Gingrich: Health care bill an extraordinary achievement
Former House speaker reacts on 'Hannity' after House passes GOP legislation
This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," May 4, 2017. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: And welcome to "Hannity," where every single night, we promise you we're holding Washington accountable. Glad you're with us tonight. Newt Gingrich, Judge Jeanine Pirro, John Solomon, Lou Dobbs, Lara Trump are all here.
But first, President Trump, House Republicans fulfill a massive promise to you, the American people. They score a major win, finally passing a bill that repeals, replaces "Obama care" and begins that process. And that is tonight's winning -- are you sick of winning yet? -- "Opening Monologue."
All right, so earlier today, after passing the American Health Care Act, House Republicans, they joined the president in the Rose Garden to -- at the White House -- to celebrate. Finally, we're celebrating! Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: This is a great plan. I actually think it will get even better. And this is -- make no mistake -- this is a repeal and a replace of ObamaCare. Make no mistake about it.
Yes, premiums will be coming down. Yes, deductibles will be coming down. But very importantly, it's a great plan, and ultimately, that's what it's all about.
We knew that wasn't going to work. I predicted it a long time ago. I said it's failing. And now it's obvious that it's failing. It's dead. It's essentially dead. If we don't pay lots of ransom money over to the insurance companies, it would die immediately. So what we have is something very, very incredibly well crafted...
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
HANNITY: This is a good start, a major step forward in the effort to rid you, the American people, of the disaster that we know as ObamaCare.
Now, let's be honest. The bill that passed today in the House, it's not perfect. Unfortunately, sadly, there are dozens of Republicans who really didn't want to repeal and replace ObamaCare, these moderate Republicans, even though some of them even campaigned on this promise for seven years. That's the reality that House conservatives were dealt and the president was dealt.
Now, also, some major parliamentary hurdles that they had to deal with in the Senate, that they have to clear, budget reconciliation is being used, the Byrd Rule, Chuck Schumer already talking about using parts of these parliamentary maneuvers to kill the bill.
But what is being put forward today by the president and House Republicans is so much better than what we now see as the disaster, what is ObamaCare today, a complete and utter failure collapsing before your very eyes. We'll have more on that in a second.
Now, I want to make this point first because it's very important. Democrats, the destroy Trump media, alt-radical left, they will do everything they can do to stop this bill from ever reaching the president's desk. This fight is not over. It's very important now more than ever that Republicans begin to come together, as I've been saying from the beginning, build consensus.
They need to show you, the American people, they are ready to lead and fix America's broken health care, system because ObamaCare is in a death spiral! It's a disaster! Now, Democrats, they're going to go deep down in the gutter. They will deploy every insane, irrational scare tactic to misrepresent what is actually in the bill.
For example -- this is a riot -- take a look at some of the insanity and the things that Democrats said to the lead-up in today's House vote.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
SEN. CORY BOOKER, D-N.J., MSNBC: This will cost American lives if it ever becomes law. This will -- this will mean death, pain and suffering to people's families.
REP. NANCY PELOSI, D-CALIF., MINORITY LEADER: Really a stupid bill. It's a -- it's a bill of deconstruction of government.
From the beginning, TrumpCare was a moral monstrosity that will devastate seniors, children and hard-working Americans.
REP. MAXINE WATERS, D-CALIF.: This crushing age tax will fall on some of the most vulnerable members of our society.
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES, D-N.Y.: Tens of millions of Americans who are living with pre-existing conditions will be screwed.
REP. CAROL SHEA-PORTER, D-N.H.: Instead of this cruel bill, let's come together to improve health care, not take health insurance away from millions just to give tax credits to the wealthiest. We're better than that.
REP. DONALD NORCROSS, D-N.J.: Let's put this bill in a coffin, not Americans --
(CROSSTALK)
NORCROSS: Let's kill and bury this bill. Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
HANNITY: Wow. Kill, murder, slander! Republicans are racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic! They want dirty air and water!
Now, if this isn't enough, yes, Senator Bernie Sanders, he tweeted this. "Donald Trump, Republicans just celebrated voting to let thousands of Americans die." Why? "So that billionaires get tax breaks." Now, think about that.
