'Special Report' All-Star Panel on Biden's plan to pull out of Afghanistan

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Biden's plan to pull out of Afghanistan on 9/11 is 'grotesque': Goldberg

'Special Report' All-Star panel say pulling out of Afghanistan may appear as a 'defeat' globally

This is a rush transcript from "Special Report with Bret Baier," June 25, 2021. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

BRET BAIER, HOST: Let's bring in our panel to talk about this trip today. Bill McGurn columnist for The Wall Street Journal, Charles Lane, opinion writer for The Washington Post and Jonah Goldberg, editor in chief of The Dispatch.

Great to have all of you with us. Charles, let's start with you right there. You heard William's reporting, he says people there are waiting, they're willing to wait because they see people they say who are getting in are being admitted to the U.S. every day. So, is there a mixed message still from this administration?

CHARLES LANE, OPINION WRITER, THE WASHINGTON POST: Well, I think we're really not seeing anything different from what we've been seeing for several months, which is that clearly after the Trump administration left, and the Biden administration came in, the word went out in Central America, that there might be a new approach in the United States.

And with respect to the children and the families traveling, there has been and that has obviously stimulated people to come to the border.

The other thing, of course, that is stimulating them to come to the border are the miserable conditions in their home countries, which have been made a lot worse by COVID and the economic recession that it brought with it.

I might add, there was probably a lot of pent up migration, because of the stop that the Trump administration managed to put to it in 2018 and 2019 that we're now seeing come through.

What I'm really going to be curious about is whether the summertime, we will see the usual drop off in migration to the border or whether the situation has changed such that that doesn't take place.

And if you see that, then I think the administration may have to take note and change what it's doing, because that would be a different situation.

BREAM: I want to play a little bit more of what the vice president had to say today and contrast that with a Democratic member of Congress who has been very vocal about this issue and calling on the White House to get more involved in concrete solutions. Here's that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: It is here in El Paso that the previous administration's child separation policy was unveiled. And so, we've seen the disastrous effects of that right here in this region. It is here in El Paso that the return to Mexico policy from the previous administration was implemented.

REP. HENRY CUELLAR (D-TX): The epicenter is down there in the lower Rio Grande, the lower part of my district down there.

If you look at the numbers that are down there compared to El Paso, you're not going to get a true picture of what's happening.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BREAM: So, Jonah, Henry Cuellar, the congressman Democrat from Texas has been very vocal about pushing the administration.

But part of what we saw and heard from the vice president today was laying some of this or trying to at the feet of the Trump administration, she said they inherited a terrible situation. But by all metrics from nonpartisan government agencies, the numbers have skyrocketed the last few months.

JONAH GOLDBERG, EDITOR IN CHIEF, THE DISPATCH: Yes, I honestly think that the Biden administration was pretty much blindsided by this entire problem.

I think that they thought just basically saying, we're not going to do what Donald Trump did was their immigration policy. And then it turned out that there were negative consequences of all that.

And you know, I -- personally, I don't get some of the politics of this, particularly for Kamala Harris. She spent almost a hundred days not going to the border, getting bad press, because she wasn't going to the border, getting bad press because she had bad explanations for why she wasn't going to the border.

And then, she goes to the border and does a photo op that basically says she should have gone to the border all along. And at the same time, takes ownership of the issue of the border which she was trying to avoid, and does a photo op that persuades nobody.

It just seems like they've never figured out exactly what their actual immigration policy is vis-a-vis these border surges other than to say the previous administration did very bad things, and we're not doing them. And I just don't think it's going to persuade anybody one way or the other.

BREAM: Well, and a number of senators who went down -- GOP senators who went down to visit the border early on when this was really flaring up said, that they talked to a number of border officials, they talked to people who said there were transition meetings with the Biden transition team or with Biden officials, that they were warned about a number of these things saying this is coming, we want you to know these are going to be the impacts of the changeover.

And yet, Bill, it does seem that this administration wants to say or represent that it appears that it was caught off guard.

BILL MCGURN, COLUMNIST, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Yes, well, it was caught off guard, but it was caught off guard by the president.

I want to put in a word for Kamala Harris. What is she supposed to say? The truth? The truth is that this is a crisis brought on almost entirely by her boss's virtue signaling with a bunch of executive orders that Jonah explained, just said we're not doing what Donald Trump did.

