This is a rush transcript from "The Five," September 1, 2017. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
JESSE WATTERS, FOX NEWS HOST: Hello, everybody. I'm Jesse Watters along with Kennedy, Juan Williams, Lisa Boothe and Greg Gutfeld. It's 9:00 in New York City and this is "The Five."
Texas and Louisiana are still reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. You are looking at video of a fire that broke out at a chemical plant in Crosby, Texas, earlier tonight we are monitoring the situation and we are going to be bringing you updates throughout the hour.
Back in Washington, President Trump is continuing his aggressive response to Hurricane Harvey just tonight asking Congress for $7.9 billion for Harvey recovery operations. Tomorrow, Mr. Trump travels to Texas and Louisiana to meet with victims and today, the president declared Sunday as a national day of prayer for Harvey victims. Mr. Trump is praising the response of the area's hardest hit by the storm.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The people of Texas and Louisiana were hit very hard by a historic flood and their response they have taught us all a lesson, a very, very powerful lesson. There was no outbreak in crime. There was an outbreak of compassion only, real, beautiful strong compassion. And they really inspired us as a nation. To be honest, they've inspired the world because the world is watching.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATTERS: For the latest on Harvey and its aftermath, let's go to Steve Harrigan in Orange, Texas. Steve.
STEVE HARRIGAN, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Jesse, this is a pretty typical scene in Orange, Texas. The house closest to the highway might have three or four feet of water damage. Further down you go to the neighbor, five or six feet. By the time you get to the end of the street, some of the houses are completely underwater. All day long we have been watching people pull things out from these soaked houses trying to save what they can out on the sidewalk you will see soaking wet couches, carpets, even dry wall.
This brown stinking water seems to destroy almost everything it touches. This is tough work here to try and clean it up and emotional work as well. More than 37,000 houses have major structural damage from this hurricane. So, the cleanup effort is going to be huge and a lot of people still don't know how bad it is. We've seen people come to the edge of the water, point down the road and see that third telephone pole down there?
That's my house. What you see there is nothing. Nothing but water. So, a lot of people have it very bad but they still don't know how bad yet. They can't get to their houses. There is 10 feet of water in the way. Jesse, back to you.
WATTERS: Thanks a lot, Steve. Now to Rick Leventhal in Viner, Texas. Rick.
RICK LEVENTHAL, FOX NEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Jesse, this town got a year's worth of rain in four days and Main Street remains underwater tonight. The Naches River, the peak of the river, the flood record which is 13 feet, today it crested at 21. So, eight feet above the previous record. This town could not have seen that coming and just like much like Southeast Texas, it is dealing with some horrific conditions here.
Tonight, there is a curfew on effect, the power is out. Residents were lined up at a nearby store all day trying to get some basics, water, food, that sort of thing. And there are people behind me in neighborhoods that are basically islands at this point. There are some dry stretches of main street leading that way, but in between there are these massive areas that have been flooded.
So earlier today, we went out with some relief workers, some volunteers and some members of the Harrison Fire Department from Northeast Texas and they had a high water vehicle, they're driving through the floods, towing a boat on a trailer, and they go through the dry areas through another flooded area to another dry area to get to another flooded area, that's the only way these boats could get in there that then send the boats in and pick up people, get their pets, bring them out, put them back on the track and then drive them back out again.
They evacuated, the police chief told me 1200 to 1500 people. There are some people who didn't want to leave their homes are now wishing they did. Some of those people are now being rescued and the police chief tells me that they're moving from this recovery operation to a law enforcement operation. They have had some looting issues here. And they're dealing with those as they continue to hope that these waters recede a little bit quicker than they are so far -- Jesse.
WATTERS: Unbelievable, Rick. Thank you very much.
President Trump hasn't left Washington yet, but he is already getting criticism from the left for his trip to see Harvey victims in Texas and Louisiana tomorrow.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AL SHARPTON, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK: We all talked about how insensitive it was for them not to mention the victims in his first trip. Tomorrow should not be to remake or redo what he didn't do the first trip. Tomorrow he ought to say, we are making immediate funding available. We are going put FEMA people on the street to handle debris. He needs to come in with a proactive agenda rather than a make-up for the debacle he did the other day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATTERS: So, that's the new narrative Gutfeld, that he blew it on the first trip and now this is a makeup trip.
GREG GUTFELD, FOX NEWS HOST: Yes.
WATTERS: Is anybody believing that?
