President Trump, Joe Biden battle over mail-in voting

This is a rush transcript from "The Five," August 4, 2020. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

JESSE WATTERS, CO-HOST: Hello, everybody. I am Jesse Watters, along with Dana Perino, Greg Gutfeld, Juan Williams, and Dagen McDowell. It is 5 o'clock in New York City, and this is "The Five."

A busy hour of breaking news, President Trump set to hold a news conference. He's expected to address his latest comments about mail-in voting, the president warning of an Election Day disaster if everyone votes by mail.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: You could have a case where this election won't be decided on the evening of November 3rd --

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: -- but 2 months later.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's wrong with the --

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: -- many months later. You know why, because lots of things will happen during that period of time, especially when you have tight margins. Lots of things can happen. There has never been anything like this. Now, of course, right now, we have to live with it. But we are challenging it in many courts all over the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATTERS: But this morning, the president encouraging mail-in voting in Florida, saying that that state's system is safe and secure. And the other big 2020 storyline, will Joe Biden step on the debate stage? Some on the left say he should not. But his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, telling Dana today that Joe will be there. She also defended against attacks on her husband's cognitive ability and claims that he is too far left.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JILL BIDEN, FORMER SECOND LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: You know, Joe is anything but that characterization. You know, we have been campaigning. We have been listening to the expert, the scientists, and doctors. And they have told us stay home and be safe. And I think Donald Trump is really about Joe's age, right? I think there's, like --

DANA PERINO, CO-HOST: A little younger.

BIDEN: You know, Joe is a moderate, and that doesn't mean that his ideas are not progressive and bold and forward-thinking. But he is not someone who is left. He's not someone who is right. He is a moderate. And that's who he has always been.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATTERS: OK, shame on Dr. Jill Biden for dodging Watters World. We're going to give her a pass. I understand why she did that. Dana, what did you think about the campaign sending Jill Biden out there to make the case for her husband? And how do you think she did?

PERINO: Well, I do -- I always think that a spouse can be somebody who gives you another look at the candidate or a different feel -- a look and feel for who you're possibly going to be voting for in the fall or who your favorite candidate is going to be running against. And I think that is true of Melania Trump who is just a fantastic partner for the president.

And so dignified and gracious and so -- obviously, so beautiful, and she has that joy when she sees children. I think back to Michelle Obama. I think she -- I think the most popular person in the world. I think -- her popularity. Laura Bush was a great help to George W. Bush. And I think that the reason Jill Biden is out today -- her book is coming out.

Well, it's a paperback edition of -- Where the Light Enters is the name of the book. So I read and had a chance to talk to her. I think it's interesting when she says -- the question I asked was about the Trump campaign attack that Donald Trump believes Joe Biden is an empty vessel for the far left. And her instinct and her answer is that Joe Biden is a moderate.

And yet, Joe Biden also says that he will be the most progressive president in history. And I think that they do see themselves as moderate, possibly in policy and maybe even in tone. The other thing she said is that they are close. And then she said he is close on a vice presidential choice.

WATTERS: Well, they can be both moderate and progressive. It just depends on who you believe. Greg Gutfeld, there's an interesting phenomenon that I've noticed with the media. If I've noticed it, I'm sure you've noticed it. Call it the Three-card Monte. So the media will report something, like, you know, mail-in balloting is bad or dangerous or can lead to delays.

Trump will say it can be bad, dangerous, and lead to delays. And then the media will say oh, no, Trump is fear-mongering and making things up about mail-in balloting. And they do this with everything. They just did it with will Joe Biden debate thing?

GREG GUTFELD, CO-HOST: Yeah. You know, it's -- once Trump actually says something that they might agree with, they have to take the opposing side. Though, I am really offended by Jill Biden. And I think, Dana, you could agree with me that don't you hate people who only do your show if they can only sell a book. It's disgusting.

PERINO: Yeah.

(CROSSTALK)

GUTFELD: Yeah. I do want to congratulate Dana on winning the Ms. Pepto- Bismol 2020 Fashion Spread for the third running.

(CROSSTALK)

PERINO: -- as soon as I put this dress on, this is your least favorite color. It's your least favorite shade of pink. I am sorry for that.

GUTFELD: Yes.

PERINO: But if you --

(CROSSTALK)

PERINO: -- pink bubblegum. That'd be great.

