have no doubt that it will go to the Supreme Court, and probably some judgments will be made whether this president has exceed his authority or not.
WALLACE: Let's turn to Iran, because President Obama repeatedly ignored aggressive actions after the Iran nuclear deal. Whether it was testing of ballistic missiles, whether it was Iran’s support for terror, isn’t President Trump right to say enough is enough, and to put the rulers in Iran on notice?
FEINSTEIN: Well, I think he is right in this. I think Iran is wrong in this.
Let me be very clear: these are not nuclear ballistic missiles. They are not -- conventional ballistic missiles. But Iran has a lot of them, more than anybody else in that area.
And the need to test right now I think is very dangerous and should not have happened. Iran also has an election coming up this year, the first part of the year. And how much of this is political, I can’t tell. Is it a mistake? Is it wrong? Yes.
Now, the president taken action with some sanctions and we’ll have to see if they have an effect. They are limited in their nature. But as you know, the national security advisor has said rather clearly that Iran is on notice.
I hope there is no more than this. It is not going to benefit anyone for this kind of thing to continue.
WALLACE: Senator, you’re the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which, of course, be holding the confirmation hearings on Judge Neil Gorsuch nomination to the Supreme Court. In fact, you’re going to be meeting with him tomorrow.
And I want to ask you about Judge Gorsuch from what you’ve seen so far. I should point out that back in 2006, on a voice vote, you are one of the people who approved his confirmation to be an appeals court judge.
FEINSTEIN: Correct.
WALLACE: But one of the questions is whether or not, even if he is more conservative than you, is he in the mainstream of judicial thoughts? I want to put up a quote from Neal Katyal, who is the former active solicitor general for President Obama. In it he says, "I have no doubt that if confirmed, Judge Gorsuch would help to restore confidence in the rule of law."
He says that Gorsuch, again, may be more conservative, but he has a solid mainstream judicial pick.
FEINSTEIN: Well, at this stage, I can’t comment.
Let me tell you where we are at this stage -- Friday evening, the questions went out from the committee to the nominee. I view the minority party’s challenge to do a full and fair hearing, and to have the time to garner the facts to really understand the history of this nominee. And we will do that. And I believe the chairman has given us the time to do this, and also believes that the hearing should be full and fair.
If it’s a product of this hearing, we make the decision that he is not in the mainstream of judicial thought, that there are some positions he holds which are, in fact, egregious -- I do not know that at this time -- then it’s a different story. But I want the Democratic side to start out from a neutral base and really do the proper exploratory work and then be able to hold full and fair hearings. And we will do that.
WALLACE: But --
FEINSTEIN: And then, it’s fair. I will make a conclusion. And I’ll be happy to share it with you.
WALLACE: But, Senator, I want to ask. We have less than a minute left here. There is a lot of talk about a filibuster. Only one Supreme Court nomination has ever been filibustered in the country, would you even consider doing that at this time and risking that Republicans will then extend the nuclear option and say that he can be confirmed with 51 votes, and not a super majority of 60 votes?
FEINSTEIN: Well, the filibuster is essentially requiring 60 votes on cloture. I believe that’s the way it’s looked at in this. And I have no idea whether there are 60 votes now. And this is the one judicial appointment that does have that criteria, as you know. You know, looking back --
WALLACE: Senator?
FEINSTEIN: Yes?
(CROSSTALK)
WALLACE: I was just going to say, we are going to have to get back (ph). I hate to interrupt you, but, obviously, we’ll be following this story and we’ll see where it goes beginning as you say, of course, with the question of the hearings. Thank you so much for joining us today, Senator.
FEINSTEIN: Thank you, Chris. Thank you.
WALLACE: Up next, are you ready for some football? As the New England Patriots try to win their fifth Super Bowl, we’ll sit down with the team's owner, Robert Kraft, to discuss the big game and why the Pats keep winning, as we get ready for Super Bowl 51 tonight here at NRG stadium in Houston.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Coming up on "Fox News Sunday," at Super Bowl 51: Deflate-gate is still on everyone's minds.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROGER GOODELL, NFL COMMISSIONER: It’s a part of our history. As I say, we are focusing on the game now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: We’ll ask Patriots owner Robert Kraft about the controversy and how it affected his relationship with Commissioner Roger Goodell.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go, baby! Ready (ph) for five!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Four working out five. You see right there, the thumb? That’s getting the fifth ring this year, OK?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Excited fans of the New England Patriots rallying in downtown Houston before tonight Super Bowl on FOX.
