Tom Brady's former boss called him a 'dime a dozen'

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Tom Brady's former boss called him a 'dime a dozen'

Tom Brady to play in his ninth Super Bowl; reaction from his former Merill Lynch boss Oliver Owens.

This is a rush transcript from "The Story," February 1, 2019. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

MARTHA MACCALLUM, HOST: Not balanced about that one thing -- that one thing. Thank you, Bret. Good to see you.

So, breaking right now is a pretty big story this evening folks. Virginia's governor who is already under fire for his comments and support of the right to late-term abortion is now back on the hot seat again this evening, responding to a racially charged photo that surfaced late today from his 1984 medical school yearbook.

It shows two men, one wearing blackface, the other dressed as a member of the Ku Klux Klan. With his name, Ralph Northam at the top of this yearbook page. Just within the past hour, I should say, he acknowledged that he is one of the men in this photo. Releasing a statement that reads in part, "I am deeply sorry for the decision I made to appear as I did in this photo. For the hurt, that decision caused then and now. This behavior is not in keeping with who I am today and the values that I have fought for throughout my career."

Joining me now is Xochitl Hinojosa, communications director for the Democratic National Committee. Xochitl, very -- thank you for being here tonight. And we had other topic that we want to cover with you. We're going to try to get a little bit of that in, as well. But obviously, this story is getting an enormous amount of attention this evening and I wanted to get your response to it. What are your thoughts? What should happen now?

XOCHITL HINOJOSA, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Yes, absolutely. This is disgusting and this is something that we cannot stand for. I think, regardless of party, this is an issue that Americans should be worried about. I think that we hope to hear from Governor Northam directly about this. Because regardless of party, this is disgusting and it's not great.

MACCALLUM: So, the Republican Party in Virginia released a statement saying that they believe that he should step down for this. Is that what you are saying as well?

HINOJOSA: Right now, we have not heard from Governor Northam, directly. And that is something that we will want to do. Because these are extremely troubling, the photo is extremely troubling. And I think that our Chairman and the DNC will want to hear from him directly.

MACCALLUM: Well, he did release the statement. And we just read a part of it. He said he was deeply sorry for the decision. He said, "The behavior is not in keeping with who I am today, with the values I've fought for throughout my career in military and medicine and in public service. But I want to be clear, I understand how this decision shakes Virginian's faith in that commitment.

I recognize that it will take time and serious effort to heal the damage that this conduct has caused. I am ready to do that important work. The first step is to offer my sincerest apology to the State, my commitment to living up to expectations, Virginians had set for me when they elected me to be governor."

I mean, you know, he's not saying that he's going to resign. He's just saying, "I apologized." And you know we talked about this a lot. There -- you know, where do you draw the line and how are we, a society that does not allow for apologies and for forgiveness? Or is this something that crosses that line do you think, where do you stand?

HINOJOSA: Well, I think that no matter what our party will condemn it, and I think that you will hear from officials that who will come out and say that. And what we want to do is we want to hear from him directly. Because this is disgusting, it is troubling, and regardless of party, this is something that is extremely alarming.

MACCALLUM: All right. I want to get your thoughts on some of the other -- we're going to continue to watch this. I mean, obviously, you know there may be more developments as we go through this.

And I want to get your thoughts on the people who joined the race this week. We had Cory Booker coming to the race, and we also have Elizabeth Warren who has not complete -- not declared yet.

Yes, Kamala Harris, well, she got a lot of attention for saying that she thought that -- you know, private insurance should be done away with.

HINOJOSA: Yes.

MACCALLUM: And then, today another member of your party, you got Representative Omar, who said this about a similar topic that Elizabeth Warren has talked about. Let's watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ILHAN OMAR, D-MINN.: You could increase the taxes that people are paying, who are the extremely wealthy in our community. So, 70 percent, 80 percent we've had it as high as 90 percent.

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN, D-MASS.: I believe is capitalism with serious rules and that means rules where everybody gets chance to play.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Soon, you had Howard Schultz also weighing on this, saying that he thinks that's -- that those kind of thoughts are ridiculous and un- American. What do you think?

HINOJOSA: I think that for all of these proposals, you are talking about making sure that we are letting the wealthy pay their fair share. I think that is an extremely important distinction. What Democrats are trying to do is we're trying to lower classes for the middle -- for the middle class, or lower taxes for the middle class.

And I think that in these proposals, what you're talking about is people that are making $10 million, 50 million. I don't know about you, Martha, but if I were making $50 million, I would be OK with giving some of that money to education and to healthcare.

And to people who need it the most. And so, I really excited about the debate that we are going to have in our primary to talk about all of the issues. And the best way to make sure that we're lowering taxes for the middle class. That we are expanding access to healthcare and making sure that we have affordable education. Because these are serious concerns for the American people right now.

