Tiger Woods facing political backlash over accepting Presidential Medal of Freedom
Critics say he should have refused; Independent Women's Voice president Tammy Bruce weighs in.
This is a rush transcript from "The Story," May 7, 2019. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
ED HENRY, HOST: Thank you. We're looking forward to seeing both of you live from Milwaukee tomorrow night.
Good evening, everybody. I'm Ed Henry, in for Martha MacCallum. She was busy, as you just heard in our nation's capital today, landing an exclusive one-on-one with the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Fresh off a fiery speech on the Senate floor, the left Democrat seething because McConnell told them basically put a fork in the Mueller probe. To quote him directly, "It's time to move on."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL, R-KY: He brought no charges on obstruction. They indicted a number of Russians. It was clear what the Russians are trying to do. He pointed it out to us. What else do we need to know? It's time to move on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Get it? Move on. As in moveon.org which was started by the left in the wake of the Clinton impeachment. McConnell will also weigh in on 2020, and what he thinks of Joe Biden's chances. Plus, the Kentucky Derby madness that went down in his home state. But first, it is the claim the president has made several times, and it seems to spark Trump derangement syndrome and even the mildest of his critics.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT: A lot of people are saying they had spies in my campaign. If they had spies in my campaign, that would be a disgrace to this country.
A lot of bad things have happened. We now call it Spygate. You're calling it Spygate, a lot of bad things have happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Those critics seemed to lose their minds all over again when the Attorney General William Barr confirmed the president's claims.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM BARR, ATTORNEY GENERAL: Spying did occur. Yes, I think spying did occur.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: And then, the attorney general doubled down by using what might be one of the most important tools he has as the nation's chief law enforcement officer, a dictionary.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARR: I think spying is a good English word that, in fact, doesn't have synonyms because it is the broadest word incorporating really all forms of covert intelligence collection. So, I'm not going to back off the word, spying.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: But, some trouble on Capitol Hill today when the director of the FBI seemed to contradict him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTOPHER WRAY, DIRECTOR, FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION: That's not the term I would use. Lots of people have different colloquial phrases I believe that the FBI is engaged in investigative activity, and part of investigative activity includes surveillance activity of different shapes and sizes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: So, spying, surveillance, the DOJ inspector general's probe may finally help settle that question with some indications that explosive report could be just days away.
Brit Hume is standing by live with his take. But first, Chris Hahn, former aide to Senator Chuck Schumer, host of the Aggressive Progressive podcast on reVolver. Good to see you, Chris.
CHRIS HAHN, FORMER SENIOR AIDE TO SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER: Good to see you, Ed.
HENRY: I assume you're not going to believe Bill Barr. But will you believe the New York Times when they report on their front page an entire story saying that during the 2016 campaign, the FBI sent what they called an undercover agent, a woman who flirted with George Papadopoulos, imposed, posed as a research assistant to get information from him. That was spying, right?
HANN: That was intelligence work being done by law enforcement professionals who are trying to protect the United States of America from what we all agree is the threat of Russians interfering in our republic. And we should be ashamed of the president and the attorney general for disrespecting law enforcement the way they are doing.
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: Hang on.
HAHN: By saying their lawful activities that were -- that were monitored by the courts was spying which is derogative in nature, and I'm ashamed for them for that.
(CROSSTALK)
OK. So, you know that it was legal for a fact?
HAHN: I have seen nothing to show that it was not legal. I have seen no evidence that the president was surveilled unlawfully. We have seen FISA warrants.
HENRY: Right.
HAHN: We have heard of FISA warrants, and if the president thinks he was spied on, he controls all this evidence, show us the evidence that you were spied upon.
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: So, what about the facts --
HAHN: The FBI has said there were proper warrants to follow this to you. That's why Christopher Wray will not say, even though he is an appointee of the president.
HENRY: So, he said surveillance, not spying, which seems like a semantical debate.
HAHN: Right.
HENRY: But why then --
(CROSSTALK)
HAHN: No, legal.
HENRY: Before the FISA court, why was the dossier which by James Comey's own account was unverified, others have said that. That was used before the FISA court. So, how do you know that it was really legal and warranted?
HAHN: We've seen -- we've seen countless reports that, that dossier was not the only thing used to get FISA warrants to go do some of the surveillance work that everybody points to on the right.
The president saying he was spied upon is just a trick by other right-wing people who want to say they were oppressed. Oh, look what they're doing to me when they're trying to distract you from the failure they have been in their job.
HENRY: Is it that? Or let's go back to the dictionary that Bill Barr used. It's -- I looked it up today.
HAHN: Yes.