And earlier today, after ObamaCare-loving Democrats suffered this stinging defeat -- this is my favorite moment of the day -- they took to the House floor and they taunted Republicans. And I actually enjoyed it. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONGRESS MEMBERS: (SINGING) Na, na, na, na
Hey, hey, hey
Good-bye...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: All right, so sore losers, every one of them, basically all those Democrats -- they actually still believe the great lie, and it is a great lie. You keep your doctor, you keep your plan, and you'll save on average per family $2,500 per year. Now, you can bet those type of tactics -- this is only the beginning, I warn you. So Republicans, you need to show backbone. You better be ready to fight and defend yourselves because if you don't, the American people sadly will continue to suffer under the crushing failure of ObamaCare.
Now, here's why it's so critically important that Republicans act and finish this. Now, take a look at the headlines. Just this week, NBC News, "Aetna to exit ObamaCare in Virginia citing $200 million possible loss." Now, look at this. USA Today -- "Iowa may be without individual health plans if insurer pulls out."
And by the way, those are just a couple of the countless examples that ObamaCare is in this death spiral.
Mike Pence said today, the vice president, 94 out of 96 or 98 counties will have no options in Iowa next year. Now, here's why ObamaCare's entire foundation was based on lies. Remember this, because this is important. Every time the president said this -- you remember? It's probably etched in your memory.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT, JUNE 15, 2009: No matter how we reform health care, will keep this promise to the American people. If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor, period.
If you like your health care plan, you will be able to keep your health care plan, period.
OBAMA, AUG. 11, 2009: If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan.
OBAMA, JUNE 23, 2009: There's no doubt that we must preserve what's best about our health care system, and that means allowing Americans who like their doctor and their health care plans to keep them.
OBAMA, JULY 16, 2009: If you've got health care insurance, you like your doctor, you like your plan, you can keep your doctor, you can keep your plan. Nobody is talking about taking that away from you.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
HANNITY: The great lie in political history. And by the way, all those Democrats -- "na, na, na, na" -- they all repeated that lie. Here's the reality. Millions of Americans lost their doctors. Millions lost their plans. No American family was saving $2,500 per family per year, as the president promised you, the American people. Big surprise.
The exact opposite happened. In fact, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, since 2008, premiums for the average family skyrocketed 43 percent, increasing for the average family $5,400 since implemented. That doesn't even include this year. And this year alone, ObamaCare premiums spiked by 25 percent on average.
By the way, poor people that live in Arizona suffering a staggering increase, 116 percent this year alone. Deductibles for a family jumped by 15 percent this year alone! It's almost $7,500. And right now, in almost a third -- imagine this! -- in a third of all U.S. counties, there is only one, only one health care insurer to choose from.
President Obama, all those "na na na" Democrats -- they promised a free market system. They lied to you. It's the great lie. And they failed miserably!
So now Republicans, they're stepping in to fix Obama and the Democrats' mess. They're now offering a plan that is actually based on free market principles that will actually lower costs and the CBO projects premiums for the average American will actually -- get this -- go down under the Republican plan instead of rising by 25 percent, like they did under ObamaCare this year.
You, the American people, all of you out there, you deserve to have the flexibility to choose the type of plan that best suits your needs, instead of big government mandates that dictate the kind of care you can buy. It gets rid of over a trillion dollars in taxes -- a trillion -- reduces the deficit.
If I was down in Washington today -- it's not the perfect bill. If I was serving in Congress, I would have voted yes. As the vice president said, this begins the process of undoing the death spiral of ObamaCare.
Joining us now with reaction, the author of the brand-new book, "Understanding Trump," former speaker of the House, Fox News contributor Newt Gingrich.
I honestly have been -- you're laughing at me. I know why you're laughing at me, so don't even start because I've been so frustrated by this process. And you come on very sober, elder statesman of the show, long-time friend and mentor, and you just -- Hannity, let me calmly walk -- let me calmly walk you through the process. Go ahead, calmly walk us through the process.
NEWT GINGRICH, R-FMR. HOUSE SPEAKER, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Look, tonight -- no. No. Be excited. Be happy. Be positive.