The game between the Patriots and the Falcons is topic one here in Houston. But a close second is the continuing to debate over deflate-gate, how the NFL handled allegations. Pats quarterback Tom Brady had the pressure in his footballs lowered two years ago to make them easier to throw.
Earlier, I spoke with Patriots owner Robert Kraft about one of the most successful and controversial teams.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: Bob Kraft, welcome to "Fox News Sunday."
ROBERT KRAFT, OWNER, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: It’s my honor to be with you especially on this Sunday.
WALLACE: Yes.
KRAFT: You know, it’s what we dream about in hour business. And this is very cool.
WALLACE: You’ve been to seven Super Bowls. You’ve won four of them. What’s special? What’s different about this game?
KRAFT: We’ve gone through an experience the last couple years where, you know, and in life difficult things happen sometimes. You think you get treated unfairly. And you try to persevere and have mental toughness and pick yourself up and do what's right so you can get where you want to get.
WALLACE: Well, let me pick up on that, because this is obviously your first Super Bowl since "deflate-gate." Tom Brady was suspended four games. You had to pay a million dollar fine. You lost your first-round draft choice.
KRAFT: And fourth round.
WALLACE: And fourth. You say that this energized the team and your fan base. How so?
KRAFT: You know, sometimes being focused is hard with everything going on. And I think we realized how we were the center of attention and, in some ways, you know, I have a saying that jealousy and envy are incurable diseases, but it's nice to be the recipient of them, not the donor. And I think to some extent that's what happened and that's part of life. And you have to carry on.
But this helped our whole team focus and understand the task at hand. And Tommy missing four games brought our team together in a unique way.
WALLACE: Now, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell talked about "deflate-gate" this week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOODELL: It was litigated, as you know, extensively and validated by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Honestly, given how he pursued this, would it be extra sweet to get the Super Bowl trophy from Roger Goodell this year?
KRAFT: Well --
WALLACE: Honestly.
KRAFT: Honestly, it's extra sweet to get the Super Bowl trophy from the commissioner whenever we can, this year and every year.
WALLACE: Yes, but, come on, this year it would be a little extra --
KRAFT: I think it would be pretty cool.
WALLACE: I want to ask you about that because what I really wanted to talk to you about is how you have developed a culture of excellence in this team. Six straight AFC championships. Now, obviously, it makes it a little bit easier to have Bill Belichick as your coach and Tom Brady as your quarterback, but in a league with a hard salary cap and a level playing field and changing players every year, personnel, how have you done it? How have you kept this team winning for, what, a decade-and-a-half?
KRAFT: Well, the key to life, you know, is collecting good people, and then trying to have a sense of continuity and stability. And you're in the media business. We're in the media business. You know how personalities, their egos can get out of control.
And especially when you win in this league, everybody thinks they're the reason that it happens. So I think management's job is to really try to keep everything together and have everyone check their ego at the front door.
You know, we've been able to have Tommy and Bill for 17 years and have a lot of people pass through at that same time. And different controversies come up, but we keep the task at hand.
And probably the most important thing, besides setting a certain culture when we bought the team, is making sure that everyone understands that there’s no division from within.
WALLACE: When we talk about the culture of excellence for the Patriots, are there some lessons that you have developed with your team that you think are transferable to other businesses?
KRAFT: You know, the NFL is different because no matter how good you are and how well you've planned, it's a physical game. So there can be injuries. There can be bounces of the ball that happen no matter how well you plan and how well you do things. And it’s all about putting team first. And, you know, I went out to practice and I was talking to one of our players, who's an outstanding player. His role might be to be a decoy the whole game. He won't be on national television doing the glory things. But he really believes if that -- if that helps our team win, in the end, that's the best thing for him.
WALLACE: Speaking of business, you're the chair of the NFL Broadcast Committee. And you know better than I do that the ratings for NFL games decreased on average 8 percent per game this year. One, why do you think that is? And, two, do you have any thoughts about changes that the game needs?
