Bannon: 2018 midterm is a referendum on the Trump presidency
Former White House strategist Steve Bannon says the 2018 midterms are essentially President Trump's first re-election on 'Hannity.'
This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," July 27, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: And welcome to "Hannity."
Great news for the United States of America. In other words, our economy is moving at its fastest pace in four years. In moments we will explain what this means for you.
Also, we are going to highlight the President's historic economic track record that the rest of the media, that Democrats are ignoring. And the days of Obama's pathetic economic stagnation are now official over.
Now today on my radio show, I did interview the President about the roaring economy and so much more. We will play the highlights.
Plus, the countdown to the mid-terms is on. We are going to show you how the less new low, he is hitting lower and lower and lower. Good news for the country, that's bad news for them.
Also tonight, more progress to report on North Korea. Today, dictator Kim Jong-un, he kept one of his promises. He actually returned dozens of cases containing the remains of U.S. servicemen that were killed abroad during the Korean War. A serious breakthrough, a promise kept.
Sit tight. Stay tune. It is time for tonight's breaking news, Friday edition opening monologue.
All right. As a candidate and as president, Donald Trump long promised to spur the American economy and get growth rates back to four percent, many on the left, many in the media, many so-called experts and economists, they mocked him. They said it could not happen. They said a growth rate around two percent was the new normal in America.
The haters, left wingers and the Democrats are all proven wrong. Today, the commerce department officially announced that the second quarter GDP grew at a whopping space of 4.1 percent. That's more than double the average yearly growth under Obama. In fact, under President Obama they nearly even made three percent. The first U.S. president in U.S. history not to have a year of three percent GDP growth.
Now, this is just the key piece of an American economy that is now booming everywhere you turn. The overall unemployment rate now is four percent, a 17 year low. To put it in perspective, the average unemployment rate under Obama, 7.4 percent. Under President Trump African-American unemployment is at its now lowest rate ever at 6.5 percent. A record low Hispanic unemployment rate in America, their lowest reported at 4.6 percent. Women in the workforce even lower at four percent. And by the way, 14 states have record low unemployment.
Consumer confidence at a 17 year high. Homeownership rate is up significantly. The amount of Americans on food stamps is down by millions. And there are now literally more jobs available in America than there are people on unemployment. Basically, an economic miracle turnaround.
Yes, and we are negotiating better trade deals all over the world. No trade wars including this week when President Trump and the head of the European Union agreed to push for zero tariffs barriers and subsidies between the two trading partners.
So just take - just a short time ago, under Obama, he gave us 13 million more Americans on food stamps, eight million more Americans in poverty. The lowest labor participation rate since the '70s. The worst homeownership rate in 51 years. The worst recovery since the '40s. And on top of this, yes, he took on more debt than ever other President before him combined.
Earlier today, on my radio show, President Trump has this to say about America's record setting economy. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A big factor, though, Sean, was regulation. And obviously, a big factor was the taxes. But a lot of this - really, the taxes are going to help in the future. I look so forward to seeing the next quarter because this is so sustainable. This is going to go for a long time.
For the economy, we can go a lot higher. And you know, people, don't talk. We have $21 trillion in debt. When this really kicks in we will start paying off that debt like it is water. We will start paying that debt down. We are $21 trillion dollars, a number that is, you know, unthinkable.
But that will go down very quickly because the numbers with growth and the kind of growth that we produced, the 4.1 can actually go higher. I look forward to seeing next quarter because I think that the 4.1 is just a steppingstone. But when we make good trade deals, Sean, is going to have a huge impact on GDP growth. And the numbers will be so big that you will actually start paying down debt in very large chunks. It will go quickly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Bad news for the media and Democrats because they want their power back. The more successful America is, the chances of them getting power back, it gets reduced every day.
Now, this huge quarterly GDP growth is great news for every American. Not only does this prove that tax cuts have actually worked and always work. But it is also clear evidence that the President is keeping his promises. Something that is rare in Washington to you, the American people.
It is important to keep in mind. We are now approaching the most important midterm elections in our country's history as far as I am concerned. Aby the way, Steve Bannon will talk about that later. But without a doubt, Democrats will be up to the same old predictable dirty tricks and tactics. It doesn't matter what the economy is doing. Instead, they want you to believe the Republicans are monsters, that they are racists and sexists and misogynic and xenophobic and homophobic, Islamophobic, that they want dirty air and water, even thought they drink it and breath it and they want literally throw granny over a cliff and they want to kill children.
