Jason Chaffetz on Senator Dick Durbin's credibility
'The Ingraham Angle' takes a look at some of the senator's past comments that have been called into question.
This is a rush transcript from "The Ingraham Angle," January 12, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
LAURA INGRAHAM, "THE INGRAHAM ANGLE" HOST: Good evening from Washington. This is "The Ingraham Angle." And we have another important hour to bring you on this Friday night. No time to waste. Out of ideas. Wow, the Democrats have turned to the same dog-eared playbook over the DACA deal. You got it, race.
In an update to an explosive story we brought you last night, we were the only show to highlight a heroin ring that was busted in Denver, Colorado. We have new details exclusive tonight on the legal stalls of these creeps.
And do you know the full story behind Dick Durbin? The man in the middle of the latest oval office imbroglio. We have an important back story on him tonight.
But, first, Democrats race against reality. That's a subject of tonight's "Angle." All right. When they are cornered, and they are out of options, Democrats have a nasty, but it's a really predictable habit of racializing everything.
They did it to Reagan. They did it to Bush. They even did it to McCain and, of course, they did it to Romney. They have been doing it to Donald Trump since the day he announced his candidacy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: First we have to deal with the fact that the xenophobic rant he went on, on and on about Mexicans and them being racists and criminal. I mean, it was horrible.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God, even if the notion that he talks and seems fictitious is that too strong a word.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, it's not too strong a word. I also think it's racist. I think we can use that word.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: Well, it didn't work then, and it won't work now, but they are trying. Yesterday, Senators Durbin and Graham, they wanted to foist their bipartisan DACA deal on the president. And by the way, Dick and Lindsey's immigration act is about as viable these days as Siegfried and Royce. We have seen this before.
They pranced up to the White House with a grand unveiling and they were flummoxed when immigration stalwarts, Congressman Bob Goodlatte from Virginia and Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas were already in the room as was White House policy advisor, immigration expert, Stephen Miller.
Remember, just a few days earlier when the cameras were rolling, the president said he would not sign any DACA deal without the funding of his wall and an end to chain migration and that stupid visa lottery system.
Yet somehow the dynamic duo thought that they could through charm and flattery alone con Trump into agreeing to their solution that didn't meet the president's baseline and actually, if you can believe it, their idea increased chain migration. The president, to their faces said it was dead on arrival. Good for him.
Durbin and Graham were so enraged after being spurned, somebody went to the press. They pedaled the story that Trump had referred to Haiti and unspecified African countries as s-holes and we should try to get Norwegian immigrants here instead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SENATOR DICK DURBIN, D-ILL., MINORITY WHIP: His comments said things which were hate filled, vile and racist. Calling the nations they come from (inaudible), exact word used by the president. Not just once but repeatedly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: Now the president in a tweet this morning denied that he used that language and Durbin clarified later that the president was referring to African countries whose citizens regularly use the visa lottery system, not Haiti itself.
Now, setting aside the alleged remark for a moment, would you describe any of these countries as Shangri-La? I mean, if people there were living in club med they wouldn't be trying to crash our borders.
It's important after all the verbiage to take a look at some of the real facts about a few of the countries that can't keep their own people from leaving. Now, let's begin with El Salvador, a country I have been to many times and I have known very well for the last 30 years.
Its capital has the highest murder rate in the world. Somalia, well, guess what, it's one of the largest state sponsors of terrorism, is a safe haven for terrorists across the globe, and then, of course, Sudan, it's one of the four countries on the U.S. state sponsors of terror list in addition to a lot of other bad facts.
Now, I would not have called these countries what the president did, but they are rank with corruption, repression and, of course, it's obvious, isn't it, that they offer their citizens little hope of a better life.