If you go down south of the border and you talk to the people that Kamala Harris met with on her last trip to Central America and Mexico, they'll tell you the root cause of this current crisis is Joe Biden. And so, right now they have a dilemma.

The reason she went is obviously the cost of avoiding it is becoming too embarrassing, but they're caught between two difficult political realities. One is the issue is where they pull weakest among voters, their handling of the border.

But on the progressive side, you have them criticized by AOC, because of the vice president's remarks last time in Guatemala, saying don't come here. So, it's a very difficult thing.

But I think the irony is that focus on Kamala Harris lets Joe Biden entirely off the hook on this. I'd like to see him go down and answer some questions. I'm not sure he can.

BREAM: Well, and we've heard from, you know, the scuttlebutt inside the Beltway is that the vice president's team is not happy that she has been tasked with this knowing it's nearly impossible situation at this moment.

I want to get a very quick comment from each of you about what the vice president said today. Peter Doocy contrasted what she said a few weeks ago in Guatemala, do not come, we want that to be the clear message. With also today saying we have the capacity to give people hope.

Quick around the clock on that. We'll start with you, Charles.

LANE: Well, I mean, it is what it is. She's obviously sending a mixed message there but in a way I agree with Bill, she has no choice but to send a mixed message because there's really no plan.

BREAM: Jonah?

GOLDBERG: Yes, I think she never wanted this job. I think you're right. I think that she does not know how to speak the language of immigration toughness because she came up through a part of the Democratic Party, particularly in California, where all of the language is this place of hope stuff, not tough on illegal immigration. And she has no natural training or muscle memory in how to talk about this stuff.

BREAM: Bill?

BILL MCGURN, EDITORIAL BOARD, WALL STREET JOURNAL: Yes, I would say if you were a sane vice president, you wouldn't want to go anywhere near the border under these circumstances.

I think they are probably doing the best they can do. Blame everything on Trump, because that's what the press likes to hear. And be very vague and contradictory about the rest.

BREAM: All right, that is it on this topic for the panel but they will be back in just a few minutes to talk about some form of policy issues and others to the lightning round.

Thank you, gentlemen.

The Justice Department is suing Georgia over the state's controversial voting laws. This comes two weeks after Attorney General Merrick Garland said the DOJ would take a closer look at recently passed voting laws in several red states. And just days after, Senate Democrats failed to advance a sweeping voting rights bill.

Correspondent Kevin Corke has the details. Good evening, Kevin.

KEVIN CORKE, FOX NEWS WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Evening, Shannon. Good to be with you as always.

This is a circumstance where, once again, the attorney general of the United States is simply saying that what Georgia is doing in trying to enact its laws is frankly disenfranchising black voters.

Here is Merrick Garland.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MERRICK GARLAND, UNITED STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL: Our complaint alleges that recent changes to Georgia's election laws were enacted with the purpose of denying or abridging the right of Black Georgians to vote on account of their race or color in violation of Section 2 of the voting rights act.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORKE (voice-over): So, that was Merrick Garland. Obviously, the State of Georgia, Shannon, has come up with an election integrity law. And basically what it does is it sort of tries to massage a number of different rules in the State of Georgia to ensure voting integrity.

Obviously, the DOJ is targeting the state, saying that they are discriminating against black voters, and that's getting very strong pushback from officials in the State of Georgia, including Brad Raffensperger. The secretary of state in the State of Georgia, he said this in a statement. He says, "The Biden administration continues to do the bidding of Stacey Abrams and spreads more lies about Georgia's election law. I look forward to meeting them, and beating them, in court."

How about the governor of the State of Georgia, this of course, is from Brian Kemp. He says, the "lawsuit is born out of the lies and misinformation the Biden administration has pushed against Georgia's Election Integrity Act from the start.

As you know, voter integrity laws are growing nationwide especially since the 2020 election with lawmakers introducing more than 389 bills in 48 states. That would in one way or another enhance voter integrity or restrict voting access depending upon your perspective.

CORKE (on camera): Now, critics are accusing the Biden administration of gross overreach in this particular circumstance, because they argue they're attempt to framed their arguments around violations of federal law in an effort to shape state's voting laws. Shannon?

BREAM: All right. We'll have much more and we'll see you again at midnight tonight for "FOX NEWS @ NIGHT".

(CROSSTALK)

CORKE: See you then.

BREAM: Thanks, Kevin.

CORKE: You bet.

