Published February 11, 2019
This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," February 11, 2019. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: Welcome to "Hannity."
We start tonight with the FOX News alert. A conference committee has apparently reached an agreement in principle on a budget bill to fund the border wall. It would still need the president's approval. Very dubious of this based on some details. I'll bring you in just a moment.
We'll also have more details as they become available, as you can see in El Paso, Texas, President Trump only moments away from taking the stage. As this life-death fight over border security appears to be making some progress. We're going to take you live to the president's speech as soon as that happens.
But first, set the stage with our "Hannity" watch on the very wall negotiations that have been ongoing. Now, for days, Democrats, they have been up to their old tricks, once again playing politics trying to torpedo border security talks with what is an outrageous demand actually aimed -- think about this -- at curtailing the effectiveness of ICE. We know they want to abolish it in the end. But over the weekend, we learned Democratic negotiators -- look at this -- they were pushing for an arbitrary cap on the number of illegal immigrants that ICE would be allowed to detain at one time.
And the Democrats, they wanted to set the cap at only 16,500 individuals. In other words, if capacity exceeds that number for any reason, unvetted, unverified, undocumented illegal immigrants would essentially pour free into United States and border enforcement would be powerless to stop them, even criminals. Those with violent track records, gang ties, cartel ties would all be free to enter the country illegally and not face any kind of immigration detention.
Now, keep in mind, look at the last two years alone, 266,000 arrests of criminal aliens have been carried out, including 100,000 assault charges, 30,000 sex crimes charges, 4,000 murder, homicide charges. And as we speak, nearly 180,000 illegal immigrants live right here in the U.S., including some of those violent felons. They are already facing removal orders.
But Democrats, they want to cap ICE detention at 16,500. Well, that is insane because let's 16,501, what if it turned out to be a murderer, a rapist, part of a drug cartel?
As President Trump, he's been calling for more funding, more resources, more security, to tackle the scourge of drugs, gang violence, human trafficking, sex trafficking of the young girls and more Democrats seem content which trying to make the border security what? More difficult?
Now, look, the president is fighting this as it is, a life-and-death issue. This is about your family's safety and security first.
Democrats once again playing just pure politics. It's pretty outrageous. They seem to hate Donald Trump. That is more important to them based on their actions than your security, your family security, more important than DACA, Dreamers, even furloughed employees that they claim to care so much about.
You know, these are the things they say they wanted. Just a few short years ago, in Obama's second term. They were advocating the same policies Donald Trump is now pushing hard for.
As Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell put it in the Democratic Party, the radicals, as I've been saying the radical extremist new socialist Democratic Party, they're running the show. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: This is a poison pill that no administration, not this one, not the previous one, would or should ever accept. Imagine the absurdity of this. The House Democrats want to set a limit on how many criminal aliens our government can detain. This is where some Democrats are. A get-out-of-jail-free card for criminals because the radical left doesn't like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Now, for months, we told you the radical extreme left has consumed the Democratic Party. Now we're watching what? Open borders. That agenda play out in real time. They want to eliminate ICE.
But Americans now are waking up and waking up very, very quickly and seeing how extreme this new Democratic Socialist party is.
Now, the president's approval rating, look at this -- his highest point in two years. Look after the State of the Union, "CBS Evening News" poll, 72 percent of the American people approved of the president's State of the Union remarks about immigration.
So, by the way, if you are Republican, especially in the Senate -- we'll talk to Lindsey Graham tonight -- you know, it's time to take a stand. Do your job and actually fulfill your promises and stop being so afraid of ever being courageous. Keep your promises to the American people.
You know, we will see, because if they did that, we'd be safer as more details about this compromise become available. Here is the bottom line. If you are a Republican senator or House member and you are too weak to stake a stand, then it's probably time for you to retire. Go home. Let somebody who is willing to fight take your place.
And if Democrats, if they continue to stonewall, play politics with the national security, drugs coming in the country in this brand new deal that we'll find out more about, the president will have no choice, he will veto this and declare a national emergency. Why? Because as commander-in- chief, the president has a lot of perfectly legal options for building the wall, including look at this, 10 USC 284. That gives the president authority to complete the, quote, construction of roads, and fences, and installation of lighting to drop drug smuggling corridors across the international boundaries of the United States.