KRAFT: Yes. I think that's a very good question. You know, I think, first of all, the election the first half of the year made a big difference. And we had some compelling entertainment going on that got tremendous ratings. And I'm not sure that isn't still going on, but the debates and what have you -- our ratings picked up the second half. I think all of television, the ratings are down in all product areas. I think we are less than most. And I think we have a real challenge in the future of how we present our game to young people. You know --
WALLACE: Like -- like what? What would -- do you think you could do to get -- because I -- you're particularly down among millennials.
KRAFT: Yes, I think part of it is, we have so many breaks during a quarter, and maybe we reduce them by 20 percent. And we have to make sure our partners are still doing well. And I think we have to figure out how we incorporate over the top in a way that meets millennials, the whole trend towards watching on mobile devices. I think only music and the sports can bring a community together. And, you know, I take pride seeing New England Patriot fans throughout America and throughout the world really who come to us and they feel a connection. It’s like a sense of family. So that’s a great responsibility. We're stewards of a public trust, is the way -- I mean it's a business, but, in the end, it's bigger.
WALLACE: It's widely known that President Trump is good friends with you and Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. And, in fact, the day before, the night before the inauguration, he spoke about you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Good luck, Bob. Your friend Tom just called. He feels good. He called to congratulate us. He feels good. Good luck. You’re going to do great. Thanks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Given how controversial the president is, has that made life more difficult for this team this year?
KRAFT: I believe in loyalty to friends and the president has been a great friend of mine for over 20 years. And, you know, in one of the most difficult times in my life, he was there for me.
WALLACE: I want to ask you about that, because I understand that when your wife, Myra, passed away, that he was a really good friend to you.
KRAFT: Yes. He and Melania flew up to the funeral and they came and visited me at the house for memorial week. And then he called me once a week every week for a year, how are you doing? What's going on? What are you doing? And I was really, really down. And he invited me to things.
WALLACE: For how long did this go on?
KRAFT: For a year.
WALLACE: Wow.
KRAFT: He was one of five or six people in my life who really -- I mean the players in the locker room and, of course, my family were great. But he was one of few outside people who really paid attention and was a great help to me. And so I will forever remember that.
WALLACE: Finally, there is the famous story of you going to Russia in 2005 and showing Vladimir Putin your Super Bowl ring. And he walked off with it. I've got several questions. One, did he ever give it back?
KRAFT: No.
WALLACE: Two, did you have a replacement ring made for the ring that President Putin absconded with?
KRAFT: Yes. But I was willing to have one made with his name on it. Maybe we'll have the new president bring it to him when he connects with him.
WALLACE: I was going to ask you, are you going to ask President Trump when he has his first summit with Vladimir Putin to give him a ring -- a substitute ring and get your original back?
KRAFT: That would be -- I do have an emotional attachment to that ring. And maybe -- who knows. Maybe if we win Sunday, I could trade a new one with him, have one made up in good spirit of friendship (INAUDIBLE) --
WALLACE: And President Trump could be the courier.
KRAFT: Right. We'll have him do that.
WALLACE: Mr. Kraft, thank you.
KRAFT: Thank you very much.
WALLACE: And good luck in the big game today.
KRAFT: Thanks.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: The Robert Kraft summit.
Up next, the highlight every time we report from the Super Bowl. We sit down with the hosts of "Fox NFL Sunday" and, yes, once again, it gets out of hand.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: That was kind of intellectual. That was much better than you.
TERRY BRADSHAW, "FOX NFL SUNDAY": No, no, no, but you didn’t say be intellectual.
WALLACE: Well --
BRADSHAW: You said, I just --
WALLACE: I just assumed you would do it, Terry.
BRADSHAW: I actually -- no, no, no, no, I actually -- I actually --
WALLACE: No, I assumed you would do it.
MICHAEL STRAHAN, "FOX NFL SUNDAY": (INAUDIBLE), Chris, don’t assume you ever know what’s coming out of his mouth.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Monitoring a presidential debate is hard, but it’s nothing compared to dealing with the "Fox NFL Sunday" crew. Terry, Howie, Michael and Jimmy are the best in the business. And, once again, they gave me the business.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: Gentlemen, here we are again. I know you’ve been looking forward to this for three years to get me in your crosshairs.
TERRY BRADSHAW, "FOX NFL SUNDAY": You look -- wait, you look -- you look the same.
WALLACE: Well --
BRADSHAW: You haven’t gotten any older.
