Burgess: Border security is about the protection of our people

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Burgess: Border security is about the protection of our people

House Democrats prepare bills aimed at ending the partial government shutdown; reaction from Texas Rep. Michael Burgess.

This is a rush transcript from "The Story with Martha MacCallum," December 31, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

ED HENRY, FOX NEWS CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Thanks for inviting us into your home tonight. That's it for this “Special Report.” "The Story" hosted by Julie Banderas on this special New Year's Eve is starting right now. Julie, Happy New Year to you.

JULIE BANDERAS, FOX NEWS CHANNEL ANCHOR: Happy New Year to you and thanks, Ed.

HENRY: All right, good to see you.

BANDERAS: Breaking tonight, the clock is ticking down to the end of 2018, and the partial government shutdown is still very much in effect as Democrats play hardball, and the Trump administration doubles down on demands for a border wall.

The president insisting today, he is ready to get a deal done in an exclusive interview with Fox.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I'm in the White House. I'm ready to go. They can come over right now, they could have come over anytime. I spent Christmas in the White House. I spent New Year's Eve in the White House. And you know, I'm here, I'm ready to go. It's very important. A lot of people are looking to get their paycheck. And -- so, I'm ready to go anytime they want. No, we are not giving up. We have to have border security, and the wall is a big part of border security. The biggest part.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANDERAS: That is our top story tonight. I'm Julie Banderas, in for Martha MacCallum. So, just hours ago, Democrats filed a new package of bills, planning a vote for Thursday to reopen the federal government. But right now, it is unclear if the plan will have the Senate or even the president's support.

It comes amid a series of controversial stories involving an illegal immigrant who has killed a California police officer and the deaths of two migrant children in U.S. custody. We'll have more on that in just a moment. But first, we begin with the wall. And the White House's demands for more security. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEVIN MCALEENAN, COMMISSIONER, UNITED STATES CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION:  What we're talking about is not just a dumb barrier, we're talking about sensors, cameras, lighting, access roads for our agents, a system that helps us secure that area of the border. That's what we were asked in Congress.

KELLYANNE CONWAY, COUNSELOR TO THE PRESIDENT: There may be a wall in some places, there may be steel flats, or maybe technological enhancements.

And so, it -- but always saying, wall or no wall is being very disingenuous and turning a complete blind eye to what is a crisis at the border when it comes to the drugs pouring in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANDERAS: Correspondent Kristin Fisher has the story from Washington tonight.

KRISTIN FISHER, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Julie, House Democrats have just put forward their plan to end the shutdown. And they intend to vote on it on Thursday, as soon as they take control of the House. The plan includes one year of funding for six of the seven agencies affected by this partial government shutdown. And funding through February 8th for the Department of Homeland Security. That includes $1.3 billion for border security, but not for a wall.

Senator Schumer and the likely soon to be Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi just put out a statement saying, "While President Trump drags the nation into week two of the Trump shutdown and sits in the White House and tweets without offering any plan that can pass both chambers of Congress, Democrats are taking action to lead our country out of this mess.

But Republican Congressman Mark Meadows is already blasting the proposal by saying, it doesn't represent any serious attempt to secure our border or find a compromise. And Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said yesterday that no wall funding is a non-starter for President Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, R-S.C., SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: To my Democratic friends, there will never be a deal without wall funding.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FISHER: But so far, most Democrats say there will never be a deal with wall funding.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES, D-N.Y., CHAIR, HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS: What Donald Trump and the Republicans want to do is waste $5 billion in taxpayer money on an ineffective, medieval border wall that is a fifth-century solution to a 21st-century problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FISHER: So, neither side appears to be budging. And even if the House votes on the Democrats proposal on Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has made it very clear that the Senate won't vote on a bill that doesn't have the president's support. So, we're still, at least, several days away from this shutdown ending. Julie?

BANDERAS: Kristin Fisher, thank you very much. Joining me now from the border state of Texas, Republican Congressman Michael Burgess. Thank you very much for talking to us and Happy New Year to you.

REP. MICHAEL BURGESS, R-TEXAS, HOUSE ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE: Thanks for having me on, Julie. Thank you.

BANDERAS: You know, we just heard from the president in that exclusive interview with Fox, he remains at the White House's New Year's Eve as he did on Christmas. However, many Democrats, they're out of town. And that's one of the several reasons why the president blames them for this continuing shutdown which doesn't seem to be changing until after January 3rd. Any chance for a compromise before then?

BURGESS: Well, I don't think -- and I think the time for compromise before January 3rd is has probably passed us by. It is interesting that they did finally put out their so-called rules package that will have their attempt at and opening the government.

BANDERAS: Yes.

BURGESS: They do require a 72 hour observation period before passing anything. So, they were right up against their own 72 hour imposed deadline.

BANDERAS: Yes, there haven't really been any substantive talks between Democrats and Republicans, really.

BURGESS: No.

BANDERAS: I mean, they're just -- you know, going in there and talking with no real urgency or sense of urgency to get anything done. But back on December 22nd when Senator Minority Leader -- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Vice President Mike Pence sat down. The chances there were pretty unlikely that they'd be hammering out a deal.

What do you make of these two actually trying to come in, in the 11th hour, unlike former Vice President Joe Biden and Senate then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell?

These two literally don't see eye to eye on anything. I mean, Pence's request for roughly half the $5 billion for the wall was quickly dismissed.  Is there any hope for a border wall or in construction to commence in 2019?