MACCALLUM: You know, one of the things that strikes me when I look at Howard Schultz, and what he's saying about all this. He reminds me in some ways of the role that Donald Trump played on the Republican side the last time around. Because you're going to have a stage full of people, full of Democrats.

Now, he says he's running as an independent right now. But, you know, that stage is going to be packed. And so far, you've got those people given a lot of side-eyed to Howard Schultz like who's, who's this guy, you know trying to make all of us look bad and sort of being outside the box and outside the system.

HINOJOSA: Yes.

MACCALLUM: It reminds me of the backlash that the establishment gave Donald Trump. What do you think about that?

HINOJOSA: Well, what I think about it is that if Howard Schultz wants to defeat Donald Trump, then he should run as a Democrat or he should endorse the Democratic nominee for president. I think that with it -- when it comes to the infrastructure, and you saw this in the Republican primary, Martha. In order for Donald Trump to win in the Republican primary, he needed that Republican infrastructure. He wasn't going to be able to do it on his own. And so, we know --

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: Yes, I don't know about that. You know, I mean, you know -- that that's -- you know, I'm glad you brought that up because that's a real question that I have. You've got Howard Schultz who has -- you know, a store on the corner of everybody's town across America.

He has name recognition, he is able to sort of go over the top of the party in many ways, and sort of reach beyond it. And you know, that's a powerful thing and Donald Trump had that as well.

HINOJOSA: Well, but -- what I will tell you is that the Republican Party, and you do have to give the Republican Party credit that they did put Donald Trump over the edge. He didn't have an infrastructure, an organizing infrastructure in battleground states a data infrastructure all across the country. It was a Republican Party who did. And whoever the democratic nominee --

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: Reluctantly, reluctantly and eventually.

HINOJOSA: Right. Well, and whoever the Democratic nominee is, will inherit that infrastructure from the Democratic Party, which is extremely something that they should look forward to.

I think with Howard Schultz, what's important to know is he might have a lot of money and he might be able to spend it and throw his money out there. But he's not going to have that infrastructure, and you can build it overnight. Democrats won in November, and we won races up and down the ticket not only that, but we flipped the House.

You can't do that overnight, it took building our party Winning in Virginia, it took winning in Alabama, it took making sure that Conor Lamb was elected in Pennsylvania. And so, that is something that I think that you and your viewers should keep your eye on.

MACCALLUM: Yes.

HINOJOSA: Because whoever is going to get that nomination and whoever wants to beat Donald Trump, is going to need that critical infrastructure.

MACCALLUM: It's going to be crazy interesting. That's all we know. That's all we learned this week. Xochitl, thank you very much. Good to have you with us tonight.

HINOJOSA: Thank you so much for having me. Thank you so much.

MACCALLUM: Thank you. So, joining me now, Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse who has introduced the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Act. And we want to talk to him about that given all the discussion this week. Welcome, Senator. Good to see you this evening. Thank you for being here tonight.

SEN. BEN SASSE, R-NEB.: Thanks, Martha. Good to be here.

MACCALLUM: I just want to get your reaction to this story that I mentioned at the top of this. This yearbook page, it's -- you know, another one of these situations that gives people a lot of pause obviously. What are your thoughts?

SASSE: Yes, I mean, it just doesn't seem like the governor has much regard for human dignity. I mean, 35 years before he's out defending infanticide, which is what he's been in for the last 48 hours.

He's getting dressed up in some racist photo for some racist event. This guy, he doesn't belong in public life. I mean, if you can't say that infanticide is wrong, if you don't know that it's disgusting to be dressed and up or dressed it up for this racist event, he doesn't belong in public life.

MACCALLUM: You know, when you look at this argument and you look at what you have laid down in terms of the bill that you're going to put forth, it is going to force as you said this week, Senator, every member to say whether or not they are OK with the kind of scenario that Governor Northam talked about. How are you going to do that?

SASSE: So, I don't want to bore your viewers with too much procedure. But we're going to force everybody to come to the floor on Monday night. And I'm going to, by unanimous consent, call up my Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which I've been leading the charge on in the Senate for the last 2 1/2 years.

And people are going to have to show the 320 million Americans or bosses whether you stand with little babies that are born in a circumstance like this or whether you stand with Governor Northam's bizarre defensive fourth- trimester abortion.

MACCALLUM: Yes.

SASSE: I mean this is -- this is nutty stuff. I mean, there was a time, 15 or 20 years ago where the Democratic Party had room for some pro-life people. And Bill Clinton used to say that he wanted abortion to be safe and legal but rare. And now, you got Northam on the radio this week, literally saying, "Well, you know, if the baby survives an abortion, you know, somebody could keep her warm for a little bit and then doctors can have a debate about infanticide as this little girl's cold and alone on the table. It's nuts.

