'Special Report' All-Star Panel on Biden's UN address

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Jonathan Swan: 'Biden is getting hit hard on both sides'

'Special Report' All-Star panel discusses Biden’s address to the U.N.

This is a rush transcript from "Special Report with Bret Baier," September 21, 2021. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

BAIER: President Biden at the United Nations General Assembly today. The former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley giving FOX a quote about that speech. "President Biden," in her words, "President Biden's speech ignored the reality and seriousness of America's threats and enemies. China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Afghanistan, and terrorism to name a few. Under the Trump administration the world knew where we stood. With Joe Biden asleep at the switch our friends don't trust us and our enemies are rejoicing."

Let's bring in our panel. We'll start there, Leslie Marshall, Democratic strategist, Jonathan Swan, national political reporter for "Axios," and former Education Secretary Bill Bennett.

Jonathan, it's obviously night and day as far as the speech and the message from President Biden to what we saw from President Trump in his address to the United Nations. But it was interesting that he didn't talk about China or Russia. Your thoughts?

JONATHAN SWAN, NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER, "AXIOS": Yes, there was no mention whatsoever of China or Russia, which is notable given that the administration is orienting itself towards power competition. It's focused on Asia. China was referenced in indirect ways. So he was sort of putting out these non-confrontational messages. The big one you grabbed there, which was that we don't want a new cold war. It was sort of trying to lower the temperature.

He has got a real problem with the China strategy that he is trying to pursue right now. The strategy sounded good on paper. It was this idea that we can compete and confront China in all those areas where we need to like trade, but we'll also cooperate with them on climate change. That's not how China likes to operate. And China sent a very clear message to Biden, if you keep talking to us about the genocide in Xinjiang, we are not going to be sitting down with John Kerry. We're going to be doing Zoom calls with him and we're going to be humiliating him when he comes over here. So that's probably one of the biggest strategic challenges they face.

BAIER: Leslie, it's been a bumpy few days, maybe few weeks for the Biden administration, for the president on foreign policy, but domestically as well. What about this speech?

LESLIE MARSHALL, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: I actually thought it was strong. I thought it was forceful. And I thought it had hope. I like a lot of things he discussed regarding diplomacy. I like that he pretty much put it out there, Bret, that we, the United States, are the ones that are going to lead the rest of the world, and this is so true, through climate change and through COVID. In other words, we need to work together. We don't need to have these unnecessary wars. We're going to be your leader, and in a sense, you need us. And they do. The world does need the United States, and the world does need our leadership.

I loved the fact that he talked about Sudan and Belarus, and he talked about protesters there, and I liked the fact that I felt he owned it and took responsibility. He didn't shirk it on Afghanistan. But he didn't dwell on it too long in his speech either.

BAIER: Bill, it would be interesting to take a poll of what countries think about the U.S. in the wake of the recent days and weeks. But there is a poll that came out today here in the U.S. in one particular state in the state of Iowa, which obviously factors into politics. Take a look at this, President Biden's job approval in Iowa 31 percent according to "The Des Moines Register" poll, has dropped significantly. And obviously the situation at the border factors in not just along Texas but around the country.

BILL BENNETT, FORMER EDUCATION SECRETARY: Yes, if he was to continue to talk about the protesters in Belarus and ignore Russia and China, those numbers will continue to go down. Look, he showed up, I guess he gets credit for that.

By the way, in not talking about Russia and China, then he talks and emphasizes, I'm told, about climate change, global warming, we used to call it, but doesn't mention China there either, which, of course, is whistling in the wind. If China doesn't do something, if we don't force or use our efforts to get China to do something, nothing better will happen. He doesn't seek a cold war, but he is in a cold war. Somebody should tell him that he is already in it. China must be very happy with that speech.

The border is a disaster. It is a catastrophe. And the human catastrophe here of these 15,000, 16,000 people is just exacerbated by the catastrophe of the Secretary Mayorkas who says the border is closed. There you are, you want to believe secretary of Homeland Security or are you going to believe your own eyes? This is ridiculous. Is there a breaking point on this issue? Is there a breaking point?

BAIER: It is interesting to watch the secretary testify. There were not a lot of answers to senators, both sides of the aisle, questioning Mayorkas today. But I want to talk about this one image that has taken a lot of coverage in a lot of different places, and this is a Border Patrol along the border dealing with these Haitian immigrants. The vice president weighed in, others. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMALA HARRIS, (D) VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: What I saw depicted about those individuals on horseback treating human beings the way they were is horrible. And I fully support what is happening right now, which is a thorough investigation.

ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: To ensure control of the horse, long reins are used. But we are going to investigate the facts to ensure that the situation is as we understand it to be.

Any mistreatment or abuse of a migrant is unacceptable. We are very troubled by what we have seen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAIER: Jonathan, quickly, Border Patrol is pushing back hard. The vice president is weighing in on this, but hasn't been weighing in on the border.

SWAN: Biden is in a very difficult position because is he actually getting hit by both sides at this point. Chuck Schumer, Senate majority leader, came out and was pretty excoriating in his comments about this. So, Biden is being hit by the left for harsh treatment, and he is being hit by the right for the scenes that you are seeing on the border.

BAIER: We'll follow this, much more to say about it. Panel, stand by. When we come back, tomorrow's headlines.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAIER: Finally tonight, a look at tomorrow's headlines with the panel. Bill?

BENNETT: Yes. Plague and pestilence in the form of COVID, terrorism, invasion at the border. But what captures the nation's attention is the story of Gabby Petito. Why? It touches the heart and mind and moves every parent. By the way, do not let your daughters get into vans with their boyfriends and go across country ever.

BAIER: Leslie?

MARSHALL: Republican leaders when asked about the Justice Department coming down with six indictments with two prominent Republicans regarding campaign fraud, their response was, but her emails.

BAIER: And Jonathan?

SWAN: House Democrats add Israel to Biden's headaches. This is the extraordinary move by House progressives to hold up $1 billion worth of funding for Israel's defense system.

BAIER: Iron Dome, we'll follow it.

Thanks for inviting us into your home tonight. That's it for this SPECIAL REPORT, fair, balanced, and unafraid. "FOX NEWS PRIMETIME" hosted by Pete Hegseth starts right now. Hey, Pete.

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