Earlier today, I asked the President about that is so much more. Here's his answer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: The Democrats want to raise everybody taxes. They want to give back these massive tax cuts that we got and reforms that are so good for everybody, but the tax cuts. So they want to raise people's taxes. They want to open up borders. They want to get rid of ICE. I mean, the things that they are doing are so destructive. We won't have a country.
HANNITY: They want their crumbs back, they want open borders, they want Obamacare, they want to impeach you and they want to stop all investigations into deep corruption.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: All right. The president is right. And ahead of the mid-terms, it is very clear that the left, they really have no plan to improve the lives of, oh, the forgotten men and women. We live eight years on the economic failures, stagnation. What? You want to take it back? You want the problems back? Really, you want to impeach Trump? Is that what you wanted to do? You want to preserve the disaster of Obamacare where every American did not keep their doctor and didn't keep their plan and they are not paying less. They want to eliminate ICE. They want open borders. They want to stop the investigations into what was the biggest abuse of power by the deep state in American history.
So with 101 days to go as this midterms gets close, the less rhetoric, their conduct is only going to get worse and worse and worse. And of course, they are willing accomplices in the media that just echo each other.
Now President Trump successful presidency is literally driving them insane. By the way, this week they were in rare form. Total insanity. They wake up every day. How can I hate Trump today? Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So I'm calling on everyone right now who understands what is at stake, who understands who (INAUDIBLE). In a moral moment, there is no bystanders. You are either complicit in the evil. You are either contributing to the wrong or you are fighting against it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jay-z, a prolific rapper, prolific philosopher, I am taking a quote from him, you know. Putin has got Donald Trump a big pimping Donald Trump right now.
ARI MELBER, MSNBC HOST: It was Donald Trump working with advance knowledge to be part of the international conspiracy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was furious because he found out Melania was watching CNN instead of Fox, which when you think about it is probably her way of cheating on him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: And this week in person, the harassment of Trump allies continued. First, it was, you know, secretary Nielson, then those White House press secretary Sarah Sanders and Florida attorney general Pam Bondi and majority leader Mitch McConnell and his wife and transportation secretary and now, yes, they are going after Sean Spicer because he has a book out that people want to buy. And on Wednesday really shouted down by one of these leftists at a book signing. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, Sean, you are a real piece of garbage. And I hope you look around and you see all of these empty seats and you realize even in New York City, people won't come and pay money to hear you speak. I read the reviews. It's a garbage book.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sit down. You are as stupid as you look.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are a garbage person.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You lied as press secretary. Now you are lying in your book. I have read the review. The Wall Street Journal called you a liar.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: I wish I was wrong in this prediction, but you can expect this kind of behavior, this kind of rhetoric from the left and it is only going to get worse and worse as we get closer to the Midterms in November. Why? Because they want their power back at all costs. And they think the louder they get the more effective they will be.
And finally tonight, we end with some positive developments at the Korean peninsula. Kim Jong-un, he did keep his commitment to President Trump and the U.S. And he did return the remains of U.S. servicemen killed decades ago in the Korean War. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We did met. We had a great meeting. Very, very great meeting. I mean, I think you could have lost 50 million people more. If you think that Seoul is 28 million people that is right on the border. You know, people say hundreds of thousands, not hundreds of thousands. We are talking about 50, 60, 100 million people could have been wiped out and lost.
We had a great meeting, historic, and among other things where the remains are starting to come back. Missiles have been stopped. We don't have rockets and missiles shot over Japan. The hostages we got them back even before I left we got them back. Nuclear testing, no more. Rocket testing no more. So many things have changed.
And you know, one thing all of their propaganda material and the propaganda which has been up for years, propaganda, the signs, the music, it's all stopped. It's all been taken down. So many positive things have happened.
And you know, we have time. There is no rush. I told my people don't rush. We have not taken any sanctions off. And we hope -- I look forward to the time when we do take the sanctions off. Because when that happens, a lot of good things will have happened on the other side.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: He is not trying to bribe a dictator. There are more tangible progress of the President's diplomatic effort with little Rocket Man, Kim Jong-un. And the very least and important moment for all of those who did lose their loved ones in the Korean War.
And tonight, the negotiations to denuclearize the Korean peninsula continue. And we will update you on everything that transpired. But on the meantime, no rockets have been fired since December over Japan. It is not threat to the region. It looks like "Fire and Fury" and my button is bigger than yours and ours is actually works. It is actually working. And did get our hostages out. And there was the dismantling of one of the nuclear test sites.
Here with reaction, the author of the number one New York Times bestseller this week, "Liars, Liberals, and Liberal," number one on The New York Times bestseller list, you know her as Judge Jeanine Pirro and the author of another New York Times bestseller, the Geraldo Show, Fox News correspondent at-large Geraldo Rivera. Congratulation to both of you.
