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Published July 03, 2017
This is a rush transcript from "The Fox News Specialists," June 30, 2017. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
ERIC BOLLING, CO-HOST: I'm Eric Bolling along with Eboni K. Williams and Kat Timpf. A lot of fast-moving events at the scene of a Bronx hospital shooting this afternoon, where the gunman is now dead, but we're going to live to Fox News correspondent David Lee Miller who was at the scene in the Bronx with the very latest. David?
DAVID LEE MILLER, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: We are at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital on the grand concourse in the Bronx. You can see the hospital behind me over my shoulder. At this hour, there are reports that a gunman is now dead. Authorities say a gunman who began firing shortly around 3:00 is now dead. Not clear if he took his own life or if he was killed by police. We are also told that three people have been shot. We've not confirmed that. I spoke to an individual who was here shortly after the shooting. He said that there were initial reports that one person was shot on the 16th floor of the hospital. That person somehow managed to make it to the ninth floor. And that two additional people were shot, one on the eighth floor, one on the second floor.
As for the shooter, our local affiliate is identifying him as Dr. Henry Bello. Our affiliate is reporting that he worked here until very recently at Bronx-Lebanon hospital in the Bronx. He recently lost his job. This may have been a work-related incident. But again, authorities have not said anything officially so far about a motive. We expect that in a few moments time, there is going to be a news conference. We're told that the mayor of the city of New York, Bill de Blasio is here as is the police commissioner. But worth emphasizing at this time is that a shooter has been killed, the hospital remains in lockdown, but the situation at this hour still under control. You can see all along the grand concourse which is a major roadway through the Bronx accommodating at least six lanes of traffic is completely, completely shut down. We are told that people were sheltering in place and just a few moments ago, many of them left the hospital breathing a sigh of relief. We expect to learn more in just a few moments. Back to you.
BOLLING: All right. Thank you, David. And provide more major update if they do develop. Meanwhile, it's a deadline day for Republican leaders in the senate. The odds of securing a new health care deal before everybody hightailed it out of D.C. for the fourth of July recess appeared to be fading. President Trump delivered his own health care surprise to senators today via twitter, he tweeted, quote, if Republicans senators are unable to pass but they're working on now they should immediately repeal and then replace at a later date. The president had previously resisted that strategy. The White House responded this afternoon to whether President Trump was having a bit of a change of heart. Listen.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SARAH HUCAKBEE SANDERS, WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY: The president hasn't changed his thinking at all. I mean, he campaigned on, talked about it since he was elected, repealing and replacing ObamaCare. We're still fully committed to pushing through with the senate at this point, but we're, you know, looking at every possible option of repealing and replacing ObamaCare. We are focused on doing that, as I said, earlier. There is another large amount of counties that now have no ObamaCare provider.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BOLLING: All right, Eboni, big fan of the president, big fan of the administration. This is one I wish they would just push aside for now, and let's move on bigger and better things, tax reform and infrastructure. And get back to health care, give it some time.
EBONI K. WILLIAMS, CO-HOST: I think the president would be well served, Eric, taking your advice on this. But I think that repeal now, replaced later would be a political disaster for the GOP. I think that that will leave some unintended consequences that will be very, very difficult repair, particularly in time for midterms.
BOLLING: Kat, Rand Paul, Senator Rand Paul, friend of ours, friend of mine, said this is the way to go. I'm not so sure I agree with my friend either.
KATHERINE TIMPF, CO-HOST: Well, there could be those consequences, of course, I don't think though the way they're going with it now is going to please anyone like Senator Paul or like myself who doesn't agree with the basic premise that the government should not be micromanaging health care.
BOLLING: OK. Let's meet today's very special specialist. He is a very popular nationally syndicated radio talk show host, a former top advisor to several members of President Reagan's Cabinet, he's the author of a new book, "Rediscovering Americanism," but he specializes in constitutional law, my good friend Mark Levin is here. And he was the host of the first ever MLB Fan Cave web television show, he's a member of the punk rock band the Mighty Regis, and he's a political junkie, but he specializes in being obsessed with the New York Yankees and Paul O'Neill fan, Mike O'Hara is here. Levin, I'm going to start with you, my man. Do we see eye to eye on this or do you want to see something past ObamaCare repeal immediately?
MARK LEVIN, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Is there no tie thing in here? I just noticed
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: It's always no tie thing for Eric Bolling, Mark.
LEVIN: Do you think I like wearing this? Anyway, I'll tell you why I disagree with you. First of all, why do we keep arguing about health care in the context of what the left argues? Let's say they repeal it and if they give them 12 months advance notice. What do you think is going to happen? Insurance companies are going to create policies for 20 million people. There'll be new insurance companies that are created. Do you think they're going to leave that money on the table? Twenty million people are going to be on the streets and die in this country? It will never happen. We're a nation of entrepreneurs, that's number one. Number two, putting it off isn't going to fix it. Do you think they'll just easily be able to slash taxes? That's not going to happen. Infrastructure...
