President Obama insists defeating ISIS remains top priority
Critics hit the president for attending baseball game in Cuba, dancing tango in Argentine
This is a rush transcript from "The Five," March 24, 2016. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
ERIC BOLLONG, CO-HOST: Hello, everyone. I'm Eric Bolling along with Kimberly Guilfoyle, Juan Williams, Dana Perino and Jesse Watters. It's 5:00 in New York City and this right here to "The Five".
Belgium lowered its alert level today even though there's still an intense hunt for a second suspect who may have been involved in the bombings on the Brussels subway on Tuesday. And investigators still don't know what happened to that man in white, the one seen pushing the luggage cart alongside the two suspected airport suicide bombers. At least four Americans still remain missing.
But now let's go to Fox News correspondent Mike Tobin in Brussels with the very latest. What's -- bring us up to speed, Mike.
MIKE TOBIN, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well, you mentioned the very latest or the least at new -- the newest development of the day and that is that there is a second mystery suspect caught on security video. You know about Khalid El Bakraoui, he is the known bomber who entered the metro subway station and detonated his bomb there.
It was the second individual caught on security video with him apparently carrying a bag. All that police have released is a sketch of the individual but it leaves with us with two unidentified individuals at large, one fro the airport and now one from the metro subway.
22 people are missing, two of them, according to the U.S. State Department, U.S. officials. The local Queen Astrid Military Hospital, there are four unidentified survivors. However, according to a former U.S. ambassador, anguished families are not allowed to see them to identify or rule out identification.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM CAIN, SEARCHING FOR MISSING LOVED ONE: We're frustrated that now two and a half days later, at least a half dozen families haven't been told whether their children or loved ones are the once who are still in this hospital alive. We know there are legal issues. We get that. There are legal issues and investigation. We understand that. But human compassion in my opinion trumps all of that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TOBIN: Adding to the growing list of apparent intelligence failure, information through the Wall Street Journal that an arrest warrant had been issued for Khalid El Bakraoui, the known subway attacker. But that arrest warrant was not executed. It was issued by a local judge with a specialty investigating the Paris attacks. The majority or coalition in parliament is now forming a commission to investigate the intelligence failure subsequent to these attacks. The justice minister, the interior minister, both offer their resignations. However, the prime minister refused their resignations due to what he called the situation of war.
Eric, back to you.
BOLLING: Mike, thank you very much.
A day after taking a lot of heat for the optics of the baseball game while Brussels burn. President Obama took a more serious tone in Argentina. Watch. No, maybe not. But he really thinks is to handle on terror. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: This is my number one priority. I've got a lot of things on my plate. But my top priority is to defeat ISIL and to eliminate the scourge of this barbaric terrorism that's been taking place around the world.
Groups like ISIL can't destroy us. They can't defeat us. They don't produce anything. They're not an existential threat to us. It is very important for us to not respond with fear.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLLING: Leading from behind the third place dugout and leading your dance partner in the tango aren't really leading the war on terror, Mr. President. I don't think so and neither does Dr. Krauthammer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: What he said in Argentina, this is "a top priority." Everybody understands that's a farce. He doesn't believe a word of it. He says it by rote, because he knows he's supposed to say it. But he has said, in interviews, he has said it to his staff, as reported in the Atlantic, more people die in falls in their bathtubs than die in terrorism.
BRET BAIER, HOST, "SPECIAL REPORT": He also said climate change is more important that ISIS.
KRAUTHAMMER: Everything is more important than ISIS. He thinks it is the background noise of our time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLLING: OK. Again, a couple of big things here, the optics number one and the intel failures which one do you wanna take first?
DANA PERINO, CO-HOST: The optics. I would say the baseball game is totally predictable and it's in keeping with how he has chosen to respond to terror attacks.
Remember, it was James Comey of the FBI who called San Bernardino a terror attack. The president was not going to do that. And then when -- finally the FBI said, "oh, no, we're doing that." Then president changed his tune and then makes a little stop over on his way to his vacation, Hawaii to see the victims on the way there. Otherwise the San Bernardino attacks would have been totally written off and forgotten by the administration.
So I think his response and absolutely typical and in a pattern that we've seen from him before. I'll also say that our -- the enemy is adapting. And I know that the president doesn't want to change course right now but if the enemy is adapting, doesn't that mean we should too? I would say yes.
The third thing I would say is that it's just a very different viewpoint. So President Obama has long viewed terrorism as more of a law enforcement matter and not as terrorism. It is a different approach to fighting terrorism. But I have to say that, if you look at that list that I've mentioned, yesterday it was in the Wall Street Journal, of all the attacks that happened day after day against innocent civilians in the western world. And not just the western world, but innocent Muslims being targeted by these terrorist as well that, taking the fight to the enemy is a much better alternative to me than leading from behind.
BOLLING: Now, KG, do you -- you listened to President Obama then you're saying he's kind of circling the airport here.
KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE, CO-HOST: Yeah. He wasn't even like focused on point. I mean, I really enjoyed the latest episode of dancing with the potus. That was particularly charming but I mean, you know, Europe is burning. We're under repetitive attacks with now saying the 400 other trained fighters are coming in to wage Jihad across Europe.
Hey, let's get some focus here. But he's dancing. He's got his head in the clouds, the cumulus clouds and he's worried about climate change. This isn't his focus. This isn't something that he actually thinks is a pressing concern. Because if did he, his actions would speak louder than his hollow words.