WALLACE: Well, but there’s a portrait of me getting old in an attic somewhere.
BRADSHAW: Yes.
WALLACE: All right, let's talk some football.
Terry, as you look at this game, what are the keys?
BRADSHAW: Well, I’ll just take one side. I’ll just take Atlanta's side going up against New England. And I -- I -- actually, I’ll take a quote from someone on the street. They said, I’ll tell you how you beat -- how you beat those New England Patriots. You take two lineman that you got that won’t play in the game for Atlanta and you send them right through there and you cheap shot to Brady and body slam him. You get an early 15 -- you get a 15-yard penalty and get kicked out of the game.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wait, wait, wait.
HOWIE LONG," FOX NFL SUNDAY": You know -- you know this is on air?
BRADSHAW: I do.
WALLACE: You know, I think --
BRADSHAW: I’m being -- I am being animated. I’m being animated here.
STRAHAN: He’s letting -- he’s letting us know what the people are thinking.
BRADSHAW: The people -- the guy on the street. I didn't say it was me. The guy on the street.
WALLACE: Howie, I want you to raise the level of the game here. You’ve got two quarterbacks at the top of their game, Brady and Ryan. How do you separate them? How do you analyze them?
LONG: Well, I think the difference between the two -- and Brady can do it in a number of different ways. He can be surgical. He can be methodical. They can run the football. They can take the quick crossing routes and beat you that way, 12, 14 play drives. Hold the -- hold the football.
For Atlanta, it’s all about explosive plays and can New England stop the explosive plays, force Matt Ryan to be patient? And then that’s the key is, will Matt Ryan be patient versus Bill Belichick and Matt Patricia?
WALLACE: So you see how -- that was kind of intellectual. That was much better than you.
BRADSHAW: No, no, no, but you didn’t say be intellectual.
WALLACE: Well --
BRADSHAW: You said, I just --
WALLACE: I just assumed you would do it, Terry.
BRADSHAW: I actually -- no, no, no, no, I actually -- I actually --
WALLACE: No, I assumed you would do it.
STRAHAN: (INAUDIBLE), Chris, don’t assume you ever know what’s coming out of his mouth.
WALLACE: Right. I’m not --
STRAHAN: I can take it back (ph).
WALLACE: Michael, I am going to stun you with my knowledge of the game.
STRAHAN: Go ahead.
WALLACE: You’ve got the number one scoring offense, Atlanta.
STRAHAN: There you go.
WALLACE: You have the number one scoring defense, the Patriots.
STRAHAN: There you go.
WALLACE: But some people say that the Patriots’ defense is overrated because they haven’t faced many tough quarterbacks. And when they faced somebody like Russell Wilson -- you listening to me here?
STRAHAN: I’m listening.
WALLACE: Thirty-one points they put up on him. So how good is the Patriots’ defense?
JIMMY JOHNSON, "FOX NFL SUNDAY": You're got the stats, so what are you even asking us?
(CROSS TALK)
STRAHAN: Right, well you -- but I --
WALLACE: Well, it was in the contract (INAUDIBLE).
STRAHAN: But this is -- bingo. This is the thing about the Patriots. If you name their defense, if you say they’re the number one scoring defense, you said give me a star player, there’s really no stars. Kind of like their offense outside of Tom Brady. But for what they do, they have the concept of teamwork. There is no one on that defense that does not know their value, who does not play to the top of their ability play in and play out, game in and game out. And any time you give Belichick two weeks to figure out how to take away your top weapons, I guarantee you he’s going to figure out a way to get it done. The tough thing is for him now, and Atlanta has so many, which ones do you take out? Who do you put the pressure on in Atlanta? And if I’m the Patriots, I put it on a young player. I take Julio Jones out and I make Matt Ryan go to the young player who’s never been in this place (ph) before.
JOHNSON: Here’s the thing about it. I’ll make a prediction.
STRAHAN: Go ahead.
JOHNSON: It will not be a blowout -- you know, it will not be a blowout for the simple reason that there’s -- there’s nobody that’s going to, you know, turn the ball over. Both of them protected the ball extremely well.
LONG: That’s -- that’s -- that’s intellectual of both of you. Very intellectual.
STRAHAN: Thank you.
WALLACE: You know, you see them?
