Gutfeld: America’s response to tragedy repudiates the media
Harvey reveals Americans aren't what the media say we are
This is a rush transcript from "The Five," August 30, 2017. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
GREG GUTFELD, CO-HOST: Hi, I'm Greg Gutfeld with Kimberly Guilfoyle, Juan Williams, Jesse Watters, and Lisa Boothe -- "The Five." Devastation from now Tropical Depression Harvey continues in Texas and Louisiana. The storm making landfall for the second time today after the eye briefly ventured back into the Gulf of Mexico.
Harvey is the biggest rainstorm in continental US history and is responsible for over 20 deaths, a figure that is sadly expected to rise. According to the Red Cross, over 30,000 people slept in shelters in last night due to the storm. For the latest, we go to Steve Harrigan in Kountze, Texas. Steve, what do you got?
STEVE HARRIGAN, FOX NEWS: Greg, we're in Kountze now. We're trying to drive Beaumont, but the road to Beaumont is actually a river. It's gets to be about seven feet deep behind me, and there's actually frogs jumping all around me right now. Throughout the day, we've seen volunteers with flat bottom boats. They've been going into sub-divisions, to my left and to my right, going door to door and pulling out anyone who wanted to leave.
For those who wanted to stay in their flooded houses, they been bringing out medicine and canned goods. What happens here has been tremendous; 49 inches of rain in just five days. In one effect when you get that much water here that quickly. Entire towns have become islands. We saw two men going out in the boat here earlier.
They were going to Sour Lake. That is about 60 miles away. They say the entire town is cut off by water. No rescuers have been there yet. We don't know what we are going to find. That's the real worry here when this water begins to recede. What will we find? Real concerns about casualties going up in places like Beaumont. Greg, back to you.
GUTFELD: Steve, thanks.
You know what also takes a hit when disaster strikes? Opinion slingers like me, who are sidelined as we become -- like you -- witnesses to real news. When all you have are visuals of human misery and human spirit, who needs me? The only thing that matters is helping the helpless.
And as real news erupts, crud like identity politics, MTV Awards and Kathy Griffin return to where they belong: toys in the closet, suddenly outgrown and forgettable.
Shallow minds can't survive a flood. Although some have tried: Slate calls the heroism we've seen a "myth"; climate change apostles use crisis to mock skeptics; academics joke about karma; the media knocks Melania for her shoes and knock Mr. Trump for lack of empathy.
To that last point: What did emotional expression get you in Katrina? Governor Blanco shed tears, while delaying National Guard troops for days. Mayor Nagin shouted on TV, but what about those buses left unused then ruined, or the Red Cross being delayed entry to New Orleans? Ultimately, Blanco went away, Nagin's in jail and President Bush won't be noted for turning the other cheek when both blamed him for their errors.
Now, it's too soon to judge Mr. Trump. But you know it's coming. Just weeks ago the media used an evil act in Charlottesville to indict America. Now Harvey arrives to repudiate that notion, righting a perspective that had been wrong for so long.
We aren't what the media says we are: divided, hateful, evil. What the news has been telling us for years has been dispelled in just a few days. There's no room for spin when you see those rescues with your own eyes. Americans are what those pictures are: selfless, colorblind, inspiring.
The news may be bad, but for once it shows us who you really are in times of crisis: good.
LISA BOOTHE, GUEST CO-HOST: That was great.
GUTFELD: Oh, well, thank you. All right, my job is done.
BOOTHE: And we will see you after 10.
GUTFELD: I know it's a cliche, Lisa, but it's like - often it takes a specific trying experience to put everything in perspective, right?
BOOTHE: Absolutely, and look, I mean -- the media wants to divide this nation. We saw it as you mentioned with Charlottesville, but when we see the images from Harvey, and as you mentioned when you see Texans group together - and not even Texans, you have the Cajun Navy. You have people from across the country going to Texas to help these individuals in needs - in need.
I think what it demonstrates and it underscores that we are more united as a nation than we are divided. And as you mentioned, color blind, people helping each other regardless of race, regardless of religion. Those questions aren't asked. It's simply do you need help? And if they do, they help them. I - and so I - that is America. These images that we've seen, so I absolutely - I fully endorse your monologue, and I think that it makes a lot of sense and it's what needed to be heard.