Judge Jeanine, good for you. We are proud of you. And so well deserved. I know how hard for work.
Geraldo, your book has been out.
(INAUDIBLE). You know, Geraldo, that brings something to my mind. You have always said and we disagree on immigration and I don't want to hear it today about immigration. Although you agree with the wall. You do agree.
But you actually keep saying, I love this about you, even though that we don't agree on everything. You keep saying I want this President to succeed because I want my country to succeed. I don't feel that from the Democratic Party. They are not happy today about these GDP members.
GERALDO RIVERA, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT AT-LARGE: You know, they would applaud if the President stumbled on the sidewalk, I think, Sean. There is a hatred of Donald Trump that is something that is almost unprecedented. It's extraordinary. How people are actively rooting for the President and the presidency to fail. I think that it is - it is selfish, it is narcissistic, it is so pedestrian and partisan. It really is -- one reason politics has such a foul stench.
But I think that the President could help himself more. You started the program with these great economic numbers. The thing about these economic numbers, a rising tide is that (INAUDIBLE), Americans are doing better than ever. Wages are going up. There are more jobs than people seeking jobs. But at its core, this is also a tremendous civil rights movement by President Trump.
HANNITY: Bingo. Very important.
RIVERA: He is doing more for the inner city. He is doing more for the inner city than all of the liberals and the wishy-washy and come on (ph) in socialism and all the rest of it. Black unemployment historic lows. Hispanic unemployment at historic lows. Were I on the president's team, I would say, this is what you focus on. Say this every day, every single day. We are not getting nuked from North Korea. And look what we are doing for the city. Look what we are doing to the constituency that voted for my opponents. We are doing more than all of these liberal programs combined.
HANNITY: Geraldo is right on the money. But I have said, Judge, that if the President cured cancer at this point, seriously, and I really believe it, if the president cured cancer and gave every American $30 million, the media and Democrats would still hate this guy. If he adopted their agenda which failed they would still hate him.
JUDGE JEANINE PIRRO, AUTHOR, LIARS, LEAKERS AND LIBERALS: Well, there is no question, Sean, that the hatred towards this president is unparalleled in American history. And there is not one metric that has suffered under this president. We are better off in every positive metric.
I remember when President Obama said all manufacturing jobs, that is the thing of the past. We now have 400,000 new manufacturing jobs in this country. We now have unemployment and I won't repeat all of the good things that have been said.
But here is the truth. You know, Geraldo Rivera says the president should talk more about, you know, the civil rights issue helping the people who have been forgotten. But the truth is Geraldo, he could talk about it from the highest mountains and the press would not report it. What the American people instinctively understood that this was a man, this Donald Trump who had never run for any office in his life, instinctively understands the plight of the hard working American men and woman. And so, we gave him a chance to use his words. We had nothing to lose.
HANNITY: He said, what do you have to lose? Right.
PIRRO: And now every metric has improved. That's right. And that is what the American people think. And you know, every day he takes in coming. And every day I realize more than ever, this man is a force of nature. He can handle anything and keep fighting for us.
HANNITY: You know, Geraldo this is a really good point. Every election it's the same thing from the Democrats. Racist, sexist, homophobia, xenophobia, Islamophobic, you know, throw granny over the cliff and scare America. You know, give me one idea that Democrats besides impeachment, keeping Obamacare, open borders and they want their crumps back. One idea that they are offering the American people that would - that they would deserve us to go back to what? To Obama's 13 million additions to food stamps and eight million more in poverty? What are they offering?
RIVERA: Well, Medicaid for everybody which is a wonderful idea. Public -
HANNITY: Yes, we can pay that, too.
RIVERA: Free college for everybody.
HANNITY: Free college, free housing and free day care. Free. Free. Free.
RIVERA: The apparent nominee for the Democratic congressional seat in the Bronx and Queens Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, she -- her platform is wonderful. It spelled how the Utopian-socialist universe. The reality going back to what I said is that capitalism is the best engine for lifting people out of poverty and into the middle-classes and beyond.
I think that you have to stress those things. But I also think that it's sophomoric of us to avoid the fact that a lot of the hatred directed at President Trump, some of it is self-inflicted, and I can talk about that if you want, but a lot it also is the fear.
You remember the huge demonstrations the day after the inauguration by women wearing pink hats everywhere. Their problem was the fear that the President would curtail the rights under Roe v. Wade. It's a sticky subject. Nobody likes to talk about it. We kind of roll eyes. And you don't want to hear the other side of it. One of the advantages I have had being at Fox, being with you, is I respect your point of view on that. But I can't say that is generally held and it's a fear that the president --
HANNITY: No, but I respect, you know --.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: We have become best friends and we disagree. We will go out and then have a drink and a bite to eat and argue but we are friends.