GUTFELD: Well, you shouldn't believe anything from Sharpton. There are five words for him. Shut up and go away. This is a guy who has lived his life about himself. The most self-serving hustlers of our time. He is the exact opposite of what you see in the streets of Houston and everywhere.
WATTERS: Yes.
GUTFELD: It's funny, traditional leftist like him are in malfunction mode this is why you are seeing them now blame Trump for this or for that. They're trying to find a narrative that matches their grim world view because Harvey has destroyed their world view. There is no more division. There is no more bigotry, there is no more racism, conflict. All you are seeing 24/7 is unity Americans all the time working together.
So, they go like, what can we do now, let's go after Trump. Because that might work. Just another note about what Harvey has done, one of the positive things offers a contrast to things like Twitter. Twitter encourages antagonism because it's not face-to-face interaction, so I can attack you and you because we never actually know each other. You can't find one example in a Harvey coverage of negative human interaction.
You can't find one because it's face to face. It's human. There is nothing, there is no antagonism. And it shows you the contrast between why people have to talk to each other rather than tweet at each other.
LISA KENNEDY, FOX BUSINESS NETWORK: And it also, you know, very quickly, Tucker onto Greg's point because I think you are absolutely right and it's the difference between how you view human nature.
GUTFELD: Yes.
KENNEDY: So, if you view human beings as senseless and needy and incapable of thinking for themselves and ultimately as bad people who, when they lose everything, then they will attack each other, you are a statist.
GUTFELD: Yes.
KENNEDY: However, if you are someone who believes that human nature is ultimately good --
GUTFELD: Yes.
KENNEDY: -- and people will come together in the face of a crisis, well, then you are a decent person probably a libertarian and you see people relying on each other, relying on their neighbors, accepting the help but more than that like reaching out and helping as many people as they possibly can for the sheer sake of helping people.
GUTFELD: Yes.
JUAN WILLIAMS, FOX NEWS HOST: Yes. I guess Joel Osteen isn't on Twitter.
KENNEDY: He is actually, I don't think he is and I think he has done a really bad job of --
WILLIAMS: Yes. Well, I just say -- I can't think of one instance. I mean, the whole country is talking about that as an instance. And then he say, you know, self-absorbed person for a second. I thought you were talking about Trump but no, you were talking about Sharpton.
GUTFELD: Yes. Because we're talking about Sharpton. I think Trump gave a million dollars. I think Osteen might have been mischaracterized because I don't think anybody ever had all the facts in that stories. And Tyler Perry just gave, what, a quarter of a million to Osteen.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
GUTFELD: So, your story went up in smoke.
WILLIAMS: No, by his own admission, he says, you know, he was directing people to the city and he didn't have the chance --
GUTFELD: He could have done a better job.
WILLIAMS: I don't think that's the story. I agree with you that overwhelmingly it's been a positive story, and I think it's so important for the country to hear those kinds of healing messages but I don't think that it was fair to go after Sharpton when Sharpton says something very --
KENNEDY: Oh, come on, he is self-aggrandizing.
WILLIAMS: This is not about a makeup trip. This is about helping people.
GUTFELD: He helped Tawana Brawley, didn't he?
SHARPTON: Oh, you're back to Sharpton.
GUTFELD: Yes. Remember that? I think I got one of the crowd -- people died.
SHARPTON: The donations from Trump and where they went to like that huge oil.
LISA BOOTHE, FOX NEWS HOST: Okay. But look, we are talking about Sharpton--
WATTERS: He did donate a million dollars of his own money.
WILLIAMS: We don't know. The White House doesn't know.
(ALL TALKING AT ONCE)
So, we can't even let the president to donate a million dollars of victims, you have to spin it into a negative story.
WILLIAMS: Oh!
WATTERS: Trump organization. Did not come from his personal bank account. The only point of doing that is to make him look like he is cheap but he's not. Because Sharpton still owes back taxes to the IRS.
BOOTHE: Yes. But I mean, raise your hand if you are surprised that Al Sharpton is again exploiting tragedy to raise his personal profile which is diminishing. I mean, this is what this is about. He is trying to latch on to a tragedy to regain relevancy here and my question to you Juan and for Democrats, what can the president possibly be doing more that he has not been doing over this past week to help the victims of Harvey.
WILLIAMS: Well, I think that it's clear and I think that's what Sharpton was saying.
BOOTHE: No.
WILLIAMS: Make it about helping people and in answer to your question, I think it's self-evident. I don't want to be overly critical because people have gone over this point but he lacked empathy.
