This is a rush transcript from "The Five," December 15, 2015. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE, CO-HOST: Hello, I'm Kimberly Guilfoyle along with Juan Williams, Eric Bolling, Dana Perino and Greg Gutfeld. It is 5 o'clock in New York City and this is "The Five."
The Los Angeles School District shutdown classes for more than 600,000 students, canceled for what officials say was a quote, "credible threat." We're now learning it was a bomb threat that came through an e-mail. The same e-mail also sent to New York City, but they quickly determined it was a hoax. Fox's Adam Housley is live in Los Angeles with more on the scare and the different responses. Adam?
ADAM HOUSLEY, FOX NEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Kimberly, it's interesting to see what's happened here. We have a two different responses in Los Angeles, you have the crowd that says better to be safe than sorry and the other crowd says it's set a bad precedent. I'll tell you what happened here. About 10 o'clock is when we're told the threat came into the Los Angeles Unified School District. We're told that authorities, both federal and local were notified. Early on, everyone takes it as credible because they have to, especially in light of San Bernardino. But early on also, at least federal authorities started to see this may not be a credible threat. I'm told by the middle of the night, they won't give us an exact time that it was determined it was not credible. And that was told to the superintendent. I'm told the superintendent out of a preponderance of caution had already made up his mind and decided to go forth with shutting down the schools.
Now, in the press conferences today, you heard some interesting responses. In New York City, you had a bit of a criticism towards Los Angeles. And in L.A., you had the authorities who spoke after the superintendent, who didn't say they supported the decision. They said the decision was the superintendent's solely, so you kind of read between the lines there. It indicates it has really put a precedent in place that a lot of authorities are worried about. Because now, what you do you do when you have other threats? It is something that's going to play out as we go forward. But the good news is, it is now determined, pretty much officially, all across the board, everyone will tell you it was a hoax and that schools are going to be back in school -- in session tomorrow and we'll have them all, at least walked through, we're told by about 7 o'clock tonight, over 900 different facilities, Kimberly.
GUILFOYLE: Thanks Adam. And more to come on that story later this hour. But first, the fifth GOP debate, just a few hours away. The stakes keep getting higher for the candidates, with just seven weeks to go before Iowa. And the poll positions have changed a bit this time around. A new Washington Post/ABC News survey has Donald Trump still on top, but Ted Cruz is now at number two. Rubio and Carson are tied in third. Trump is once again feeling confident going into tonight's face-off.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's so many people and many of them don't have a chance. You say what are you doing? Just go home and relax.
(LAUGHTER)
TRUMP: Go home and relax. The other candidates should be thankful. Because I'm giving them a chance to make total fools of themselves in front of -- in front of millions of people. So we're watching television before we're hearing all of these announcers saying, "Oh yeah, who's going to take on Trump tonight? Who's going to hit him hard?" And I'm saying to myself -- yeah, I would say, bring them on, who cares, what difference does it make?
(LAUGHTER)
TRUMP: But i would say it won't be -- this will not be like an evening in paradise for me. Do we agree?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUILFOYLE: Do we agree? So will it be Trump versus everyone tonight? His rivals are giving a preview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Now is the time for candidates to begin to show that in fact, they understand how difficult and complex these challenges are and have real proposals to address them. I don't think he's met that test and others perhaps have not as well, but look, this is what these campaigns are about.
JEB BUSH, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He's not electable. He's not a serious candidate, doesn't have serious views and as such, would be eaten alive by Hillary Clinton. This guy is -- would national security becomes an issue, Hillary Clinton is very vulnerable. And he takes away that advantage that we have.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUILFOYLE: OK. So there are some previews of what to expect kind of tonight, kind of the thought process and pattern of who is going to go after who and let's see how the table calls it. All right, Bolling, who does Trump go after tonight?
ERIC BOLLING, CO-HOST: Nobody.
GUILFOYLE: No one.
BOLLING: Trump sits back and I think he's right. I doubt he's going to have a lot of attacks coming at him. I think they're gonna -- the ones who aren't the top three, Trump, Rubio and Cruz will go after probably Rubio and Cruz. They gonna try to see if there's about 30 percent between the two of them. They may want some of that.
Everyone else is polling in the single digits. I mean, some of them are polling 2, 3 and 5 percent, most of them. So they'll gonna after, maybe that -- it's proven no one has proven effective to go after Donald Trump on a debate. He has a word for anyone, so I would expect the other two will get a lot of heat. And while Donald Trump party -- last couple of times, he sat back. Rubio has had three great debates in a row, three great. So you look for him to do well again. He did this is -- the things he does well with these stages. And Ted Cruz had a very good one last time, so far he (inaudible).
GUILFOYLE: And Christie had a good debate, and he is now back on the main stage, yeah.
BOLLING: And Christie, Christie is now somewhere on the sides and the corners of it. He's gonna make his presence known.
GUILFOYLE: So -- but if anybody decides to take Trump on, then you know, when what he's gonna do, he's a counterpuncher. But Dana, how do you see it tonight? Who needs to do what?
DANA PERINO, CO-HOST: Well, I think you've got to lock down the reason for your candidacy, right?
GUILFOYLE: Yeah.