By the way, the fence can be defined a million ways. And, of course, the primary smuggling corridors into the U.S. are right there at our southern border. That's where 90 percent of the heroin in this country comes from, those borders. And that means that helps put an end to the opioid epidemic in the country.
So, tonight, Congress has two options. They do the jobs. They agree on a compromise that doesn't weaken border security or they can do nothing. And they can get left behind, because the wall, predict, is going to be funded and going to be built. I believe the president is unrelenting, tenacious and is doing everything and will do everything in his power to keep his promise, get this done, even declaring a national emergency, which may even happen this week. If that's what it takes, fine. That's what it takes.
He took an oath to protect this country. Do you not want to be protected and more secure? Do we want to stop the cartels, the gangs, MS-13, human traffickers, drug traffickers, those that we haven't vetted that may bring harm to our fellow Americans? And we look forward to seeing what this agreement entails. I'm very dubious.
And also, of course, when the far left radicals inside the Democratic Party when they are calling the shots, like Congresswoman Omar, well, negotiations are probably likely to break down. Remember when she publicly accused border security officials of torturing refugees or when the first caravan came and you have border patrol having to use tear gas to protect themselves from rocks and bottles being thrown at them? Remember, they were accused of gassing children?
Well, tonight in our "Hannity" watch on the extreme socialist Democratic Party, we are seeing yet another sad extreme chapter unfolding before our eyes again surrounding Congresswoman Omar. For a group that constantly tries to claim the moral high ground on everything, now the Democratic modern extreme radical party has an anti-Semitism that is now running amok inside the party.
Look at this over the weekend. Omar was lampooned for a series of anti- Semitic tweets pushing a conspiracy theory, quote, that: Jewish money was behind support for America's closest ally in the Middle East, the only democracy there. She tweeted that it was, quote, all about the Benjamins.
Now, after some pressure from some inside her own party, she is, quote, apologizing for offending Jewish-Americans.
But the problem is this is nothing new. They know who she is. They know what she has said in the past. She's been totally obsessed with hating Israel for a long time. Once tweeting no apology, Israel hypnotized the world. May Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel.
And sadly, Omar is not the only Democrat with anti-Semitic ties. In 2006, her colleague Congresswoman Tlaib authored an op-ed for the Nation of Islam's publication called "The Final Call." Remember, this is Louis Farrakhan's paper. And Farrakhan frequently refers to Jews as Satanic, termites and worse. Also once said that Hitler was a very great man and the Jews were responsible for 9/11.
This is a sick, ugly, despicable anti-Semite. And those that write for the paper and associating with him like Congresswoman Tlaib, well, this is not a good look for a sitting congresswoman to start with. Now, it comes also as the other prominent Democrats are facing many of their own scandals involving race.
Look at the Commonwealth of Virginia. Disgraced Democratic Governor Ralph Northam, he is digging himself into an even deeper hole amid continued calls to step down following a racist yearbook photo and his admitted use of blackface in the '80s, and after vowing to stay in office to promote racial healing. Really?
Then the governor said this over the weekend when he was talking about Virginia's slave path. Listen closely to what he says.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. RALPH NORTHAM (D), VIRGINIA: If you look at Virginia's history, we are now at the 400-year anniversary. Just 90 miles from here in 1619, the first indentured servants from Africa landed on our shores in Old Point Comfort, what we call now Fort Monroe.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Also known as slavery.
NORTHAM: Yes.
And, you know, while we have made a lot of progress in Virginia, slavery has ended, schools have been desegregated, we have ended the Jim Crow laws, easier access to voting. It is abundantly clear that we still have a lot of work to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Now, Northam's remarks during this entire saga have shown his deep, deep disconnect with the people of his state who certainly deserve better. Indentured servants, really?
Unfortunately, the top three leaders in Virginia -- they are all embroiled in scandal. That includes the Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax. He is refusing to step down after two serious allegations of violent sexual misconduct. And in one case, he is accused of rape.
And, by the way, the person making the accusation has many people that she told at the time backing up her story. But staff members are reportedly now quitting, refusing to work for the embattled lieutenant governor.