MACCALLUM: I just can't believe we're having this conversation.

SASSE: Nor can I.

MACCALLUM: I mean, I can't believe -- you know, when you talk about you listen to candidates like Kamala Harris come out, what kind of nation are we? Who are we as a country? That is the question that is going to be before the American people in 2016. And I think that this issue-- you know, defines that in such obviously substantial way. So, we're going to watch your vote very closely on Monday night.

You know, with regard to the discussion that we were having also about, about Howard Schultz and the kind of things that he's saying. Because he's saying that this kind of stance is so far out of the American mainstream that he feels like there's a place for someone in the middle. And in some ways, it lines up with some of what you have been talking about over the course of the last couple of years as well.

And Marc Thiessen wrote about this today. He said, "Both sides have decided that the way to win is no longer to persuade those in the middle, but rather to throw red meat at the hardcore supporters and get them worked up, more worked up than those on the other side. Lost in the shuffle are millions of reasonable persuadable citizens who are left to choose between two unpalatable alternatives."

He's saying there's a new class of forgotten men and women. And that's how he described them. Your thought, what do you think?

SASSE: Well, so let's distinguish between civics which is the overarching American stuff and the policy fights which should be smaller. So, I'm the second or third most conservative voter in the U.S. Senate by voting record. But I don't think either of these political parties really have a long-term plan.

So, I think we should be talking not about 2019 and 2020. We should be talking about 2030 and 2040. We should talking about the future of work. We should -- we're talking about the future of war and cyber. We should be talking about whether or not we're passing along an American understanding of the First Amendment to our kids.

And frankly, on stuff like this, where you get this governor in Virginia, defending infanticide, this shouldn't be Republican versus Democrat. This is just American, this is just human to believe that little babies who survived an abortion they deserve care and protection.

That this town, Washington, D.C. is filled with a whole bunch of weirdoes, who are addicted to screaming all the time. And I think most Americans believe that the architectural most important stuff we believe with ought to unite us all. And one of them is the Governor Northam, ought to get the heck out of public life.

If he still has a job on Monday morning, Republicans and Democrats are to get together and go door-to-door in Virginia and recall that guy. He doesn't belong in public life.

MACCALLUM: Senators Sasse, thank you very much. Good to see tonight, sir.

SASSE: Thanks, Martha.

MACCALLUM: Coming up next. One major issue that seems to have been overlooked in the new report of our intelligence agencies and why many politicians didn't even talk about the biggest threat that was discussed.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACCALLUM: So the criticism continues to roll in on this story just moments ago. This coming from fellow Democrat Julian Castro who tweeted it doesn't matter if he's a Republican or a Democrat, this behavior was racist and unconscionable. Governor Northam should resign. So we will keep you posted as that story moves along tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS HAYES, HOST, MSNBC: The nation's intelligence chiefs went before Congress and contradicted Trump.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Brand new pushback on Iran from the President. There he's calling me Intel leaders "passive, na<ve, and wrong." That is stunning.

JIM SCIUTTO, CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Is that dangerous for a president to stake out positions that are not backed by any intelligence we're aware of but backed by his own view of the world?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: So that was a big part of the dialogue this week but here's a news flash. Lost in the debate between President Trump and the heads of the Intel agencies was the headline of their report, the Intel agency's report that may matter the most in the end. In fact, the very first line of the Intel leaders 42-page worldwide threat assessment reads like this.

Threats to U.S. national security will expand and diversify in the coming year driven in part by China and Russia as they respectively compete more intensely with the United States and his traditional allies and partners.

This piece in The Wall Street Journal had this headline. A Sino-Russian Entente Again Threatens America. Here now to talk about this General Jack Keane, Chairman of the Institute for the Study of War and a Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst. General Keane, good to have you with us this evening.

GEN. JACK KEANE (RET.), SENIOR STRATEGIC ANALYST: Good to be here.

MACCALLUM: You know, first let get your reaction to the debate. President Trump pushing back on his own Intel folks about their assessment, dangerous?

KEANE: Well, it's not uncommon for Intel leaders to disagree with their policy leaders. I mean, this has happened in virtually every single administration. What has been different about this is the -- is the public nature of that disagreement that the President in issue in a tweet did. So -- and I think it reveals something about the President in a sense that he's taken issue the Intel leaders did not give him credit for taking down the Caliphate in Syria, did not give them credit for eliminating the nuclear testing and ballistic missile testing in North Korea.

Well, the Intel leaders don't do that. That's up the policy leaders to examine how well their policies are doing. What the Intel leaders focus on and only focus on here is the threat today and what is the front tomorrow. Past policy successes is not their lane.

