This is a rush transcript from "The Five," November 5, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
JESSE WATTERS, CO-HOST: Hello, everybody. I'm Jesse Watters along with Martha MacCallum, Juan Williams, Dana Perino, and Greg Gutfeld. It's 5 o'clock in New York City, and this is "The Five."
Welcome to Fox Square here in Midtown Manhattan, home of America's election headquarters on the eve of the historic midterm elections. We have a jam- packed hour ahead. But first, Fox News alert, in the final hours before voters head to the polls, President Trump is hitting the campaign trail harder than ever as he tries to tip key toss abrasives with a flurry of rallies in three states. Hours ago in Cleveland, the president fired up the crowd by drilling down on what's at stake for our country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Everything we have created and achieved is at stake on Election Day, it is. If the radical Democrats take power, they will take a wrecking ball to our economy. A vote for Republicans is a vote to continue our extraordinary prosperity, our extraordinary journey together. A vote for Democrats is a vote to bring this economic boom crashing to a sudden halt. The Democrat agenda is a socialist nightmare for our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATTERS: Meanwhile, Democratic big guns are coming up to try to stop Trump. Barack Obama going after the president and the GOP.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: America is at a crossroads. The health care of millions is on the ballot. A fair shake for working families is on the ballot. Perhaps, most importantly, the character of our country is on the ballot.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATTERS: And former New York City mayor, Michael Bloomberg, dishing out millions on a new campaign ad backing Democratic candidates.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, FORMER NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: We expect to be called to a higher purpose. We expect to work together. I don't hear that call coming from Washington these days. Do you? In fact, I hear the opposite. Shouting and hysterics instead of calm reasoning. Pointed fingers instead of open hands. Division instead of unity. We must send a signal to Republicans in Washington that they have failed to lead, failed to find solutions and failed to bring us together. That's why I'm voting Democratic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATTERS: OK, Martha, welcome to "The Five."
MARTHA MACCALLUM, GUEST CO-HOST: Hello, everybody.
(CROSSTALK)
WATTERS: All right. So the closing message for the Democrats seems to be health care and Trump is divisive and racist. And the Republican closing message seems to be immigration, the economy, and the Democrats are unhinged. Are any sides making any traction do you think on those messages?
MACCALLUM: Well, I mean, we're seeing the polls narrow, surely. It's now just plus three for the Democrats in the latest read of how this is going to go. And, you know, I think we've learned a lot about polling in recent years, so I think it's going to be very interesting to see how this whole thing shakes out. But in terms of those messages, I can't help but feel that they kind of scrambled to them in the final weeks, you know? I think that the Democrats were lacking a cohesive message other than resistance, which clearly has been their main mojo for the past couple of years. And I think Republicans have been having this, you know, sort of schizophrenic reaction to where they should be. A lot of folks like Paul Ryan feel that they should be very focused on the economy. The economy is doing great. It's a pretty easy argument. The president has gone more for the jugular with immigration and the caravan, he's betting that that's going to help some folks along the way, and probably he's betting that's ultimately it's going to help him.
WATTERS: Juan, what do you think about the Democrats bringing out the big guns? Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Mayor Bloomberg dropping millions at the last week. What do you think about that?
JUAN WILLIAMS, CO-HOST: Well, I think that's good news for the Democrats, especially, I think, Bloomberg is a former Republican. I think people have a clear sense something is wrong if you get Bloomberg absolutely saying, you know, the message that comes from this White House is one of division, hatefulness, finger-pointing, as you saw in the ad, Jesse. So what you see is that this picks up on something that we're seeing right now in the polls which is the plurality of voters. I think it's 40 percent say they want to send a message with their vote tomorrow to oppose Donald Trump, 41 percent say they want their vote to put more Democrats in positions to be a check on President Trump.
And I think, also, a lot of people looking at the kind of advertising that President Trump's campaign has utilized, the one about the caravan in particular, the one that had a man who been accused of killing people as a centerpiece and somehow representative of everyone in the caravan. You've seen Fox, CNN, and others pull that ad off the air as a racist ad. So I think that this is interesting to me because for the most part, Democrats have run on the issues, especially health care. But what you're seeing now is that more and more people are saying, you know what, it's about who we are, as you heard President Obama -- former President Obama say, it's about who we are as Americans, who do we want to be? Our character.