GUTFELD: I want that on the back of my book, "Endorsed by Lisa Boothe". Jesse, it is - it's a welcome relief from what we see on the news, but it must frustrate some people, because you can't spin this to anything.
JESSIE WATTERS, CO-HOST: Exactly. There's an old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. And when you see these pictures out here, the viewers can't but help feel the humanity and see the truth. And the media - they need images and they need pictures to sell a story, but when there's no images, there's a vacuum. And the media can doctor it. They can add their spin and they can add fake news. You know they are - in a scandal.
GUTFELD: Yes.
WATTERS: You know in the IRS scandal. Russia. There's no video.
GUTFELD: Yes.
WATTERS: So the media comes in and they push their own agenda and it leaves it up to your imagination. But when something like this happens, and as devastating as it is, there's something so brutally honest about what were seeing. It's just a 180 degree different from what we've been hearing in the last couple months under President Trump. And this - a lot of myths have been busted. That Texas is racist, false. You see blacks saving whites, and vice versa. Texas hates immigrants. They put out a story that people were checking IDs for illegals at homeless shelters, also false.
They were saying that - the American's are always helpless and they're always victims. But 90 percent of these people are pulling themselves up by their own bootstraps. Left says that we spend too much money on the military. Well a lot of these helicopters from the Coast Guard are very expensive. They're saving a lot of lives out there and they're not run on solar power. They're run on diesel. They're saying President Trump can't run the government. I think the coordination has been spectacular.
And if you're Republican president you're always going get criticized. Bush was criticized for flying over Katrina. President Trump criticized for landing in the aftermath. President Obama golfed during the BP oil spill. He golfed during the flooding in Louisiana last year, and the press praised him. So now Trump lacks empathy because he did not go put his arm around and cry with a survivor.
I'm not so sure that's what counts. It - it'll perfectly boils down what liberalism is. Liberals care about showing people that you care about their lives, where Republicans just want to save lives.
GUTFELD: Can't really - do you that watching this stuff will change the minds of anybody who are already in a decisive kind of mindset, like anti- faz (ph) is going to watch this and go, "Gee, I am a loser. I walk around wearing a disguise all day and beat up people. And I see other people helping people. You know what I'm taking this off and I'm going to go find a job."
KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE, CO-HOST: Yes, there are all going to disavow.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
GUILFOYLE: .and get caught (ph) and they're going to shed their disguises, their coward masks (ph), and hug everybody. You know Jessie, you bring up a point about the President, people criticizing him for not going to the victims. People actually understand the practically and what happens when a president comes in like that or a head of state, into an area, especially of devastation (ph) that's already suffering. They have to shut down such a large perimeter.
It really changes the game. It actually can prevent people from getting - their lives saved, from getting shelter, from getting food, and housing, all of the above, so you have to be smart about how you handle it. So you that you come in to do your job and see it up close and personal, but you are not an impediment in terms of being able for people to get the resources they need.
And there by, even creating a further public safety problem, and impacting it in a negative way. I think the president has handled this very well. Believe me, there will be 3,000 news stories about how bad it was, if he made a misstep. And, the most that they could cling to that - they were complaining that the first lady had heels on during one portion of it.
That's what they had to seize on, so I am encouraged, Greg, once again by something like this that terrible devastation that you see going on that people actually come together, and you see people carrying other people on their back, trying to carrying them to safety. Like that's this country when we are at our strongest, not when we are divided or people are trying got pull us apart because of partisan discord or ideology.
GUTFELD: You know - one, you see after a lot of tragedies - you see candle light vigils and hash tags on twitter, a lot that stuff is done to feel good, but what you are seeing here air people just doing good. And I think that's what - I guess changes the way - it changes the way people view America, as this horrible oppressive place. How oppressive is this when you see people coming together?
JUAN WILLIAMS, CO-HOST: Well, I think your premise is off. I'd - I've never viewed America has a horrible, oppressive place.
GUTFELD: I - but I'm not talking about you, Juan.
WILLIAMS: But I'm saying - I guess - I guess you're - you're talking about the left is why you directed to me, but I just don't - I don't think that's true. I think that what strikes in this whole conversation is I think we're all responding to the criticism of President Trump as for (ph) lacking empathy. I think its Ari Fleisher who said on the Fox earlier not one word about the victims and specifics of policemen who died.
He thought that might be appropriate. He's a republican. I mean - and you see people say.