LONG: I have a question -- I have a --
BRADSHAW: I see how you do this now.
WALLACE: I -- you always do this, by the way.
BRADSHAW: Are -- are you for or against the nuclear option?
WALLACE: For or against the nuclear -- during the football game?
LONG: No.
WALLACE: Really? I mean is that -- is that what they’re calling the Patriots offense now?
LONG: No. No. No.
WALLACE: You know, how good would that be as a nickname, the nuclear option, right?
LONG: No.
WALLACE: I want to ask Jimmy a serious question though. I was -- had an interview with Robert Kraft and I asked him about the culture of excellence that this team has built. Yes, you’ve got Brady. Yes, you’ve got Belichick. But it’s 16 years in this league. What are you -- what are you needling him for? This is serious stuff
JOHNSON: I got a text from my wife and I want to --
(CROSS TALK)
STRAHAN: Honey, it can wait.
WALLACE: Honey can wait, yes, but not long. So how do they do this in a league where you’ve got a hard salary cap, they’re changing personnel all the time?
JOHNSON: You know, people ask me a lot of time about, you know, hey, what kind of prediction are you going to make for next year? You know, and I say, go to the top organizations. If you go to the top organizations, the -- you know, the top coach, the top general manager, the top owner, they’re going to bring in the right people, you know? And so you came -- you know, players change, you know, with free agents and they go to one team, go to another team. But if you go to the top organization as far as the head coach, the general manager, and the owner, they will be successful.
LONG: And the quarterback.
JOHNSON: Oh, yes.
LONG: And it’s a transient league, but if you -- if -- if you don't have that to start with and you just look around the league.
STRAHAN: Kind of like the human body. Your back is going to hurt if you don't have a strong core. Bam, there you go.
LONG: Bam.
WALLACE: J.J. Watt.
Well, I interviewed him --
STRAHAN: You know your stuff, man. You know your stuff.
(CROSS TALK)
WALLACE: He endured five (INAUDIBLE).
Now, I don’t want to rub it in, but while our ratings in Fox News have never been higher, your ratings in --
LONG: You’re talking about your show?
WALLACE: I am talking about the NFL in general.
LONG: Well, I thought you were talking about our show.
BRADSHAW: Right.
WALLACE: I’m not talking about -- am I talking to you?
LONG: Because you’ve got the numbers -- you’ve got your numbers wrong.
BRADSHAW: No, let him finish. Howie, let him finish.
LONG: No, no, don’t let him do this.
WALLACE: No, but I -- the ratings for the NFL are down 8 percent on average per game. So, no, no, serious question --
JOHNSON: Check your stats.
BRADSHAW: No, no, you’re right. He’s right.
JOHNSON: It’s the NFL. Fox ratings, our games, our show, through the roof.
WALLACE: Jimmy, there’s no "I" in team.
STRAHAN: Well, you know, but this is --
WALLACE: But here’s the question, well, is there a problem with the game.
STRAHAN: No. You know what, I think -- I think some of it, political season, that’s taken (INAUDIBLE) --
WALLACE: You mean there were people who would rather watch us doing --
STRAHAN: No, no, no, we’ve -- we’ve loaned you some viewers because you were struggling.
WALLACE: Well, we --
LONG: This was a -- this was -- this was a --
WALLACE: We -- we apparently took them.
STRAHAN: You did.
LONG: This is a unique --
BRADSHAW: Year.
LONG: Year of politics.
BRADSHAW: Yes. We had -- we had the election. That -- that hurt.
LONG: Not just any election.
BRADSHAW: We’ve been dealing with domestic violence issues in the NFL. We’ve been dealing with concussions in the National Football League. We’ve got our youth programs that are struggling. The percentage of young people, moms especially, will not allow their kids to play. We have a lack of coaching in the younger -- in the younger kids. So all of that has added up, thus the NFL now is being forced to take a game now, kind of start to recreate itself --
WALLACE: Yes.
BRADSHAW: In the eye of the -- of the public. And, hey, you know who they have to win over? They have to win over the families. They have to win over the mom. And so right now, yes, our ratings are down. You can only pique so long. The NFL can only go so long, and, Chris, it starts going down. Down, down, down.
WALLACE: See, now that, gentlemen, was an intellectual answer. I very much appreciate that.
BRADSHAW: Well, genius has no limits, stupidity does.
