2020 candidates push back on Castro for questioning Biden's memory
Julian Castro questions Joe Biden's memory; reaction and analysis from our ladies' night panel on 'The Story.'
This is a rush transcript from "The Story," September 13, 2019. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
ED HENRY, HOST: Thank you. All right, breaking tonight, it appears we're finally getting closer to the point where justice may finally come to former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, and possibly, former top officials like James Comey.
Word breaking tonight that the DOJ inspector general's report on whether or not they abuse their powers to target the Trump campaign is now in the hands of the attorney general.
The news coming on the heels of another story, saying McCabe is possibly edging closer to being indicted. Raising questions what this means for the deep state tonight and one time officials like McCabe, Comey, and all of them. Good night -- good evening, everybody. I'm Ed Henry, in for Martha MacCallum. It's good to be back on “The Story.”
Remember for months now, the I.G. has been proving the FISA warrants at the center of the FBI's Trump surveillance. Yes, those FISA warrants that relied heavily on an unverified anti-Trump dossier, compiled by a man who was hired by Fusion GPS, and a firm funded by the Clinton campaign, and yes, the DNC.
And to the man deeply involved in that surveillance, Andy McCabe. The federal indictment reportedly breathing down his neck as he finally ready to talk and maybe turn on others.
After all, though McCabe once enjoyed a pretty close relationship with his former boss, James Comey, The Washington Post, at one time referred to them as venerated G-man who worked hand in glove if seemed to split as the story heats up with Comey, even indicating months ago, he may eventually testify against McCabe.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES COMEY, FORMER DIRECTOR, FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION: Given that the I.G.'s report reflects interaction that Andy McCabe had with me and other FBI senior executives, I could well be a witness.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: McCabe has continually maintained his innocence, but does his possible indictment. Plus, this looming I.G. report mean we're about to see the unraveling of what Trump allies believe was basically a failed coup attempt against the president.
In moments, Judiciary Committee member, Matt Gaetz, will be here live. But first, Andy McCarthy, former federal prosecutor, and Fox News contributor. Good evening, Andy.
ANDREW MCCARTHY, CONTRIBUTOR: Hi, Ed. How are you?
HENRY: Great. First, let's start with what this means about the I.G. report about the FISA warrants, finally being in the hands of the attorney general. What does that mean, for example, for the prosecutor in Connecticut who has been looking at possible indictments of former Obama officials?
MCCARTHY: Well, that's all going on, on two tracks at the same time, Ed. So, I think that there's been coordination at the Justice Department between what Inspector General Horowitz is doing, and what the U.S. Attorney John Durham, who is looking into the origins of the investigation is doing.
They've worked this out in a coordination fashion, no doubt. And it probably -- it's the end of a phase of Horowitz's investigation, but I don't know that it will impact Durham's work much.
HENRY: And then, what about McCabe and the fact that we're hearing that might be closer to him being indicted for basically lying. When he was one of the FBI officials going after General Flynn and others, and saying send them to jail for lying, now, he may be in trouble himself.
MCCARTHY: Yes, I think it makes it much harder, Ed, for him to make a case that if there is a minimal case of lying. And frankly, when you look at Horowitz's report on the full statements allegedly made by McCabe, it doesn't look like a minimal case to me.
But, I think, because you have this hovering issue of whether we have a two-tiered justice system where the connected get a break.
HENRY: Yes.
MCCARTHY: And people like General Flynn don't, it make -- it makes it harder for McCabe to argue in the teeth of that for leniency.
HENRY: What about the question I raised at the top about his relationship, Andy McCabe with James Comey? Comey, himself saying, "Look, at some point, I may have to testify against McCabe.
They were the top two officials at the FBI, as you know better than anyone. If McCabe does get indicted, does he start singing about what James Comey really did?
MCCARTHY: Well, a couple of things there and I think that when Comey made the statement that he might be a witness, he was simply stating a fact on the circumstances where he did not want to make a public statement about the investigation of McCabe because he might be in the position of having to testify if McCabe gets indicted and that case goes to trial.
HENRY: Right.
MCCARTHY: That simply true. I think as far as, you know, what their relative positions in the investigation are concerned, obviously, if there were charges against McCabe, just like there are charges against anyone that creates a higher incentive to be cooperative.
HENRY: Right.
MCCARTHY: But, it's hard to say because we don't know what's going on behind the scenes. We don't know what the Comey camp is telling the various investigations. We don't know what McCabe's people have been telling them. So, it's a little speculative to lay that out.
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: So -- yes.
MCCARTHY: I'm comfortable saying, I think Comey was just simply trying not to have to speak publicly about something he might be call to testify about.
HENRY: So, last question, you wrote a column in National Review, suggesting, look, the president's attacks on Andy McCabe could backfire because if -- and I stress, "If McCabe is indicted, he is going to face a probably a pretty liberal jury -- grand jury in Washington, D.C. that may - - you know, not be friendly to the president, obviously.