BURGESS: Well, I agree with the president. Border security is the number one issue and it is -- it is critical that he'd be provided the funding that he needs to execute and cut the -- and get the job done.

It has been -- it has been dismaying to see the obstacles that have been put in front of the president. I mean he's trying to protect the nation.  He's trying to protect the country which is all what we all swore an oath to do to defend our -- to defend our nation.

BANDERAS: Yes.

BURGESS: And the fence of that southern border is his national security.

BANDERAS: You know, Schumer accuses the president of flip-flopping on this deal. But Schumer is the one that actually backed out. The Democrats came out with a $1.6 billion bid for border security. And now, he's come down to $1.3 billion.

Here is Democratic New York Congressman Hakeem Jeffries on ABC this week, trying to justify. And I want your reaction to why Democrats just don't want to pay up. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFFRIES: Yes, we need comprehensive immigration reform. Yes, we need to enhance border security. But we are not willing to pay $2.5 billion or $5 billion, and wasting taxpayer dollars on a ransom note because Donald Trump decided that he was going to shut down the government and hold the American people hostage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANDERAS: I mean, is this over the shutdown or is it over Democrats promised that they're not going to give in to this wall, and what's it going to take? I mean, two migrants from Honduras both dead -- children, because of this.

And on top of that, a California police officer was killed by an illegal immigrant. I mean, what more do the Democrats need to see that this money is needed?

BURGESS: The money is needed. The president should get his money, and here's a way forward. I mean, the State Department appropriation is also included in those cabinet positions that have not been funded.

Take the money that was to go to Mexico and Central America. Front the money to the wall, get the border security established. You really cannot move forward without establishing border security. All of the other talk about reform for DACA and Dreamers, all we are doing is making the problem worse. We're compounding a problem that exists today and making it worse tomorrow.

BANDERAS: What are the political stakes for both sides here?

BURGESS: Well, the political stakes are the Democrats do not want to give Donald Trump a win at any price. Their whole objective is to see him defeated in 2020. And as a consequence, this is one of the battles that you're going to see.

I'll tell you, I've just been astounded to how people have talked down the economy in the past three or four weeks trying to drive the one of the accomplishments out of Donald Trump's hands that he rightly has -- he rightly lays claim to, is that the economy has done well under his pro- growth agenda.

BANDERAS: All right, Congressman Burgess, great to see you tonight. Have a Happy New Year.

BURGESS: Thank you. Thank you, too. Thanks for having me.

BANDERAS: Here with more, Rachel Campos-Duffy, a Fox News contributor.  And Jason Nichols, an African-American studies professor at University of Maryland. Great to have you both here on this holiday evening, and a rainy one, as well.

JASON NICHOLS, PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND: Good to be with Julie.

BANDERAS: All right, so the crisis on the border has literally come down to a life-or-death situation. Two Guatemalan children -- I said Honduras.  I'm at Guatemala earlier -- recently died in U.S. custody.

Just last week, a California police officer was killed by an illegal immigrant of Mexico. The officer's death once again fueling a national debate over California's sanctuary policies.

I want to start with you, Jason. What is it going to take for Democratic leadership to see the need for more money to secure our borders, to prevent these deaths and others?

NICHOLS: What -- well, Julie, I think that Democrats absolutely believe in border security. We are willing to put up money even for border security.  We just don't think a wall is effective. We've seen that first of all, it won't stop the flow of drugs, there are eminent and domain issues. And there are environmental issues and there are better ways to secure our borders.

We know that most people come through in ports of entry. We know that, that is the main way, way that people come through. There are other ways that we can secure our borders. $300 million for scanners would make a big difference in terms of human trafficking and many of the other issues that face us on the border.

BANDERAS: Those two children could possibly be alive tonight had a wall been in place. But Rachel, I mean would you -- would you agree with that?

RACHEL CAMPOS-DUFFY, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, absolutely. I think that there are lots of incentives in our immigration policies for people to bring children. In fact, human smugglers will give a discount to people coming over the border illegally if they bring a child because they know they're more likely to be able to stay.

This is absolutely not a compassionate policy. What I will say is despite the need for a wall, 56 percent of Americans oppose the idea of a wall.  So, in this case, you know, our guess is right. You know, the people don't like the idea of a wall.

So, I think what President Trump and some of his other spokespeople have been trying to do is explain, what he means by a wall. He means metal slats, he means, you know, technology on. Maybe what the president needs to do is stop talking about just a wall.

BANDERAS: Right.

DUFFY: And maybe make that more effective. I don't think, by the way, Julie, that despite having a great Twitter or account and lots of followers, the time that he spent in Washington, he has -- a lot of people have Twitter accounts. You know what, nobody else has other than him is an Oval Office. For the life of me, I cannot understand why he didn't take time (INAUDIBLE) wall.

She will -- Nancy Pelosi was in Hawaii. And while he was in Washington, D.C. and canceled all of his plans for Christmas and New Year's, why didn't hold an office -- Oval Office, you know, address to the nation on all the other networks including ours, and explain and frame this issue. It's about border security, it's about drugs that are killing little towns across America.

(CROSSTALK)

BANDERAS: Jason.

DUFFY: Why didn't he do that?

BANDERAS: Jason, what's your reaction to that?

NICHOLS: Well, well, first of all, we know that this president has spent 200 days on the golf course, which is about a third of his presidency. So, let's not praise him.

(CROSSTALK)

DUFFY: Oh, come on.