GUTFELD: I'm kidding.
WILLIAMS: It's up to you.
GUTFELD: I'm joking. All right.
WILLIAMS: I'll let you - I'll let you decide. But at a funeral.
BOOTHE: He said some other very nice things.
WILLIAMS: .instead you see Trump.
BOOTHE: though beside that (ph).
WILLIAMS: .standing on top of a car, you know waving the Texas flag, saying, "What a crowd. What a turn out." Like, it's about him and its' not about him; it should be.
BOOTHE: But to actions not matter.
WILLIAMS: .considerate thing (ph) among other things. It should be in the spirit that you're talking, Greg, which is we see people who are sacrifices, great sacrifices, putting themselves at risk in order to help others. But instead what the kind of reaction we're getting from President Trump is, "you know what, I'm doing what President Bush did in Hurricane Katrina. This is going to be the best of - ever." He's congratulating his cabinet.
He's saying, "You know what this is different. We've got this (ph) under control. This was worst rainfall ever." And he's says, "wait, a second, what about the folks that Greg's been talking about? Those folks out there in that boat; that you can see right there. What about the people who are struggling in the convention center? The people who cant get through who are hungry.
GUTFELD: He has talked about them.
BOOTHE: When he's helping them by doing his job, and you know whose opinion.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well.
BOOTHE: .no offense to all off us, who's opinion actually matters in it, it's Governor Abbott of Texas. The guy who is tasked with rebuilding a state for days, months, years to come and you know what he said about President Trump and his administration actions? He gave FEMA an A plus from the President (ph) on down. An A plus in the job that they are doing in working with him and working with the state, saying - and also, said that he - gave the declaration that he asked for emergency money faster than he's ever seen any President in the past do.
So, that's what's matters is the fact that we have a President who is acting, who is taking decisive action, and who is helping Governor Abbot hand in hand to help the individuals in Texas, who those so desperately need help right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I'm all for President Trump getting any credit that he deserves. I just think that when you have a situation where FEMA steps up, and I think right now about 30,000 people, Lisa, are being housed by FEMA, I think you see people reacting much better than we did during the time of Katrina. But is this a moment for finger pointing or blaming a past president point? No.
BOOTHE: You kind of just did that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not and yet, what you see is President Trump saying, "Here's how I measure myself against".
BOOTHE: But you bet the (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ."but that's" (ph).
BOOTHE: So you're saying you don't want to point the finger but that's exactly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know. (ph).
BOOTHE: .what you're doing this (ph) morning...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But I'm not doing what he's doing. (ph).
BOOTHE: .I mean.
GUTFELD: I want to.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: .what he's doing.
GUTFELD: I want to go to President Trump, but - but what you're referring to is a mannerism that a competitive person in business does.
BOOTHE: Right.
GUTFELD: Like he wants to do a great job. He's going to great job. Let's listen to him.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: To those affected by this storm, we are praying for you and we are here with you every single step of the way. And I can speak - I know for the people in this room, every step of the way. To those American's who have lost loved ones, all of America is grieving with you, and our hearts are joined with yours forever.
GUTFELD: Any complaints on that, Jessie?
WATTERS: You know what I would say to this; this is exactly how President Trump is going to be judged, on results.
UNIDENTIFED FEMALE: Yes.
WATTERS: He is going to - probably if things continue with GDP growth, with the stock market and with job creation and wages, he will be judged on the economy. And people in four years are going to say, "You know what he's got some personal drama. He fires everybody. It's chaos. And he says some things that are offensive. He tweets all the time, but you know what stock markets up, my 401K is doing better, I have more take home pay, I'm going to vote to reelect."
It's the same exact thing with this hurricane. "OK, so he's - brags about how well the recovery is going to do. He doesn't do the window dressing like the left praises Obama for. You know what he's going to send them the money. He's going to send the resources, and the coordination up into this point has been spectacular.
UNIDENTIFED MALE: That's right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What really matters is the people that are suffering in Texas and had to go through this. They know the real truth and who's' been there for them to provide and comfort their family in the time of need by providing resources. And again, it speaks for itself.
GUTFELD: Yes. Just one point before we go. I was watching Trace Gallagher report from a Black Hawk helicopter. He's actually reporting the news a 1000 or - feet in the air. I would throw up.
(LAUGHTER).