HENRY: Spy is a "person employed by a government to obtain secret info or Intel about another, isn't that spying? Isn't that what happened?
HAHN: Look, Ed, calling our FBI agents spies when they're doing their job (INAUDIBLE). Hold on me. It is -- it's something (INAUDIBLE)
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: It's -- hang on. Actually, I met to stop you for -- hold on -- I will let you -- hang on. I did not refer to an FBI agent. I referred to a woman who was used and posed as a research assistant. I was not attacking an FBI agent. As far as we know, she is not an FBI agent.
When that woman was sent to pose as a research assistant to get information from George Papadopoulos, was that spying? Yes or no?
HAHN: I am not willing to call patriots who are defending this country, spies. They are patriots, they put their lives on the line. And for the attorney general of the United States to do that, to disrespect the people who put their lives on their line, I'd like to see him put his life on the line for this country which he has not done. I would like to see the president put his life on the line for this country.
These people are out there doing dangerous work for America to protect us. And we shouldn't be calling them spies. Now, I'll say this, Ed. If these were not properly retained warrants, if methods were used that were not properly obtained and monitored by the courts, that is a problem, and Congress should investigate.
HENRY: Yes. OK, that's a pretty big if, whether or not it was legal or not. I'll leave that aside. Last question.
HAHN: Yes.
HENRY: You have been sounding the alarm bells and other Democrats for two years about Russia and allegations of treason. Bill Barr also testified under oath the other day that if they really wanted to get to the bottom of whether there was treason, it seems pretty paltry for them to just surveil Carter Page, agree?
HAHN: Well, Carter Page had been followed before he met with Trump. And he was followed into Trump. So, they weren't just following Carter Page because of his relationship with Trump. In fact, the Russians called Carter Page, a useful idiot in a report that was intercepted by our own intelligence services. This is not the thing I'm saying about, and this was the Russians said about him.
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: But if you wanted to get it whether or not there was treason, it seems like you should be surveilling a whole bunch more people, you know.
HAHN: Well, we don't know everybody who they were surveilling. We don't know exactly what was going on.
HENRY: Yes.
HAHN: We only know the complaints and whining from the administration about things our law enforcement were doing to protect this country. They were not doing this for political reasons, they were doing it to do their job diligently to protect America.
HENRY: We will see if it was legal, that's a big if, and whether or not it was for reasons. Chris, appreciate you coming in.
HAHN: Ed, thanks for having me.
HENRY: As I mentioned, Brit Hume, Fox News senior political analyst here as well. Brit, appreciate you coming in.
BRIT HUME, SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Thanks, Ed.
HENRY: I want to start where we ended. I did that on purpose because I want to ask you about William Barr saying last week that it would have been pretty anemic if you're trying to answer the FBI and other agencies whether or not there was treason in the 2016 campaign.
Bill Barr said under oath, it be anemic to just surveil Carter Page. Does that suggest there was a whole bunch more other stuff we don't know yet?
HUME: Well, it certainly suggests that he suspects that there's a whole bunch more, and we now heard him say a couple of times that he wants to get to the bottom of what actually happens. And, of course, it was -- his discussion of that, that blew up into this controversy that just manifested itself in your discussion with Chris Hahn, in which people on the left and Democrats are taking great umbrage at the word spy.
Indeed, you know, you were -- it's been suggested today that, that Chris Wray, the FBI director contradicted Barr by saying what he said, which was that, no, the FBI engages in surveillance. Well, come on, Ed. Surveillance is the synonym for spying. If somebody's being surveilled, you're being spied on.
But back in the 70s when I was working for the columnist Jack Anderson.
HENRY: Yes.
HUME: The CIA mounted it, what we all thought at the time was an illegal operation spying on me and other members of his staff. Jack Anderson himself to find out who was involved in some leaks to him. It was spying. The CIA is the spy agency. When the FBI is doing counterintelligence, they're acting as the domestic spy agency. This is really silly.
HENRY: You mentioned a moment ago, we looked it up, here it is, the graphic for the synonym of spying. And the very first one that comes up Brit, is surveillance.
HUME: There you go.
HENRY: So, why this semantical debate -- you mentioned what I believe was called Operation Mud Hen when you and Jack Anderson and others we're spied on by the government.
HUME: That's right.
HENRY: Why aren't more Democrats concerned about civil liberties?
HUME: Well, I think they feel the word spy has a pejorative connotation, and they don't want to -- you know, they don't want to legitimize the complaints of Donald Trump that he was spied on.