BOLLING: Well, why not, Mark?
LEVIN: Yeah, why not. Because the left doesn't believe in slashing taxes.
BOLLING: Bit if you combine infrastructure with tax reform...
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: Why do you need the left, Mark, when there's a Republican- controlled house?
LEVIN: Well, it's a good question, isn't it? Well, unfortunately, there's some of the left in the Republican Party.
(LAUGHTER)
LEVIN: But to answer your question on the infrastructure issue. In other words, we should spend a trillion dollars on infrastructure -- I oppose that, too. So in other words, how about we take the agenda that conservatives claim they support. Open up the health care system. Explain to the American people we have to get rid of ObamaCare and ObamaCare lite, but we're going to have waiting periods, we're going to have rationing, and people with preconditioned pre-existing conditions and senior citizens they're the ones who are going to be hurt. I happen to agree with Rand Paul.
TIMPF: I agree because I think the problem is that now there's this idea that if something is not being done by the government, it can't be done any other way. The conservative point of view was always supposed to be that that's not the truth. Like you said, a lot of people got away from that.
BOLLING: What do you think, O'Hara, do you think they get this done if they separate repeal and replace into two -- they may get two losses.
MIKE O'HARA, MLB FAN CAVE FORMER HOST: Well, first off, Eric, I just want to thank you for introducing Mark first because it was like, the Rolling Stones, and the...
(LAUGHTER)
O'HARA: But no, going back to the point, I kind of echoing, I think -- I definitely speak more for that moderate voice. I don't think you can repeal something without telling the American people what you're going to do next. It's like we have a giant hole in the boat. The ACA is our patch. You know what, pull that patch, we'll get to it later. It will sink.
LEVIN: Can I answer that?
BOLLING: Please, that's why you're here, Mr. Levin.
LEVIN: The answer is not more government. The answer to the American people is you like liberty? You like to be able to see a doctor you want to see? Do you want this more types of policies that aren't approved by the federal government? We've gotten away in this country from what's makes us prosperous and great.
BOLLING: I'm sorry. Let's play politics for a second. We've got 2018 midterm elections looming large. What the Democrats are saying, go ahead, repeal and replace, we hope you do because we're going to tattoo you with this because the way you did to us in 2010. Why rushing through this with premiums rising through 2018, as the CBO says, why is that a good thing politically?
LEVIN: Let me play politics with you. Why do the Republicans have a majority in the house and the senate?
BOLLING: Because of ObamaCare.
LEVIN: The repeal. Why did they take a thousand seats...
BOLLING: No, no, they have the majority in the house and the senate because of ObamaCare...
LEVIN: No, no, listen to me. I was part of the tea party. In 2010, we took over the house, 2014, we took over the senate. It wasn't because we wanted to expand Medicaid. And it wasn't because we wanted to find new government centralized programs in order to replace a government centralized program. If they would get on message, push the Rand Paul idea, open up the economy, people would see what would happen as a result of it.
WILLIAMS: I think I'm seeing something very lazy from the conservatives -- from the GOP, I won't call them conservatives. I'll say the GOP. Because what you're talking about makes sense, whether you vote for it or you didn't. That's the mandate that they were elected on. Instead, what I see is a fish with another name. It's the same exact policy. In fact, in areas, I think it's going to be worse for certain parts of the country. And it's not exactly what they were put in the White House for, or the senate, or the GOP, or the congress, rather. So I guess this is my question. Wat about for those Americans that want to choose their doctor, that want to have health care they can afford, do that. For those that are dependent for whatever the reason on the government, just something that's catastrophic, it's a very kind of low economic price tag associated with it. And then there's two systems for those that can often and afford to do something private, they do that, and if you can't, you get catastrophic care.
BOLLING: Let me bring these guys in. Either one of you, your thoughts -- what about this idea? Remove the mandate of ObamaCare, keep the infrastructure of ObamaCare, and then let that ObamaCare be the thing into 2018, and then you work on your GOP health care?
O'HARA: If we pull the mandate, there goes the money and it's a death spiral.
BOLLING: Write. You want to know something? It would be more expensive to the government, right?
(CROSSTALK)
BOLLING: But at least you don't lose the house and the senate in 2018.
TIMPF: What we have now, talking about lose the house, lose the senate, we're going to completely lose everything that makes this country great if this goes on this way. Because this bill, they want to pass it right away for political capital, but it has all the same exact issues as ObamaCare did. It's potentially even more expensive. And conservatives know this because things like -- hold on, let me finish, paying two insurance companies, they've have been previously arguing we're illegal according to the constitution. And this will fail as it is now, and it will wind up with single-payer.