In other words, they are hell holes. But, for the Democrats and their media allies who are forever feigning in affinity for the third world, facts don't matter. After all, race baiting the president is so much more fun.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president is a white supremacist.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is absolutely racism with steroids.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president of the United States is racist.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We voted for a racist.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They are not (inaudible) countries. For one Donald Trump isn't their president.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have in the White House someone who could lead the Ku Klux Klan, somebody who could be the leader of the neo-Nazis.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When it came to the issues of quote, "chain migration," I said to the president do you realize how painful that term is to so many people? African-Americans believe that they migrated to America in chains.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: Now, of all the things I have ever heard tricky Dick Durbin say, that one perhaps could take the cake. Now, is really suggesting that the term chain migration, which has been part of the vernacular surrounding the immigration debate for decades constitutes some type of hidden racism, a code language? Well, I think maybe he has been talking to Joe Biden.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, FORMER U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: Unchain Wall Street. They are going to put you all back in chains.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: Remember the guys booing in the crowd? He had too many mimosas early in the morning. All those things demonstrate that Democrat Durbin and all the rest had no intention of working with the president on a DACA deal. I really don't think they did.
Because if they were truly concerned for these DACA kids, DREAMers upwards of 30 years of age, call them kids, well, they would give a little and get a little. They knew the president couldn't accept what they were offering. But, we know now what the real story is.
They had zero intention of negotiating in good faith because somehow they thought they could guilt the president into siding with them. But I guess they don't really know him very well, do they? They are out of ideas and they have no solutions.
The race card is the only one they have left to play. But, look, despite the racial smears, the unfairness of it all, look at what Trump has already done for black America. Black unemployment is at its lowest level since the bureau of labor statistics started reporting the data back in 1972. It's at 6.8 percent.
Do you know what it was in the middle of Obama's first term, 16.8 percent? Black family income fell by more than $900 per family during the Obama years, fell. Just in the first 8 months of the Trump administration, black family income has risen by more than $1,000. I will take that direction any day of the week.
With Chrysler now announcing plants moving from Mexico to the United States, the stock market booming and wages rising across the country due to Trump's tax cut backs, America will thrive.
Listen to Gary from Texas, a caller on my radio show this morning who expressed, I bet how a lot of minorities really feel about this manufactured controversy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: Were you offended by what you heard the president say as an African-American man?
UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: Not at all. He is trying to fight for this country and give black people opportunities to get off these streets. We can't do it if we keep bringing folks all over the world with problems in their countries, that doesn't mean we have to bring them over here and to come flew our city and push our people back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: Well, those are the people the president is fighting for, people who want more economic opportunities. They are not anti-immigrant, but they want to take care of Americans first. The veteran sleeping on the street tonight. Those with no opportunities.
Those who work hard but somehow maybe along the way got addicted to opioids, they need help, and no matter what Durbin or CNN says, that is a fact. The silent majority feels that the system is unfair, and you bet they want it fixed.
And when Trump demands a better deal on immigration, one that's going to secure the border and keep illegals from competing with our citizens like that caller, for jobs that they need, and he is fighting on behalf of all citizens, the president is fighting for blacks, whites, Hispanics, Asians, you are here legally, you are an American citizen, he is fighting for you. And that's the Angle.
Joining us now for reaction, here in studio is Horace Cooper, he is a co- chair of Project 21, and in studio is also Garland Nixon, of course, a liberal radio talk show host, love everybody's perspective, and in Phoenix is Kevin Jackson a radio talk show host and Fox News contributor. Great to see all of you.
All right. Horace, let me start with you. Your reaction to what's happened over the last 24 hours, the president has in good faith said all right, we'll give protection to 800,000 people here. They were brought illegally, most of them, of course children, but he said these are the things we need. These are things that I campaigned on and we got to do and then you saw what happened.
HORACE COOPER, CO-CHAIR, PROJECT 21: FDR famously said that all we have to fear is fear itself. The new Democrats all they have to offer is race itself. Every single opportunity to turn the conversation from the facts, the logic, and the merits go to race. It means they're lazy. It means they are not serious. It means they don't have strong perspectives to bring to the table.
INGRAHAM: Garland?