And it's -- I don't think, you know, if he'd never said that, I'm not sure they'd object to it so strenuously, he'd never used that word. But once he used it, it becomes taboo because you know, all things Trump have to be attacked. And -- you know, it's -- you know, let's think what we're down to now, Ed.
We had this great story that went on for two years about a possibility of a Trump Russia conspiracy to throw the election. And now we're down to squabbling about the difference between the word surveillance in the word spying. We're fighting over the form of Bill Barr's testimony before the House, and we're fighting over some tiny still redacted sliver of the -- of the Mueller report.
You know, this is pretty small potatoes when you think about what we once thought might be out there.
HENRY: Exactly. What if you flip this all around? And a few months from now, William Barr as attorney general decided he had allegations to say China or someone had infiltrated Joe Biden's campaign, and the Trump justice department decided to use a dossier paid for by the Republican National Committee to start surveying one or more Biden advisors. What do you think might happen?
HUME: Well, I don't think anybody would be very happy about that on the -- on the left. I mean, the Democrats would hate that. And so, obviously, you know, there is a case here. That would be another case of what -- I like to call shoe on the other foot disease. It's an epidemic in politics and always has been.
HENRY: Last thing, Brit, which is that on Wednesday, Jerry Nadler, the Democrat, of course, cheers the House Judiciary Committee, says he is moving forward with contempt charges against Bill Barr. Where do you see all of this heading?
HUME: Well, look, if the Democrats want to vote to hold Barr in contempt, they are free to do that, and they may have the votes to do it. Remember though, what they are holding in, in contempt are as we just discussed, was some tiny still redacted portion of the Mueller report.
Nadler hasn't even read the mostly unredacted version of the report that's available to him. But that aside, that he certainly do it. What happens? Do you know what happens? Nothing. We've seen this movie before when the star was Eric Holder. He was held in contempt by the -- by the House when the Republicans were in charge over material he didn't furnish. On maybe even testimony, I don't even remember. But for failing to give up stuff, and that was the end of it.
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: On fast and furious. Yes.
HUME: I mean, he was held in contempt, and you know. So, what would happen is that Bill Barr would have that in his Wikipedia entry that he was once held in contempt, but it's completely toothless sanction.
HENRY: Brit Hume, senior political analyst, and survivor of Operation Mud Hen. We appreciate you coming in.
HUME: Thanks, Ed.
HENRY: All right. Tonight, Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, says, it's time to move on from the Mueller probe. Up next, Martha's exclusive one-on-one with the majority leader.
MCCONNELL: The investigation is over. Why don't we turn our attention to trying to see what we can figure out what we can do together for the American people? And not squander any more time.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCONNELL: They told everyone there've been a conspiracy between Russia and the Trump campaign, yet on this central question the Special Counsel's finding is clear, case closed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell right there urging Congress and the nation to move on from the Russia probe, but also questioning if everyone can finally come together and find a little bipartisanship.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCONNELL: With an exhaustive investigation complete, would the country finally unify to confront the real challenges before us or would we remain consumed by unhinged partisanship and keep dividing ourselves to the point that Putin and his agents need only stand on the sidelines and watch us as their job is actually done for them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Well, a short time ago Martha MacCallum sat down for an exclusive one-on-one with the Senate Majority Leader. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARTHA MACCALLUM, ANCHOR: So you give a big speech this morning about the end of the Mueller investigation. You also called out sort of partisanship on both sides in terms of the theories, the conspiracy theories that are out there. Do you want both sides to put this to rest.
MCCONNELL: I think we ought to put it to rest. Mueller spent two years on this, interviewed hundreds of people, he reached the conclusion there was certainly no collusion on the part of the President's part, he brought no charges on obstruction. They indicted a number of Russians. It was clear what the Russians are trying to do. He pointed it out to us. What else do we need to know? It's time to move on.
MACCALLUM: Well, some would say Senator Graham among them and the President that we need to investigate the origins of what happened here in the intelligence agencies. Are you in favor of that or do you want them to drop that as well?
MCCONNELL: Well, that's a decision for the Attorney General. I think there is already an Inspector General investigation going on of how the investigation was initiated. These inspector generals in each department are genuinely independent people. I understand he's going to report at the end of May, and so we'll get an answer to the question of how this whole investigation began from the I.G. and the Justice Department.
MACCALLUM: What about the Senate investigation, are you in favor of that being part of it too?
MCCONNELL: Well, it depends on what the I.G. has to say as to whether there's anything else for us to take a look at. I think if he indicates that there was some suspicion around the opening of the investigation, Senator Graham might well decide that he wants to take a look at that.
MACCALLUM: Speaker Pelosi based on Attorney General Barr's testimony, she believes that he lied to Congress. If she believes that, what must she do?