BANDERAS: OK, then let's not talk about the past, let's talk about right now. OK? He stayed in Washington for this.

NICHOLS: Let's not praise him for staying and doing his job. Now, the other thing that I would say --

DUFFY: Well, it's more than Nancy Pelosi stand, she's in Hawaii.

BANDERAS: We're not -- we're not necessarily -- OK, first of all, there's no praise being thrown out here --

(CROSSTALK)

NICHOLS: OK, but -- then fair.

BANDERAS: I'm merely just pointing out the fact that the president stayed in Washington while a lot of Democrats did not, and the government is partially shut down. That's all I'm bringing up and drawing. I don't praise anybody.

NICHOLS: Right. And again, fair, fair. But again, this is a shutdown that he took credit for. He said I will be proud to shut down the government. So, he shut down the government, he owns this and there are other means of border security that we can actually do, that would be more than effective and would not cost the American taxpayer.

BANDERAS: OK. But again, you know, so the Democrats said that they want to do something to toughen border security. However, they don't want anything that has any kind of association to a wall slats, whatever you name it. The president also seized done on the case of border security, a tougher call for that after this California police officer died at the hands of an illegal immigrant.

I want to play a Police Chief Randy Richardson talking about California's sanctuary laws. The murdered officer Ronil Singh was actually an officer in his department. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RANDY RICHARDSON, POLICE CHIEF, NEWMAN, CALIFORNIA: I would hope that people out there find this tragedy for what it is, it's just a tragedy. I want to remember Ronil Singh and not really so much about everything else as if that was a senseless tragedy, it could have been prevented. But unfortunately, we're here today having this conversation because definitely it was not prevented.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANDERAS: Rachel?

DUFFY: He's absolutely right. This was an -- a preventable death. And, by the way, Nancy Pelosi and every other California lawmaker, and those who voted for this, they're all responsible for this. This was preventable.  Sanctuary cities do nothing but protect criminals. They actually don't help -- even illegal immigrants, I know that the Democrats like to say that, "Oh, this will help them report crimes." It doesn't. That's just cover for them.

Sanctuary cities help no one and absolutely the death of this American hero, Officer Singh, is on the hands of those who support this ridiculous policy, which by the way outside the California, nobody thinks this is makes any sense. It makes zero sense.

BANDERAS: Jason, I'll give you the final word.

NICHOLS: So again, I think sanctuary policies can be looked at but the idea that people will not want to come forward and report crimes. If they feel that their immigration status will be called into question, is a real fear there's a situation in Maryland where we had women who were being sexually assaulted but were afraid to come forward because they thought that they and their friends and partners, and families will be -- would be --

(CROSSTALK)

DUFFY: Then, don't make the sanctuary city law so broad. You can -- you could adjust that sanctuary city law to do that.

NICHOLS: Rachel, Rachel, hold on.

BANDERAS: It's all right. Jason, final thought and then, we really do have to go.

NICHOLS: Yes. So, again, I think that this would actually we cannot certainly look at these policies, the man's death was a tragedy. But I would not throw away the idea of a sanctuary because it keeps people able to report crimes.

BANDERAS: All right. Jason and Rachel, thank you very much. Fair and balanced. We appreciate it.

Up next, it is official. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren takes the first steps to launching a 2020 bid. And President Trump is responding in an exclusive new interview with Fox.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETE HEGSETH, FOX NEWS CHANNEL CONTRIBUTOR: She says she's in the fight all the way, Mr. President. Do you -- do you really think she believes she can win?

TRUMP: Well that I don't know. You'd have to ask her psychiatrist.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN, D-MASS.: I never thought I would run for anything ever in my life but America's middle class is getting hollowed out and opportunity for too many of our young people is shrinking so I'm in this fight all the way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANDERAS: It's not even 2019 but Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren is already thinking 2020 announcing today she is launching an exploratory committee for a possible presidential run. And for the first time, we're hearing what President Trump thinks of the news in an exclusive interview with Fox airing in our New Year's Eve special later tonight. Here's a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Elizabeth Warren will be the first. She did very badly and proving that she is of Indian heritage. That didn't work out too well. I think you have more than she does and maybe I do too and I have nothing. So you know, we'll see how she does. I wish her well. I hope she does well. I'd love to run against her.

HEGSETH: She says she's in the fight all the way, Mr. President. Do you - - do you really think she believes she can win?

TRUMP: Well, that I don't know. You'd have to ask her psychiatrist.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANDERAS: Joining me now, Kayleigh McEnany, a Republican National Committee Spokesperson and Jennifer Holdsworth, Democratic Strategist and former Campaign Director for Senator Cory Booker. Thank you very much for talking to us.

KAYLEIGH MCENANY, SPOKESPERSON, RNC: Thank you.

First, let's talk about Elizabeth Warren's favorability factor. As the first woman elected to the Senate from Massachusetts, Kayleigh, you say she gives Hillary Clinton a run for her money but for all the wrong reasons.  Explain.

MCENANY: That's right. It's hard to be less likable than Hillary Clinton but Elizabeth Warren does just that. She has a paltry favorability rating.  You look and 58 percent of Massachusetts voters say we don't want her what running. So when your own state tells you not to run, probably a pretty good indicator that you're doing something wrong and might have a challenge winning a national election.