GUTFELD: I just realized that I'm not a reporter. I - this is - the up as far as going to go in life is sitting here reading things.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You almost threw up the time we made on you kayak remember? You turned white.
(LAUGHTER)
GUTFELD: I - I throw up - almost throw up on the bus.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: .like so bad.
GUTFELD: I'm a very weak person.
WATTERS: Yes. Lisa, be careful.
(LAUGHTER)
BOOTHE: .seriously.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't talk about seafood.
BOOTHE: .wont be green anymore. (ph).
GUTFELD: .I will go - just, anyhow. A big controversy over Pastor Joel Osteen responded to Hurricane Harvey, that report is next.
JOEL OSTEEN, PASTOR: I think this notion that somehow we would turn people away or we weren't here for the city is - is about as false as can be. I think that sometimes, you know, somehow social media can be very powerful and they can create this false narrative but if you're sitting in another state and you're not here. I mean my niece was stranded right across the street from this building, nowhere to go. This building was one foot from flooding. If we didn't have our flood gates, it would have flooded. So, it's easy to say, "Wow, there's that big building. They're not using it."
WATTERS: Paster Joel Olsteen is facing harsh criticism for failing to immediately open up his church's 16,000 seat sanctuary to victims of Hurricane Harvey. Lakewood Church's arena in Houston is now open as a shelter and Paster Olsteen is pushing back against all the flack he has been getting. So Greg, when you first heard the story the other day that Joel denied people entry into his church as a shelter. What did you think immediately?
GUTFELD: You know what, it's funny, the instinct is to join the mob because it feels good. When I mean the mob I mean the new moral majority which is twitter and Facebook. It's replacing the old school moral majority. If you screw up, they're on you and it feels really, really good, and because it's an easy target, you know, people who never say a word about ISIS will say a word about a televangelist because, you know, they're extremely wealthy.
WATTERS: Good point.
GUTFELD: .they fundraise off of the elderly. There are a lot of things that aren't good about it. And his argument, "they didn't need us." That's not a great argument, but I have to say that he is correct that-I think the whole story may not be out about this and if you have a built-in cynicism about televangelism, that will shade the way you look at this. I grew up as you did Juan, with Swaggert and Baker and Robert Tilton, and Benny Hinn, and you have this built-in skepticism and so that kind of informs you. But he might be completely innocent. He might be absolutely right. And that's why you cannot judge the mob on twitter. That's the new morality and it's as inaccurate as every other kind.
WATTERS: And there's two sides to every story but I think if Trump is not going to be the villain Kimberly, the media needed a villain.
GUTFELD: And this guy rich, white, Christian televangelist.
GUILFOYLE: Worth like $50 million.
GUTFELD: He fits the bill.
GUILFOYLE: Right. So and a lot of southerners aren't fond of the mega churches. The church at Lakewood has specifically provided him and his family, you know, a very opulent lifestyle. So the problem is that people actually went out and researched and said, "Wait a second. The church is pretty much unscathed. So what are you saying about the flooding, et cetera, et cetera."
Yes maybe he was worried about the church getting trapped (ph) but it is a place of worship. How would God and Jesus want it used and intending for at a time like this? Well, to open the doors to take in those that are your poor, that are your weak, that are your suffering-the children, the elderly, those that are infirmed and unable to care for themselves. So, OK perhaps yes he's doing the right thing now. Fantastic. But maybe he regrets, you know? But we all make mistakes.
GUTFELD: What do you think Juan?
WILLIAMS: Well, you know so I'm with Greg. I was shocked to hear you speak so explicitly about how they fundraise off the elderly.
GUTFELD: Well, that's what-I had a mother who was very religious. And if that, I just think of all those people for those decades.
WILLIAMS: No, no I think you're right.
GUTFELD: You know what I mean?
WILLIAMS: But I mean, you know, you hit it right in the heart of it. I mean, I just, you know, you got to, and then the problem I think for a lot of people like me. You know I'm a church-going Christian is that Joel Olsteen with his prosperity gospel hardly ever talks about Jesus or the things that Kimberly was just talking about which is, you know, if you're a good person you're supposed to prosper God wants the best for you. But then what if you are suffering and what if a, you know, the clouds open up on your head in Houston? That doesn't mean you're a bad person. And then, of course, you've got this very prosperous church sitting there and this very rich man and you say you know it's tough for a rich man to get into heaven. But why can't he open the doors to that church?