PERINO: So you make the people -- that now they are starting to pay attention, right? We're getting into the seven-week timeframe, so people are getting ready for the holidays and this is kind of, like the last gasp for politics before people go for Christmas and New Year. But I think that's important because -- imagine you're going to be gathered with friends and family, and politics is obviously going to come up. And you're going to want to know like, who does Uncle Bob support or Aunt Kathy, whoever it might be. So I think that having a strong debate, no matter who you are is good. I also think that all of these campaigns, including in the undercard debate. They must have some sort of reason internally, for them to believe that they have a chance, at least somewhere in those early states. The national polls -- yeah, they're terrible for everybody, but Donald Trump, and maybe a little bit for Cruz and Rubio. But pretty much the national polls show Trump way, way ahead. But if you're somebody like Santorum or Huckabee, and you know that Iowa could be the place where you are able to have a foothold, I think maybe you figure a way to just kind of keep it going. I don't see them dropping out after this, even though they're in the undercard debate again at 6:00 p.m.
GUILFOYLE: OK, Greg?
GREG GUTFELD, CO-HOST: I'm really looking forward to the debate. It's a shame that it's not being televised, you can't find it anywhere. It's not -- it's all going to be oral legend. So I wouldn't bother looking for it, and maybe in any other cable network. Just keep it on Fox News, and we will let you know what we hear. You know.
GUILFOYLE: What a team player, nicely done.
GUTFELD: Thank you very much.
GUILFOYLE: All right.
GUTFELD: You bring up the most important point. Why are you there? And I will talk about this later, but it's about the events. Why this election is important? We saw today that you can paralyze the country with threats of terrorism. But right now, the left still sees terror as a sideshow. That Obama can barely contain his -- not disgust, but I guess his cynicism for legitimate concerns. So you can't trust them. You've got to trust the Republican Party to take the mantle as the only party that can handle national security. That is your reason for being there. So I think the person that states that most persuasively and clearly, will probably win the debate.
GUILFOYLE: That's an interesting prediction.
GUTFELD: Yes. That's my prediction.
GUILFOYLE: No, for the winner.
GUTFELD: Yeah, it's just a shame. No one will be able to see it on TV, though.
GUILFOYLE: I know -- oral legend?
GUTFELD: Yes, it is where -- all transmitted by oral legend.
PERINO: Until midnight, when I'm on live with Megyn Kelly.
GUTFELD: Exactly.
GUILFOYLE: Anybody else? Juan, where you gonna be?
JUAN WILLIAMS, CO-HOST: Well, I'll watch. I mean, the problem with this is, it's all about Trump. All of these debates to me have been about Donald Trump. He is so entertaining. That piece of tape that you played at the top, Kimberly, I mean is unbelievable. Is that - is he real, or is that someone playing Donald Trump? But it's Donald Trump. And he's saying, you know, the rest of you guys just go home. I mean, you know why bother? And, but when it comes to the attack and counterattack that we're talking about, you were saying he's a great counterpuncher, without a doubt, in a class by himself. So he's got bit in trouble this week for going after Cruz, right? So, not supposed to say anything about Cruz, you're not a real conservative, right? And then Cruz and Rubio have been going after each other. And I think that could be the main event tonight. I think those two battling out for the evangelical vote, the strong conservative vote, really is, what is the key element going towards January 1. And the start of what I think is the real contest. This is kind of you know the preliminaries, if you will. This is the last debate of the year for the republicans. I think the fifth overall that's been held. And what we see is that with terrorism, rising as a concern among republicans, and I say that very pointedly, because Greg, I think this is something that the candidates put out there to stir the republican base. Guess what, republicans are now concerned --
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: Let me finish. So republicans are now concerns, principally, with terrorism as they're concerned.
BOLLING: Let me.
GUTFELD: I think the terrorists put it out there.
GUILFOYLE: Yeah.
WILLIAMS: No, I don't.
(LAUGHTER)
BOLLING: Actually, Juan, you're half right. Your republicans are concerned about terror, but so are democrats now the.
WILLIAMS: Not to the extent of pew republicans.
BOLLING: That's true, but pew came out today and said, "In a brand new study, for the first time since 9/11 Americans, all Americans, you have government job -- the government has -- their job rating on terror is going negative, 52 negative, 46 percent positive. Very importantly though, all through this, though, both sides being polled, Obama and terror, it's -- it has a 37 percent approval rating, 57 percent disapproval rating. That's both sides.
WILLIAMS: Right. So I think what's dominating.
BOLLING: So it's not just republicans.
WILLIAMS: Look, what's -- everybody is watching these debates, by the way.
PERINO: Yeah.
WILLIAMS: These debates are getting bigger audiences than in the last two cycles, right, so and.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: But let me finish. Let me finish.
BOLLING: You just hung terror on republicans.
WILLIAMS: Let me finish.
BOLLING: Not just the American people, right?
WILLIAMS: I finish the point. So I think, right now, part of why these debates are capturing, not young people, but older people and republicans is the terror angle. And they are fascinated by it and the media keeps feeding people this kind of -- oh, you know, watch out for those terrorists.
GUILFOYLE: Actually.
GUTFELD: Yeah, you know, you're actually right. The media has said nothing about climate change.
WILLIAMS: Not much.