O'HARA: Eric, the thing that I think needs to be seen and bright sparkling color is the ACA was pushed through arrogantly. The American people were told this is what we're going to do, reconciliation vote they got it through on a lawyer's tricks, and it was grossly unpopular. So rather than...
BOLLING: Do the same thing?
O'HARA: ... Republicans are doing the exact same thing.
WILLIAMS: That's the laziness...
(CROSSTALK)
BOLLING: One of the smartest man I know, a while back, would say here's what we really need to do. We need to tackle the cost of health care, not insurance. And he outlined a list of ideas of tackling the cost of health care, putting pricing up there, drug pricing, do you know what that guy's name was? Mark Levin.
LEVIN: He was brilliant.
(LAUGHTER)
BOLLING: Why did the GOP put any of that -- those ideas into this new bill?
LEVIN: Look, I had it with the GOP. I'm a conservative. I vote Republican because it's not the Democrats. But the Republican Party is a progressive party. The Democrat Party is a radical left party. But that doesn't mean we stopped speaking doesn't mean we stop going to the American people. I'm telling you to answer all your questions. What is out there for people if we take ObamaCare away? The world is out there for people. Opportunity, investment, all kind of things you cannot think about right now. They'll be insurance companies that propped up. Here's my question to everybody here, if I may. Why can't we choose our own health care? Why does the government have to decide us -- tell us what to choose? These senators, most of whom are knuckleheads, they get to tell me what kind of plan I can have?
WILLIAMS: And by the way, opt out of ObamaCare...
(CROSSTALK)
TIMPF: People think if the government is not doing it, we can't do it. I've done so many things today without the government helping me at all, not to brag, and it was totally fine. I'm doing just great.
WILLIAMS: Well, that's fine and that's fair. Myself, I'm the beneficiary of a Pell grant, so I do think there're spaces for the government help in certain areas...
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: ... for certain things. So I think that Mark's point is well taken. I love the idea of Americans doing for themselves and hopefully smaller, and smaller, and smaller portion that can't, there's something separate...
TIMPF: Well, I don't think anyone is arguing with that.
BOLLING: We'll leave it right there. Susan Rice is now testifying under oath about her role of surveillance and unmasking. And Eboni's docket is all over that, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WILLIAMS: Time now for the docket. Susan Rice, few names from President Obama's administration, treasure of more images of skepticism, shadiness and scandal. So what do we know for sure about the former national security advisor? Well, we know that she was quite literally dead wrong about the reason that four Americans were killed in Libya, either she was woefully misinformed or worse-case scenario, she flat out lied. And we know that she, quote, knew nothing, about unmasking Trump associates when she appeared on PBS, only for then acknowledge on MSNBC that she did know about the unmasking but, quote, didn't leak anything to anybody. Now again, whether that was Rice misspeaking or just plain lying, well, I'll leave that for you to decide.
Now after -- to appear before a senate hearing to get to the bottom of these questions back in May. Rice has now agreed to testify before the house intel committee next month. And the all-important question will be did she break the law by unmasking Trump associates and her overall handling of classified information. This sounds really intense, and it is absolutely very important. But from a legal standpoint, it would likely prove to be anti-climactic because as politically motivated as it might have been, that would be nearly impossible to prove because the only legal standard for unmasking is that she needed to learn the name of U.S. citizens who were incidentally collected because it provided some foreign intelligence value.
Now that's about as broad of a legal standard as our system allows, but the point is it's allowed. Therefore, absent proof that she actually lied to obtain the information or that she was actually the leaker of the names, her request to unmask the names of Mike Flynn and others was likely inappropriate, likely politically motivated, but not illegal. I'll turn to you, counsel, Mark Levin, how did I do?
LEVIN: You did great.
WILLIAMS: Thank you.
LEVIN: But to me, the issue isn't the law.
WILLIAMS: OK. That's what they told me. That's what the producers told me.
(LAUGHTER)
LEVIN: Practicing law without a license. Here's the thing. I believe there was domestic surveillance going on.
WILLIAMS: Sure.
LEVIN: They went to the FISA court twice. They rejected the first time. Those were the reports to the media. The second time, they got their warrant. That judge is furious with what they did with that warrant and the refuse -- and she said so. It's not only Susan Rice. Most of the unmasking is done at the request of the FBI, so it's Mr. Comey who needs to testify about this, too. It's Mr. Clapper who needs to testify about this. Mr. Brennan. So the American people could know the point. The point of congress is not to, as you know, charge anybody with anything. It's trying to figure out what took place from a legislative perspective. Let's get those people in, let's get them under oath, let's find out about unmasking, let's find out about the whole thing because Mr. Nunes when he saw those documents he was stunned. By the way, Devin Nunes isn't some right wing coot. He's sort of a moderate traditional Republican from California. And when he saw this stuff, he was flipping out. So I think we do need to get to the bottom of this.