WALLACE: Yes, evidently.
So, no, but here is the question, though, what about all the breaks in the game? I’ve got to say, I’m at home watching it -- I shouldn’t say this because I’m Fox Sports (ph) -- there are too many darn commercial breaks during the game. Pay (ph) some play.
JOHNSON: Well, I don't understand why we --
BRADSHAW: Too long.
JOHNSON: Don’t you buy their products?
WALLACE: No.
JOHNSON: I mean we need to advertise products so that you can know what kind of food to buy and what kind of drinks to have.
WALLACE: What kind of food to make. I know, but do we need to speed that up?
LONG: They’re trying to shorten the game (ph). That’s part of the problem.
STRAHAN: Well, I -- yes, I think as a consumer or a fan at home watching, it does get tough with all of the breaks. Even as a player, there are times you’re like, why are we -- why is the game stopped? The flow of the game has stopped? And I think we’re a society of the next and most immediate thing. We don’t just watch a football game. You’re watching it and you’re on your phone. Howie’s doing an interview, texting his wife. I mean you do more --
WALLACE: I can see that.
STRAHAN: It’s a very immediate, very quick to switch over and I think they need to find a way to speed it up or you do lose people and interest.
BRADSHAW: But you can watch a game if you delete the commercials in 50 minutes. The commercials, on an average, are 45 commercials to a game, 45 minutes, I should say.
STRAHAN: Right.
BRADSHAW: So, to answer your point, yes, there -- there is a problem. But it’s still the most watched sporting event in the world.
WALLACE: No, absolutely.
STRAHAN: Yes.
WALLACE: Every other sports would kill for your ratings, just not us in news, that’s all.
BRADSHAW: Right. Yes.
LONG: Hold -- hold -- hold on. Hold on. That --
WALLACE: Did you know that I moderated the first debate?
LONG: You know what, I watched a lot of politics --
WALLACE: Did you know that I moderated the third (ph) debate, 72 million people.
LONG: I know you did. I watched a lot of politics on TV and you guys just kind of slide the numbers. Those numbers are wrong.
BRADSHAW: I get the feeling --
WALLACE: What do you mean?
LONG: Our numbers compared to your numbers.
STRAHAN: How many people watch --
WALLACE: What are you talking about?
LONG: Our numbers compared to your numbers.
WALLACE: Seventy-two million.
BRADSHAW: Bless your heart.
WALLACE: For those -- for the debate.
STRAHAN: You need a --
WALLACE: All right, I --
LONG: You know -- you know how many -- you know how many people watched our last Super Bowl? You know who many people watched our last Super Bowl?
BRADSHAW: You -- you --
WALLACE: (INAUDIBLE). How many?
LONG: A hundred and twenty -- thirty.
WALLACE: I know, but you -- but you have one Super Bowl a year. We had three debates.
STRAHAN: Yes.
WALLACE: Think about that.
No, I have one last question --
LONG: Yes.
WALLACE: And it is for you, because this is a special Super Bowl for you. Your son, Chris Long, defensive lineman, Patriots, as a football lifer, seriously, what does it mean for you to have your son playing, as you did, in the biggest game?
LONG: It’s really surreal. And I'm not sure that it will hit me until maybe I’m on the field, the national anthem’s playing, the ball’s kicked off. You have to understand that, you know, I got here 23 years ago. We’ve been together 23. Jimmy close to 23. Michael -- Michael and I had the same defensive line coach and Chris is more of a pier of -- for over 20 years. My kids have grown up here at Fox. And they were running around this set 23 years ago tearing this place up and hopefully not breaking a monitor. So they’re family. These guys are family. So for all of us, and particularly my wife Diane and me and Kyle’s in town and Howie’s in town and for us to have the opportunity it’s nothing short of amazing.
WALLACE: Gentlemen, I have to --
STRAHAN: (INAUDIBLE), real quick, you’re very good because you touched a nerve and then you soften his heart and talk about family. That's a way to bring it back, baby.
Chris, great job.
BRADSHAW: We would love to be on your show every Sunday because I think -- I think we could wear you out.
WALLACE: You -- Terry, you already have.
Gentlemen, three years, Miami, it’s a date.
BRADSHAW: You got it.
STRAHAN: See you there.
LONG: Thanks, man.