PERINO: On gun violence, though.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: In fact, has any republican congratulated anybody on the climate field, though.
GUILFOYLE: OK, but -- I think everybody does.
PERINO: I love it. I love how that.
(CROSSTALK)
PERINO: They're so offended but they didn't get -- congratulate.
GUTFELD: I think the climate deal was great.
GUILFOYLE: And by the way, the Fox News demo ratings.
GUTFELD: Nothing happens.
GUILFOYLE: For the debates were very good. So I beg to differ, 25 to 54 does care, at least when we're doing the debate. Now Trump has been going after Ted Cruz since his surge in the polls by Rush Limbaugh, thinks that it is a very bad idea.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: My question here about the way Trump has gone after Cruz here, calling him a maniac, refusing to work with people in the Senate -- that's a huge mistake for any of you who are holding out hope that Trump is a genuine conservative. Genuine conservative, even in the republican field would not go after Cruz this way. So that's, I just raise a red flag for me, made me somewhat curious.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUILFOYLE: And itchy.
(LAUGHTER)
GUILFOYLE: Meaning, hmm, that didn't fit too well with him. Does that surprise you, Juan? We'll take around.
WILLIAMS: You know, I was a little curious, because I was thinking now, what's Rush talking about. Why is it that you can't attack Cruz in this way if you're Donald Trump? And I guess that he's saying, we should, you shouldn't mention it or something. I don't -- I wasn't clear. What did you think, Eric? I don't know.
BOLLING: I understand what Rush is saying here. If you have Trump was polling 38 percent and Cruz at 15 percent. You have 53 percent of the vote right there between the two of them. Why would you do that? Why not just let it sit. But as Donald Trump said, from the very beginning, "if you take a shot at me, I'm going to hit you back harder. Remember, I'm gonna."
WILLIAMS: Yeah.
BOLLING: "I will win that." And so maybe he's showing the rest of the field that.
WILLIAMS: Oh, you mean so it's a tactical thing or not a substance thing?
BOLLING: You mean Donald Trump?
WILLIAMS: No, what Rush is saying.
BOLLING: Would not to -- not to attack -- look, I think anyone who questions what Donald Trump has done or is doing has been proven wrong for three months now.
GUILFOYLE: All right, Dana, what do you think?
PERINO: Well, I do find it curious that Cruz is the only one that gets the protection of Rush Limbaugh, if you say you're a conservative. I mean, Trump has had no problem trashing all sorts of conservatives, the people who would self-describe as a conservative. And I think, maybe one of the things that they're starting to worry like, oh, maybe Trump isn't as solid a conservative as we thought. We've been, you know, talking about him for six months and he's getting up there, and now they kind of like, oh wait, maybe we like Cruz. I didn't understand it. I think it's been unfair to a lot of people, including most of the people that are on that stage -- for several months.
GUILFOYLE: You know what's interesting and to tag back to something we were talking about earlier, the Rubio/Cruz fighting, tearing at each other. I actually think benefits Jeb Bush and maybe even Christie, because they're kind of like waiting, hanging out, waiting to pick up some points and Jeb.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: But do you think -- I don't see that evangelicals would go to Christie or Bush. Do you think?
GUILFOYLE: Let's see. It depends on what the ultimate choices are. Hillary Clinton?
WILLIAMS: No.
GUTFELD: In this Rush versus Trump thing, they're actually both correct. Rush is signaling something to the conservative base that if Trump does to a -- what he calls a genuine conservative. That's the phrase that he uses. What's to come in a Trump presidency? And actually, Rush has been right on this. Trump changes his mind a lot. His idea -- he's not ideological, and principles often get tossed if he finds that they don't work to his benefit. That's what he does. And he's also -- and look, he's for ethanol, you know. He's for eminent domain. Rush said it before, he's not a conservative. Trump, however is right by hitting Cruz, he -- he tests the reaction of the base. You know, he's basically saying if you're OK with me insulting these people, what if I go after you? And what you saw, you saw entire, all the talk radio giants going after Trump for this. So suddenly, he crossed the line after making fun of a POW, and making fun of a woman's face and making fun of a disabled guy, but now you've crossed the line. I say good for Trump. I salute him for doing this, for going after -- for going after Cruz and saying you know what, no one is immune from the Trump.
GUILFOYLE: Well, that was interesting.
PERINO: OK.
GUTFELD: What do you mean? I'm saying.
GUILFOYLE: From the Trump.
GUTFELD: You understand what I'm talking about?
GUILFOYLE: I do.
(CROSSTALK)
BOLLING: But that's pretty much been the case for the four -- three or four months since he declared. I mean, you're right. He hasn't going after Ted Cruz, but he warned him. He said to Cruz.
GUTFELD: Yeah.
BOLLING: Don't go after me, you don't want this.
GUTFELD: I think it was -- I guess it was commenting more on the people who have remained silent.
BOLLING: Yeah.
GUTFELD: Who have remained silent when - a guy who was a POW, I mean who denied his own exit because he felt it was wrong, was still call, you know called names. Still kind of gets me.
GUILFOYLE: Yeah.
WILLIAMS: But it's like.
GUILFOYLE: When you said like the Trump, I was thinking like the rock. No one is immune from the Trump. That's the.