On the other hand -- I've got 30 seconds. Does the president have some sense of vindication tonight as we hear this news about McCabe and the alleged lies? As well as this I.G. report? This is some of the president has been talking about for months and months.
MCCARTHY: Yes, well, I wouldn't spike the football until it actually happened. And I do think that the reason that the false statements case against McCabe might be attractive to the Justice Department is because the facts of it really don't have to do anything with President Trump, it has to do with him leaking the existence of the Clinton Foundation, and then, lying about it.
So, I think, they're better off with a case like that, than one in which the president was a major presence.
HENRY: All right. Andy McCarthy, appreciate your insights tonight.
MCCARTHY: Thanks, Ed.
HENRY: Let's go to Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz, he sits on the House Judiciary Committee, and, of course, he's a close ally of the president. Good evening, Congressman.
REP. MATT GAETZ, R-FLA.: Good evening.
HENRY: I wonder whether you think justice is finally coming for McCabe and others.
GAETZ: We do. You know, on the day that Jim Comey was fired, Peter Strzok sent a text message Lisa Page, saying we better get that case open, we've been talking about while Andy is the acting director of the FBI, the very next day, Andrew McCabe opens the obstruction of justice investigation into the president. That is where that investigation begin.
Andrew McCabe is also the very same person who took to Hillary Clinton e- mail investigation out of the hands of the D.C. field office and put it in the hands of the senior leadership team where politics appeared to be more at play.
So, central to both of those investigations, now, McCabe appears to be potentially at the business, and of an indictment for his false statements where he was trying to shape the media narrative regarding how the FBI and the Department of Justice were impacting on the -- were interacting on the Hillary Clinton e-mail investigation.
HENRY: But Congressman, haven't we heard this before and so, I wonder what is going to be different this time? Because, I bet our viewer is a bit skeptical tonight that they've heard McCabe, Comey, justice is finally coming. And yet, it seems like they wiggle out of it almost every time.
GAETZ: Recent reporting indicates that McCabe's lawyers made their last- ditch appeal to the senior leadership of the Department of Justice to receive special or different treatment, maybe because McCabe at served at the FBI. The reporting indicates that the Department of Justice is going to apply the law equally to everyone.
That means Andrew McCabe, that means the president, and I think that the right standard. But here, the facts have Andrew McCabe, they had the rights. He lied to Comey, he lied to the inspector general, and he lied to the internal affairs investigators, who had determined that he had authorized the release of information that disclosed the work that was being done regarding the Clinton Foundation.
HENRY: Yes.
GAETZ: Very serious, and also, no real dispute on those facts.
HENRY: Right. And it's also alleged that McCabe, then, try to throw others beneath him under the bus and blamed them for the leaks. So, that is something that --
(CROSSTALK)
GAETZ: Well, beneath him and above him, which is what ripens the question you asked Andy about Jim Comey.
HENRY: Yes.
GAETZ: Because McCabe said, "Well, Comey knew about all these things, Comey disputes that. So, now, we've got some of the swamp creatures chewing on each other for once.
HENRY: Yes, it's interesting. OK, so, last night there is this big democratic debate. The, I word, never came up, impeachment. We can get into that, but then, there was this attack by Julian Castro on Joe Biden, questions about whether he went too far on age, and whatnot.
Mika Brzezinski had an interesting take this morning on all of that. I want to get your reaction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKA BRZEZINSKI, MSNBC HOST: It was a lot of incredible moments, Joe. Including, well, I think a real low blow. I'm going to have to say it was Matt Gaetz level. Castro versus Biden who in Castro really went after the former vice president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: MSNBC, says you take the low road, sir. Well, you know, I guess it wasn't really Matt Gaetz level, because it wasn't all that interesting entertaining or effective. It was probably more Mika Brzezinski level because most people are panning it today. And that seem to be how audience react to her show on that other network.
They seem to be doing pretty bad in the ratings. If you're not in the Acela corridor, if you're not on one of the coastal areas, so maybe, they got to try to gin up a fight with me, but I'm focused on serving the folks in Florida's first congressional district, which, by the way, Joe Scarborough used to represent.
HENRY: Oh, there you go. Last question, I mentioned the, I word, didn't come up last night. What do you make of that when your Democratic colleagues in the House, they seem to be pushing full-speed ahead this week to try and impeach the president, when even the 2020 Democrats don't want to go there?
GAETZ: Math is pretty simple, a recent Monmouth University poll showed that still six out of every 10 Americans oppose impeachment. So, if 60 percent of the country is against something, it's probably pretty bad politics for somebody who wants to be president of the United States.
But, I fear that my House Democrat colleagues, they have really lurched so far to the left. They've become so captive to voices like Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough that they are taking poisonous political candy in the form of an impeachment input.
HENRY: Yes. All right, we don't want to take a poll in the Acela corridor, you might not be popular there, Congressman. But maybe in Florida, you are. Have a good weekend, we appreciate you coming in.