BANDERAS: Jennifer, Elizabeth Warren, she has formed an exploratory committee that allows her for raising money and hiring staff before you know, a formal presidential bid anyway. She has released a fundraising e- mail. I want to read part of it to you. I love story time. I've spent my career standing up to big banks and powerful corporations and I didn't stop when I got to the United States Senate. I don't have binders full of bankers and CEOs to call for ginormous checks to launch. This committee, in fact, most of them aren't going to like what I'm doing.

In such a crowded field of contenders, where do you believe Warren stands?

JENNIFER HOLDSWORTH, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: I think she comes out right at the top. She has a lot of really important issues that she wants to talk about. This is a woman who actually started her career in politics as a Republican. She was a Republican all the way through the 90s because she believed in the free market economy and then thought that the Republican Party wasn't supporting that.

She then made a career, left the classroom out of taking big banks to task for all of the rules that they were violating and hurting Main Street. I think in terms of where she falls in the Democratic Party primary hierarchy, I think right now she's leading towards the top.

There's no question that she had a terrible blunder with the release of the DNA results. I think that unfortunately was answering a lot of noise and I don't think that you can get back at President Trump by bullying him. The best way to negate a bully is to ignore him and she didn't do that, but I think that she has a lot of really important issues to contribute to the Democratic primary and the earlier we start to talk about those issues the better we'll be.

BANDERAS: Kayleigh, I mean she was a Republican, now she's a Democrat, but you actually say that she's a socialists and Democrats clothing. Why don't you explain that one?

MCENANY: Oh, there's no doubt Elizabeth Warren as a socialist. She likes to use flowery terms like Medicare for all. What that it is, is socialized medicine. She supports free college. She supports these radical fringe ideas. So this is someone who's clothed in the Democratic Party rhetoric but she's the far, far left.

And I hope Jennifer is right. I hope she does win because this is someone who's enjoying the luxuries of capitalism in her $1.9 million three-story mansion in Cambridge while talking about another economic system socialism that has decimated the middle class in Venezuela, decimated the middle class in Cuba, and all across the world where this experiment is tried.  It's not going to win a national election and President Trump will prosecute that case effectively on the national stage should she win.

BANDERAS: I want to talk about her roots because I know that she may live in a million-dollar-plus you know, brownstone and she you know, was a Harvard professor, but you know her background I think is something that she's hoping to appeal to middle America. Jennifer, in an interview with the Boston Globe earlier this year, Warren said and I'm going to quote here. "I never thought I was going to be in public office. My whole life I never thought that I was going to be a public school teacher and then I became a professor. Pretty amazing for the daughter of a janitor." How do you believe Warren will appeal to the middle class?

HOLDSWORTH: I think she will appeals to the middle class. And I find it surprising that Republicans and Conservatives are always denigrating Democrats who have been successful in this life. The difference is that once Democrats are successful, they want to extend the ladder down for everybody else.

MCENANY: Jennifer, that's --

HOLDSWORTH: So I think you know, denigrating Elizabeth Warren because she's successful in life is a really negative way to start this conversation.

MCENANY: Jennifer, do you realize -- do you realize what you're --

HOLDSWORTH: I think Elizabeth Warren is going to continue to appeal to the middle class because she's trying to put in protection -- she is trying --

MCENANY: Jennifer, do you realize what you're saying?

BANDERAS: Wait, hold on. Let Jennifer finish and then Kayleigh, I'll let you have a final word.

HOLDSWORTH: She is trying to put in protections to make sure that the middle class is protected starting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is something that is going to allow other Americans to flourish in the same fortunate way that she was even though she came from extremely humble beginnings. That is the Democratic story in this country and that is what we want to make sure that our other people are able to take advantage of.

BANDERAS: We have to go. I want to be fair. Kayleigh, quickly, your final word.

MCENANY: Yes. You talk about denigrating the well-off while no one has done that more than Elizabeth Warren who has made her career by criticizing anyone who has achieved the American Dream and achieved success in criticizing companies and CEOs and trying to tear down corporations in the American structure. She's not going to win and she's one in 1,024th Native America. That was quite a blunder.

BANDERAS: All right, well, I mean, Jennifer even agreeing that that was a blunder so nobody --

HOLDSWORTH: It is but if you're receiving that success through -- if you're receiving that success through corruption then you deserve the damnation.

BANDERAS: All right, Jennifer and Kayleigh, thank you very much. That's all the time we have but we appreciate you coming on. Happy New Year to both.

HOLDSWORTH: Happy New Year.

MCENANY: Thank you. Happy New Year.

BANDERAS: Secretary Mattis makes a final farewell to the military as President Trump signals openness to a slower troop withdrawal from Syria.  We'll take a closer look at the White House's defense strategy as we head into 2019 next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANDERAS: Midnight tonight is not only the start of a new year but the end of James Mattis' tenure as Defense Secretary. The retired general bidding farewell to his staff at DOD today writing in part, "Our department has proven to be at its best when the times are most difficult so keep the faith in our country and hold fast alongside our allies aligned against our foes."

Meanwhile, President Trump defending his plan to pull U.S. troops out of Syria but saying it will be done "slowly" following a two-hour White House lunch with Senator Lindsey Graham on Sunday. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRAHAM: After the discussions with the President and General Dunford, I've never felt better about where we're headed. I think we're slowing things down in a smart way, but the goal has always been the same.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANDERAS: Here now Charlie Hurt, he’s an Opinion Editor at The Washington Times and a Fox News Contributor, Bryan Dean Wright is a former CIA officer and a Democrat. Thank you very much for coming on this New Year. It's a rainy New Year's Eve here. Let me start with you Bryan. You know Mattis officially leaves his post at 11:59 p.m. tonight. He walks away amidst a controversial decision to pull all U.S. troops out of Syria, a decision he felt strongly against. What do you believe will be the new U.S. policy going forward in Syria as we head into 2019?