GARLAND NIXON, POLITICAL ANALYST: You know, over the last 24 hours, here's what I see. It appears to me that Donald Trump has very clearly converted the GOP into the party of David Duke and Richard Spencer and now the people that I talk to on the streets in the black community see the GOP as the confederacy.
I think that the -- the grassroots movement are gearing up and the fact of the matter is I think Republicans may feel good, but they weren't paying attention to what happened in Virginia and they're going to pay a dear price.
INGRAHAM: Get in just a second. Let me stay on this for a second.
NIXON: OK.
INGRAHAM: I just listed the facts of what's happening in the personal economy. Real dollars in the pockets of real Americans. They desperately need. They need help. They need hope. They need opportunity. The president's policy set aside the rhetoric.
The president's policies are having a really positive effect on people from all walks of life. Do you think in any way that that, you know, means that the president cares or do you think he is just doing it for what reason?
NIXON: Here's what I think. I think these numbers are being skewed for this reasonable. For this reason, there is an invincible man. His name is George Bush. Politics in our economy did not start when Barack Obama became president. They got wiped out when Barack Obama became president and he had to try to fix what the GOP screwed up before and now he walked into a mess --
INGRAHAM: Kevin, I want to get back to you, but Kevin, your perspective on this and we will get into some of the examples of what other presidents have said that might be a little bit off color, even about other countries, go ahead.
KEVIN JACKSON, SYNDICATED RADIO HOST: Well, thanks for taking off my shackles, Laura. Look, everything that this gentleman is saying is completely wrong. It's circa 1960 B.S. that the left has been selling to blacks for decades and it's over. Look, Barack Obama the worst president in history and Donald Trump --
COOPER: Black America.
JACKSON: Absolutely. Horace, you are right there. But he is proving that when you are a leader and go out and do the right things that people start to benefit. The biggest fear that Democrats have is that Donald Trump's success is the biggest fear they have.
Look, all these guys how many black kids are they going to fly over to go save some kid in Mexico. Let me tell you the Congressional Black Circus, which is what I call them, they have no care whatsoever for the black communities that they serve.
They have underserved these communities for decades and then they get people like this gentleman come on and act as if they care about them. They don't care about them. Donald Trump is doing the things that you listed all the things, Laura, in the opening and they want to overlook these. It's ridiculous.
INGRAHAM: Horace?
COOPER: This is the most curious form of racism I have ever seen. You work so that over the last 12 months black Americans are actually getting employed at a higher rate than any other group.
INGRAHAM: It's 6.8 percent unemployment.
COOPER: The gap between blacks and whites is lowest than it has ever been. That's mean relative growth has been good for people or for black people it's been each better. We set a record in June and a record in September and another record in January.
INGRAHAM: This is what Martin Luther King's nephew said today when he was asked about this controversy. Let's watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think President Trump is not a racist, but I do think that he's racially uninformed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: His nephew, Isaac Newton Ferris Jr. He's uninformed. Do I think he is racist? No, he's not. There's any effect on you?
NIXON: You know, I don't judge whether a person is racist as a whole. I judge a person on what they do.
INGRAHAM: What specifically on what was said or alleged to have been said about certain countries where people are coming disproportionately probably through the visa lottery or other ways, maybe chain migration.
Barack Obama just a few years back said The Atlantic magazine, I'm sure wouldn't take issue with it, he said, "The mess is the president's diplomatic term." Privately he calls Libya an s-show. In part because it subsequently become an ISIS haven as has Sudan, as has Somalia, Egypt has huge radicalization problems that they are having to deal with. The president -- previous President Obama called it an s-show. What's the difference, s-hole, s-show, what's the difference?
NIXON: Basically, we destroyed Libya. We destroyed it --
INGRAHAM: So, it's OK to demean the people of that country, not their fault. That's what I'm say going that's the barometer, the word s-hole versus s-show. Do you see how --
NIXON: You've got to take this as a whole and understand the symbolism. The symbolism was very, very powerful. It wasn't that he just talked about these countries that were darker people. Let me finish. It wasn't that he just talked about these particular countries and then the good country was Norway.