BREAM: Up next, Derek Chauvin is sentenced in connection to the death of George Floyd.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I beg for justice for my brother. Some type of accountability.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got justice, but not enough justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BREAM: "BREAKING TONIGHT", former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been sentenced to 22-1/2 years in prison over the death of George Floyd.

Senior correspondent Mike Tobin is in Minneapolis with the latest.

MIKE TOBIN, FOX NEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Saying he was not basing his sentence on popular opinion or trying to send a message, Judge Peter Cahill sentenced Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer, convicted of murdering George Floyd to 22-1/2 years in prison; longer than the minimum, less than the maximum.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETER CAHILL: JUDGE, HENNEPIN COUNTY DISTRICT: The court commits you to the custody of the commissioner of corrections for a period of 270 months. That's two, seven, zero. That is 10-year addition to the presumptive sentence of 150 months.

TOBIN: That followed a brief statement from Chauvin himself.

DEREK CHAUVIN, FORMER POLICE OFFICER: I do want to give my condolences to the Floyd family. There's going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest, and I hope things will give you some peace of mind.

TOBIN: Two brothers and a nephew of George Floyd addressed the court to speak of the impact of his death. Floyd's 7-year-old daughter spoke on video.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you could say anything to your daddy right now, what would it be?

GIANNA FLOYD, DAUGHTER OF GEORGE FLOYD: It would be, I miss you and I love you.

TOBIN: The mother of Derek Chauvin told the court that the defendant is not the racist or killer portrayed in the media, rather an honest, selfless man, who dedicated his career to public service.

CAROLYN PAWLENTY, MOTHER OF DEREK CHAUVIN: Plus the fact that when he is released, his father and I most likely will not be here.

TOBIN: It happened on a day when Judge Peter Cahill denied a request by Chauvin's defense for a new trial, and an inquiry into potential misconduct by the jurors. The state argued for 30 years in prison, considering Chauvin's position of trust, cruelty, and that there were children present.

MATTHEW FRANK, SPECIAL PROSECUTOR, MINNESOTA: This is 9-1/2 minutes of cruelty to a man who was helpless and just begging for his life.

RODNEY FLOYD, BROTHER OF GEORGE FLOYD: This 22-year sentence they gave this man, it's a slap on the wrist. We serving a life sentence and not having them in our life.

TOBIN: President Biden today said he was satisfied with the final outcome of this case.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That seems to be appropriate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Give me a (INAUDIBLE)!

TOBIN (on camera): A demonstrators here don't agree that the sentence is appropriate because they don't think it's harsh enough. Some of them have indicated a desire to react and cause trouble.

They don't seem to have the kind of numbers necessary for widespread destruction out here, but we'll keep an eye on it. Shannon?

BREAM: All right. Mike Tobin, thank you so much.

President Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke at an event today commemorating LGBTQ plus Pride Month.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: It stands for courage, the courage of all those in previous generations today who proudly live their truth. It stands for justice. Both the steps we've taken and the steps we need to take. And above all, Pride Month stands for love.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BREAM: This afternoon, the president also signed a new law designating the Pulse nightclub in Orlando as a national memorial. The gay club was the site of a mass shooting in 2016 that killed 49 people.

Criminal charges are expected to come next week against at least one Trump organization employee. Charges are will likely be filed against Allen Weisselberg in connection to benefits he received from the company.

Weisselberg serves as the Trump organization's chief financial officer. Neither former President Trump nor any of his family members are expected to face any charges.

Up next, the long awaited report about UFOs is delivered to Congress. We're going to tell you what it says.

First, here is what some of our Fox affiliates around the country are covering tonight. Fox 2 in San Francisco as the Oakland City Council votes to divert $18 million from the police department. The funds will be used for community violence prevention programs.

Most of the money will help create a new units that will respond to 911 calls for mental and behavioral health crises. The diverted funds make up about two percent of the police department's budget.

Q13 Fox in Seattle as the Pacific Northwest braces for what could be record breaking temperatures, while a heat wave moves across the region. Temperatures in some parts of Washington State could climb as high as 107 degrees.

And this is a live look at Mescalero, New Mexico from Fox 13. The big story there tonight, the federal government is giving Virgin Galactic approval to launch customers into space from New Mexico. It's a big step forward for the company which hopes to launch space tourism business by next year.

So far, more than 600 people have already reserved a spot on one of the future launches.