GUTFELD: I would. But unfortunately, I am trapped, because two trees have fallen and I can't leave my house, which is amazing. But that's a different concern. It always happens to me. But OK, here -- the concern for mail-in voting is real. But you can't keep switch and baiting -- bait and switching it with absentee. This is a capacity issue and a scrutiny issue.

It's not a corruption issue. So you have got to treat it like the hospital capacity in COVID. You have got to flatten the curve so the demand on the Postal Service is not overwhelming. The problem is it's too late. Even they will admit it's too late. And a lot of these ballots aren't going to be counted, so we should all agree Democrats and Republicans that this is not about corruption.

It isn't about incompetence. It's about capacity and scrutiny. And we are all going to be screwed. Now, just to the point about the debates, if -- I believe that the Democrats are going to start attaching conditions to the debates to make it harder for Trump to beat Biden, for example. They're going to have the debates be finished by 4 p.m. before it gets, you know, dark.

And before the turkey soup gets cold. You can phone three friends. It will be multiple choice. You can wear an earpiece. And there has to be replenished bowls of ribbon candy.

WATTERS: OK. Well, you know, I do want to take issue with thing. There is a corruption component, Greg. And I'll ask Juan to address that. Perkins Coie, you know, the law firm that Hillary paid to get the dirty dossier done by the Russians. So this same law firm now is suing a whole bunch of states to make it so they can have ballot harvesting in the election.

And ballot harvesting means someone besides you can deliver your mail-in ballot to the place where it's counted. So they could have paid partisan political operatives picking up ballots in the bundles from apartments or from nursing homes, and then bringing them to where they're supposed to be counted. That's like asking the Democrats to do this on the honor system in an election where Trump's presidency is on the line. I'm sorry, Juan. I just don't trust it.

JUAN WILLIAMS, CO-HOST: Well, you know what? You should, in fact, be encouraging it, the idea that someone would help folks in a senior citizen's home get their ballots counted, because the ballot not only has to be signed. It has to have the proper address. There are all these safeguards in place, Jesse. The question -- and we just heard it raised by Greg is about the magnitude of the mail-in vote.

And so what you want to do is just to make sure that people get their ballots to the proper place to be counted. But, you know, the thing we started off today is my concern. Trump here is tweeting that it's safe and secure to do a mail-in battle in Florida. Well, wait a second. Wait a second. He has been sending out all these signals about how it's not safe and secure to do mail-in ballots.

Well, how is it safe and secure all of a sudden in Florida but not in any other state when there has been no evidence of any kind of fraud anywhere? So I got to think that he just concludes that it's OK if he thinks he can win the state. And I think he thinks he can win Florida.

(CROSSTALK)

WILLIAMS: Hang on. I am finishing. In the Axios interview, he seems to make a distinction between mail-in ballots and absentee ballots. But there is no such distinction. They are the same thing.

WATTERS: No, they are not.

WILLIAMS: People who say, you know what --

WATTERS: They are not.

WILLIAMS: I am an absentee voter. I'm going to send in my ballot. That's a mail-in ballot. This whole thing is a ruse. It's intended to inspire cynicism and distrust of the election so that Trump can raise a ruckus and say this isn't a fair election when he loses.

WATTERS: Juan, are you saying that you, Juan Williams of Fox News, you don't know the difference between an absentee and a mail-in ballot? Is that what you're saying?

WILLIAMS: I am certain there is no difference.

PERINO: Well, it depends on -- it isn't clear in the states. I mean, in some states, mail-in ballots -- some governors are talking about sending ballots to everybody and asking them to mail it back in. But there are some states that -- if you want an absentee ballot, sometimes you have to have an excuse. Other states, you don't have to have an excuse.

Like, in Texas, you have to have an excuse, others -- if you want and absentee, just say it.

(CROSSTALK)

WILLIAMS: So what you just heard, Jesse. Jesse, wait. You just heard was there is no difference.

WATTERS: No, no. The difference is, Juan, for an absentee, you have to go out and request that ballot be sent to your address.

(CROSSTALK)

WATTERS: And the difference in Florida is the Republicans have cleaned up the voters rolls.

(CROSSTALK)

WATTERS: That's the difference.

WILLIAMS: Jesse, that is just total nonsense. Let me just explain. No, let me explain.