HANNITY: I am!
(CROSSTALK)
GINGRICH: ... Trump's -- this is -- you know, my newsletter tomorrow is going to be entitled "Trump's triumph." I mean, this is an extraordinary achievement. It is three months earlier than Reagan got his tax cut. It is 13 months earlier than we got welfare reform. It is a -- it's I think five months earlier than they got ObamaCare through.
This is a -- I didn't think they could do it. I mean, I was very, very skeptical. They kept working. And I know you sometimes will disagree with me on this, but Paul Ryan was in there every day trying to find votes. Mark Meadows was a great leader who said from the minute the original bill went down, We got to come together, we got to find a compromise. Meadows provided real leadership.
Kevin McCarthy provided leadership. Reince Priebus hung in there when it was very tough. But in the end...
HANNITY: All right, I'll agree with you...
GINGRICH: ... it came down to Donald J. Trump.
HANNITY: All right, you...
GINGRICH: OK?
HANNITY: All right. I would say Mark Meadows and the Freedom Caucus...
GINGRICH: Be happy!
HANNITY: ... the unsung heroes because they never -- I am happy! I'm not complaining. I give credit to the speaker. I just said it, OK, because I've been very critical.
GINGRICH: All right. That's good.
HANNITY: Number two, I...
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: ... and the White House. I know Reince Priebus worked hard day and night. I know for a fact because I talk to these guys on a regular basis, and they weren't exactly always happy with me. Tell us -- tell -- I agree with -- for the vice president, this is a good start. Tell us why you like this.
GINGRICH: Look, here's what I really like. They hit a wall. They backed up. They tried a second time, and they knew they were going to hit the wall, so they didn't take the vote. They kept working. They kept talking. Trump kept talking to people as late as yesterday individually, developing amendments, thinking things through. "The Art of the Deal" come to Washington, D.C. The president would never back off. He would never give up.
Now, the reason I really like this, this is the hardest thing they're going to try to do. It is totally partisan. It's impossible for Democrats to be for it. It's one fifth of the economy. And it's life and death.
And despite everything -- and I have to tell you I'm very impressed. I was not all confident they could pull this off. They have just willed their way to talking with each other, moderates like Fred Upton, who came forward with a very important amendment. As you said, people like Mark Meadows of the Freedom Caucus, all the leadership working as a team, the vice president pitching in, the president doing, I mean, an amazing number -- (INAUDIBLE) the total number of conversations and meetings that President Trump has had to get this done.
And the reason I'm excited by it is they didn't back off. They didn't flinch. They didn't say it's not possible. This makes me think when we get to a job-creating tax cut bill, when we get to really reforming the government and draining the swamp, we're seeing how serious President Trump is, and we're seeing a Republican Party which is maturing in front of our very eyes.
Finally, I'm excited, Sean, because I've been an active conservative my whole life. I think conservatives don't relax and celebrate when they have something really big to celebrate.
HANNITY: All right, I -- by the way...
GINGRICH: And this is really big. I mean, we are repealing ObamaCare!
HANNITY: You -- I know you know because we go back since 1990. I know you know how to celebrate because I remember drinking a big can of beer called Foster's lager with you, if you remember back in those days. So I think you're right. I'll take your elder statesman perspective. And I think it's a big win, absolutely, and I am happy about it. And I love that the Democrats...
(CROSSTALK)
GINGRICH: I'm saying every -- look, I'm saying this to the whole audience. Every conservative you know in this country ought to take a deep breath, relax for one day, celebrate. They had a double win. They don't have Hillary Clinton and they repealed "Obama care." I mean, if that doesn't give you a reason to have a good weekend, you know, I don't know what could.
HANNITY: You know what? I think I'll take off tomorrow just because of you.
All right, we'll have more with the former speaker right after the break.
And also tonight, an incredible "Hannity" investigation. Our friend, John Solomon of Circa News is breaking incredible news tonight, a disturbing report. It reveals the Obama administration during the 2016 campaign literally distributed thousands of intel documents, more than anybody else has reported. John is here to explain tonight and investigate. We'll get reaction also from the legal side from Judge Pirro.