INGRAHAM: He just met with the Norwegian leader.
NIXON: Blonde haired, blue eyed country --
(CROSSTALK)
NIXON: We understand the symbolism there.
COOPER: The president regularly referred to the civil rights act as the end bill and he actually bragged that Thurgood Marshall was an end that he was going to sit on the court.
INGRAHAM: How about Teddy Kennedy after the Immigration Act was passed said don't worry I'm not going to flood America with people from those countries. He was very concerned about what people would think.
COOPER: But, wait a minute.
INGRAHAM: Teddy Kennedy.
COOPER: It doesn't matter it's an outrage.
NIXON: Democrat strangled somebody in 1956, it doesn't mean it's OK to strangle them now.
INGRAHAM: Kevin, go ahead.
JACKSON: When it comes to history, the Democrats are always, you know, going back to the old negro spirituals and come out here singing swing low. At the end of the day, there are 65 million refugees in the world. Are they coming from Norway or anywhere in Scandinavia or Canada or the U.K.?
No, they are coming from the very places that Donald Trump described. I will tell you something else for the Democrats paying attention to this program. What Donald Trump said is what millions of Americans say every single day.
We're sending our money to these crap holes, these third world armpits, and expecting something different. We have watched liberal policies ruin not only America but ruin these countries. They are not industrializing and helping these countries grow. They are feeding dictators.
INGRAHAM: I spent a lot of time in El Salvador, Guatemala and these countries are beautiful places that have been destroyed by corrupt regimes and been going on for decades. There is a reason why most people who are talking about these issues don't vacation there. I submit I have spent more time in Guatemala and El Salvador during the time in the 1980s than most of these people who talking on high horses right now.
NIXON: We've been part of overthrowing both of those countries. We help overthrow a country and then we say the country is a piece of crap.
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: President Obama said that and you got guys didn't upset about it.
INGRAHAM: Guys, we are out of time. Here's what I hope for. I hope for people's lives to get better. I hope for things to calm down.
JACKSON: Absolutely.
INGRAHAM: I don't think having people turn in to perpetual grievance factories when things are getting actually better is good for anyone. I don't think it's good for Republicans. I don't think it's good for Democrats. It shows that you are out of ideas.
We need solutions so problems that exist for the DACA kids you want a solution we will get there, for economic growth, we got to get there, for families of all colors who are having struggles, we got to get there.
But to constantly keep people in a state of resistance for what reason? Whose lives are getting -- how many jobs are being created by doing that? How many lives are being improved? I don't think many. That's all I have to say about that.
Guys, don't go anywhere, though, we have a knocking update on the legal status of the men running a Denver heroin ring. The story you will catch only on this show. No other network is covering it. My question is why, up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We have some bad hombres here and we are going to get them out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: Well, it turns out the president was right. We do have an important update to a story we brought you last night, a lot of hombres, about a busted heroin ring in Denver, Colorado. We were the only show to bring you this last night and tonight, we are the only show bringing you the exclusive update from Immigration and Customs Enforcement about these creeps.
First, the alleged ringleader, Fermin Flores Rosales, from Mexico has been previously deported numerous times and now is illegally present back in the United States. And then there is Mario Acosta-Ruiz from Mexico also illegally in the United States.
Another lovely, Cristobal Flores-Rosales of Mexico was already deported previously, but somehow, he's back here selling heroin. And yet, another, Yoel Soto-Campos, another sweetheart from Mexico, has been previously deported multiple times.
And finally, Joel Torrez-Espinoza from Mexico has again been previously deported on a number of occasions and get this was actually convicted in 2012 in Utah for felony possession with intent to distribute cocaine these are total travesties in your communities, not just in Denver but all across the United States.
We will continue to highlight them, dig and get the facts for you when nobody else will. By the way, ICE told us that we are the only news organization and the prosecutor in the case, only news organization that had asked about the immigration status.