GUILFOYLE: Yes.
WILLIAMS: It's sitting right there. Initially they said, oh well the flood waters are there but then there was reporting on the ground that's like, no the flood waters weren't here. Then you start to think what's going on and is he being honest and straight forward in saying this or is he just trying to defend his reputation? I'll leave that to him. I don't want to pick on him in any way. I just hope that what he is saying is true but I will say this, that when you see someone stand aside in a moment of need, that is a damming.
GUILFOYLE: Very upsetting.
WILLIAMS: .condemnation for a Christian man.
WATTERS: And it was definitely a PR debacle. He probably wasn't thinking that was going to be something he had to deal with. And I don't know if he dealt with appropriately. I guess maybe it was a little late but like they always say, if you tweet something that's wrong everybody sees it and then you tweet an apology or a correction and no one sees it. This could be one of those situations.
BOOTHE: OK. Well look.
GUILFOYLE: Keep (ph) projecting.
BOOTHE: Well look, there is of course an expectation for churches especially one of this amount of resources to give back to the local community particularly at a time like right now when so many people are in need. I mean I will say that they have now taken in 300 people. They are using the church as a distribution center. Back in 2001 they gave refuge to 5,000 people. And it look-you know I think if all the people spent as much time talking about him and criticizing him and actually focusing on the victims, we'd be in a much better place. And I really think it's sad right now where people are using this storm to malign people that they disagree with. And I think that's what's happening with him.
That's what happening with Melania Trump and her stupid heels. What woman doesn't have different pairs of shoes? I wore sandals on the way over here and changed into heels. Or Morning Joe, Joe Reed going after President Trump saying he lacks empathy, using this storm to malign someone, or even trying to drive some sort of climate change political narrative with it. Like let's just focus on what matters. As Kimberly said earlier on the show, and that's the victims of the storm. So you know what actually he's doing the right thing now. I don't know what the truth is. I'm going to take his word for it. But let's focus on the people that need help.
GUTFELD: I think the problem, too though was, twitter is replacing actual action. So when people see a tweet that says "Pray for the people" but there's no action there. People can immediately sense hypocrisy. And I think that was a bad move. He should have been probably doing something else.
WILLIAMS: Yes, but he's got to take responsibility and so when people ask and, I'm sorry, what did you say?
BOOTHE: Yes. Yes (inaudible).
WILLIAMS: Oh, so when people say, you know what was the response from the church? And the response from the church initially apparently was to tell people who were calling, call the city.
WATTERS: Right.
WILLIAMS: You know that sent a signal. So Greg, even if social media is a mob and I can tell you I think it's a mob.
GUTFELD: Yes.
WILLIAMS: I can tell you, I think it's a mob.
BOOTHE: A bold (ph) point.
WILLIAMS: But at some point you have to take responsibility for your own actions.
GUTFELD: Right.
WILLIAMS: I think that he has not been clear and direct to say, here's what we did and here's how I took responsibility.
GUILFOYLE: The one thing I'll just remind the good pastor at this time, he gives one sermon in particular we talked about, not having a pity party for one's self. So good advice right now. He's taking it a little bit on the chin but open up your heart and the doors of your church.
WATTERS: There it is. All right. President Trump on the road today, touting his plan to put more money in your pockets. We'll analyze the situation directly ahead.
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GUILFOYLE: President Trump traveled to Springfield, Missouri, to promote his plan to lower taxes for working Americans. For the inside story lets go to Ed Henry at the White House.
GUTFELD: Boo.
ED HENRY, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Oh wait, that's something Greg booing me. I'm going to go forward anyway. Good to see you at least. Look this is President Trump taking on the swamp that he talked about in the campaign. The entrenched special interest largely here in Washing who like the fact that the tax code is very complicated, full of loopholes. It helps them over the middle class. This is the very reason why we have not had major bipartisan tax reform since 1986. So he went to the Heartland Missouri to say he wants to set a goal of cutting the corporate tax rate as low as 15 percent from the current 35 percent and brought back some of the populous rhetoric from the campaign, the president is saying that he wants to see individual tax cuts go to the middle class, not to the rich, go to the workers.
