President Trump and Kellyanne Conway's husband locked in a war of words

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President Trump and Kellyanne Conway's husband locked in a war of words

Trump and George Conway trade barbs; reaction from Rep. Matt Gaetz on 'The Story.'

This is a rush transcript from "The Story," March 20, 2019. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

ED HENRY, HOST: Bret, good to see you. I saw them got a hole in London. I'm sure you got a few. A double dose of really good news on the economy, breaking tonight for President Trump.

A CNN Poll, finding 71 percent of the country thinks the economy is very good or somewhat good. While Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell declared despite global headwinds, America's economy is in a good place.

So the Fed may not raise interest rates at all in 2019. Suggesting the economy will be in strong shape heading into 2020. Just as the president visited battleground Ohio today to start making his case for reelection.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT: We opened up with the regulation cuts and all of the other things we have done including the big tax cut. You look at some of the economic numbers, nobody thought we would never see numbers like that. We are putting America first and we are putting American workers first.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: Good evening, everybody. I'm Ed Henry, in for Martha MacCallum, who's on assignment tonight. And this is “The Story.” Before the president board in Marine One to deliver those remarks, he went on offense over two other big issues that could hurt his presidency.

First up, Robert Mueller, well, the president has not been shy about general slams on the special counsel's office for allegedly pushing a witch hunt. Today, he offered his most direct public attack on the man himself writing the report.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: A man gets appointed by a deputy, he writes a report. You know, you never figured that one out. I know that he is conflicted and I know that his best friend is Comey who is a bad cop.

The day before he was retained to become special counsel, I told him he wouldn't be working at the FBI. And then, the following day, they get him for this. I don't think so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: "I don't think so," he says. Next up in the president's crosshairs, Republicans who were never Trumpers is seem to have nagging doubts and are trying to stand in the way of a second term.

The president specifically teeing off on George Conway, yes, husband of White House aide Kellyanne Conway. The two have been locked in a war of words for days now. The president calling him a loser, and "husband from hell" after George Conway tweeted wild charges that the president is mentally ill.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Now, he's a whack job, there's no question about it. But I really don't know him. He -- I think he is doing a tremendous disservice to a wonderful wife. Kellyanne is a wonderful woman, and I call him Mr. Kellyanne. The fact is that he is doing a tremendous disservice to a wife and family. She's a wonderful woman.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: And mere moments, Congressman Matt Gaetz, close ally of the president. Here to fire back at the president's critics, including George Conway. But first, Trace Gallagher, live in the West Coast newsroom with the back story of the Trump-Conway feud. Good evening, Trace.

TRACE GALLAGHER, CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Ed. There are critics who believe this whole feud is a put on, and that George and Kellyanne Conway are laying the groundwork to cash in on becoming the next dueling political couple, ala-Mary Matalin and James Carville.

Though in this case, we should note both Conway's are Republicans. George Conway is a long time attorney who is well known in conservative circles, and he has also known Donald Trump for years.

In fact, the Conway's lived in Trump Tower, Manhattan. And Kellyanne Conway served on the Trump Tower condo board. In the early days of the administration, George Conway was in the running to head up the civil division at the Justice Department, though he later withdrew his name from consideration.

George Conway tells The Washington Post, his attacks on the president are not disingenuous, and that he truly believes the president and administration are incompetent.

President Trump has reportedly wanted to attack George Conway on Twitter before but has apparently been talked out of it by aides who argued it would embolden Conway and cause unnecessary drama.

But when George Conway question Trumps mental health, even tweeted definitions of various mental disorders, the gloves came off, the tweets began, and when the president called Conway, the husband from hell, it also marked the first time Mr. Trump has weighed in on the Conway's marriage. "George Conway, often referred to as Mr. Kellyanne Conway by those who know him, is very jealous of his wife's success."

Today, Kellyanne Conway defended the president's attacks on her husband, calling her boss, a counter puncher, "He left it alone for months out of respect for me. But you think he shouldn't respond when somebody, a non- medical professional accuses him of having a mental disorder? You think he should just take that sitting down?"

George Conway, admits wishing his wife didn't work at the White House, but says, his criticism of the president likely helps his marriage, saying, he gets it off his chest and does not scream at her about it. Ed.

HENRY: Thanks, Trace. Here now, Florida Republican Matt Gaetz. He sits, of course, on the House Judiciary Committee. Good to see you, congressman.

REP. MATT GAETZ, R-FLA.: Good to be with you, Ed. And though, I don't aspire to opine on someone else's marriage, it certainly it's worth noting that Kellyanne Conway is critical to the Trump communication vortex, as she's a patriot.

And frankly, I'm grateful to every member of her family. Her husband included because the burdens of public service are felt by an entire family. And Kellyanne Conway was assaulted when she was with her daughter.

Imagine how George Conway must have felt when his wife and his daughter were in such a precarious situation?