GAETZ: Thank you. You'll be popular everywhere, Ed.
HENRY: All right. I appreciate that.
Up next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT: There's no more planes. I guess no more people, right?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: President Trump, poking a little fun at the Green Deal, Democrats going to the extremes on climate change. But after last night's big debate, it seems they may have been looking into a crystal ball if a certain Democrat is elected named Elizabeth Warren.
Governor Huckabee, Victor Davis Hanson, and Jessica Tarlov, they are all here, next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN, D-MASS., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: By 2030, carbon emissions from cars and by 2035, all carbon emissions from the manufacture of electricity
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WARREN: I have proposed following Governor Inslee that we by 2028 cut all carbon emissions for new buildings, by 2030 carbon emissions from cars, and by 2035 all carbon emissions from the manufacture of electricity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Well, some of the 2020 Democrats are sharing a little glimpse of their future for America and it may look like a very different place if plans like these come to fruition. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are all Americans going to have to drive electric cars?
ANDREW YANG, D-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: All-electric cars, it's not something you have to do. It's awesome. We are all going to love driving our electric cars.
SEN. KAMALA HARRIS, D-CALIF., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: By my plan by 2045, we will have basically zero-emission vehicles only, 100 percent by 2045.
JOE BIDEN, D-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We can take millions of vehicles off the road if we have high-speed rail. We know the car is where we could do that and we would literally take millions of vehicles off the road.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Here now literally for a trip into the future Mike Huckabee former Arkansas Governor, of course, current Fox News Contributor, Victor Davis Hanson Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, and Jessica Tarlov Senior Director of Research at Bustle.com and also a Fox News Contributor. Good evening, all.
JESSICA TARLOV, CONTRIBUTOR: Hi, Ed!
HENRY: Governor, it's awesome.
MIKE HUCKABEE, CONTRIBUTOR: You know, what I got to tell you, Ed, if we're going to play whether we're going to be the Flintstones or the Jetsons, I pick the Jetsons. I'd much rather live in that future than going back to where we push our cars with our feet.
And I've got a solution for the Democrats. Here it is. It's very simple. For the next ten years which according to some of them is the last ten years of humanity, here's how we do it. Half the country, the Liberals live without electricity, without cars, without bear planes, without any oil, which means without any plastics. They get rid of it all.
Those of us who are conservative, we rib eyes, we drive cars, we fly in planes, we have motorboats. And after ten years, let's see which of us, which half of America is happier. And then we decide whether we're going to go with this Green New Deal. Honestly, that's the way we should approach it.
HENRY: All right, let's get Jessica in here. Jessica, is it easy to mock some of these positions that have gone so far left or do you honestly believe that your party is ahead of the curve on this and Conservatives are going to regret mocking all of it because it's a serious issue.
TARLOV: Oh it's absolutely a serious issue, and a majority of Americans think that it is not just as a Liberal but as a citizen of the world. I'm exhausted of these dad jokes about cow farts and no cars and whatever it is when we have scientific consensus about the threat that climate change poses to this planet that we are contributing to the problem and that we are not nearly acting fast enough.
I don't know what was laughable about what Elizabeth Warren said when she's talking about moving to electric cars. That's something that we've already seen happening. We've seen individual states, some conservative ones including Texas for instance that loves their wind power, making the changes that they need to for a growing workforce, first of all, that needs those jobs but also to make sure that we have a sustainable planet.
I want to rig up something that's really important since everyone is focused on votes. There are 24 million Gen Z's that are going to go to the polls in 2020. They don't think it's a laughing matter, Governor Huckabee. And I know the Republicans are doing their best to alienate all young people in this country. But if you don't acknowledge the threat of climate change, none of them are going to turn out for you.
HENRY: I'm going to give Governor Huckabee a real quick one because I want to get to Victor. He's accusing you of dad joke so I want you to respond.
TARLOV: It's a little more of a dad jokes.
HUCKABEE: I plead guilty. I have the worst dad jokes in America.
TARLOV: Grandpa jokes.
HUCKABEE: But I want to tell you something. I don't want America to be -- let me finish, Jessica. I do not want America to be dependent upon foreign oil. We've done that before. It was disastrous. If you want to make Russia rich and the Middle East rich, let's get off of all the fossil fuels because they're not. they're going to continue to use them. That's ridiculous. You're going to make us poor.
HENRY: Victor, how do you see it from out in California about how the Democrats are handling this issue?
VICTOR DAVIS HANSON, SENIOR FELLOW, HOOVER INSTITUTION: Well, I'm speaking from Fresno County where I have a small farm and it's 25 to 30 percent poverty rate and so most people here buy a used car for $5,000. And so when I hear this from Elizabeth Warren, she's talking about a multi- trillion-dollar transformation. So these people are going to not be able to buy a Tesla at $90,000 or hydrogen fuel-cell at $150,000.