BRYAN DEAN WRIGHT, FORMER CIA OFFICER: So two goals. First and foremost is to contain and degrade Isis. The second is to create a degree of stability such that we can get those refugees that are spread throughout the Middle East, in particular Europe, back into Damascus, back into Syria.  And then the third and final goal for the President politically is to show and demonstrate, look, I promise to you all that I would bring the troops home and I'm doing it. And we're going to spend the money not over there but here. So I think that you're going to see those three themes become very large in the president's rhetoric.

BANDERAS: Charlie, when President Trump initially announced his decision to withdraw all U.S. troops, it was actually Senator Lindsey Graham who was a staunch ally of the President who came out with very strong sentiments against the idea. He actually issued a statement denouncing the move as "an Obama-like mistake made by the Trump administration.

And then this weekend the senator had a change of heart after meeting at the White House and later telling reporters the President told me some things I didn't know that made me feel a lot better about where we're headed in Syria.

What do you think explains Graham's newfound optimism out about President Trump's plan to leave Syria and could the President be changing his stance?

CHARLIE HURT, THE WASHINGTON TIMES OPINION EDITOR: Well, clearly, Senator Graham heard something in that lunch that made him feel comfortable that the President took very seriously these concerns about the allies that have been working alongside the United States in Syria and also the seriousness that that ISIS could still in the future pose.

I have to say just, as an aside, I find this sort of openness that you've seen from Lindsey Graham and the President, a refreshing change in Washington where people really do people in the same party are free to step out and have an open, robust argument about something like this and minds change with the argument and with debate, which I think is a very, very healthy thing. That has not existed in Washington in a very, very long time, because it's so constricted by partisan lines.

But the big picture when you step back - the problem with Syria is not that the President withdrew too quickly, the problem with Syria is that we never had an open debate about why we were in Syria in the first place. Congress never voted on it. And the reason that President Obama never went to Congress to get a vote to go into Syria, is because he knew he could never get Congress to go along with it.

And if congress isn't going to go along with some military intrusion like this, then should we really be doing it, probably not.

BANDERAS: I want to know what you think. Push the President to potentially maybe compromise on the situation, because that's we know James Mattis was very much against, this Syria pullout and that ultimately is what led to his resignation and then his expedited exit from the White House after he voiced his concerns publicly.

And the President said, you know what, your last day is January not February. It's something about Lindsey Graham, though, that I think had a huge - huge impact on President Trump, and I wonder what that was exactly?

WRIGHT: Well my guess he had a series of briefings from people, not only like Lindsey Graham, but when he was in Iraq talking with some of the generals, also talking with Gina Haspel, Head of the CIA.

I think all those folks together probably delivered a message of, look we stand beside you. We want to draw these troops down. We need to protect the Kurds. But the ISIS threat is real. If they have not been defeated, they have been degraded.

So what is the best path forward to do that? We need to maintain those informant networks, slowly pull out of Syria, ensure that the Turks pick up the slack. And then we can continue to move forward on our two big strategic goals, of also defeating ISIS, degrading ISIS and creating stability.

BANDERAS: Retired generals that I have spoken with personally say that, at the very least the most conservative number should be 2,500 troops in Syria still. We are 95% defeated ISIS, but certainly a resurgence is a possibility and you don't want to wait and pull out and then have a Iraq repeat itself all over again.

Bryan Dean Wright thank you very much and Charlie Hurt for coming on, on this New Year's Eve. Happy New Year.

HURT: You bet.

WRIGHT: You bet. Thank you.

HURT: HAPPY NEW YEAR.

BANDERAS: Up next governor Mike Huckabee breaks down President Trump's biggest wins of 2018. There he is. He is the man of the hour next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: But you know what, one- by-one we're winning. We're winning, winning, winning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANDERAS: The countdown is on to 2019, but before we celebrate the New Year, let's take a look back at 2018 and all of President Trump's big accomplishments. From getting Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on the bench, to soaring incomes for the middleclass, to confronting China, 2018 has been and seen several big wins for President Trump.

Joining me now, Mike Huckabee, Former Arkansas Governor and a Fox News Contributor. Thank you so much for spending a little bit of your New Year's Eve with us this evening.

MIKE HUCKABEE, FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR AND FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Happy to do it, Julie. Happy New Year to you and--

BANDERAS: Very good--

HUCKABEE: --the folks who we are having to work really hard tonight.

BANDERAS: Yes, absolutely. Yes, we are working real hard here. Let me ask you first, what would you say was President Trump's biggest accomplishment in your view?

HUCKABEE: I think that he survived the onslaught of the press and the Democratic Party. But then I repeat myself, who were relentless in going after him every single day and gave him no quarter whatsoever in terms of even acknowledging his accomplishments.

But in terms of the list and real clear politics did a great job of putting together a top ten list of things--

BANDERAS: Right.

HUCKABEE: --that the President had gotten done. I think, one of the most significant is the historic levels of employment for minorities. The all- time low for unemployment for African-Americans and Hispanics matches the lowest they've ever had.

So here's the big question, Julie. If Donald Trump is a racist, first of all, how come no one thought that, all many years that he was the toast of the town in New York for people of all races and all of the liberals?