Also, President Trump came to New York City today, gave a speech aboard the USS Intrepid. We'll get reaction from Lou Dobbs and we'll have him respond to Chrissy Teigen's insane tweets. Wait until you see what she is blaming the president for!
And we'll also talk to President Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, as we continue, about censorship and Stephen Colbert's crude remarks. That's straight ahead on this busy, celebratory "Hannity" straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: You know, the groups have all come together. We have the Tuesday Group. We have so many groups. We have the Freedom Caucus. We have -- and they're all great people. We have a lot of groups, but they all came together, really, Paul, I'd say in the last three, four days, especially in the last day. I see Mark (ph). I see Kevin (ph). I see so many people, Jim. We just have developed a bond. This has really brought the Republican Party together. As much as we've come up with a really incredible health care plan, this has brought the Republican Party together.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: All right, that was the president earlier today in the Rose Garden celebrating with House Republican lawmakers after the GOP health care bill was passed.
Still with us, former speaker of the House, Fox News contributor Newt Gingrich.
You do have a great historical perspective. I love to give you a hard time. And you are -- it's interesting because in many ways, you weren't as confident -- I was, like, I don't care. Get it done. We had two very different perspectives. You would rather do other things first.
But you said something that's interesting. You said that there's a maturing process going on before our eyes. They're now growing into their leadership role, which maybe they weren't ready for in some ways. And I also have had to face the reality as a conservative I don't really like. This is a hundred moderate Republicans that are not as conservative as I am, and it's annoying.
(LAUGHTER)
GINGRICH: Well, I was going to say a couple things about this. First of all...
HANNITY: Yes?
GINGRICH: ... I always -- I've spent years saying we can build a center- right coalition if you can't build a right-only majority. And that's what we have. We have a center-right, which is frankly radically better than Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi and all those guys. So be happy that you have a center-right majority that controls the schedule in the House and Senate, that gets a U.S. Supreme Court justice through and that does these other things.
There's a second thing that's maturing. President Trump tonight knows members of the House dramatically better than he did six weeks ago. He knows individuals. He's talked to them. They've been in the office with him. They've been on the phone with him. And the result is his mastery of the Congress is just beginning.
As this goes down the road, he will do a better and better job because that's his great strength, his ability to bring people together, to get them committed to a common vision, to work together to build something, whether it's a Trump Tower or it's a legislative design. This is his greatest strength. It's his personality and his interpersonal skills.
And if you watched him today with all the folks who gathered around, he's comfortable. He's made the transition from being a New York real estate guy to being president of the United States in a way that's very powerful. And I suspect he now knows personally more members of the Congress than Barack Obama knew after eight years.
HANNITY: That is pretty profound. And we -- it was actually an interesting remark by McCarthy, when he said, Well, he called me yesterday with a list of names and they all voted yes and the people that they should be whipping -- that was a pretty insightful comment. And I think you are right. And that should bode well for him (INAUDIBLE) as they move forward with his tax bill and his economic plan.
GINGRICH: Now, I happened to be in one conversation yesterday where he and Reince were comparing notes. And you could tell that they had narrowed down sort of, like, indicators. If certain people came on board, that was it. We can do it. And they were right at that nexus late yesterday afternoon.
And I was very impressed. And it was people the president had personally talked to. He personally worked with Fred Upton to get an amendment about preconditions that was extremely important. Preconditions are the number one concern of the American people...
HANNITY: Preexisting conditions, yes.
GINGRICH: ... and they really don't want to be caught -- preexisting conditions. And so that he (ph) got worked (ph) out. The president personally worked on that. At the same time -- and I know you and I don't always agree on this -- I think Paul Ryan did his job. Remember, he is getting a budget through at the same time they're finishing negotiating on this, as they start to set up a job-creating tax cut...
HANNITY: I -- listen...
GINGRICH: ... as they work on infrastructure. A lot of things coming down the road simultaneously.
HANNITY: I'll -- I'll -- the only thing I want out of Paul Ryan going forward is more consensus-building. Don't hide the bill -- and I'm being honest here -- and just a little more urgency...
GINGRICH: OK.