So there's no information how we're going to afford this, how we're going to transform the whole of American auto fleet. I personally use a car about ten percent of the time of a 24-hour cycle, so that's not a very good investment to junk an entire fleet to do this.
And I have one last -- you know, I'm kind of cynical because every time Elizabeth Warren proposes something, she adds the word regulatory or regularly. And she said that about straws and fracking and so-called assault weapons and what does that mean?
Does that mean getting Congress in a bipartisan fashion to pass a bill and have a president sign it or does that mean an administrative state passes that by fit?
HENRY: Let's get Jessica --
HANSON: And this one last thing, why don't all these -- why don't all these multi-millionaire and she is a multi-millionaire, lives in a mansion, and all these celebrities just take a simple pledge. I'm not going to advocate anything on climate change or weaponry for the middle classes unless I pledge to live in the average square foot home in an American topography --
HENRY: OK, let's go -- let's let Jessica jump in. Answer that broader question, Jessica, pardon me, which is about government regulation in big brother, whether its climate change, Medicare for all, government takeovers, is that going to backfire on your party?
TARLOV: I'm not sure it's going to backfire on the party. The candidates have been perfectly clear, Kamala Harris most prominently last night that she'll do what you can with executive action specifically relating to gun control for instance and restoring a lot of the environmental protections that President Obama had put in place.
When you're the President of the United States of America talking this morning about light bulbs and how they make him look more orange or whatever he was saying, you see that only one party is actually serious about dealing with climate change. So I don't see it as backfiring. Folks who are anti-regulation don't see the worth of it. They weren't going to vote for us anyway.
So I commend everybody on my side for putting out real thorough plans. These are goals, something to work towards, but at least we're thinking about it.
HENRY: Governor, last word.
HUCKABEE: Well, I mean, I go back to the point. Let's let half of America get rid of all the things. Victor made the great point. If they want to live that way, live that way. Show us how wonderful life is without those things. But I hate the hypocrisy of them flying private jets and SUVs and then telling the rest of us to get rid of our cars and not go anywhere. It's ridiculous.
HENRY: All right, Governor --
TARLOV: You can have a car, it's just electric, and you will like it, Governor.
HENRY: All right, it's awesome, governor.
HUCKABEE: I like the one I got.
HANSON: It cost $90,000 -- Jessica, it cost $90,000 to get a Tesla.
TARLOV: No, there's a version of a Tesla that I believe is about $30,000.
HANSON: Not one person in my neighborhood could afford a $90,000 Tesla but the people who can are lecturing them how they have to organize their lives in 15 years.
HENRY: All right, a lively debate, but it's Friday night, thank you, everyone.
TARLOV: And also no private jets.
HENRY: Have a wonderful weekend. Thank you.
TARLOV: Thanks, Ed.
HUCKABEE: Thanks, Ed.
HENRY: Still ahead --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, HOST, THE VIEW: This old thing has got to stop because 25 percent of the electorate is over 65 and they vote, OK. I'm one of them and I vote. And so be careful what you do with all people because we will turn on you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Well, the former vice president's loyalists rushing to his defense today crying foul on some other Democrats attacking what would seem like maybe some memory loss and old age.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HENRY: Breaking tonight, former Desperate Housewives actress Felicity Huffman sentenced for her role in a scam where she paid some big bucks to boost her daughter's SAT test scores and get her into college. Our Chief Breaking News Correspondent Trace Gallagher has the story. Good evening, Trace.
TRACE GALLAGHER, ANCHOR: Good evening, Ed. When she arrived to the courthouse, Felicity Huffman was smiling him look calm, but appearing before the judge Huffman was nervous and tearful, apologizing to the students and parents and colleges impacted by her actions saying she was deeply ashamed and did more damage than she ever imagined.
Huffman attributed her actions in part to the bewilderment of being a mother. But the prosecutor shot right back saying motherhood does not make you a cheat and a felon. In handing down the sentence, the judge agreed that trying to be a good mom was no excuse saying the college system is already distorted by money and privilege and yet for Huffman that wasn't enough so she took one more advantage for her child.
But the judge also noted that Huffman immediately accepted responsibility, is not a threat to her community and has apparently regained her moral compass. So along with serving two weeks in prison, that's the sentence, Huffman will pay a $30,000 fine, perform 250 hours of community service, and serve a year probation.
The judge noted that without this sentence, the community around Huffman would ask why she got away with it. The actress is hoping to serve her time in an all-women's low-security prison in Northern California famous for housing people like the Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss and Patty Hearst.
After leaving the courthouse, Huffman said there are no excuses or justifications for her actions, period. And she hopes her family friends and community will forgive her. Remember, Huffman is the first parent to be sentenced in the college admission scandal.
Full House star Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband are charged with paying a half-million dollars to bribe their daughters into USC. They've pled not guilty and are fighting the allegations but are also facing up to 40 years in prison. Some legal experts say that even if Loughlin ultimately decides to cut a deal, she and her husband are facing a lot more jail time than Felicity Huffman. Ed?