RIVERA: Because I believe in the sincerity. I believe in your sincerity.
HANNITY: The same with you. You want the country to be better.
RIVERA: You are an honest person.
HANNITY: Absolutely. And Judge, that's missing everywhere. I have seen such a level of dishonesty.
Here is a thing. They are not going to focus on the so-called news channels about all of this success which is as Geraldo is rightly saying, we are changing -- the forgotten men and women that have been left behind are now getting more opportunities than they ever had. And I'm the guy that started as a dishwasher. So I identify with that, with people that are struggling because I have struggled for 20 years of my life -- 25 years.
PIRRO: Well, you know. And you know, when you talk about, Geraldo, I was in that march in Washington. And thank goodness there were two Navy SEALs with me, retired. And at the least, I was protected. But the hate was - it was palpable. And when I asked people in that parade or whatever, the march, protest, what they were protesting, they just hated Donald Trump.
Look, female unemployment, Sean, you talked about it at the beginning of the show, it is at four percent. And you look at Ivanka Trump. This is a woman who was spent her adult life trying to promote women entrepreneurs.
HANNITY: And look at how they treat Ivanka and Baron and the granddaughter of the president.
PIRRO: That's right. All of them.
But look. Here is the bottom line: America is better off. The left is trying to shut down the right. I have had my own experiences with it. They are calling me the fascist. But the fascism is when there is only one way of thinking and everyone else has to be shutdown.
HANNITY: Last word, Geraldo.
RIVERA: I think what happened to Ivanka and her decision to give up her businesses is absolutely shameful. She and her husband, Jared, have worked so hard for the country and for people to attack their businesses by sabotage the way they have, I think is really, really regrettable.
HANNITY: Some of these people work in Washington will pay more money literally in lawyers than they get paid.
All right, don't forget Judge Jeanine tomorrow night 9:00 eastern.
And when we come back, former Trump White House strategist Steve Bannon, a 101 days away from the election, Jim Jordan and the rest of my exclusive interview with Roseanne Barr.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We are on track to hit the highest annual average growth rate in over 13 years. And I will say this right and I will say it strongly. As the trade deals come in one by one, we are going to go a lot higher than these numbers. And these are great numbers.
Once again, we are the economic envy of the entire world. When I meet the leaders of countries, the first thing they say invariably is Mr. President, so nice to meet you. Congratulations on your economy.
Since I was elected we added 400,000 new manufacturing jobs. Remember that was the obsolete deal. Obsolete. I used to say, why is it obsolete? We have to make things. Manufacturing jobs are among our best jobs. And we are just getting started.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: That was President Trump earlier today literally going over what is now a remarkable economic story since he has now taken office. These unprecedented in numbers. And certainly sure to help Republicans. We are 101 days away from what I am calling the most important Midterms election in our lifetime.
Now, earlier this week, Breitbart News, they came out with a very thorough report detailing seats that the GOP must maintain and hold to keep their majority. At lot at stake.
Joining us now former Trump White House chief strategist, Steve Bannon.
Here is a thing, Steve. You and I have discussed this privately. This is now battlefield 2018 because they want to impeach the president. They want their crumbs back. They want to get rid of ICE open borders. They want to keep ObamaCare. And then want to cover up the corruption that we have been exposing at the highest levels of government to stealing an election. A lot the stake.
STEVE BANNON, FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF STRATEGIST: Sean, you said something that is the most important Midterm. I would just like to rephrase that. And I think is President Trump's first reelect. This is going to be up or down vote. It's a referendum on the Trump presidency.
They are very focused. The opposition is going to be very focused on try to win the House of representatives, try to win Congress in order to impeach President Trump and stop the entire progress, right, whether it's the economic growth or this then new reorientation of the world's commercial system through trade deals, whether it is his America first national security, whether southern border security. You pick it. They are going to try to unwind it.
So this is really, I mean, the Democrats got one thing. They got a do- over. In this November, and it is 100 days and a wake up, 100 days and a wake up, we are going to have essentially, a national election. And that is going to determine the second half of the first term of President Trump and I think 2020. (INAUDIBLE) 2020.
Right now, we are going to have a referendum. It is going to be I think very focused on President Trump's record. And I would tell everybody that the way to win this is exactly like we won in 2010. That great tea party sweep.
You are going to have to go at door-to-door, right doorbells and do voter registrations drives and get people out.