JOHNSON: All right, here we go.
LONG: Always a pleasure.
STRAHAN: Air bro.
JOHNSON: Air bro.
BRADSHAW: Air bro.
LONG: Air bro.
WALLACE: It will take me three years to recover. Up next, our "Power Player of the Week." One of Houston's biggest stars. Four-time pro-bowl defensive end J.J. Watt.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Here in Houston, no one is bigger than hometown hero J.J. Watt, who’s been the NFL defensive player of the year three times for the Houston Texans. And when we sat down with him earlier, he gave new meaning to the title "Power Player of the Week."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: How is it to have the Super Bowl here in Houston, in your stadium, and you and your team are not in it?
WATT: It’s bittersweet. I think it’s great for the city of Houston. I think obviously having the eyes of the entire world on Houston this Sunday is going to be great for the culture, for the people to show off our city. But it’s very frustrating to walk into your stadium and work out every day and see somebody else’s face on the side of it. So it’s motivation to get there next year and -- but it’s great for the city of Houston as a whole.
WALLACE: You missed most of this season because of a back injury. You say you’re now back and you have a, quote, insatiable appetite to hit somebody on a football field.
WATT: Right.
WALLACE: I hope present company excluded.
WATT: No, I’m -- I’ll take it easy.
WALLACE: What does that mean?
WATT: I think it’s just that, when you’re away from the game for so long and, you know, something that you love is taken away from you -- I haven’t missed a football season since fifth grade. So for me to miss a season and to really fully appreciate and understand how special this game is and how fleeting it can be, I cannot wait to get back out there. And, obviously, as a defensive player, I can’t wait to hit somebody again.
WALLACE: When you say hit somebody, you mean?
WATT: Quarterbacks. Quarterbacks. Not you. Don’t worry. Don’t worry. Yes.
WALLACE: You have said that after football you would think seriously about coaching a high school team?
WATT: Right.
WALLACE: Really?
WATT: Yes. I think my high school coach had such a big impact on my life. I think at that age, you can really help to mold young minds and you can really help to teach kids that whatever their dreams may be, it doesn't have to be sports, it can be anything, but whatever their dreams may be, they can accomplish it if they’re willing to put in the work and make the right sacrifices. So I think that’s my biggest message is, I’d like to coach high school ball because I know what can happen if kids have that great influence in their lives.
WALLACE: A few years ago you teamed up with Barbara Bush on a classic video.
WATT: Yes. Right.
Mrs. Bush, I thought we were going to be reading to children.
BARBARA BUSH, FORMER FIRST LADY: IF we’re going to tackle illiteracy here in Houston, J.J., we’ve got to get our game faces on.
WALLACE: How did that happen, Barbara Bush putting on football gear?
WATT: Well, I’m very fortunate. The Bush family has been great to me since I’ve been down here. And Barbara called and asked if I would help with her literacy campaign. And I was like, absolutely, of course we want to promote literacy. And so she was like -- we’re going to -- I’m going to put shoulder pads and eye black on and act like a football player.
WALLACE: That was her idea?
WATT: Yes. I said, are you sure? And she’s like, yes.
WALLACE: Now, Sunday, Mrs. Bush and former President Bush, just like a week out of the hospital --
WATT: Right.
WALLACE: Are going to be on the field flipping the coin to begin the Super Bowl. What do you think that's -- that moment is going to be like for the millions of people watching? What’s that moment going to be like for you?
WATT: Well, I think it's incredible for them, like you said, just fresh out of the hospital to be able to do something like that. I mean these -- they’re like superhuman. But I think it’s very cool for the city of Houston and everything that they represent down here. Obviously they’re beloved in this city. They’re beloved all across the country. So it’s going to be very fun to watch. And I think it’s obviously a very well deserved honor to have all the eyes of the world on them.
WALLACE: J.J., thank you so much for doing this.
WATT: Thank you. (INAUDIBLE).
WALLACE: Next year, Super Bowl, Minneapolis.
WATT: That’s the plan. That’s the plan. You got it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: And J.J. says that’s his goal to play next year’s Super Bowl in Minneapolis.
Keep it right here on your local Fox station as the best team in sports television brings you every moment of Super Bowl LI.
But that’s it for us. Have a great week. And we’ll see you back in Washington next "Fox News Sunday."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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