HENRY: Trace Gallagher, thank you. Next, a STORY exclusive with one of more than 100 CEOs who say gun violence in America is simply now a public health crisis and it's Congress's job to fix it. That is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HENRY: Tonight, some big American executives wading into politics and demanding that Congress take action on gun control.
A hundred and forty-five CEOs from companies including Twitter, Uber, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Royal Caribbean Cruises all sending this letter urging the Senate to, quote, "stand with the American public and take action on gun safety by asking a bill to require background checks on all gun sales and a strong red flag law."
Here now exclusively is one CEO who signed that letter. Bismarck Lepe, he is CEO of Wizeline, that is a global product development company. Good to see you tonight. Thank you for joining us.
BISMARCK LEPE, CEO, WIZELINE: Thank you for having me.
HENRY: What motivated you to get involved? You know this is a divided time in the country. People on each side politically. And some companies just want to kind of avoid politics. Why are you jumping in?
LEPE: Well, for two reasons. I think first and foremost, nobody wants to see more of their friends, family, coworkers died. And secondly, and I think most importantly is that this has received pretty bipartisan with support. Almost 90 percent of Americans support universal background checks, over 80 percent of gun owners supported, over 75 percent of the NRA supported. So, it made perfect sense.
HENRY: OK. And Beto O'Rourke last night in this debate, because I want to kind of go through with what you just said, he went a little further than you are going. Let's listen to what he said and we will talk about it. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you proposing taking away their guns and how would this work?
BETO O'ROURKE, D-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am. If it's a weapon that was designed to kill people on a battlefield. Hell, yes, we are going to take away your AR-15, your AK-47. We're not going to allow to be used against our fellow Americans anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: So it seems to be there is a wide golf to the reasonable position you had a moment ago there, hey, let's look at sensible background checks that as you says, even some NRA members say, all right, let's look at that, we want to make sure that wrong people don't get guns in their hands to this more radical position by Beto O'Rourke. Do you worry that's going to just inflame the situation even more?
LEPE: Well, if we look at the shootings in Odessa, the gunmen did not pass the background check and had to go through a private transaction in order to get his gun, get his weapon. And so, if we had universal background check, that's something that we would've been able to kill. And not have --
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: I get that point but pardon me, we are running out of point. Is the idea that Beto O'Rourke, is -- him now basically saying yes, I want to take your guns away, is that going to make your bipartisan, non-bipartisan effort more complicated?
LEPE: Look, fewer people die from assault rifles than most of the guns that are covered by this law. And so, my expectation is that if we have universal background checks which we already have in about 13 states --
HENRY: Yes.
LEPE: -- and we've -- if we have it across the country it'll definitely help us. It will not solve the problem, let's be very clear. But it's a step in the right direction.
HENRY: Right. Everyone is looking for steps that will actually help the situation. Bismarck Lepe, we appreciate you coming in and explaining your position.
LEPE: Thank you very much.
HENRY: All right. Meanwhile, former Vice President Joe Biden's age? That's on the list of issues apparently dividing the Democratic Party.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CORY BOOKER, D-N.J., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think that we are at a tough point right now because there's a lot of people who are concerned about Joe Biden's ability to carry the ball all the way across the end line without fumbling.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Fumbling? We are going to go to ladies' night. These ladies number fumble. Touchdowns all the way.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIAN CASTRO, D-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You just said two minutes ago that they would have to buy in. Are you forgetting already what you said just two minutes ago?
Are you forgetting already what you said just two minutes ago?
(CROWD BOOING)
CASTRO: I can't believe that you said two minutes ago that they had to buy in. And now you are saying they don't have to buy in. You're forgetting that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Well, 2020 presidential hopeful Julian Castro taking a little heat for that jab at Joe Biden even though they have always facts together. Some of the debate stage say he went too far by attacking the former V.P.'s memory and presumably age.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YANG: This is why the presidential debates are becoming unwatchable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, guys. Come on.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
YANG: This reminds everybody of what they cannot stand about Washington.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can I --
YANG: Scoring points against each other, poking at each other.
O'ROURKE: Look, if you got a policy difference with Joe Biden, by all means, let's air it at the debate. But that kind of personal attack I don't think is what we need right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: But is it a fair game to question the front runner after some troubling moments like this?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: I hear this large savings. The president thinks the -- my friend from Vermont thinks that the employer is going to give you back.
Give every single teacher a raise of equal raise of getting out of the $60,000 level.
Play the radio, make sure the television -- excuse me, make sure you have the record player on at night. The -- make sure the kids hear your words.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Well, some friends of vinyl are here right now. Ladies' night, Lisa Boothe, Carley Shimkus, and Rochelle Ritchie.
(CROSSTALK)
LISA BOOTHE, CONTRIBUTOR: What's that?
HENRY: So, you mean, you never heard of vinyl? All the kids are talking about --
(CROSSTALK)
CARLEY SHIMKUS, REPORTER: At least he didn't say gramophone. So, he is OK, he's doing fine.