WILLIAMS: Absolutely. What are you looking forward to hear?
O'HARA: I think just echoing your point, I think it will be ultimately anti-climactic. I kind of picture her like Joe Pesci like bragging to the rest of the mobsters about, they got nothing on me, you know, I don't mean nothing. I don't feel like she's ever going to give up any information because it's more about party and speaking points and agenda, and covering everyone, then the American people finding out the truth.
TIMPF: Here my thing, though. I don't think this is one of these instances where, OK, it's legal, let's just let it go and keep living how we're living. I think it's OK, this is legal. Let's take a look at the law. We need to take a look at the fact that the standard is so broad for these officials they can just go around collecting for whatever candidates they choose and say, oh, I needed that, I need that, too. I need that, too. And there's no consequence whatsoever. Just because it's somebody that's on their side now, it could be on our side -- I don't even know. I mean, of course, I'm not partisan. I'm libertarian. But people that are in congress need to take a look at this because right now this is something that allows corruption to get out of control very easily.
BOLLING: So there are two issues and you point that out in the docket. There's the unmasking and there's the leaking. So on the unmasking part, we can have her testify and point to the fact that she, Susan Rice, chose to unmask General Flynn when the CIA, the FBI, and the NSA said, no, he needs to stay masked. There's nothing about unmasking him that's going to make the country safer. There's a reason she did it, likely politically as you point out, and if that's OK with everyone, that's fine with me.
But then she goes -- and you point out, she goes one step further and said, I didn't leak, and we're supposed to believe Susan Rice that she didn't leak when she lied -- I'm going to say it, Eboni. She lied about Benghazi. She was the one who went out on five different talk shows on September 25th and said it was a video that inspired Benghazi, and she knew very well, we know in hindsight now, that she was made well aware that it had nothing to do with the video and it was a terror attack. So if you're going to trust her -- you can't trust her.
O'HARA: Eric, wasn't she kind of the foot soldier? I mean, she was told to bring that information to those Sunday shows.
BOLLING: OK.
O'HARA: So I'm saying like -- now she -- now the gloves are off.
BOLLING: Five show and say it was the video that inspired the Benghazi attacks knowing very well it wasn't, so now she's saying, yeah, but I didn't leak.
LEVIN: Here's the bottom line. The evidence exists on who asks for what. The NSA said they have it. The FBI has it, too. One of the committee chairman said that the FBI is not cooperating with the committee. Said the NSA is cooperating with the committee. And it's not just Susan Rice, it's the others. And I'd like to know, quite frankly, in the president's presidential briefing every day what information was provided him about FISA court requests and unmasking.
BOLLING: Here's why it's important. When you lean on Susan Rice, and maybe she didn't leak and you lean into her. When she gets a little nervous, when you start tightening the dragon around her, she'll tell us who actually told her to leak or who actually did leak.
WILLIAMS: I don't think so.
BOLLING: Someone's going to jail. You can't do it. Someone committed a felony. Somebody.
O'HARA: They'll find some low-level patsy and hang it on them.
LEVIN: Listen, I wish these members of congress were smart enough to do that. They're not smart enough to do that. But she should testify to that.
WILLIAMS: Yeah. At least she testified this time, which is more that we can say back in May. Up next, the firestorm between President Trump and MSNBC host, Joe Scarborough and Mike Brzezinski, escalating into a complete inferno. Now, even with allegations of blackmail. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TIMPF: The fight between President Trump and MSNBC host Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski taking a bizarre new twist today, the duo addressing President Trump's twitter attack against them by disclosing an alleged threat by the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE SCARBOROUGH, MSNBC: We got a call that, hey, the National Enquirer is going to run a negative story against you guys. And, it was, you know, Donald is friends with the president's friends with the guy who runs the National Enquirer. And they said if you call the president up and he will apologize for your coverage, then he will pick up the phone and basically spike this story. The calls kept coming and kept coming and they were like, "Call, you need to call. Please call. Come on, Joe, just pick up the phone and call him." That's blackmail.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TIMPF: President Trump denying the allegation where else, but on twitter writing, quote, "Watch low rated Morning Joe for the first time in long time. Fake news. He called me to stop a National Enquirer article. I said no. Bad show." Eric?
(LAUGHTER)
BOLLING: Thanks a lot. My offer from yesterday stands that when two of your friends are fighting, you just want to end the fighting, you solve the fight. They solve the problem. Still, I would love Donald Trump to oversee the marriage of Mika and Morning Joe.
