This is a rush transcript from "The Five," December 19, 2016. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE, CO-HOST: I'm Kimberly Guilfoyle. And this is a Fox news alert. We are watching events in Berlin, Germany, where police say at least 9 people are dead and at least 50 injured after a truck plowed into a Christmas market. German police saying a suspect was arrested near the scene and authorities are checking if it was the driver of the truck. German police also say a passenger is dead. Germany's justice minister says federal prosecutors who handle terrorism cases are taking over the investigation at this time. We will bring you alerts throughout the program on this developing news story.
So, Eric, this is obviously something that's happening here, you know, during the holidays, but also a lot of mixed messages and information coming out at this time about it.
ERIC BOLLING, CO-HOST: Yeah. Look, the first reaction is this must be terror because it mirrors almost exactly what these -- remember France? That was Bastille Day. There was a celebration going on at that day. As far as I know, there wasn't besides it being a Christmas market. Be careful to call it terror too soon. But certainly, close all the loopholes, find out what this driver's history is, find out the history of the truck, if it has any mechanical problems, if the driver has any medical issues in the past and then start combing social media for not only the driver -- I believe they have the driver in custody and the co-driver has been killed or has died somehow. Just start closing all the loopholes and ends and whatnot, but, you know, so much terror. Is it foreign? Is it someone who came over and wanted to commit a terror attack on this Christmas market or is it home grown terror? These are the things I guess we are going to be finding out in the next few hours.
GUILFOYLE: Sometimes, Dana, with investigations like this, of course, you want to collect evidence, because it's a forensic-rich environment, take any electronic devices, comb through like Eric said any social media, any communication, the last people they spoke with. But also, you want to look at common sense data points here which are the market. This is during the Christmas holiday season. So this is a perfect time for those that would try to do us harm to engage in this type of behavior. We're gathering the evidence as we speak.
DANA PERINO, CO-HOST: We know that ISIS encouraged this kind of attack in its November issue, which it had also right before the Bastille Day one. There was a suggestion of how could you use a truck as a weapon. And while the investigation continues in Berlin, that's fine. The U.S. State Department isn't waiting. It has issued an alert saying that Americans should take caution in markets and other places saying that extremist groups including Islamic State and al-Qaeda were focusing on the upcoming holiday season and associated events. This is the goal of terror which is to disrupt the western civilized world way of life so they could advance whatever political goal they seem to have, which is basically just to kill people and to establish their caliphate.
GUILFOYLE: Yeah. This has like multiple you know appealing fronts to them in terms of Christmas, the war on Christians, again like you said, consistent with the literature and media that this terror.
(CROSSTALK)
PERINO: A lot of people in one area.
GUILFOYLE: Maximum impact.
PERINO: Greg has actually been to this market.
GREG GUTFELD, CO-HOST: Five years ago.
PERINO: They are busy.
GUTFELD: Yeah, yeah. They are packed. It's very crowded. And society will always be vulnerable in these places. Areas where people are having fun are always the ones that are targeted. So it is concerts, parades, the Bastille Day, the rock concert, it's outdoor markets. Terrorists truly are the Batman villain. You know, these are the people that seek out -- seek people out when they least expect it and their entire goal is to subtract pleasure from your life and replace it with object terror. The only answer to this is to harden soft targets. This is the industry that is just waiting to explode. You will never run low on work. I think if this is going to be a whole arm -- a whole major in colleges. The idea of how do you harden soft targets around the world. And it will be a competitive thing. People will tend to go to places that they know are hardened. They will go like no more gun free zones. People will go to concerts where they know security is good. And so, you will create an industry that will build on itself.
GUILFOYLE: They go here where they try to achieve maximum casualties and loss of life, because you go to a densely packed or populated area where there's very little room for escape. You go in whether it is a movie theater, whether it is a concert, whether it's a soccer stadium, or it's a market at Christmas, this really is, Juan, an attack and affront on western civilization with Christmas, with Christians and the way of life during the holidays.
JUAN WILLIAMS, CO-HOST: Well, you have the German police telling people to stay home.
GUILFOYLE: Uh-huh.
WILLIAMS: And I think that's a telling point for me, because, you know, we don't know as everyone says whether it was terrorism or not. But clearly, there's anxiety on the part of the police that they, responsible for public safety, should tell people at this point, we don't know, stay home. The second thing is the U.S. State Department being very clear for some time that they were warning Americans to stay out of just the kind of environment that Greg was describing, crowded places. I would say though that, Kimberly, you and I have a difference here, because think it's not just the damage that they do -- murderous damage in this case, but it's the fear.
GUILFOYLE: Of course, we agree on that.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: And so, if people stop leading normal lives, if people operate in an environment of fear, people feel like I don't want to go to the concert, I don't want to go Christmas shopping, I think then you can say the cliche the terrorists have won. And that's what they are after here. There's a delicate balance. I think lots of people are critical of President Obama for often being too laid back in these situations. But the alternate is to say everybody run, scatter, go hide. But I think you know it's just a challenge to us as western civilization.
GUILFOYLE: OK. A couple of other points here that we are reporting, 50 people wounded in this attack. So clearly, a tremendous obviously loss of life. But those injured, we will be waiting for reports to get in, in terms of the extent of those injuries. This is at the Christmas market, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. Again, another symbol of Christianity, of celebration of Christmas, and the Holy Spirit, so very devastating to come like this during the holidays. We do pray for the families. Eric.