GUTFELD: Yeah. But if your litmus test for Grace is that person on your team, is that right?
WILLIAMS: Well, that's why, that's why Trump went after Cruz. He said this guy doesn't.
GUTFELD: Yes.
WILLIAMS: Work well with the Congress
GUTFELD: Right.
WILLIAMS: Right? And he said he's not going to get.
GUILFOYLE: Right.
WILLIAMS: Anything done. And then Limbaugh comes back and says.
GUILFOYLE: All right, yeah.
WILLIAMS: Oh, you're not -- a real conservative wouldn't go after someone who is challenging the.
(CROSSTALK)
GUTFELD: They're both right.
PERINO: That Trump is right on that.
GUILFOYLE: Right.
WILLIAMS: Yeah, right. Well, that's what I would think.
(CROSSTALK)
GUILFOYLE: Let's see who is right at this table.
GUTFELD: They're both white.
GUILFOYLE: Tomorrow, when we review all this. Is everyone at this table going to be right?
(CROSSTALK)
GUILFOYLE: Chris Christie is sounding an alarm ahead of tonight's debate. He said, "show time is over," he calls to get serious when "The Five" returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GUTFELD: Chris Christie says tonight is the night to get serious. It's like the hometown date on "The Bachelor," but with too many homies.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS CHRISTIE, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When I get to the Oval Office, I'm not going to sit in that chair, spin around and go gee whiz, isn't it great to be president. Isn't this cool? It's not time to bring some amateur and put them behind that desk. It's too serious. It's too important. So it's time. It's time to have a serious conversation over the next seven weeks, about who's going to be the next president of the United States. Who is ready.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUTFELD: Hmm. Christie implies that no one was taking it seriously before. True, most people watched the debates because it's fun. And why not, its star is a bonafide celebrity, an unpredictable chap who's prone to shock. That's why nearly 70 percent of the American public have already tuned in to parts of it.
But it's time to listen to all the candidates. Seek specifics, not slogans, persuasiveness, not platitudes. And please, candidates, can some of you go home? Seriously, what if we promised you a talk show?
Now the previous debates have been informative but misleading. Where we think we're choosing the leader, but what chooses a leader are events, like Paris or San Bernardino. It's why President Obama evaporated like a puddle in a Florida parking lot. He's a man out of time for the world has moved on to an adult era and he's alone, a sullen windsock, his legacy gone limp.
Events call for a serious person who gets national security and terror. Don't look to the Dems. For progressives see their world as a mall, each store an identity or grievance that exists independently. If one of those stores closes, another one will open up. It can go on forever and ever. Conservatives however, see life as a skyscraper, and the base of that tower -- national security, and all other issues or floors rely on that. Remove that base, the tower collapses. We don't need another one of those.
So Dana, Christie is basically saying the casual dating is over. It's time to give out a rose, that's for the women at home.
PERINO: Oh, we've gone on from dating, I said they're trying on the dresses.
GUTFELD: Yes.
PERINO: I think that -- people are.
GUTFELD: Answer the question you want to answer.
PERINO: I am -- I was.
(LAUGHTER)
PERINO: I had an idea.
GUTFELD: Yes, OK.
PERINO: So couple of things on -- one of the things I think Trump can do tonight -- Christie, when he's saying that you can't send an amateur into the Oval Office, I think that he is suggesting that the amateur would be Donald Trump. I don't know who else he would be -- maybe Carson.
GUTFELD: It could be Ben Carson.
PERINO: Maybe Fiorina. But basically, he is saying, you have to ask somebody who is tried and tested and true. I think there's something than missing, and I think it's what -- you cannot win this primary or the election without -- by a complete anti-establishment vote. At some point, if you are the anti-establishment candidate you have to appeal to some people who would be called establishment -- so that you can you try to win. I think something that Trump could do tonight, there would be something that Cruz could not do with confidence, I don't think it's to say to all republicans out there that if you're running for office and you're in the down tickets, or if you're running for House, Senate, State House -- I will help you. And try to -- not just show like an olive branch to them, but to say, I am committing to you right now that I am running for president and I will try to help you in the office. I don't know if he would want to do that, but I think it would actually be pretty effective and it would be hurtful to somebody like Ted Cruz who is seen by many of the establishment candidates that ran in 2014 to have been hurt by him.
GUTFELD: Hmm, interesting. You know Eric, this new Fox Poll -- I believe its Fox News, I never can tell these days, so many polls. National security and terrorism ranks as the number one concern, 40 percent -- there it is, up there, national security and terrorism. Is this another area where Trump could probably hit Cruz, because Cruz you know was against the NSA programs, whereas Trump is for every security.
BOLLING: I just think he would --
GUTFELD: Yes.