By the way, where are all those "I believe, I believe, I believe" senators? We're going to keep you updated on the latest developments.
And, of course, the scandal in Virginia, it all started with Governor Northam's radical position where he actually advocated for out-and-outright infanticide. Remember, he said, well, first, we'll deliver the baby, make the baby comfortable, and then we'll let the mother decide if there is going to be any medical assistance for the baby. Really?
That bill legalizing abortion even during the birthing process, after nine full months. This is infanticide. Pretty sick stuff.
And tonight, that is only one in a long list of the radical positions of this new extreme radical Democratic socialist party, including many who are now running for the nomination to be president in 2020 for their party, which brings us tonight to the "Hannity" watch on the extreme 2020 Democrats.
We'll start with New Jersey Senator Spartacus, Cory Booker, comparing the green new deal to going to the moon and defeating the Nazis. And Booker is talking about Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's bizarre, horrific new piece of legislation.
Let's see. That would plan the end of consumption of fossil fuels in ten years. By the way, the planet is going to die in 12 years. What is the point?
And, by the way, and seriously, don't write off Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez and her grandiose plans. She is merely just saying and acting on what Democrats really believe but try and hide from you. Look at all of those Democrats now coming out in support of this, this "Green New Deal" which calls for no more oil, no more gas, no more fossil fuels of any kind. Not even any nuclear energy.
It doesn't stop there. This bill that would eliminate airplanes, gas powered automobiles and trucks, gas-powered ovens and stoves.
By the way, if you like steak. No more cows too, much flatulence. They emit CO2 emissions. No more cows. You better load up on the steak and put in a freezer.
And get this, her proposal also plans literally to remodel, rebuild and retrofit every single building in America to meet these insane new energy efficiency standards of hers. And it gets worse, according to her office: every American is guaranteed a job and a salary. By the way, whether or not they are willing to work or not, although they are trying to back down on that part of it.
We are talking about guaranteed healthcare, guaranteed jobs, guaranteed vacations, trillions and trillions of new taxes. Seventy percent tax rate is just the beginning for her. And for those of us who are willing and able to work -- well, but that is just one part of the Democrats' insane push to radicalism, this new platform.
Look at Elizabeth Warren, she wants a brand new tax on wealth. That means your savings. That is money that is already taxed. After you pay 50, 60 cents of every dollar, if you manage to save anything, she wants another bite at the apple.
By the way, 40 percent when you die. They want another bite at the apple. Another 10 percent if you live in New York. They want half again.
You pay to die in America. Senator Kamala Harris wants to end all private insurance, 187 million Americans wiped out of their private insurance. By the way, to put in place a government-run healthcare system called "Medicare for all."
Kirsten Gillibrand also says the same. No more private insurance. Listen. They are more socialist than the crazy cousin Bernie from Vermont.
And Senator Gillibrand also wants to completely abolish ICE as do others. This is the party of higher taxes, open borders, eliminating ICE, late-term abortion and government control of all industry and every aspect of your life. They are going to take away all of your insecurities and promise you healthcare and housing and daycare and college and a job and a vacation. OK.
And then they are going to nationalize the energy industry? How did that Obamacare thing work out? Keep your doctor, keep your plan and save less?
In other words they want to take capitalism, the very system that is the envy of the world, that is lifted more people out of poverty than any other system in history and flush it all down the toilet with no hope of ever getting it back, destroying the single best wealth-producing structure in the history of man.
Even poor people in America, compare them and their lives in most cases, if you're not homeless, do they have running water? Do they have toilets? Do they have kitchens? Do they have refrigerators? Freezers? Are they able to cook?
I have been to some of the poorest housing projects in America. I have been inside. So ask yourself. Are those values that will make America great? Are those values that will improve your life at all? Do you think anybody with money is going to stay here? They are going to leave like they are leaving New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and California in droves, tens and tens of thousands a year, 400,000 new residents in Texas and Florida. No state income tax.
All right. As you can see we are awaiting the president. Joining us now first, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham.
All right, Senator. Over the weekend they were going to cap to 16,500, the number of the people ICE can detain. We hear now there might be a breakthrough. I don't trust it. I don't believe it.