MACCALLUM: All right, I want to play a little sound bite from the Helsinki news conference in July and we'll jump off from here. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: -- and I'm sure you've heard over the years, and as I campaign, that getting along with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: So this is interesting you know, because as you look at these alliances that are getting stronger militarily and diplomatically between Russia and China, it's a question about who you're going to you know, build a bond with to prevent that from being something that becomes very difficult for the United States.

KEANE: It is -- it is unequivocally clear and that the national security strategy of this country and a national defense strategy as well identifies as the main threats to our country as Russia and China. I spent the year on the commission of national defense strategy looking just at this.

Our conclusion was this it is an alarming conclusion is that if we had to fight a war with either one of them today while the United States military is still primacy, the evaporation of our capabilities have been so severe that the amount of personal casualties to high-value assets and to people would be on a level not seen since the Korean War in World War Two.

Not only that, Martha, that we would indeed struggle to win and could possibly lose. The Admiral in the Pacific who just took over out there who would have to fight a war against China a few months ago said this. We would struggle today to win a war against China.

Four service chiefs this time last year before the Senate Armed Services Committee said this. If we had to fight a war against a near-peer competitor, a conventional war, we would be at high risk to win. That is where we are and we've got to wake up.

MACCALLUM: Yes. I just have about 15 seconds but are you concerned about the growing friendship of sorts between Russia and China?

KEANE: Oh, absolutely. I don't -- I don't think it'll last strategically because they have so many differences and they clearly don't trust each other. But the fact that they're trying to move with common objectives, yes, absolutely.

MACCALLUM: Yes. Pipeline from Russia to China to supply them with oil is also in the works. Thank you so much, General Keane. Good to see you tonight, sir.

KEANE: Yes. Good talking to you, Martha.

MACCALLUM: Coming up next, Jussie Smollett, the actor who says that he was attacked by two men shouting this is MAGA country speaking out hoping to set the record straight.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACCALLUM: Actor Jussie Smollett speaking out for the first time since the Empire actor's reported attack early Tuesday morning. One that he claims was motivated by hate. Trace Gallagher live from our West Coast newsroom with what we know tonight. Hi Trace!

TRACE GALLAGHER, ANCHOR: Hi, Martha! We can only offer facts and discrepancies beyond that. It's up to police to conclude if Jussie Smollett was attacked or not. Here's what we know. Smollett says early Tuesday morning he grabbed a sandwich at a Subway store in the Streeterville neighborhood near downtown Chicago.

He was walking home talking on his cell phone to his manager when two men wearing ski masks attacked him. He says they punched him, yelled racist and homophobic insults, poured a chemical substance on him that he thinks is bleach and tied a thin white rope around his neck.

The 36-year-old actor later amended his story saying his attackers also yelled this is MAGA country, a reference to the President's make America great again slogan. When police arrived at his home 42 minutes later, he was still wearing the rope to preserve evidence.

Now, so far Chicago Police have scanned hundreds of hours of surveillance video from 20 different cameras in the area. They have found footage of Smollett making his way home including video of him at his building with the rope around his neck but no video of an attack or of the suspects Smollett describes.

Though there is video of two possible people of interest, police also have not found any chemical or bleach container in the area and our Fox affiliate is now reporting that Chicago Police say in the video of Smollett in front of his building, he is still holding his sandwich. Jussie Smollett also refusing to give police his cell phone to verify that he was on the phone with his manager during the attack though the manager has confirmed that.

Today, Smollett issued a statement saying in part "I am working with authorities and have been 100 percent factual and consistent on every level. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson was asked if Smollett has been factual and consistent. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EDDIE JOHNSON, SUPERINTENDENT, CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT: He's been very cooperative. You know, our job is to investigate the allegations and bring the individuals in and that's what we're working towards. So today we have no reason to think he's not being genuine with us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GALLAGHER: And Chicago police are continuing to scan surveillance footage looking for any other potential clues in this case. Martha?

MACCALLUM: Thank you, Trace. Coming up next, the biggest immigration bust of its kind targeting birth tourism. Women to pay a lot of money to come to America to have their babies next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACCALLUM: A company named You Win USA promised a vacation where foreigners could come to the United States pregnant and leave with a U.S. citizen newborn. For the very first time, criminal charges have been brought now against 19 people linked to the schemes making their children automatic U.S. citizens. President Trump had warned about this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: This policy has even created an entire industry. It's called, you know, birth tourism where pregnant mothers from all over the world travel to America to make their children instant life-long citizens with guaranteed everything, everything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: So, there were big raids that were carried out in some of these places back in 2015 when President Obama was still in office. The feds claim that the so-called businesses would charge tens of thousands of dollars, in some cases, up to $100,000, then they would coach women on how to trick the U.S. authorities into letting them in the country on tour rust visas. Then once they've given birth in this sort of hotel apartment places that are set up for them, some would skip out on their hospital bills. Good arrangement, right?