Yet on the left and the right he almost immediately found opposition. Ann Coulter and Chuck Schumer are both saying this is going to help Wall Street not Main Street. Coulter had a tweet storm telling the President he should focus instead on illegal immigration, save taxes for a second term. Saying, "Oh stop pretending. This is about letting families keep more of their money. Half of Americans don't pay taxes. This is for Wall Street." Schumer is saying much the same, "If the President wants to use populism to sell his tax plan he ought to consider actually consider putting his money where his mouth is and putting forward a plan that puts the middle class, not the top one percent first." The President as you can imagine rejected all of that and said it's now time for Schumer and the Democratic leaders and well as the Republican leaders to step up to the plate and get this done unlike health care.
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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think congress is good to make a comeback, I hope so. I tell you what, the United States is counting on it.
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HENRY: The President's taking some heat for being very light on the detail. White House officials are amused by that because they say when health care failed they got blamed for trying to jam a specific legislation down congress' throat. John McCain and others said let congress work its will, go through regular order, let the committees start working on it and build momentum for it instead of forcing them to do it. Now they are doing that on taxes. Saying ok congress you take the lead and they are getting criticism here at the White House that they are not laying out the details, Kimberly.
GUILFOYLE: All right thank you for that. Greg, go ahead Greg.
GUTFELD: I am for corporate tax relief but I'm for tax relief for everybody including even liberals. Liberals target Republicans. They target Republicans with taxes. They taxed small businesses, they tax firearms and they tax awesome rich people. They target Republicans, we can do the same to liberals, we can tax yoga classes, gender studies majors, independent film starring James Franco but we don't do that because we are better. So I have an idea, one year, everyone should agree to this. One year tax holiday, collect no income taxes for an entire year. It will add 3.5 trillion to the debt. It's at $18 trillion already. What is 3.4 more? Seriously why not?
GUILFOYLE: And because it ultimately helps, to have math on this?
GUTFELD: If we have morning money to spend, the economy will explode, everyone will be happy, will be in debt because were already in depth.
GUILFOYLE: All right he will be doing economic - nowhere.
GUTFELD: Juan you will agree with me.
(LAUGHTER)
GUILFOYLE: What do you think of this idea?
WILLIAMS: I don't know what to say, I imagine if you want a second one. I did it for one year, you want it for two years. Come on. You've got to have some sense of community, we do pay taxes.
GUTFELD: Sales tax. I said file income tax.
GUILFOYLE: Where is Herman Cain when they need him?
WILLIAMS: I got something today from Fox News Dana Blanton in a poll, said 78 percent do not believe tax reform is going to happen this year. The second thing to say is.
WATTERS: All of those people are in the senate.
WILLIAMS: the second thing to say, when we were asked as you can see on the screen, look at this period of 49 percent say it yet, 46 percent say no. What is going on here? But again 78 percent not likely to happen. This is striking to me because you have a high percentage of Republicans with overwhelming numbers of independents and Democrats.
GUILFOYLE: Is that more about congress? They haven't been putting forward any legislative agenda for the President whatsoever.
WILLIAMS: I think you are right to this extent. I think the president promised on health care and set the congress as delivered. In this case I think tax reform is so central to what he promised during the campaign.
GUILFOYLE: I think so too.
WILLIAMS: In tax cut.
GUILFOYLE: that is from midterm elections and for his success going forward should he seek reelection.
BOOTHE: Yes and to that point it was Senator Mike Leavitt said if we don't get a tax reform done, we are dead. That is absolutely true. They promised health care, they promised tax reform, they did not deliver on health care, and they have to deliver on tax reform. It's going to be complicated, the reason why this hasn't happened in over 30 years is because it's incredibly complex. I think that Republicans are better off with tax reform than health care because health care was very complicated to try to message to the American people because you're not really actually substantially reforming health care through the reconciliation process. I think there is more they can do with healthcare, it was smart to go to Missouri, a state that he won, I think by 19 points. Putting pressure on a red state Democrats, going around to all the ten states where Democrats are seeking tough reelection.
GUILFOYLE: I think that he will din in his grass roots.
WATTERS: I'm very disappointed in the President's tax proposal. When I interviewed him, he said it was going to be a historic a tax cut and it was going to be Reagans. Now I'm reading there only dropping the tax, top brackets from 39 to 36? That is nothing. And now I'm hearing they might not even drop it at all, they might leave the top rate at 39 quarts mark that is not a massive amount of tax relief. That is nothing, and that is not good to stimulus growth either. This is our money. We made the money.