I mean, President Trump has delivered on the action. Now it's time for the populous movement, the nationalist movement, the Republicans, American Republicans, conservative movement. Everybody that turned out in 2016, you have to do it all over again. Or the first action they are going to take under Nancy Pelosi or whoever the democratic speaker is try to impeach President Trump.
HANNITY: You know, I went through the numbers, your old hometown or Breitbart. I think --.
(CROSSTALK)
BANNON: Great piece.
HANNITY: But it identified only 100 seats are really up for grabs. The others are safe because of gerrymandering, et cetera. But, so they are not in play. But you have 86 of those are Republican seats. And you talking about the Republicans have to win 61 of the 86. So that's a lot. And historically, and I asked the president about this earlier today on my radio show, historically seats are lost in the Midterm election for the party in the White House. How do people save these 61 seats-plus? Because I would like a little comfort margin there.
BANNON: Here is a job to do. We did lock -- we picked up 62 or 63 in that seats in 2010. And it's not about money. It's about ideas and it is about- it is about getting out and turning out votes.
President Trump has delivered. He said he will take action. He took action with the destruction of ISIS. He took action -- look at these economic numbers today. They are just unbelievable. Look what he is doing on the - and the trade deals, what he is doing is reorienting the world's supply chain away from China. He is fully engaging in going back on China on economic where they are head on us.
President Trump has delivered on judges. Everything he said he was going to do, he has either done or in the process of doing. And it is combat upon everybody that is supporting him in 2016. This is going to be the old-fashioned way, OK. This is not going to on that commercial. It's not how much money you raise. This is going to be very simple. It's going to be muscle.
The opposition is very different than in '16. In '16 Hillary Clinton's arrogance, their cockiness, you know, they really missed what we were doing in the upper Midwest, OK, to really break that blue wall. This time the Time's Up movement and the resistance are very focused. And they are going door-to-door.
It is incumbent everybody that supports President Trump to understand this is going to be the old-fashioned way. You're going to have to go door-to- door, you're going to have pamphlets get voter registration and knock on doors and get your neighbors to come out. This is all that turn out on November 6.
HANNITY: So we call them this Bannon battlefield 2018. And tonight you're giving us like a general's overview as we now get to the 100 day countdown on this. But next week we're going to, specifically because we're going to name every district and put it up on the screen.
BANNON: Yes.
HANNITY: So the audience can see. Here's the thing. Because there are some people that rightly will look at their congressman and they'll say to me and you, Hannity, Bannon, my congressman is a rhino. My senator is a rhino.
BANNON: Right.
HANNITY: You are asking me to support this guy. I went out and supported Trump but the stakes are so high what they want to do to the Trump agenda which is the answer, at least that's my answer. I don't want to put words in your mouth.
BANNON: No. This cuts to the heart of it. This is a national referendum. Whether it's a rhino whether it's an establishment figure whether somebody either congressman or a senator that you don't fully support. That is not the question now.
The question is that the Trump agenda, their questions is about President Trump and his agenda. And you are going to have to just put -- you know, you're going to sometimes vote for people that you're not totally comfortable with. OK. And this means some establishment figures and some rhinos. It doesn't matter.
This is a national referendum. It's an up or down vote on the Trump presidency. If we take and force everything to November 6th, we're going to win this. There's not going to be a blue wave.
And here's the benefit of not having a blue wave. When they don't get the blue wave that they've been selling their grassroots people they're going to have, they're going to turn themselves on a civil war on the Democratic Party. And I got a take it will make 2018 and 2020 much, much easier.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: There's a reason. Wait a minute. You just motivate. There's a big-- and it's already developing. Just look at the job numbers. Put aside the success in North Korea and yes, we now have remains from that war coming home this very day.
BANNON: Yes.
HANNITY: And no more rockets being fired and a dismantled nuclear test site. And then the Iranian deal he promised to get out of, Jerusalem is the capital, and the toughest sanctions we put on Russia.
But more importantly, we now have record low unemployment in this country of 14 states for women in the workforce, African-Americans, Hispanic Americans and Asian-Americans and the military that have been out of work. And millions now have been taken off the food stamp rolls with more jobs available than people on unemployment.
This didn't happen as fast when Reagan was president who, you know, I'm a Reagan conservative.
BANNON: If you look at the actions he's taken and then you look at the results we already have including the judges and redoing of the federal judiciary, it's been nothing short of extraordinary.
Donald Trump is a historic president. Donald Trump is a transformational president. If you want to keep that transformation going, that's why this November is not a midterm election. This midterm is the first re-elect of Donald J. Trump.