MCCONNELL: That's an outrageous assertion. The man had a brief summary of the report, released all the report that was legally allowed to be released, put it on the Internet. To call a public servant like the Attorney General a liar is completely over the top. These people are somewhat suffering from Trump derangement syndrome.
I mean they can't accept the fact that the President won the election. The investigation is over, why don't we turn our attention to trying to see what we can figure out what we can do together for the American people and not squander any more time. We have the answer.
MACCALLUM: Well, you've called yourself the Grim Reaper and you say that you are going to be what stands between socialism and the United States of America. So that leads some to believe that you see yourself as a stopgap from legislation going through in some ways.
MCCONNELL: Well, not legislation in general but things like the Green New Deal which would destroy your job, take you out of your car, and require you to rebuild your home, yes, I'm Grim Reaper when it comes to the Green New Deal.
Medicare for none which will eliminate private health insurance for 180 million Americans and drain Medicare resources that have been paid into over the years by current Medicare recipients will be destroyed by adding all these additional people. You bet you, those kind of proposals are going nowhere in the Senate.
MACCALLUM: Bret Baier and I did a town hall with Bernie Sanders, Senator Sanders a couple of weeks ago and we asked the audience you know, how many of you have private insurance, and most of them raise their hand through their employer. How many of you would be willing to give it up for Medicare for all, and almost a large majority of the room raised their hands for that. So that is an idea that apparently has some traction in the United States.
MCCONNELL: Well, in that particular Bernie Sanders meeting it did but we're really happy to have that argument, that debate with the American people in 2020. I can't wait to engage on the Medicare for none proposal.
It's not just Bernie Sanders, there are four other credible colleagues of mine running for president saying they've signed up for the Medicare for none and they've also signed up for the Green New Deal so we're happy to have that debate. I can't wait to have that debate with the American people in 2020.
MACCALLUM: What do you say to those who say you know, the GOP has not come up with a plan of their own? And yes in this current environment it would probably get shot down but why not formulate a plan, present it to the American people, and have all the Senators many of them running for president vote on your plan?
MCCONNELL: I don't know why the Democrats are unhappy with ObamaCare. They worked on it for a long time. We were unable to replace it. It's there and they're not even satisfied with the principal accomplishment they said of the Obama years.
MACCALLUM: But why not come up with your plan with a Republican plan and present it to the American people and ask all the Senators to take a vote on it?
MCCONNELL: Look, you know, exactly what to do to fix the edges of what's happened after ObamaCare is something we can talk about. Premiums have gone up, co-payments have gone up, deductibles are going up. We're certainly not arguing that ObamaCare is adequate. But what I don't understand is why they're so dissatisfied with it.
They made such a big deal out of getting it passed out of the president signing it. If they went -- if they are willing to admit that there are problems with ObamaCare related to the cost, the deductibles, the co- payments, we'll be glad to work with them on that.
MACCALLUM: So you want -- you're saying it must generate from Democrats. You are not going to let -- there's not going to be any generation of a fix for ObamaCare that's going to come through the Congress on the Republican side?
MCCONNELL: Well, how would we be able to adjust health care in a way that we would like to with the Nancy Pelosi led House? It's not possible.
MACCALLUM: So in terms of the Senate, you've got a lot of your colleagues that are running for president in 2020. Joe Biden, a former colleague is at the top of the list right now in terms of the polls. Do you think that lasts?
MCCONNELL: Oh gosh, I don't know. I'm not an expert on Democratic presidential politics. What we do know is that we have an awful lot of candidates running and it's fun to watch almost -- the Kentucky Derby was last weekend. There are more Democrats running for president, we had horses.
MACCALLUM: But you know, in terms of Joe Biden, just staying with that for a moment. He talked about China the other day and he said you know, everybody says China is going to eat our lunch, come on man not bad folks. They're not competition for us, China, said Joe Biden. What do you think about that?
MCCONNELL: I can't believe Joe would say that after eight years. China has been eating our lunch for a long time, stealing our intellectual property, making it difficult to do business in China. Joe knows better than that. China is a serious competitor.
MACCALLUM: You have 34 Senate seats up in 2020. Which ones do you think are the biggest concern for you?
MCCONNELL: Well, we think we have a big pickup opportunity in Alabama a seat that we, unfortunately, lost a couple of years ago in a special election, and then we're going to have some serious challenges in places like Colorado, and Arizona, and North Carolina, and maybe Georgia.
MACCALLUM: What do you encourage the GOP Senators out there to run on besides the economy?