HANNITY: ... a little more New York in him. That's all I want. I think that's fair.
(CROSSTALK)
GINGRICH: I cannot -- look, my wife's a cheesehead. I cannot argue for more New York in a Wisconsinite (ph). I'm sorry.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: He needs a little more...
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: ... drive in him, pushing him, faster, urgency. Let's move!
All right, Mr. Speaker...
GINGRICH: Now, that is scary.
HANNITY: ... thank you. And you're right, it's a big night. I'll buy you a Foster's when I see you next. We'll catch up on old times.
When we come back, a "Hannity" investigation, an important one, John Solomon, Circanews.com, tonight reporting the Obama administration during the 2016 election distributed thousands of intel reports with unredacted names. In other words, unmasking. He's here to explain. We'll get legal analysis from Judge Jeanine Pirro.
And later tonight, Hollywood snowflake Chrissy Teigen in a classic Twitter tirade meltdown against the president. It will make you laugh. And Lou Dobbs will react.
And the president's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump. weighs in on the Stephen Colbert controversy and CNN, NBC, CBS censorship straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWSBREAK)
HANNITY: Welcome back to "Hannity." So our friend, John Solomon with Circanews.com, just published a bombshell story. He's reporting that, quote, "President Obama's team sought NSA intel on thousands of Americans during the 2016 election." Now, according to Solomon's sources, these NSA intel requests resulted in many American citizens being unmasked per the request of the Obama administration.
He goes on, quote, "Among those whose names were unmasked in 2016 or early 2017 were campaign or transition associates of President Trump."
Joining us now with more on this alarming new report, from Circanews.com, John Solomon, along with the host of "Justice" and a brand-new show, "You the Jury," on the FOX network, Judge Jeanine Pirro.
All right, John, let me start with you. This is your story. You've been all over it, surveillance, unmasking, leaking intelligence, all of these things. We never seem to move the ball. We see all these crimes committed, in my opinion -- Hillary Clinton we just learned from this week, the FBI director, Comey, is admitting that she sent, you know, classified e-mails to Anthony Weiner! Anthony Weiner as far as I know doesn't have security clearance.
Then of course we have her server scandal. Then of course we have the Foundation scandal, the Clinton Foundation. Then of course we have the unmasking issue. Then we have Susan Rice saying I'm not going to go and testify before the Senate subcommittee. How many people were unmasked? Tell us how deep this is and tell us what laws probably were broken?
JOHN SOLOMON, CIRCA NEWS: Yes, great question. And 35,000 Americans names were run through the NSA database last year by the Obama administration to try to intercept information, 35,000. And to put that in perspective, that's three to 400 percent more that were run through in 2013.
So there's only a few possibilities. Either we have a whole lot more terrorist in the country or somebody has a lot of explaining to do that were starting to look at people's dossiers and folders in the NSA who don't really post national security threats.
HANNITY: John, I want people to know. In other word, what we're suggesting here such a dramatic increase that there's a very strong likelihood that the Obama administration at the highest levels used our national security agency and literally unmasked, surveilled the American people under the guise of national security, and there is no way it was possible.
SOLOMON: Listen, someone has to do some explaining. It apparently doesn't seem to be Susan Rice who doesn't want to testify before the Hill. But I can tell you, somebody has to answer for these numbers. And I talked to a bunch of members of Congress today. They're as concerned as other people as I talked to today about the size and the numbers. They were unaware of how much more surveillance is going on and how much after the fact unmasking is going on.
And we're starting to get some signs, we're digging in. When this all started it was about Donald Trump and his associates. We're now hearing names of other critics of the Obama administration who may also have been unmasked. And our reporting is gone down that path now.
HANNITY: Judge Pirro, based on what you're hearing and the numbers John Solomon is confirming tonight, what are we talking about in terms of the law, the magnitude of the charges, and what potential abuse of the constitution occurred here?
JUDGE JEANINE PIRRO, HOST, "JUSTICE": You have a very fundamental abuse of the Fourth Amendment, spying on Americans, surveillance, and then allowing political appointees, as Obama did in 2011, to unmasked the names of individuals who were accidentally or incidentally collected in a foreign surveillance. And then in 2016, in the midst of a presidential divisive of election, the allowance of those reports to go across a whole platform of National Security Council agencies, it is teed up, Sean, for the biggest abuse of privacy that Americans -- that we've ever seen in American history.