BOLLING: Mr. Juan, rebuttal?
JUAN WILLIAMS, CO-HOST: Well, I don't understand what's being said at this table because .
GUILFOYLE: Of course.
WILLIAMS: ... to me, we have hardened targets in this country. We have people on the ground even at this moment as the president is committed. He was trying to withdraw people. We put more people on the ground to fight ISIS than any of the European countries.
Our security apparatus is far superior. In fact, today what you saw in Europe was, the foreign minister, the security minister and chair minister in Brussels say, we'll resign, because they're embarrassed. They knew they should have done a better job. The Americans are doing a great job. San Bernardino, who has forgotten that? We're fighting Apple over access to the phone to try to find out more about the people who perpetrated that horror.
BOLLING: Let me ask you a question while we -- if President Obama says he doesn't want to keep Gitmo open because it will tick off the terrorists. He doesn't want to say Islamic terrorism because it will tick off the terrorists. These terrorist, now they're surrounded by -- Belgium surrounded by France and Germany, two countries that have sent a lot of troops into the fight against terror.
WILLIAMS: Not and not as much as we have.
BOLLING: But non from Belgium.
WILLIAMS: So .
BOLLING: Hold on.
WILLIAMS: Right.
BOLLING: Non from Belgium .
WILLIAMS: Correct.
BOLLING: . and it gets blown to bits two days ago.
WILLIAMS: Well, I'm saying they have a real problem in that neighborhood. And that -- don't forget, those are the same people who is perpetrating the .
BOLLING: My point is it doesn't really matter what you say or what you do.
WILLIAMS: Hold on. Let me .
BOLLING: They want to kill people.
WILLIAMS: Yeah, they certainly do. Nobody is denying that but here is the thing. In the middle of the darkest night, do I want somebody leading me who's panicky, fear mongering .
PERINO: Oh, please.
WILLIAMS: . reacting out of threat or do I want a steady commanding presence like President Obama.
JESSE WATTER, HOST, "'WATTERS' WORLD": Is there would be only two options. I mean he's like steady on the dance floor. It sounds like the only problem one has with what they did is he didn't do the fox trot or something like that.
Juan, the guys is literally dancing in the dark while people are dying in the street.
BOLLING: Oh yes, I know.
WILLIAMS: . studio Jesse.
WATTERS: But remember, President Bush gave up golf during the war on terror. It looks like President Obama has just given up.
WILLIAMS: All right.
WATTERS: Let's remember some of the others the president has given us, fist bumping after and golfing after the beheading.
WILLIAMS: Oh my God.
WATTERS: Remember bowing to the Saudi king or .
WILLIAMS: All right.
WATTERS: . flying off to Vegas fundraiser s . The guy does not get it. He doesn't want to get it.
WILLIAMS: This is bipartisan mockery.
WATTERS: And to say that Trump -- no.
WILLIAMS: Remember when President Bush said .
WATTERS: He says that Trump .
WILLIAMS: President Bush .
WATTERS: . is encouraging terrorism.
WILLIAMS: No, no. Hang on Jesse. After 9/11 .
WATTERS: How do you think ISIS looks at this?
WILLIAMS: After 9/11. What did President Bush said?
WATTERS: This guy is getting to the tango. You think that instills fear in .
WILLIAMS: President Bush said after 9/11, Americans, we need to get back and we need to go shopping. We need to go ride our business. We should not let the terrorists dictate the way we live American life.
WATTERS: Listen, you can walk and chew gum at the same time. But Obama isn't doing either.
WILLAIMS: Democrats mocks President Bush and now you're .
GUILFOYLE: Juan thinks he's making a difference.
WILLIAMS: . using the same thing to mock President Obama.
WATTERS: He's not executing the war on .
GUILFOYLE: Juan, you think though .
WILLIAMS: Oh, I think -- OK.
GUILFOYLE: . you think that the president's like soft pedaling rhetoric, they're like kind of smoother, cooler, softer approach is actually taking a dent at the jihad and it is not. Belgium is getting through .
WILLIAMS: They will go softer, easier approach.
GUILFOYLE: Oh please.
WILLIAMS: We have so much money and .
GUILFOYLE: Because you're afraid of the worse .
WILLIAMS: . personnel and time invested in fighting terrorist right now.
GUILFOYLE: By the way, why are you so afraid of words that you won't say radical Islamic terrorist.
BOLLING: Lead from behind.
WILLIAMS: I don't say, I'd say radical. I think that President .
GUILFOYLE: Why won't your president .
WILLIAMS: I'll tell you why. And I said it here before. Open up the eyes and ears, Kimberly. The reality is we need our allies in the Muslim world on our side. If we say we are perpetrating a war on Muslims .
GUILFOYLE: We're not saying that. OK.
WILLIAMS: . that is trouble.
GUILFOYLE: We're not saying that.
BOLLING: He won't even say war on terror. He won't even say war on terror.
OK. Let's talk about this. The other topic that we highlighted there was .
(OFF MIC)
BOLLING: . yeah, I know he is against saying that. The intel failures. That was the former ambassador to Denmark. He was ambassador to Denmark saying massive intel failure is going on.
PERINO: Which is kind of -- it is hard to believe that 15 years after 9/11 that we have this big of a problem.