Secondly, if he is a racist and he is to be more for people of color and their jobs and their income than any other President has done, I just have to agree that real politics was right. He has terrible as a racist. He is a failure as a racist, because he is really doing things that are lifting up people of color like no one else ever has.

BANDERAS: I would like to also - I like to end the year on a high note, because that's me. Half glass full type of gal. According to whitehouse.gov, here are some other things that have happened this year.

Maybe Democrats haven't or don't want to notice them. Almost 4 million jobs have been created since his election. More Americans are now employed than ever recorded before in our history. More than 400,000 manufacturing jobs created since election. New unemployment claims recently hit a 49 year low. And the median household income has hit highest level ever recorded. That, I believe, gives you plenty of reasons to be optimistic about 2019.

HUCKABEE: I mean, we really should be. We are hearing that the stock market has gone down here at the end of the year. But let's keep in mind--

BANDERAS: Which is normal.

HUCKABEE: - for two years it soared to record heights. So that's a big thing.

And let me mention the embassy moved to Jerusalem. That may seem like a minor thing, but for the past 22 years Presidents have promised they would do it, both Democrat and Republican. They never did it.

And when the President moved it this year, I asked him, I said, "What was the turning point?" He said, real simply - just kind of shudder the shoulders and said, "Well, number one, I promised I would do it. And number two, it's the right thing to do". I found that so refreshing that he didn't listen to all the political advice that told him to not do it and he did it. And it hasn't resulted in World War III as was predicted.

BANDERAS: I want to pull up some Fox News Opinion Polls. We asked our viewers has 2018 been a good or bad year for you and for the U.S.? And well, 58% said good year for me, 40% for the U.S., 28% said it was a bad year for them and 43% for the U.S.

Why do you think more people saw this as a bad year for the U.S. when the economy, unemployment - we just went through all the list of positives, are doing better than it has been in decades.

HUCKABEE: Real simple, Julie, they are watching the wrong network.

BANDERAS: Okay.

HUCKABEE: And they are getting their news from sources that really don't tell them what's going on in the world, and the fact that America is on the winning path again, and that's too bad.

The press - they don't have to like Donald Trump, I get that. But they ought to be able to just be journalists and tell the story. Let the American people decide whether or not they like the story of these unemployment numbers and the wages going up.

BANDERAS: All right. Well, it is always great to see you. And you always like to see the glass half-full as well. When are we getting our bands together? Remember, I was going to play the clarinet in your band? Can we maybe make that a 2019 resolution - we get the band together?

HUCKABEE: I think it is time, Julie. It's definitely time. I'm looking forward to.

BANDERAS: All right. I love being a band nerd and I love that you are too. All right, Mike Huckabee, happy New Year to you. Thank you so much for coming on tonight.

HUCKABEE: Happy New Year, Julie. You bet.

BANDERAS: All right. Next we go live to Times Square where an army of law enforcement are using brand new technology to keep those crowds safe, but the entertainment is looking pretty good as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANDERAS: All right, a live look at Times Square in New York City. No, these people do not work for us. They just happen to be part of a pool feed in Times Square, where up to 2 million people will be ringing in the New Year. And tonight the NYPD is taking unprecedented measures to keep everyone safe.

Here now on that is Michael Balboni, Former Homeland Security Advisor for New York State and President of RedLand Strategies. Michael, always great to see you, especially on a New Year's Eve, thank you for coming on.

MICHAEL BALBONI, FORMER NEW YORK HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISOR: Happy New Year.

BANDERAS: I always like to say the city is covered by New York's finest, not just on New Year's Eve, every single day of the year. But tonight on the ground they've got at least 7,000 NYPD officers including, 50 K9 teams, plain clothes officers, also dispersed throughout the city. Sniper teams on the rooftops. You name it. Talk about the intense security precautions taken each New Year's Eve here in the Big Apple.

BALBONI: Sure. So it's an evening where, if you don't do it right, you can actually have an unpredictable response, from potentially chaos. But the NYPD always does it right, because they have planning, patience and lots and lots of preparation. And those really are the keys.

But more so, you get into the tactical aspects of it, I'd like to refer to as a gates, guards, guns and gadgets. So the gates. The revelers are standing behind these gates, and they're the gates are at the subway. So you don't have people coming in and out of entrances, so you don't know where they're coming.

The guards, obviously, the number people that are wearing uniforms and who are not wearing uniforms. And of course, the weapons, they are ready to respond at any time, any type of violence, god forbid it never happens.

And lastly, as you mentioned beforehand, the gadgets. This year new is the utilization of a drone.

BANDERAS: Yes.

BALBONI: That the NYPD wants for surveillance - enhanced surveillance. So these things all come together to create this web of protection and security that really is unprecedented.

BANDERAS: Yes, now the drones, in fact, are a new technology first time the NYPD has ever implemented them and basically they have a technology that can detect other drones that are being flown in the area.

And you remember an airport, I believe it was in the U.K., got shut down and in - thousands of flights canceled, because - and thank god it turned out not to be terror and it was just some group that was flying a drone and happened to interrupt air travel. But if these drones are in the wrong hands--

BALBONI: Right.

BANDERAS: --.it - we don't even want to talk about the possibility. So now they can detect them. If somebody puts up a drone and they're not supposed to be, these drones that the NYPD have in the air will stop them.

BALBONI: It's an issue that we're on the verge, what I believe, we're going to have is this drone economy.

BANDERAS: Yes.