What do you know?
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I know the president will never sign a bill that caps fed space for violent offenders because that is crazy. It's dangerous. You will incentivize more illegal immigration.
The party, the Democratic Party doesn't want to build a wall. And apparently, if you come in the country legally and we catch you, they don't want to hold you. So other than that, they are in a good spot on border security.
HANNITY: OK. Do you know what this break -- quote, breakthrough is?
GRAHAM: No, I don't. But I know what cannot be in it. You can't have a cap on bed space. This is interior detention, when we catch you inside the country. There is bed spaces for people caught at the border. But if we catch you inside the country like in New York, MS-13 gangs, this is where we catch most of the criminals.
They get through the border. They get themselves integrated in the country. We have been deporting thousands of gang members. This would deny us the bed space to hold them until they are deported.
It is a dangerous concept. The president will not agree to it. To get more wall money to limit bed space is a bad, dangerous deal.
HANNITY: All right. Let's talk about the U.S. 284 which I was discussing earlier. The language is clear. I read the statue. It was pointed out to me by Senator Lee, your colleague, Mike Lee of Utah.
The language that I put up on the screen is crystal clear. The president has the right to do this, right?
GRAHAM: Yes. I mean, basically, we have allocated money to deal with the drug corridors. But there's also language in appropriation bill that you can move around $4 billion inside the Department of Defense in the discretion of the secretary and the president. So, there's well over $4 billion available to the president under current law, in addition to what the Congress will give him in this deal.
So I would assume they will take the money and the deal. It won't be enough. It will be well short of $5.7 million and do what we talked about to make up the difference between the appropriated amount and the $5.7 million.
HANNITY: The president by the way just stepped out. Not being introduced. He stepped out to the crowd. He is in El Paso, Texas.
Let me ask you this. Do you agree with me that based on the president's commitment to keep his promise he will use 284, the military, as he said today he is building the wall already. I believe he has no choice at this point.
Your thoughts? I believe he will do it in the next week.
GRAHAM: Number one, he has to do it because the need is real. The amount of money given will not be $5.7 billion, but it will be a down payment. He has to go find the money in other ways. He has to do it on his own. I think he will declare a national emergency because he needs to define this issue that way.
HANNITY: What do you make of the radical Democratic party we are seeing? The late-term abortion, high taxes, free distribution, free, free, free, free?
GRAHAM: Well, it's so free nobody can afford it.
Let's put it this way. Making America great again is a noble quest for any party. What they are trying to do is basically destroy America as we know it. America is great because you come from anywhere, and everywhere. You can be born in the back of a liquor store. You can wash dishes like you did and then have your own TV show.
They'll destroy innovation --
HANNITY: By the way, you were born in the back of a liquor store, so maybe people may not know that part of you.
GRAHAM: I was. And I'm the first in my family to go to college, and my mom and dad worked hard. We owned liquor store, a restaurant, a bar and poolroom. And every day, you went to work. And if you didn't get to work, you didn't get paid.
So, that's the America I grew up in. And that's the America I'd like to pass on. And if we don't win this election in 2020 --
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: I don't know, we've got to share stories. I was washing dishes every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. It wasn't a machine, by hand. That included pots and pans until 2:00 a.m. every Friday, Saturday, Sunday night.
Senator, the --
GRAHAM: You turned out pretty good.
HANNITY: -- president is about to take the podium. But you predict as I do, though, it will be a national emergency?
GRAHAM: I think he has to declare a national emergency. To my Republican colleagues, have his back on this. For God's sakes, have the president's back.
HANNITY: We need secure borders. The president is fighting for life and death, safety and security.
Let's go to El Paso, Texas.
TRUMP: Thank you very much, El Paso. Thank you very much.
(APPLAUSE)
Thank you. I am very, very thrilled to be here in the great state of Texas.
(APPLAUSE)
Right on the banks of the legendary Rio Grande, where by the end -- I don't know, you heard right? Today we started a big, beautiful wall right on the Rio Grande.
(APPLAUSE)
Right smack on the Rio Grande.