BOLLING: Dana pointed out the U.S. State Department called for American citizens to take caution in markets and other places, but also adding that extremist groups including Islamic State and al-Qaeda were focusing on the, quote, on the upcoming holiday season and associated events. Again, we're operating under the assumption that this is some sort of terror attack act and not just a horrible, horrible accident that you know have been perpetrated.
PERINO: The Associated Press reported that a tourist from Birmingham, England told them, he was there at the scene and he said it was deliberate and then he helped people who appeared to have broken limbs and also that were -- people caught under the Christmas.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: Also, you know, we connected it earlier to what happened in France over the sum we are Bastille Day. But I would also connect it to what happened in Ohio, because again, you are seeing people potentially in terms of terrorism -- again, we're just assuming, but in the speculation, people being told use vehicles as weapons of terror.
GUILFOYLE: Dana brought up that point. Because not only is the propaganda -- Jihad propaganda that they are putting out say that in some of the stuff from ISIS, it's also in -- it has been consistent with the al-Qaeda magazine and inspire to tell them to use any kind of weaponry that they can to weaponize themselves, to use everything from crock pots or pressure cookers to trucks, vehicles, use knives, anything you can. And, Greg, you talked about hardening soft targets. The U.S. State Department warned its citizens over a month ago to be careful at these types of activities or these types of locations that are easily you know could be targeted by terrorists or Jihadists. How do you harden a target like this, like a Christmas market, unless you put people -- armed security there, would that be able to stop a truck?
GUTFELD: Yeah or barriers. I mean, look, we look outside our building at Fox. There are tasteful planters. They are not there because people like plants. Those plants are there to block trucks. When you see a large building in the city, they have massive things there. They are made to look concrete.
(CROSSTALK)
GUTFELD: It's not because we love the environment. We live in a world now.
GUILFOYLE: We do.
GUTFELD: We do love the environment. Some of us do. We are in an era where people are weaponizing life. Anything can be used as a weapon. You can go to a pottery barn or crate and barrel, and find something that you can turn into a weapon. And so, the advantage of a terrorist is that they can -- this is all they think about.
PERINO: Right.
GUTFELD: We are busy raising kids, going to work. We don't think about these things. This is their vocation. So we have to have creative types in intelligence who are thinking, what are they going to do next?
PERINO: The imaginative things.
GUTFELD: Yeah.
PERINO: One of the things in the action report of 9/11, that when -- the intelligence community needs to have as much imagination as possible to think about -- there's the known threats that we have. In Europe, they have known that they had a problem. This is not the first time that Berlin has had a problem or Brussels, Paris. There are all sorts of different places you can look at. But then, you need the intelligence community to have the space and the opportunity to be just imaging what could actually be coming next.
GUILFOYLE: And the resources.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: To walk around D.C. these days, I remember when Pennsylvania Avenue was open. The other day I was.
(CROSSTALK)
PERINO: You are old.
WILLIAMS: I was walking along right the street between the Treasury and the White House. When I was a White House correspondent, we used to go out there and play around. This is a different world. It's to the point where it gets in the way of people who want to experience America and American Democracy to go up in Capitol Hill, the White House, everything now is choked off, so secure.
GUILFOYLE: Right.
WILLIAMS: You have to wonder, at what point is it irrational? Because we are all living with a degree of this fear. But it could be a knife as you said. It could be a guy coming up and sucker punch you. You don't know. Are we supposed to live in fear?
BOLLING: The irrational response would be to do nothing.
GUILFOYLE: Right.
BOLLING: The terrorists are getting more brazen. They want a bigger moment. They want the moment.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: I think in fact, they had 9/11 and they haven't had it 9/11 since.
BOLLING: Yeah.
WILLIAMS: And I think they have a longer view.
GUILFOYLE: They have had far too many successes.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: We have responded.
BOLLING: We hardened the cockpit.
WILLIAMS: That's right.
BOLLING: That's what we did.
WILLIAMS: We have done so much in this country. But I think around the world. The thing is, do they -- if they could have attacked a mall since then and they haven't done it.
GUILFOYLE: Right.
(CROSSTALK)
PERINO: They didn't expect -- in his interrogation, when he finally started talking, he said they never expected the cowboy would actually send troops in to Afghanistan. That that action and being aggressive stopped a second wave of catastrophic attacks.
(CROSSTALK)
PERINO: This doesn't mean that these smaller attacks aren't as deadly, but they're.
GUILFOYLE: Because he was smart enough to know you can't take anything off the table. You have to have all options available, because if they know that you are not going to go commit to something, then they can act without any kind of fear of reprisal, which is what we have seen for the past eight years.
GUTFELD: To the point that these are smaller, there will be one. It will be terror married to technology. It will make 9/11 look like nothing. We will talk about that for the next 40 years.
WILLIAMS: Right.
GUTFELD: Because that's the plan is to marry whether it's anthrax, the drone, it's going to happen.
WILLIAMS: That's the really scary part.
GUILFOYLE: OK. We will bring you all the very latest developments out of Berlin as they come.