WILLIAMS: Stop. You're making me crazy. Jesse! Wait a minute. Trump is doing right, I'm Jesse Watters, Trump is terrific, and I can't believe that this guy this lefty, this, he is sitting here, this anti-capitalist.
(LAUGHTER)
WATTERS: We had federal receipts, I think we can afford to keep more of our own money. The government wastes it on work and corruption. Trump said he was going to bring down the top rate on corporate taxes from 35 to 15. Now I'm hearing just 25?
GUILFOYLE: Did you just break up with Potus?
WILLIAMS: That is what I am saying.
WATTERS: We are on the break.
GUILFOYLE: We are out of time now, "Watters' World" will ride again. He is exactly like Ross in friends. Nancy Pelosi has had it with one far left wing group, working to have that story next. Stay with us.
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WILLIAMS: Over the weekend members of the far left group Antifa, Anti- Fascist physically assaulted conservatives, Trump supporters at a demonstration in Berkeley, California.
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WILLIAMS: The actions of a mask anti-fascist people were so outrageous that even Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader of the house has been renouncing the group releasing a statement that said the violent actions of people calling themselves Antifa in Berkeley this weekend deserve unequivocal condemnation and the perpetrator should be arrested and prosecuted. I think for a lot of people at this table to say we always beat up on Nancy Pelosi, she is a liberal left. I think you guys are going to agree, am I right?
GUILFOYLE: I'm happy, I think this is great, we can all agree on this, be sensible, admit the obvious, they're against people on the left, they are against people on the right, and they are a dangerous, violent group that should not be condoned or tolerated by anyone. This is great. She is abandoning any sense of hypocrisy in this statement that she is relieved. I'm happy for her.
WILLIAMS: I think Democrats have been slow to do it Nancy Pelosi just did. She is going to follow the Democratic consensus but here she seems to be setting something apart, Jesse what's going on?
WATTERS: I hope some of her colleagues take heed of what she did and follow along. You want to know why they don't condemn this type of left wing of violence. It's because reporters never ask them to. Let's give you an example, if there's a tea Party guy and he gets into a fender bender. Every reporter on Capitol Hill will go into every single elected Republican official and say what you think about this right wing road rage? And then they would have to answer for it and it would become a story. What happens is these left-wing reporters cover for the Democrats and I don't have to condemn their own. You want to know why the Democratic leadership hasn't said anything about this, because there are no Democratic leaders, besides Nancy Pelosi, who was it? Chuck Schumer? Nine of the ten Democrats on the street don't even know who he is. That is why they're not condemning it, there's no leadership.
WILLIAMS: Actually Terry McAuliffe, the governor of Virginia was asked after the events in Charlottesville. He was reluctant to condemn. So Lisa, could it be that Democrats think people are going to equate Antifa with a white supremacist of the neo-Nazis when in fact they don't believe that Antifa is moving toward the mainstream in influencing American politics in a way at the moment we see from the white supremacists
BOOTHE: One thing I would like to point out, I said on "America's newsroom," where is Barbara Lee who represents Berkeley and where it's Nancy Pelosi. A day later she puts on a statement, it's good to know she listens to make him a text my advice, I'll have more advice later throughout the night. It exposes a couple things. It exposes the hypocrisy of the Democratic Party who sat here over the past couple of weeks and said we denounce hate, we denounce violence in this country but the only person we've heard from his Nancy Pelosi. Terry McAuliffe couldn't even bring himself to say no, Antifa is bad. It exposes the bias in the media because Jesse is absolutely right. Where is the media going to Democrats and asking for statements, putting them on record. Do you support Antifa or not? It exposes their bias because they were more than happy to use a hate group which every Republican under the sun denounced and try to malign the Republican Party in the President of the United States. Shame on Democrats and shame on the media.
GUILFOYLE: There's also Republicans and people currently in congress that have not denounced either and they should. They didn't want to be tied to income of the don't want say anything about it.
WILLIAMS: Interesting piece in "The Washington Post," the fact that you had one group that is associated with the Nazi's but to have another group that is associated with the communists and both historically have killed people.
GUTFELD: It's a great point, I mean the statement that Nancy Pelosi made is a complete no-brainer which is what she was good at it.