For reaction, let us bring in Civil Rights Attorney Leo Terrell from Los Angeles and here in Washington, Niger Innis, the national spokesperson for the Congress of Racial Equality. Gentlemen, it's great to see you.
Leo, let's start with you on this. We're going to be highlighting these cases throughout the next several months on this show because, for some reason, most mainstream media outlets leave those little facts out.
They are inconvenient facts for people who believe we should be much more generous with our immigration policies and so forth. The African-American community has been especially hard hit by the heroin trafficking in the United States and by the drug pushers.
They take advantage of them and they devastate communities but especially the African-American community. What's your take on this particular scourge and what we should do with these individuals?
LEO TERRELL, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Six bad guys who should not be in the country. I grant you that, but, let's just isolate this situation. You want me to broad stroke these six guys as being the responsibility for drugs in the African-American community? I won't go there.
But I will sit here and give you that we got six bad guys. They shouldn't be in the country. But let's not go any further than that argument because there is a lot of good immigrants, illegal aliens who are in this country.
For example, Laura, you like facts, a lot of illegal aliens right now through the Dream Act, serving our military, teachers, doctors, lawyers, nurses, so, I don't want you to jump from theist six bad guys and make a broad stroke on all illegal immigrants because that's what you are trying to do.
INGRAHAM: Leo, are you aware that the -- I think the federal prison population, the current statistics are that 21 percent of those in federal prisons are foreign-born, foreign-born population, and most of those are illegal immigrants. Are you aware of that?
TERRELL: I will accept your facts as true, Laura. I will accept those facts.
INGRAHAM: That's a wildly disproportionate percentage of criminals in federal custody who are foreign-born individuals, putting pressure on law enforcement, costing our budgets, costing our communities and devastating minorities, others who need safe streets. That's a problem. That's six people in Denver. We have people all across the country pushing drugs from other countries.
TERRELL: Would you acknowledge that there are illegal aliens who are now serving in our military, Laura? Would you acknowledge that fact?
INGRAHAM: It is a point -- I think it's 0.07 percent, I believe.
TERRELL: But there are --
INGRAHAM: You want to have those individuals get a fast track to citizenship, I'm all for it. They are DACA kids, not illegal immigrants. DACA kids given temporary status. Niger, I want to go to you on this.
That's the line you always hear any time you bring up scourge of drugs, murders, abuse of children they say yeah other people do that too. Of course, there are good people who are illegal immigrants.
Absolutely. But if one American of any background is brutalized at the hands of an illegal immigrant who shouldn't be here, whose fault is that?
The victim's?
NIGER INNIS, CONGRESS OF RACIAL EQUALITY: Certainly not. The fact is, Laura, actually, I agree with Leo. I'm going to shock you, shock him, too. If that, no, it is not just these six individuals that are craven criminals that not only prey on black communities and brown communities but immigrant communities.
Some of those nice illegal aliens and immigrants that are in our country good folk are trapped by a lot of these folk and by the industries. But, even worse than these particular criminals are politicians who play games with immigrant communities the same way that progressive politicians have played with the black community for decades.
I'm talking about people like Jerry Brown. I'm talking people like Rahm Emanuel with their sanctuary states, their sanctuary cities and now new class of individuals sanctuary felons that they give pardons too because they are pursuing a progressive agenda. Well, who -- where do these people prey?
Where do they practice their illicit trades? It's not in the bay area at the chardonnay cocktail parties, OK. It is in these black and brown and immigrant communities that are the victims of these horrendous crimes.
INGRAHAM: Leo?
TERRELL: We went from these six criminals to Jerry Brown? Laura, you are a lawyer, isn't that a big leap in logic because you want to ignore -- you want to ignore the good immigrants in this country, you want to ignore all of the ones that -- Laura, I want to give you some facts -- from lawyer to lawyer, Laura.
You know, why don't you mention the country Nigeria. Oh my gosh, that's the country that has higher percentage of individuals with graduate's degrees than Americans. You didn't mention Nigeria, Laura, I was a little perplexed because you're a good immigrant, why not Nigeria?