Bryan Dean Wright is a former CIA officer who joins us tonight on this. Bryan, good to have you here tonight. This has been going on a long time, but these are the first federal charges. Explain to everybody how all of this works.

BRYAN DEAN WRIGHT, FORMER CIA OFFICER: Well, basically, if you are a person in a second or a third world country that is wanting to become a U.S. citizen but you know that you otherwise won't be able to get in this country legally, you go through these different businesses as it were. They get you in the country. You have your child. And because of the way that our constitution works, your child becomes a permanent resident -- permanent citizen, I should say

So, the challenge for us is how do we address this? How do we keep these folks either out of the country initially? So that starts with the State Department, right, the visa process. Clearly, that is broken. That is not working in China and other places by the way. We have got 300,000 children born in this country every year. All right. So, we are seeing the tip of the iceberg here.

MACCALLUM: So that -- and that's total children that are born of illegal immigrants to southern border as well as these kinds of programs and the people who have been here on their reasons who have overstayed. For the birth tourism, the number looks it's somewhere around 40,000.

You know, when you look at this situation and how to crack down on it, as you say, they basically done it through legal loopholes that exist. And one of the things that I get the biggest kick out of is sort of the way that they teach people how to take advantage of this, like travel, you know, before you are too obviously pregnant. Go to Hawaii first, blend in with the tourists, and then basically, you know, catch a cheap flight to San Francisco, right?

WRIGHT: That's exactly right. So here is what you have to do as part of the State Department, and in fact, my old line of work in the CIA collaborating together to basically build informant networks to get inside of these businesses, these entities, to degree to which the Chinese want to assist us in that process to figure out who these people are, who these networks of illegals are.

Then you start to crack down on them that way. Certainly, the consular officers and the embassy officers in different places around the world they are our first line of defense. That's not working. But clearly, the CIA and others need to get involved, the FBI. Let's build up those informant networks because that's how you start cracking down on these folks.

MACCALLUM: Yes, and also -- and through that as well, I would imagine, understanding these companies, you know, what the name of it is, investigating the company itself, you know, looking at their tax returns. It's a pretty big business.

One of these, the You Win USA, I believe, the people who owned that, who were in court the other day, they own a house in Irvine, $2.1 million value on the house, a $118,000 Mercedes-Benz. This is big business.

WRIGHT: It's huge business. And the fundamental reason they are doing this is because the way that our constitution is set up we incentivize this to happen, right? So that really is the big macro political question that we have to ask ourselves as a country. Is that something that we want to change?

I mean, that amendment, that process of amending the constitution obviously, it's a tough one. But there are efforts underway to fix other things like term limits, or fiscal responsibility, balanced budgets amendment. This effort to amend that part of the constitution could be included, if we want to debate this is a country --

MACCALLUM: Yes.

WRIGHT -- if we need to fix this. And I think that that's a fair debate to have.

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: What -- let me ask you this because obviously changing -- you know, amending the constitution is a very big deal, as we all know. So how -- what kind of language would you put in there to still maintain the spirit of that amendment and yet make it so that people were not so easily able to take advantage of it?

WRIGHT: Well, I think what has to be clearly spelled out is that if people are trying to come into this country fraudulently, that we can prove that in fact they are trying to come here simply to establish residency, that should be something that we exclude.

Irrespective of your party affiliation, we hope you should agree to that. The trick to your question is when somebody comes across the border illegally, perhaps doesn't even know that they are pregnant, do we have extend a degree of compassion for those people or more specifically those kids?

Now, I would argue that I think that we can still tighten that down. We can still reject those women who come in and do that because every day the State Department works with the countries around the world to repatriate, that is to send people back to their home country to include these kids. But it's a fair debate that we need to have. And I think it's an important one.

MACCALLUM: Yes. I mean, there's nothing wrong with coming into this country legally. Everyone understands that people want to have children born here and raise their children here but you have to do it through the legal -- the legal way and with the right spirit and intent.

WRIGHT: Amen.

MACCALLUM: Bryan Dean Wright, thank you very much. Good to see you tonight.

WRIGHT: You bet.

MACCALLUM: So, coming up, how the Super Bowl is shaping up in some ways to be a battle between President Trump and the resistance. We will explain this Super Bowl theory when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM BRADY, FOOTBALL PLAYER, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: The reality is I don't think many people thought I'd be playing like this, even though I had a great belief that I would.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Tom Brady will play in his ninth -- ninth -- Super Bowl on Sunday. But before he was known as the goat, the greatest of all time, he was a college summer intern at Merrill Lynch in Michigan. And my next guest, Oliver Owens, was his boss.