WILLIAMS: But Eric, this is banana land. OK. He's the president of United States. Why is he trying to be like some cheap replacement for Joan Rivers, who, by the way, was the only one who ever successfully make plastic surgery jokes. This one wasn't even a joke. It was a mean thing.
BOLLING: I understand. Both of them -- message are getting, you know, his big economic messages are getting step -- I get all that. But it's the despicable left that's saying, oh, my God, we need to impeach Donald Trump for this...
TIMPF: Mark Levin do you agree that it is the despicable left's fault that he tweeted about Mika Brzezinski having a face-lift?
(CROSSTALK)
LEVIN: I always blamed the despicable left for everything. But let me say this. Let me come to the president's defense, at least someone on this. I went back -- I don't watch the show. As I said on the program -- this is a bad show. These people are very vile. I went back and saw what they said about the president of the United States. You want to be treated with respect? You -- the president of the United States, and then you act with some respect. These two people have the -- they know what's going on in Greenwich Village in the upper east side of Manhattan. They have no idea what's going on in the country. They're vicious, vile attacks on Trump. I know we take out his tweet. And I know you all say, well, the president shouldn't lower himself. But let me tell you something. I'm old enough to remember when president lower themselves all the time.
(LAUGHTER)
BOLLING: Bill Clinton.
LEVIN: Bill Clinton...
(CROSSTALK)
LEVIN: ... sexually assaulting women -- this doesn't excuse it. I'm just explaining how to control this, the whole debate. Sexual assault women in the Oval Office, and we were told that was a personal matter.
Let me just do one more.
BOLLING: Go ahead. Go ahead.
LEVIN: I remember a president who was revered who had an affair with an East German spy, who had an affair with a mob boss's girlfriend, who had an affair with a woman, an intern who is 17, and he's held up as this great icon. I'm not saying, you know, if it's good for when it's good. This was a damn tweet, and the whole country is supposed to stop and say, "He should resign. They should impeach him."
TIMPF: I'm certainly not saying that. I just said I feel like I'm living in banana land--
LEVIN: Well, we are.
TIMPF: -- with news like this.
WILLIAMS: Two points, Mark Levin. OK, so I'm going to say I agree with you that this show, Mika and Joe's show, is a Beltway, inside politics kind of show. They are very out of touch with regular, everyday Americans. I agree with you.
But isn't that what leadership looks like? Isn't leadership saying, "They, you know, are a mess; they're petty. They talk about me -- my tan, my hair. Let me just do a little bit better." That's my one assertion, is that's actual leadership. Not doing as -- following as they do but doing better than them.
And as for Clinton, look, I agree. He's a hot mess, right? But that's also why he had articles of impeachment that were made--
LEVIN: No, it's because he lied under oath and denied --
TIMPF: We have to -- we have to go over for a second to New York -- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and officials are providing an update on today's Bronx hospital shooting. Let's listen in.
MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO, NEW YORK CITY: Thank you, Steve.
We -- we've had a real tragedy here in the Bronx this afternoon. It's something we've seen around the country, and now we've experienced here. A tragedy occurred in the Bronx-Lebanon Hospital. I want to say at the outset, thank God this was not an act of terrorism. It is an isolated incident. It appears to be a workplace-related matter. But that makes it no less tragic or no less horrible.
One doctor is dead, and there are several doctors who are fighting for their lives right now amongst those who are wounded. As you know, the shooter killed himself but not before having done horrible damage.
Our hearts go out to the family of the doctor who passed away. And we're, in both our hearts and prayers, standing in solidarity with the families of all those who were wounded and all those who are fighting for their lives right now.
This was a horrific situation unfolding in the middle of a place that people associate with care and comfort, a situation that came out of nowhere. But even in the midst of this horror, there were many, many acts of heroism.
I want to thank our first responders: the police officers from the 44 and 46 precincts and from our strategic response group who entered the building quickly, went toward the danger to protect the many, many hundreds of people who were in the building. The firefighters who arrived. This was not was not just an active shooter situation, but there was a fire that complicated matters, and our firefighters did an exceptional job addressing that situation immediately.
And then, of course, all of the personnel at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, whose day went from normal to horrifying in a matter of seconds. The doctors, nurses, all of the personnel responded with extraordinary bravery. With cool professionalism, they protected each other; they protected their patients even amidst this horrible situation. I want to express to everyone at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital our profound thanks for all they did to handle this situation and to immediately respond to support their compatriots who were wounded.
There will be an opportunity in the coming hours to provide more details of this incident. But at this point, there is a lot that we are piecing together. You will hear from the commissioner in a moment, but I want to say up front, there are many, many details that we're still putting together. That's why we are not in a position to answer questions yet. But there will be an accounting of details shortly.
