McConnell: COVID bill 'wildly out of proportion to what country needs'

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McConnell: COVID bill 'wildly out of proportion to what country needs'

Senate minority leader slams Democrat legislation in exclusive interview on 'The Story'

This is a rush transcript from "The Story with Martha MacCallum," March 3, 2021. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated

MARTHA MACCALLUM, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Thank you, John and Sandra. I'm Martha MacCallum, live in New York. And breaking right now, Governor Cuomo, making his first public statement a short time ago directly addressing the sexual harassment claims against him. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D-NY): And I truly and deeply apologize for it. I feel awful about it. And frankly, I am embarrassed by it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: We're going to play more of that shortly and we'll bring in Andy McCarthy to analyze the legal perspective of exactly the words that were used by Governor Cuomo and whether or not he will be pushed to resign.

But first, right now on Capitol Hill, a $1.9 trillion bill which would bring total COVID relief to $6 trillion that dwarfs the U.S. response to the (INAUDIBLE) financial crash. And the depression is now under consideration in a 50-50 split Senate.

Where the minority leader Mitch McConnell has vowed that he will fight this bill in every way. He joins me in a moment exclusively to talk more about that. This bill gets to the Senate just as COVID relief appears to be emerging on its own.

States are beginning to shed mask mandates and reopen at a 100 percent capacity. You've got stadiums that are opening for spring sports, restrictions coming down even in places like Michigan, and Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

And the Biden administration claims there's going to be enough vaccine for all adults in the country within 90 days. These are game-changing dynamics that we're watching happen right now. And here's one more element to think about today as this enormous bill is discussed.

A new report from Bloomberg News says that during the lockdowns, Americans saved -- because they weren't going out, they weren't doing things -- $1.5 trillion. Think about that pent-up money. And what is likely to happen when it starts to hit the economy in a very big way in the coming months.

So, before we get to leader McConnell, a quick update on the bill from our congressional correspondent Jacqui Heinrich. Hi Jacqui.

JACQUI HEINRICH, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Martha.

Senate Republicans plan to really draw out the marathon voting process with amendment after amendment, targeting things like billions, supporting climate change, and $17 billion for the V.A. when there's already $10 billion sitting leftover from the CARES Act.

HEINRICH (voice-over): In the last hour, a group of Republican senators railed against $350 billion in unrestricted aid to state and local governments, which they see as a reward for states with the strictest lockdowns now suffering financially.

They really take issue with the distribution formula which would tie a portion of those funds to unemployment rates. In their view, punishing states that reopened and rewarding those that stayed shut down.

Now, the Biden administration sees that money as crucial to continuing local services after the pandemic gutted revenues. But Republicans have clapped back with the Wall Street Journal report, stating 44 states are actually running at a budget surplus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): Just because the numbers are not as bad as they were, doesn't mean we don't need a continued strong push to get us out of this ditch and go upward and forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEINRICH: Now, Republicans claimed wins with infrastructure projects and the minimum wage hike being dropped. But overall, they still don't support or plan to support this bill. Martha.

MACCALLUM: Jacqui, thank you very much.

Joining me now, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell. Senator, great to have you with us today. Thank you very much.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): Hi, Martha.

MACCALLUM: Hi, there. In terms of this bill, you said the other day that you would want to sort of fight this in every way possible. 50-50 split, some concessions just made on some of the thresholds. Do you think you're going to be able to peel off any Democrat senators in this bill?

MCCONNELL: Well, we don't know yet. But it's wildly out of proportion. As your introduction pointed out, wildly out of proportion to where the country stands today. This $1.9 trillion bill is the same size as the bill we passed last April, right in the middle of the pandemic.

This is not the same country we had a year ago. Only nine percent of this $1.9 trillion is related to health care and less than one percent of this 1.9 trillion bill is related to vaccines.

It is a wildly out of proportion response to where the country is at the moment. The vaccines are going out, the economies are opening up. As you just pointed out, a lot of money that was sitting on the sidelines for obvious reasons over the last year is about to be -- to begin to be spent.

We think, having a death the size of our economy for the first time since World War II already doesn't argue for adding $2 trillion more when the country is clearly on the way back.

SMITH: I mean, it's a great point. I heard Jim Baker talking about it the other night. He spoke with Bret and said -- and exactly what you just said, having a debt that is the size of the economy -- think about that everybody at home, is a pretty tremendous burden to bear.

That being said, just the pure vote politics of this. Do you believe right now as you try -- as you speak today that there's any chance that perhaps Joe Manchin or perhaps Kyrsten Sinema, senators from West Virginia and Arizona might vote no on this bill?

MCCONNELL: Well, I doubt it. In the end, there is a chance, however, that they may join us and slimming it down some. Probably nowhere and near as much of a slim down as the situation argues for.

But any amount we can reduce the size of this is a good thing for the -- for the country and I think there's at least a chance that one or two Democrats could join all of us and spend a little bit less.

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: Have you spoken with any of them?

MCCONNELL: It's still going to be -- it's still going to be wildly out of proportion to what the country needs right now.

MACCALLUM: Sorry to interrupt. Have you spoken with either of those senators or anybody that you think might be on the fence today?

MCCONNELL: Yes, there's all kinds of conversations going on. The Democrat bill keeps changing, they keep dropping things that are toxic, and I think the reason for that is there's internal pressure among Senate Democrats to make it a little less bad.

But at the end of the day, my guess is they all fall in line and it will -- it will pass with every single Democrat for it and every single Republican (INAUDIBLE).

MACCALLUM: Do you think that the checks that are going out, you know, there's some unemployment benefits -- additional benefits that would run out in March. Do you believe that these checks prevent some people from wanting to work, do you believe that?

MCCONNELL: Well, there is a concern about making it more advantageous to stay home and rather than going back to work. Look, if we had it to do all over again and we, meaning, Republicans may offer an alternative that we think fits the situation. And it's considerably less than 1.9 trillion. Five or 600 billion which is still an enormous amount of money, but highly targeted at the healthcare portion of the problem: vaccines, kids in school.

And we need to make sure that people are being encouraged to go back to school not --

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: Yes.

MCCONNELL: Not staying at home. I mean, there's no science-based reason for kids to be stuck at home now. And I think the administration ought to be advocating even though those are local decisions. Ought to be advocating getting these kids back in school because the science backs that up.

MACCALLUM: So, you know, you've known Joe Biden a long time. Why do you think he doesn't do that? You know, if he were to come out and say look, this -- you know, I'm the president of the United States, as you say, these are state decisions, but I believe that everybody -- what if he pushed back against the teachers union politically? How -- you know, how big of a -- how much of a burden would that be on him? Or do you think he might -- he might score well with it actually with the American people?

MCCONNELL: Well, this is the parents versus the teachers union.

MACCALLUM: Yes.

MCCONNELL: And I think the administration be a lot smarter rather than trying to sort of payback their teachers' union allies to side with the parents of America, who know their kids need to be back in school. We know that there's been a lot of damage done to the kids over the last year by being stuck at home. They need to be with other children at their age, they need to be learning the social skills that come along with being back in school. And there's no science-based reason for keeping these kids locked up at home any longer.

And I think the sooner the administration faces that, stands up to the teachers union, and says get those kids back in school, the more likely school boards all across America are going to make that decision.

MACCALLUM: Yes. It could be a great political moment for him as well.

On that same line, are you surprised that President Joe Biden is allowing what's happening at the border right now to happen?

We know that in Brownsville, Texas there's 105 migrants who came through who are COVID positive, who were -- you know, sort of sent on their way on the process. That wouldn't happen -- you know, if that happens here where I work -- you know, you're home for 10 days, if you -- if you test positive, or 14 days, or whatever the doctor prescribes. Why is it that we have a different policy for people coming across the border?

MCCONNELL: Beats me, Secretary Mayorkas, the head of the Homeland Security says there's no crisis at the border. Well, that's absolutely incorrect. And the crisis was created by the administration sending a message to desperate people who want to come here that just hang on, you'll get in sooner or later. And, of course, the Mexican government, then, will become less cooperative.

One thing the previous administration did an excellent job of by any objective standard was border security. And all of that is being undone very quickly in this new administration. They own this crisis at the border, they created it, and they could stop it if they chose to.

MACCALLUM: Yes. With regard to the prior administration, you were on last Friday talking to Bret, and you said absolutely that you would back President Trump -- the former president if indeed he became the nominee of your party.

And everyone remembers the very strong statement that you made on the floor with regard to the January 6th riots at the Capitol, you were very strong in your words against the president.

At this point, do you have any regrets about the statement that you made on the floor, would you take back any of that today?

MCCONNELL: Well, look, I think the actions of the new democratic administration are unifying the Republican Party. We've had some internal back and forth that has been widely covered. But nothing has unified the Republican Party in both the House and the Senate faster than reacting to this new left-wing administration.

So, we're looking forward, we're not going to look backward. We're looking forward dealing with the problems America has today, not the problems it had yesterday. And as I said, I have sensed in our conference, and I think in the House Republican Conference as well, a new sense of unity pulling together to oppose this left-wing administration.

MACCALLUM: All right. Well, shortly after you said that, the president spoke at CPAC and he went after -- he named 17 individuals. He spared you in that -- in that part of -- and he mentioned you in another part.

What did you think of that when you heard him at CPAC naming all of those who voted to impeach him and saying, basically, we need to get rid of all these Republicans?

MCCONNELL: Well, I didn't -- I didn't watch it. But I think the important thing now the American people expect from us is to stand up to this left- wing administration that's taken the country in the wrong direction. We're dealing with the present and the future not looking back to the past.

MACCALLUM: So, you don't want to comment on any of that, and you know, I understand what you're saying that you want to move forward.

He also went after the Supreme Court and that has been, you know, a point that was of great pride for you in terms of accomplishment with the Supreme Court justices. Here is what he said about the Supreme Court.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We had almost 20 states go into the Supreme Court so that we didn't have a standing problem, they rejected it. They rejected it.

They should be ashamed of themselves for what they've done to our country. They didn't have the guts or the courage to make the right decision.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Senator McConnell, what do you say about that statement?

MCCONNELL: Well, I can only speak for myself. The Supreme Court is the most respected institution in the country with the exception of the military. When they speak, it's the last word and it's been my practice over the years not to attack the Supreme Court for decisions that I don't like.

MACCALLUM: So, you think the president was wrong to say that?

MCCONNELL: It's been my practice over the years not to attack the Supreme Court when they make a decision that I don't like.

MACCALLUM: All right. Just one last question. Senator Murkowski is the only one on that list who's actually up for re-election in her next Senate race. And you said that you will stand by her. Do you think you may find yourself in a position where you are backing her and the former president is backing another candidate against her? And will you stand by her if that happens?

MCCONNELL: Yes, absolutely we support Senator Murkowski. We support all of our Republican incumbents. She's in very strong shape in her home state of Alaska. There's nobody going to come close to beating Lisa Murkowski when she runs for re-election next year.

MACCALLUM: Senator McConnell, minority leader of the United States Senate. Thank you very much, sir. Always good to have you with us.

MCCONNELL: Thank you. Thanks, Martha.

MACCALLUM: So, next, we're going to go live to the border which we were just discussing. Where in the last 24 hours alone, agents have uncovered and shut down three houses that were used as hubs for human smuggling. A look at the dire situation on the ground in Texas next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACCALLUM: To the growing crisis at our southern border today, as the facilities there are bracing for an estimated 117,000 migrant children this year, and that's according to an Axios report that came out yesterday.

Local residents are asking why they have to quarantine if they have COVID, but the growing number of COVID-positive migrants are released into the population. Correspondent Casey Stegall is live at the border in Eagle Pass, Texas. Hi, Casey.

CASEY STEGALL, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Martha. Good to see you.

This is, in fact, one of the busiest sectors for U.S. border patrol in all of South Texas in terms of overall apprehensions along the southern border.

STEGALL (voice-over): And great perspective now, live pictures coming in from the Fox News drone flying out here with us at the border. But it shows the Rio Grande River. This is important because that is the dividing line between Mexico and the United States.

Recently, the United States began letting migrants in who had been waiting in Mexico for their court cases. And now letting them wait here at home. Meantime, the city of Brownsville, Texas is now saying that some six percent or so of the migrant screened at one of the main bus stations tested positive for COVID, which equals about 106 total people. What's more, the city does not have the authority to keep them from traveling.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: While their cases are being adjudicated, testing for COVID-19 is done at the state and local level. Our guidance regardless of status is testing positive for COVID-19 or experiencing COVID-like symptoms is to isolate, continue to social distance, wear a mask.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEGALL: Now, here in Eagle Pass and elsewhere, agents say that they're seeing a growing number of migrants trying to cross illegally, like this woman we just saw before our own eyes at our live shot position a couple of hours ago, Martha, in this one sector apprehension specifically with kids are up 122 percent this year compared to last.

MACCALLUM: Casey, thank you very much.

Let's bring in "FOX AND FRIENDS WEEKEND" co-host Will Cain, for Wednesdays with Will on THE STORY. Hi, Will. You know, I mean, it -- this story, it's so obvious that when you change the rules and you change the language around what's allowed, you are going to encourage a lot more of these families to say, you know, let's go for it. Let's move north.

WILL CAIN, FOX NEWS HOST: You know, Martha, but the concept of incentive has eluded so many of those on the left. You're exactly right, if you put policies in place, better yet, if you use rhetoric on the campaign trail that seems to suggest you're opening the door or will take a light touch. When it comes to illegal immigration, you are inviting people to immigrate illegally.

And now, as we just heard from Casey, you're hearing numbers like a six percent positivity rate at least in that pool of illegal immigrants. Six percent? That would shut down New York City.

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: Yes, it did.

CAIN: I mean, Mayor Bill de Blasio would counsel -- he would cancel all public schools if we had a six percent positivity rate. But meanwhile, illegal immigrants are free to enter the United States.

MACCALLUM: Yes, I mean, these are just common-sense conclusions that you can draw and especially when you apply them the way that they've been applied in cities and towns all across the country in terms of what you do when you have that kind of positivity rate. It just makes absolutely no sense.

Here is Dan Crenshaw earlier today on "FOX AND FRIENDS". Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. DAN CRENSHAW (R-TX): Here is what's even most infuriating about the COVID positive cases that you just mentioned, U.S. citizens have to get a negative test before coming in back, back into our country.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Correct.

CRENSHAW: This administration is prioritizing illegal immigrants over U.S. citizens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: You know, I want to leave that there and I want to talk to you about Texas real quickly. The CDC director has basically lashed out at Texas for opening 100 percent, Mississippi is doing the same thing.

Here is Joe Biden just moments ago, the president of the United States on Texas reopening too soon. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think it's a big mistake. Look, I hope everybody's realized by now, these masks make a difference.

And the last thing, the last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that, in the meantime, everything is fine, take off your mask. Forget it, it still matters.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Neanderthal thinking happening in Texas apparently well.

CAIN: But you know what, Martha, we don't have to leave behind the illegal immigration story. In fact, we should put them side by side. While Joe Biden opens up Texas's borders to illegal immigrants, he is upset that the governor of Texas has opened up the economy and society of Texas for Texans.

Bottom line, it was about time. It's past time that Texas has opened up, that every state has opened up, Martha. We're close to 50 percent -- almost 75 percent in the coming month for seniors being vaccinated. Never ever, ever forget what we were told the original goal was, it was to bend the curve. We have bent the curve. Open our society, open our schools, open up Texas, open up the United States.

MACCALLUM: I think that when all of this is over, there's going to be a lot of studies that look like what we saw between Florida and California. Two diametrically opposed ways of approaching this had the same -- roughly the same death rate in both places. And I think that's something --

(CROSSTALK)

CAIN: And then we'll have to answer, Martha, really quickly.

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: And -- so sure.

CAIN: And then we'll have to answer who was the Neanderthal.

MACCALLUM: Yes, yes, exactly. Well, thank you very much. Great to see you.

CAIN: You bet.

MACCALLUM: So, Governor Andrew Cuomo getting choked up and saying that he is sorry. But he says he will not resign. Ahead, why a New York State law - - why a New York State law, the governor signed a couple of years ago could seal his fate.

Former federal prosecutor Andy McCarthy next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: Some politicians will always play politics, right? That's the nature of the beast. I don't think today is a day for politics. I wasn't elected by politicians, I was elected by the people of the State of New York. I'm not going to resign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: So, there you have it. He says he's sorry, but New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says he will not step down over the sexual harassment accusations. The governor speaking for the first time since three women made accusations against him.

A former aide says that he gave her an unwanted kiss and asked her to play strict poker. Cuomo says that he may have been, "too playful". But today, he said very clearly, he never -- he believes he never touched anyone inappropriately.

He's also trying to manage fallout over how the state handled nursing homes during the pandemic that has gotten somewhat lost in this, but that is a very big issue for him as well. The scandal's raising questions about whether or not he can still govern effectively at this point.

Let's bring in former federal prosecutor Andy McCarthy, also contributing editor with -- to the National Review, and a Fox News contributor. Andy, good to have you here today.

ANDREW MCCARTHY, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Thanks, Martha.

MACCALLUM: So, at one point he said, you know, that his attorneys didn't want him to make a statement, but that he felt that he must. So, as an attorney, what did you make of this statement, and would there anything in there that you think is problematic for him?

MCCARTHY: Well, I -- it's always the case that the lawyer would prefer for you not to say anything publicly. And it's always the case for the political official that you can't worry about your civil or criminal liability if you want to maintain your political connection with your constituents. So, that's a tension that exists in every state -- in every case.

As far as what he said today, you know, I think it may help him politically because he did -- he obviously looked contrite, he said he was sorry. He said he wasn't putting conditions on the sorry, there's no but here, I'm sorry.

I just don't think his story is very credible. I don't think this is like a very abstruse technical legal situation. This is a situation where he says that he didn't realize that the things that he was saying to people put them in an uncomfortable position.

I think any lawyer who was cross-examining them would probably take the statements that the women who've come forward have reported that he made and take them one by one and ask them. You didn't realize that, that would make somebody uncomfortable?

MACCALLUM: Yes.

 MCCARTHY: You know, it is a reasonable person test.

That's what the cases all say, the statute says. It's what would make a reasonable person think that they were in a hostile work environment. So, you know, this idea that there's this whole cultural change in the society that's gone on, and he kind of missed it because he's around the same age I am. And the more age had changed, and I guess he didn't get the memo or whatever, but can it really be that everybody's reasonable, except him? You know, I think that's a though position to begin.

MACCALLUM: Good question. And with each of these women, they have some form of documentation, text messages that they sent, or emails that they sent, you know, explaining to family, friends, look, this weird thing happened at work today, you know, something along those lines, which I think substantiates their case a bit just in terms of the basics of what happened or didn't happen. Here's what he says about the kissing. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D-NY): You can go find hundreds of pictures of me kissing people, men, women, it is my usual and customary way of greeting, you know that because you've watched me for, let's just say more years than we care to remember. By the way, it was my father's way of greeting people. You're the governor of the state. You want people to feel comfortable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: So in this, he's trying to knock down that photo image that was on the cover of The New York Post of him, you know, holding the face of a young woman who says, later on, that she felt very uncomfortable that he tried to kiss her. And then, she thought that was weird and uncomfortable. Your thoughts on that part, Andy.

MCCARTHY: Well, good luck with that. You know, if you're doing something that you're not supposed to do, it's really not a very compelling defense to say but I do it all the time. And I do it at high noon with everybody watching, you know, that actually, in a common sense way, it makes things worse instead of better.

And, you know, the other thing he has that's problematic, Martha, is that you don't have to engage in physical activity in order to create a hostile work environment under the law. So, for example, the Charlotte Bennett allegation, I think is very, very problematic for him because he engages in this sort of lewd banter. She's disturbed enough by it that she instantly complains. And the next thing they transfer her not only to a different job but to another part of the Capitol.

Now, there's no allegation. She doesn't make an allegation there of physical touching. But I think under the statue he himself signed, which changed the law as of about a year before that happened, that's a big problem for him.

MACCALLUM: Yes. And that's unfortunate for him. Andy, thank you very much, great to have you here.

MCCARTHY: Thanks, Martha.

MACCALLUM: You bet. So back in the fall, then President Trump faced some skepticism when he said that we should have enough vaccine for every American. He said, by spring. In fact, he said by April. Now, President Biden is predicting the same thing and getting a very different reaction. Dr. Siegel on the vaccine and the apparent double standard there, coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES: I'm pleased to announce today as a consequence of the stepped up process that I've ordered and just outlined, this country will have enough vaccine supply, I'll say it again, for every adult in America by the end of May.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACCALLUM: Big optimistic announcement from President Biden, he says that the US expects to have enough vaccine for every American adult by the end of May. That's two months earlier than his administration had originally predicted. The news met with very little pushback on like when former President Trump predicted back in September, that he thought that that could be accomplished roughly in April.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES: We will have manufactured at least 100 million vaccine doses before the end of the year, and likely much more than that. Hundreds of millions of doses will be available every month, and we expect to have enough vaccines for every American by April.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: So, joining me now Fox News Medical Contributor, Dr. Marc Siegel. Dr. Marc, good to see you as always. So, what do you make of this appearing, the seeming double standard here and the response to both of these productions?

MARC SIEGEL, MEDICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Martha, I don't I really think we could have reached a much higher level here. You realize that the administration could actually say, hey, thanks to the Trump administration, we have these vaccines. Hey, we didn't have them a year ago. Hey, by the way, here's the real scientific truth about this, Martha, you know what, they couldn't be manufactured at the rate of speed we needed because the manufacturers themselves, Pfizer, Moderna, BioNTech, they actually have to do a very fragile process to make these vaccines.

Now, they've got the hang of it. Now they're saying that they're going to have 200 million doses by May, each of them, that's as expected. And now J&J is approved, how can that be laid on the hands of the Trump administration when actually the financial deals were made with these manufacturers back in the Trump administration? Now it's coming to fruition. You should be saying, this is one thing they got right.

MACCALLUM: Exactly. You know, I mean, I kind of hate these comparisons, but it just stares you right in the face because the treatment is so different in terms of the reaction for both people. It's almost as if, you know, for large chunk of people, there's nothing that the Trump administration did that could ever be seen it in a positive light. The Biden administration has refuses to ever, you know, say that there could be anything in a positive light.

And I think that the one person who could truly defuse that and could sort of start to unify the country would be President Biden. You know, if he said, look, you know what, here's the deal. We recognize that this project was revolutionary. That it got, you know, the beginning part of the process done in record time. And I think people would just be relieved across the nation to hear someone say, the President say, you know, OK, so we accept that.

Hiccups, just as you very seen and common sense, we just said there were hiccups, you know, with manufacturing. But here we are, right, with both of these presidents getting us to about the same point in the spring of 2021. And overall, that is great news. Right, Marc?

SIEGEL: Listen, Martha, we all sat there and heard the plan. We heard Operation Warp Speed involving the military. We heard Gus Perna, General Gus Perna get on TV about this. We heard Admiral Giroir. We just heard him again recently. I mean, there was a lot of working that McKesson was involved, CDC was involved. I know from my own talks with HHS that they were talking to all of the states every day, and what slowed it down at the beginning was not all the states were in lockstep.

It didn't have to do with there being no plan. And, by the way, at the time that they left office, a million doses a day were already being administered. Hooray that it's now 2.5 million, hooray

MACCALLUM: Right, exactly. I mean, of course, there's going to be hiccups and problems along the way, how could there not be Texas. The CDC and Joe Biden just said it was Neanderthal thinking, the President said, to reopen the state of Texas. Quick comment on that before I let you go, Marc.

SIEGEL: I think that you have to reopen the state of Texas. I think that strangling the economies leads to depression, leads to joblessness, leads to mental health issues, suicide. It leads to plenty of physical problems when you can't get the health screenings you need. All of that is true.

And I think that he's making the right step to open the state of Texas. And I think he's going county by county with a mask. He's not saying no mask. So I disagree with that as well.

MACCALLUM: Yes. I could say it's Neanderthal to only look at one aspect of the equation, because there's a lot to balance here between the economy and people's mental health and all of that. It's a complex situation for modern minds to be sure. Marc, thank you very much. Good to see you. Thanks for coming by.

SIEGEL: Thank you, Martha.

MACCALLUM: You bet.

SIEGEL: Good to see you. Thank you.

MACCALLUM: So breaking news, and Capitol Hill on high alert right now. Police confirming that they know of a possible plot to attack the Capitol hours from now, sometime tomorrow, and that as we hear more horror stories of the poor treatment that the National Guard troops are getting, who are still there protecting DC, behind tons of fences and barbed wire. What they say they were given to eat that reportedly left dozens of them sick.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACCALLUM: So once again, Capitol Police warning of a possible plot to breach the Capitol tomorrow. March 4th used to be Inauguration Day way back in history and there's a conspiracy theory floating around that tomorrow might be another opportunity to change the outcome of the November election. Capitol Police say that they have made significant security upgrades to protect Congress just in case.

Meanwhile, some National Guard troops have become sick from the food that they are being given while they are on duty at the Capitol, which has gone on for a long time. Correspondent David Spunt has this for us live from Washington. Hi, David.

DAVID SPUNT, FOX CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Martha. It's a tough story to hear. A spokesperson for the National Guard says 50 troops from the state of Michigan experienced some sort of gastrointestinal issue. The good news, those troops are OK right now. However, lawmakers in Michigan want some answers immediately.

Right now, there are still about 5,200 National Guard troops in Washington, DC, around the Capitol protecting since what happened on January 6th. And according to the reports that some of the National Guard troops ate expired and other bad food served over the past several weeks, the Michigan congressional delegation wrote a letter to the head of the Guard which reads in part, these reports include meals being provided that are badly undercooked, raw, moldy and even filled with metal shavings.

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SEN. GARY PETERS (D-MI): It's outrageous. It's absolutely unacceptable. I certainly would like to see the per diem paid, so that our men and women who are serving here can get a decent meal and have that compensate. Right now, they're going out into the town and using their own money to get a decent meal and that's simply unacceptable.

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SPUNT: However, the Guard is carrying out spot checks on the food, I'm told, to determine the cause of the gastro symptoms. In a statement to Fox News, the Guard says in part, since January 6th, there have been no National Guard members hospitalized because of the illness from the food out of the 26,000 who were deployed and 5,200 who remain. Approximately 50 have been treated for those gastrointestinal complaints.

Now, Martha, as I mentioned about 5,200 in DC right now, the National Guard actually scheduled to leave next Friday, March 12th. That's when their time here in DC runs out, of course. They could stay but the National Guard today saying that those troops, any troops in the future will make sure they have a decent meal and this problem won't happen again. Martha.  MACCALLUM: Tough trip to Washington for those folks and I think a lot of people will be glad when things get a little bit back to normal there. David, thank you very much.

So, one American contractor is dead after a rocket attack at al-Assad Airbase this morning in Iraq. The Pentagon says the contractor suffered a heart attack while sheltering during that attack. No US service members were killed or injured by the rockets. The attack comes only days after the United States responded to the latest provocation by Iran's proxies in the Middle East by conducting an airstrike on buildings used by Iranian-backed fighters in Syria.

Trey Yingst reporting live in Tel Aviv, Israel today. Hi, Trey.

TREY YINGST, FOX CORRESPONDENT: Martha, good afternoon. Early this morning, 10 rockets were fired at Ain al-Asad Airbase in Western Iraq that does house US troops. It was the first major attack by suspected Iranian-backed proxies since President Biden ordered airstrikes in Syria last week.

Cell phone video from the scene shows a burning dump truck turned rocket launcher near the base. It is customary for Iranian-backed Shia militias to light these launchers on fire after using them, the goal being to destroy the evidence. So far, no group has taken responsibility for the attack that occurred around 7:20 am local time.

Now according to the Pentagon, one American civilian contractor died after suffering a heart attack during that rocket fire. A spokesperson for the US coalition told Fox News, the incident is currently under investigation. President Biden reacting today saying his administration is identifying who exactly is responsible, and then we'll make judgments. The same Iraqi base was targeted by Iran with 16 ballistic missiles back in January of 2020 following the US drone strike that killed top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Martha.

MACCALLUM: Thank you very much, in Tel Aviv. So, let's bring in retired four-star General Jack Keane, Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst and former Vice Chief of Staff for the Army. General, good to have you with us.

So, what's your assessment of the dynamic that's going on here? We've seen these back and forth attacks. Where's this going?

JACK KEANE, SENIOR STRATEGIC ANALYST: Yes. Well, that's a great question. What's actually taking place here certainly, is the Iranians have wanted us out of Iraq ever since we got in there in 2003 and they've worked to that end. And what this is about right now is still the same. Finding the Iraqi government, they want people to support for it, they want to weaken US resolve to keep our forces still there.

And remember the reason why we're in Iraq now has to do with ISIS, taking over a third of Iraq and establishing a sanctuary in Syria. President Obama supported the troops going back in there. President Trump supported them staying there, actually increase some of them a little bit, and then reduce them to 2,500. It appears that the Biden administration, although hasn't made a pronouncement to that effect, at least appears to be continuing to support we have.

Why is that, because we don't want ISIS to be to reemerge and become a threat to destabilize Iraq, and also be a threat to the American people. That is why we're there. As opposed to dealing with this specific situation, you know, I don't think we should walk up the ladder of escalation with the Iranians. I do agree with what we did the last time, an attack into Syria, didn't attack into Iraq and undermine the government of Iraq, which is in a tenuous situation because they push back on the Iranian regime. And that is a very good thing.

I do think that the real backdrop here, Martha, is the Iranians and what do they really want. What the Iranians want is a removal of the sanctions. The sanctions have handcuffed them in terms of their full throttle financing of their operations in Lebanon, in Syria, and also in Yemen, and their operations in Iraq as well with their proxies to undermine the Iraqi government and to drive the Americans out.

So if that is the central issue, let's apply some pressure to them along that central issue as opposed to firing more missiles into the area. And by that I mean, just tell the Iranians upfront, look, we know you want sanction relief and we know you have a ploy to do that by, you know, pulling out a full compliance of the so called Iranian deal in 2015.

That being the case, we're not even going to sit down and talk to you about sanction relief as long as you continue these operations against us. That's going to be off the table for future discussion unless you begin to change your behavior now. I think that would be much more meaningful.

MACCALLUM: And they said they're not coming to the table unless the sanctions get lifted. So it seems like we're in a pretty tight spot and they were back on their heels for a long time. They seem to be leaning a bit forward at this point. So we'll see where it goes, general. Thank you so much. Good to have you here today.

KEANE: Good talking to you, Martha.

MACCALLUM: You too. So, first, it was Dr. Seuss books now another kid's favorite from the iconic author is now going under review. Also Meghan Markle, ditching her role as duchess, she'll still be called that but the some of the duties that went with it. But former aides say that she will always be the "queen of mean," new allegations about her behavior when the palace doors are closed.

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MACCALLUM: And the hits just keep coming, more cancellations maybe ahead for Dr. Seuss. Universal Orlando reportedly evaluating their Seuss Landing attraction, which looks like a lot of fun. The company says Spectrum News is also pulling six books off its shelves after Seuss enterprises announced that they would do the same thing as not publishing them. Parts of Seuss Landing are based on two of those books, one is "If I Ran the Zoo" and the other is "To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street," which include some black and Asian characters.

Seuss Enterprises says all six books "portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong." Dr. Seuss, or author Ted Geisel, was an ardent supporter of civil rights in the 1960s and penned the "The Sneetches," which is a book against racism, and that was heralded by then President Obama. Listen.

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BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES: Pretty much all the stuff you need to know is in Dr. Seuss. It's like the Star-Belly Sneetches, you know? We're all the same. So why would we treat somebody differently just because they don't have a star on their belly?

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MACCALLUM: Nice comment back then. And this, Meghan Markle accused of bullying two personal assistants at Kensington Palace so terribly that they quit. According to the Times of London, Markel left "in tears and shaking with fear." The paper reports another staffer alerted the royal family about the bullying in 2018, but Prince Harry asked them to drop it. A spokesman for the couple denies the accusations. Buckingham Palace says it is "very concerned." So with that we leave you.

That is "The Story" of Wednesday, March 3rd. I'll see you back here tomorrow, everybody, have a great day. Neil Cavuto is up next.

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