MCCONNELL: Well, what we're going to be running on in addition to bragging about the economy which is about as good as it's been in 50 years is we need to stop America for becoming something that's never been, a socialist country. Things like the Green New Deal and Medicare for none will fundamentally change America into something that's never been before.
And we're happy to have a debate about that. We want the 2020 election to be a referendum on what do you want America to be like, a free enterprise society or something very, very different from --
MACCALLUM: Are you shocked that that's the conversation that we're having in the 2020 election?
MCCONNELL: It is shocking. I never thought in my lifetime that we'd be debating fundamentals like free enterprise system in America.
MACCALLUM: So in terms of -- you mentioned the Kentucky Derby, what did you think about the outcome there? Do you think that -- I had maximum security zone last night. He's not a happy man.
MCCONNELL: Well, the President doesn't seem to like it.
MACCALLUM: No, he didn't.
MCCONNELL: Yes, the stewards apparently make these calls and they appeal it to the Kentucky Racing Commission. Apparently, they viewed it as a clear violation so it's over.
MACCALLUM: Do you think they should have had to come answer questions? A lot of people wanted to have questions about it?
MCCONNELL: No, I don't think so. I think we've got more important things to do than give the third degree to the stewards at the Kentucky Derby.
MACCALLUM: Senator McConnell, always good to see you, sir. Majority Leader, thank you very much.
MCCONNELL: Yes, good to see you, Martha.
MACCALLUM: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HENRY: Good stuff. The Derby is over and so is the Mueller Report he says. Meanwhile, Joe Biden making his first campaign stop in Nevada. But will past scandal stop the momentum of the Democratic frontrunner? A closer look at the controversies next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, D-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I choose hope over fear. I choose unity over division. I choose -- I choose truth over lies.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HENRY: This is a Fox News Alert.
At least eight people injured, two suspects now in custody after shooting at this school, part of a STEM School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.
Alicia Acuna is live at the scene with the latest. Good to see you, Alicia.
ALICIA ACUNA, REPORTER: Hi, Ed. And now we are being told by the Douglas County Sheriff's Department that these two shooters managed to get deep into the building walking through the school before they began shooting. We are also told by the sheriff here that both of these suspects were students at the school.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY SPURLOCK, SHERIFF, DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO: This is a terrible event. This is something that no one wants to have happen in their community. We are going to investigate that and we will get to the bottom of it to figure out how and what has occurred.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACUNA: The STEM School in Highlands Ranch which is a suburb south of Denver has 1,800 students enrolled, eight of whom were injured today. And according to the sheriff many are in critical condition in area hospitals.
The call came in to the Douglas County sheriffs a little before 2 p.m. mountain (Ph) that there was an active shooter situation at the STEM School. We are told law enforcement was on the scene within two minutes and that officers could hear gunshots as they ran into the building.
It is still unclear if there was any sort of exchange of gunfire between the suspects and the officers but the sheriff says that they were in custody not long after sheriff's deputies arrived. Before they were arrested, they managed to get to two different classrooms.
Right now, law enforcement is still working to reunite students with their parents. That is being done at nearby recreation center. Some students did manage to self-evacuate as the undersheriff told us earlier.
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security both have personnel here on scene and the sheriff says that there will be searches being done probably tonight of the two suspects' homes. Ed?
HENRY: All right. Alicia Acuna, it looks like a scary situation that they have gotten on top of. I appreciate your report.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: Now we can protect it. We must protect our border but we can do it humanely. It is being used as a way to demonize people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: That's the former Vice President Joe Biden of course taking aim at President Trump while campaigning in Nevada today. Biden now the front runner in most 2020 polls on the Democratic side.
Tonight, the Real Clear Politics polling average has the V.P. up some 23 and a half percentage points. He's getting a boost from some new online polling that has him up maybe 30 points or more.
But as more Democrats beginning taking aim at Biden there are some controversies from his past that could make for a bumpy road ahead. And this weekend Biden was already telling donors he knows President Trump is, quote, "going to go after his family."
Our correspondent Trace Gallagher is live in our West Coast newsroom with the details. Trace?
TRACE GALLAGHER, CORRESPONDENT: Ed, let's begin with Biden's controversy involving Ukraine and what was billed as an effort to fight political corruption in 2016 then Vice President Biden traveled to Ukraine and threatened to withhold a billion dollars in U.S. loan guarantees if the country didn't fire its top prosecutor who was accused of ignoring corrupt politicians in his own office.