Up next, we are watching another developing story today. The Electoral College voting right now to officially elect Donald Trump.
Up next, Greg has a few thoughts on those protesters and desperate celebs who are trying to reverse the election results. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GUTFELD: Last week, we told about you some has-been celebs who released a video imploring GOP electors not to vote for Donald Trump. It was about as persuasive as an infomercial selling Shake Weights.
(LAUGHTER)
GUTFELD: But now, these celebrities, they are targeting one elector, Ashley McMillan, the vice chair of the Kansas Republican Party.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB ODENKIRK, ACTOR: Hello, Ashley McMillan. This message is for you.
MARTIN SHEEN, ACTOR: As you know, Mr. McMillan, our Founding Fathers built the Electoral College to safeguard the American people from the dangers of a demagogue and to ensure that the presidency only goes to someone who is to an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUTFELD: See what he did there? He called Ashley a man. The only problem, she's not. What do you expect from sexist Hollywood who can't see women in positions of power? He just assumed if it's a vice chair, got to be male. Hollywood, where once a woman hits 34, she's stuck playing the crazy spinster neighbor while casting agents try to bed new talent only born after 1995.
Forgive Martin if he thought Ashley was a dude. At her age, she might as well be. But these stars are anti-influencers: when they tell you something, you got to do the opposite. Getting political advice from them is like getting dating tips from ISIS.
And don't they remember how those celebrity videos before the election accelerated Hillary's defeat? They're Ex-Lax that finally cleared our political system of Clinton constipation.
So you think after that maybe after that humiliation, Hollywood would take a moment to self-reflect between indulging their outsized egos and gaping insecurities? Hell no, they're like a guy who has been dumped but refuses to believe it, so they are lurking outside your apartment hoping to change your mind.
Hollywood, it's time to move on. There are other fishes in the sea, probably in Canada.
Eric, I don't think that helps.
BOLLING: Mr. McMillan.
GUILFOYLE: Mister.
BOLLING: Let me tell you, Mr. McMillan.
GUILFOYLE: It should be Person McMillan.
PERINO: They have no producer.
(CROSSTALK)
BOLLING: Stop whining. It's over. Donald Trump is your president. Within minutes, I think Texas is going to put Donald Trump over the 269 mark that he needs to be officially nominated as the president-elect. It's official. They tried it with the primary season. Then they tried the rule of changes, then it was going to be the voter fraud, then it was going to be the Russians.
(CROSSTALK)
BOLLING: Just move on. President Trump is on his way.
GUTFELD: Moveon.org. Dana, you know what, could it happen that he gets more votes and she gets less votes?
PERINO: Yes. I actually think that this video is almost like an in kind contribution to the Trump campaign.
(LAUGHTER)
PERINO: They are going to have to file something with the Federal Election Commission so they can be on record. I don't think the celebrities actually ever thought this would work. I think they just wanted to be on record showing that they tried to do something, so their fans would adore them. But I think it's amazing that they love the constitution now.
GUTFELD: Yeah. All of a sudden.
PERINO: I will take that.
BOLLING: It's like the recount though. The recount showed Trump getting more votes in Wisconsin.
(CROSSTALK)
PERINO: He could end up with more votes, but also she's losing votes because people are voting for Bernie.
(CROSSTALK)
GUILFOYLE: And Elizabeth Warren. Everyone is picking up.
GUTFELD: A bald eagle, I think. Can I show you a video?
GUILFOYLE: That's a vote for America.
(CROSSTALK)
GUILFOYLE: Recount that.
GUTFELD: This is my favorite video of the day. A protester in Wisconsin after somebody voted for Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The votes are 10 votes Donald J. Trump.
CROWD: Shame, shame, shame.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is my America, this is my America, my America. Take me out if you must. This is my America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUILFOYLE: I guess it's not our America or anybody who voted. I think that's encouraging to people, Kimberly. I would change my mind.
GUILFOYLE: Yeah right. This is what I love, the definition of doing the same thing over and over again, insanity. They did this. All the celebs came forward for Hillary. I'm with her. Then they did these videos. They try to make everybody feel bad and stupid and deplorable and irredeemable, and said you know, you got to vote for Hillary. We're better than you. You want to be like us. They told us that in Us Magazine. Instead, no, the Americans rejected that. So doing these videos is actually not moving the ball down the court at all. It's not helping, as you see. And then whoever this poor woman, her kids are at school and that video started to go viral, not a good day in home room today.
GUTFELD: Juan, why is Hollywood so sexist that they would assume the vice chair is a man? That is disgusting.
WILLIAMS: Disgusting. I love.
GUILFOYLE: All purple penguins.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: I must say I am so out of sorts about one this today. Because you know this is really a serious issue for so many people about Russians getting involved and influencing the election. And in fact, it's not just me, but I see in the Wall Street Journal, a majority of Americans think that hey, something happened with the Russians here. That would affect why the Electoral College might have some point.
GUILFOYLE: Was there voter fraud? Any evidence of voter fraud?
WILLIAMS: In fact, that's a great point. There's no -- but the question is about the Russians changing the dynamic of the election. This is what John Podesta had to say yesterday.
GUTFELD: Hasn't he lost -- who listens to Podesta at this point?
WILLIAMS: I think a lot of people listen to Podesta. And Podesta has arguments to make. I think lots of people are concerned about what happened in the election and seriously.