And it's no surprise given that Barack Obama, the president, allowed his own people to go after these Americans names, and for Donald Trump, the transition team and members of Congress who have been unmasked by a woman who is known, and that is Susan Rice, to be a liar based on what she did and said about Benghazi, about Bowe Bergdahl, about when she unmasked, whether she unmasked. This is fundamental, unconstitutional, illegal.
HANNITY: Illegal. So based on just the numbers, the outrageous disparity of numbers that John Solomon is reporting at CircaNews.com, is there any plausible explanation other than Americans were spied on, Americans were unmasked, and, as John was saying names are going to be revealed, and this was done for political purposes?
PIRRO: You've got Susan Rice, who of course is refusing to testify before the Senate subcommittee and basically saying I'm not going to go in there and explain anything, and then as far as I'm concerned, it's either because she's afraid she's good to commit perjury or because she may actually implicate herself in some kind of criminal behavior.
And so what's got to happen now is that more and more people understand or see that they have been unmasked for political purposes. And if this is all corroborated by the exponential increase in the surveillance, then at some point you have to say the intent is clear, there is an intent to spy on these particular Americans under the guise of were just looking at things that are accidentally or incidentally collected.
HANNITY: John, great work. Judge Pirro, as always, thank you.
And coming up, after his big win on health care earlier today, the president traveled to New York City where he gave a speech aboard the USS Intrepid. We're going to play some of his remarks. We'll get reaction from Lou Dobbs. Plus he's going to weigh in on Chrissy Teigen's unbelievable tweets. They'll make you laugh.
And later, the presidents daughter-in-law Lara Trump joins us to talk about censorship at networks like CNN, NBC, and CBS, and Stephen Colbert, what he said about her father-in-law, that's straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: Welcome back to "Hannity." So President Trump was in New York City tonight. Less than an hour ago he gave a speech aboard the USS Intrepid in commemoration of the World War II battle of the Coral Sea. He spoke about the need to defeat ISIS and more, watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TRUMP: We've reaffirmed a tremendous friendship between the United States and Australia and the importance of our security and our alliance. The armed forces of our two nations are operating side-by-side almost every day fighting to defeat ISIS and the scourge of terrorism. And we will eradicate terrorism.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: And also tonight another celebrity snowflake is in complete meltdown mode. Let's take a look at Chrissy Tiegen just lashing out unhinged at President Trump and a twitter temper tantrum. Quote, "So bleeping tired of this manically, insane, incompetent president and this dumpster fire administration. I'm going to have to go on another med. This is not a joke. I think I need to either up my dosage or talk to my doctor to see what works for me when the world explodes. And today I had a tooth shaved down because crippling anxiety makes me grind and rot my teeth on one side. I blame Trump." And more.
Joining us now for the Fox Business Network, Lou Dobbs. Let's start with the president, Lou. I see you laughing. This was a classic. But the president tonight was pretty interesting. This was a serious commander-in- chief taken to the stage with a command and knowledge of history on top of a really big one on health care today.
LOU DOBBS, FOX BUSINESS NETWORK: A big win on health care, a big win on spending, the Senate giving him his bill. The Democrats threatening, as you well know, to shut down the government, almost seeming to hold a shutdown, he won that. He issued an executive order expanding religious freedom of expression, putting churches and temples and synagogues back in the public square.
And oh, yes, taking command of all the House of Representatives as they come on by a huge margin, 217 to 213 passed the health care bill that all people -- just a week ago everybody was saying they couldn't possibly get this done. And what did he do? He met with everybody who even thought about talking to him and negotiated a win.
HANNITY: Yes. I'm a little annoyed as I was telling Newt earlier tonight, Lou, I'm a little annoyed we now know there are hundred, thousand -- sorry, 100 Republicans in the House that are really not committed conservatives. Newt has always talked about, he explained the center-right coalition. And we are now dealing with the reality. It is very unfortunate to me as a conservative and I'm going to assume you, too.