And at the end of the internship Owen said to the now famous quarterback, quote, "you're a dime a dozen kid." Essentially, "you are a clipboard holder, man." Encouraging him to start a career in finance. Here now Oliver Owens. Oliver, welcome. Good to have you with us tonight.

OLIVER OWENS, TOM BRADY'S FORMER BOSS: Thanks. Thanks, Martha. Thank you. And oops.

MACCALLUM: I know that you said that that quote from you is not really the way it sounded when it came out of your mouth. Explain to us what you did say.

OWENS: It's really not. I mean, he was -- he was a quick-take guy. He was a smart guy. Everybody liked him. I thought he would be great in finance. I could see him in a board room. I could see him leading the charge just like he does on a football field. And I thought that was his greatness and football was less so.

I didn't mean that he was like a dime a dozen and just kind of so-so and wouldn't amount to much. I mean, he was a, you know, smart, great talent. So it comes off a little bit rough.

MACCALLUM: I thought it was funny. Because when you were asked about it in one of the articles I read, you said, you know, yes, so he chose another route, you know.

OWENS: Right.

MACCALLUM: He went another way as it turns out. Talk to me a little bit about what he was --

OWENS: All right. Go figure.

MACCALLUM: -- what was he like as an intern? What do you remember about him that summer?

OWENS: Yes. He probably -- I have had over 20 interns. So, he probably of all that I had was the most well liked and the most accepted by the office. I mean, he was like one of ours. He was kind to everyone. He worked hard. You know, he never complained. He was always on time, never left early.

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: You said that --

OWENS: He had just a great attitude.

MACCALLUM: You said you lost your mother that summer and you remember his response to that.

OWENS: Yes. I was very close to my mother. So, she died October 19, 1998. That was the first summer before it was the first that he interned for me. You know, about a week after she died, and I'm sitting there and somebody in the office drops a card off to me and says, hey, Tom was just in. He wanted you to have this.

And it was a sympathy card for my mother. I'm so sorry about her dying. I know how I'd feel. If there is anything I can do, you know, please let me know. I thought what 21-year-old kid, you know, takes time to do that. I was just totally impressed, still touched by it.

MACCALLUM: And you said he also he ate lunch with everybody in the cafeteria downstairs, which, of course, he would do because he wasn't Tom Brady back then. He was just one of the kids, one of the kids in the summer program, right?

OWENS: Right, right. So, we'd go down every just about every lunchtime. And we, you know, stoop out, face down over a cheeseburger and fries with a twinkie back and he'd be --

MACCALLUM: He doesn't eat that stuff anymore.

OWENS: Right. He'd be sitting there and eating his little chicken pita and squeezing lemon on it.

MACCALLUM: He was.

OWENS: Pepper.

MACCALLUM: All right.

OWENS: He was great.

MACCALLUM: Well, I guess he's been -- he has been eating that since back then. What do you think when -- you know, I mean, I'm a Patriots fan. I get heat for it. A lot of people hate Tom Brady. I'm hearing at the Super Bowl already like that week this week has been crazy. What is your response when you hear that? What do you want to tell those folks?

OWENS: I want to say that he was one of the most thoughtful kids I've been around and that he honestly cares about people. If you absolutely, if ever knew him or took the time or had the opportunity to know him, you would think he is fantastic.

MACCALLUM: Yes.

OWENS: He'd be -- if you're a mother you'd love e him as your own son.

MACCALLUM: That's why everybody hates him because he's too good to be true.

OWENS: Yes.

MACCALLUM: It's good that he went -- that football worked out. Because watch this clip. He is not really much on an actor. Watch this.

OWENS: OK.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRADY: After football I'm going to play baseball. And after baseball, I'm going to play "Hamlet." alas, poor Yurik (Ph). I knew him, Horacio.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: That's pretty bad.

OWENS: That's great.

MACCALLUM: Oliver Owens, thank you very much. Thanks for sharing your story with us tonight. Good to see you, sir.

OWENS: Yes. Thank you, Martha. Thank you very much.

MACCALLUM: You bet. Go Pats.

OWENS: All right. Take care.