(CROSSTALK)
BOLLING: There was a time for that.
(CROSSTALK)
BOLLING: November 8.
WILLIAMS: That's where you are wrong. You are wrong.
BOLLING: They are bound by law.
WILLIAMS: No, they are not. No, they're not.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: Let me say. Let me just say.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: The reason the founding fathers. Oh, all of the sudden, liberals like the founding fathers, like liberals don't like the founding fathers. But anyway, the founding fathers never intended the Electoral College to be a rubber stamp. It was put there for a purpose.
GUTFELD: I love how CNN has called it today, the Election Day, as if the one a month ago wasn't. They call this Election Day. They are demanding a do-over because they lost. That's all it is.
WILLIAMS: No, it's not.
GUTFELD: Yes.
WILLIAMS: I think they lost. I think there are people are deeply aggrieved. But that's your point.
(CROSSTALK)
GUILFOYLE: They are upset about the outcome.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: Something different happened.
GUTFELD: I do believe Russians, investigate. We're doing that next block.
WILLIAMS: Yeah.
BOLLING: But it's over. It is over. It's done. It's in the books.
(CROSSTALK)
GUILFOYLE: They were surprised. They had a bad candidate. President Obama knows that. He campaigned far harder than Hillary Clinton did. Even her own VP Tim Kane suggested that there were counties they should have gone that that he went to. Even when you have a county you thought you have a majority in, you know, or one that you don't think you have a majority and you try to go, it's not an 80/20 split, maybe you have it by more. Every vote counts. You have to get the job done.
GUTFELD: All right. On that note, coming up, President Obama opens up on why he thinks his fellow Democrats lost the election. You may be surprised at his theory.
And later, Dana takes us back to her old job at the White House with a chat with Press Secretary Josh Earnest. How did he do in Dana's lightning round? Stay tuned and find out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLLING: New developments on the alleged Russian hacking attack front, Arizona Senator John McCain, a long standing critic of Vladimir Putin, who is calling on Congress to investigate, says there's no reason to think that Russian activities changed the outcome of the election, even though Juan thinks so.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN MCCAIN, ARIZONA SENATOR: I have seen no evidence that the election would have been different, but that doesn't change the fact that the Russians and others, Chinese to a lesser degree, have been able to interfere with our electoral process.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLLING: And check this out. In an interview with NPR, President Obama explains why he thinks his party's campaign strategy failed. Guess what, it has nothing to do with Russia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Democratic voters are clustered in urban areas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And on the coast.
OBAMA: And on the coast. And so, as a consequence, you've got a situation where they there are not only entire states, but big chunks of states where if we're not showing up, if we're not in there making an argument, then we're going to lose. And we can lose badly. That's what happened in this election.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLLING: OK. Juan, do you disagree with the president?
WILLIAMS: Oh, I do. To this extent, I mean, he is absolutely right about the political dynamic. But what we're talking about is what McCain was talking about in that video. I don't think he is disagreeing with me, Eric. I think he said you know, there was no manipulating the machines, there was no computer something that they would do in how the votes were counted. So that's a fact. I think that's the way people voted. The question is about the election. I think that's what Senator McCain was saying. You had an election in which one side had e-mails hacked. A daily drum beat. I don't know if you can take away the drum beat, you change the song. I think you change the effect, the emotions. It would just have been a different election.
BOLLING: OK, KG.
GUILFOYLE: Yeah.
BOLLING: I heard both of those guys agreeing that it wasn't about the Russians, it was about other things.
GUILFOYLE: I mean, I don't know. What's going to be good enough for people to understand that that did not affect the outcome of the election? This was about a movement, about the working men and women that were left behind, that came out in record numbers. The polls had it wrong. They were not counting on this tremendous turnout, this groundswell for president-elect Trump. It's true.
WILLIAMS: There's no groundswell.
(CROSSTALK)
GUILFOYLE: I'm sorry, are you doing different math?
WILLIAMS: I will do the math with you right here. But I got to tell you something, Kimberly, you look at the Electoral College, I hear Republicans say, look, he got -- he is not even in the top 10 or 11.
BOLLING: Can I just tell you. Breaking in right here, the Electoral College, Donald Trump just crushed 270. He is at 304 right now.
(CROSSTALK)
GUILFOYLE: No number is going to be good enough.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: He is not at the top.
BOLLING: I have a Democrat montage. You want to talk about this or you want to listen to the Democrats complaining? Which one do you like?
PERINO: We can listen.
BOLLING: All right. Take a listen to this.
GUILFOYLE: Story time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHUCK TODD, HOST, NBC'S "MEET THE PRESS": Let me start with this collection. Do you believe this was a free and fair election?
JOHN PODESTA, FORMER CHAIRMAN, HILLARY CLINTON CAMPAIGN: Look, I think the Russians clearly intervened in the election.
TODD: You didn't answer the question. Do you believe this was a free and fair election?
PODESTA: Well, I think it was -- I think it distorted by the Russian intervention. Let's put it that way.
MARTHA RADDATZ, ABC NEWS: Do you think Donald Trump's win was legitimate?
DONNA BRAZILE, INTERIM DNC CHAIR: You know, the election is -- was tainted by this intrusion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLLING: Dana, you want to take this?