BALBONI: You're actually going - you've heard it from Amazon and they want to use these drones more and more. The federal and aviation administration has been struggling with how to keep these things safe, so that what you really try to do is not have them fly over populated areas. And of course, now it is a problem if you're utilizing them for a bad effect. And this is why this new technology - it's developing, it's evolving when in concert with the threats.

BANDERAS: Okay. So backpacks, large bags that's always been prohibited. I don't understand how these people do it. I came into work early this afternoon and everybody's lining up in the barricades.

I don't know how somebody goes 12 hours without peeing. I'll never figure that one out. And then there's rain, okay, and umbrellas aren't even permitted. I'm sorry to go in the potty talk, but I have three kids. Do you think the rain held back revelers at all for that reason? No umbrellas?

BALBONI: You know what, every year we say, wow, it's the coldest it's been in a very long time and therefore not a lot of people going to show up, everybody comes. And now it's rain and everyone's going to be there.

But the key to remember is, you're restricting movements and so you don't allow - you have a frozen zone, so you don't allow cars and trucks to move within the zone. You don't have people just running where they want to. They keep it all controlled, which is the way you prevent big surprises.

BANDERAS: All right. Michael Balboni, thank you very much and Happy New Year to you.

BALBONI: Happy New Year to you too.

BANDERAS: All right we are just getting. Fox kicks off live coverage of the countdown to 2019 just minutes from now at 8:00 p.m. Eastern in a very soggy Time Square. Here now with a preview of what we can expect our host Griff Jenkins and Carley Shimkus, live from Times Square. You guys look pretty dry amazingly.

CARLEY SHIMKUS, FOX HEADLINES REPORTER: We're trying as hard as we can. But we are having so much fun out here despite the rain. And I heard you talking to your previous guest and asked them if people are going to stay indoors, because it's raining? I got to be honest, there's a lot of people out here despite the rain.

GRIFF JENKINS, FOX NEWS, WASHINGTON-BASED CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Julie look, can you pan just a little bit and show these folks. These folks have been sitting here for hours as you know and they are not afraid of the rain. Hello. This is two dudes it met in kindergarten. It's going to be an awesome show.

Listen, we have so much planned for you. It's incredible, of course, with Pete and Kennedy, Carley and I. We got Tyrus here. We got Tomi Lahren in Nashville where I was last year. We've got Lawrence Jones down in New Orleans, and of course, Phil Keating will be at as usual post in Miami. And the jacket I'm wearing, Julie, you're going to want one right away. It ain't the one on me right now.

SHIMKUS: It's not that one. It's a very special surprise. You have to tune in to--

BANDERAS: We will.

SHIMKUS: --in 50 minutes to find out what it is. We have an astrologer on the show. We have Dean Cain coming up. We have the scavenger hunt. There may be a little bit of crowd surfing. We can't promise you that. But--

BANDERAS: There will be crowd, I beg of you. If that hasn't been planned yet, please do so as soon as we're done talking.

JENKINS: It will.

BANDERAS: You guys are incredibly at--

JENKINS: This is my 10th year--

BANDERAS: Yes, you're who - what 10th?

JENKINS: This is my 10th year. The first year I ever did this in 2007 turning 2008, I went crowd surfing--

BANDERAS: Oh, God, you're going to do it again, aren't you.

JENKINS: --I think we may try and convince her. Then we've got some nice reign for it.

SHIMKUS: Maybe not. We'll see. But we are having a blast out here. We want everybody to tune in. Who cares about the rain?

BANDERAS: Yes. I mean, who cares bad hair day. We all got it. I got to ask you about a couple things. First of all entertainment and what did my producer just say, Trump's interview. Yes, you have an interview, which is an exclusive. We aired a little bit of a clip earlier, but this is something that we have to look forward to in your next couple of hours as well.

SHIMKUS: Yes, that's right. The President is, of course, very busy in a Washington D.C., but he did cut out a little bit of time for Fox News, so tune in to hear that interview. Pete Hegseth had the incredible opportunity of interviewing the President, so that is coming up on the New Year's Eve Show as well. And Bebe Rexha--

JENKINS: Bebe Rexha.

SHIMKUS: --is going to be performing as well. She's got a big song with Florida, Georgia line. She'll be singing in Times Square as well, so stay tuned for that.

BANDERAS: Okay. We just saw some hip-hop dancers as well. They were quite good. I don't know how these people are all coming out and doing this in the rain. But it's interesting to note, because we're saying that umbrellas are not allowed, when everybody at home is seeing you two hunker down under an umbrella. So apparently--

SHIMKUS: I know--

BANDERAS: --you have special privileges to carry an umbrella--

JENKINS: Don't tell anybody.

BANDERAS: Yes, you happen to be let's say on air or Carley or Griff.

SHIMKUS: That's right, maybe just the two of us. We had to pull a couple of strings.

JENKINS: Carley and I are rule breakers, that's just going to happen all night, look, it's New York City rain.

BANDERAS: Yes, I know about Carley. You don't need to tell me.

JENKINS: Rain. Rain and shine.

SHIMKUS: Don't share any of my secrets.

BANDERAS: All right. Well, we're looking forward to it very much so and Happy New Year to you both. I hope to god there's a rain break in sight. I don't know, maybe the meteorologists screwed it up and it's going to stop. But, unfortunately, it does look like rain in the forecast all night.

SHIMKUS: Yes, I'm blaming Janice Dean on this one.