But what I can say, in the meantime--
TIMPF: All right. We're going to go away from that. Very shocking, sad news today. Having something happen like that in a hospital, there's just really no words for that.
O'HARA: It continues to be -- you're almost shocked that you're not surprised anymore. And, you know, for a doctor to walk into a place where he used to work? There's just not any words for that. And before we start running to Twitter about gun control or having guns on the scene would've saved lives, just take a minute to think of the people that lost their lives today and put the phones down. It's -- it's gotten to a point now where social media is a rash on days like this when this kind of stuff happens.
TIMPF: A rash on all days, I would argue.
BOLLING: It's unbelievable. So yes, airports, you have to go through metal detectors, I get it. But then -- then it got to high schools. Then it was colleges. Now we're down to hospitals, our libraries, and that's where everywhere you go you have to have a metal detector? Because crazy people are running around shooting places up?
WILLIAMS: Courtrooms, for sure.
BOLLING: Courtrooms.
WILLIAMS: And you know, it's -- I agree with what you said, Mike. It's one of those days, like, let's just have a moment to be human.
O'HARA: Even when Steve Scalise was shot. It was run in front of the camera; we're united. And then, so what, be united?
TIMPF: All right. Well, coming up, President Trump says he's sending federal agents to help Chicago fight out-of-control gun violence. Is it enough to stop the chaos? We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WILLIAMS: Welcome back to "The Fox News Specialists." Our specialists today are Mark Levin, who's the author of a new book "Rediscovering Americanism and the Tyranny of Progressivism," along with Mike O'Hara. We'll continue our conversation.
So President Trump ramping up efforts to stop Chicago's onslaught of gun violence, the president tweeting today, quote, "Crime and killings in Chicago have reached such epidemic proportions that I'm sending in federal help. 1,714 shootings in Chicago this year!"
Twenty ATF agents are now being deployed to assist Chicago Police in combating -- combating the violence.
So I want to start with you on this, Mark. Certainly, the president has talked about this. Even when he was a candidate, he talked about eradicating this type of violence in Chicago. A dear friend of mine, friend of the show here, even Gianno Caldwell, his brother was in a car, literally watched his friend, his brains blown out.
But can this be something that a government solution is really going to be helpful around?
LEVIN: In end, it won't solve it. But it certainly is necessary to give it the old -- the old try.
Look, my attitude about this is, in many of these big cities, you have liberal judges; you have liberal mayors. We've had a -- liberal, federal immigration laws for years. MS-13, other gangs coming into this country. You have mayors who play politics with law enforcement. They undermine the cops. There aren't enough cops on the street. And this, in part, contributes to this.
But you're right: there's cultural issues to it. It's a very complex issue. But if you're going to be a mayor and there is going to be a government, then do the right thing.
BOLLING: So my hometown, Chicago. It breaks my heart that it has the nickname Chiraq. It's just -- it's awful. What's going on in Chicago, it's one of the most stringent gun control cities in the country, maybe even on the planet, and it has some of the worst gun crime on the planet, as well.
What's happening, though, is it's isolated in two major neighborhoods in Chicago, and it's -- there's massive amounts of gun violence in there. And the police are saying, "Look, if we go in there, we're willing" -- they're willing to go in and risk their lives, and that's what they do, but if they don't have the support, as Mark points out, of the very, very liberal Rahm Emanuel, mayor, meaning if something happens, and they're going to go -- face charges for something, they're a little bit more reluctant to go down that dark alley than they might have to be if they had the support of the mayor's office.
WILLIAMS: Mike, your thoughts on this?
O'HARA: I agree. I mean, coming from a family that has a lot of law enforcement in it, being an Irish Catholic, cops need backup. But I think, you know, going to what Mark was saying, it's not going to be the only thing. There has to be -- kind of programs to reach out to Chicago's youth and give them something, some kind of hope. I mean, most of these kids turn to gangs because they feel that that's the only family they have. So you know--
WILLIAMS: Kat, Gianno, Richard Fowler and myself, we -- we took that to heart, and we went to Chicago. We went into five schools and a church to talk about education, to talk about a family unit, to talk about having goals and something to live for, not just die for. Your thoughts on the community aspect of this?
TIMPF: Of course that's important. I don't think anyone would say that that isn't important. I know that there are the feds in Chicago already, so this is a bit of a boost. And I certainly couldn't have a problem with this approach, and it's a relief to see this kind of approach, as opposed to a gun control approach. And I I think a lot of the reason why many people voted for President Trump was that he understands the Second Amendment. And I don't even want to say supports the Second Amendment, because I don't believe that my Second Amendment views are me arguing for the Second Amendment. I believe the Second Amendment is the argument, so that's -- that's a good thing to see.