HENRY: Rochelle, what's happening in your party right now?
ROCHELLE RITCHIE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: What's happening in my party? Well, I am an independent. But I will say I think what's happening --
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: But you've been a Democrat in terms of who you've worked for before.
RITCHIE: Who I work for, yes.
HENRY: Yes.
RITCHIE: I work for House Democrats. What I will say is that I think that this was a really unfortunate move by Castro. I think that he did not take a sign from Eric Swalwell, remember when he attacked Sanders for his age and the next thing you know he wasn't in the next debate.
He needs to remember, Castro needs to remember, who Joe Biden is and the fact that Biden was with Obama when they passed the Affordable Care Act. And so, when you are debating him about health insurance and making sure people are insured, it seems that he's the one that's actually suffering from amnesia.
HENRY: Carley?
SHIMKUS: Yes. Yes, I couldn't agree more. I thought that Julian Castro acted like a total bully. I don't know if that's his personality or if somebody told him to aggressively go after Joe Biden if he was given the opportunity, but I thought that moment was really uncomfortable to witness.
Now with that said, Joe Biden does not do well in the debate format and the problem is that if he becomes president, he's going to spend the next four years of his life in the debate style setting where he's going to have to think quick on his feet and defend his policy.
HENRY: Not to mention taking on President Trump mano-a-mano.
SHIMKUS: Exactly. That's going to be the struggling --
(CROSSTALK)
BOOTHE: Well, here's the thing. I think the idea somehow that Joe Biden should be insulated from attacks is ridiculous. The entire premise of a primary is supposed to be a vetting process, he should be vetted -- vetted. So, I think this idea that he should be insulated is ridiculous. The better question was in effect of line of attack. And no, because the delivery wasn't effective.
Is this going to be -- that was not the moment that you saw with Chris Christie during the New Hampshire debate. Remember when he went after Marco Rubio, essentially took him out of the running?
HENRY: Right.
BOOTHE: Nor was it the kind of line of attack we saw what Kamala Harris delivered during the first debate which I thought was a well-delivered attack. This was not well-delivered.
So, of course he has the right to attack Joe Biden.
HENRY: Right.
BOOTHE: And we've all seen Joe Biden stumble, having trouble with his words, having trouble with thoughts.
HENRY: Right.
BOOTHE: But that delivery wasn't there.
HENRY: But on the other hand --
BOOTHE: And that makes a lot of failure.
(CROSSTALK)
SHIMKUS: Nobody is saying --
HENRY: On the other hand, aren't a lot of people being hypocrites in the Democratic Party and critics and the media went -- many in the media pundits have been raising questions about Biden's age. Democrats have -- some in public but some privately have been whispering about his age for some time. Now all of a sudden Julian Castro verbalizes it and they jump all over him?
RITCHIE: But I think that comes up -- I think that comes up with every single presidential election. They did it with Trump, they worry about his age. They did it with Obama, his race, they say with Clinton, she's a woman. So I think this is really something that we just see where those sort of things are questioned when you are running for president.
HENRY: All right.
SHIMKUS: But we also haven't mentioned the fact that Julian Castro was wrong in his point.
HENRY: Right.
(CROSSTALK)
SHIMKUS: He was actually inaccurate.
HENRY: He mentioned that briefly.
SHIMKUS: Yes. And I don't -- I don't think it's the fact that he shouldn't be attacked, that Joe Biden shouldn't be attacked. It was just the manner, like kind of what you were saying.
(CROSSTALK)
RITCHIE: That's not what you say and how you say it.
BOOTHE: But I mean, if you watch the way it's been covered --
SHIMKUS: Calm down.
BOOTHE: -- I mean, there is like this somehow this notion that Joe Biden is the anointed one, that he should be protected --
(CROSSTALK)
RITCHIE: He's the front runner.
BOOTHE: -- and say that how dare you attack Joe Biden. Well, he should be attacked more because he's the front runner. If he's going to eventually be the Democratic nominee you would hope if you are a Democratic primary voter that he has been vetted thoroughly.
HENRY: Well --
BOOTHE: He's the best candidate --
HENRY: OK.
BOOTHE: -- to get to get through the process to go and face President Trump.
SHIMKUS: No, other people attacked his policy ideas, but attacking you personally like that just left an unsavory --
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: Let's --
BOOTHE: But that's politics.
HENRY: Let's talk about some of those issues. Because it's interesting. The New York Times pointing out all the issues that came out, it was a three-hour debate. It kind of, went on and on and on.
SHIMKUS: Very long.
HENRY: And yet the Times points out questions on issues like reproductive rights and the gender pay gap were entirely absent. How is that possible, Rochelle?
RITCHIE: I have no idea, you know. And I think --
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: Democrats talk about that all the time.