BANDERAS: I know it's all her fault. Where is she to take responsibility, goodness gracious? All right, Carley and Griff, we will see you at 8 o'clock and then of course we're not done. You're also going to be seeing Kennedy and Pete Hegseth as well. They're going to be taking over coverage for our new year's celebrations in Times Square. Thank you guys. Stay dry.

SHIMKUS: Thanks so much.

JENKINS: Happy New Year.

SHIMKUS: Happy New Year.

BANDERAS: Not possible. All right. Up next we look back at Martha's most memorable interviews of 2019.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARTHA MACCALLUM, ANCHOR OF THE STORY WITH MARTHA MACCALLUM: It could potentially cost you your election in 2020. Are you at peace with that?

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS, R-MAINE: I am. The easier vote politically, clearly, would have been for me to vote no. But that would not have been the right vote--

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANDERAS: It has been a monumental 2018. Here on "The Story" where Martha brought you exclusive interviews with some of the year's biggest newsmakers. Here's a look back at some of her most memorable of 2018.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRETT KAVANAUGH, ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're talking an allegation of sexual assault. I've never sexually assaulted anyone. I did not have sexual intercourse or anything close to sexual intercourse in high school or for many years thereafter.

MACCALLUM: You're saying that all - through all these years that are in question, you are a virgin.

KAVANAUGH: That's correct. I'm a good person. I've led a good life. I tried to do a lot of good for a lot of people. I am not perfect, but I've never, never done anything like this.

COLLINS: I heard a man with great anguish and anger who felt falsely accused.

MACCALLUM: It could potentially cost you your election in 2020. Are you at peace with that?

COLLINS: I am. The easier vote politically, clearly, would have been for me to vote no. But that would not have been the right vote.

MACCALLUM: What do you think the Karolyi's knew and understood about what he was doing to these young athletes?

DOMINIQUE MOCEANU, OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST AND AUTHOR: Well, the Karolyi's knew what we ate, they knew how much we weigh, they knew when we train, they knew who they wanted on the world and Olympic team.

And to say that they didn't know absolutely anything is questionable. It happened because it was a culture of psychological abuse going on rampant for 30-plus years, and it allowed the most prolific pedophile in our history walk through the walls of the sport.

MACCALLUM: --to where we are right now, we're between the two fences.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I say we've got a primary and secondary and basically it's an enforcement zone. So whether it allows us, if someone comes over, one, we have time to upper-hand them.

MACCALLUM: In terms of North Korea, do you believe that the President should sit down with Kim Jong-un.

JAMES STAVRIDIS, ADMIRAL, UNITED STATES NAVY: You give a great interview. Same question, same answer.

MACCALLUM: Is this summit with North Korea on June 12th going to happen?

VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE: Well, as the President often says, Martha, we'll see.

MACCALLUM: So, clearly the president is still willing to walk away.

PENCE: Well, there's no question. We really hope that Kim Jong-un will seize the opportunity to dismantle his nuclear weapons program and do so by peaceable means.

MACCALLUM: When the President came back from Singapore he said, "North Korea is no longer a nuclear threat". Was that a mistake?

NIKKI HALEY, UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO UNITED NATION: No, I don't think it was a mistake, because I think that what you saw were two leaders that both showed they had the political will to go forward.

MACCALLUM: Tell me what you see in the meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump? I mean, obviously, two very strong characters. The President has wanted for a long time to sit down eyeball-to-eyeball with him and he seems to feel like you can get through to him on some measures.

PIERS MORGAN, EDITOR AT LARGE, DAILYMAIL.COM: I agree with trump's basic premise which is notwithstanding all the noise around Russian collusion and so on. It actually is in the world interest that the United States of America has a good relationship with Russia.

MACCALLUM: So Alice, how's it feeling 24 hours in? How did you feel when you woke up in your this morning?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I felt wonderful. No more bunk this over my head.

MACCALLUM: Is it all sinking in for you, because it really happened very fast, Alice?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It happened so fast that it's really now just starting to sink in that I'm truly free.

TAMMY TAYLOR, BRENT TAYLOR'S MOTHER: His love for the country certainly didn't start when he met me. And I always say long before I knew and I love Brent Taylor, I already loved America too. So that was one thing we had in common and still share and hope to pass on to our children, and family, friends, and a great, great legacy.

MACCALLUM: Well, I know, Jennie, you said you feel so full of all of everything that has been coming your way in terms of the love and support of your family, your wonderful family. And we thank all of you for the service that you've given to America on this Veterans Day and for sharing his story with us.

MACCALLUM: Dan, you lied to me. Did you know you are going to Saturday Night Live?

CONGRESSMAN-ELECT DAN CRENSHAW, R-TEXAS: I knew that was going to be your first question.

MACCALLUM: Did you see the big game last night? A 103 million Americans turned-in to see the Eagles win. I said it. So tonight, I'm making good on my promise. I'm wearing the jersey that I promised Jesse Watters that I would wear. Thank you for lending it to me, and I will give it back to you immediately.

MACCALLUM: Jesse, you've been in time-out. Right? I mean, not (inaudible), but I invited you to sit here with Nick Foles.

JESSE WATTERS, FOX NEWS HOST: I know this is great. Although the audience doesn't know this, you try to injure him. When he was going around for pictures, you pulled some cables out and tried to trip him. Dirty Patriots play.

MACCALLUM: From all of us at "The Story", best wishes for a fantastic 2019.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANDERAS: And that is "The Story" on this New Year's Eve. You're looking live at the partygoers here in New York City. The countdown to 2019 starts right now. Happy New Year everyone.

END

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