PERINO: Well, I think in some ways, dependent on where you sit, everything can be true.
So I also think there was overwhelming press coverage about the Podesta e- mails. That's absolutely true.
But just taking that aside -- setting that aside, would that have -- would that have been compensated by a message that Hillary Clinton was bringing to people that were bringing them out in droves all across the country and in states where she needed to win and shore up, like Wisconsin and Michigan? I don't think so. I don't think that that was the reason.
And so whatever makes you sleep at night, I guess, is at this point what the Democrats are doing. I don't know if that helps them win future elections. But it's not going to change the outcome of this one.
BOLLING: I'm wondering, just -- the -- is this a summary -- if those e- mails of Podesta, et cetera, weren't leaked, would Donald Trump still be president-elect?
GUTFELD: I don't know. I mean, what kills me is that Donna Brazile -- nice person -- says the victory is tainted. But she tainted it, too. I mean, she -- she fed questions to Hillary. So that's actually...
GUILFOYLE: And she still couldn't win.
GUTFELD: I know. We expect Russians to do Russian things. We know -- and by the way, you can call it hacking. But it's more like phishing. They were just doing what -- because some people didn't fall for it. Other people did. So that means it was -- it was the weakness and naivete on the other side that caused it.
But I also say -- I have to say this. If it didn't change the election, then you should have no problems with a bipartisan investigation. We're going to dwell on it publically. That's what we do in America. We always pick at the scab. But we've got to do it. We have to do it, because we have to make sure it doesn't happen again.
GUILFOYLE: We can do that. That's for sure. But also, there is, confirmed by everybody, zero, not one scintilla of evidence that the Russian hacking actually influenced the election outcome. Additionally, there is zero -- zero -- evidence of any kind of voter fraud, voter intimidation, tampering with the United States' American presidential election whatsoever.
And if there was an influence by the Russian hacking, you would have seen it in the polls, and nothing showed any of this. She was leading in every single poll.
BOLLING: You know what did move the needle? You know what moved the needle? I'll give them credit. You know what moved the needle, Dana? Was Podesta's guacamole recipe.
GUTFELD: Yes.
PERINO: It was a good one.
GUTFELD: Spirited. No, but you know what?
GUILFOYLE: Grouping -- grouping people into animal groups.
GUTFELD: Maybe it didn't affect the election, but it surely affected our news coverage. We were covering it every day. And if you honestly think that our coverage doesn't affect voters, then you have a very low view of "The Five".
WILLIAMS: Well, thank you. Finally, you know...
GUTFELD: I like to think I influence our voters.
WILLIAMS: We have finally found an honest man. Because it affected the coverage; it affected what we do here every day.
GUILFOYLE: And there was nothing -- nothing problematic?
WILLIAMS: I can't believe that you guys would say it makes no difference.
BOLLING: My dear -- my dear, loving producer, Nina, is telling me we have to go. We're late.
Directly ahead, it's a press -- it's press secretary to press secretary. Dana returns to the White House for a candid conversation with Josh Earnest during his final days in the Obama administration. You do not want to miss this, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PERINO: Next month when President-elect Trump is sworn in as commander in chief, a new White House press secretary will take the podium. That was a job I loved, especially because of the camaraderie extended across administrations and political parties. So I recently went down to Washington, D.C., to catch up with Josh Earnest. He and I had similar career tracks, and he warmly welcomed me back to the White House. Here's more about his time as the press secretary to President Obama.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Good afternoon, everybody. If I seem a little nervous today, it's because one of my predecessors is actually in the room today.
Dana, it's wonderful to see you. Welcome back to the White House. And welcome back to the podium.
PERINO: This is a different vantage point than I had before, because I'm about this tall. And this moves up and down, right?
EARNEST: It does.
PERINO: So they had to readjust it for you.
EARNEST: They did.
PERINO: I'm sure. You were the deputy for a long time.
EARNEST: Yes.
PERINO: And we almost had the same trajectory in terms of taking over in the second term at the last two years. Were you happy being the deputy? Did you ever really think that you would be the press secretary?
EARNEST: I was deputy for five years.
PERINO: Right.
EARNEST: And I liked that job. The more that I watch my predecessors do this job, the more that I watched them, the more that I participated and helped lead preparation sessions for them, the more I sat on the side at their briefings, I more I got a sense of, I think I could do that.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today the flag jacket is officially passed to a new generation, Mr. Josh Earnest.
PERINO: I think that you've never come across as somebody with a big head in this job. And I wonder what keeps you grounded.
EARNEST: The fact that I never expected to work here, I think, keeps me pretty grounded. I never felt like I deserved the chance to do this job. And so that makes me fight for it a little bit.
PERINO: You became a father while you were White House press secretary. I wonder what it was like -- how much that changed your life.
EARNEST: My son was born about two months after I got this job. So there were a lot of changes happening in my life all at the same time. Every parent, regardless of what their profession is, says that having children changes your perspective on life and on the world. And there's no doubt that that's true.
PERINO: When you're called into the Oval Office, are you like me and do you think you're in trouble? Or are you not worried?
EARNEST: It depends on the day. It depends on the day. There are definitely times where I've been wondering if I'm in trouble. Usually, it is a response to my request. So usually, it is the president wondering if he's in trouble with me. He's usually not that worried.