RITCHIE: It seems -- it seems that these debates are the questions that are being asked at these debates are based on what is leading the headlines at the time. And instead of it being about the issues that are still very important regardless if it's the headlines in the New York Times, we should still be talking about reproductive rights. We should still be talking about the gender pay gap.
But unless it's leading the headlines, it doesn't make it to the debate stage and I think that's doing a disservice to the people.
HENRY: Carley?
SHIMKUS: I think this, you know, this is just, it didn't go a timing thing. There's a lot of issues out there in America this --
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: They had three hours.
SHIMKUS: -- that didn't make the cut.
RITCHIE: Three hours is a lot of time.
SHIMKUS: Three hours is a lot of time. They have a lot of time on healthcare. I guess you could have sort of parlay that into conversation --
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: Abortion and the --
RITCHIE: Yes.
BOOTHE: But I think on the issues, like this Joe Biden support third trimester abortions? Does anyone know the answer to that question? He completely abandoned his 40-year position on the Hyde Amendment, so what does he think about third trimester abortion? I would have to imagine that Democratic primary voters would find that instructive to know the answer to that.
HENRY: Last --
BOOTHE: It certainly would be instructive to --
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: Last thing I've got to get you on the way out.
BOOTHE: Yes.
HENRY: So, there's some new shoes from Kanye West. And some people are making fun of him. We got a picture of it. And some people are saying that these are Yeezy crocs. Do you see that picture up there?
BOOTHE: I don't --
HENRY: There that is.
SHIMKUS: I saw that on Twitter yesterday.
HENRY: Real quick.
RITCHIE: What's the problem?
HENRY: Rochelle, do you like them or no?
RITCHIE: I really can't say because it's a little far -- I don't -- what's the problem?
(CROSSTALK)
SHIMKUS: Well, anything would look good on those legs that lady has.
RITCHIE: Well, at least he doesn't -- my opinion is a little skewed.
BOOTHE: When have crocs ever been a good thing, though?
HENRY: Years ago, they were hot.
BOOTHE: I mean, right? I mean, crocs, though?
RITCHIE: That's fashion. Like sometimes it's New York fashion week.
HENRY: Yes.
RITCHIE: I have seen a lot of weird things.
BOOTHE: This is why I'm not --
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: That might not be at the top.
SHIMKUS: It depends on what they cost because Yeezy cost like $1200.
HENRY: Kanye's brand usually it can get quite expensive.
SHIMKUS: That's a good point.
BOOTHE: Yes. For crocs.
SHIMKUS: Yes.
HENRY: Ladies, I hope you do some shopping this weekend.
(CROSSTALK)
RITCHIE: This is very fashionable.
HENRY: Because I have some matching. All black and white.
BOOTHE: It was not --
SHIMKUS: I have to make sure we got that in.
HENRY: Well, have a nice -- and more importantly, you brought a lot of insights to the table. I appreciate you coming in.
BOOTHE: Thank you.
SHIMKUS: Thank you.
RITCHIE: Thanks.
HENRY: Next, the incredible story of a town in Newfoundland that took in thousands of stranded air passengers on September 11th, 2001. It's now the subject of a Fox Nation documentary, with never before seen footage from the travelers, pilots, and crew.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just informed of the horrible tragedy in Washington and New York City, every single plane over there has been diverted. So, we're not sure where we are going to do, or how long are we going to be here. Probably quite a while.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On the northeast tip of North America on an island called (Inaudible) there is an airport, and next to it is a town called Gander.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: That, of course from the Broadway musical "Come from Away" which tells the story of Gander, a real town in Newfoundland that saw its population more than double on September 11th, 2001 when terror struck our nation, shutting down U.S. air space of course with plane still in the air.
Seven thousand scared, confused people from 90 different countries were diverted to that tiny town of Gander where they were welcomed with very open arms by the community in a remarkable show of compassion on a tough day.
In moments, we'll be joined by one of the passengers who landed there and stayed for five whole days.
But we start with chief breaking news correspondent Trace Gallagher again with the back story highlighted in a new Fox Nation documentary called Runway of Hope: A 9/11 story. Good to see you again, Trace.
GALLAGHER: You too, Ed.
On 9/11, 2011, for the first time in its history of the United States shut down its airspace and here's how one pilot explained it at the time. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have received a report through our communication lines that what would appear to be maybe a terrorist activity or hijacking has occurred.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GALLAGHER: And with that 38 wide-body jumbo jets were force to land in the small Canadian town of Gander, population 9,000. The mayor of Gander was told to expect around 7,000 visitors but the people on the planes did not know what to expect.
Here's Kevin Tuerff at the time. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEVIN TUERFF, FLIGHT DIVERTED ON 9/11: So, we're not sure where we were going to go or how long we're going to be here. Probably quite a while.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GALLAGHER: Quite a while and it didn't take Gander long to realize the town's 500 hotel rooms would not accommodate 7,000 people. But minutes after word got out, residents began opening their homes, their schools, their hearts.