That is tonight's live look "OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY" from SPECIAL REPORT. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BREAM: The intelligence community has delivered its declassified report about UFOs to Congress. And if you are waiting on confirmation of alien visitation, you might be a little disappointed. Lucas Tomlinson is taking a look for us, though. Good evening, Lucas.

LUCAS TOMLINSON, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Shannon.

The UFO report just released by the director of national intelligence is likely to leave people, as you mention, very unsatisfied. The U.S. government says it has little explanation for the 143 sightings since 2004. The report says that's because evidence is still largely inconclusive because information is limited and hampers to draw from conclusions.

The Pentagon calls UFOs unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAPs. Here is what part of the report says. "In a limited number of incidents UAP reportedly appear to exhibit unusual flight characteristics. These observations could be the result of sensor errors, spoofing, or observer misperception, and require additional rigorous analysis." The UFO report was mandated as part of the coronavirus relief package signed by former President Trump last year.

Video like this from the Navy F-18 Super Hornet six years ago reignited the public's interest in asking just what are these flying objects. It's interactions like this from a few Navy pilots that proves the line in the report saying these unidentified objects in the sky, quote, "clearly pose a safety of flight issue and may pose a challenge to U.S. national security."

The Pentagon established a task force last year to study the issue. Senator Marco Rubio says this is just the first step, quote, "The Defense Department and Intelligence Community have a lot of work to do before we can actually understand whether these aerial threats present a serious national security concern." The report is unlikely to sway those that don't trust the government to begin with. Those that believe in aliens are likely to remain hopeful. Shannon?

BREAM: I think you're right. Lucas Tomlinson, thank you very much for the report.

TOMLINSON: You bet.

BREAM: And brand new FOX News polling released just minutes ago, participants weighing in on whether certain entities have too much power. Check this out, 68 percent of respondents say the government has too much power, 65 percent say the IRS does. As for the private sector, 63 percent cite Facebook, 55 percent Google, and 52 percent say Apple has too much power. Finally, Amazon and the FBI are tied at 51 percent. Meanwhile, 69 percent of all participants also say they do not trust social media giants to make fair decisions on what gets posted.

The Dow gained 237, the S&P 500 was up 14, which marks yet another record close. Nasdaq was down nine. For the week, the Dow rose nearly 3.5 percent. The S&P 500 gained two-and-three-quarters. Nasdaq picked up two-and-a- third.

President Biden holds his first face-to-face meeting with the president of Afghanistan. It comes as Taliban forces launch hostile takeovers of new territory in the country amid the ongoing U.S. troop withdraw. Correspondent Mark Meredith is at the White House with more from the meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Afghans are going to have to decide their future.

MARK MEREDITH, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Meeting in the Oval Office, President Biden urged Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to pursue peace in his war torn country even if most U.S. troops won't be on the ground to help past September.

BIDEN: Our troops may be leaving, but support for Afghanistan is not ending.

ASHRAF GHANI, AFGHAN PRESIDENT: We are entering into a new chapter of our relationship.

MEREDITH: Ghani's trip to Washington comes amid what many see as a deepening crisis in his country. The Taliban has regained control of several districts. Defense officials telling FOX News, the U.S. even launched two new drone strikes on Taliban militants hours before Ghani's White House visit. Critics say Taliban advancements prove Ghani's government faces potential collapse.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL, (R-KY) SENATE MINORITY LEADER: The strategic and moral consequences of President Biden's decision to abandon Afghanistan are already coming painfully into focus.

MEREDITH: Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who came to power after the U.S. led invasion in 2001, is now openly criticizing both the U.S. and NATO, calling their nearly two decade long operation a failure.

HAMID KARZAI, FORMER AFGHAN PRESIDENT: They are leaving behind the country in conflict with so much loss of life, with so much suffering.

MEREDITH: The White House says if U.S. troops were ordered to stay longer, more American lives would be put at risk. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi supports the president's decision to withdraw troops, but insists there is still work to be done.

NANCY PELOSI, (D-CA) HOUSE SPEAKER: There is great interest in the future of women and girls in Afghanistan has, I think that progress was made.

MEREDITH: While most troops are coming home, the U.S. does plan to keep roughly 650 in Afghanistan, mostly to assist with diplomatic security.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

MEREDITH (on camera): The White House says the U.S. remains committed to providing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, especially when it comes to the pandemic. Next week, the U.S. planning to send some 3 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to help amid a surge in new COVID cases. Shannon?