Here is Biden recounting “The Story” two years later. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: I said you are not getting a billion. I'm going to be leaving here and I think it was what, six hours. I look at this and I said I'm leaving in six hours. If the prosecutor is not fired, you are not getting the money. Well, son of a (muted) he got fired.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GALLAGHER: But the very same prosecutor who as Biden noted got fired was also investigating a Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company where Joe Biden's youngest son Hunter sat on the board and reportedly collected $50,000 a month.
At the time the Statement Department was concerned that Hunter Biden's work for the firm could undercut his father's diplomacy. Experts say the situation did create a conflict of interest but there was no evidence to conclude Biden was working towards his son's interest.
Then there is China and what many have called the ultimate sweetheart deal where Hunter Biden's private equity firm secured a 1.5 billion-dollar investment from a state-owned Chinese bank while his dad was V.P.
In his book "Secret Empire: How the American Political Class Hides Corruption and Enriches Family and Friends," conservative author Peter Schweizer describes how Hunter Biden was negotiating the deal while his dad was negotiating high level diplomacy. Schweizer talked about it with Laura Ingraham. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETER SCHWEIZER, AUTHOR, SECRET EMPIRE: Hunter Biden has no background in China. He was no background in private equity. The deal he got in the Shanghai free trade zone nobody else had. Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Blackstone, nobody had this deal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GALLAGHER: And Joe Biden has been slammed on both sides of the aisle for dismissing threats posed by China including the aggressive militarization of islands in the South China Sea. Ed?
HENRY: Thank you, Trace. Joining me now Marc Thiessen, American Enterprise Institute scholar and Fox News contributor.
MARC THIESSEN, CONTRIBUTOR: Good to be with you, Ed.
HENRY: Let's start with Ukraine. His son, Hunter Biden, makes a lot of money --
THIESSEN: Yes.
HENRY: consulting with this energy company.
THIESSEN: Yes.
HENRY: That was being investigated by a lead prosecutor in Ukraine that his dad, the vice president of the United States, helps to get fired.
THIESSEN: That sounds bad. It's even worse than that. So, if you go back two years before that in April 2014, Joe Biden is put in charge of Ukraine policy and he goes to Kiev with a package of USAID money to boost the economy of Ukraine including money for natural gas.
Three weeks later, Hunter Biden becomes a member of the board of this company, Burisma, owned by a Russian -- a Ukrainian oligarch. He has no experience in energy. He has no experience in finance. He just puts -- it just happens to be three weeks before and after Biden shows up.
And so, this oligarch starts being investigated. And two years later, Joe Biden goes on a plane to -- and as he brags in that segment, he brags about it that he got the guy fired. They guy was --
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: Fired the SOB.
THIESSEN: The guy was investigating his son's company and lo and behold, guess what happened? The prosecutor -- the new -- the prosecutor was fired. The new prosecutor dropped the case. So, you know.
HENRY: Should he have at least recused himself?
THIESSEN: Well, I mean, Joe Biden should not be going and trying to fire prosecutors he knows that is investigating his son's company. I mean, even if there was no quid pro quo the appearance of corruption, the appearance of special dealing there would be enough to say that Joe Biden should not be the point man for the administration on Ukraine or doing that or Hunter Biden should be doing business in countries where his father is actively --
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: Then his son Hunter, as Trace said, had interest in China. Now you could argue whether you support or oppose President Trump now pushing China so much with these tariffs that maybe it boomerangs. You can have that argument.
But it seems like almost nobody could say that China is not a big competitor, and yet Joe Biden tried to say they are not a big competitor --
THIESSEN: Yes.
HENRY: -- when his son has got all this interest.
THIESSEN: Again, it's worse than that. So, Joe Biden gets on -- Hunter Biden flies with Joe Biden on Air Force Two to Beijing. As an official member of the delegation and then 10 days after that trip he all of a sudden gets a billion-dollar investment into his private equity fund not have from a Chinese company from the Chinese government.
The government officials that were negotiating with Joe Biden. So again, you don't fly on Air Force if you are going to do -- can you imagine if Donald Trump went to Beijing and one of his --
(CROSSTALK)
HENRY: And he brings Donald Trump, Jr.
THIESSEN: And he brings Donald Trump, Jr.
HENRY: Right.
THIESSEN: And then 10 days later the Chinese government gives Donald Trump, Jr. a billion dollars? Do you think that like Jerry Nadler wouldn't be investigating that?
HENRY: They'd be calling for another special counsel.
THIESSEN: Exactly.
HENRY: Real quick.
THIESSEN: Yes.
HENRY: Now to be fair, you are going to see the president's business interests as if always been are still going to be on the table.
THIESSEN: Yes.
HENRY: Breaking tonight the New York Times has a story saying they've obtained tax information that reveals that from 1985 to 1994 President Trump's businesses were in far bleaker condition than was previously known.