(APPLAUSE)
I love this state, and I love the people of this state. We've had a great romance together. You know that. Been a great romance.
(APPLAUSE)
And we're only getting stronger together. It's what's happening.
(APPLAUSE)
Wow, look at all the press back -- do you believe that?
(AUDIENCE BOOS)
This is like the Academy Awards used to be. Used to be. They've gone down a long ways since they started hitting us a little bit, right? They've gone down. That was a long -- that was a long fall. But there they are. Last week, I was honored to stand in the House chamber to deliver the State of the Union.
(APPLAUSE)
And I asked both parties to come together to choose greatness for America. Since taking office two years ago, our economy is now the hottest economy anywhere on Earth.
(APPLAUSE)
Our military, which desperately needed funding, we went $700 billion and $716 billion, is more powerful than ever before.
(APPLAUSE)
That was not a good situation. It was tired and depleted. Our great warriors were not taken care of. Now they're taken care of again the way they should be.
(APPLAUSE)
And America is winning again. Isn't that nice?
(APPLAUSE)
We're fighting for all Americans, from all backgrounds, of every age, race, religion, birth place, color, creed. We're fighting for ourselves. We're fighting for all Americans. And what is it? America first. Remember: It's America first.
(APPLAUSE)
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!
TRUMP: Our agenda is not a partisan agenda, although some people say it is. Every once in a while, it does become that way, right? It's a mainstream, commonsense agenda of the American people. It's where we want to be and where we want to go. And despite the fact that the media refuses to acknowledge what we've done and how well we're doing it.
(AUDIENCE BOOS)
A new poll just came out as I was coming on. And it shows -- I don't know how you can do this. I don't think I've had a good story in years.
(LAUGHTER)
I don't get good -- I used to get great press, until I decided to run for office.
(APPLAUSE)
And we have done together an incredible job. And a new poll just came out today. Rasmussen. One of the most respected polls. One of the polls that got the election right. So I have to remember that. You know what the number is? Fifty-two percent, with no good news!
(APPLAUSE)
Explain that. Explain that.
(APPLAUSE)
Explain that! How do you get that when you don't get good press? I guess 93 percent of the stories are negative. No matter what we do, they figure out a way to make it that.
(AUDIENCE BOOS)
Like, I'll give you a quick example. When I came in, North Korea was -- it was -- looks like it was going to war. You know that. It was going to happen. Bad things.
Now, you have no missile launches. You have no rocket testing. You have no nuclear testing. I have a good relationship -- maybe even a great relationship. We have tremendous sanctions on North Korea. But we have our hostages back. We have -- remains are coming back. The remains!
(APPLAUSE)
And our presidents have been dealing with North Korea for many, many decades. Many, many decades. And on the nuclear way, over the last 20, 30 years, and all I hear is, can't you move faster? You know what? I left Singapore 15 months ago. They've been negotiating for 85 years or something.
So now, their complaint is, what's taking him so long? I heard one of our great geniuses from a previous administration telling me how to negotiate with North Korea when they got taken advantage of like nobody I've ever seen before.
(AUDIENCE BOOS)
So, someday, with all of us -- this is all of us -- and those hats are beautiful, by the way. Someday...
(APPLAUSE)
True. Someday, they're going to appreciate us all, and I'm going to Vietnam -- to Hanoi in the near future, 27th and 28th of February, to have another summit. And hope we -- hopefully we do as well with the second summit as we did with the first. I hope so.
(APPLAUSE)
Now, we're delighted. And I'm delighted to be joined this evening by the Texas leaders. You have great leaders, great people. Great help to me.
(APPLAUSE)
That are at the forefront of this incredible American revolution. You know, there's never been anything like this in the history of our country. We have to understand that. There's never been. If you would say, as an example, that tonight 69,000 people signed up to be here -- now the arena holds 8,000. And thank you, fire department. They got in about 10,000. Thank you, fire department, let me say.
(APPLAUSE)
But if you want to really see something, go outside, tens of thousands of people are watching screens outside. And we were all challenged by a young man who lost an election to Ted Cruz. And then they said, "You know, what? Hey, you're supposed to win in order to run". By the way we -- I -- we, I'm one and one. I'm one for one. Think of it. Well, we had one election we won. Now, we're going to be two for 0 and everything's going to be perfect.