(LAUGHTER)
I do have to congratulate her, I'm glad she said it because we should condemn all violence on both sides. Who said that first? And got yelled at? Let's not go there, but we know who said that he was right. Let's also be clear, this is not a protest group. It's a violent group of clowney cowards. A protest group does not hide behind a masks. You know what group hides behind a mask? The KKK. The Antifa is the new KKK, those are the only two groups I can think of that wear masks beside kids on Halloween. They go after, they attack people and they know they are doing wrong which is why they wear the mask. If they were doing something right, they wouldn't wear the mask like the KKK. They are the Antifa KKK, let's call them that from now on.
WILLIAMS: Liberal Senator Dianne Feinstein is saying she hopes Donald Trump will be a good President. We'll tell you what that is all about when "The Five" returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOOTHE: Senator Dianne Feinstein was speaking to a friendly audience in her hometown of San Francisco yesterday when she had some surprisingly positive things to say about President Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN, D-CALIF.: Look, this man is going to be President most likely for the rest of this term. I just hope he has the ability to learn and to change. If he does, he can be a good President. That is my hope.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOOTHE: Feinstein later released a statement clarifying her remarks and criticizing President Trump for his response to the white nationalist violence in Charlottesville. Juan are we so divided us a country that when she says something positive, she feels the need the next day to say something negative about the President?
WILLIAMS: This is an interesting point, I don't think she said anything negative or positive, I think she said what we all American hoping. It wasn't an all-out condemnation, I think it wasn't what the left wants, the left is in fury with President Trump, I think what she said is almost pedestrian, I hope that he can learn, I hope that he becomes a matter man in a better President. I must say that the notion, the things that she touched on, Charlottesville, the pardon of Arpaio. What I'm seeing for example a Fox poll out, 56 percent think Trump is tearing the country apart. When you get this Senator, the much respected former Senator of San Francisco, saying I hope he can do well, I think there are a lot of people who overreact, I think that is what happened here.
BOOTHE: Greg what do you think?
GUTFELD: It was interesting, Scott Adams talks about the fact that there are two movies going on in the United States when it comes to Trump. One side he is Hitler, the other side sees a decent guy who might actually be a good President. She stepped out of her movie and that is why she was in that other movie. She burst of that share dilution. She was supposed to say he is evil. She was supposed to say he is impeached, but instead she spoke like a rational human being. She stepped out of that movie that is why everybody freaked out.
BOOTHE: Kimberly, what do you think?
GUILFOYLE: I've known her for many, many years, she is my home town mayor and Senator, and I like her very much personally, very hardworking, she is well respected amongst her peers. I thought what she said at the commonwealth class was good. It was mature, reasonable, rational thing to say. We all wish for the President to do well. What I didn't like is that she went ahead and criticized, mea culpa because people criticized her. She didn't do anything wrong when she said that at the commonwealth club. She is stronger and smarter than that, I wouldn't have caved to that.
BOOTHE: And Jesse, before she said as something positive about the President which is what we never hear from the Democratic Party, she was talking about how President Trump is going to need Republicans on tax reform. We have someone like Claire McCaskill of Missouri were President Trump it just was says she may be inclined to work with him on lowering the corporate tax rate. Do you think there's any semblance for the Democrats realizing worst fund-raising was seen in forever, very long time for the Democratic Party? Is there any semblance were Democrats might work with Republicans on any of the stuff, tax reform or anything else.
WATTERS: You would like to hope so, if you can get along with any Republican is probably Trump. He is transactional, he is a deal maker, he is a populist, he could probably cut deals with Democrats on infrastructure, health care, and tax reform, but if Claire goes to the dark inside she is going to get primary that is what they are all worried about. Juan misread the poll, I believe about people saying Trump is tearing the country apart. I think it they said tearing it up.
WILLIAMS: This is so important.
WATTERS: Tearing it up. In a good way.
WILLIAMS: I am the old man at the table, tearing it up that is the way old people talk about dancing.
GUILFOYLE: You just saw what Jesse got back together with Potus.
(LAUGHTER)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GUTFELD: That is it for tonight, again our thoughts are with everyone suffering from a devastating damage caused by hurricane Harvey. We'll be right here at 9 p.m. tomorrow, if you can't make it, don't forget to set your DVRs. "Hannity" is up next you're not going to want to miss that either.
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