HENRY: Assaulted by a citizen, you're saying, obviously.

GAETZ: Yes.

HENRY: We're not talking about the marriage, in some months ago in the state of Maryland.

GAETZ: Right.

HENRY: now, you mentioned, you're not going to get in the middle of the marriage. Why is the president got in the middle of their marriage then?

GAETZ: I don't know. I think it's very frustrating for the president to see the difficult circumstances that Kellyanne has put in. She obviously is one of the most trusted advisors in the White House. And not just within the White House, but beyond. A lot of us get data and information, and context, and benefit from her brilliance.

It's why I think, it's frustrating for him to see George Conway be so critical when Kellyanne's been such a part of the great success that's driving the country. The economic news he just mentioned, getting out of wars, renegotiating trade deals, and creating one of the most dynamic senses of optimism that the country has had since World War II.

HENRY: So, why is the president not focused on all of those things that you say or so, wonderful in the country right now. And instead, doesn't this open the door to you and I tonight and others talking about the fact that George Conway -- And I want to answer you that -- you to answer this directly, as now, the president. He says that the president of the United States has "narcissistic personality disorder."

GAETZ: That is not true. I spent a lot of time with the president, and talk to him, and the president is deeply caring about other people. So, obviously, that's a view held by someone who doesn't get to see how the president really -- I think, feels for the country. And does a lot to make sure that people live better lives.

I agree with you, I don't think that it elevates the presidency or the country to be talking about somebody's marriage. I think the president should focus on the amazing economic success he's having, the renegotiating of trade deals, and really the fact that we roll into a 2020 election cycle where Republicans are more enthusiastic than Democrats and with a lot of good reason.

HENRY: Real quick, last one on the Conway's. I wonder if having covered President Obama and his White House, if there was a woman working in the senior position in the Democratic White House, and her husband was attacking her on Twitter. If there would not be a lot of people on the media is saying, "Why is this man attacking this woman and not allowing her to be strong and stand on her own two feet?"

It seems like everyone is jumping all in on this guy who is attacking his wife and not letting her be what you just said, the senior advisor to the president.

GAETZ: There is a double standard for women in power often times. And there is a triple or quadruple standard sometimes for conservative women. And I think that's one of the reasons why colleagues of mine like Elise Stefanik are trying to do everything we can to find conservative women that we can elevate within our party.

Kellyanne Conway and Sarah Huckabee Sanders are the most well-known Republican women in America. And that's why -- I think the president gets so defensive when he feels like either Sarah or Kellyanne are unfairly under fire.

HENRY: And Kellyanne Conway still is not gotten much credit at all in much of the mainstream media for winning that president -- becoming the first woman to win a presidential campaign.

But quickly, I want to move on a couple of the topics. Number one, you were admitting a moment ago that as an ally of the president, you wish he talked more about the economy, and maybe less about the Conway's, why is he talking about John McCain, who's been dead for a few months?

GAETZ: The president believes that one of the reasons why we lost the midterms is that we didn't repeal Obamacare. And we still have a lot of Republicans and just Americans around the country who are frustrated and feel like the Republicans left the country down by failing to fulfill that promise. But president is very betrayed. He feels very betrayed --

HENRY: OK. But pardon me, sir. Why not go after Mitch McConnell? Pardon me, why not go after Mitch McConnell?

(CROSSTALK)

GAETZ: All because Mitch McConnell voted, yes.

HENRY: Yes, but they didn't get the job done is my point.

(CROSSTALK)

GAETZ: Those people voted yes to repeal Obamacare. John McCain, voted no. Well, look, but they were there driving the agenda. Look, I've often been a critic of those two individuals, but they were doing everything possible to get Obamacare repealed. And it was John McCain I think more wanting to stick it to the president then reflect even his own beliefs.

I mean, John McCain ran on repealing Obamacare and then, with no real reason and with no real warning at the last minute voted against it. And I think it's reasonable for the president to be very frustrated and let down by that.

HENRY: Despite all these other issues, the president appears to be in good political standing. I talked about the economy numbers in the CNN Poll. Also, enthusiasm among Republicans, stronger in the CNN Poll then among Democrats. And then, you have Democrats giving the president all kind of thought or whether it's Medicare for all. How are you going to pay for it? The Green New Deal.

And then, the issue of abortion. Here is what Beto O'Rourke said on the campaign trail. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you for or against third-trimester abortions?

BETO O'ROURKE, D-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So, the question is about abortion and reproductive rights. And my answer to you is that, that should be a decision that the woman makes about her own body. I trust her. So, that's my answer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: So, he's one of the darlings of the left right now, and he is saying, third trimester, go for it.

GAETZ: Beto has to win a primary before he gets into a general election. And frankly, that answer is not going to hurt him. When you look at how far the Democratic Party has lurched to the left on the issue of life and abortion.