KENNEDY: You know what? If he stayed in Washington, D.C., if he hadn't gone to the flood area, if he hadn't gone to Texas, if hadn't met with the governor of Texas and relief workers. If he had stayed in D.C. which is what some liberals were begging him to do, just so they could criticize him for that. I mean, in this situation, he does plenty of things where he hurts himself.
GUTFELD: Right.
KENNEDY: This is not one of them and for the people who were looking for drama and trying to exploit political division for their own gain, shame on them.
BOOTHE: Well, let's be honest, anything that President Trump does, he is going to be criticized. That is the way that this president is being covered by the media.
KENNEDY: Sometimes he deserves it.
BOOTHE: But publications like that were already criticizing him before the storm even hit. Look, you are both Governor Abbott and Governor Edwards of Texas and Louisiana, one a Republican and one a Democrat who have praised President Trump in this administration's handling of the storm. And very both quickly approving the disaster declaration giving them the much needed government money that they need to help rebuild their states and also extend the search and rescue process.
As well, as we had mentioned President Trump also is allegedly giving a million dollars of his own money. What is Al Sharpton doing to help them? That's what I want to know. I mean, seriously, what has he done? What is he doing?
WATTERS: What is the National Action Network doing?
BOOTHE: To show any kind of leadership besides exploiting tragedy to trying to get his face on TV?
WILLIAMS: I think that you know, it's interesting to watch you guys. You guys are so back on your heels on this empathy issue because --
(CROSSTALK)
GUTFELD: No, that's not true. No, I'm not!
WILLIAMS: Any president's measure by --
KENNEDY: That's also a manufactured --
BOOTHE: I'm on my high heels.
WILLIAMS: You know, if you recall --
KENNEDY: Did you want him to go into people's houses and then cry?
WILLIAMS: No.
KENNEDY: Did you want him to climb trees and then rescue kittens?
WILLIAMS: No, you know what? Here is the thing, Kennedy. If you tweet epic devastation, I was out there. I went to the front lines. And people know, he did not go to the front lines.
BOOTHE: Is he is standing there holding up a Texas flag in the state?
WILLIAMS: It's not about anybody trying to exploit something, it is simply saying, that was a failure in terms of leadership at a critical moment. It doesn't measure up to what other presidents did 9/11, you know --
GUTFELD: Can I just, okay --
WATTERS: Go ahead, Greg.
GUTFELD: I said this yesterday but President Trump's role in this is not that important because what you are seeing is a monumental shift in the narrative of this country. We have been immersed in identity politics for so long and what we are seeing is a waking up. We are coming out of this horrible depression and I think it's kind of monumental. I don't think Trump plays a huge factor in this.
He didn't have to because what you are seeing is it is so important in Texas. You are seeing victims not acting like victims after years of people embracing victimology who are not victims. In this case, you are seeing real victims just getting it done without acting like victims. We are seeing a monumental turn around.
KENNEDY: Yes. That's a really good point and people reclaiming their goodness.
GUTFELD: Yes.
KENNEDY: And not being told that because they might have political differences they have to hate each other and they have to shout at each other and they have to use fascist tactics to in order to shut each other down. There is none of that here and I think that's why the left is looking for something to manufacture in order to drive a wedge where there isn't one.
BOOTHE: The President also hasn't failed here and that's why we are seeing the desperation of the left because they're grasping at straws to come up with reasons to how President Trump is not handling this well, case in point, Melania heels. That's what they're trying to do. They are grasping at straws. He is doing a very good job and we should be appreciative of that.
WILLIAMS: The guys on the ropes --
GUTFELD: On the ropes.
WILLIAMS: You know, in terms of his inability --
GUTFELD: Really? I think that's what --
KENNEDY: You wish this were Charlottesville.
WILLIAMS: I wish you guys -- people talk. But let me finish. He is on the ropes in terms of the lack of empathy. The fact that he didn't go to the victims instead he goes to a shelter headquarters with other people.
WATTERS: You've created a false narrative, Juan. No one believes --
(CROSSTALK)
WATTERS: You didn't say that the first day. You heard it on some other show and then you repeated it the second day.
WILLIAMS: Jesse, I'm going to finish this.
WATTERS: Big government liberals!
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: Jesse, this is rudeness and the point I wanted to make to you is it is not me. Go to the Fox poll. It's only like a quarter of Americans who think this president has empathy. He goes to a FEMA headquarters. He is self-absorbed talking about himself versus President Bush's performance
--
GUTFELD: Can we just step --
WILLIAMS: It is absolutely something that he shouldn't talk about. I would be delighted. That seems fair.