But a young man who's got very little going for himself, except he's got a great first name. He is -- he challenged us, so we have, let's say, 35,000 people tonight and he has 200 people, 300 people, not too good. In fact, what I do -- what I would do is, I would say that maybe the end of his presidential bid. But he did challenge us.
So I want to introduce some great people. Your governor Greg Abbott. Greg, where is he? Where's Greg. Thank you, Greg, and a great Governor, a great friend of mine. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. Thanks Dan. Thank you, Dan. Look at him in the corner so shy. Thank you, Dan. Great job Dan. Attorney General Ken Paxton. Thanks Ken. And Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. Thank you, Sid. Thank you everybody. Thanks Ken. Great job you do.
And we're especially grateful to your wonderful Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz -- great senators. And we have a lot of your Congressmen and women. We have a lot of them. You're ready and they're terrific and they've been with us all the way. Pete Olson, Pete -- thanks Pete. Thank you, Pete; Michael Burgess, thanks Michael; John Carter; Brian Babin and Randy Weber, thank you very much.
We are in the midst of an economic miracle, that's what's happened. You look all over the world, and you study, and you see what's going on. You can look at China, we have a team right now in China, they want to make a deal very badly. Those tariffs are costing them a lot of money and they're going into our treasury remember that? We're filling up with billions of dollars.
And did you see the -- I haven't been here very long, the trade deficit really went down very big in this last month and people are saying, "Whoa, I told you so, that's what I do". And we don't want China to have a hard time. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I can only tell you this. We're going to make great deals on trade. We're going to make great deals on military. When we defend another nation that's rich, they have to help us out. Do we agree? They have to help us out. And they're doing it. They're doing it.
You saw South Korea. They were paying us $500 million a year. I say, you got give more -- they got to do more anyway. Now they're up to almost $900 million. That was like on two phone calls. I said, "Why didn't they do this before?" They said, "Nobody ever asked. Nobody asked".
You pick up almost $500 million here, nobody asked. We're defending rich countries. They've got to help us out folks. They got out help us out. Sorry. And you know what? They're going to like us more and maybe more importantly they're going to respect us.
Since the election we have created 5.3 million new jobs, including more than a half a million new manufacturing jobs. Remember, manufacturing was dead. They said manufacturing was dead -- previous administration. You'll never have it. You need the magic wand, that's what they said.
We -- obviously, we found the magic wand. And by the way, those numbers are small compared to what's happening, compared to all of the companies that are moving in. The unemployment -- thank you very much. The unemployment rates for African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans and Asian-Americans have reached the lowest level in the history of our country.
OK. Thank you. Thank you. You're all right, everything OK? Please. OK. Thank you. Thank you. And women have filled almost 60% of the new jobs created last year, which were a record number.
We passed massive tax cuts for working families and we canceled a record number of job-killing regulations, that's why your oil and gas is coming back. We eliminated the Obamacare individual mandate. And to give critically ill patients access to life-saving treatments we did something that they haven't been able to do for a long time, we passed Right-to-Try - - Right-to-Try. That's an incredible thing Right-to-Try.
You know, we have the greatest doctors and research in the world, and if somebody was terminally ill, they travel to Asia, they travel to Europe, they travel all over the world if they had the money. If they didn't have the money, they'd just go home. There was nothing they could do.
And I said, "wait a minute", we have drugs in the pipeline that are showing tremendous progress, if somebody is terminally ill, let's let them have access to our drugs -- let's -- let them have access.
And it's much tougher than you would think, but we got it. And people, you will not understand, nobody understand the life-saving effects, it's incredible what's going on. They are getting better. People are getting better, that we're thinking they were going to die, it's Right-to-Try. I love it. I always wondered why we didn't do it before?
Now the people in Texas won't care much about this, but the United States is now the number one producer of oil and natural gas on Earth. I didn't think you'd care about that. I didn't think Texas would care about that. And listen to this, and Texas oil production is now at the highest level it's ever been.