DOBBS: You're right. It's concerning because it's hard to figure out exactly what the Republican Party represents when you have a group of people who are not following their president, who are not listening to him as he is moving forward, the one who articulated a vision, won almost 63 million votes. The speaker of the House seemed at most points, frankly, to be in opposition to this president. He only got 230,000 votes in reelection. And people listen to him as though somehow that makes some sense, that there's a better agenda and the president's agenda. There is only the president's agenda, and to Paul Ryan's credit, today I think he acknowledged that.
HANNITY: Last thing, let me go to the snowflake meltdown, Chrissy Tiegen. One other one. "I also had to Botox in my jaw muscle to relieve the tension from constantly clenching. I was not like this before. Pay my bills."
DOBBS: Pay my bill?
HANNITY: Pay by bills. A rich snowflake anxiety meltdown. I mean, I don't even know what to say anymore.
DOBBS: I think all you can do when you get to this point of absurdity, Sean, I know it's all I can do, I just laugh. Who is this woman? What kind of mentality is it? And if she's on so many meds that need adjustment, I would hope that she would holistically reconsider her whole being. She's obviously in need of something and perhaps something beyond medication.
HANNITY: I have a story. I'm going to be very nice tonight, Lou. You'll be proud of me. I met John Legend and her at a Super Bowl event. But there's a story I'm going to keep to myself because I'm being very nice.
DOBBS: Oh, come on. Come on.
HANNITY: I'm being very nice. Lou Dobbs, thank you, my friend.
And coming up, President Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump is here to talk about censorship, CNN, NBC, CBS, and she will react to Stephen Colbert's vicious, vile rant. That and more as "Hannity" continues tonight. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: Welcome back to "Hannity." so the alt left, propaganda, destroy- Trump media, they continue to try to take down the president. Now CNN is refusing to air a Trump campaign ad because it features a graphic with the words of "fake news," they are so offended they can't handle it. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald Trump sworn in as president 100 days ago. America has rarely seen such a success. A respected Supreme Court justice confirmed, companies investing in American jobs again, America becoming more energy independent, regulations that kill American jobs eliminated, the biggest tax cut plan and history. You wouldn't know it from watching the news -- America is winning, and President Trump is making America great again.
TRUMP: I'm Donald Trump and I approve this message.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: So the RNC chairwoman put out a statement about CNN's decision, saying, quote, "The network's clearly biased decision to block President Trump's message to the American people is incredibly troubling. Freedom of speech is a hallmark of our nation's founding and it is concerning that CNN, who I assume to be a strong supporter of the First Amendment, would stifle speech that they disagree with." CNN should allow the ad to be aired and apologize for their attempt to block the president's message, she says. The RNC is also saying NBC and maybe other networks, CBS, are also refusing to air this ad. ABC is now pending.
Joining us with a reaction, President Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump is with us. And she's also an advisor for the 2020 campaign. Lara, good to see you. How are you?
LARA TRUMP, PRESIDENT TRUMP'S DAUGHTER-IN-LAW: Hey, Sean, great to be with you. I'm great, and I love that ad, isn't it nice?
HANNITY: I like the ad. The funny thing is whenever these networks carry the president because they like the ratings that he brings to their networks when he gives speeches, he gets to call them out and say fake news for free. So the idea that they wouldn't take money because they are so offended that he calls them out on a regular basis is almost laughable. Maybe they have a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders. What do you think?
LARA TRUMP: Absolutely. And listen, we have seen it time and time again. We saw it throughout the entire campaign. The fact is that there a certain networks, the majority of the mainstream media in fact throughout the country who refused to report the facts and the real facts.
And we felt like as the campaign that it was our duty to report to the American people the incredible things that the president has done in his first 100 days in office. And that's why we put this ad together. Quite frankly, it's a great ad, and it highlights all the wonderful things that have happened that you don't hear about every day because some people don't watch FOX News. And if you don't watch FOX, you probably aren't hearing about all the great things the president has done.