GUTFELD: Okay, now let's get to the point where it matters. If you are having emergency surgery, do you want a surgeon who is a jerk who is the best surgeon or do you want an average surgeon who has a great bed side matter.
WILLIAMS: Legitimate point.
GUTFELD: You want an excellent surgeon who is a jerk, not a terrible surgeon who is all fuzzy. You don't want that. So the fact is expecting empathy from Trump that's not why he was elected. It wasn't why he was elected because he is supposed to be effective. That's all we care about.
WILLIAMS: He has been. All I'm say is, it was self-absorption. I'm going to do better than Bush. This is how I'm taking it.
BOOTHE: I think you are grasping at straws, Juan.
WATTERS: All right. Juan cares about feelings, we care about results. We'll be right back.
(LAUGHTER)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WILLIAMS: The devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey will cost over $100 billion according to some estimates. That's leading some Democrats to use Harvey to tout their big government philosophy. One congressman is even advising his Democratic colleagues to use Harvey to appeal to the voters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think what they say to his or her voters is that I'm about representing the people in my district. I'm about taking care of people like the people in Texas today who are suffering as a result of this hurricane and the people in Kentucky, the people who have been sold a bill of goods about the less government, here is an opportunity to show that sometimes government is a good thing. It actually can help people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAMS: So you get a situation here, Kennedy, where you got the National Guard, you've got the coast guard, you've got the U.S. military rescuing tens of thousands of people doing so much FEMA is in there, 2.3 million meals served already we have requests for SBA loans and now you see Texas which of course prides itself on rugged individualism, self-reliance and the like. The frontier spirit, Kennedy.
KENNEDY: Yes.
WILLIAMS: Is this a conflict and do you see it as a contradictions?
KENNEDY: I think the big government aspect is a real stretch for this lawmaker. And I think this actually shows a contrast in what government can do. Because the path to hell is littered with government failures. And here, when people look back and they think about the devastation, they think about the storm. They think about the images and the things that really moved them, you know, tragedy and the uplifting stories, they're not going to say wow, how about that FEMA.
They're going say, wow, how about those neighbors who paddled a canoe through dangerous waters to their neighbor's house to rescue pets and children. They're going to talk about the people who risked their own lives, the individuals who risked their own lives to save others. That's what they're going to be talking about. The fact that there was decent and appropriate interaction between government agencies and individuals I think is a testament to the people of Texas and that's where we take the inspiration.
BOOTHE: And it's not just that either. It's also just the local community at large. You look at local businesses like mattress mat who owns two big furniture stores in and around the Houston area having them be 24-hour shelters, bringing people in, feeding them, giving them water. You look at the role churches opening their doors serving food and water, taking people in.
You look at even corporate, big corporate giants like Wal-Mart donating $20 million. I think it was the Chamber of Commerce estimated that big corporations are donating $143 million. You look at the role the private sectors playing, the local communities are playing. Churches, so it's not just about government. I think this actually underscores your point the individuals as well stepping up and local communities as well.
WILLIAMS: So, Jesse, I think the contrary position would be look at the amount of money that the President is requesting. Look at the request for money coming from Governor Abbott and ironically coming from Senator Ted Cruz, Senator John Cornyn. Remember there were Cornyn, Cruz and 15 Republicans who voted against aid for Hurricane Sandy saying, oh, this thing is too big government spending, it's loaded with pork, with substance we learned, it was not loaded with pork. They didn't think it was an appropriate role but they do for their state.
WATTERS: So, you are saying politicians are playing politics?
WILLIAMS: Well, no, I'm just saying --
WATTERS: Shocked.
WILLIAMS: Giving what we saw from Crowley who says, you know, Democrats now can argue for the importance and good work done by big government, is that a contradictions is what is I was saying.
WATTERS: I think for liberals their government is the answer for everything. Look what happened with Katrina. Do you remember? Government failed yet everybody still asked for bigger government. What happened? They had state-run nursing homes that they left the elderly people in. They had buses idling by, they couldn't evacuate. Superdome was a mess. The governor didn't even mobilize the National Guard and then after that failure the left said we need bigger government.
What happened here? The response was excellent and the left still says, yes, this is why we need bigger government but it's not about bigger government. It's about who is running the government. Abbott, the Governor is doing a fantastic job because he is controlling things and Texas is lean and mean. So, it's not just about government. Though 90 percent of the people doing a lot of these rescues are local guys.