And only for the great oil professionals in the room, we're getting those pipelines approved so fast you'll be able to practically double up on oil production, oil and gas. They're getting approved at record levels and record time. That means more money, more security and more independence for our country, it's very simple.
Another one they said could never get past. They've been trying to do it for 40 years. We passed VA Choice -- Veterans Choice, so that now rather than waiting online for five days, for nine days, for three weeks -- where do these people come from? Where do they come from? They go back home to mommy, they get punished when they get home.
Now, you really mean finish that wall, because we've built a lot it, just finish that wall. But we get to the wall -- so, VA Accountability and VA Choice. Accountability, we couldn't fire anybody from the Veterans Administration. We couldn't fire anybody. They could treat our veterans badly, we had to take it. Now you get rid of them.
And VA Choice, they'd wait online for days and weeks, they couldn't see a doctor, now they go out. They have a choice. They get a private doctor. They have things taken care of, and we pay their bill. They've been trying to get those two things fixed for many, many decades -- many years, and we got it fixed.
We also passed the Farm Bill for our wonderful farmers, ranchers and growers. We just got it passed, and that wasn't easy, but we got it passed. We had to do it. Our farmers are great. So we just got that done. Farmers, ranchers, growers and we passed historic legislation to combat the opioid crisis. Thank you.
Is there any place that's more fun to be than a Trump rally? Is there any place? You know, they all said, "Mr. President we loved the tone of your State of the Union speech". Some people said, it was a great speech. Some people said really a great speech. I said, but if I ever did that in El Paso, Texas, it wouldn't work here too well. Do you agree? Nice and calm, nah, that's not what you're looking for.
This is more fun. This is more fun. Now, we just signed groundbreaking criminal justice reform into law. Nobody thought that was going to be happening. In my address last week, I asked lawmakers in both parties to cross the aisle and join together for the common good for all Americans.
Democrats have to stop being so angry. They're angry. And they've got to start being partners to keep this incredibly -- really, look, this is an incredible miracle that's going on. We want to keep it going -- keep it going and it will keep going. It will keep going.
There's so much to celebrate in our country -- the economy, the military, so many things we've done scientifically. The world is trying to copy what we've done. They're not going to be able to do it, not anymore. They were catching up fast. Now they're going in the wrong direction.
Unfortunately, many of the Democrats in Congress responded to my call for bipartisan cooperation by instead choosing really -- hey, look did you ever see anything radical, resistance, it's the radical left, but maybe it'll change -- maybe it'll change.
It all has to do with 2020 and the election. But I really don't like their policy of taking away your car, of taking away your aero plane flights, of let's hop a train to California, of -- you're not allowed to own cows anymore. You know, they're a lot of problems -- lot of problems. But nobody's ever had this -- and by the way, with us, we handle it.
No President should ever have to go through what we've gone through in the first two years. It's a hoax, it's a disgrace and it should never be allowed to happen again -- a hoax. Just recently, as an example, Senator Richard Burr from the great State of North Carolina, he's Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
And they've been investigating this Russia hoax for two years -- think of it. They've interviewed over 200 people. They've studied hundreds of thousands of documents and pages and Richard just announced that they found no collusion between Donald Trump and Russia.
The fact is that the real collusion was between Hillary and the Democrats, and the other side with Russia, that's where the collusion is. That's starting to make a lot more sense, but that's where the collision is with the Democrats and with Russia and with others. And by the way, there's also collusion between the Democrats and the fake news right here. And they know it better than anybody.
Too many Democrats are focused on tearing down their opposition, instead of building up our country. They're trying to impose some of the most extreme measures and policies ever put forward by our Congress. And by the way, I don't think anybody in this room wants to pay 70, 80, 90 or 95 percent tax. Does anybody want to pay a 90 percent?
You know, you look at what we've done with jobs, what we've done with the economy, how low your taxes are, the lowest they've been almost from the beginning. Who the hell wants to change what we're doing now? We are a hot, hot country.
Last week they introduced a massive government takeover that would destroy our incredible economic gains. They introduced the so-called "Green New Deal". It sounds like a high school term paper that got a low mark. It would shut down American energy, which I don't think the people in Texas are going to be happy with that.