WILLIAMS: All right, thanks.
So straight ahead, we will hit the streets of Manhattan and talk to folks about "The Swamp" and President Trump's progress in trying to drain it. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLLING: It's truly been an amazing week for me personally, as my book, "The Swamp," was released this past Tuesday. The idea for the book started for me when then-candidate Donald Trump told Americans that he wanted to clean up and drain the swamp in Washington, D.C. I think that resonated with the American people.
So we sent one of our members of our production team, Kyle Nolan, out to Union Square in New York City and asked about -- the folks about the swamp. Check it out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYLE NOLAN, FOX NEWS: What was the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word "swamp"?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nasty.
NOLAN: Nasty.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not so clean.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mosquitoes.
NOLAN: Swamp?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dirty, nasty.
NOLAN: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word "swamp."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Can I say that?
NOLAN: Would you go swimming in a swamp?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maybe.
NOLAN: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do.
NOLAN: All the time?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
NOLAN: You should move to D.C., then.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why, what's the -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
NOLAN: Trump always says "drain the swamp."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who told him to say that? He didn't make that up. Somebody told him to say that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get rid of the establishment that's kind of the same old, same old and restock it with something new.
NOLAN: Do you think he's doing a good job at that?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can't just have one person say they're going to come in and fix it within two months.
NOLAN: These D.C. political figures, who do you think he's talking about?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Him personally. The establishment.
NOLAN: He should drain himself?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's as much a part of that establishment as everyone else.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's been there five months, are you kidding me?
NOLAN: Who are these creatures, these swamp creatures Trump is talking about?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A lot of people who are funded by other interests.
NOLAN: Is Trump going to get swallowed up in the swamp? Is he going to be able to drain it out?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would love for him to make some changes. That would be great.
NOLAN: Can you name some creatures that Trump's talking about in this murky swamp?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What are you talking about?
NOLAN: You know, there's Bernie Sanders.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bernie Sanders is a politician who's been doing a lot of work for a very long time.
NOLAN: And he's now under federal investigation.
Do you like Eric Bolling now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
NOLAN: Do you know him?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have never seen this book before.
NOLAN: No, it just came out, about the swamp and how Trump can drain it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Donald, clean the swamp.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BOLLING: Well, what?
(MARK LEVIN AND MIKE O'HARA ARE READING "THE SWAMP")
LEVIN: This is a damn good book.
BOLLING: Mark Levin, you going to read this? I'll read your book. It came out -- by the way, it came out the same day.
LEVIN: I'm sorry.
BOLLING: No, no, hey listen, the more conservative voices the better, right?
LEVIN: I want people to know this is a great book, and I very much enjoy it.
BOLLING: Thank you very much.
Don't forget: today, of course, is also the end of June, meaning "The FOX News Specialists," we've been on for two months. We thought our first month in May was wild and jampacked. That had nothing on June. Check it out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BOLLING: Big show today. Hello, everyone. I'm Eric Bolling along with Eboni K. Williams and Kat Timpf. We are "The Fox News Specialists."
So let's bring in our specialists, Stephen Baldwin.
TIMPF: Rob Long is here.
WILLIAMS: Mr. General Caldwell.
BOLLING: Mike Huckabee is here.
WILLIAMS: Kristen Soltis Anderson.
BOLLING: Corey Lewandowski is here.
Mary Anne Marsh is here.
WILLIAMS: Terry Shepherd is here.
Terry actually got into a car accident this morning but still managed to be here to be a "Fox News Specialist." That's what we call dedication.
BOLLING: Can you put me on this for a second?
TIMPF: Yes, new mugs.
BOLLING: New mugs. We're going to be here to stay. Listen, "The Specialists," we're the real deal now.
WILLIAMS: Legit. Don't quit.
It is no longer just a normal thing. I mean, it is really, truly to me, Eric, broaching a place of absolute hysteria.
BOLLING: Every day we're opening the show talking about either a terror attack that happened today or a couple of days ago.
TIMPF: Absolutely. It's gotten to the point where, if you asked me to list of what's happened in the past month, I might -- would probably miss one. And that's a horrific thing.
BOLLING: I'm not trying to insinuate that we blow the North Koreans to smithereens. I'm saying we set their nuclear program back 10 or 20 years.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am so tired of hearing it's our fault. It's not our fault that there is an element of Islam that wants to kill us.
TIMPF: Muslims do is assimilate better into society over here. And hold on a minute, Eric. And whenever I say that, people go bananas on me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Terrorists are no different than the mob. Warrants, intel, money, greasing. All of these guys are viable.