Texans have a lot of trucks. They have a lot of boats and they're out there themselves pulling themselves up by their bootstraps. I'm surprised Texas didn't punch Harvey in the face.
KENNEDY: Yes. And oddly enough Jesse, I don't think the Cajun navy is union.
WILLIAMS: No. But I will say, I also think that you should take your hat off to the coast guard and to the military --
WATTERS: Doing an excellent job and they're very well-funded.
WILLIAMS: You know? So, I wanted to go to Greg because Greg there was a cartoon running political this week. I don't know if you saw it.
GUTFELD: Yes. Tasteless.
WILLIAMS: And it said, it had an image of the Coast Guard wrestling and somebody said, thank God, you know, rescue and of course the caption basically read, no, I'm from -- the government sent me.
GUTFELD: Yes. It was just an ass. I mean, what else can you do? But a cartoonist looking for a cheap shot during a time of crisis is what you call an ass. I hate to use such crude language but he is an ass. What about the money that's being requested for all of this? We are talking about billions? I think it's our money. It's not big government money. That's what the money is for. What government is good for are doing the things that we can't do.
One of the things that we can't do is directing all the resource s that come from our taxes into one area. You can have some kind of decentralized help. Everybody is sending money to the Red Cross. People are coming in with their boats. People coming in and rescuing. But you do need an organization to get the money and government, that's what government -- government should only have certain specific duties. And that is, you know, in disasters, in National Security, taking care of those who cannot help themselves, technology medical innovations things like that.
Those are the things government can do and it goes hand in hand with the people of Texas who are brave. You have the individuals and you have the government and they don't have to be in conflict. They can work together. But the fact is that money was paid into the system by us. So it's not like the government is coming to save us. The government is using our money. The money we put in for a purpose that is necessary.
WILLIAMS: You know, we have to go back. I just want to say, so you would say to the government, therefore cut other programs and spending in order to pay for what is going on in Texas.
KENNEDY: Yes!
GUTFELD: I think you can definitely cut parts of the government. I think--
WILLIAMS: I would be stun if we saw Republicans -- oh, yes. We are going to cut others programs.
(CROSSTALK)
I think that's where the hypocrisy comes in. More stunning news today about how Hillary Clinton avoided criminal indictment over her email server. We'll analyze the situation. So, stay with us. That's coming right at you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KENNEDY: Hello and welcome back. There are some explosive new allegations that former FBI Director James Comey decided not to bring criminal charges against Hillary Clinton over her private email server long before the investigation was complete.
For the details, let's go to Ed Henry with the very latest. Ed?
ED HENRY, SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kennedy, maybe James Comey is becoming like Greg Gutfeld, all hat and no cattle. These new allegations by two Republican Senators months before finishing the investigation, the FBI Director decided in the spring of 2016 that Hillary Clinton should be exonerated before various witnesses were even interviewed including Clinton and top aides like Huma Abedin. That sparks a key question, is Comey now a credible witness for Special Counsel Robert Mueller as his probe of Russian Meddling in the election and whether the president's firing of Comey was obstruction. The New York Times reporting tonight, Mueller has obtain a letter, the president and the top aide Stephen Miller drafted to justify Comey's firing.
The top White House lawyer Dan Megyn blocked it. That may help Mueller figure out the original intent of the firing. The White House issued a separate letter drafted by the deputy Attorney General that talked about Comey mishandling the Clinton case that leads us to new information unearthed by Republicans, Chuck Grassley and Lindsey Graham, FBI officials suggesting that Comey was drafting an exoneration statement for Clinton in April or May of 2016 leading the Senators to charge Comey came to a conclusion before any fact gathering.
The President tweeting it looks like he exonerated the Hillary Clinton long before the investigation was over and so much more, a rigged system. Now Remember Comey came out in July 2016 and said despite apparent wrong doing, Clinton would not be charged. So look at this exchange under oath in September of 2016.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Director, did you make the decision not to recommend criminal charges related to classified information before or after Hillary Clinton was interviewed by the FBI on the second.
JAMES COMEY, FORMER FBI DIRECTOR: After. If colleagues believe I'm lying, please urge them to contact me privately so we can have a conversation about this. All can I tell you again the decision was made after that because I didn't know what was going to happen in that interview. She maybe lied in the interview --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: At a senate hearing this year, Comey testified again under oath that he only decided to go public with the July 2016 exoneration after Attorney General Loretta Lynch met on the tarmac with Bill Clinton because she was now conflicted. The new information suggest the decision was made months before July or June.
