Domenech: Real question is whether Biden will stand up for America's interest
'Special Report' All-Star panel reacts to the president and vice president's performance on the world's stage
This is a rush transcript from "Special Report," June 9, 2021. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
BRET BAIER, HOST: You're looking live there, President Biden has landed at Cornwall Airport in Newquay in England there with the first lady, greeting people on the tarmac there. He talked to the U.S. troops, Air Force personnel a little earlier today, tonight that time. He will then motorcade about an hour to St. Ives for the G7 summit. The weather is socked in there so Marine One can't fly.
But let's talk about this foreign trip and what's on the agenda. Let's bring in our panel, Ben Domenech, publisher of "The Federalist," Harold Ford Jr., Tennessee Congressman, CEO of Empowerment and Inclusion Capital, and Guy Benson, political editor at Townhall.com, host of "The Guy Benson Show" on FOX News Radio. We will leave the live pictures up there on the ground as we talk about this.
Guy, one of the things that is going to pop-up here is obviously the meeting in Geneva later on with Vladimir Putin. Today President Biden said I'm going to tell him what I need to tell him, what he needs to know, talking tough, and that's a big part of this trip.
GUY BENSON, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Talking tough for sure, but we know that the administration just granted a pretty significant concession to Russia on that pipeline into Germany, that oil pipeline. So Putin might be bracing for some tough talk, but he has already gotten a significant piece of what he wants. So, what does the Biden administration hope to achieve with Putin? What do they hope to convey to our allies at the G7 beforehand? I think that's an open question.
Also, China is looming over all of this. Not just the genocide, not just what's happened in Hong Kong, but one revelation after another about coronavirus, the origins of that terrible virus that has killed more than 3 million people around the globe. Can the U.S. galvanize a global effort to stand up to China in a way that will be painful for China? Are people willing to go along, other leaders willing to go along with that leadership if it's provided? That is also an open question.
BAIER: Harold, as we look live there with President Biden and the English forces and the first lady there on the ground, the China part of this is really a big part as well. It comes in the background as we get information about this massive military build-up by China and real fear in Taiwan that China is going to take some action to possibly retake Taiwan.
HAROLD FORD JR., FORMER TENNESSEE REPRESENTATIVE: First, thanks for having me on. I think the open question here is how forceful will this president be with our allies in the G7? I think the focus around building coalitions and stronger partnership to confront Russia, to confront China is clearly at the forefront. I listened to Jake Sullivan yesterday in the press conference at the White House. He didn't talk about trust with Russia. He talked about verification. I think this president will be blunt with President Putin and certainly won't side with Putin over our own intelligence services privately or publicly.
But I do think China looms as large as any issue here. The massive investments they are making in energy, technology, medical research, and around the globe not only in their country but around the globe and helping to win allies is something we have to counter. I'm encouraged by what President Biden and his team are talking about as it relates to building coalitions against China and against Russia. And we ought to take care of our business here at home in making the right and smart investments in our own infrastructure growth over the next 10 years.
BAIER: I'm not sure what this camera guy is trying to do, see inside the beast, the SUV version of the presidential limo? I'm not sure about this shot, but we will continue on these live pictures as the president arrives on his trip. Ben, what do you think?
BEN DOMENECH, PUBLISHER, "THE FEDERALIST": Well, I think a number of different factors are a part of this trip, obviously. But Joe Biden is very familiar to all of these different people. They are very well aware of what his perspective is on the globe. And I think they are also well aware that he is already telegraphing a level of sensitivity when it relates to China about the nature of any potential confrontation, indicating, I think early on, unfortunately within this administration, a reluctance to push back against China, whether it relates to this lab leak investigation, whether it relates to a number of different trade and policy issues, and that that is something that is indicative of a feeling that America is not necessarily operating from the perspective of viewing our role as being ready to stand by Taiwan, stand by our allies, and one that's more reluctant to take on China in a more direct fashion.
We saw what happened in Alaska when we saw these various arguments deployed by Chinese representatives that were very negative about America and our history as it relates to race. That's something that China has deployed time and again against the west. And I think that this time around, the real question is whether the Biden administration is going to be one that really stands up for America's interests as opposed to trying to play some kind of soft game.
BAIER: This foreign trip comes after Vice President Kamala Harris' first foreign trip to Guatemala and Mexico. The media fallout from that has been interesting to watch. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, we're told that some of what she said on the trip, her answers to questions, maybe even obvious questions, those answers have White House insiders perplexed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not terribly adept in that exchange with Lester Holt there about saying whether she would go or not. You can do both things at once. You can address the root causes and visit the border, which I'm sure now she will in short order.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You could tell that she didn't quite have an answer prepared. Listen to this.
KAMALA HARRIS, (D) VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have been to the border.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You haven't been to the border.
HARRIS: And I haven't been to Europe.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, that escalated quickly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BAIER: Guy, when you cross that Rubicon, you know it's not good.
BENSON: True, although she herself declared the trip a success. So I suppose that settles it.
BAIER: Yes, Harold?
(LAUGHTER)
FORD: Look, she is going to go to the border. She didn't laugh at the press conference. We can quarrel all we want, but I think at the end of the day, if she can come up with the root causes challenge and convince this president and this team that the border needs to be secured and we can find ways to invest in that region that it is smart and targeted, we're going to get a better policy. And that's what we should all be hoping for.
BAIER: Ten second, Ben.
DOMENECH: We are not going to get a better policy out of this administration because they failed to grapple with the fact that they are the ones who are causing this problem. And that's the real source, the root cause of what we are facing today.
BAIER: All right, panel, stand by. When we come back, tomorrow's headlines.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BAIER: Finally tonight, a look at tomorrow's headlines with the panel. Guy, first to you.
BENSON: Well, I think that the Democrats were never really serious about a bipartisan infrastructure consensus, so the wheels are already turning toward reconciliation and a party line vote. I suspect that's where their leadership is headed, and this time Senator Joe Manchin plays ball with his party.
BAIER: Maybe so, maybe so. Ben, you're next.
DOMENECH: Area journalist disappointed at the destruction of yet another anti-Trump narrative. The Lafayette Park investigation which found that no, the president did not actually order some kind of teargas event in order to get a photo op, disrupts a lot of people's agendas when it comes to the stories that they previously pushed last year.
BAIER: I remember those stories. All right, Harold, wrap it up for us.
FORD: Well, with NFL mini-camp and training camp starting, my headline is to all the haters, Tom Brady is back, healthy, and ready to silence you again. Go Bucs.
(LAUGHTER)
BAIER: Oh, man. There's all those Patriots fans just cringing right now.
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