BOLLING: What Snowden did was he showed what the government was doing that was in violation of the Constitution. That's not what Chelsea Manning did. Chelsea Manning had a beef with the war, our stance in the war.
TIMPF: I have a beef with war. I have a beef with innocent people being killed.
WILLIAMS: Technically, President Trump doesn't have anything to do with it. He cannot run away from it, though. The labeling is going to be there. This will be Trumpcare all day long.
MICHAEL HUCKABEE, FORMER GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS: This is as close to a coup d'etat as we're going to see.
BOLLING: Tim, can I say this word? You're -- you're a badass out there. You're--
TOM SHILLUE, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.
WILLIAMS: That's what I'm saying, Shillue.
TIMPF: People have so little trust in the government or its officials right now that stuff like this, it doesn't hardly even matter to the average American.
I think the Democrats are delusional. No, I'm very serious. They are literally living in an echo chamber, a tunnel vision. When you see the president of the United States, who is a Republican, saying, "Please let live" -- I don't know how much clearer it can be that you were on the wrong side of this.
COREY LEWANDOWSKI, FORMER TRUMP CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Jim Comey probably perjured himself today or at least made a grave mistake. This would not be the first time.
MARY ANNE MARSH, POLITICAL STRATEGIST: I think we talks about the fact that Russia is coming after the United States, that's not a Democratic thing or a Republican thing. That's an American thing.
CURTIS SLIWA, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: You shove it down our throats! Obama shoved his down our throats!
PASTOR DARRELL SCOTT: It's going to get worse. Then it's going to get better for a minute; then it's going to get worse again. Then Jesus is coming back.
BOLLING: I love this idea! It's the best idea. And by the way -- by the way--
WILLIAMS: What are you talking, Eric?
BOLLING: Trump says, in the middle of that, my idea. Pretty good idea.
GIANNO CALDWELL: We are working on it. We just start working on it.
SCHAPPERT: I don't even know what's going on anymore on this show.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BOLLING: I feel like I'm at a bar mitzvah.
WILLIAMS: I know!
TIMPF: Like a graduation video. It's like, wow.
WILLIAMS: Amazing. It brought a tear to my eye.
BOLLING: All right. We'll -- you know, we should take a break. We'll "Circle Back" with our specialists, so Eboni can compose herself in the break. Mark Levin and Mark -- and Mike O'Hara. We'll be right back.
WILLIAMS: Thank you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TIMPF: Time to "Circle Back" with our specialists, but before we do that, we at "The Fox News Specialists" would like to wish one of our staffers, Nicole Casey, the best of luck. Today is her last day. She'll be missed. Onto a new adventure. Thank you, Nicole.
BOLLING: Thank you, Nicole.
WILLIAMS: Thank you, Nicole. You're the best.
TIMPF: All right. Now, onto our "Specialists," Mark Levin and Mike O'Hara.
Mark, my question is for you. Whose book should I read first? Yours or Bolling's?
BOLLING: Love it.
WILLIAMS: Savage. Savage.
LEVIN: You can listen to his audio and read mine.
TIMPF: OK.
BOLLING: Can I -- first of all, very quickly, Rob Monaco did one of the packages. Jackie Booth did the other. That's a lot of work, putting those packages together.
WILLIAMS: Yes. They were great, though.
BOLLING: So thank you both.
Mark, I -- I'm just going to say, you've been one of my mentors and one of my heroes for a very long time. Thank you for joining us on "The Specialists." I'm glad you came.
LEVIN: And God bless you, all of you, and good luck with this book. I'm not kidding. It is a great book.
BOLLING: Thank you, Mark. Thank you.
WILLIAMS: That's great.
My question is for you, Mike.
O'HARA: Yes.
WILLIAMS: You were in a band?
O'HARA: I was, yes.
WILLIAMS: OK. What was your inspiration? Who's your idol, musical idol?
O'HARA: Shane MacGowan of The Pogues. Joe Strummer of The Clash. Do you want me to just kind of list everybody?
WILLIAMS: Three's good.
O'HARA: Dicky Barrett of the Mighty, Mighty Bosstones. And Billy Joel.
WILLIAMS: OK, and would you be reappearing for any kind of, you know, set so someone can check you out?
O'HARA: I just think I'm going to hang in with Mark for the rest of the summer.
TIMPF: I hear you.
O'HARA: And I'll try to write a book of my own, with pictures.
TIMPF: All right. I hear you.
WILLIAMS: That's a good plan.
TIMPF: Well, thank you to our "Fox News Specialists" today, Mark Levin and Mike O'Hara.
We thank you all for watching. Make sure to follow us on social media, @SpecialistsFNC on Twitter and Facebook. Remember, 5 o'clock will never be the same. "Special Report" is next, and it's great. Watch.
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