KENNEDY: Very good. I have a question quick. Was there also a statement of condemnation that the former FBI Director wrote?
HENRY: No, there was no statement of condemnation. I think there are people in the Trump White House wondering whether or not they're going to get an exoneration letter sometime soon. Don't expect that to happen.
KENNEDY: All right, could the former FBI director be in deep yogurt with Robert Mueller.
HENRY: I think you should ask Gutfeld. He could be in deep unicorn.
(LAUGHTER)
GUTFELD: Thank you for that.
KENNEDY: We all know that is far worse thank you very much. Lisa to you, how credible is the information that we have that former FBI Director James Comey drafted this letter in the spring before he talked to, as Ed pointed out not only Hillary Clinton but Brain (inaudible) and others?
BOOTHE: It looks like he contradicted himself as we heard earlier in that September 28 hearing, when he talked about the timeline of the decision making process as well as the impact that Loretta Lynch meeting on the plane had. I don't trust James Comey as far as I can throw him which is not far but you can look at things he has said that are not backed up by facts. He has repeatedly either given blatant lie or misleading statements he said he leaked the memo in response to the May 12 tweet, representing possible case. You go back to The New York Times article and it mirrors the memo he released allegedly four days later after that tweet. He testified that he didn't think his memos contained classified information.
The Hill found more than half did. He said Trump's conversation made him nervous but Loretta Lynch instructed him to use the word matter instead of investigation. He didn't write memos about her so why not. He said The New York Times took the extraordinary step telling the intelligence committee that the Trump team was under investigation meanwhile we know behind the scenes he was telling President Trump he wasn't under investigation, so there are so many things he has said that are contradictory and seemingly a blatant lie.
KENNEDY: So Jesse, how much of a miscarriage of justice is it if he made up his mind before the FBI interviewed some of the key witnesses.
WATTERS: I think the FBI should change its motto to "I'm with her."
KENNEDY: Tweeted out FBI with her.
WATTERS: This thing is more rigged than a carnival game. If you add the exoneration letter to the tarmac meeting, to the Lynch interference, pleading fifth, wiping the server clean and smashing blackberries with hammers, it is the most corrupted situation you can ever imagine. Now when members of congress want information about the investigation they file a foil request, the FBI says we are not going to hand over any information about the investigation because it's not in the public interest. Who are they to determine that? I bet half the country wants to see this stuff. They have a lot of work to regain any credibility.
KENNEDY: It makes you wonder for whom they are covering. But Juan, Hillary Clinton lost the election so she has had punishment enough, right? You can go ahead and break laws in this country. Its fine if you dote get what you want. That is the same thing as going to jail.
WILLIAMS: Is that right? I just do think that there is a hanging court in session here. The Star Chamber is here but I must say what strikes me is we don't know. We just don't know what the entirety of this story. What I can say is that...
WATTERS: You don't say that in Russia.
WILLIAMS: I thought were you going to bring up Benghazi.
WATTERS: I was getting to that.
WILLIAMS: I was hoping so. We can say there was nine months of investigation before this point and we know that Comey is, you know, an inveterate note taker and writer and often times --
KENNEDY: You can't take notes on interviews that you haven't conducted and those would be really important notes in determining the conclusion.
WILLIAMS: If she, Hillary Clinton or anyone else had lied and they could prove it, there would be a case. I think what he is saying at least we can see and we can't see the whole picture, they looked for evidence that in fact she had broken some law and up to that point they hadn't found any.
KENNEDY: I'm hearing blah, blah, blah. Greg could you please translate?
GUTFELD: Here's the funny part. The people that should be interested in this are the Democrats. Hillary Clinton was the worst nominee in the history of politics even including that dead guy that ran, I think in Tennessee, do you remember that story? The guy with the mullet. This was a terrible candidate and if this news had become evident earlier, they could have jettisoned her and had a better candidate and possibly won the election. Sanders who was a changed candidate could have very well have beaten Trump but instead, they rigged it so she got it. So there are two riggings going on. My thing is, it's like we are continually replaying this election. It's now seven months, the Dems have to let go the Russia and the Republicans will let go of Hilary's crimes. Like the end of the relationship stop going to the Facebook page. Stop listening to his voice mails. Move on. Move on. Because the public has already accepted the election.
WILLIAMS: But it's about Russia.
KENNEDY: She can cannot stop sniffing Donald Trump's t-shirt.
GUTFELD: Thank god you said t-shirt.