BOLLING: He would -- yeah. He would want to -- and I think Chris Christie will jump on board with Donald Trump, in that respect as well. And that might just, but put Ted Cruz on a bit of an island. There was a 60 minute piece a couple of weeks ago, about a Russian double agent. He came over here. He ended up wanting to stay here. He fell in love, had a family here. He wanted, ended up staying here and he said, "I was trying to figure out a way to make the Russians not want to kill me, either here or if I went back." And he said, "Here's what I do -- decided to do. I decided to tell them I had AIDS." He said. The thing about Russia in the '80s -- and this guy was in the '80s, he said Russia in the '80s, they're afraid of two things. They're afraid of AIDS and Ronald Reagan. And the point being -- remember Ronald Reagan, he was an untested entity. I know he was a governor of California. I get that, but no one knew what his foreign policy was. But there was a perception around the world of, "don't mess with this guy." This guy will kill us if you tick him off enough. Donald Trump needs to continue that kind of rhetoric. Needs to --let the -- keep every other leader in the world not knowing whether or not he's going to drop the bomb on them, bomb the S out of them or what. Keep on the heels. I think that's.
GUTFELD: So you compare Trump to AIDS?
(LAUGHTER)
BOLLING: No, it's to Reagan.
(LAUGHTER)
GUTFELD: Oh my, God. We want to make sure for the audience.
(CROSSTALK)
GUTFELD: Audience at home that you're comparing Trump.
WILLIAMS: Oh my, gosh.
GUTFELD: To a president and not to a deadly disease -- Juan, thoughts?
WILLIAMS: Well, you know, the only guy who says that he has real experience in dealing with the preoccupation of terrorism is Chris Christie. He says that as the governor of New Jersey he actually had to deal with it. So he's not just going after Trump and Carson, he's also going after Rubio. He's going after Cruz. He's going after people like Rand Paul. He's going after all of those first-term senators and saying you know what, you guys talk a game. But I've been there and you're saying, if you really care about battling terrorism, I'm the guy that can show you where I have experience. Remember, his whole campaign at this point rests on New Hampshire. He's doing pretty well there. Look for him to be the surprise tonight.
GUTFELD: All right, Kimberly?
GUILFOYLE: I mean -- yeah, look at this, though. It's all about who's going to have the best voice as it relates to foreign policy and national security, especially with schools getting shutdown today. That's fresh on everybody's mind. Now I think children are in play, the whole thing. So whoever can articulate that message and how -- I hate to say it, but its great sound bites and great moments. So look for good debaters, like Rubio and Cruz. Trump, if he gets an opportunity. But anybody is at game tonight to be able to do that, whether it's Jeb, Christie, et cetera. This is one of the most pivotal points so far, I think, in this campaign and who's going to be able to stand out from the rest. Carson has to have a great night, too because this is the one thing they were worried about with him.
GUTFELD: You're absolutely right and he's a smoke by the time he goes. So where are the democratic candidates?
PERINO: Save by the (inaudible).
GUTFELD: Yeah. Their next debate is once again, buried on a Saturday. What's wrong with a Saturday? The hunt for Hillary, ahead.
(LAUGHTER)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLLING: The GOP race has dominated the headlines, and if you've been wondering what happened to the Democratic candidates, including Hillary Clinton, you aren't alone. So is Stephen Colbert.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST, CBS'S "THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT": Even though she is the presumptive Democratic nominee, these days she's harder to find than her emails.
Their next debate is on CNN, December 19, the Saturday before Christmas, otherwise known as the TV scheduling phantom zone. The only ones watching will be people stranded at the airport, weeping into their Panda Express.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLLING: As long as the media isn't talking about her emails, Hillary Clinton must be a happy camper with this scant coverage. The secretary did just resurface with a speech in Minneapolis to showcase her counterterror strategy. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We can't afford another major ground war in the Middle East. That's exactly what ISIS wants from us. It will require more U.S. and allied air power and a broader target set for strikes by planes and drones with proper safeguards. It will require Special Operations units to advise and train local forces, and conduct key counterterrorism missions.
What it will not require is tens of thousands of American combat troops. That is not the right action for us to take in this situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLLING: But with tonight's big Republican debate, that speech won't be what everyone is talking about tomorrow.
Dana, did you hear her say, "We can't basically get rid of ISIS, because that's what they really want us to do"?
PERINO: I am so tired of the "That's what ISIS really wants." Because I don't care what ISIS wants. I care what we want. I think that's what American people are looking for. Like, OK, what are you going to do about it?
And you were secretary of state. What was your record? And now President Obama has -- what did you say -- 37 percent approval rating on fighting terror.
BOLLING: Thirty-seven.
PERINO: Thirty-seven percent. OK, so...
BOLLING: Fifty-seven disapproval.
PERINO: That's not good. So what are you going to do, Hillary Clinton, that would be different from what Barack Obama would do?
Democrats are very smart. They've hid all of these debates at times when nobody is going to see them. But it kind of doesn't matter, because she's going to be the nominee.
BOLLING: What's -- Greg, come on, Saturday night.
GUTFELD: It's like doing homework on your vacation or bringing work to the beach. Only weird people...
PERINO: I do that.
GUTFELD: Anyway, OK, let's -- we've got -- we have a hypocrisy alert here. We have "The Five" on FOX News asking, "Where is the Hillary coverage?" That's like asking -- going to a monastery and asking where the women are.
I mean, we are the cable news chefs serving up the menu, and the menu is all-you-can-eat Trump, 24-7. There's Trump stew; there's Trump soup; there's Trump stir fry.
GUILFOYLE: She's not doing anything.