(CROSSTALK)

WILLIAMS: You have several states that say you have to request. But most states say, it's universal at this point.

(CROSSTALK)

WATTERS: Dagen?

DAGEN MCDOWELL, GUEST CO-HOST: Anytime you hear Democrats ranting and raving and hyperventilating and clutching their pearls and getting the vapors (ph) about something that Trump has said. It's a planned necessary distraction because he is onto something. These liberal states are flailing and failing and totally incompetent when it comes to what they're planning.

And that is a mass mailing in many states of ballots and an unprecedented number where they have no way of figuring out did we send them to somebody who moved out of state? Oh, did we send multiple ballots to people? Oh, did the dead get ballots? How many ballots were sent to a family of one? Was it 5, was it 10? These states have no idea what they are doing.

And Donald Trump has called them on it. So they're going to make it about him. And then the media, they are just the ventriloquist dummy for the liberal leaders across this country. They've been talking about Donald J. Voldemort for years. And they're just still down that path. If you believe in the integrity of this election and you've been able to go to a grocery store during this pandemic. Put your mask on, line up, and vote like we always do.

WATTERS: All right. Don't go anywhere. Sean Hannity is here next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PERINO: Welcome back. We are joined by the one and only Sean Hannity, Host of Hannity, and the author of a brand new book. It's out today. Live Free or Die, America (and the World) on the Brink. Sean, you have not had a book since 2010. And I actually was in Washington, D.C. with you when that book came out, if you remember that event at the NRCC. What do you want to accomplish with this book?

SEAN HANNITY, CO-HOST: I swore I would never write one. That's what I swore -- you know, I know Jesse's got his -- and Greg obviously is doing great with his new book. I honestly felt, as this was building, this moment is going to be big. This is a tipping point. I didn't even know, Dana, to be very honest. I had no idea that Biden would swing this far left.

I think it's a sign of weakness that he had to adopt to actually plagiarize Bolshevik Bernie's economic plan, trillions for the New Green Deal, amnesty, united sanctuary state above America. I'm going to raise your taxes. The agenda is frightening. And I really believe this is a tipping point moment. I -- Newt Gingrich and I have been friends since 1990.

He thinks this the biggest election in terms of the future which way this country's going to go in -- since 1864. I think he maybe right, because if they implement those plans, bye-bye American pie as far as I'm concerned.

PERINO: All right. We're going to take a round of virtual table here. Greg Gutfeld, do you a question for your fellow author, Sean Hannity?

GUTFELD: Yes, I do. To his point about Joe Biden, Biden just got the endorsement of the Revolutionary Communist Party head. That's a big -- so I assume that what's next is Antifa, perhaps ISIS, and maybe the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

HANNITY: Go ahead.

GUTFELD: I know not to doubt you, because you were -- in 2016, you were kind of -- you were on a lone path. And even I can say that even I was one of the people that was probably mocking you about that path.

HANNITY: No, no, no. No probably, you were. You absolutely were.

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: By the way, I'm going to say something. I said this to Glenn Beck today. I get it, because Donald Trump was a deal-maker. Here's a guy that's in New York. He's donated to Republicans. He's donated to Democrats. I could tell you why he did. Because he wanted to keep his buildings going up. And that's the way the game is played. I even said I hate the game.

And he was pro-choice at one point. Look at it this way. Greg, think about this. He is everything he said. He's the most predictable president, if you just listen to him. He's fulfilled his promises. And secondly, you know, I am watching a guy that is transformational and he is just hated. I mean, they have tried since the day he and Melania came down that escalator to destroy this man.

And what I see, energy independence, biggest producer of energy, tax cuts, burn some bureaucracy, building a wall. He found a way. Coronavirus, 10 days after the first identified case, travel ban, first quarantine in, what, 50, 60 years. He's -- it's a very different thing. So I would understand why you felt that way. Listen, I threw it all on the line.

I always tell my audience the truth. The reason I knew he would -- governors and conservative because I have known him for 25 years. And I know he meant what he said, because we've talked at length about it.

PERINO: Jesse Watters --

(CROSSTALK)

GUTFELD: That's why this book scares me because you were so right back then. So I don't think you're going to be wrong with this either.

HANNITY: Well, by the way. There is an optimistic side and a pessimistic side. Live free is -- wow, the greatest country God gave man. The American people will decide in 91 days. Guess what. He -- this president will cement all of these great successes. And I love the greatest, record breaking, shattering every unemployment record for every American, every demographic.

And I think these four years, he's the guy. And Biden scares me, because it's Biden, Pelosi, Schumer, AOC, oh, and Bolshevik Bernie, that scares the hell out of me.

WATTERS: So Sean, let's talk about that nightmare scenario. Say November 3rd, the president, he's ahead in the vote tally. And then all of these mail-in ballots come in and they all go to court. And suddenly, three weeks later, finally Joe is over the edge. And they called the race. You have Joe Biden in the Oval Office, maybe the Senate goes Democrat, Pelosi has the gavel. What does that look like? Yeah, I know. What does that look like to the rest of the country?

HANNITY: If the -- here's -- let's take personalities and names out of it. What he is saying he will do if he enacts Bolshevik Bernie's economic plan, which he plagiarized and AOC. He is pledging trillions of taxpayer dollars to the New Green Deal, promising amnesty, promising to raise taxes, judicial activists on the court. And we know what he did in terms of foreign policy in trying to bribe in Iran that chant death to America.

He didn't even want to kill Bin Laden. That's how off he's been. What I do think? I think it is irreparable harm to the country. I don't think we will recover. And Reagan -- and I put this in the book. You know, we -- he said freedom is but one generation away from extinction. I don't want this American generation to be the generation that doesn't preserve liberty freedom, which has created wealth and success and a standard of living that we have shared with the entire world.

That's because of liberty and freedom. That all goes away in the name of false security. You know, let me add one thing. Every time people say we promise everything's going to be free. Wow, I don't ever have to worry again. All the pressure in my life is gone. OK, how did that Obamacare promise work? Did you keep your doctor? Millions lost them. Plans, millions lost that.

Are we paying on average $2500 less a year? No, we are paying 200 percent more. And 40 percent of the country, Jesse Watters, is -- has about just -- less than 40 percent has only one Obama-Biden care exchange option. How did that -- how did social security work out? How did law and order work out in these liberal cities? How did education work out in these liberal cities?

The most fundamental thing, you see deterioration, simple safety security and an education for our children. If you don't have those two things, which is the top responsibilities and these liberal cities that they failed on, guess what. You have failed in -- on every single measurable level that we ought to be succeeding on.

They don't even want to -- they would rather attack Trump than protect the people in Portland, Seattle, Chicago, and New York City. It's a scary scenario to me.

PERINO: Juan Williams, we have about a minute left, so you got to questions.

HANNITY: Saved the best for last.

PERINO: I did.

WILLIAMS: Well, Sean, if I read this -- if I get the idea of your book right, it sounds as if -- if Biden wins, it's going to be the end of the world, right? So isn't that what -- isn't that what Trump's critic said in 2016? Are you going to move to Canada while America goes marching on?

HANNITY: No. I'm going to fight for liberty and freedom until the day I die, until Jesse or Pete or Greg, somebody takes over my show and I retire. I am the old man here. But I will say this. I have a whole chapter, socialism and history of failure, Juan. Tell me where it's worked. It worked in China, the Bolshevik revolution. How is East Germany versus West Germany?

How is and Venezuela versus Cuba? Because the promises sound so great, but they are never fulfilled, and in the process of getting, quote, "security." We give up liberty and we give up freedom. And by the way, I hope all of you will join me on my virtual signing tonight. It's on https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__Hannity.com&d=DwICAg&c=cnx1hdOQtepEQkpermZGwQ&r=sFAZs1s6OsYn8_1zLEwORPZR5plqG0bJtDiwqh5im-0&m=UEV0dmbwu4pVyxpp0aKRsT18KxaGNe83f87QQzKYRFI&s=xx4ayRu6B5ay6iRffDl8iu609bybzCMkNF7oWPoEQro&e= . But I will tell you. I hope they can get a question.

(CROSSTALK)

PERINO: She's next. She's next. She's next.

MCDOWELL: I will never have a book to sell so I'm not going to suck up to you.

(CROSSTALK)

MCDOWELL: Just kidding.

HANNITY: You can join me tonight. How about be my special guest? We have a live signing right after Hannity. And anyone can go to https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__Hannity.com&d=DwICAg&c=cnx1hdOQtepEQkpermZGwQ&r=sFAZs1s6OsYn8_1zLEwORPZR5plqG0bJtDiwqh5im-0&m=UEV0dmbwu4pVyxpp0aKRsT18KxaGNe83f87QQzKYRFI&s=xx4ayRu6B5ay6iRffDl8iu609bybzCMkNF7oWPoEQro&e= .

MCDOWELL: Sean, really quickly, though. We have this giant government now because of the way that we have decided to fight the Coronavirus pandemic. We have got a budget deficit that is, what, 4, 5, $6 trillion. This is the new era of gigantic government siphoning resources away from private companies and private sector and really siphoning away our freedoms in a way. Regardless of who is in the White House, then that hurt.

HANNITY: Listen. I am an economic conservative. I'll tell you this. The country demanded we be shutdown, the worst pandemic since 1917 and 18. We can't even begin to calculate how many lives were saved because this president, 10 days after the first case in the U.S., puts a travel ban in effect, and the quarantine subsequent travel bans, then the largest medical mobilization in history.

Yup, a lot of Americans needed help. Look, we bailed out Europe after World War II. We are capable of coming back. Interest rates are low. The president once said to me -- I asked him about the Penny Plan, Connie Mack's plan. Cut a penny out of every dollar and baseline budgeting -- he said what about a nickel plan? Obviously, once we get the economy coming back and we have so much good anecdotal evidence.

I didn't think we'd see these numbers on jobs and retail sales and other things until August, the earliest. We saw it in June. So it won't be a full V, but it'll be perhaps a half a V. And the American people have the confidence that we will get to that point. And the other thing is therapeutics. We are on the verge of a vaccine in 9 months, 10 months. That would be beyond historic. President Trump's Operation Warp Speed, I believe we're going to get there.

PERINO: All right. Sean Hannity, you have a live signing tonight, 10:05 p.m. right after your show. https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__Livesigning.com_Hannity&d=DwICAg&c=cnx1hdOQtepEQkpermZGwQ&r=sFAZs1s6OsYn8_1zLEwORPZR5plqG0bJtDiwqh5im-0&m=UEV0dmbwu4pVyxpp0aKRsT18KxaGNe83f87QQzKYRFI&s=1ZlNcdsyZaypDn2xK7DtYTpisdWTLbDdj7GtHnk7tOQ&e= , your new book is out now. Live Free or Die, make sure you get it. Thanks, Sean.

HANNITY: Let's not die. Let's live. I want to argue with Juan Williams for decades to come.

PERINO: All right. Have a great night.

HANNITY: I love this show. Thank you, guys.

PERINO: Thank you. You always have. And we appreciate your support. Thank you. All right, ahead on THE FIVE, Greg challenges the left's narrative about rising crime in American cities.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GUTFELD: So, we've seen an explosion in violent crime, especially murder all in large Democrat-controlled cities around the country. It's frightening and disturbing. What's also disturbing, the arguments meant to dismiss all this. When you bring up the death toll, some will say why are you politicizing it? Then you point to the numbers because numbers don't lie.

So, they claim that crime is down overall except for all those murders, which raises the question, why are murderers up but not other crime? Maybe it's time to ask an expert rather than the chattering talking heads like me. According to Vincent Del Castillo, Associate Professor of the Law and Police Science Department of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, it's actually about the reporting of crime in today's world.

Murders are pretty much 100 percent reported. Past National Crime surveys, however, revealed that roughly half a victims, non-murder victims that is, don't report non-murder crimes to the police since many don't believe their cities will do anything. Fewer people with faith in their city governments make it appear that other crime is in decline. And here's why. Even if they nab the perp, especially in a city like New York, he's on the street the same day. And what if the laws say he's entitled to names and addresses of victims and witnesses, wouldn't you remain silent, fearful of retaliation?

So the reason why murder is up and other stuff is down, is it because pockets of criminals are just terrorizing each other and leaving you alone. It's just that everyone else is too terrified to trust the system that used to protect them. And that sucks when the only crime you can be sure is going to be recorded is your own murder. The bright side, if you're dead, at least the Democrats won't be running your town any longer.

So Dagen, why does the media continue to make excuses for this stuff?

MCDOWELL: Because then it would mean laying blame on a lot of the left-wing liberal leaders who run the cities. I know that shootings have spiked and murders have spiked in some Republican-led cities, but we're talking about places like New York and Chicago.

But this is true, Greg. The reason that people don't report crimes, it really starts with -- in New York, for example. They seized -- eased what were quality of life crimes. The Manhattan da then just stopped prosecuting them. So people see what's going on in front of them. And then bail reform, people will get picked up, released, no bail. Picked up, release, no bail.

So if somebody punches you in the face, they're not going to jail, so why even bother calling the cops at that point? It's a downward, downward spiral and we're witnessing it right here.

GUTFELD: Jesse, I really didn't understand this until I e-mailed back and forth with this professor about this discovery reform that allows like the prosecution -- prosecutors have to turn over the information of any people who are relevant to the crime and that includes the victim, the police officers, the E.R., everything.

WATTERS: Yes, that's just letting them be intimidated if someone wants to take full advantage. But you're right, it's not just about the reporting. If you think about maybe burglaries are down because businesses are closed or because people are in their homes. Maybe rapes and robberies are down is because nightclubs and bars aren't open so there's not a lot of victims walking around being preyed on.

You know that the drug money is tight, so there's a lot of gang shootings. You also know bail reform, they just let people out. And then they let people out of the prisons because of the pandemic. And then when you close schools, you close businesses and churches, there's a lot of innocent bystanders walking around the street and stray bullets hit them too. So instead of trying to spin the crime wave, they should just stop the crime wave. How about that?

GUTFELD: That's a good point, Dana. Do you see any way out of this soon? I mean, I'm not very pessimistic, but I just -- if no one's taking it seriously, how can it ever be solved?

PERINO: I guess I have to be hopeful and say yes, I hope -- I hope that's the case. I did want to make one comment. You know, the statistics are illustrative of what's going on. But an anecdote can also tell you and informs you and informs your friends and family and your neighbors.

A friend of mine, his wife was basically trying to get to the hospital to see their daughter who was in the hospital here in New York, and only one parent could be there at a time. So it was her turn to go. She leaves the apartment building and there was a homeless man who grabbed her by the hair and tried to drag her along.

Now, the doorman saw it, ran the guy off, brings her back inside, and the homeless man is trying to push his way into the building. They didn't call the cops because why would you? Like, the cops are busy. Like what -- but they -- but this is the kind of thing that you see all the way around. It's not just the murders which are horrible, it's the other, the little things that build up that ruin a city.

GUTFELD: Yes. And to Dana's point, Juan, if let's say, a gang in a neighborhood is exercising more power during this environment, and you become a victim of that gang, you're less likely to report it because they're actually -- they're actually running the place now.

WILLIAMS: I don't buy this. I must say, I think you're saying -- let me get this straight. I want to make sure I understand you, Greg. You're saying all crime statistics are wrong, except for homicide. But in fact, there is no evidence of that. There is no change in the way the crime statistics have been reported in this country.

I mean, I just saw a report in FiveThirtyEight. It said, the rate of violent crime fell from 80 per thousand in 1993 to 23 per thousand in 2018. So, the nation over the last 30 years, is a much, much safer place. Murder in Chicago, there's been a spike, but it's an eight percent of the city's census tract, so it's a very limited area. So, I think what you're arguing, Greg, is based on how you feel. I say --

GUTFELD: Only Democrats cities, only Democrat cities.

WILLIAMS: Let me -- allow me to finish.

GUTFELD: I will allow you to finish.

WILLIAMS: I think that what you're saying is how you feel. It's not based on facts because it's self-fulfilling that if you go around and tell people, oh gee, you know, someone got murdered, oh, there's -- but you know what, people will hear about it, people will react to it. But the facts are they, in fact, there is no crime wave in this country except in Donald Trump's mind as he sends off federal agents to go after people.

WATTERS: Juan, murders were up 25 percent.

WILLIAMS: I said there is no crime wave. And if murder --

GUTFELD: Shootings are up 200 percent --

WATTERS: Murder is a crime, Juan.

WILLIAMS: The murders that you're talking about -- yes, the murders you're talking about take place in a very limited area. And you can try to blow it out to scare people but it's fear-mongering.

GUTFELD: So, who cares? So, who cares then? Who cares? If it's just in a limited area, it's those people right, Juan? I get it. Up ahead, the left is outraged by President Trump's latest comments over his response to the Coronavirus.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WILLIAMS: President Trump's sparking new controversy with comments about his administration's response to the Coronavirus. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thousands of Americans are dying a day.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They were dying. That's true. And you have -- it is what it is. But that doesn't mean we aren't doing everything we can. It's under control as much as you can control it. This is a horrible plague that beset us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You really think this is as much as we can control? 1,000 deaths a day?

TRUMP: Well, I'll tell you. I'd like to know if somebody -- first of all, we have done a great job. We've gotten the governors everything they needed. They didn't do their job -- many of them didn't and some of them did. Someday we'll sit down. We'll talk about the successful ones. The good ones.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIAMS: Greg, it is what it is. I think that's going to be a famous remark. Doesn't this show a lack of empathy, understanding?

GUTFELD: If you're probably not very bright, perhaps that would feel like a lack of empathy, because President Trump has probably done more than anybody to figure out a way to get this country back on its feet. And like I've said before, if you have never offered any practical advice, you do not deserve a place at the table.

You have to take risk-benefit choices, risk -- you have to analyze the risk and see what happens. You ban travel, everybody gave him crap for that. He's going to get crap no matter what. The fact is, nobody has any other solutions and there is no control group. Can you compare it to like America in a parallel universe? You can't.

So anybody who's critical has no leg to stand on them because you have actually no -- I've yet to hear anybody give advice on how to do it better. Give me a piece of advice on how to do it better. I haven't heard it.

WILLIAMS: Well, Joe Biden can send it directly to you. But anyway, Dagen, doesn't this telegraph the message that he has --

GUTFELD: I doubt that. I doubt that.

WILLIAMS: -- that he has essentially abdicated control in terms of dealing with the virus?

MCDOWELL: Well, that's a tall order of hogwash, Juan. Listen, "it is what it is" kind of represents America in a way. Americans are only going to tolerate whether they're right or left so much deprivation of freedom. At some point, you have to leave it up to the individual. Are you going to be responsible to keep your distance or are you going to go to a boat party? Number one.

Number two, this President has lined up hundreds of millions of doses and advance of potential vaccines of 100 million from Pfizer and BioNTech, 100 million from Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline. Operation Warp Speed is going to fix this in this country. Mark my words.

WILLIAMS: Dana, what we know is, of course, that two-thirds of the American people disapprove of the President's handling of the virus, about the same amount say they don't trust anything he has to say. What can he do about this?

PERINO: Well, you know, years ago, "is it is what it is" was a banned phrase in Greg's "ONE MORE THING," and so maybe we should bring that back. And as unfair as the Trump team might think that it is, the Biden campaign already is up with an ad this afternoon with "it is what it is" much like the Republicans went after Obama for "you didn't build that." It's like one comment in one interview.

I do think that the -- I think that the White House has the right idea of getting the president out there. He is definitely flooding the zone. But I don't think a 40-minute long interview is necessarily a good idea. And I also -- I understand the part about banning the travel, good decision. I know it was criticized at the time.

I think that right now people are like, where is my unemployment money, where what is going on with the schools, and what's going to happen in nursing homes? Those are the three things that I would focus on relentlessly.

WILLIAMS: All right, Jesse, anyway the President can turn this around?

WATTERS: Yes. I mean, you get the vaccine in a short period of time and the economy comes back as it looks like it does. You have sports in the fall, you have schools opening safely. That looks like a success. Obviously, your heart breaks for one single death out there in America. This is Mother Nature. There was no way any politician was going to beat the Coronavirus. You were basically just going to have to deal with it the best you can.

And for people to say that, you know, the travel ban was bad, and we were impeaching the president when Coronavirus was coming, and that, you know, this guy is going to have a full vaccine because he's rushing it, and we love the guy that put COVID patients in nursing homes, spare me. We had -- we had a moment to come together as a country. That's gone with now.

We're going to rely on the scientists to get us a vaccine and get us out of this. But the American people are responsible for washing their hands, wearing masks, and social distancing, and they're doing a pretty good job so far.

WILLIAMS: All right, thanks, Jesse. Coming up, one of the NFL's top stars says the league shouldn't play this season. We've got that next for you on THE FIVE.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MCDOWELL: One of the NFL's biggest stars says he doesn't think that football is ready to come back. Odell Beckham Jr. saying, "We're not ready for football season. So why are we trying to push forward?" Juan, is he right?

WILLIAMS: I think he is right. I'm sorry to say that. I'm a big fan of football. But you know, baseball has had a terrible time, Dagen. They can't control what players do when they're away from the field, and football has an even larger number of players to control away from the field, from the bars, and nightlife. I just don't think this works.

MCDOWELL: Jesse, does it work?

WATTERS: I don't know. I hate to say this. I might agree with Juan a little bit. I mean, this is a full-contact sport, unlike baseball. But Odell can say this because he's got a guaranteed deal and he's got endorsements, so he could opt out this year and still make it a fortune.

A lot of these others guys don't have guaranteed money. They want to play. They have to play. And I think America wants to watch them play. I'm ready -- I'm ready to watch some football. I can't wait.

MCDOWELL: Well, Dana, we don't want to watch it though if they have to suspend games because the players get sick.

PERINO: And some of the teams are trying to do really innovative things. Like the Broncos have this new misting booth, like a disinfecting thing that you have to walk through before you go to the field. Like, people are trying to do the right thing. I think maybe they could give it a shot. And if it doesn't work, we can say we tried.

WATTERS: A disinfecting booth?

PERINO: Yes, like you walk through it and you get sprayed with like, Purell.

WATTERS: Well, I need one of those. I like that.

GUTFELD: I have one in my bedroom.

WATTERS: I'm sure you do,

MCDOWELL: I bet you do.

WATTERS: I'm sure you do.

MCDOWELL: Greg?

GUTFELD: Well, I think Dana is right. We should have been paying more attention to innovation. But we -- the real obstacle to innovation will always be politics. While we were thinking about solutions, the media was just obsessed with kneeling. So, congratulations, you've got the kneeling, but now you're not going to see a lot of it.

MCDOWELL: I'm sad. I want football. "ONE MORE THING" up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WATTERS: It's time now for "ONE MORE THING." So, as we reopen schools safely, one Alabama school principal has a way to do it that makes it a little fun. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I told you students, better pull that mask up. It's the CDC, not me. Hey, don't wash your hands.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATTERS: That was Dr. Quentin Lee of Childersburg High School in Alabama. You guys know the song M.C. Hammer. There's one way to do it. Anything you can do to make it work.

PERINO: I love it.

WATTERS: Dana Perino.

PERINO: It's so cute. I want to do a big shout out to my little cousin, Joslyn Pischke. There you see her here. You might remember that I sponsored the twin -- the junior girls all around saddle champion. So, she won in the Weston County Junior Rodeo Junior Girls All Around. She's just 10 years old. Then you might remember two years ago, she also won because she's amazing. And she has a new horse called Holly. Here, she sent us a little video for THE FIVE.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSLYN PISCHKE, COUSIN OF DANA PERINO: Hi, Cousin Dana, it's me Joslyn and my horse Holly. We just want to tell you, thank you so much for sponsoring the Junior Girls All Around Saddle. We won barrels, poles, and goat tying. And when they called my name as the new Junior Girls All Around Cowgirl, I was so excited.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PERINO: Congratulations, Joslyn.

WATTERS: That's cute. I might have to sponsor a horse next year. Greg Gutfeld, you're up.

GUTFELD: All right, let's do this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GUTFELD: Animals are great. Animals are great. Animals are great.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUTFELD: I can't actually see this video. I'm in a van. But roll the video. I'm assuming it is a squirrel having the time of his life. There he is. I got to tell you, I would -- I would give anything to trade places with that squirrel. That feeling -- that feeling must be the greatest feeling in the world. And right now, I just -- I don't know. I can't even tell you what I'm thinking. So I think I'm just going to shut up.

WATTERS: Yes, it has been very humid outside. You got to do what you have to do.

GUTFELD: Yes.

WATTERS: All right, Juan, quickly.

WILLIAMS: All right, so hey, I got a dare for you guys. Can you swim with a full glass of chocolate milk on your head? You say that's not possible, well, take a look. There is Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky.

WATTERS: Juan, we ran out of time. I'm sorry, that it for us. "Special Report" is up next.

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