MACCALLUM: All right. So, if you are going to sue your boss for creating an unsafe work environment, better make sure there is not a security camera around. Wait until you see -- this is -- this is the best thing I've seen all day. Ladies' night coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CORY BOOKER, D-N.J.: And if Senator Cornyn leaves that I violate Senate rules, I openly invite and accept the consequences. This is about the closest I'll probably ever have in my life to an I am Spartacus moment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: So that was Democratic Senator Cooker Booker daring Republicans to expel him in the Kavanaugh hearings in the fall for releasing documents that were not initially made public. So today, Cory Booker of New Jersey joined the 2020 Democratic presidential field and defended that moment. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MEGHAN MCCAIN, CO-HOST, ABC: What I think of you now I think of I am Spartacus. And I don't know if this is the best reflection of you. So --

BOOKER: Well, I hope people go back and watch the whole clip because even that was twisted. What we do in this culture right now, it's a tear down culture. We have people getting more and more ratings by tearing down the other people.

MCCAIN: Yes.

BOOKER: That's not how I'm going to run this campaign. If you're tired of that kind of bitterness of that kind of trash talking, that kind of trolling, that kind of politics that is just a race to the bottom in our country, then don't support me because I'm not in this race to tear people down. I'm in this race to try to build our nation up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Ladies here to respond tonight. Jessica Tarlov, senior director of research at Bustle.com, along with Lisa Boothe. Both are Fox News contributors. And joining them Fox News Business reporter, Kristina Partsinevelos. Good to have all of you with us.

KRISTINA PARTSINEVELOS, BUSINESS REPORTER: Thank you, Martha.

MACCALLUM: Jessica, let me start with you. Cory Booker, what do you think of him as the candidate and what are his challenges?

JESSICA TARLOV, CONTRIBUTOR: I think his challenges are that he was a mayor who was on the pro-business side of things for a while. He's gotten more progressive as time has gone on and really earned his bonafides (ph) that way. But you have the far left coming for him that way.

But the main challenge is it's an incredibly crowded field. And I don't know if this is Cory Booker's moment, but I am glad that he is there pushing the dialogue forward. I thought that he handled that very well today on The View to talk about culture.

So many people feel that we are just nasty to each other and just trying to pull each other down and get that sound bite. So, I think he is going to push the dialogue forward. And you know, we shall see. There are about 30 others.

MACCALLUM: Yes, I think it's interesting that you brought that up. Because you know, he did -- he really was a pro-business guy. In fact, he got in trouble with the Obama administration at one point for sort of, you know, being understanding of the Wall Street philosophy.

And after that, I feel like you can trace it back to that moment, Kristina, when he started to really change his tune significantly to be much more progressive.

PARTSINEVELOS: Which shows that he is adapting to maybe what people are talking about on -- just on air and just in the environment that he is in. But yes, he did have backing from Silicon Valley. He had backing from Wall Street. So that's what a lot of people complained about.

But I think the strength with Cory Booker is that, yes, he came from -- he lived in a white suburb, he went to Yale, went to Oxford. But he was able to win over the crowds within the district, the Bronx that he was pretty much saying or the projects. So, I feel like that shows that he can connect with --

(CROSSTALK)

TARLOV: Yes, Newark.

PARTSINEVELOS: -- and Newark and connect with the people maybe better, even though sometimes he comes across as a little bit cheesy in his rhetoric.

MACCALLUM: Lisa?

LISA BOOTHE, CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I agree with that. Actually, I'm really glad that Meghan asked that question because what she was getting at is, I think all these Democrat candidates right now are trying to get the authenticity vote.

And one of the biggest differentiating factors between then candidate Trump and Hillary Clinton was her lack of authenticity. I think those were the Achilles' heel in the 2016 elections and Democrats recognized that. And we see that with Elizabeth Warren drinking the beer and thanking her husband for being in their own house. And you saw that with Beto O'Rourke with the dentist in his mouth and the teeth came.

MACCALLUM: My -- this is more information I think than anybody needs. Yes.

BOOTHE: And that's the flip side of it though, Martha.

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: No, I know. Yes.

BOOTHE: It's the fact that all these candidates in the race to be seemingly authentic or authentistic (ph) --

MACCALLUM: Authentic. Wow.

BOOTHE: Thank you, Jessie. Well, in the race to try to appear authentic -- oh, my God --

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: You are so authentic that you messing up that word.

BOOTHE: Yes. The flip side is they are going to end looking bad like I just did by repeatedly botching a word I swear I can --

(CROSSTALK)

PARTSINEVELOS: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, though, she's really pioneered that when it talks to -- you know, she's on Instagram.

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: All right. Let's not talk about it.

PARTSINEVELOS: She shows every one --

MACCALLUM: Let's talk about the Super Bowl as we get ready for the big weekend here. So, the Rams coach Sean McVay was asked if they were going to the White House. You know, this is the big question. Are you going to the White House if you win?

Probably the best answer to this point is like, I don't want to talk about whether we're going to win at this point. But he said "Undecided. The luxuries of some of the opportunities that are presented as a result of winning that are things that we have to filter through as an organization to decide after this."