GUTFELD: But she -- you know, but you're right. And it's dangerous, because we're living in a time where terror is being married to technology. And you have a person who cannot handle her email. She treats her email like coupons for a nail salon. Plus, her chief aide is married to Anthony Wiener. I mean, these are not careful people.
BOLLING: I would...
GUTFELD: I wouldn't support his boss (ph) and her policy.
BOLLING: I would be willing to bet, if the DNC gave FOX News a Democrat debate...
GUTFELD: Yes.
BOLLING: ... we would air it, and it wouldn't be on a Saturday night, I'm guessing.
PERINO: and it would rate.
WILLIAMS: It would rate out of the ceiling. I've made this case. But you know, they don't like FOX. What are you going to say? But I will say...
GUTFELD: They're FOXists.
WILLIAMS: They're FOXists. But of course, FOX, as you were pointing out, is oftentimes very hostile. So...
PERINO: No.
GUILFOYLE: No.
PERINO: Even then (ph), Juan.
(CROSSTALK)
GUTFELD: I did not say that. Juan put words in my mouth.
WILLIAMS: But I will say this. Hillary's position in this speech in Minneapolis, two things to say. One is the setting, Minneapolis; lots of Somalis, right, and lots of concern about home-grown terror. So she picks Minneapolis.
Second thing to say is she is more hawkish than Obama, but it not by -- you know, it's an interesting mix. Because she wants to be very clear to the general election audience that, if you have concerns that Eric was talking about in those polls, where, you know, 37 percent, I think is approval for Obama...
BOLLING: Thirty-seven approval, 57 seven...
WILLIAMS: That she -- that she gives you reason to say, "You know what? She's tougher than Obama. And I can like her, and she's going to do more."
But what is the difference? It's not troops on the ground. It's a little bit more in terms of the no-fly zone and the special...
BOLLING: Look that way, because Kimberly is going to respond.
GUILFOYLE: And again, what about any accomplishments? I mean, why would we trust her with anything? She cannot even, like, function and operate the device. She's done a better job so far being the spokesperson for what ISIS wants than what the American people need. And that's all I've got to say.
BOLLING: All right. We'll leave it right there.
Next, a bomb scare in Los Angeles kept more than 640,000 kids home from school today. City officials are defending the shutdown. But did they go too far? That's next on "The Five."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PERINO: Well, everything is OK in Los Angeles, but today there was a big scare there that led to the shutdown of all the city's public schools. More than half a million students were told to stay home after a school board member received a threat by email. New York City said it received the same threat but had already dismissed it as a hoax.
Los Angeles's superintendent doesn't regret the decision, saying it was made out of an abundance of caution, but New York's police chief thinks it was an overreaction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COMMISSIONER BILL BRATTON, NYPD: We cannot allow ourselves to raise levels of fear, certainly raise levels of awareness. But this is not a credible threat and not one that requires any action on our part similar to what my understanding is, the school system in Los Angeles took.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PERINO: The chief of the LAPD had this to say to him and others.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF CHARLIE BECK, LAPD: I would say this to people that are critical: It is very easy in hindsight to criticize a decision based on results that the decider could never have known. It's also very easy to criticize a decision when you have no responsibility for the outcome of that decision.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PERINO: All right. If I put myself in his shoes, Eric, I don't know what I would have done. I can understand the abundance of caution, but I do see Bratton's point, as well.
BOLLING: I think -- and I know this didn't happen, but it doesn't seem like it did, based on all the going back and forth. But if I were the LAPD or the police chief or the superintendent, I would have gotten on the phone with the major cities of the country, saying, "Hey, did you get anything like this? And if you did, what are you making of it?"
It feels like L.A. got it. They didn't call New York. New York had already -- had seen this and said, "We're not going to act on it." This apparently happened last night, too. They received the initial threat. And then they just went ahead and made the decision on their own, independent of anyone else.
Remember, in what's the congresswoman from California who was on TV today? He actually saw the email, and he said, "This is -- these are supposed to be Islamic fundamentalists, and they had a small "A" for Allah in the subject line. They also referenced a sexual body part, which didn't -- was inconsistent, and said there was 32 accomplices.
So there were a lot of loose ends to the email. The threat, I just think they would have asked some other cities what they were doing first before they literally locked down education.
WILLIAMS: Keep in mind, San Bernardino is, in my experience, is like 60 miles -- 60 miles from L.A., so I think there's a higher level of anxiety, maybe, right now in officials in that area.
And the second thing to say is, you know, the whole country is at the moment, given what's happened recently in Paris and San Bernardino, a little anxious, and I think Bratton was exactly right. Unless you've got something -- we've hardened targets. It's tougher to do it.
BOLLING: Bratton is right or L.A. is right?
WILLIAMS: No. I understand. I think -- I think they both made the right decision. I mean, if it was up to me, I just don't react to hysteria. I just think the hysteria is overblown.
PERINO: What do you think, Kimberly?
GUILFOYLE: I think that L.A. shut it down because of, you know, Syed's threats and what they had uncovered on their account. I think that gave some credence to it. And also there's a history of al Qaeda targeting schools. And so some of the, you know, terror connections in the nexus that goes back to the attack that happened in San Bernardino. You would hate to be wrong on this one.
PERINO: I agree. What do you think?