The numbers show that in '85 Mr. Trump reported losses of 46 million from his core businesses largely casinos. We knew about that some of that obviously, hotels, retail space and apartment buildings and they continue to lose money every year totaling 1.17 billion in losses for the decade. Now I'm not trying to catch you off guard.
THIESSEN: Yes.
HENRY: This is just breaking now.
THIESSEN: Sure.
HENRY: But as I noted the president's business dealings will been on the table as well.
THIESSEN: Absolutely. So, two things to take away from this. Number one, those documents leaked. This is why Donald Trump does not want to release his taxes to Jerry Nadler because if they go up to Congress, they are going it leak in the same way and he has no legitimate legislative reason for asking for these documents. He is doing a fishing expedition.
Two, I always thought that the reason why Donald Trump doesn't want his taxes return -- released is nothing to do with any corruption or illegality, it's because they are going to show he is not as rich as he says he is. Because when you do your taxes, your incentive is to minimize your income as much as possible to pay the least amount of taxes.
So, Donald Trump has the best accountants in the world. They are going to organize his finances in a way to minimize his income. When he's running for president, he is saying I'm super rich and I'm super successful but his taxes tell a different story on purpose.
HENRY: Right.
THIESSEN: Because he is trying to organize his finances in a way that lowers his taxes.
HENRY: Right. And the point is he has been under scrutiny already now Joe Biden and the Democrats maybe they are going to be under scrutiny as well.
THIESSEN: Absolutely.
HENRY: Marc Thiessen, I appreciate you coming on.
THIESSEN: Thanks.
HENRY: So, where in the world is Mike Pompeo. Mystery swirled around the secretary of state's whereabouts today. Now we finally have the answer. That's some breaking news next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HENRY: Breaking tonight news that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo just made an unannounced trip to Baghdad. Pompeo going off the grid for a few hours today. We now know he was meeting with the Iraqi prime minister and the president amid escalating tensions with Iran.
Joining me now Fox News senior strategic analyst General Jack Keane. Good to see you, general.
JACK KEANE, SENIOR STRATEGIC ANALYST: Good to see you, Ed.
HENRY: What's your sense? We have known for days there is some -- we don't have specifics but some kind of threat from Iran in terms of either targeting U.S. interest, U.S. troops abroad. Tell us about the significance of the secretary of state going to Iraq.
KEANE: Yes, well a couple things going on here. Certainly, going to Iraq, this is part of the United States overall strategy to deter anything from happening on behalf of the Iranians.
But secondly, listen, we got 5,200 troops in Iraq. They have a common border with Iran. Last year, the Iranian trained Iraqi-Shia militia rocketed our consulate in Gaza. We shut it down. They rocketed our embassy last year as well.
They have tens of thousands, Ed, of popular mobilization forces or Iraqi- Shia militia trained by Iranians in Iraq.
So clearly, this is a place to proximate danger for us. And I think what happens here is the secretary of state wants to, one, reassure our own troops, two, get some feedback from them, and in terms of what they see is happening, and also, three, make sure that the Iraqi government knows that the United States is there for their stability and their security, nothing has changed. And we intend to stay as long as they want us to stay.
HENRY: The stakes are high there as well as with China. Interesting that today amid this trade back and forth between President Trump and President Xi, Democrat Chuck Schumer actually seemed to side with the president a bit. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHUMER: The bottom line is China will take advantage of us decade in, decade out unless we are strong with them. That's what we have to do. And it will help America in the long run.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Strength is what we need right now, general?
KEANE: Yes. Absolutely. The minority leader is absolutely correct. He agrees with the president 100 percent on this. I think there is a huge frustration here in the administration as a result of 150-page report that the both teams worked out, the I's were dotted the T's were crossed.
They thought they were coming to the finish line and the Chinese leadership evidently balked at some of the findings there and have reversed their position. That frustrated the president. That's why the tweets. That's why threatening tariffs.
Again, the Chinese are blowing back and saying the tariffs are overstated by the president. There is not a significant on us.
Good news though, good news is their chief economist, their chief negotiator the vice premier is arriving here and talks are taking place on Thursday and despite this --
HENRY: Yes.
KEANE: -- impasse that we're all witnessing things can change by the leaders when they want it to.
HENRY: Yes. And the markets took a hit today on the other hand with the economy, the U.S. economy so strong right now. You could see the markets right there. The Dow down almost 500 points that maybe the president believes with the economy big picture being very strong we're dealing from strength right now.
General Keane, we appreciate you coming in.
KEANE: Yes. Good talking to you, Ed.