KENNEDY: Got to keep it clean. A family show. When we come back President Trump reportedly seriously reversing one of President Obama most important immigration initiatives. What is it and how important is it to the nation. Stay with us and find out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOOTHE: The Fox News Alert. President Trump is just hours away from a trip to meet with the victims of hurricane Harvey personally assuring the region the federal government is fully committed to the recovery. Tonight Mr. Trump tweeted I will be going to Texas and Louisiana tomorrow with the first lady. Great progress being made. Spending weekend working at White House. In other news Tuesday President Trump will announce whether or not he will continue President Obama's controversial DACA program, an initiative that protects illegal immigrants brought to the United States as children from deportation. Here is what President Trump said earlier today about DACA.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We love everybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOOTHE: As I'm sure you can guess, there are a lot of questions from reporters about the program at the White House press briefing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A guy in Texas right now, a paramedic, working since the storm hit to help people in the community in and around Texas. He also happens to be (inaudible).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOOTHE: So Greg, you kind of have to hand it to President Obama because he set the next President up with the DACA program. We are talking about 800,000 illegal immigrants that I think are under the umbrella of this program, you know, temporary relief from being deported also eligible to work permits. What should President Trump do?
GUTFELD: I think he didn't set him up. I think he elected him. President Trump was elected on this idea, this large vision of law and order. And built within that law and order this was the wall, dealing with illegal immigration, dealing with ISIS and national security. This was something that people looked at and said what is happening to our immigration system. We are allowing these people in. Right or wrong that is part of the vision. I would like to ban the word dreamer, because we are all dreamers.
I dream every day. I dream about cheeseburgers and espresso and flying on the back of a unicorn. I'm tired of other people being dreamers. The solution, being a law and order President is to amend the program so that you can stay as long as you have a clean slate. A good citizen with no busts no arrests that is, Trump ties this to law and order because he is a law and order President. He will win. He just got to do it that way, I think.
BOOTHE: We have seen a big drop in illegal immigration on the border since Trump took over. President Obama criticized a lot for some of his executive action about immigration, the message sending to illegal immigrants, we saw some border searches in the summer. Would President Trump send the wrong message if he keeps the program in tact?
WATTERS: I think the base could forgive him if he kept it. I personally think he should keep DACA. It's the honorable thing to do and I think it's smart politically. I agree with Greg. I would, instead of amending it myself as president through executive order, I would kick it back to congress and let congress deal with immigration. That is the role of congress. President Obama's executive order was illegal and technically these kids are illegal but at the same time you don't punish the son for the sins of the father. It's like charging a kid for like an accessory to a bank robbery, because the mom put the kid in the car, the getaway car it's just not fair. So, you know, sometimes you make decisions based on your heart and sometimes you make decisions based on your mind. I think the president obviously has been wrestling with this issue because it's very thorny for him. I believe he is going to make the right decision. This whole leaking that he might kill it is probably a pump fake to make everybody go one direction and he will come back and hopefully hold it in place.
BOOTHE: Speaking of congress, why didn't Democrats get this done when they controlled both bodies of congress and the White House?
KENNEDY: They passed crappy ObamaCare. Sorry Juan.
WILLIAMS: No, no because I think you do a good imitation of it
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
BOOTHE: That is exactly what that was.
KENNEDY: Seriously. Juan, if this is an issue they cared about so much. Why didn't they get it done?
WILLIAMS: When President Obama did this he said you know what, the Republican congress at the time was obstructing and you know what, I don't buy it because I think you should go through congress. But and in response to what Greg was saying about law and order, wow, what is this guy Joe Arpaio. What happened to law and order?
GUTFELD: You just validated what I said.
WILLIAMS: I think the president is playing politics with this obviously and he was hoping to use it as a bargaining chip in terms of what is coming in September in terms of arguments over the budget, the wall, et cetera. Today apparently he has pulled back on the insistence the wall must be funded as the part of any budget. I think Jesse who shocked me by being so compassionate.
KENNEDY: Actual empathy?
WILLIAMS: Actual empathy from Jesse. It seems to me you have an opportunity here now for the President to say you know what? These young people deserve an opportunity and it's overwhelming in the polls. It's close to 70 percent, higher than 70 percent in some polls. Americans think the kids deserve to stay.
BOOTHE: Kennedy what do you think?
KENNEDY: I preface every immigration conversation by saying we should end the entitlement state in this country. No one, just end the entitlement state. Start with that. These kids consider themselves to be Americans and I think there is good criteria here. If you do well in school, if you don't break the law, you should stay here, work hard and flourish and really live the American dream. We are all Americans as the President pointed out this week. We are all dreamers and allowing them to fully participate in that and having the program move forward would be a wonderful thing for all involved.