GUTFELD: Culprit is trigonometry. You know there was a tough test somewhere. And the guy said, "If we make a wide threat, they can't pin it on our school."
If you played it safe, you get criticized. If you don't play it safe, you get criticized, because if something were to happen. So...
GUILFOYLE: Catch-22.
GUTFELD: Yes. In my view, you've got to play it safe and save lives rather than not shut it down and watch people die.
This raises the point about terror. And that is terror requires a very small investment. Preventing terror and dealing with terror is a life-long commitment. And this is perfect. All it takes is an email to create 700,000 people basically having to change their lives. That's the reality.
PERINO: Not only that, but Kimberly, they're going to do a sweep of the 900 schools. I mean, how much personnel does that take?
GUILFOYLE: Over time, cost, the whole thing. Yes, you add it up, and it's going to be big bucks. But again, I think because they didn't look at this in a vacuum. They looked at it in light of what happened in San Bernardino.
BOLLING: So are we going to say New York was negligent? They should have shut the place down?
GUILFOYLE: You know...
BOLLING: They got the same threat, Juan.
WILLIAMS: No, but you know what?
BOLLING: The same exact threat. The same email.
WILLIAMS: The same email, but they made, I think, the right decision. They saw the flaws in the email that you described earlier.
BOLLING: How can one be right and one be wrong?
GUILFOYLE: I think because of San Bernardino. Because of Tashfeen Malik and Syed Farook had specifically photographed a Rialto High School in San Bernardino. And you couple that with, yes, bad grammar on this other email. And they say, well, you know what? There might be a little more legs to this one. New York didn't have that same kind of...
GUTFELD: Can I just add, and the scary part is this could all just be a test.
BOLLING: Of course.
GUTFELD: It could be a test.
WILLIAMS: This is what Bratton said. Bratton said this was intended to scare people. And it's a demonstration of the power that we give the terrorists if we react to everything in this way. I think at some point you have to take some responsibility. And clearly, Bratton and the other officials in New York would have had to pay the price if anything had happened.
GUTFELD: Yes.
WILLIAMS: They made a tough call.
PERINO: We have to trust your local officials. That's why they are called local.
All right. Ahead we return to tonight's GOP debate in Vegas, our predictions and bites -- that will be good -- for the candidates.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WILLIAMS: Some final thoughts now ahead of tonight's fifth GOP debate. What we'd like to hear as well as our predictions. So let's begin with Ms. Guilfoyle.
GUILFOYLE: Like the song, and I like a strong leader. I want to hear from somebody tonight that has a real vision for the country that shows some strength and specifics as it relates to national security. That has a real answer and resolve to permanently put ISIS out of business. I want to hear that tonight. I'm looking for it.
WILLIAMS: Eric, this is the first debate, as we said, after California, after Paris and also after Donald Trump said bar all Muslims. What do you think? Is that going to come up?
BOLLING: Yes. I would assume that that will come up and maybe...
GUTFELD: Raise your hand.
BOLLING: Wants to bar all Muslims. Yes, but the very interesting thing is that -- and you guys nailed this. I thought -- I thought this was election was going to be on jobs and the economy. That 23 percent number pales in comparison to the 40 percent national security and terror that you guys said was going to be the big issue in the election and the debate.
PERINO: Wish it wasn't so.
BOLLING: It's true, and you are so right about this being the last big debate before people go home and spend some time and talk about politics, wow. This is big, big.
WILLIAMS: So Dana, I was just looking at some of the numbers. Trump is plus 6 since November. Now up to 38 in the "Washington Post" poll. Cruz is plus 7, up to 15. Rubio is plus 1. He's up to 12. But Ben Carson is down 10 and looks like, you know, in the land of no return.
PERINO: It does. And so this is what I would like to see. I want someone to take a risk, right? No risk, no reward. So...
GUTFELD: Did you just come up with that?
PERINO: I say it all the time. Right? Like before you would prep a politician, or the president, for an interview, they say it's a big one. It's a mistake. If you don't risk doing an interview, like, this high- profile, you're not going to get any possible reward.
What I would say tonight with the candidates is no talking points. Strip off the masks. Stop listening to your consultants. Go into a room by yourself and say how would I want to explain this to my best friend or to my neighbor, and talk to us like that, rather than to your consultants or to your fundraisers. Just, like, be yourself. I think authenticity can be spotted a mile away, and if you're inauthentic, that's also something that's a huge red flag for me; and I would write you off before Christmas.
WILLIAMS: All right. So Greg, I mentioned Carson in a slide. Jeb Bush is just kind of down there percolating at a very low level. Some people say, "You know what? You've got to get tough. You've got to get hard. You've got to turn up the volume." The whole idea is break out now.
GUTFELD: You know what I say, Juan? I say it all the time. Go big or go home.
PERINO: Did you just make that up?
GUTFELD: I just made that up. Yes, I just made it up. it's actually on a shirt.
PERINO: But how do you go big?
BOLLING: Oh!
WILLIAMS: Oh!
GUILFOYLE: Oh, my God! Broken up for sure.
GUTFELD: Yes, yes, yes. I can't even respond to that without getting in trouble. So I won't. There are a variety of medications.
GUILFOYLE: Oh! Terrible.