HENRY: Up next, a golf celebration that actually ended up sparking political controversy. Now Tiger Woods and President Trump are both taking heat over this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT: We are in the presence of a true legend, an extraordinary athlete who has transformed golf and achieved new levels of dominance.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Tiger, we are inspired by everything you have become and attained. The job you've done is incredible. Your spectacular achievements on the golf course. Your triumph over physical adversity and your relentless will to win, win, win.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Well, it seemed to be all about golf and comebacks, really nice things. President Trump giving Tiger Woods Presidential Medal of Freedom. But it didn't take long for the mainstream media to make it, yes, all about politics.
The Baltimore Sun actually writing, quote, "Plenty of athletes are refusing to stand with Trump, not Tiger Woods. We wish Mr. Woods would have taken a stand against hatred and declined the award given the racial and ethnic rift Mr. Trump has widened and exploited in the country since taking office."
Well, joining me now is Tammy Bruce, president of the Independent Women's Voice and Fox News contributor. Good to see you.
TAMMY BRUCE, CONTRIBUTOR: Good to see you, too.
HENRY: I thought everybody was in favor of comebacks.
BRUCE: Yes. You know, and that's the Tiger Woods' story. And I this he is the perfect recipient of the Medal of Freedom. Not only is he a leader in his sport, remarkable athlete. But this is also about what you can accomplish and being a role model.
And the best role models aren't people who have been able to waltz through life. It's people who have struggled and have had adversity. And have come back because that's the issue for all of us. All of us have had trouble. And the question becomes how do you return from that?
And that is the role modeling of this. In addition to the statement a young man like that makes when it comes to a sport as you know is not necessarily a completely open yet when it comes to diversity.
HENRY: Right.
BRUCE: And he plays in a manner that is extremely competitive. He knows what he wants. So, he is a perfect athlete. But he is the perfect individual in the sense of we know -- he knows what it's like to struggle and he knows what it takes to come back. And so, I think he is the perfect fellow for this.
HENRY: And to your point, President Obama gave the first black player on the PGA tour who was sort of the Jacque Robinson of golf --
BRUCE: Sure.
HENRY: -- this very same medal. And yet, Paul Krugman of the New York Times decides to take a pot shot at this president. Quote, "I'm old enough to remember when presidential Medals of Freedom were giving for showing courage and making sacrifices on behalf of the nation and the world. Tiger Woods his golf balls for money."
OK. You look at the list. Look, I love Bob Dylan, you know, Stevie Wonder, previous folks who have gotten this award. Tom Hanks? Bill Cosby President Bush probably will --
(CROSSTALK)
BRUCE: Yes. Michael Jordan, you know, a basketball player throws ball into hoops. I did I not hear Mr. Krugman complaining about that. But look, sports and movies and television and theater are a part of our cultural fabric. They are our cultural fabric.
And I think that the perfect recipients for the Medal of Freedom because they entertain us. They help create conversations and athletes, especially. The nature of being able to -- these are competitive aspects about using your own discipline, it's just physically but mentally as well.
So, whether it is Arnold Palmer or Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods. I think if anyone else had said that about Mr. Woods there would be, if it was Republicans who would have said it, there would be arguments about racism. And we do, I think need to look at this as a dynamic where it's about world freedom, I don't know.
But Americans and the American culture does contribute to the condition and the quality of the world and whether it's Barbra Streisand or Ellen DeGeneres.
They -- if this is the president's prerogative, this is what he wants to do. But Tiger is the perfect example of what you can do in America --
HENRY: Yes.
BRUCE: -- if you try hard enough.
HENRY: Last question I got 30 seconds. Tiger Woods is a black man in America. isn't he, doesn't he have the right, the independent right to decide who he wants to stand with or not?
BRUCE: Yes. It's interesting. Mr. Woods' real crime is a thought crime. He likes the president. And because anybody that the left as you pointed out in your opening like the newspaper and others liberals on social media complaining that God forbid Mr. Woods is thinking for himself. That he is chooses his friends.
That like his sport, like his athleticism, he is going to be disciplined and decide what he wants --
HENRY: Yes.
BRUCE: -- what's best for himself and his family. So, his crime was a thought crime.
HENRY: Right.
BRUCE: And I'm glad that he is not conforming.
HENRY: Tammy, thank you.
BRUCE: Thank you, Ed.
HENRY: More of “The Story,” next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HENRY: And that's “The Story” for this Tuesday night. Martha is back tomorrow starting 6:30 Eastern time when 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful Amy Klobuchar joins Martha and Bret for a town hall live from Milwaukee. Don't miss it. Tucker is up next.
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