I wonder if Beto O'Rourke also believes it's between a woman and a doctor if the baby has been born and survived an abortion. 19 times Republicans in Congress have tried to get the Born Alive Protection Act heard, 19 times the Democrats have objected.

And so, as the party moves so far to the left, third trimester abortions, allowing babies to be killed even after they are born, it won't hurt Beto to say he supports late-term abortion and that's the real sad thing.

HENRY: Real quick, last thing. There's another Democrat in this race, Kirsten Gillibrand. He is now saying that she's got legislation to sort of get in between patients and doctors to deal with the opioid crisis and wants to dictate how long you can get certain drugs.

My colleague Brit Hume noted on Twitter last night. I thought when it comes to the issue of abortion, for example. We hear over and over, don't get. You see Brit's tweet right there that "You shouldn't get between the patient and a doctor.

GAETZ: Yes.

HENRY: "I'm all for doing something about the opioid crisis, all of us want to. But how can Democrats all of a sudden say they're going to dictate the doctors how much medicine they can dispense?"

GAETZ: The answer to the opioid crisis is not more government, it's more freedom. In every state that's democratized the access to medical cannabis, you see fewer opioids prescribed, you see a lower percentage of opioid depths. And so, it's always such a Washington way to say that to solve problems, we need to tell people what they have to do.

The reality is there are different solutions that work for different states, and we do not want to impair that doctor-patient relationship with more government. We never made things better when Washington inserts themselves in the doctor-patient relationship.

(CROSSTALK)

HENRY: Yes, and as you say, it may be an issue of hypocrisy in there as well. Congressman Matt Gaetz, we appreciate you taking the tough questions tonight.

GAETZ: Thank you, Ed.

HENRY: All right. Up next, remember this?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everybody in Cleveland, o minority get Obama fall. Keep Obama and president, you know, he gave us a phone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What? He gave you a phone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can do more.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: Well, we'll introduce you to the 20 candidates who has taken in a step further. This presidential hopeful doesn't want to give out free phones. He wants to hand out free cash to everyone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This program is brought to you by the all-new Volvo S60, follow no one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everybody in Cleveland's all minority get Obama fall. Keep Obama president you know. He gave us a phone --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He gave you a phone?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's going to do more.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How did he gave you a phone?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) you have food stamps, you have Social Security, you got low income, you get disability.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: Well, we all remember some voters who thought President Obama was going to hand out free cell phones. Now, one of the Democrats running for president, there many, is taking it even further, pitching a radical proposal would put free cash in the hands of every adult American. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW YANG, D-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And so I'm proposing the freedom dividend where every adult in America starting at age 18 would receive $1,000 a month free and clear to do whatever they want.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you know actually what the price tag would be paying every American $1,000 a month?

YANG: Yes. It's about $1.8 trillion a year past current expenses. We need to pass a value-added tax that would get the American people a slice of every Amazon transaction, every Google search, every robot truck mile.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: Oh boy. Here now Guy Benson, Co-Host of "Benson & Harf" on Fox News Radio, Michael Goodwin, Chief Political Columnist for the New York Post, both Fox News Contributors and Rochelle Ritchie Democratic Strategist, former Press Secretary for the House Democrats. Good to have you all here.

ROCHELLE RITCHIE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Hi, Ed!

HENRY: Guy, I remember President Obama saying he was going to help the children of illegal immigrants by reframing this as I'm helping DREAMers. Who's against dreams right? So now all of a sudden, you have this idea --

GUY BENSON, CONTRIBUTOR: I'm opposed to dreams by the way. I think -- I'm coming out tonight as strong anti-dream individuals.

HENRY: So freedom dividends, how could you be against a freedom dividend? It sounds so great.

BENSON: Because it costs $1.8 trillion that we don't have. I mean, this is --

HENRY: Per year.

BENSON: Yes, just once a year, exactly. If then you extrapolate that over a ten-year budget window, it's crazy. I do believe this candidate just came out against circumcision the other day so he's really focusing on important and realistic issues, Mr. Yang.

But if we can sort of chuckle about this idea of just Uncle Sam handing $1,000 to every single one of us, but is it really necessarily that far off from some of the things that are being more seriously discussed by Democrats at enormous cost to American taxpayers, and they have no real answers.

At least he mentioned a tax increase and how you would pay for it.

HENRY: How you're going to pay for it.

BENSON: A lot of people like Kamala Harris comes out and says $32--33 trillion for a single-payer health care, how do you pay for it. She says, return on investment, like that's an answer. That just gobbledygook.

HENRY: Rochelle, as a Democrat, I mean, you have Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez has talked about this issue as well. She's talked about the Green New Deal and how ambitious is going to be. What's ambitious about saying she's going to get a free check every month?

RITCHIE: Well, to be correct, I am a registered Independent. But what I will say is that you know, I don't believe that Universal-based income is the way out of poverty. I don't think that it puts people on a path to prosperity. What I think it does is actually puts them on a path of consistent poverty and low income.

This -- the value-added tax that he talks about to me is really an added tax for the American people. So it may seem like we're getting this free money right, we're getting $1,000, no we're not. We're paying for this. And I think that if we're going to have people that are going to talk about giving out you know, money to people just for being an adult, just for being an American, what I would rather hear from these people, what are your plans as far as putting people better education, better job training because the UBI from weighing is in response to automation.

HENRY: The Universal Base Income --

RITCHIE: The Universal Base Income is a response to automation. So why not put that money more towards preparing people for the future?

HENRY: Well Michael, contrast that with the president who's in battleground Ohio today and we should be clear and fair, it hasn't gone smoothly with him in the Auto Workers. So it's not like it's a perfect relationship. But he's out there trying to figure out how to create jobs and in fact, in his first two years, has created an awful lot of manufacturing jobs and wages are coming up. So contrast that with hey, we're just going to give you free money.

MICHAEL GOODWIN, CONTRIBUTOR: Well, and not only that. One of the reasons are coming up is because taxes were cut. So for yang to say we give you money but then we're going to raise taxes on everybody, that is something everybody would have to pay at every step of the manufacturing and consumption process.

So in effect the government's clawing back some of that money that it just gave you. It's convoluted cockamamie idea. And I think it comes just to sort of top and to beat all these other giveaways. Bernie Sanders wants free college. I'm going to cut out the middleman. I'm just going to give you the money. So I think it's just sort of an auction to see who can give away the most among the Democratic candidates.

BENSON: Why just $1,000? Why $1,000 a month? Why not $10,000?

RITCHIE: But this -- but you know, this is an idea that was not -- was not only from Andrew Wang. Chicago actually had this idea on a local level so you do see local municipalities actually promoting universal basic income as well. I think this might for me anyway -- I can't recall. I think this is the first time I've heard it for on a federal.

HENRY: Yes. Andrew Yang who's running one of the many what, dozen or so Democrats more potentially getting in including maybe Bill de Blasio, the mayor here in New York City. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI, D-CALIF., SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: I always said, when somebody is serious about running, I'll be serious about commenting on it, and I think the mayor is serious about it but when he makes his announcement then I'll answer your question. Thank you.

MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO, D-NEW YORK CITY: Well handled.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: Bill de Blasio was there, well handled. Let's duck this for a while. Michael, you wrote about this today in the paper in the New York Post, is that because Bill de Blasio went to New Hampshire, had a little event to test the waters perhaps. How many people showed up?

GOODWIN: Yes. There were a total of 20 people in the room, but 14 of them were on the panel that he set up. So only six --

HENRY: And some reporters.

GOODWIN: Only -- yes, only six real people came to hear what he had to say. And this follows trips to South Carolina and an Iowa. And everywhere he's gone, people have you know not shown up for him. And it's really ridiculous. I mean, frankly, Ed, he's been a terrible mayor in New York City. The city is in serious decline. He's spending it near the brink of bankruptcy or disaster anyway and he just keeps going and wasting money.

In the last couple of weeks, there have been billions of dollars of programs that he has initiated that have shown little or no results, but the money's gone.

HENRY: Well, Let's get it beyond him. Rochelle, as you say, an Independent who's worked for Democrats before, I sat down with a senior person from the Obama days a couple weeks back, and he told me frankly that he thinks President Trump is vulnerable but he's worried the Democrats are going to blow it with these sort of pie-in-the-sky ideas that are going to give the president an opportunity to say you know what, Venezuela 2.0.

RITCHIE: Yes. I think the Democrats do have to be extremely careful because we don't want to see what happened to the Republicans in 2016 when you had a pool of 15 or 20 or so candidates and then you ended up with a candidate with Donald Trump who was nominated by the RNC.

So I think the Democrats do have to be extremely careful before they end up you know, I don't want to say with a Donald Trump, but someone that maybe is not really a Democrat because some people can simply say Bernie Sanders is not really a Democrat.

HENRY: Sure, though he won. He did win.

RITCHIE: He did win. He did win. But people say Bernie Sanders is not really a Democratic --

HENRY: Guy, last word.

BENSON: See, I feel like this might actually be a sly play by Bill de Blasio because this way he can claim momentum right? So if he -- at his next event has literally tens of people show up, he's like look it's improvement, right, and that's what you want. That's like -- that's a narrative for him. I welcome his entry into this race as a Conservative. Let's put it that way.

GOODWIN: If he gets on a debate stage, the people around him will be more than he's ever seen in any of his events.

HENRY: He is playing the expectations game perfectly.

GOODWIN: Yes.

HENRY: Guy, Michael, Rochelle, I appreciate you all coming in.

RITCHIE: Thank you.

BENSON: Sure.

RITCHIE: Up next, 16 years after the official start of the war in Iraq. We talk exclusively to an Iraqi man who put his life on the line to help us, to help America serving as an interpreter for American Sniper Chris Kyle and a lot of other brave American men and women in uniform.

His job so dangerous he couldn't use his real name, became known as Johnny Walker. Well, tonight, we can reveal that man has now become yes, an American citizen. He's about to reveal his real name and talk about why he's proud to be an American exclusively on THE STORY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT: My fellow citizens, at this hour American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people, and to defend the world from grave danger.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: Wow. Those words marking the start of the Iraq war in 2003. Shortly after an Iraqi man who went by the codename, Johnny Walker began working for the U.S. military as a translator. Eventually assisting elite Navy SEALs including American Sniper Chris Kyle.

Today, exactly 16 years later, we're proud to report Johnny Walker is now an American and is living what he calls the American Dream. For the first time, we can also reveal his real name Riyadh Al Ahmadi who tonight has an important message to share about supporting President Trump on immigration.

So here now exclusively Johnnie Walker, a former Iraqi Translator for the U.S. Military, Author of Code Name: Johnny Walker, the extraordinary story of the Iraqi who risked everything to fight with the U.S. Navy SEALs.

Sir, first let me thank you for your service to our country and let me be the first to say, congratulations. How does it feel tonight to be an American?

JOHNNY WALKER, AUTHOR, CODE NAME: JOHNNY WALKER: I cannot like with a few words describe my feeling but I'm going to tell you for sure, this is happened one time in the life, and until now I don't believe it. It's amazing, amazing feeling. I feel secure, I feel emotion, tears, happiness, all of it in one second.

HENRY: We're feeling all of that with you, sir. I want to walk through this piece by piece. When you were a young person coming up and you strove to someday be an American, as I understand you would listen to country music and watch John Wayne movies to get a feel for America, is that true?

WALKER: Correct. And also, with no option, I am tall or I am giant in my country, so without any option I start to play basketball. And if you know basketball, it's kind of take you to the chain. Basketball you have to watch Harlem team. Harlem team, we have to listen to country music Kenny Rogers, Lady, John Wayne, all the things build the American dream in my imagination --

HENRY: Yes.

WALKER: -- and make me own tomorrow.

HENRY: When you say Harlem team, I assume you mean the Harlem Globetrotters who we all grew up.

WALKER: Correct.

HENRY: That is really cool. So, connect us to the start of the war in Iraq and why you decided to join arms with the American military.

WALKER: So, at the beginning, most of the people they loved American forces and including myself because it matched my dream. And almost after Saddam's old regime take our dream and our future away, those people they came and they gave us that feeling again.

When I worked with them, I worked just for fun and for finance and followed my dream because at that time in my city of Mosul, it was very much safe. People they can walk without anybody, armor or anything.

HENRY: Yes. Real quick. I want to first -- I've got two minutes, one minute on Chris Kyle and some of the great Americans you served with. What was that like?

WALKER: So, I mean, Chris Kyle, I learned a lot from him. I learned how you sacrifice quiet, how you humble, how you carry your country in your heart and you're thousand and thousand miles away from your home. How you raise the American flag and some place maybe you are going to get shot, like 80 percent --

HENRY: Yes.

WALKER: -- chance while some people here when we raise the American flag or national anthem, they don't show the right respect. So, I learned a lot. I learned to be better --

(CROSSTALK)

HENRY: That is awesome.

WALKER: -- American people for tomorrow, me and my family.

HENRY: One last minute, President Trump, his critics say he is against refugees, he's against immigrants, he shouldn't build a wall, you say.

WALKER: OK. So, go back to 2011 when Obama announced travel ban against Iraqis for six months, no one says anything about him. No one even mentioned it on the news.

From my understanding, my humble understanding, why Trump want to build a wall? Why he don't want anyone to come to this country without checking database 100 percent. Because he knows if everyone came to this country in illegal ways, we can end up carrying AK and pistol to escort our kids to the schools.

HENRY: Because you wouldn't feel safe inside America you're saying.

WALKER: Yes. So, 100 percent I support Trump and anyone like me, I fought with American forces for what I believe against savages, al Qaeda, Taliban, militia, ISIS, and I followed the procedure, the American procedure and today I have the ceremony and you know what? I am equal to you. You the one who live 200, 300 years.

HENRY: You can see the ceremony right there. And you are more than equal to me, sir. I was born in this country but I'm proud to welcome you to this country. And hearing your story is truly -- we use the word remarkable and awesome, but your story is awesome.

Welcome to America, Johnny Walker.

WALKER: Thank you, sir.

HENRY: We'll be right back. We'll be right back with The Story, right after this. Thank you, sir.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HENRY: Fifty-one kids and their chaperone abducted on a school bus. The driver taking those passengers on a simply wild ride before sending the bus - yes - into flames. Tonight, there are two details on what may have motivated the hijacker.

For that, we turn once again to our friend Trace Gallagher. Trace, good to see you again.

TRACE GALLAGHER, CORRESPONDENT: Good to see you, Ed.

This happened outside Milan in the northern part of Italy where a school bus driver abducted two classes of middle school students and three chaperones. One of the children on board told police the bus was still moving when the driver who was holding a knife and started making threats.

He then ordered the chaperones to collect all the cell phones so nobody could call police and to use plastic ties to bind the student's hands to the seats. Luckily, the chaperons only tied a few hands and those were loose enough for the children to free themselves at any point.

While the bus driver rammed cars and kept moving a cell phone dropped onto the floor and a student called police who quickly set up a roadblock forcing the bus into a guard rail. But that's when the children say the driver poured gasoline on the floor and ignited it saying, quote, "today, no one will survive."

Police busted out the windows and somehow managed to get all 51 kids out, though, some did suffer minor burns. Police later talked about the drivers motive. Watch.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LUCA DE MARCHIS, POLICE COMMANDER (through translator): The driver said allegedly he wanted to perform this demonstrative act for all the deaths at sea in the Mediterranean. He said that when we pulled them out of the vehicle and he asked why he did this, that was the first sentence he said.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GALLAGHER: In recent years, thousands of migrants mostly from West Africa have drowned trying to cross into Europe. One of the children on board the bus claims that during the abduction the driver told him that three of his own children drowned trying to flee their homeland. Ed?

HENRY: Thank you, Trace.

On a lighter note, millions of Americans finishing up their March madness brackets today, first games now officially underway. My next guest says those NCAA athletes should be saying show me the money.

Republican Congressman Mark Walker with his proposal coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HENRY: March madness officially underway, student athletes from 68 schools battling it out on a court for a chance to win the championship, that's being twiddle down of course, down to 64.

Now the NCAA stands to make more than a billion dollars in revenue this year, a billion. But those students will not see a dime even as they are being used - yes - to promote the tournament.

My next guest trying to change all of that. North Carolina Congressman Mark Walker, former college athlete who just introduce the bill, hoping to give athletes a chance to monetize their talents.

Congressman, we appreciate you coming in.

REP. MARK WALKER, R-N.C.: Thanks, Ed.

HENRY: So, would these be direct payments or I've heard various plans that would say they could use their likeness with selling jerseys, autographs, what's in your plan?

WALKER: Great question to open up the segment here. We are not asking nor requiring the NCAA or the university to pay a single dollar. The only thing that we want is for these student athletes to have the same access to the free market as that you and I and really, every other student.

Whether your education, business, if you are music scholarship, you can go out and pick up a small gig here and play in an orchestra or plays band, whatever it might be.

This is a travesty. In fact, I think it's an injustice. Republicans have tried to right some of these wrongs from an injustice standpoint, this is a big one and we hope to overturn this.

HENRY: So, you say this is America and they should have a chance to experience free enterprise obviously in this country. But to be specific on what they would get then, is it cash payments or?

WALKER: Well, we're requiring the NCAA as a non-profit. We don't believe big government coming in and telling the NCAA what they should do. The only thing that our law does it changes the tax code to the ways and means committee for an amateur status.

Meaning, that these students can go out and market themselves. A young entrepreneur, we're not asking for any payment to be made to anybody.

But here's the thing, Ed. Ninety-nine percent of these student athletes of the 500,000 will never receive a single dollar from a professional sports contract.

While they're 18, 19, 20 years old, they are old enough to go and serve in a war zone, they are certainly old enough to go and do many things and of course vote. But they don't have any access to their likeness or image, that's wrong and we want to change it.

HENRY: Well, and you know, some critics of your bill will say these kids are getting something, they're getting a free college education through their scholarship.

I wonder though, I know you're a Duke basketball fan down there in North Carolina, they are going to be a big force in this tournament as we all know.

But Zion Williamson he is not being paid by Duke, not being paid by the NCAA, he's going to be a one-and-done, meaning he'll leave, he's not going to stay for that free education, number one. And number two, he's got Nike and the other sneaker companies in addition to an NBA team ready to pay him millions, so why would he stick around?

WALKER: Well, I'm not sure that he would. But here's one aspect that we think this particular piece of legislation would keep men and women in school, is because many of these young men and women come from underprivileged or impoverished communities. They don't even have the money to take their families out to eat at certain games or at maybe, in a way, a game.

This would allow for a backup quarterback at Elon University or North Carolina AMT, which are both in my district, if somebody wants to employ them at a local car dealership for a couple of hundred dollars to sign autographs or something, they should have access. That's their image. They're not us.

We're not asking to sell jerseys, we're not asking the NCAA to do anything except remove the restrictions. It is only the student athlete that literally has to sign the moratorium to have any access to their own image, that's wrong, Ed.

HENRY: Well, Congressman, I got to end there. I'm a fan of Kentucky and the Wildcats, I know Coach Cal. I think they are going to take out your Duke Blue Devils, tell me why I'm wrong.

WALKER: Well, I don't know that you are. I know that we get the better of them early this year.

HENRY: You did.

WALKER: But the Atlantic Coast Conference is strong with Virginia and the Tar Heels as well.

HENRY: All right. Congressman, good luck with Duke, good luck with the bill. And we appreciate you coming on The Story tonight.

WALKER: Thanks, Ed.

HENRY: All right. Up next, days after confirming his relationship with actress Rosario Dawson, are wedding bells in Cory Booker's future?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELLEN DEGENERES, COMEDIAN: If you go in single, and then you have a wedding in the White House, I mean, we would watch.

SEN. CORY BOOKER, D-N.J.: So, you're saying if Rosario and I get there wait, don't to the marriage before.

DEGENERES: For sure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: The man who has the 411, Wednesdays with Watters. That is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sorry, I'm just going to get some ranch.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Go ahead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: You remember the now viral moment from Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's campaign event in Iowa just a few weeks ago. Now the 2020 presidential hopeful spoke as a fun herself posting this workout video with a shirt that says, "just trying to get some ranch."

Adding on Twitter, quote, "good to be back in Iowa. Do you like my new workout shirt?"

With that, it's time for Wednesdays with Watters. I have been waiting for this moment for so long --

JESSE WATTERS, HOST: Really?

HENRY: -- to turn the tables to you to ask you questions. So, what do you, pal?

(CROSSTALK)

WATTERS: I'm just going to filibuster like you do.

HENRY: I go on Gillibrand.

WATTERS: Yes.

HENRY: Having a little fun with this, because she had that event some of this back and this woman is like, pardon me, but I'm at this diner. I need some ranch, ranch dressing.

WATTERS: Yes. I mean, she is more for famous what someone else said to her than what she said. I mean, these are viral moment with someone ignored her, basically. And you know, she has announced twice to run for president, and no one even know she's running for president.

But forget the t-shirt. Look at those guns.

HENRY: Yes.

WATTERS: I thought she was for gun control. Look at that, what are those of 15's, those dumbbells and flyes (Ph)? That's more than you maxed out at.

HENRY: It's true.

WATTERS: I think you and Pete Hegseth can do that this weekend and let them win for once.

HENRY: He never wins.

WATTERS: They never win.

HENRY: But you know, the t-shirt company have been in Des Moines, it's called Reagan.

WATTERS: Yes.

HENRY: Just like coincidence.

WATTERS: Perfect.

HENRY: And they have these fun t-shirts. So good on her for staying healthy. She's working out. Cory Booker.

WATTERS: Yes.

HENRY: We have an interesting time right now with his love life. Here he is, talking about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOOKER: She has a deep full, deeply soulful person --

DEGENERES: Yes, she is.

BOOKER: And has taught me a lot of lessons about love already. That sometimes, you show the greatest strength when you make yourself vulnerable. You know, she's really, she has this nurturing spirit that's made me more courageous not just in the love that I project and I want to see that in our country, but I think even in our personal relationship to love more fearlessly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: So, he's talking about his relationship with Rosario Dawson. They are apparently dating now. TMZ caught up with her at the DCA Airport the other day. Have you made yourself vulnerable, Watters?

WATTERS: No, that was, never. Me? No. I'm very tough exterior. That was a little too much information from the senator. I don't really want to know how deeply he feels about Rosario. But good for him, she's a knockout and a great actress so they'd make a great power couple if they ever get to the White House, which they won't because he doesn't have a shot.

But it just seems a little manufactured to me if you think about the timing, you know. He's been a bachelor his whole life and then the month he runs for president all of a sudden page six leaks and he goes on Ellen and confirm he's dating --

HENRY: TMZ.

WATTERS: -- a high profile Democrat activist, beautiful actress. I mean, come on. It's too perfect the timing, it's a little suspect.

I mean, I know that his opponents in the past have questioned his bachelor status. And he's confirmed to the Philadelphia Inquirer actually who asked about his sexually. He said that he is a heterosexual. I don't care what he is, Henry.

HENRY: Right.

WATTERS: He's just not going to be president.

HENRY: You just don't want him as president?

WATTERS: I don't want him as president.

HENRY: What about Katie Couric jumping in on this as well? Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATIE COURIC, JOURNALIST: I had a blind date with Cory Booker ones, wow.

WENDY WILLIAMS, TV HOST: Did you kiss?

COURIC: This just in. We went to a Giant's football game. Did we kiss? No, we did not kiss.

WILLIAMS: Really?

COURIC: He was really nice.

WILLIAMS: Did he hold your hand?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: So now Katie Couric as well, we grew up on her on the morning show.

WATTERS: Yes, he's dating everybody. Cory Booker. I mean, he's got game, the senator Spartacus. Who knew? I mean, blind date at the Giants game, seems a little strange, that's not something that I would do. I don't think that's something you would do.

(CROSSTALK)

HENRY: (Inaudible) because Katie Couric said they didn't kiss.

WATTERS: They didn't kiss. Well, you don't kiss and tell. Maybe she's just playing nice and doesn't want to embarrass him.

HENRY: So why is it when you talk about the politics of all of this because it's sort of goofy in a way, but then it's like he is doing this for a reason. There are no photos of them at the Giants game. There's no photos of them --

(CROSSTALK)

WATTERS: Are you suggesting that maybe --

HENRY: I'm just curious.

WATTERS: -- they didn't have a romantic relationship?

HENRY: I don't know. Why is it like you said a moment ago, why love coming out --

(CROSSTALK)

WATTERS: But they are using anything they can to raise his profile. If you add a famous person to his romantic life, that's just going to get him in. He's going to get on The Story with Ed Henry. And this is what he wants. Because they are all fighting for clicks and ink and they will do whatever they can to get in the press.

HENRY: Speaking of somebody who's been in some hot water and trying to get attention for other things, Elizabeth Warren had this to say to town hall. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do you respond to people who think that regardless of the underlying facts, the way you handled the question of your Native American heritage was tone-deaf, defensive and indicative of a lack of presidential tact?

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN, D-MASS.: You know, I grew up in Oklahoma. I learned about my family from my family. And based on that, that's just kind of who I am. And I do the best that I can with it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: So, President Trump drew her into this fight about her heritage. She was losing on that with the DNA test and the rest. And now she's kind of thrown her family under the bus? Well, I learned it from them. It's not like me.

WATTERS: Yes. Leave mom out of it and from a mom text guy, I would never throw my mom under the bus because that would be a vicious mom text the next day. But she is going to keep on having to answer for this because that's how everybody knows her. She is a fake Indian and now she's throwing her family under the bus.

Her family may have said she's a little Indian, but she said she was full Cherokee when she was applying to go to places and that's what makes her a big phony.

HENRY: Speaking of having to answer for things, a couple Saturdays ago, I'm dealing with Hegseth, as you say, that's a whole job in and of itself.

WATTERS: Yes.

HENRY: I was fighting a cold.

WATTERS: You're fighting --

(CROSSTALK)

HENRY: Yes.

WATTERS: Did you have the sniffles then?

HENRY: Yes, the sniffle.

WATTERS: OK.

HENRY: The next day we're losing sleep an hour sleep.

WATTERS: Yes.

HENRY: So, I'm trying to get a nap and your staff is calling me, they're pestering me. Calling me and Watters is apparently in Florida on a nice little vacation, but he needs you on his Saturday Night show live. And so, they were nice enough. And I want to be honest about it.

WATTERS: Whoa.

HENRY: Your staff -- I'm surprising you with this. They gave me this bottle. They left, they broke into my office literally and they put this in there and it says "thank you," it said, "from a show" -- one of your producers -- "in Watters World. We really appreciate all these XO's."

WATTERS: Yes.

HENRY: But then a couple of days later, I'm like I'm so excited because last Wednesday I'm filling in for Martha and I got this great guest, Wednesday with Watters and you canceled on me. So here I am on Saturday with the sniffles, your staff are so grateful and you bailed on me.

WATTERS: Yes. You know I went to a blind date at the Giants game.

HENRY: I'm not buying that.

WATTERS: Yes, you not buy. Listen, I'm not buying this for you. I didn't approve this. This is coming out of the Watters World budget?

HENRY: No. It went through the system, can carry one of these things.

WATTERS: Wow. We Fox --

(CROSSTALK)

HENRY: Staff paid for this.

WATTERS: We paid for you to get drunk.

HENRY: New Fox.

WATTERS: New Fox. I like this place more now. Well, we know you like red wine, Henry. So, you know, drink up.

HENRY: I appreciate you coming on.

WATTERS: Thank you.

HENRY: And I hope I see you on Saturday night.

WATTERS: We'll see. Minute-by-minute, stay alive. Ed Henry (Inaudible) seeing everybody.

HENRY: Watters and Henry, we're going to take this on the road.

WATTERS: All right.

HENRY: And I appreciate you coming on.

WATTERS: Watters first, Henry second. I like how you build that.

HENRY: Henry, Watters -- Watters, Henry. Watters, Henry has a nice ring to it.

WATTERS: Yes, I would agree with that.

HENRY: Don't cancel on me again.

WATTERS: Never.

HENRY: I'm glad you're here.

WATTERS: Thank you.

HENRY: That's “The Story” on this Wednesday night. We'll see you back here. I will be back tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. In the meantime, our friend, Tucker Carlson, he is up next.

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