GUTFELD: I think it's -- I think it's going to be exciting. I think you're right, though. There's some people have to break out, and if you're not going to break out, then you should go home. Like if you can't do it now, then you've got to look in the mirror and go, you know, "Maybe it's time, because is this helpful?" I mean...
WILLIAMS: Yes. It's helpful -- it's helpful if you're trying to sell a book or make a TV show.
PERINO: No, that's gross. If I see any of that, I'm walking.
GUTFELD: All right.
WILLIAMS: All right. "One More Thing" up next.
GUILFOYLE: Where are you walking?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GUILFOYLE: It's time now for "One More Thing" -- Greg, yes?
GUTFELD: Yes, time for this thing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GUTFELD: Greg's Secrets to Happiness.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUTFELD: You know, when you're watching the debate can be very stressful. And there's a lot of research out there now that shows the best way to reduce stress is to pet a small animal like a dog or a cat. In this case, Down Under as they call it, this kangaroo found his relaxation in the soft belly of a cat. Or actually, that's...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(KANGAROO LICKING CAT)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUILFOYLE: Eww! Is it licking it? Is it alive?
GUTFELD: Yes, it's alive. It's just a very friendly, intimate relationship we're watching. And I think it's -- I think we're intruding on it. But I told you this would happen after gay marriage.
PERINO: Yes.
GUTFELD: I told you.
PERINO: You warned us.
GUTFELD: I know. Cats and kangaroos.
PERINO: Are you sure that cat's alive?
GUILFOYLE: Is that it's face? I can't see.
GUTFELD: Enough.
GUILFOYLE: I don't know about that one. I'm on the fence about that. But I have a better one. Let's show this guy some love. The shirtless wonder. Over a million views of this guy. Take a look at this. This is Ethan Reno, now known as the shirtless wonder. And the Chicago reporter is interviewing him. Look at this hottie.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ETHAN RENO, SHIRTLESS JOGGER: Too wet to wear a shirt, you know? I love running in the rain. And I'm also single, so...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUILFOYLE: So he got 900 friend requests, all the ladies, you know, want to go out with him. And interestingly, my producer, Sean O'Rourke picked this and wrote, "Awww, nothing better than a hunky, shirtless jogger making a pitch for love."
Thanks, Sean.
GUTFELD: I don't know if I'd want to be called a viral hit.
GUILFOYLE: As long as you are not contagious. Eric.
BOLLING: OK, so remember yesterday we talked about P.S. 169 in New York where the principal, Eujin Kim, decided there would be no more Christmas, a heritage festival instead of Thanksgiving, and the pledge was not being said.
Well, today, she reversed that. Apparently, the pledge was said over the loudspeaker. It is back. And the -- Principal Kim said, "I apologize for any confusion this may have caused."
GUILFOYLE: Yes!
BOLLING: End of story. Right away.
GUILFOYLE: Why?
BOLLING: Thanks to "FOX and Friends."
GUILFOYLE: OK. OK, Cool.
Dana.
PERINO: I had some sad news. My friend, Liz Laats, passed away yesterday. She had a valiant fight against ovarian cancer for five years. She was 45 years old.
I really learned as much about life from her as I did from Tony Snow, who also battled cancer. She has three kids. Margot is 12. Gwen is 10. Drew is 8. She is also survived by her husband, Andy Laats.
She was a strong supporter of something -- this is what I wanted to do this for. It's called the Clarity Foundation. And we're going to have some information on the Facebook page for that. She gave a speech at their event in San Diego in March. Of course, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. I actually got a chance to watch it this morning. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIZ LAATS, FRIEND OF DANA PERINO: I have done more in this life than I've ever imagined. I am not lying to you when I tell you that I married the man of my dreams, and I have three great kids.
I want for nothing. So didn't feel like I needed help until now. I've changed my mind. Not just for me, for the thousands of women who are struggling with this disease.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PERINO: So there are many people who do struggle with ovarian cancer. If you need help or your family does, check out Clarity Foundation, you know, in response for Liz's great life. And she'll be missed.
GUILFOYLE: It's a wonderful tribute.
WILLIAMS: How did you know her?
PERINO: She was my best friend in San Diego.
WILLIAMS: Well, God bless her.
You know, and this Christmas season, that's a tough one.
GUILFOYLE: It really is.
WILLIAMS: It really is.
GUILFOYLE: You know the importance of early detection and getting -- anything you can do. Because that's a tough one to catch in time. So bless you.
WILLIAMS: All right.
Well, so, last night, I'm watching the football game. Eric wouldn't come over. But in the midst of the game, guess what happens? Look at this. This is unbelievable to me. Sixty-nine-year-old Tom Coughlin crunched by his own cornerback.
And guess what? That 69-year-old guy, he got right back up. How, that's a tough coach. In fact, one of his players said he practiced what he preaches in the locker room, which is be tough, be resilient, get your butt back up. My dad used to tell me that.
GUTFELD: In the locker room he says that?
WILLIAMS: Hey.
BOLLING: Giants won and they're now tied.
WILLIAMS: And what about -- what about the Cowboy bus (ph), right?
GUILFOYLE: Set your DVR so you never miss an episode of "The Five." That's it for us. "Special Report" next.
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