And it wasn't just shelter. They needed food, and water, a thousand different things. A few hours later, passengers and pilots vividly remember walking into the airport terminal and seeing it lined with tables, of cooked food, a buffet for 7,000.
Those who were there say they were astonished how people from Gander treated people from 90 different countries, like long lost friends, and how the hospitality lasted for almost a week.
Kevin Tuerff knows he'll never be able to pay back the people of Gander but he decided he could pay it forward. So, on the first anniversary of 9/11, Tuerff who owned an ad agency told his employees to team up. He gave each team $100 to spend, helping others and asked the teams to come back at the end of the day and share their stories.
Turf says the stories were inspiring, heartrending, and magical. Pay it forward spread to other companies even the cast and crew of the Broadway show "Come from Away." They took up the challenge, Tuerff says, Come from Away is more than a Broadway show, it's a movement like the rest of what he has done. Ed?
HENRY: Wow. Indeed. Thank you, Trace. Here now, Kevin Tuerff. He was the passenger on an Air France flight that landed near Gander in September 11th. He is also the author of "Channel of Peace: Stranded in gander on 9/11."
There is so many questions, but what was it -- what was going through your mind at the beginning? You were standard on the tarmac for like 15 hours.
TUERFF: That's correct. We are flying from Paris into New York City when airspace was closed. All of a sudden, our plane goes -- it looks like we are flying to the North Pole on the GPS map. And we land and then we sit there. We didn't hear anything for hours.
And then -- because back there, there were no cell phones with international service, there was no Google. And so, we sat and waited. And five hours later, the pilot did come on we are on Air France plane and he said in broken English that the World Trade Center had collapsed. Nobody had believed it. Nobody believed it. And so --
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: And you didn't have the videos on your phone, as you say you didn't have the same.
TUERFF: No. First time we saw the video was about 12 hours later.
HENRY: Wow.
TUERFF: And then, of course, so you know, we were safe, we were fine. It was nothing like the horrific day that's happening here in New York City.
HENRY: Yes. But you told me on the break that it was like -- when you look at the size of Gander, it was like six million people coming to New York City and saying we need hotels, we need food. How were the people, how did they take care of you?
TUERFF: That's the thing. They didn't have to really let us off the planes but they took a chance, they did. There could have been other terrorists on the planes. They were town of 9,000, took in 7,000 people. They closed their schools, their businesses, we ended up sleeping in a community college on the floor of the community college.
But the people they emptied their closets with beds, and blankets, pillows. I've never had to rely on the kindness of a stranger to give me a pillow to put my head on the floor.
HENRY: Wow. Real quick. You told me you had a story you wanted.
TUERFF: Well, for pay it forward and I live in which we continue to this day, thanks to the cast and crew of Come from Away.
HENRY: Yes.
TUERFF: But one year at my company there's a woman who told her story, I gave out $100 bill. She donated hers to the donate life campaign and then came back and talked about it to the entire staff and got all of us including me to register as an organ donor and I know your story.
HENRY: That means a lot.
TUERFF: I appreciate what you did.
HENRY: Wow. Have you been back to Gander?
TUERFF: I have. Many times now. It took me 10 years to get there, but I've gone back. And the people are wonderful in there. And the compassion wasn't just a 9/11 thing there. That's like it's how they are all the time.
And my question I keep asking, Americans are good and we can be just as compassionate but why does it take a natural disaster or a terrorist attack for us to act in that same way?
HENRY: Why did it take 10 years? Just because your life is complicated? Or because was it partly emotionally --
(CROSSTALK)
TUERFF: It is so remote. I could've flown to Paris back faster and cheaper than getting to Gander. So that was the main reason.
HENRY: But talk about your emotions when you went back.
TUERFF: It's wonderful. Now I'm best friends with -- I stay at Mac Moss, he was the head of our shelter, they adopted me as their son, you know. They are wonderful people and the people that are portrayed in the musical "Come From Away" it is -- it's very accurate to not just the authentic nature of the people, but their -- the compassion that you see all throughout that province.
HENRY: So, you tell a lot of stories here in "Channel of Peace." What about the Fox Nation documentary? I've got 30 seconds.
TUERFF: The documentary has a lot of video that I shot, had a brand-new video to digital camera and a lot of that was used to help the writers write the musical. So, it's great. And then it shows some of the back story of all the people who are portrayed in the musical. So, I encourage everyone to go visit there as well. It's a beautiful place.
HENRY: It certainly sounds like they did a lot for Americans and people from all around the world on a very tough day. Kevin Tuerff, good luck with the book. We appreciate you coming in.
TUERFF: You bet.
HENRY: And you want to check out that documentary on Fox Nation. That is “The Story” for Friday, September 13, 2019. But as always, “The Story” goes on.
I will see you again tonight on "Hannity," 9 p.m. Eastern, and on Fox and Friends, Saturday and Sunday. Start with us, a cup of coffee tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. Eastern. We look forward to having you. Have a great night from New York. I'm Ed Henry.
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