It would shut down a little thing called air travel. How do you take a train to Europe? This is crazy Senator from Hawaii. They said you like it? Yes, I like it very much. Oh, really, how are we getting to Hawaii on a train? She didn't think about that one, but she's thinking about it. She will figure it out.
They want to take away your car, reduce the value of your home, and put millions of Americans out of work, spend a $100 trillion -- which, by the way, there's no such thing as a 100 trillion. You have to spend a $100 trillion and remember this no other country, except us, is going to do it, that's a little problem too.
While the world's real polluters like, China, would get many of our companies and factories, they just move into China, move into other parts of the world. That's the way the system works. Not going to happen folks, don't worry, it's not going to happen. Not going to happen.
100 trillion -- let's spend a 100 trillion. Let's rip down every building in New York City and rebuild it environmentally slightly better. To pave the way for socialism Democrats are calling for massive tax hikes and the complete elimination of private health care -- many of us have private health care. That means you can stand on line for five days as you wait for a doctor that is not nearly as talented as your doctor.
Remember, you can keep your doctor. Remember that? 28 times, you can keep. That didn't happen, turned out to be a lie. Hey, where are the fact- checkers? You know some of the most dishonest people in media are the so- called fact-checkers. 28 times you can keep your doctor. That didn't turn out to be what he said. They're coming for your money and they're coming for your freedom and it'll never happen and it won't even come close folks.
Democrats are also pushing extreme late-term abortion allowing children to be ripped from their mother's womb right up until the moment of birth. What's that all about? So in Virginia, the Governor, he's got a little publicity lately. I like him, keeps us out of the papers -- I like it. Like to find a few more guys like this one.
He almost moonwalked. His wife stopped him, "Darling, darling it would be inappropriate". I want to see somebody try and imitate Michael Jackson in the moonwalk. This would not have been a good scene. His wife saved him. "Darling, this would be inappropriate". I think she was right.
But the Governor stated that he would even allow a newborn baby to come out into the world and wrap the baby and make the baby comfortable and then talk to the mother and talk to the father and then execute the baby execute -- execute the baby. Incredible.
Millions of innocent beautiful babies are counting on us to protect them and we will. That is why last week I called on Congress with your great Congressman over there -- thank you fellas -- to immediately pass legislation prohibiting extreme late-term abortion. And that certainly is extremely. Many people never even heard. I mean, do you ever hear of anything like this?
Democrats must also address the double standard on full display in Virginia -- by the way that state is going to go Republican pretty soon, I'm pretty sure, because the Democrat Party has never been more outside of the mainstream. They're becoming the party of socialism, late-term abortion, open borders and crime.
This weekend some Democrats even proposed a measure that would force the release of thousands of criminal illegal aliens, including dangerous felons convicted of rape, sex trafficking, violent assault and even murder into our country. Can you believe this?
Their proposal would put a hard cap on the number of illegal aliens that our brave ICE officers -- we love our ICE officers -- can detain and thus remove, forcing thousands of criminals to be set free into United States communities. I don't think so, OK I don't think so. And I want to thank our ICE officers. What they put up with is incredible and that includes Border Patrol and that includes law enforcement law. Law enforcement, we love them. They keep us safe.
In the last two years alone ICE officers have made 200 -- listen to these numbers 266,000 arrests of criminal aliens, including those charged or convicted of approximately 100,000 assaults, 40,000 -- 40 -- 40,000 larcenies, 30,000 sex crimes, 25,000 burglaries, 12,000 vehicle thefts, 11,000 robberies, 4,000 kidnappings and 4,000 murders -- murders -- murders -- killings, murders.
We will. If we cut detention space, we are cutting loose dangerous criminals into our country.
HANNITY: All right. That's the president addressing his supporters in El Paso, Texas. By the way on this new so-called compromise, I'm getting details. 1.3 billion, that's not a -- not even a wall of barrier. I'm going to tell this night, and we will get back into this tomorrow.
Any Republican that supports this garbage compromise, you will have to explain. Look at this crowd, look at the country, look at CBS News even they say, 72% of the American people want the heroin to stop, the cartels, the gang members to stop and the those that wish us ill.
We'll always be fair and balanced. We are not the "Hate Trump Media."
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