We've mentioned before that's been -- every NATO meeting I ever had, the opportunity and the privilege to be -- to attend, one of the big issues on the table that's how the European countries were not meeting their obligations and NATO to spend at least 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense.
Belgium is that 1 percent. Not only that, they've known about this neighborhood for years, all right. That they -- they were basically providing, I think that the negligence by the Belgian official was allowing the terrorists to plot and plan in a safe haven within Brussels, 100 percent. And that was what we were supposed to be able to disrupt 15 years ago.
And their laws like what they -- the things about breaking down intel and law enforcement to be able to talk to each other. They haven't even done the basics. They can't even learn from our terrible mistakes.
GUILFOYLE: Right.
PERINO: That we rectified over 15 years. We are willing to deal over.
WILLIAMS: And you know what, the Turks .
GUILFOYLE: So does the FED and local .
WILLIAMS: . the Turkish Government .
PERINO: That the Turkish told them.
GUILFOYLE: I know.
WILLIAMS: . told them that the guy was a terrorist.
PERINO: Right.
WILLIAMS: But they didn't react.
BOLLING: And also, they lowered the alert level today. This bomb, this attack was supposed to be perpetrated on Monday. You've think they would at least to wait until the Easter Monday that they celebrate.
GUILFOYLE: And still with potential suspects at large. And keep in mind, they have like a huge heads up after the horrible tragedy and devastation that happened in Paris. OK. They knew these came from that area.
PERINO: Right.
GUILFOYLE: They knew it was a safe haven. Therefore they are aiders and abettors to Jihad and terror because they stood by, they allowed it to proliferate. They gave them a safe haven and look what happened.
WILLIAMS: That's a good point.
WATTERS: And you have, I think one of the most tolerant countries in the entire European continent is Belgium. So it -- I don't think being more tolerant .
PERINO: So, also and they -- how much time do they spend going after American companies? For example, they spent years going after google so that they could erase any sort of history on the internet. As if that were actually possible. Make -- try to bring google to its knees and this that you have a right to be forgotten.
GUILFOYLE: Yeah.
PERINO: That's what they spent all their time going after us. So that's .
WILLIAMS: You know what, I find so, you know, they're always condescending to us as Americans about race. You know, the Europeans. You know, they know so much more.
PERINO: Yeah.
WILLIAMS: They're so much better.
GUILFOYLE: True.
WILLIAMS: But you look at what's how they have handled their situation where they have allowed their Muslim community to be the otherwise where you have that 40 percent unemployment, terrible situation. This, this comes from people who are condescending to us about racial issues.
PERINO: That's true.
WATTERS: But I -- let's not get too tied up in blaming the Europeans for what happened. I think the onus really does lay with the terrorists.
WILLIAMS: Absolutely.
BOLLING: And we need -- again, I want to highlight this one more time.
PERINO: We can .
BOLLING: And Brussels is the country that didn't send troops into the fight, into Africa, into the Middle East. But other countries have so pussyfooting around these terrorists and not trying to offend them is a losing game. Yes?
GUILFOYLE: But and why didn't you tell them that they're weak?
BOLLING: That pussyfoot, you can say that. Come on.
GUILFOYLE: I think, he's got a choice.
BOLLING: They're laughing.
(CROSSTALK)
BOLLING: Maybe it's something wrong, all right, I'll found out later, I guess.
Coming up, how the attacks in Brussel could impact our presidential election in November. Plus, why Rudy Giuliani directly blames Hillary Clinton for the rise of ISIS, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PERINO: Welcome back. Brussels and European authorities knew another attack was imminent but despite all the intelligence that indicated Jihadist would strike again they've failed to subdue this bloodbath in Brussels.
The issue of countering Islamic terror has been once again thrust to the forefront of the presidential race here at home. Hillary Clinton gave a speech yesterday that outlined how she would protect America from harm. Rudy Giuliani argues, however that she has put us in harm's way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER NYC MAYOR: She helped create ISIS. I mean Hillary Clinton could be considered a founding member of ISIS.
BILL O'REILLY, HOST, "THE O'REILLY FACTOR": How?
GIULIANI: By being part of an administration that withdrew from Iraq. By being part of an administration that led Maliki run Iraq into .
O'REILLY: Into the ground.
GIULIANI: . into the ground so you force the Shiites to make a choice by not intervening in Syria at the proper time, by being part of the administration that drew 12 lines in the sand and .
O'REILLY: And didn't do anything.
(CROSSTALK)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PERINO: All right. KG, Rudy Giuliani pulling that punch as against Hillary Clinton.
GUILFOYLE: I mean, I could listen to that all day long. He is my kind of man. You know, he is my kind of candidate too because he is telling the truth. This man is the man -- he was a very accomplished prosecutor and ran the city in an incredibly efficient, organized, crime-free way unlike De Blasio, who needs to go.
I think he's right. He makes a persuasive case. Her DNA is all over this. What's happened in the Arab springs, everything else. So how does she answer to that? And it's that someone that you want to be commander in chief of the United States? Is that the one want to promote to the most important job in the world that has failed miserably as it relates to national security and foreign policy that has put this country in a worse position than before she even had an inability to be involved in it?
PERINO: Jesse, let me give you a chance to weigh in here, your thoughts about Hillary Clinton taking it on the chin by Rudy.
WATTERS: Yeah, I mean the Clintons give their DNA everywhere. I do think that Rudy has a point. If you look at it, go down the line. All of our enemies have gotten stronger. The Iranians, the Chinese, the Russians and all of our allies have gotten weaker. The Ukrainians, the Iraqis, they -- she left them hang out to dry.
So if she tries to separate herself from President Obama, he is just going to -- that's going to look opportunistic. And then he is going to drop the hammer on her. And he's going to, you know, maybe leak something not too nice and she's going to get right back in line. But if she embraces him, I mean that's dangerous. She's got the smell of Obama all over her pants.
PERINO: OK. Before we get to Eric and Juan, let's listen to one more. Newt Gingrich on Donald Trump and how he thinks this actually helps him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NEWT GINGRICH, FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Tragically, I think the attacks in many ways validated Donald Trump's entire candidacy. He reports the obvious. Everybody else thinks he is stupid because he is the only guy saying it and now here we are several months later was going, you know, the fact is Donald Trump was right. Hillary Clinton was totally wrong. And it makes you question her connectivity to the real world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PERINO: When I heard that this morning, it reminded me of when Romney predicted that Putin would invade Ukraine and everyone. Remember, Obama said, "Oh come on, that atheist want their foreign policy back" but Romney turned out to be right.
Your thoughts, Eric.
BOLLING: My thoughts, going back to Hillary if I may. She -- so here's how things works. So Hillary negotiated with the Iranians, right? This whole thing, this whole Iranian deal was set up under the Hillary Clinton State Department that later on became the John Kerry State Department.
Seven Iranians today were caught today were caught hacking banks and the dam in New York State. They're there and we have no recourse. They're not going to be extradited. There is no deal put into place to say, if we're going be sanctioned or we're going to give you your money back and we catch you doing something stupid like that, you're going to let us re extradite your criminals so we can have justice here.
She is part of the problem. If you think that Islamic terror, and she can't even say that by the way, isn't perpetrated by the Iranians as well as ISIS. You're out of your mind, they finance it. That's a deal that she could have cut. So there -- I agree with Rudy. I'm not necessarily blaming her for ISIS but I think what -- nothing in her state department and foreign policy has helped the situation at all as priority.
WILLIAMS: Well, I hate to agree with you but I think you're right. I don't .
BOLLING: Hang on.
PERINO: Stop right there. You heard that right. You heard that right.
WILLIAMS: No I mean, I think you're right because I don't think that she created ISIS. I think American policy going back. I mean, if you look at Maliki, if you look at who invaded Iraq. If you look at why we agreed to get out of Iraq, why we saw so many of the people who we're alienated from the Iraqi government then turn into ISIS, the division between Shia and Sunni. You know, that's the seed bed of ISIS and yet Ruddy Giuliani who wants to point at Hillary Clinton.
So think you guys, you know what, you said it and I think you said it right. You like listening to Rudy Giuliani. I personally like Rudy Giuliani.
GUILFOYLE: Well, I like what he does not just his words, I like his actions.
WILLIAMS: Well, I don't know. Let me just say, Rudy Giuliani is not over there fighting the war on terror. OK?
GUILFOYLE: And what I'm talking about what he did here in terms of making a state and .
WILLIAMS: Yeah, that's right and I like him too for that.
GUILFOYLE: . which also involves making sure that New York was safe .
WILLIAMS: Yeah.
GUILFOYLE: . and putting strong defenses against terrorist and Jihad.
WILLIAMS: But it's kind of ends as rhetoric. And all this empty rhetoric reminds me of it's kind of Trump-like chess that "oh, I'm a ".
(CROSSTALK)
GUILFOYLE: Trump was right.
WATTERS: . speaking by their allies, why did they cut and run in Iraq and not stand up with their friends?
PERINO: Yeah?
WILLIAMS: What are you talking about?
WATTERS: If Democrats like to stand up for their allies .
WILLIAMS: Yes?
WATTERS: . why did they leave Iraq defend for itself?
GUILFOYLE: Yes, if -- have they .
WILLIAMS: Well, because and guess what, we believe it's Democracy and we had established them as an independent country and nation building .
GUILFOYLE: Remember that .
(CROSSTALK)
WATTERS: Nation building or you're probation .
WILLIAMS: Oh boy, Jesse .
GUILFOYLE: Remember Hillary Clinton .
WATTERS: . for securing victory.
WILLIAMS: Oh yes.
PERINO: Juan, even Hillary Clinton says in her book that she disagreed with that decision.
WILLIAMS: Yeah, that's fine.
GUILFOYLE: Right.
PERINO: So you should that -- and then you should defend her only point.
WILLLIAMS: I'm not defending her on that point.
BOLLING: It's about .
PERINO: She and converse that .
(CROSSTALK)
PERINO: After that, I know that .
WILLIAMS: He is with Jesse, what you're saying, that's great.
PERINO: I'm going to start here. OK. Ahead, some brand new Fox News polls are out on the presidential race. We're going to show you where the candidates stand with voters now.
Plus, John Kasich on why voters should want him to stay in the race, that's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GUILFOYLE: Do you like that, Bolling?
BOLLING: I do.
GUILFOYLE: All right. A brand new Fox News poll is out on the Republican presidential race and it shows Donald Trump still on the lead but Ted Cruz has pick up some rounds, only three points behind.
Trump says, he's got the numbers but Cruz vowed, he'll be the nominee at the convention.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TED CRUZ, R-TEXAS, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're seeing Republicans uniting behind this campaign. Coming together and joining in unity because we recognize that if we nominate Donald Trump, it elects Hillary Clinton. It hands the general election to Hillary Clinton. If Hillary Clinton becomes the next president, it's a third term of the Obama Administration.
DONALD TRUMP, R-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: How do you pick somebody that had millions of less votes, because a little bit to 1237. I think we're going to get there.
LOU DOBBS, HOST "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT": But .
TRUMP: But don't forget Lou, I've, I've been running against six, seven, nine, ten people.
DOBBS: No (ph).
TRUMP: So, how do you get 1237 which is half, how do you get 1237 when you've had to beat all of these additional people? So it is a little bit unfair.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUILFOYLE: What do voters want? Well, in our new survey, the majority said, they'd like the nomination to go to the candidate with the most votes or delegate rather than allow the party flexibility if there is no majority winner.
Bolling, are you excited by numbers?
BOLLING: I'm excited by numbers. So going now to Wisconsin, next big ones, so there's 40 of the 42 delegates at stake and it's a winner take most.
So look, it is clear to me what's -- Reince Priebus is out, recently. There was a big meeting between some lobbyists and the RNC, some attorneys at the RNC that, today or yesterday, whenever it was. And they were figuring out a way to make the American public realize that if Donald Trump doesn't get 1237. They're going to contest vote. My guess is if he gets 1236, they're going to a contested convention and try to put someone who may. And Scott Walker, today even say, he may not be someone who is even running right now.
So the establishment class and the RNC are definitely saying, given that the people a heads up like Trump, better get his 1237. That said, it looks like, I mean there are some -- there were some polls out today that shows Trump doing well in California, 195 delegates. He's doing well in Pennsylvania. Also a big 95, I believe, in Pennsylvania -- put 95 in New York, 70 some. Yeah, so .
GUILFOYLE: Kasich is coming up on his heels there.
BOLLING: But Kasich, he's an interesting phenomenon. If that if the establishment really wants to go against Trump, then I would think they got to get Kasich out of there to give Cruz more delegates. I just -- I'm not understanding the .
WILLIAMS: Did you hear Kasich .
GUILFOYLE: He, Kasich says -- yeah.
WILLAMS: . that Cruz can't come east and win the big states.
GUILFOYLE: That's why he's needed to stay in to shave off Trump. Like for example, in PA and things of that nature where Cruz is uncompetitive.
BOLLING: Yeah, but can get later. You want it head to head and have people make their choice, Trump or not, not Trump Cruz, Kasich .
WILLIAMS: No, no. I think he want Trump to get the nomination.
BOLLING: No, no, no. Listen. No, no. We could be clear again, do I produce every single star .
GUILFOYLE: Juan, what a big brain you have.
BOLLING: I'm showing you within numbers .
WILLIAMS: And you think so to. OK.
BOLLING: . reflect.
WILLIAMS: All right, all right.
BOLLING: Show it with them .
WILLIAMS: Yeah but I will say .
BOLLING: I would like the Trump or Cruz an outsider, yes.
WILLIAMS: Yeah. But you understand Kasich is saying and you understand why people like Paul Ryan talk about, you know, in the speech. Paul Ryan doesn't name Trump but he talks about the kind of divisive, ugly politics being -- that's going in Republican primaries and caucuses.
GUILFOYLE: And he also said he'd support the nominee.
WILLIAMS: Yeah. But what he very clearly and I think what the establishment is saying very clearly is we are not comfortable with Trump because we care about keeping the Senate and we care about extending our majority in the House, not reducing it.
GUILFOYLE: Dana Perino, Politics. Go ahead.
PERINO: Well, the 1237 in terms of the delegate number, that's the finish line. And if this were a race, that's the number that you have to get across. And I don't think it's unreasonable and I don't know anything about this RNC meeting. But I don't think it's unreasonable to have -- I wasn't there.
But I don't think it's unreasonable to have a meeting with your lawyers and say, "OK. We haven't had a contested convention since 1976". Like I've figured out, how does this work again, how were the rules and it's not that there's five people in the back room saying, "OK, let's choose and yahoo from wherever." And said, "OK, you have delegates, the delegates are going to show up, how do vote, how they going to cast their vote."
Like I don't know what they talk about but I don't think that's unreasonable.
ERIC BOLLING: Can I just add that what allegedly and I wasn't there, but allegedly what they did talk about was a possibility of changing the rules at the convention so that it would benefit them to go to someone who wasn't even running for president at the time.
So if it is not 1237, it's 1236. You know, at the convention, the rule committee can change the rules, what would they. I mean, just seems ...
PERINO: I don't think they would. If could just add one other thing. I just think that the -- there lots of interesting polls that came out yesterday. You have the front-runners and they are winning at the ballot box, Trump and Hillary doing great. But they're also winning at the highest number of untrustworthy numbers that we've seen, 64 percent and 65 percent. How do they close that gap because opinions are settling on them.
The other thing is, on Quinnipiac, I think the reason the head to head polls for Trump continue to look dismal for him. And I understand there's a lot of time if people think they can make up this gap but its 11 points now between Hillary and Trump, in a national poll Quinnipiac. And here's one of the reasons.
The Obama coalition, minorities, college grads and millennials, you have now 74 percent of minorities saying they will never vote for Trump. 60 percent of college grads, they will never vote for him and 69 percent of millennials. You can try to grow the Republican Party by bringing in more Democrats. If you are losing on the other side, a whole bunch of conservatives and you're not growing the party in regard to these people, then you're going to have a problem.
GUILFOYLE: But also what about the poll that says the majority of voters want the nomination to go to the candidate that has the most delegates out been in this particular ....
PERINO: I was talking about the national pool which would be general election.
GUILFOYLE: Absolutely. But I was saying also in terms of specifics of this primary to say they would prefer to go. Say Cruz has the most or Trump has the most.
PERINO: The winners should win.
GUILFOYLE: Yeah, that that also, there some things that play their just, Jesse. WATTERS: Trump needs to clinch it or else they are going to steal it. That's the bottom line. They are going to even give it to Cruz because it rather loss with Cruz. That's the strategy because they want to protect the Republican Party.
Here's what they are thinking.
It's like a kamikaze mission for them. They're saying their vote is going to down in flames. Let's go down and flames with our guy. I don't think that's smart. What I think is they roll the dice. Let the people speak. He gets the nomination. He goes into November. If he loses, do you know what they do? They keep the Trump voters in the tenth and they reconcile. Or, hey wait, maybe he wins. Maybe trump wins and he changes the math. And you have the House, the Senate and the White House. And then, you can move ...
BOLLING: They could have all rallied behind John Kasich. They could all say, "You know what? If we get Kasich's votes and Cruz stays in the game, Donald Trump will get 1237. And now, we have someone who's not Trump, we got a guy who's an insider and Washington insider so to speak, and they can go forward.
WATTERS: There have been millions of Trump.
GUILFOYLE: No, Kasich.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: I don't think -- I am sort of stunned by this. They don't seem to have the long view. I mean, you know, If you're interested in the Republican Party ...
GUILFOYLE: Right, I'm not.
(CROSSTALK)
WATTERS: We're interested in a country, Juan.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: Here's the problem. They're actually talking about the ability to change the rules that when you get to the convention, 1237 doesn't matter anymore.
BOLLING: I mean, you don't care about the whole ...
WILLIAMS: You've heard that. You don't care about the Republicans controlling the Senate. You don't care about the Supreme Court nomination in the House, all you care about is Donald Trump?
BOLLING: No. Can you just stop? No. We're not leaving yet. No, that's not ...
WILLIAMS: Well, what are you saying to me? Aren't you saying ...
BOLLING: Remotely act on -- I'm getting a little offended with all you care about Donald Trum7p. All you want is Donald Trump.
WILLIAMS: No, no, no. But I'm saying that we're ...
(CROSSTALK)
BOLLING: That I don't care about, the establishment.
WILLIAMS: What I'm saying that they care about Republicans having a voice in a republic and is having the Senate majority is important.
BOLLING: I agree. Absolutely important, imperative too, but also is important to put the next two or three Supreme Court justices in place.
WILLIAMS: Well, that's what I'm saying. So you think Trump help this course?
BOLLING: I didn't bring up, Trump. You did.
WILLIAMS: I am.
GUILFOYLE: You did. You know, what I'm going to do, it's time again for the Bowflex commercial before it becomes like (inaudible) remember that happen with (inaudible). Did Bill Clinton doom his wife's campaign with the remark on the campaign trail this week about President Obama's awful legacy? Stay tuned for that when The Five returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WATTERS: But a comment that didn't get much attention this week due to the terror attacks in Brussels. But we wanted to make sure we address it. As you know, Hillary Clinton has spent most of her campaign touting President Obama's legacy but this week her husband gave a very different assessment of Mr. Obama's performance.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON: If you believe we can all rise together, if you believe we finally come to the point where we can put the awful legacy of the last eight years behind us and the seven years before that when we were practicing trickledown economics and no regulation in Washington which is what caused the crash, then you should vote for her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATTERS: The Clinton camp clearly went into panic mode and quickly tried on mop up that one by saying the former president wasn't referring to Obama. When he said the last eight years were awful, "After president Obama was elected, Republicans made it their number one goal to block him at every turn. That unprecedented obstruction this last eight years is their legacy and the American people should reject it by electing Hillary Clinton to build on President Obama's success so we can all grow and succeed together".
First, Kimberly, I found that ironic that the impeached president is saying some other president's legacy is bad. But on another note, do you think this was Bill Clinton telling the truth? Or was this him misspeaking and you buying this walk back that he was really talking about Republicans?
GUILFOYLE: Yeah. Somebody gave him a little bit of truth serum.
WATTERS: Yeah.
GUILFOYLE: Yeah. I mean, it is true.
WATTERS: Yeah.
GUILFOYLE: I agree with his statement and I disagree with the clean-up in aisle seven after. Because it's obvious that this is the record, right, this is the history, this is what's happened. And vote for his wife would be an extension of that awful legacy.
Now, we're done. Now that being the case, they tried to spin this and say that in fact it was actually the Republicans that made the last eight years awful. I mean, yeah, try selling that one. No chance.
WATTERS: She is going to really have to distance herself at some point. Not now but in a general, to Obama's legacy.
PERINO: I don't think so.
WATTERS: You don't think so.
PERINO: Because she has a very tricky line to walk because of one thing that in her favor, if she decides to stick with, you know, Obama is great, her line, not her husband, and said Obama's approval numbers are better.
WATTERS: Right.
PERINO: They are improving, the stock market is pretty good.
WATTERS: I think that's versatile approval with Obama, not his policies, no one like his policies.
PERINO: It doesn't matter. But, if the Democrats -- are like plus 72 percent approval on Obama. So you take the numbers that I just talked about before in terms of his coalition and their enthusiasm, against Trump. And I say not for Hillary now, but can he rally them to get to that point to help her get the 270 electoral votes? I think that she needs to stick close to him.
WATTERS: She's going to do the best she can. But, Eric, she has the FBI investigation hanging over head. Obamacare premiums are rising. Wages are going do, you have terror attacks all over the European continent, some trouble there.
BOLLING: That's the awful legacy of the last eight years, currently it's not behind her yet. Can I just point that Bill Clinton, although they're trying to -- like as Kimberly points, are clean up on aisle seven. He also went on to say after he said the legacy, the awful legacy of the last eight years. He said, and the seven years before that, blah-blah-blah, which means he's actually pointing out President Obama's legacy and the prior legacy.
So he was clearly painting the Obama legacy as an awful legacy, no matter how much they try to steer the other way.
Here's the thing though, all right. So Hillary Clinton is going to be the nominee, right? Do they now pull Bill Clinton back? Because he said, this is not been a great campaign for him. He's said, three or four fairly sizable fumbles on the campaign trail. They may want to hide him for a little bit after between now and the general.
WATTERS: He did not look like he was in perfect health in that clip. He was very, very -- growly and under the weather and thin one. He didn't look like he was on his game there.
WILLIAMS: Yeah. And I think that's the problem Eric is referring to. That sometimes he looks these days like he is a little off. He looks a little older.
GUILFOYLE: and we hope he is OK and in good health.
WILLIAMS: It's an interesting point in comparison, you know, but anyway, it's his wife who looks this, to me, very energetic.
WATTERS: Quickly, what is Obama's legacy besides ...
(CROSSTALK)
WATTERS: I mean, come on.
WILLIAMS: Well, let's go back to the topic ...
WATTERS: Now, you're going to dodge.
WILLIAMS: ... which is the -- it seems to me that the Clinton campaign got it wrong. I don't, I mean, yes, the Republicans have obstructed. What I thought what Clinton was, Bill Clinton, was referring to was the slow rate of the economic recovery and trying to speed it up and getting a better past seven years in terms of economic performance. Because that thing that he is most proud of is the economic of his years, Bill Clinton. So when he talked about Bush and Obama.
WATTERS: Yeah. He is officially saying the last two president have been terrible, I had a great ...
(CROSSTALK)
BOLLING: Can I correct something he says? I didn't have any -- it had nothing to do with the way he look with the he talk.
WILLIAMS: That's what I saying.
BOLLING: No. You said Eric was clearly talking about the way he looked, with the way he was acting. You said I did, had nothing to do with that. Remember when he threw the military guy out of the speech? He is doing a little ...
WILLIAMS: Yeah, I just think that have --- He's the most popular politician in America but he is not the old Bill Clinton. You know, who was such an amazing speaker and such a powerful influence on American people.
WATTERS: Right. She not going to be (inaudible) for Hillary.
Coming up still, the NFL versus the New York Times, details next on Five.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WILLIAMS: A new twist in the NFL concussion scandal. The New York Times release a bombshell report today, it accuses the league of purposely omitting concussion cases in research that downplay the effects of head injury on players, 1996 to 2001.
The NFL responds by calling the Times piece "sensationalize and contradicted by clear facts that refute both the thesis of the story and each of its allegations". The league also said it has committed millions of dollars to make football safer and is dedicated to caring for its players.
Eric? Let me tell you something. This is so interesting to me. It reminds me a lot of the tobacco case where you see the tobacco come, "Oh, no problem here".
BOLLING: Did you really just go there?
WILLIAMS: Yes, I do.
BOLLING: Right off the bat.
WILLIAMS: Right off, right to the tobacco and that cover up.
(CROSSTALK)
BOLLING: And that is the -- and to me, it seem like the New York Times is using that as a hit on the NFL, by tying the tobacco litigation to this. They're saying, they're making a bigger conspiracy.
GUILFOYLE: Masked in evil (ph). Yeah.
BOLLING: Well, they have something. The New York Times has something. If the NFL did in fact hide concussion data, they got them. Then stay with that. But then to say that the NFL colluded and conspired to take the tobacco lawyers and play that tobacco defense game. That looks like you have had filing on with the hippies.
WILLIAMS: OK. So I just think that's one of the major cover ups of our time. And just earlier, was it last week or this week? You had an NFL official say there's a link between concussions and football.
GUILFOYLE: And he's a doctor in his spare time.
Look, I mean, I think head injuries are very serious. You see this happening in high schools as well. People claim like, you know, pop one or ball, et cetera, et cetera. So they obviously need to take care of their players. I think issue when they don't provide proper disability and medical treatment for people who put it all on the line for the league and for the fans. They should get the proper care and treatments thus many of them end up in debilitating conditions and unable to function and care for themselves with the lifetime of pain and suffering and, you know, addiction, the pain medication.
That being the case., I would like to see the facts and the evidence, and I am not just going to rely on what the New York Time says. I would take all of it in the aggregate and then makes them specific.
WILLIAMS: So what do you think, Dana, that the NFL official who said there is a link between the two, the studies, the fact that officials earlier had rebutted the NFL's findings and said, "You know, we don't think so". And now that they found that some of the concussion cases were omitted, does that seem convincing to you?
PERINO: Well, I know that, you know, when you are the target of the New York Times hit piece that it is hard to climb up out of it. I was really surprised today when I saw the NFL's response. It was very lengthy and detailed. It was almost as long as the article.
And so, now it's basically guerrilla warfare on this topic because the reporters are going to dig in and say that they are right. And the use of tobacco example for a reason because they want to sensationalize it, they NFL is in a little bit of a box because if they have done this, or they have more evidence, this is not going to be the first story the New York Times runs about this. I imagine that this will be a series and that NFL are going to have to deal with this all the way until the season starts in the fall.
WILLIAMS: So much disagreement, I think it's time for Jesse Watters is a rational, logical person.
WATTERS: Oh, that's what I think of, when I think of myself.
GUILFOYLE : Yeah.
WATTERS: It's either a smear job and it's baseless or there's some truth to it. And if there is truth to it, then the NFL needs to get out ahead of it because I don't want to see the ossification of football, I love big hits. I played football. I don't want to see the rules changed.
But at the same time you got to protect the players, you going to make sure these guys getting take care of when they retire. It makes the guys who get drafted sign some paper work that says, "I realize the stakes. I know what I'm getting into." So they they can't sue afterwards. And I think everybody makes that fun.
GUILFOYLE: Assumptions for them (ph).
WILLIAMS: All right. Stay with us, some breaking news coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLLING: All Right. We have a Fox News breaking news overseas alert. That is, it appears that France is just foiled another likely attack. The country is interior minister announcing that one Frenchman has been arrested who was in co-advanced stages of a terror plot. And we'll be following that development closely.
In the meantime, it is time for one more thing and now who wants first?
WILLIAMS: Well, tomorrow is Good Friday, Sunday is Easter, and there's a new poll from Pew Research that indicates women are more likely to affiliate with religious faith than men. Now, the gap there is not that big. What was interesting to me is, one, U.S. shows an exceptionally high level of religious commitment compared to other countries. For example, 64 percent of American women, 47 percent of American men pray daily. In France, 15 percent of women, 9 percent of men.
And if you really look at the unaffiliated, people who don't have any attachment to any denomination in the U.S. 68 percent men, 32 percent women, so again women far more religious.
GUILFOYLE: Amen.
BOLLING: And I know why you're wearing a purple tie.
WILLIAMS: Thank you, sir.
BOLLING: All right. Dana, you're up.
PERINO: OK. One of the great things in life is making new friends. And last fall I met a great new friend. He's name Harlan Coben and he was one of the authors at the Barbara Bush Celebration Reading. He's the tall one in the blue shirt, and then President Bush was there and Doro and it was a great event.
And Harlan and I stayed in touch and I really like his books. He writes mystery novels and they are fantastic. He has a new one out, it's called "Fool Me Once". And it's about a former special ops pilot, Maya. And asked him, what would surprise people about this book? And he said he believes no one can guess the ending.
GUILFOYLE: Very interesting.
PERINO: And also he has a show called "The Five" in the U.K. It's on Sky News -- not Sky News but on Sky Television. It's based on one of the books that he wrote it's called "The Five." So there's another connection.
GUILFOYLE: He is a great guy and an amazing writer. Good guy.
BOLLING: You're up.
GUILFOYLE: All right. You know, this is a nice one for you, OK? I hope you enjoy it, because this is about a lifesaving dog named Whizz who was honored with a posthumous award after passing away at the age of 12 from cancer. And Whizz a Newfoundland was trained to leap off boats and rescue people from the water, that's him doing his thing.
Over the course of his life, Whizz saved nine humans and one other dog from drowning. He was awarded a PDSA Order of Merit Award. He's part of the royal navy rescue for animals that display outstanding devotion to their owner or wider society.
PERINO: what a great way to spend a life.
WILLIAMS: Yes, great, great one.
WILLIAMS: A role model for our friends who visited yesterday.
GUILFOYLE: I don't think they are going to save anyone.
PERINO: A little rescue.
BOLLING: All Right. So can we show the video of this picture, what happened to Emory College, check this out, Emory University. Trump 2016 written in chalk on various things, on the ground, on the side walk. And apparently, these students of Emory found that as triggering and damaging to their psychological and mental well-being.
GUILFOYLE: Better not go on Twitter.
BOLLING: I have a son who was a senior high school. He's about to graduate and go to school. And I pray he doesn't go school where anyone would fine something written in chalk.
GUILFOYLE: Yeah. You know what they had to do? Emergency counseling, emergency like "911, I need Trump counseling".
WATTERS: I think I need to go down to Emory.
Everybody misses David Letterman in Late Night. You know, it's not the same without him. Colbert can't really fill his shoes. But we got a little look at Mr. Letterman in retirement, there he is. Really, really letting himself go in retirement. That the way ...
GUILFOYLE: Is that real?
WATTERS: ... you retire, you just let it all go. And my hats off to Dave, looks like he needs a help.
GUILFOYLE: I'm going to keep working the rest of my life. He looks like the Unabomber, was that like a long beard?
BOLLING: We got to go. Set your DVR so you never miss an episode of the "The Five." That's it for us, Special Report up next.
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