INGRAHAM: What's your point? Leo, I just want to understand this and we're out of time. I just want to understand this. Minority communities have been disproportionately affected by the drain that the illegal population puts on our public schools. They don't go to the fancy schools.
They go to public schools.
Multiple language spoken, multiple ESL programs necessary, extra money that is not going to the kids who come from difficult circumstances. That is money that is limited in budgets that are already overtaxed. It's hurting black communities more than the rich, white communities that are the do- gooders who want to say everybody can come in. Let everybody come in. Let's have the big bienvenidos mat at the border. But do you not care about those minority communities including Hispanic communities?
INNIS: Including immigrants.
TERRELL: Laura, let me just say this, and I think this is a very solid point. I do care about my own community. That's why I'm a civil rights attorney. But Laura, there are Democrats and Republicans that, like Lindsey Graham, who believe these immigrants should remain in the country. There are certain Republicans, Republicans.
INGRAHAM: Everybody should come. Let's get rid of our borders. We're out of time. We should have no borders. If everybody has a right to come here illegally and stay then laws and borders mean nothing. We can pick and choose which laws we are going to abide by and which laws we are going to jettison. If the laws don't matter, then let's have them not matter across the board. We will see how that chaos works for us.
Guys, we are out of time. But I want to you stay right here because ahead we dig into the man in the middle of Trump's Oval Office comments, exposing tricky Dick Durbin, his lies, up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
INGRAHAM: All the focus is on the president's remarks about s-hole countries, but one simple question, can we really trust anything said by Senator Dick Durbin? Come on. Even the Obama White House called out Durbin for inventing a quote denying the Democrats' claim in 2013 that a GOP House leader told the president, quote, "I can't even stand to look at you," closed quote. Obama's press secretary at the time, Jay Carney, responding I looked into this and spoke with somebody who was in that meeting and it did not happen. And here's a look back at another shocking statement from the Illinois senator.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DURBIN: If I read this to you and didn't tell you that it was an FBI agent describing what Americans had done to prisoners in their control, you would most certainly believe this must have happened by Nazis, Soviets in their gulags, or some mad regime, Pol Pot or others.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: For reaction, let's bring in former Republican congressman and House oversight committee chairman Jason Chaffetz from Utah, and in Atlanta, Georgia, former Obama regional campaign director Robin Biro. Robin, let's start with you on this. I remember back in 2005 that Dick Durbin comment about our troops because my producer at the time Lee Habeeb was watching. I think it was C-Span, I think it was at night, and he calls me and he said did you just hear what Dick Durbin said? He's describing our guys like Pol Pot, Nazis, and he ultimately had to come out and apologize. But that statement, I can't imagine ever making a statement about the U.S. military such as that. That one statement told me one about Dick Durbin than anything else that you can point to about something that Trump said about certain countries that send a disproportionate number of lottery visa numbers us. Your reaction?
ROBIN BIRO, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: My reaction, well, I appreciate you bringing up that statement. I'm a veteran, Army Ranger from the 75th Ranger Regiment. I had the honor of serving. So I was very much offended by that statement. Politicians say the darndest things. And Donald Trump is now a politician is he one of those people saying just the most absurd things.
INGRAHAM: What offended you about it? Do you think Somalia, Sudan, and other countries that send their people, that send their people fleeing, do you think they're a paradise? Do you want to vacation there? Tell me what you're offended by.
BIRO: Are you are talking about Donald Trump's comments from yesterday?
INGRAHAM: Yes. I'm sorry, you were talking about Durbin. What are you thought about those countries?
BIRO: My thought is just the reckless that he uses when he says these things. My main concern, as a veteran I've got a lot of friends that are Trump supporters. I'm concerned because that statement, however you cut it, came out as overtly racist to a lot of people.
INGRAHAM: Overtly? How is it racist to say --
BIRO: It came out that way.