So, you got the Los Angeles Rams. Then you've got the New England Patriots and Bob Kraft, who, as you know, you probably know, is an old friend of President Trump's. And he said, watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you had a chance to speak to the president because I know you guys are social friends? Never did business together but you are social friends. Have you spoken to him before? Did he give you any advice?

ROBERT KRAFT, OWNER, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Well, I have a lot of people who give me advice. He has been very supportive. And I know he is working very hard to serve the best interest of the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: So, he's kind of shape up of like, Los Angeles politics with, you know, the Patriots and this patriot, you know, talking about his patriotic support of the president and all of that. What do you think about it, Jess?

TARLOV: I think Sean McVay has struck the right tone through everything and especially for someone so young. I mean, I can't imagine being a head coach of potentially Super Bowl winning team at 32, 33.

MACCALLUM: Yes.

TARLOV: I think he even still has a roommate that he loves with and he's such a kid. But that is a question that I think a lot of professional sports team would be asking themselves. This president has been vocal against those who want to kneel during the national anthem. He has referred to professional athletes, black ones as SOBs. It a very -- there are a lot of --

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: He said those who kneel are SOBs.

TARLOV: Yes. But there are still -- I mean, people stand in --

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: There were people of all colors who had --

(CROSSTALK)

TARLOV: It was driven by Colin Kaepernick who is black. And it was known to be a -- it's a movement about racial --

MACCALLUM: I want to get to the last subject.

TARLOV: Yes.

MACCALLUM: I want to give one quick thought on this and then I'm going to move.

BOOTHE: Well, I was going to say the irony of it is, though, they are also advocating for criminal justice reform. And that's exactly what President Trump delivered. So, the irony of it is the thigs that a lot of these athletes have been advocating for that President Trump actually delivered and worked with a variety of people to get it done.

TARLOV: I don't -- do you want to move on or you want me to respond?

BOOTHE: And I think you should respect the White House no matter who is there. I think going to White House is quite an honor.

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: I think the answer to that question of any coach is like, you know, is I'm not going to jinx it.

BOOTHE: Right.

MACCALLUM: We'll talk about it when the time comes. Just like, you know, touch it and get right off. All right. Play the video of this guy who is now -- who slip and fell at work, OK. Now there's OK.

BOOTHE: This is the best.

MACCALLUM: Here he goes. I just want to know what is going through his mind at this point. Like did he plan this for days and weeks or did he just like have a bad day and say I'm going to throw some ice on the floor and then I'm going to slip on it and then I'm going to sue this company that I'm a subcontractor for.

And I'm sure there are no cameras in this room that could possibly be watching me. This is the best advertisement of --

PARTSINEVELOS: I wish there were sound effects. Like a big --

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: I don't know.

PARTSINEVELOS: -- tree falling in a forest. Timber!

MACCALLUM: And I don't know why he actually fell. Unless he thought that there was a camera.

TARLOV: Right.

MACCALLUM: Right?

TARLOV: That he thought to be caught. Look.

(CROSSTALK)

PARTSINEVELOS: I think he clearly, he must have been in a desperate point in his life to do this. But he definitely thought about it in advance because who would literally take a piece of ice in a kitchen and be like, OK, today I'm going to fall and just get millions of dollars. And then not think, he is clearly an idiot because the cameras are around. But people do this all the time that --

(CROSSTALK)

TARLOV: Yes.

MACCALLUM: For sure.

BOOTHE: But can you imagine -- can you imagine being the insurance agent - -

MACCALLUM: Yes.

BOOTHE: -- like watching this video. The guy is trying to defraud your insurance company? I mean, how hilarious.

MACCALLUM: Yes. How about when Mr. Goldenski (Ph) of Randolph, New Jersey, you know, was shown this by the attorney? He's like, Alex, I think we have a problem.

BOOTHE: Yes.

PARTSINEVELOS: He said it was a problem.

MACCALLUM: This is going to be problematic for you in court already.

TARLOV: Definitely. But it makes you think about how litigious we are as a society. Then you know with the hot coffee at McDonald's.

MACCALLUM: Sickening.

TARLOV: I mean, some of it is totally legitimate and the problem is with this then it takes away from people who legitimately have claims.

MACCALLUM: This is the most pathetic thing I have ever seen. How do you look yourself in the mirror if you are willing to do this kind of stupid antics? It is easier to do your job and work hard and get a raise.

BOOTHE: I think you should play it on a loop.

MACCALLUM: All right? Thank you, guys. Have a great weekend.

TARLOV: Thank you.

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: Enjoy the Super Bowl, everybody. That is authentic. I'm going to say 50 times. That is THE STORY on this Friday night.

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