BREAM: Mark Meredith at the White House. Thanks, Mark.

Up next, our "Whatever Happened To" segment looks at the state of U.S.-Cuba relations.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BREAM: In tonight's "Whatever Happened To" segment, U.S.-Cuba relations. Now that the Castro era is officially over, will President Biden take a page out of the Trump playbook, or is he following former President Obama's lead? State Department correspondent Rich Edson has a closer look.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

RICH EDSON, FOX NEWS STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: A short flight that went a long way. President Barack Obama's 2016 visit to Havana was the first by a sitting American president since Calvin Coolidge, and represented the greatest shift in United States Cuba policy since the Kennedy administration.

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: I have come here to bury the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas.

EDSON: President Obama restored full diplomatic relations with Cuba, eased restrictions on travel, and allowed Cuban Americans to send unlimited money to Cuba. FOX News travelled to Havana in 2015 as American businesses explored opening ventures there.

Cuba is changing, but for many, they say too slowly.

Then the Trump administration.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: I am canceling the last administration's completely one-sided deal with Cuba.

EDSON: President Trump restricted travel and allowances to send money to Cuba. The State Department reduced its staff in Havana after mysterious attacks hit American diplomats. And with days to go in the Trump administration, the U.S. returned Cuba to the list of countries it considers sponsors of terrorism. During the 2020 campaign, then candidate Joe Biden said he would mostly restore the Obama approach.

JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have to vote for a new Cuba policy as well.

EDSON: Some Democrats are pushing the administration to fulfill that promise, 75 of them wrote the president that, quote, "You have the power to revert these regulations back to their status on the final day of the Obama-Biden administration." Though the administration says its Cuba policy is still under review.

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: A Cuba policy shift is not currently among President Biden's top priorities.

EDSON: Other Democrats are urging the administration to keep up the pressure.

BOB MENENDEZ, (D-NJ) SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: Each those advocate the Obama era views recognize that the regime did virtually nothing in response.

EDSON: The Cuban government continued restricting liberties and maintaining support for the Maduro regime in Venezuela.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

EDSON (on camera): This week at the United Nations, the Biden administration defended the decades old American embargo against Cuba, arguing those sanctions promote respect for human rights. Shannon?

BREAM: Rich Edson at the State Department. Thanks, Rich.

Up next, the Friday lightning round, Afghanistan, infrastructure infighting, and this week's Winners and Losers.

But, first, Beyond our Borders tonight. A rare tornado sweeps through the Czech Republic, killing at least five people and injuring hundreds of others. The tornado also leveled buildings and overturned cars in several towns and villages. It is believed to be the most devastating tornado in the country's history.

Parts of Australia are going back into lockdown as authorities struggle to contain a spike in the COVID-19 delta variant. Downtown Sydney and some nearby suburbs will stay locked down for one week, meaning people may only leave their homes for certain essential activities. The Australian Medical Association says the move is still not enough.

Two astronauts make some key repairs to the International Space Station. They installed a new solar panel which will help keep the station functioning for the rest of this decade. It is the pair's third spacewalk in just over a week.

Just some of the stories beyond our borders tonight. We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president made a decision which is consistent with his view that this was not a winnable war to bring the U.S. troops home after 20 years of fighting this war. We left our troops there, our troops would be at risk.

HAMID KARZAI, FORMER AFGHAN PRESIDENT: They are leaving behind the country in conflict, with so much loss of life, with so much suffering. At least we will know who to blame then when they're not there.

JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our troops may be leaving, but support for Afghanistan is not ending.

Afghans are going to have to decide their future, what they want, what they want. But it won't be for the lack of us being help.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BREAM: We're back with our panel, Bill McGurn, columnist for "The Wall Street Journal," Charles Lane, opinion writer for "The Washington Post," and Jonah Goldberg, editor in chief of "The Dispatch." So with those comments in mind, Bill, I want to start with you. Part of their future appears to be they are going to have to continue to fight back the Taliban, which has been, once again, advancing. What do they do now?

BILL MCGURN, COLUMNIST, "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL": Yes, well, I think they are in a hard way. Look, one of the problems I think with the withdrawal is that we're at a point now where it doesn't require massive U.S. troop presence. But it requires really firm air support and so forth. And I think we're going to see a very bad thing on September 11th when this is completed. Just look at that anniversary, and we're going to have all this kind of triumphant stuff by the Taliban on that day.

This has always been their argument, that America does not have the patience, that they just had to wait us out. I look in Europe where we had a presence for so many years, and I think it kept the peace. And I look in Asia where we also have a presence in places like Korea. And I think it served its purpose. And I think we have diminished our capabilities for the region with this decision.

BREAM: Jonah, this has got to be one of the most difficult calculations that any administration makes, where so many American lives have been invested. When is the right time to go?

JONAH GOLDBERG, "THE DISPATCH": Yes, but, look, I think Bill is right, the actual casualty rate in Afghanistan had been remarkably low by this point. We've had troops in the Sinai for far longer than we have had troops in Afghanistan. And the administration says they want to move to a geostrategic, big power foreign policy. Well, having an airbase and assets on the ground right at the intersection of Russia and China and Pakistan seems like a good idea to me.

I was against pulling out when Donald Trump proposed it, and I'm against when Joe Biden wants to do it. And I think it's particularly grotesque that we are planning on doing this on September 11th which is the biggest unforced P.R. gift we could possibly give the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

BREAM: So Charles, we are keeping diplomatic structures in place. There will be a small contingent of U.S. troops to make sure those things are safe. So what's your take on our walking away?

CHARLES LANE, OPINION WRITER, "WASHINGTON POST": Well, I think that this has been a long time coming. President Trump wanted to do it. President Biden has wanted to do it for a long time. And whether it's a good idea or not, I think it's going to be perceived in a lot of the world as a defeat for the United States. And to Jonah's point, that there's a concern now with pivoting to more great power competition, well, great powers, such as Russia and China, will draw their own conclusions about our staying power and our defense commitments in places like Korea and Taiwan. And if it gets very ugly on the ground in Afghanistan and their bloodbath Vietnam 1975 type scenes, it could have domestic political repercussions as well.

BREAM: All right, I want to go lightning round, truly lightning round on this next one so we can get to your Winners and Losers as well. But what about this conversation that there is a group of bipartisan senators who went to the White House, thought that they had hammered out a deal. Now it seems like there may be more strings attached than they initially thought. Bill, start with you. Does this group get this framework, as we understand it in its infancy right now, does it get across the finish line without something else attached?

MCGURN: Yes, I think they look like chumps. Look, at "The Journal" we have argued that this was not a compromise from the beginning. This was not give-and-take. This was President Biden taking what he gave in a bipartisan bill and then stuffing it back in another bill to get through. And I think the Republicans have found that.

The only argument ever for doing it was to take the popular parts, infrastructure, out of all the Democratic spending, and pass that to make another bill harder. But I don't think it's done. And so the Republicans have hurt themselves a little bit with this. But it gives Mitch McConnell a stronger place now to make his stand.

BREAM: OK, guys, we are going to go to Winners and Losers because I just want to make sure that we get those in. Charles, I will let you kick us off.

LANE: On the infrastructure or Winners and Losers?

BREAM: No, we are going to go Winners and Losers so we can give you guys your chance at that.

LANE: OK, so my loser is Rudy Giuliani who has had his law license suspended in New York for his inopportune comments on the campaign trail. And my winner of the week is more of a kind of valedictory farewell winner is Conan O'Brien who, sure he is losing his show, but I think he deserves a salute for almost 30 years of really funny stuff on TV.

BREAM: Jonah?

GOLDBERG: OK, so my winner of the week is -- my winner of the week are all of the UFO nerds who finally have great excuse to not have a date this weekend because they can finally read this report from the government.

And my loser of the week are the minority and diversity committee of the Bailey Beach Club, the Sheldon Whitehouse beach club, because of Sheldon Whitehouse's political hot water, that means they now have to have their entire summer being a working vacation so they can start looking like, a little bit like America.

BREAM: All right, Bill, you close us out.

MCGURN: OK, winner of the week are the journalists at "Apple Daily" who fought the good fight until the bitter end to keep their newspaper going while the Hong Kong government was trying to shut it down. Loser of the week is Bill de Blasio and all the other soft on crime Democratic mayors. In New York's mayoral primary, Democratic voters chose former police officer Eric Adams, a clear vote for law and order.

BREAM: Yes, we await the final results of that very interesting ranked voting, which we're all learning more about up there in New York. All right, panel, thank you so much. Have a great weekend.

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