INGRAHAM: It came out that way because the media wants to fulfill -- Jason, they have been playing the race card over and over again. I submit they are out of ideas. Your reaction?
JASON CHAFFETZ, FORMER UTAH REPRESENTATIVE: No, I think that's right. Pardon my voice here. I'm fighting a little sore throat. But no, it's the only thing they have.
Look, there were six members of Congress in that room. There's only one Democrat, and only the Democrat is saying that this has happened. And I think it's highly suspect when Dick Durbin, who has a history of doing this, he used this card on Republicans before, was absolutely wrong. And I think it was a German philosopher Nietzsche who said I'm not upset that you lied to me. I'm upset that I can never trust you again. And that's the reputation that Dick Durbin has earned in this situation. And it is just absolutely wrong what is he saying when the president is saying no, that didn't happen.
INGRAHAM: And all the great results of the African-American community as well. Gentlemen, sorry this segment is short, but by the way, Trump is defying the experts again. The latest great news for the economy as well as the latest hypocrisy from the Hollywood Me Too crowd up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
INGRAHAM: OK, we have come across another glaring example of Hollywood hypocrisy in the upcoming film "Fifty Shades Freed," the third installment of that nightmare "Fifty Shades of Grey" franchise. Naturally it's just another blatant use of sex and objectification of women to sell tickets to something the industry, this is something it has done since its inception. It's nothing new. But check out the catch phrase for the marketing campaign for the new flick, "Don't miss the climax." That's on posters at New York subway stops used by who knows how many children with their parents every day.
And the way the ad in Times Square is even bigger. And that's a problem for a Hollywood that now claims to be woke to the sexual predation that's out there and is now trying to position itself for the moral authority with its Me Too and Time's Up campaign. Now, we were just lectured on the evils of sexual improprieties and objectification by a parade of actresses and of course Oprah Winfrey at the Golden Globes. And yet they are telling the world, including our young girls, young children, big billboards, go see this movie so you don't miss the climax?
The double talk from Tinseltown is striking. Respect women and value women, great. But, what, while we bind, gag and beat them for our sexual pleasure on some guy on the big screen. Actions speak louder than their platitudes. Oh, by the way, and "Fifty Shades Freed" opens on Valentine's Day, very romantic, which also happens to be Ash Wednesday.
And now the latest installment of our recurring segment, "The Experts." Remember all the so-called experts who scoffed at the notion that President Trump could bring jobs back to America? PBS headlined a story in March, 2016, "Trump says he'll bring jobs back to America. Economists are skeptical." Two months later then President Obama said this about then candidate Trump's promise to bring back jobs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, D-FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When somebody says, like the person you just mentioned who I am not going to advertise for, that he's going to bring all these jobs back. Well, how exactly are you going to do that? What are you going to do? What magic wand do you have?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: It's called policy, sir, the magic wand. Shortly after Trump was elected, economists and "New York Times" columnist Paul Krugman declared that manufacturing jobs were not coming back to the U.S. no matter what Trump might do. And then just last June CBS headlined a story "Manufacturing jobs in America, they're not coming back."
Well, maybe all those experts then can explain this. Fiat Chrysler has announced it's moving production of heavy duty trucks from Mexico to Michigan, and, get this, creating 2,500 new jobs. Hey, President Obama, I can explain all of it, you're confused. It's called tax reform, deregulation, and soon better trade policies. The CEO of Fiat Chrysler explicitly cited the savings from Trump's tax reform and, quote, "The resulting improvement in the U.S. business environment" for his decision. Oh, and by the way, Fiat Chrysler is also handing out $2,000 bonuses to 60,000 workers, bonuses, you know, just like those recently announced by Walmart, AT&T, American Airlines, waste management company, Bank of America, Comcast, and nine other major corporations since Trump's tax reform became law. And by the way, let's not forget these are bonuses that Nancy Pelosi derides as, they are just crumbs.
Confounding the experts, jobs are coming back and the Trump economy is really beginning to roar. Trump is the first Republican president since Ronald Reagan to oversee so much tremendous economic news, and he did it without a magic wand.