PERINO: How did you, on election night, square the circle that President Obama's personal approval rating is quite remarkable at almost 60 percent? But yet, the election result was to decide -- the country decided to go in a completely different direction?
EARNEST: I'm not sure that I've reconciled it yet. There are millions of people in the United States of America who voted for Obama in 2008, who voted for Obama in 2012 and who voted for Donald Trump in 2016. And I haven't heard a bullet-proof explanation for why that would be when you consider how vastly different their style and priorities are.
The American people have voted to try things differently. And we're going to have an opportunity to see whether or not that different approach works as well as the approach that...
PERINO: And America will be fine.
All right, Josh. You ready for the lightning round?
EARNEST: Let's do it. I'm going to try to keep up.
PERINO: OK. Morning alarm or wake up on your own?
EARNEST; Morning alarm. I'm not a morning person.
PERINO: What time?
EARNEST: Depends on the day. If I want to sleep in a little bit, it can be on the other side of 6. But it's usually it's on the wrong side of 6.
PERINO: Who is a better ballplayer, you or President Obama?
EARNEST: Basketball?
PERINO: Yes.
EARNEST: President Obama.
PERINO: Baseball?
EARNEST: Me.
PERINO: Very good. Your favorite non-news television series?
EARNEST: "The Americans."
PERINO; I like it, too.
EARNEST: One of the best shows on television in the last, like, 20 years.
PERINO: Air Force One or Marine One?
EARNEST; Marine One.
PERINO: Me, too. Get a lot of work done in ten minutes, switching commanders.
EARNEST: You can. You can. And there's no substitute for Marine one.
PERINO: OK. Favorite reporter?
EARNEST: I can't get anybody in trouble.
PERINO: Least favorite? No.
EARNEST: I can't do anybody a favor.
PERINO: Coolest person celebrity you ever met at the White House?
EARNEST: George Clooney.
PERINO: That's kind of cool.
Best state dinner?
EARNEST: The best state dinner? I think the Italy state dinner was pretty great.
PERINO: Always.
EARNEST: This past...
PERINO: It is a little intimidating to cook for Italians, though.
EARNEST: Yes. Yes.
PERINO: Last question.
EARNEST: Yes.
PERINO: Will you miss it?
EARNEST: Absolutely. This has been an amazing opportunity. And I wouldn't trade it for anything. It's the opportunity of a lifetime.
PERINO: Well, you've done a great job. Thanks.
EARNEST: Thank you, Dana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PERINO: It was a fun little trip down memory lane, Greg.
GUTFELD: I counted five microaggressions. When they showed President Obama playing basketball. And he said, "Oh, yes, he's good at basketball." And then Italians, "Oh, it's hard to cook for Italians."
GUILFOYLE: Yes.
GUTFELD: That's disgusting to me.
PERINO: Leave it to you to ruin this.
GUTFELD: I have a question.
GUILFOYLE: He's good at that. It's his specialty.
GUTFELD: What does the White House spell like?
PERINO: Right now, it smells like Christmas trees because it's all decorated.
GUILFOYLE: Fresh trees, Greg.
PERINO: One thing that surprised me, Kimberly, was how quiet the West Wing is. You've watched the show, "The West Wing." You think it's a hive of activity and people running everywhere, making decisions like chickens with their heads cut off. It's actually a super quiet place. And it was very nice of them -- they took me around to see some of the career staff that was still there. And it was fun.
GUILFOYLE: I like this. OK, so a lot of friendly, nice people.
PERINO: Yes.
GUILFOYLE: It smells good.
PERINO: Yes.
GUILFOYLE: It's chill. It sounds better than a spa. Deal me in.
WILLIAMS: I want to ask you some questions. I want to do a lightning round with Dana Perino.
PERINO: OK.
WILLIAMS: Because I liked your questions so much. For example, who's the biggest celebrity you ever met while you were at the White House?
PERINO: There weren't a lot of celebrities that came. John Voigt, I remember. What's that movie? The thing that kids like. The...
GUILFOYLE: What?
PERINO: Like the secrets in the Oval Office. There was a secret -- there was a movie for kids and everybody...
GUTFELD: This is like "The $25,000 Pyramid."
PERINO: Jon Voigt was in that movie, and he would sometimes be in the West Wing having lunch at the mess.
WILLIAMS: OK.
PERINO: He was big. I met Dikembe Mutombo. Got my picture with him. Bono. Is Bono big? OK, Bono.
GUTFELD: Sonny Bono?
GUILFOYLE: You only take pictures with big, as in tall, people.
PERINO: Well, chances are.
WILLIAMS: Isn't there a club of White House press secretaries?
PERINO: Yes. And that was one of the reasons I wanted to go back, Eric, was because press secretaries, I think, started in sort of like the late '30s. Everybody gets along. There's a flak jacket that's only for the press secretary to see. And it's notes from every press secretary for advice to the next one. And it's fun to go back and read those.
GUTFELD: What's a flak jacket?
WILLIAMS: Oh, gosh.
GUILFOYLE: Oh, come on.
GUTFELD: No. Americans...
GUILFOYLE: If you take...
PERINO: If you take flak.
BOLLING: What does a good press secretary do?