And everybody is going to have to put their shoulder to the wheel. It's exactly, Sean, as you remember what we did in August of 2016. We brought the Republican establishment together and the Trump movement together, grassroots conservatives together, we put our heads down and against tremendous opposition and of the media, the opposition party media, and all of the money the Clintons raised, it didn't make a difference.
We won and we won big in a historic landslide. That can happen again and it will happen again if people start to focus on what November 6th is which is a national referendum under the presidency of Donald Trump.
HANNITY: All right. Let me tell everybody so we're going to bring you on as often as you can. I know you travel a lot. Pretty much once a week from now until Election Day. So everybody knows Steve does not like doing TV.
BANNON: Yes.
HANNITY: But you think this is so important, that you want to identify. We'll do this next week, we will identify every single district that's going to matter where the real well, the battle fight, if you will.
(CROSSTALK)
BANNON: The battlefield.
HANNITY: The Bannon battle fight 2018.
BANNON: Well, we will show people, Sean, you've been so gracious to try to talk to me about this. It's that I think people need to focus on where this battle is going to take place. It's going to be, and it's going to be, you know, people are going to have to put their shoulder to wheel.
You know, it's game on. And you know, we have to leave everything on the field and no tears. I'm tired of hearing the whining, particularly on our side of the football about, you know, this candidate or that candidate. We got to stop the whining, we have to get focused on what's needed for a victory. You have 100 days and a wake up to do it.
HANNITY: All right. Bannon battlefield 2018. Next week we're going to identify the defining races in this upcoming midterms. Steve, thank for being with us.
BANNON: Thanks for having me, Sean.
All right. When we come back, he wants to be the next speaker of the house. Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan why he's running for speaker. And later, more of my one-on-one with Roseanne Barr a lot of people are talking about. Straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: All right. Yesterday, Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan announced that he is running for speaker of the house. And earlier, I sat down with the congressman to ask why he is running and what agenda he is going to push. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANNITY: Joining us now Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan has announced he is running to the next speaker of the house. How are you, sir? Welcome to a rare in studio appearance.
REP. JIM JORDAN, R-OHIO: Thank you for having me.
HANNITY: We are 101 days now outside of the midterm elections. I'm calling it the most important midterm in our lifetime.
JORDAN: Yes. Right. They want to impeach the president if they win. We got to win.
HANNITY: Which point?
JORDAN: Well, if the Democrats get in office they will go after President Trump because they went so far left with the social progressive Democratic, you know, agenda they have. So this is why it's so critical.
And here's what's at stake. Think about the last year and a half. Regulations reduced. Taxes have been lowered. Unemployment is at lowest in 20 years. Economy is just humming along. Gorsuch is on the court. Kavanaugh is on deck.
HANNITY: GDP (Inaudible).
JORDAN: Embassy is back in Jerusalem. We're out of the crazy Iran deal and the hostages come home from North Korea. And I'm forgetting a few things. By anyone's definition that is amazing a year and a half. But what's amazing about that list as well is Congress only helped a little bit of that. The regulation and the taxes.
Congress has to do a better job. And that's why I want to be the next speaker of the house. We've got to focus on doing what we told the American people we were going to do. Deliver on healthcare, delivering on the border security and on immigration--
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: How did it happen?
JORDAN: And all of those other issues.
HANNITY: How did it happen in the middle of the healthcare debate we discovered that there were about 100 House Republicans and certainly seven Senate House -- sorry -- Senate Republicans that voted to repeal ObamaCare in 2015.
JORDAN: Same bill.
HANNITY: Same bill and they changed when it mattered.
JORDAN: Six Republicans senators voted against the exact same legislation they supported before after telling the Americans -- after getting elected in '10, after getting elected and taking the Senate in '14. After winning the White House in '16 on that issue. And then not to deliver on that.
We haven't delivered on healthcare reform repealing ObamaCare, haven't delivered on welfare reform work requirements for able-bodied people, and haven't delivered on immigration policy and border security well, and certainly haven't delivered on holding and controlling spending.
That's what we got to do because that's what we told the American people we were going to do if they gave us the privilege to serve.
HANNITY: OK. But the president on his own, as you pointed out has accomplished a lot.
JORDAN: He's doing it.
HANNITY: And why is there this reluctance among some Republicans, is that the president is not the conventional establishment figure? He is iconic class. I think he's bold. He tweets, he says, you know, calls it out fake news. What is it that some Republicans don't like?
JORDAN: It's the town. It's Washington. The swamp is the swamp. They don't like someone like Donald Trump coming in here and changing the swamp and changing the way that town works. There is just this reluctance to ever change.