HANNITY: I don't watch a lot of these other networks but I'm just venturing a guess that in prime time I think I'm the only one that put up on the screen, and we can do it now if we want, but we did it all in the lead up to the 100 days and his 100th days in office, all the successes he had, culminating, by the way, with a huge win on health care for him and a big push on his part. I don't think this ever goes away. This is Trump- derangement syndrome. What is your reaction -- I've never seen such hostility to any one man or any one president. What is your reaction that you and your family have had to deal with?
LARA TRUMP: Listen, you would think after a while you would get used to this sort of thing, but it is never normal. It's really disappointing that we live in the United States of America. This is supposed to be a free society. We have freedom of speech. The fact that this ad is not being shown on CNN, on NBC, on CBS, on news networks who have a duty to report to the public the facts, that they are blocking something like this is really, really ridiculous to me. And it's really sad.
HANNITY: As a family, by the way I heard your announcement. I've known Eric and Don, Jr., for a long time. You're about to have your first child. There are even people attacking that. Ivanka Trump, the daughter of the president, the son-in-law of the president, the president's wife. You can't leave a 10-year-old kid out of this? He's been attacked. Everybody around him, Reince, Bannon, Kellyanne, poor Sean Spicer, everybody around the president, anyone who supports the president, even in the media is attacked. Let me go to how vicious it got culminating this week in a vile, vicious rant on "CBS News" by Stephen Colbert.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW": John Dickerson has way too much dignity to trade insults with the president of United States to his face. But I, sir, and no John Dickerson.
(APPLAUSE)
COLBERT: Mr. President, your presidency, I love your presidency. I call it "Disgrace the nation."
(APPLAUSE)
COLBERT: You attract more skinheads than free Rogaine. You have more people marching against you than cancer. Your talk like a sign language gorilla who got hit in the head.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Lara, at first I can't imagine any conservative or any comedy show saying this with that vicious or that of vile about President Obama if he was president. And by the way, Colbert probably should be kissing the presidency you-know-what because he personally, singlehandedly resurrected what was a failing career for him and his 500 writers that work for him. He was dying on the vine until he went hard, harsh, vile left.
LARA TRUMP: Yes, you're exactly right. If this had happened to President Obama, I can't even imagine the outrage from people across the board.
HANNITY: Would I survive that? What if I said it?
LARA TRUMP: You know what, Sean, I don't think so, quite frankly.
HANNITY: No way.
LARA TRUMP: It's terrible because I don't care who you voted for in the election, Donald Trump is the president of the United States for all Americans, across the board, and that demands respect. The fact that CBS allowed something like this to be aired is really, really disrespectful and outrageous in my opinion. And I'm very, very disappointed to see that the reaction quite frankly hasn't been harsher against Colbert.
HANNITY: Lara, congratulations to you and Eric on the baby. I know you have to put up with a lot, and yes, we do need to freedom of speech, and thank you for being with us.
LARA TRUMP: Thanks so much.
HANNITY: When we come back we need your help, a very important "Question of the Day." And we got the voicemails apparently not so nice tonight that you left from the Hannity hotline, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: All right, time for our question of the day. So what do you think about the House Republicans beginning the process of undoing the damaged death spiral known as Obamacare? Go to Facebook.com/SeanHannity, @SeanHannity on Twitter, let us know what you think.
By the way, time to play some of the messages, not always so nice, that you leave for me on my Hannity hotline.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We want you to know we support you 100 percent. So glad you're going after these bullies. I'm so tired of listening to what they have to say and not being able to fight back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Funny story, Hannity, I was talking politics at the supermarket with this lady, and she said "I hate that short fat guy with the bad haircut. And I said, yes, I don't like Kim Jong Un either. And she said "Who? No, I'm talking about Sean Hannity." I thought about it and said, his haircut is not that bad. You're a disaster, Hannity. Keep up the bad work.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: I am six feet tall. I am actually now in the best shape I've been in years. And the hair is real. Cut me some slack. Want to say something to me, nice or mean, I don't care, call the number on your screen. You see it right there, very, very simple.
That's all the time we have left this evening. Thank you for being with us. Congratulations, Republicans. We now have begun the process of ending the death spiral. Finally, you got your act together. We'll see you tomorrow night.
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