PERINO: Well, I will give one piece of advice. I would say you never prepare for the briefing on that day. You prepare for the briefing four days from then. Because you have to be able to see around corners and to spot trouble. And I would say that one of my biggest regrets was, for three days in a row as the deputy, I would raise my hand and say, "I think this Dubai ports thing is going to be a big problem." And I got brushed off. And I should have raised it to a higher level, because it became a huge story. And so if you are looking ahead and reading everything and knowing what's coming, you can actually prevent things that would disrupt the president's agenda.
GUILFOYLE: But you also gave very good advice when you said about not being on defense. Be on offense and have, like, three things to be able to give them, to the press.
PERINO: Well, yes, like, definitely try to give them some news. Like, in Donald Trump's rallies, the thank-you tour, I would definitely do a little news up at the top so you can advance it.
The other thing I would say is you always read an article twice before you complain about it.
WILLIAMS: Yes. That's a good one. But I would say that you're great because you also defended the right of reporters to be there and get answers.
PERINO: Well, once you get in there, you feel a lot of pressure to do so, but an obligation, as well.
Last one.
GUTFELD: Yes. What's the difference between a podium and a lectern?
WILLIAMS: Oh, my goodness.
PERINO: There is a difference.
WILLIAMS: Yes, there is.
PERINO: Actually. We we're going to have to consult Merriam-Webster. If you're tweeting.
WILLIAMS: A podium you stand on with your feet. A lectern is just right in front of you.
PERINO: There you go.
GUTFELD: So you have to stand on a fairly...
GUILFOYLE: Juan is your phone-a-friend. Phone-a-friend here for trivia.
PERINO: All right. And thank you, Josh Earnest, for all the time.
GUILFOYLE: Thank you, Josh.
PERINO: Up next, an update out of Germany where nine were killed during an attack on a Christmas market in Berlin. Reaction from the White House next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WILLIAMS: This is a FOX News alert. Back now to the breaking news out of Germany. At least nine people are dead, 50 injured after a truck plowed into a Christmas market there. The White House just releasing a statement saying, quote, "The United States condemns in the strongest terms what appears to have been a terrorist attack on a Christmas market in Berlin, Germany."
Kimberly, we don't know for sure what happened. But now we have the United States categorizing this as an apparent terror attack. What's the significance to you?
GUILFOYLE: Well, it is significant, because -- and this is what we were thinking, that it was going in this direction. It tells me that they, in fact, have the intelligence reports, data points, to be able to make this kind of statement. And it really looks like it fits the mold here in terms of what we've seen that has been inspired by ISIS or al Qaeda to be able to use, encouraging those jihadists that follow their doctrine to be able to utilize these items like trucks to be able to commit mass casualties in places of worship.
And this was a Christmas market attached to a church at a beautifully holiday time, where people come and celebrate and embrace the holidays, and essentially, the western way of life.
So Germany has had, you know, multiple problems here, we've seen, in terms of the influx of migrants coming in. We don't know anything about that connected here in this particular situation. But they've certainly had a lot of problems as it is -- relates to terror. But what we do know, as well, from the NSC spokesperson and the U.S. State Department is so far there have been no American casualties identified. So we can give a prayer to that and to those to the families that have been injured or killed in this.
WILLIAMS: So what we know is that the Russians are saying that the attack on their ambassador in Turkey, they consider that to have been a terrorist incident. Any connection in your mind, Eric?
BOLLING: No. And there shouldn't be. The only connection is when the guy yells "Allahu Akbar" after he murders -- assassinates someone. I would call that terror. I'm just wondering what it is that they're -- you know, it appears to have been a terrorist attack -- what is that? What is the tie, we'd like to know. Is it a foreign fighter? Is it a potential refugee that came over? Is it someone who was self-radicalized in Germany who saw something and decided to become a fighter?
WILLIAMS: Now Dana, does it surprise you that the Americans are saying terror attack? We have not heard that from the Germans.
PERINO: No, it's not. Because of what the State Department issued. The State Department already issued a warning to Americans who are overseas. And there are many people that have a chance, an opportunity to go to Europe and to enjoy a Christmas vacation. But ISIS doesn't care about our holiday plans. They want to disrupt them. And that's why, especially at a time when you're in the middle of a transition from one government to the next in the United States, those are usually times of instability. That's why the transition teams working together, closely, is so vitally important. And I think you've actually seen that today.
WILLIAMS: Boy, that's a great point. So we're more vulnerable. Did you hear what Dana said? I think that's really key that, you know, it's a moment of transition and people may think, "Oh, there's going to be some confusion or a lack of strength on the American part."
GUILFOYLE: Juan, also that FOX News is reporting that the FBI's legal attache office in Berlin said that they have offered support for assets that are specifically associated with the FBI to help provide intelligence and assist in the investigation.
WILLIAMS: OK.
GUILFOYLE: But they haven't deployed any U.S. assets there yet.
WILLIAMS: Greg.
GUTFELD: I'm glad that whoever they got is alive. Maybe they can get some information out of him, see if he's part of a wider group of people.
But remember, the irony of all this is that these guys are using modern conveniences, whether it's cell phones, you know, vehicles, weaponry, in order to bring us back to, like, a seventh century lifestyle. It's not about attacking the western way of life. It's about attacking progress. They want to bring us back to the worst time on earth.