Even though the American people said in 2010 we're going to put you in charge to Congress to go and change things. Even though in 2014 they gave us the Senate to say go change things. And even though in 2016 they gave us the White House to go change things.
There are still this reluctance. And the president feels this every stinking day. Because he is bound and determined to do what he told the American people he was going to do what he ran out the mandate we got from that election and the House needs to do the same. We've done some good things but not near enough. The reform that we need to do like the president himself doing--
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: And by the way, in fairness to Paul Ryan, the House has been better than the Senate.
JORDAN: It sure has.
HANNITY: A lot better. Let's go through this. So we have 14 states record low unemployment. Record low unemployment for African-Americans, Hispanic Americans and women in the workplace.
JORDAN: Yes.
HANNITY: And then take it from there. We have nothing but huge massive economic, great economic news one after the other. You mentioned the foreign policy successes. And I'm thinking there is a track record to run on.
JORDAN: Of course. Let's go campaign on it and let's also tell the American people you put us back in power in the House of Representatives, we will do what we said. We will help President Trump accomplish what you told us you wanted accomplished on 2016, what we ran on--
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: How are you, if you become the speaker, and look, I will support you for speaker. Because I think the Freedom Caucus has been the most committed to fighting to keep their promises and literally the single biggest group fighting to defend the things that are conservative in the country and have helped the president the most.
JORDAN: Yes. We talk about when we formed our group three years ago. We talked about the countless number of Americans who feel like Washington has forgotten them and left them behind. We want to go fight for those people, do the things we told them we were going to do.
I say this all the time and I say it because I believe it. We make the job of being a member of Congress way too complicated. It's pretty simple. What did you tell the people you're going to do when they gave you the chance to go serve them their family and their business? What did you tell them you're going to do, go do that and be willing to stand up and have the debate?
All too often we forfeit even before the debate even happened, before the referee even blows the whistle. We just say we're going to forfeit the match, we're going to forfeit the game. Let's have it, let's play the game, let's wrestle the match, let's make it happen doing what we told--
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: How will you be different?
JORDAN: That's simple. Here is a great example. The omnibus spending bill we were so poised to win that debate and hold spending down on non-defense spending, do what needs to be done for our troops but hold it down on everything else because Chuck Schumer had shut down, remember he shut the government down on Friday. And over the weekend the American people said you are crazy!
So, on Monday, he says, I'm going to open the government back up. Because he was losing in the political and the public relations world. So he opens the government back up.
A few weeks later, we had a chance on that big spending bill to treat our troops the way they deserve to be treated for defending our country and hold the line on everything else. And what do we do? What the swamp always does. We said, no, we won't even have the debate.
Even though we got a guy in the White House who was great at debating, great at taking the message to the people. Even though we had all that we said let's just do what we always do. Let's spend more money on everything and the deficit goes up, the debt goes up and the ban placed on the same old, same old--
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: And the president he literally squeeze because he wants the money for defense. Because we literally--
(CROSSTALK)
JORDAN: Yes. Have we seen into that bill?
HANNITY: All right. Jim Jordan, good luck. We're going to watch this very closely. Do we know when Ryan is leaving?
JORDAN: We do not. He said he is going to stay so I take him on his word.
HANNITY: All right. Thanks for being with us.
JORDAN: You bet. Thank you.
HANNITY: And when we come back, more of my exclusive interview with Roseanne Barr as "Hannity" continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: Part two of my wide-ranging interview with actress Roseanne Barr.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANNITY: How should we handle these controversies? In other words, Samantha Bee, she then apologize, or Bill Maher the stuff he said over the years that are pretty atrocious. I don't agree with him.
I always felt this. I always felt you don't like -- and I want everyone to watch my show, but if you don't like it you have a choice. You have all the power to turn the dial.
ROSEANNE BARR, ACTRESS: Right.
HANNITY: But we live in an environment where it's not just disagree. It's like disagree and get an opportunity and don't accept the apology and try to destroy the other show. I refuse to be a part of that.
Because I do believe that in freedom of speech, number one.
BARR: Right.
HANNITY: I make my living with it. Number two, I do believe people make innocent mistakes. I'll be honest I listened to your background and read all of this stuff about you and your background and your mom and your dad.
(CROSSTALK)
BARR: Look, I want to say--
HANNITY: And your struggles.
BARR: I have the best relationship with my mother today.
HANNITY: I am still.
BARR: We've done the work that needed to be done in my family. And I'm very proud of that. We have nothing but love now. We want --
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: Understood. But you know, having experienced multiple personality disorders and getting over it.