Stay with us because when we come right back we're going to tell you how one former CNN host was fired for a tweet disparaging President Trump. So will the same fate befall a host who did the same thing last night? That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
INGRAHAM: Here is a simple question -- is CNN somehow anti-Muslim? Is that fair to even ask that question? How else would you explain this? The network fired Islamic religious scholar Reza Aslan for calling Trump a piece of S on Twitter, on Twitter, mind you. So why no real reaction from CNN anchor Chris Cuomo for essentially doing the same thing last night on TV?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: The president is just showing you who he is. This is who he is. OK? We sum it up in a word, OK? There it is. This is the gift that he decided to give the American people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: He wrote the word s-hole, and he's a lefty in more ways than one. Here to react is Fox News contributor, my friend, bestselling author, radio host Tammy Bruce extraordinaire Tammy Bruce in New York.
TAMMY BRUCE, RADIO HOST: I have not written that word yet today.
INGRAHAM: Very creative. Left-handed is very creative. So, Tammy, Reza Aslan axed on Twitter. Chris Cuomo does it on his show and no big deal.
BRUCE: And not even by the end of the day yesterday, Laura, CNN had said it 36 times in relationship, of course, to the president. So that was one of the more mundane ways of doing it. But it was remarkable. I guess if you had the sound down Chris Cuomo wanted you to at least know what he was saying, right?
But this is what is remarkable. And you really put it well in your previous segment. This is a meltdown of epic proportions. It's fabulous to watch. It's hysterical. This is a reaction to the extraordinary economic news. They know that Americans' lives are better, and as a result, I mean, Alisyn Camerota earlier in the day also broke down in tears.
INGRAHAM: Weeping.
BRUCE: Weeping, this is so far beyond the Edward R. Murrow days and Walter Cronkite, this is what they are doing. CNN is doing badly in the ratings, there's a reason. I don't think audiences, liberals or conservatives, they don't want to be treated as though they are children. And that's what you see there at CNN. Now, of course, Chris Cuomo is fine. There clearly was a network at least discussion or guidance that this was acceptable because everyone was doing it.
INGRAHAM: It's disgusting. It's disgusting and it's disrespectful. And if he said anything like that about Barack Obama, forget it. You would never work again. Remember when that Joe Wilson that congressman yelled out you lied?
BRUCE: Yes.
INGRAHAM: They went crazy when he did that.
I want to play something for you. Speaking of Haiti, we are mentioning these countries, send people fleeing their shores because they are so corrupt.
BRUCE: Right.
INGRAHAM: one of our producers went down to little Haiti today in New York and asked about Trump versus Clinton and who would be better. Let's watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is Donald Trump worse or is Hillary Clinton worse for Haiti.
JEAN MORESSEAU, HAITIAN-AMERICAN: Hillary Clinton is worse.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why?
MORESSEAU: Why? Because she put someone in power that doesn't fit at all. The guy doesn't even want to be president.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's his name?
MORESSEAU: His name is Sweet Mickey. And he tried to give Mrs. Clinton brother, you know, some go ahead to mine our gold and copper.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What about the Clinton Foundation after the earthquake raising money for Haiti? Do you think that money that they raised made it to the Haitian people?
MORESSEAU: No.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: Tammy, 10 second response.
BRUCE: Look, these people fled a country that they know is in horrible condition, has failed them. They know the president is right. They are in America for a reason. So I think we are on the right track here.
INGRAHAM: Tammy Bruce, thanks so much. We'll be right back. You don't want to miss this photo coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
INGRAHAM: I love ending up Friday with amazing news. This is wonderful news. One of our producers Nick Robertson and his wife Lisa were blessed to welcome a beautiful baby girl into the world on Wednesday night. Alexis Helen Robertson was born at eight pounds. And this was their first child. This is their first child, and his wife Lisa and Nick and the baby are doing great. We're so excited for you.
END
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