WILLIAMS: To the Stone Age.
All right. "One More Thing" coming at you. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GUILFOYLE: It's time now for "One More Thing" -- Greg.
GUTFELD: Thank you, Kimberly.
Well, you know, we hired somebody new at "The G.G. Show." His name's Tyrus. He's, like, a professional wrestler. Now he works at FOX. We thought we'd give him a little tour of the building. And he walked around to go meet people. And he happened to run into Dana Perino, and he found something really disturbing in her office.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PERINO: You know Greg Gutfeld, right?
TYRUS, FOX NEWS COMMENTATOR: Yes.
PERINO: He would never give you this book.
TYRUS: He would never?
PERINO: He would give you "The Little Book Of Dark." But this is "The Little Book Of Light."
TYRUS: "The Little Book of Heart."
PERINO: And it has all these little nice sayings in it, like "Discover your purpose. Listen to your heart, the voice of your true self and discover your purpose."
TYRUS: Excuse me? What is this? (PICKING UP LITTLE BOTTLE OF VODKA)
PERINO: That's not for me.
TYRUS: But it's right next to your coffee cup. I'm going to go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUILFOYLE: Oh, my God, Dana.
PERINO: They gave that to me to use as a prop for him. And I forgot about it.
GUILFOYLE: Oh, wait a second. So this was...
GUTFELD: Blame it on the black guy. Blame it on the black guy.
WILLIAMS: Hey, I wouldn't know.
PERINO: It's been -- it's vanilla-flavored vodka. And it's still in my office, in case anybody wants it.
GUILFOYLE: What's the flavor?
PERINO: I don't know. Vanilla flavored.
WILLIAMS: Oh, God.
GUTFELD: Of course, vanilla.
GUILFOYLE: Racist.
GUTFELD: Right.
GUILFOYLE: Not nice.
GUILFOYLE: All right. So we're done with you -- Dana.
PERINO: I forgot to mention that the full interview with Josh Earnest is on "The Five's" Facebook page. So you can check that out, if you want.
And then I have Dana's Health Update News.
GUILFOYLE: Oh, wow.
PERINO: We don't have a graphic. But remember -- remember six months ago my mom had a double knee replacement on May 31. And her recovery was tough, as it is for anyone who does that. This is her yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(DANA'S MOM PLAYING TENNIS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLLING: Are you kidding?
PERINO: At my tennis clinic. And she played for 45 minutes. She walked miles. She's doing great.
So anybody who is thinking about getting a knee replacement, just know that you do the work like she's done, that can be you.
BOLLING: Wow. Congratulations.
GUILFOYLE: Strong, tough lady.
PERINO: Good job, Momma.
GUILFOYLE: Good job, Momma.
WILLIAMS: I just -- I'm so proud of you and your mom. That's wonderful.
GUILFOYLE: So true. Great.
WILLIAMS: Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott got some criticism yesterday for a touchdown celebration. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Elliott into the end zone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAMS: Yes, he jumped in the Salvation Army kettle. That's right. And it was thought he was going to get fined for excessive celebration. But Elliott said he's going to -- he's happy. He's going to match any fine...
PERINO: Yes.
WILLIAMS: ... with a donation to the Salvation Army.
So guess what, folks? He wasn't fined, but he's still making a donation. And wait, here's the best part. Christmas music to my ear. Salvation Army has seen a 61 percent increase in donations since his little stunt.
PERINO: Good for him.
WILLIAMS: Well, sometimes showing off, not such a bad thing.
BOLLING: And he's having a phenomenal year. As are the Cowboys.
GUILFOYLE: Bolling, what have you got?
BOLLING: Very quickly, top -- "Forbes" ranked the top ten states for business. Utah, North Carolina, Nebraska. What do these have in common? First of all, 70 percent of them are -- went Republican in the last election. But low energy costs is one of them. Higher levels of education people to choose from, to work. And then all this one down here. The small union representation. So want to know what works for business? Take a look at this. "Forbes" has that one.
GUILFOYLE: Another beautiful board.
WILLIAMS: Yes, not so much for workers.
GUILFOYLE: By Ms. Kyle Nolan.
BOLLING: Business. Business.
WILLIAMS: Workers. America's workers.
BOLLING: Business.
GUILFOYLE: Best penmanship.
OK. So a little bit of sad news, certainly, tonight. We all learned about today the death of Zsa-Zsa Gabor, the jet-setting Hungarian actress who made a career out oi -- well, I'm not going to hate her for this -- multiple marriages, not her fault that everyone was in love with her, conspicuous wealth and her glamorous life. She was really beloved. She was 99 years of age. She was a great aunt of Paris Hilton. And she had really had some unfortunate health problems, you know, in recent times. It was tough for her. And we just say, we love you, Zsa-Zsa. You were fantastic.
GUTFELD: How many times was she married?
GUILFOYLE: It was nine.
GUTFELD: Nine?
PERINO: Nine, nine, nine.
GUTFELD: Yes.
GUILFOYLE: But not to Herman Cain. I wanted to spell that. Nine, nine, nine.
It's "The Five." What do you expect?
Set your DVRs so you never miss an episode of "The Five." That's it for us. "Special Report" next. Show it, Bolling.
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