BARR: Well that was the tough one.
HANNITY: I better was. Was that like having voices in your head?
BARR: No, it's nothing like having voices, that's schizophrenia.
HANNITY: OK. What do I know, I'm not an expert. Or at times different personalities?
BARR: Get to waking up and not knowing where you are and how you got there. It's a loss of time. It's like wow!
HANNITY: Just disappeared like you would--
BARR: Yes.
HANNITY: And you were another person and didn't know it?
BARR: No memory of any of it.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: And people have tell you--
BARR: Just like when I had it multiple, you know, it's called this is associated to my identity disorder now. I had something like four prescriptions for glasses. But I did wake up and find myself in places and didn't know why I put myself there and that's just terrifying.
And you know, I no longer do that. But, you know, my whole life I spent like that. One time I woke up in a truck in New York City.
HANNITY: I don't think there is one viewer, Roseanne, honestly that doesn't have a family member--
BARR: Sure.
HANNITY: -- a friend or a neighbor, you know.
BARR: With mental health issues?
HANNITY: I think everybody watching knows somebody. And when I hear it, what you just describe to me, it's scary.
(CROSSTALK)
BARR: I told ABC, Sean. It was scary, Sean. I told ABC, I don't feel that I am in a good mentally balanced place. Because I'd been working like something like just way too many weeks.
HANNITY: Leading up to this.
BARR: Yes. And going on promotions and crossing from Hawaii to New York. I became Ambien dependent. And a lot of people had problems with Ambien and they're not going to deal with that away. But I'm one of them. And you know, I've climbed a house full of Triscuits and found the cheese, you know.
HANNITY: You wouldn't remember when you woke up?
BARR: Well, I'll see it in the kitchen.
HANNITY: But you wouldn't remember, you'd see it and say I must have eaten this during the--
(CROSSTALK)
BARR: Yes, eggs cracked on the wall, and trying to make brownies.
HANNITY: And not remember it?
BARR: No. Till the morning. But this is like--
HANNITY: I'm sorry.
BARR: You know, Ambien does that to people.
HANNITY: Let me ask last question.
BARR: No, I wanted to say this whole other things.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: You wanted to keep going? You wanted a full hour?
BARR: Now the things now I forgot. I'm sorry.
HANNITY: Last question.
BARR: I start going.
HANNITY: Now what's next for you?
BARR: I told ABC--
HANNITY: OK.
BARR: -- you guys, I'll go get and my meds checked.
HANNITY: You're getting prescription. You knew -- you knew you were going to a dark place?
BARR: I knew I wasn't keeping up because I had this a whole other subject. You know, I don't absorb vitamins. Well, I found out I was really depleted. And that affects your mental health.
HANNITY: You think you do way too much and not getting the time that you need?
BARR: No because I'm supposed to go to the hospital every eight weeks and get infusions because I don't absorb iron and vitamins.
HANNITY: And you had none.
BARR: And I just saying I'm going -- I wanted that show. I wanted a second season so bad that I worked myself, you know, almost to the end.
HANNITY: Tell me what's next for you?
BARR: Porn. No.
HANNITY: Really?
BARR: No, I'm kidding.
HANNITY: What's next? Porn that's your headline, you know.
BARR: No. I just love doing my own stuff in my own studio and talk to people.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: You want to go back on stage? You want to call that--
BARR: I do want to go back on tour, yes. I want to go on tour and do my stand up. Because my stand up I just love looking out there. And I don't have like, I have a really good diverse audience of fans. And I'm very proud of that. You know, I don't just preaching to the converted. I got all kinds of opinions and I try to unify what's universal between all of us.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HANNITY: When we come back, a really great video of the day. Straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: All right. Tonight's video of the day is a sneak peek of TMZ's Harvey Levin's interview with Jeopardy's Alex Trebek on this weekend's episode of "OBJECTified." I've always wanted to be Alex Trebek. I do great at home. Anyway, take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARVEY LEVIN, HOST, TMZ: I just absolutely love your show. And one of the things that I always think about when I watch it, is I watch you read the answers. And some of them are complicated. Do you rehearse these?
ALEX TREBEK, TV HOST: If there's words that are going to be difficult to pro -- to say properly -- I make diacritical remarks so that the people at home think, gosh, Trebek is so bright.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: All right. Harvey and Alex on "OBJECTified." It's a great show if you haven't seen it yet at 8 p.m. Eastern right here on the Fox News Channel.
The show will always be fair and balanced. We are not the destroy-Trump media. Thank you so much for being with us. Have a great summer weekend. A lot to get to on Monday when we get back here. We'll see you then.
END
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