BOOTHE: Stay right there because Facebook Friday is coming up next.
GUTFELD: I'm a bad dreamer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GUTFELD: There we go. Facebook Friday. Don't have a lot of time. Don't get in my way, America. This is from Clyde B., Kennedy, what would your mother say is was the worst thing you did as a child?
KENNEDY: I lied to her in high school and went to a Republican convention. She grounded me and didn't allow me to go on spring break after that. My parents were Camelot Democrats. My mom still is god bless her.
GUTFELD: What about you Jesse? I know what it is.
WILLIAMS: I like your mom and I like Jesse's mom for the same reason.
WATTERS: I think voting Republican was the worst thing could I have done for my mother.
GUTFELD: Juan.
WILLIAMS: She didn't like the people I hung around. She thought they were dangerous.
GUTFELD: Really? Were you in some kind of weird neighborhood gang?
WILLIAMS: I don't think I was in the gang...
BOOTHE: Like Jessica Tarlov and Marie Harf?
(LAUGHTER)
GUTFELD: That was very funny. Lisa?
BOOTHE: I actually I was pretty. I was bad.
WATTERS: Really?
BOOTHE: I was just very independent. Like so let's kick it old school I ran away when I was five. But my dad. My dad was so mad at me and frustrated he packed my suitcase and was like go for it. My parents watch me walk down the street. My mom is freaking out because I'm a kid and my dad was watching me saying she will come home. I came home and my dad asked me why I came home and I said it just wasn't the right day.
(LAUGHTER)
GUTFELD: When worst thing when my mom stumbled upon a box of what I would call classic art magazines
WILLIAMS: Were you 25?
GUTFELD: I was... I had to explain I was holding them for a friend.
BOOTHE: You enjoyed the written articles.
GUTFELD: Yes. This is from Mat D. What band/singer do you regret never seeing in concert? All right, Juan.
WILLIAMS: Well, obviously I would have loved to have seen Jimi Hendrix. I think everybody says that with the guitar, just an amazing thing.
GUTFELD: I loved him in Led zeppelin. Kidding. Jesse.
WATTERS: Trying to think. I've seen everybody, Snoop Dogg, Floyd, I've never seen U2. They have a great song called "Juan."
GUTFELD: That was a good joke about Juan.
(LAUGHTER)
GUTFELD: Lisa.
BOOTHE: Well you are going to boo me. I missed the Taylor Swift concert in D.C. and I heard it was a great concert. I knew you were going to judge me for it.
GUTFELD: Kennedy, I left you for last. You've seen everybody pretty much. Who have you not seen you wish could you see?
KENNEDY: The only person would I have liked to have seen in concert although he had a troubled special history was Michael Jackson. I saw him perform at the Video Music Awards, but never a full concert and when you watch the movie "This Is It," you realize how much he had left in the tank and how good the concert series would have been in London.
GUTFELD: I will pick a band only you know, the Screaming Blue Messiahs from the mid-80s. Go on YouTube and put it in live, they're mind blowing.
WATTERS: They have 14 clicks.
GUTFELD: Amazing band. All right. We got one more question and we are going to save it for the next block it's coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GUTFELD: One more question from Ann Marie G. with Labor Day on Monday, what is your favorite thing you look forward to in the fall? Quickly. We have a minute.
KENNEDY: Football.
GUTFELD: Yours is football and Sprite?
WATTERS: Pumpkin surprise spice lattes.
GUTFELD: Juan?
WILLIAMS: I would say the Nationals, my Nationals in the World Series.
GUTFELD: Oh, that ain't happening, but --
WILLIAMS: You giants fan.
KENNEDY: I also love college football more than professional football. Go Bruins. They're horrible. Sorry, guys. Boots.
GUTFELD: Yeah. I look forward to wearing really bulky jackets, so I can shoplift. It's hard to shoplift in the summer as you know --
BOOTHE: They call him Wynona around here.
WILLIAMS: You white people get away with murder. It is unbelievable.
GUTFELD: All right. That is it for us. Be sure to tune in Monday night. Coming up, our special 9:00 p.m. Eastern Labor Day special. Don't miss it. "Hannity" is up next!
Content and Programming Copyright 2017 Fox News Network, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Copyright 2017 CQ-Roll Call, Inc. All materials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of CQ-Roll Call. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox