This is a rush transcript from "The First 100 Days," April 25, 2017. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
MARTHA MACCALLUM, FOX NEWS HOST: Good evening everybody. Welcome to "The First 100 Days" town hall. Tonight, we are live in Canton, Ohio. You know, the White House is pushing hard to put some points on the board on day 96 -- it is already. Today, they were slamming Canada on an unfair trade deal and huddling over these major tax cuts that we expect are going to roll out sometime tomorrow, while insisting that this campaign promise will happen. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're going to have the wall built. The wall gets built 100 percent.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACCALLUM: So while fielding questions about the tax cut and the ballooning deficit, as well as the investigation today of Mike Flynn, Sean Spicer laid out the record as the White House sees it. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEAN SPICER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: From the moment he took office, the President has been taking action in putting America back to work by putting the people's govern -- the people back into the government.
Despite the historic obstruction by senate Democrats, he's worked with Congress to pass more legislation in his first 100 days than any president since Truman. He signed a historic 13 Congressional Review Acts to clear unnecessary regulations. He has signed 28 pieces of legislation. The President has made 68 calls with 38 different world leaders and hosted a total of 16 bilateral meetings. The President has rebuilt America's standing in the world.
The President and his extraordinary, qualified Cabinet have made incredible progress in just these first 100 days, but this is just the beginning.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACCALLUM: Just the beginning, folks. We are coming to you live as we said from Stolle Machinery in North Canton, Ohio. You can see the great crowd that we have gathered here tonight. As you know, when we talk politics, we say as Ohio goes, so goes the nation, and that has been true in the Presidential elections across recent history. And it was here as well in Stark County, which is where Canton is, that we witnessed one of the most compelling stories of 2016.
As the local paper put it, the day after the election, Donald Trump did not just win the Stark vote, he conquered it. Look at these numbers. Defeated Hillary Clinton by more than 17 points in this county -- just four years earlier, President Obama beat Mitt Romney in this county by less than one percent. So what happened here over the course of those years? That is what we want to dig into tonight. What was it about President Trump, then the candidate, that resonated with many voters in Ohio who had voted for President Obama twice? It could very well have been the message that he delivered just 10 miles from right here on this spot at the end of the campaign. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: The message is a good message though. It's a message of confidence. It's a message of jobs, jobs, jobs. America's trade deficit with the proposed TPP member countries cost the State of Ohio more than 100,000 jobs last year. State of Ohio, imagine how many jobs and more jobs would be lost if TPP was actually approved. We will not let that happen. November 8th. We will not let it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACCALLUM: So that was the President on the campaign trail, not far from here, but three months in now to the new administration, our voters happy with what they're seeing from President Trump. Do they feel like the economy is getting better? Do they feel like the job market is starting to pick up? We're going to get those answers straight from the people tonight.
We will also be joined by two Ohio natives, former Trump Labor Secretary nominee, Andy Puzder, as well as the state's former Democratic governor, Ted Strickland. Both of these gentlemen were very pleased to have with us tonight, to talk with the crowd as well. We want to start, though, with the people who gathered here tonight at Stolle Machinery. And I welcome all of you. It's great to have all of you here tonight. Let's start by talking to some of the executives of this great country -- and as I said, we just been really impressed -- Michael Raderchak, Michael Larson, both executives here.
Michael Raderchak, let me start with you. You know, what have you observed so far in the first 100 days as someone who helped to run this business, what's changed? Has anything changed?
MICHAEL RADERCHAK, VP OF GLOBAL SOLUTIONS, STOLLE MACHINERY: I would say optimism, excitement, more so than ever before. We are seeing, I guess, more people looking towards manufacturing with inside the country than outside of the country. So, that excitement and that optimism started to grow. And I think over the past eight years, we didn't see that as much. Some of the trade deficits started, you know, dwindle down. And we're starting to see, you know, the fruit of that labor.
MACCALLUM: Yes, when you go back and we watch now-President Trump on the campaign trail, he talked about TPP and that sound bite. The fact that he canceled that early on, what -- does that have any real impact on this company?
RADERCHAK: Well, I mean, as you know, we ship a lot to offshore, and I do feel that we're going to continue to do that very strong. To say it had a big impact on this company, I really couldn't say. At the end of the day, we've always shipped offshore. And it's too early to say whether we're going to get there or not.
MACCALLUM: All right. So you just -- you sense business optimism, which we've seen the consumer confidence numbers have been pretty strong over the past couple of months.
Michael Larson, what are your thoughts now having grown up -- did you grow up in Ohio, Sir?
MICHAEL LARSON, STOLLE MACHINERY CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER: No, I grew up in Wisconsin.
MACCALLUM: OK.
LARSON: So, it's on Midwest.
MACCALLUM: So, it's on similar -- yes.
LARSON: Strong Midwest.
MACCALLUM: Similar situation in the election as far as Wisconsin and Ohio are concerned. So, when you look at your company, what's changed?
LARSON: I don't want to mirror what Michael said but what's changed specifically here in Stolle, we first upgrade employees and we've seen more interest out of what we'll call the "younger generation". We have a great apprenticeship program, great internships, and we see -- we see that interest, where frankly we didn't see it before. Now, I don't know if that's due to the facility we've had or if it's due to just the changes and optimism and the focus on manufacturing which depicts the (INAUDIBLE) that occurred.
MACCALLUM: All right. Let's get a couple more people in who can talk about, you know, their perception of what happened in your State of Ohio, which we always talking politics about how Ohio is such a microcosm really for the rest of the country as well. It represents so many different groups of people. Robert Fenn did not support President Trump. And so now, 96 days in, I'm curious, Robert, if you could stand up for us, what are your thoughts? You know, give us your reflections as an Ohioan on this president so far.
ROBERT FENN, FEDERAL EMPLOYEE: Well, my first initial thoughts were, of course, surprised. I was surprised that how many individuals would make a vote opposite to what I thought when I didn't think it would benefit them. I was also surprised for the banter that went back and forth from individuals. They -- if I can be frank, some of the hate language. I was surprised to see how we could have opposing point of views and somehow one side or the other was anti-American. So, those were some of my first initial thoughts.
MACCALLUM: So, have any of your concerns been allayed over the 96 days or not?
FENN: As far as the surprise, no. That is already -- I'm -- that's part of my personality. Whatever happen, it has to happen. So, therefore we have to continue to move forward. As far as dealing with other individuals who may have the anti or opposing point of view than what I had, that's still there. I was surprised that some of my -- I would say, friends, on what -- you know, you have the social media, I want to get off of the social media now.
(CROSSTALK)
MACCALLUM: Yes. I think a lot of us do. Right?
(CROSSTALK)
FENN: Yes, those type of things. Other than that, I think we have my -- those who are around me have moved on.
MACCALLUM: All right. Thank you very much. Good to hear from you, Robert. We'll come back. Tamie Lindamood works here at Stolle. Let's just get the mic in front of you, Tamie. So, you know, talk to me a little bit about -- are you from Ohio originally?
TAMIE LINDAMOOD, STOLLE MACHINERY EMPLOYEE: Yes, born and raised.
MACCALLUM: All right. So, you know, when you look around the state and you learn about the plants that have closed here over the years, you have Republic Steel, you have Ford, you have Hoover company, all these great names that we all grew up with that disappeared, that closed their doors here, how did -- you know, how did that period feel growing up here and how does it feel now?
LINDAMOOD: For me, I have a personal experience and that I was actually, during the Obama administration, laid off three times. So I knew what it was like to come home and say "OK. How am I going to pay the house payment?" I've cashed in 401 (k). I did what I needed to do. I watched friends get laid off, husbands. I've lost -- I watched friends lose their homes. So, this area, especially like The Timken Company, so many people worked there and then one day they don't have a job. So, it's just -- it's stifling to be from Ohio and watch a president come in that gives you so much hope, so much optimistic and hopefully not be a typical politician and turn things around.
MACCALLUM: All right. We still have a couple minutes before we take a quick break but, Governor, you know, what's your reaction to that?
TED STRICKLAND, FORMER GOVERNOR OF OHIO: With what she just said?
MACCALLUM: Sure.
STRICKLAND: Well, we all need optimism and hope, but we also need certain action. And, you know, the truth is that Ohio lost 4,000 jobs in March. And so, there is optimism, and we appreciate that. But the fact is that I believe the President talks better than he acts. And just let me say why I say that. He hasn't renegotiated NAFTA. I congratulate him for withdrawing us from TPP, that's something that I felt was in the best interest of the country, but it's early. And I'm willing to give the President some time. I mean, it's been less than 100 days.
But I think we need to observe very carefully what's happening in our country and in our economy. China is no longer a currency manipulator. And we heard a lot from the President before he was elected that he was going to declare China a currency manipulator, no longer. So I'm willing to give him some time, but I want to hold him accountable for the promises that he made. And I think that's only fair.
MACCALLUM: You brought up a lot of good points that we're going to get you specifically I hope over the course of the hour. Quick thought from you, Andy, and then we'll get back to you after the break, but one of the reasons that March tipped off a little bit may have been that the health care reform did not go through. Your thoughts as somebody who has run CKE, Carl's Jr., Hardee's, run businesses all across this country and then we're going to go to break and we'll come back with more.
ANDY PUZDER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF CKE RESTAURANTS AND FORMER TRUMP LABOR SECRETARY NOMINEE: Well, you can't really look at one month. If you look at the two months, in fact, that we've had President Trump in place, Ohio has added 12,000 jobs. They added 36,000 over the past year. So, a third of the jobs Ohio has added had been since President Trump was elected. We have 1300 manufacturing jobs in this state and 7300 construction jobs. That's a lot of jobs. That's a lot of growth. And a lot of it has to do with deregulation, which shrinking the bureaucracy that restrains growth. I think we've seen a lot of that under President Trump. And if you look at the 28 bills that he passed and the 25 executive orders, most of those related to shrinking the size of an oppressive government. And I think he's been very successful with that.
MACCALLUM: We're going to be right back with a lot more. The Trump administration today, declaring that it was going to get tough with Canada and others in order to protect American jobs. We are back in moments with reaction, new ideas, the thoughts of the people of Ohio from the floor of Stolle Machinery here in beautiful Canton, Ohio, American made with great pride. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACCALLUM: Welcome back, everybody. We are back at the Stolle Machinery here in North Canton, Ohio, on the factory floor where a lot of folks tell us that it has been sort of America's second for too long. President Trump trying to change that by signing an executive order to ease burdens on America's farmers -- that happened today at the White House. He also slaps them import penalties on our neighbor to the north, Canada. Now, this morning, the President tweeted this. "Canada has made business for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult. We will not stand for this. Watch!" And just hours ago, he doubled down on that message. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I love Canada, but they've outsmarted our politicians for many years, and you people understand that. So we did institute a very big tariff. We announced it yesterday and we're going to take care of our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and upstate New York and lots of other places.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACCALLUM: He said, "I love Canada but." But. So, let's go back to our town hall audience and get your thoughts on this and some of the bigger picture. But I actually want to start with the bigger picture with you and we've done this at each of our town halls over the course of the 100 days. So, let me lay out the question for you first and then you can raise your hand with your thoughts on it. So, the question is, what do you think about the presidency so far in the first 100 days? Are you strongly in favor? Do you have concerns about how things are going, or are you disappointed? OK.
So, let's go backwards. Let's start with those who would say 96 days in, I'm disappointed. Raise your hand. OK. Got to look -- not too many. All right. A couple folks back there. So let's -- the second part, you know, sort of concerned. Things are okay, but I'm a little concerned. OK. A few more in that category as you look around the room. So, how many strongly support what you see so far? Wow. That's a really -- yes, look, all hands up all around.
You heard the President just talking about moments ago. And let me go back to you gentlemen about this Canada issue. And also, talking to the farmers today about ways to improve their business, do you think he made a wise move, Governor Strickland?
STRICKLAND: I think our workers need to be protected, and when the President takes action to protect them, I applaud him for that. That's why I brought up the currency manipulation that the China is undertaking. Suddenly, it's not a big problem. So as I said, I want to give the President the time to do what he said he was going to do. But I'm concerned about some things. I'm concerned about the fact that his budget cuts about $300 million from the Great Lakes Restoration project, which is-- we'll eliminate that program totally. The Great Lakes are important to Ohio and other states.
MACCALLUM: How many -- let me just see a show of hands if you are unhappy about cutting funding to the Great Lakes Restoration program? Raise your hand. All right. And who does not have a problem with that? OK. About half and half of those who have -- who weighed in, I would say.
STRICKLAND: I mean, that's just one issue. His budget does some other things. It cuts meals on wheels, it cuts a head start funding. He wants to eliminate the Appalachian Regional Commission. Now, why that's very significant? There are 36 Appalachian counties in Ohio, I believe, and 32 of those counties voted for Donald Trump. And yet, he wants to eliminate the ARC, which is vitally important to these small communities in Appalachia.
The coal miners, he said he wanted to help the coal miners. At the end of this month, 20,000 retired coal miners will lose their health benefits and the President has been silent about that issue. It's an important issue and he needs to speak up and keep his commitment to those miners.
MACCALLUM: All right. Let's go back up to the audience for a moment. You know, in terms of the promises that were made to bring back jobs to America, because this is the issue and you've got that combined with what you're discussing, which is cutting some of the programs, cutting some of the bureaucracy. Let's go to Steve Shutt, who's a machinist and a Trump supporter. Steve, if you could stand up for us, and you know, sort of tell us what you think as you're listening to all of this.
STEVE SHUTT, STOLLE MACHINERY MACHINIST: I think the jury is still out. I mean it's too soon to say yes, he's a -- he's a tremendous success or he's a total failure. So, it's too soon to really, I think, make a final decision on that. In my case, I was working at a place that was in December it was pretty heavily invested in oil and gas industry and then we just suddenly, we saw things sort of tapering off in oil and gas. And so, fortunately, I had a markable skill in machine -- machining area and I was able to get new work. But sort of the up and down and I guess just the general energy kind of area had suffered quite a bit. And I am encouraged with what I see so far with the Trump administration, though like I say, the jury is still out. But I am encouraged and thankful I have the opportunity to work and apply my skills.
MACCALLUM: Steve, thank you very much. Andy, you want to weigh in on that before we go to a break?
Sure. When you're a CEO or a businessman, one thing you need to do if you are going to negotiate is have a negotiating position. And part of that is sending messages. We send a message to Canada today. We're Canada's largest customer. Canada does not want to mess with us, and I don't want to mess with President Trump. We sent a message today that if you mess with us, we're going to retaliate. And it wasn't -- it's not a severe message, it wasn't crushing, but it was something that let people know that you can't mess with the United States.
Same thing on trade with China. China was a currency manipulator. I'm not an expert on this but what I've read, they stopped being a currency manipulator during the election. No big coincidence there. The Chinese think decades ahead. But accusing China of being a currency manipulator, using trade as a negotiating tool, he's been able to get the Chinese to support our position in North Korea, along with bombing Syria, showing people we were serious. This China has done more in the past two months to help us with North Korea than they've done in the past 25 years. And it's because we have somebody in there who knew how to negotiate, who set a negotiating position, and went forward with strength and I'm completely supportive of it.
MACCALLUM: We're going to get more into foreign policy when we come back from this break. While the administration has promised to focus on America first, in the recent news from North Korea, Syria, and Iran, is this threatening the President's message? We're going to take a look at that question when we come back with our town hall audience next here at Stolle Machinery, in the heart of The Buckeye State, right after this. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: This is the catastrophe that does happen when we build up other countries instead of our own. We take care of everybody else. It's America First now, folks. America First. America First.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACCALLUM: Welcome back, everybody. America First has been part of President Trump's message since the start. But are events around the world starting to threaten that promise to some extent? You see an increased action abroad, as the President deals with the threat of ISIS and others in the Middle East and a softening in Trump's tone towards China when it comes to currency and trade issues. We're just talking about the - whether or not they're a currency manipulator issue. So, he's trying to deal with North Korea and there's a picture of him when he was at Mar-a-Lago with President Xi of China. So, what about Kim Jong-un, and the question there as he continues to saber rattle and the President responds to that as well.
Let's bring back our audience here in North Canton, Ohio tonight. We're so glad to be with all of you. You know, one of the things that the president talks -- thank you so much. The President talked a lot about China on the campaign trail. It was mostly in terms of how they are unfair to us in trade. And he said that he was going to label them a currency manipulator on day one but now he has said that they are not a currency manipulator, at least not for now and he likes the coordination that he's getting from them on China. So, I want to get your thoughts on this. Who has some thoughts on what we should do about China and whether or not you think the president is handling it the way he should be? Sir, stand up and tell us your name.
DAVID HELD, NORTH CANTON, OHIO MAYOR: Yes. David Held. I'm the Mayor of North Canton here. And, you know, when you talk about losing jobs, and see in North Canton, we lost nearly 3,000 jobs when the Hoover company left, that was in 2007. So, it was devastating to the community. We lost about 23 percent of our income. And so, jobs is like number one. We want to make sure that we keep jobs here. We also had the Suarez company that was manufacturing over in China and then they brought that manufacturing here to North Canton but only to be undercut by cheaper selling models that were being made over in China. So, when we hear the America First and American jobs come first, that's really, really important in this area.
MACCALLUM: So, you would rather that he focus on that?
HELD: Yes, thank you.
MACCALLUM: Yes. I think a lot of people would rather they focus on that. But, yes, the President is in a tough spot, you know, when you're dealing with world issues and you have somebody like Kim Jong-un who is so unpredictable and potentially could put a nuclear warhead on an ICBM missile that could potentially reach the United States, do you think that's a more compelling problem? I mean, how do you - how do you choose between one or the other? Who wants to - who wants to chime in on that over here? What do you think, in terms of China and their reaction and what we should be doing? I saw you nodding your head there, ma'am. Do you have any thoughts on that?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Apparently I do.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I keep informed with my husband on a lot of historical and the current events. He's very excellent on it and my concern is I think that Trump does have to backtrack on some of things he says at the moment. Yes, crisis has come up and I think our national security has to Trump, excuse me, everything. And so I support him on that on the short term.
I do have a side of me that feels that Trump just because he feels an understanding of the working man, I think that he's been out there out on the field doing his business, but he does understand people such as us here in the Canton and the Ohio area. But I think if the question is, is it OK for him not to say -- it's okay to manipulate the currency, I don't know if he's actually saying that but I think he is realizing how to prioritize during his presidency.
I feel that issue will come back down the road once he stabilizes our national threat that we have over in the Far East.
(APPLAUSE)
MACCALLUM: Very interesting. You know, another thing that the president talked about with regard to foreign policy was that he was very upset that he -- we had wasted as he put it, a trillion dollars in the Middle East fighting wars in Afghanistan. And then you saw what happened in Syria with the Tomahawk missiles and then the MOAB, the mother of all bombs that was dropped in Afghanistan.
Is anyone concerned -- are you concerned that he might be going down that road? That he might be bringing us back into a situation in the Middle East that would eventually require to have a lot more of our resources turn in that direction? Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm very concerned. I mean, I'm a big history buff, so I see in history and kind of saw this in the 2000s. We saw what happened when you try to replace leadership and you try to come in with a hard strike. It shows and it looks like the Iraq war. If we keep going down the path of, you know, were going to bomb Syria, we're going to do this, Assad needs to go, that looks very familiar to me, you know, from 2000s. It's very 2000s.
MACCALLUM: Well, you know, it is -- you know, when you're the president of the United States, you deal with a lot of issues that you don't necessarily know are going to land on your plate and I think that the president perhaps has confronted a more complex world situation than he ever expected. I mean Andy, how do you balance those two things?
ANDY PUZDER, FORMER LABOR SECRETARY NOMINEE: Look, I think the president really doesn't want to get us involved in another war in the Middle East and that's important to me. It's important to me that his inclination is we should not go to war. So if we have to do something for example bombing Syria because they gas their own people, they crossed that redline that had been drawn previously, then he does something like that, I feel better that he's doing it because I think he wouldn't do it unless he felt he really had to.
(APPLAUSE)
MACCALLUM: I'm curious what you all think about the president's approval numbers. We saw the polls during the course of the election and they turned out to be wrong pretty much. They certainly were wrong on election night. So when you look at the polls and they say that he is the weakest, has the weakest approval rating of any president in recent history, do you believe that or do you think -- no, you don't?
What do you think is going on out there? Somebody stand up and give us your thoughts. When you read polls, when you see what they're saying in the media about the presidency so far, why do you shake your head and say that you don't think it's true? You're not getting a straight story. There we go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It wasn't true before the election, why is it true now?
(APPLAUSE)
MACCALLUM: You know, what do you think about when you listen to the media and you see these polls and you know, what do you think is going on out there if you think that those numbers are not accurate, that they don't reflect how you feel, and they don't reflect what you see in your town?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't believe any of it is true. It wasn't true before the election. I don't understand how it's true now. The media has been reporting all these just fake news and that is true. So, I talked to all my friends, people I've worked with, no one believes it. So, I don't know where it's coming from.
MACCALLUM: Thank you very much. Governor Strickland, what do you think about that? You know, you live in Ohio, you're a Democrat and you listen to this crowd. Do you feel that you have a good read on what people in your state are feeling?
TED STRICKLAND, D-FORMER GOVERNOR OF OHIO: I think the polls were true. I mean, the fact is --
MACCALLUM: Until they weren't.
(LAUGHTER)
STRICKLAND: No.
MACCALLUM: They weren't true.
(APPLAUSE)
STRICKLAND: Let me explain. Hillary Clinton did get 3 million more votes than Donald Trump. But the president won. And now foreign policy is his responsibility. But let me say this about foreign policy. For a long time in this country, the House and the Senate, the Congress has neglected their responsibility when it comes to foreign policy. And the actions the president took in Syria, which I think, you know, was called for.
He was using as that authority and authorization that was passed right after 9/11. Now what's happened in this country for several years, Congress has failed to accept their responsibilities to be a partner with the president when it comes to foreign policy. And we need a new authorization for military force so that the House and the Senate with the president assumes responsibility.
MACCALLUM: I'm still getting no argument from this crowd that Congress is not doing their job. I mean they have the lowest approval numbers out there whenever you look at -- talk about poll numbers. We have to leave it there and take a quick break and we're going to come back with your thoughts governor. Thank you.
But coming up next, this administration is taking a daily beating from the media. The people's report card here from the shop floor in the Stolle machinery when we come back. Stay with us. We'll be right back.
(APPLAUSE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACCALLUM: So, there may not be a lot of what people here might call rich folks in Stark County, Ohio, but there is a lot of pride and there's a lot of support for a president who managed a double-digit victory over Hillary Clinton last November. And since the election, the administration has taken a daily beating from a large part of the media which we discussed a little bit and a prior block.
We want to talk to her audience about that and see whether they think, that that is really fair. You know, one of the issues that has come up a lot is that the president sometimes will speak in hyperbole or exaggeration. Now, I want to get your feel for whether or not you mind that, you know.
The president has said that he had sort of the most accomplished 100 days of any president. He's talked about rolling out tomorrow the biggest tax cut that anyone's ever seen. So is that something that you sort of, you know, accept this kind of his way? It's sort of the art of the deal, starting big and then working from there? Or is it something that you think you should be held to task on? Who wants to answer that? Yes sir.
KELVIN LEWIS, CEO AND PRESIDENT: My name is Kelvin Lewis. I'm the CEO and president of the great Stark County (INAUDIBLE). We call those things hyperboles but ever since I've been a child, those have been called lies. I believe that as the president, he needs to just say what he plans to do, execute what he plans to do.
Not give us hopes and dreams and big smoke and mirrors and then come back and say well, I didn't really mean that because anyone sitting in this room, if we do that, we're considered liars, we're fired, and is just unacceptable especially from that office.
MACCALLUM: Do you feel that presidents and prior politicians have done that before to you?
LEWIS: Absolutely. But my point is regardless of what they did before, what they're doing now, we have an obligation to this country when we say put the country first, I look at Flint, Michigan. What's being done about the poisonous water there?
We can talk about all of the great things that he plans to do, but we can only speak about what he's done and I'm not totally against the president. He's helped -- he signed a bill for veterans, which I'm a 20-year retired Air Force member, so I was elated to read and hear about him signing a bill that we can now get health care outside of the VA system. I was elated about that.
(APPLAUSE)
MACCALLUM: So it sounds like you're willing to give him a chance. But you want him to -- you don't want him to exaggerate. You want him to speak to you.
LEWIS: Absolutely. When I was in the military, I was told a statement that says shut up and color (ph) and I did that for 20 years. But when it came time for being honest, the Air Force is saying integrity first. And if I teach my airmen and if I teach my current employees and if I teach my children that, it has to come from the highest office. Integrity first.
And you cannot say, well, that was a hyperbole and I didn't really mean it like, you know, like his understanding now that NATO is needed. Be careful what you say. Do some investigation. You have wonderful team around do you say, allow them to notify you and keep you informed so that you don't do the hyperboles you just speak the truth.
MACCALLUM: Thank you and thank you for your service sir. Thank you very much.
(APPLAUSE)
I'd love to get a show of hands because I want to know what priorities are most important to you as you look at what the president is trying to tackle. He did talk about the wall today and he said it's going to get 100 percent built. So, I want to get your thoughts on what is most important to you. The choices for this particular question are tax reform, repealing and replacing health care, and building the wall.
So, which one is the most important to you that you want this president to focus on as he heads into the second 100 days? So, let's go backwards with the build the wall first. All of the above. Build the wall is very important to you ma'am? But only one person said that was their top priority. Why is that more important to you than health care or tax reform?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I believe we got to protect our borders first and get things straightened out and get all the people that are legal in the country, then take care of our health care. You know, we can't be protective and covering all the people that come in here illegally and are not good upstanding citizens. We've got to protect America first.
(APPLAUSE)
MACCALLUM: OK. Alright, so raise your hand if you want to see health care repealed and replaced. The president said he needs to do that first before tax reform. Do you agree with that? Do you want health care first? A couple of hands over here, a couple of hands over here.
Who wants to see the tax code simplified and corporate taxes lowered, individual taxes lowered? Clearly that is your first choice. What's going here and get your thoughts on why that is sir. Next to the lady who just spoke if you would.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First of all, from an economic standpoint, I think you cut taxes getting business to invest more and I know I would like to have a little bit more of my money back. It sport of keeps important -- all the programs that we really don't need to have in this country. So, I just think from an economic standpoint.
(APPLAUSE)
MACCALLUM: You bring up a great point, and one of the things that we have seen a lot of it in the 100 days is rolling back bureaucracy and trying to cut the size of government. How many people think that that is what they voted for? That that's a priority that really means something to them? Hands all around. Andy, this is something that, and you're raising your hand too. Why is that such a big dea? And what do you think, Andy, when you hear people saying that there hasn't been that much accomplished so far?
PUZDER: I think that's wrong. Like I said, the 28 pieces of legislation that the president signed and the 25 executive orders basically went to reduce the size of government. To rollback this incredible regulatory state that was hurting businesses like Michael's. What we need to do is we need to generate revenue. You need tax revenue. We don't need higher taxes, we need more tax revenue. And you don't get more tax revenue by taxing the businesses that generate growth.
If we can increase GDP by 1 percent from the pathetic 2 percent that we've had for the past eight years, if we can increase that just to 3 percent, that's $180 billion in revenue. So you want to raise revenue, reduce capital gains taxes. People that own assets will sell them. There will be tax revenue and will have more revenue. You can't increase revenue by taxing the people that generate income. It just doesn't work.
MACCALLUM: Alright, thank you. We're going to take a quick break. As we approach the end of "The First 100 Days," where do these voters want the administration to focus next? We're going to get to that when we come back right here in North Canton, Ohio, after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACCALLUM: So as you know, President Trump rode a massive wave of support from Ohio straight to the White House. So how can he keep that support going from this state past the first 100 days? Let's talk with Jane Timken, the newly elected Ohio Republican Party chair who won a hard-fought battle after receiving support from then president-elect Trump. So he helped you get where you are today Jane, at least in this part of your life, right?
JANE TIMKEN, CHAIRWOMAN, OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY: Absolutely. That's correct.
MACCALLUM: So, what do you think? What's your reaction to what you're hearing here tonight?
TIMKEN: Well, first of all, it's great to be in Stark County. It's my hometown. You know, my reaction is the support of President Trump is strong in Stark County. I've got to see it firsthand how many people were coming into our victory centers and the enthusiasm, excitement to vote for President Trump.
You know, these are people who had never previously engaged in politics, and they were coming out in droves, making phone calls and knocking on doors. It's like nothing I have seen. I've been involved in the past presidential cycles and I could feel the electricity and the excitement.
MACCALLUM: I want to get your reaction to the media questioning because, you know, when I look around at what's going, you know, all across the channels and then the newspapers as we all do, there's a lot being written about how it's, you know, the worst least successful 100 days in history, that it's the lowest approval numbers that we've seen, and you're not experiencing that, you're not seeing that?
TIMKEN: I'm not seeing it. Quite frankly, I like to sometimes make the comparison when I talk to people about President Reagan. He was criticized by the media. People thought that he wasn't as good of communicators he would've liked to be. They thought his ideas on the economy were crazy.
President Trump wakes up in my opinion everyday thinking about how he's going to bring jobs, prosperity and national security to this country and I think it's resonating with the people here.
(APPLAUSE)
MACCALLUM: So, one of the things that I want to bring up because I want to explain a little bit about where we are. And your family is also a steel company from Ohio, Timken Steel. We saw that right up the road from where we are today. The Dakota Access Pipeline, the Keystone Pipeline, talk to me about what you think the impact is of those decisions on the state of Ohio?
TIMKEN: Well, I know that the green lighting of the Keystone Pipeline is going to bring about 5,000 jobs to the state of Ohio. That's significant to the state when we talk about numbers of jobs. When the president makes these decisions, I know that he's always thinking about what's best for the America first economy and what's best for the American workers and the best for the American manufacturers.
If we can't grow our businesses in this country, we can't hire more people, we can't have a better economy. And I know that people were clamoring for that in the past election.
MACCALLUM: I want to go out and talk to the gentleman from Stolle real quickly if I could one more time. Michael and Michael, if you could stand up if you don't mind. You know, in terms of your business and what you're seeing here, and you make machines that make cans that go all around the world. So regulation, health care, all of these issues, have you seen your premiums rise? Would you like to see repeal and replace? What would help your business the most? What would like to tell President Trump tonight?
MICHAEL LARSON, COO, STOLLE MACHINERY: Most importantly is tax reform. Y0u had mentioned it earlier, but tax reform is always focused on corporations. What is not focused on are small businesses. So if you take a look at the equipment that's in here, a lot of small businesses contribute to the manufacturing site here in Ohio. A lot of, you know, Minster, Stolle, Rockwell, Perfecto, all local in the state of Ohio. They need that break too. So it's not just I did my W2, I'm not real happy about my taxes either. But more importantly the support of small businesses so they too can rise and create jobs.
(APPLAUDE)
MACCALLUM: Michael Raderchak.
MICHAEL RADERCHAK, VP SALES, STOLLE MACHINERY: To touch on what Michael said, I agree with tax reforms. All corporations have to reinvest to create jobs. That's what's key. I'm all about protecting the young people in this audience.
My daughter, all the young employees that we have working for us and the only way they we're going to protect them in this manufacturing environment is have our corporations, our small businesses start reinvesting and grow this economy on a manufacturing base rather than a service base.
(APPLAUDE)
MACCALLUM: OK. Alright, thank you very much gentleman. Final thoughts from Ohio when day 96 of the first 100 continues from North Canton tonight right after this. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MACCALLUM: Alright, thanks Stolle Machinery for hosting out town hall tonight here in North Canton, Ohio. Also, big thanks to our fantastic audience. I so enjoyed hearing what all of you had to say tonight and everybody across the country as well. So thank you. Our special guest, Andy Puzder, Ted Strickland and Jane Timken. Thank you to the as well for being here tonight. They were terrific.
Thank you for watching. Ninety-six days, there's four more to go in the first 100. We look forward to joining you every night after that. So what's going to be accomplished in the next few days? Stay tuned. Good night everybody. We'll see you back home.
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