WATTERS: Yeah. I mean, they've definitely bringing up character in the late hours of the campaign, Dana. And Juan said, you know, you can really get a read on what people are going to think. I'm not so sure. I think we have some sound of Nate Silver, famous political prognosticator, giving a very, very wide stretch of possibilities about what could happen Tuesday. Let's listen to him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NATE SILVER, FIVETHIRTYEIGHT: Our range which covers 80 percent of outcomes goes from, on the low end, about 15 Democratic pickups all the way up to the low-to-mid 50's, 52 or 53. Most of those are above 23 which is how many seats they would need to take the house, but like -- but no one should be surprised if they only win 19 seats, and no one should be surprised if they win 51 seats. Those are both extremely possible based on how accurate polls are in the real world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATTERS: It's like the weatherman. He's saying, you know, tomorrow is going to be 80 and sunny, but it's a possibility it could be cold and rainy.
DANA PERINO, CO-HOST: I think it's actually easier to predict the weather than predict election outcomes. Even if the extremes what he's talking about, like the Republicans hold the house or the Democrats sweep it with like 50 seats, both of those -- there's a chance, there's smaller chances, there's probably going to be something in between. I do think also that the gubernatorial races are super important. The Republicans have dominated in the states for so long, like maybe 12 years and politics cycle. And so it looks like the Republicans are going to lose several of those governorships, and the ones to really watch, I think, if you're thinking about President Trump's reelection, Florida and Ohio because 2020 do the census, you do redistricting, that will have a big impact.
WATTERS: All right, Greg, one day to go. You look very excited.
GREG GUTFELD, CO-HOST: I am thrilled, thrilled, and cold. I want to go back to what Martha said, I do feel like the Democrats are cramming for a final. They're all hopped up on Ritalin and coffee because they don't have a message. This is what the Democrats are faced with, an economic boom, GDP, wages, jobs, foreign policy, almost the destruction of ISIS, it will take some time. Progress with North Korea. We're seeing progress on trade. We're seeing Supreme Court, two justices. Keystone, we've forgotten about Keystone. We're rebuilding the military. There's consumer confidence, there's optimism. There's worker productivity. Any one of these singularly as an achievement is something you can run on. The problem with Trump is he's got too many good things. And so all the Dems have is hate. They're the party of hate. And they don't just hate Trump. They hate everybody who supports Trump, and that's what you have to remember when you go to the polls that they actually despise you. You know, it's kind of sad. In a weird way, it's a tribute to Trump. He's like a super villain and he's bringing out Bloomberg, Obama, Biden, celebrities. They're like the super friends. They have to get together to fight this one guy. He's basically -- he's basically, I don't know, like Lex Luther and they're all Robins.
WATTERS: What does that say to you about the Democratic Party and the shape it's in right now when they have to bring in so many heavy hitters, a president who just left office just two years ago coming and campaigning this aggressively and this partisanly against his successor. It's not necessarily unseemly but it's never really happened to this extent before. Does that mean that the Democrats are so threatened that they have to come in with the heavy artillery this late?
WILLIAMS: Well, he has the bully pulpit. He's the president. So he can do things like send troops to the border for no reason. He's the one who can make an issue out of no issue in terms of the caravan. Oh, it's a threat, it's an invasion. Your children, pull the children in the house. I mean, it's just madness. And so, I think what you're seeing is a number of top Democrats willing to step out in an unorthodox fashion because they see this as a critical moment. I noticed in a lot of ads, both on the Republican and Democratic side, people are saying, Jesse, this is the most important election in our lifetime.
GUTFELD: They don't have a message other than we hate Trump. And I'll tell you one thing.
WILLIAMS: That is so ridiculous.
(CROSSTALK)
GUTFELD: If they don't get a blue wave, they're going to blame the white Russian.
WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah. What is health care? Isn't that an issue?
WATTERS: All right. Well, listen, Juan, we've also seen Democrats.
(CROSSTALK)
WATTERS: . immigration. Clair McCaskill in Indiana, Donnelly guy too. So, up next, much more on the battle for control of the house. Bill Hemmer is here to break down the key toss-up races that could shift the balance of power.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PERINO: Welcome back to The Five live from Fox Square. Polls are tightening in critical toss-up races that will decide which party controls congress. So where do things stand before voters head to the polls tomorrow? For that we go to Bill Hemmer. He's at the billboard with the latest on the key house races to watch. Bill.
BILL HEMMER, FOX NEWS: Fox Square looks great, by the way. I think you guys look toasty.
(LAUGHTER)
HEMMER: Here's what I want to do. I'm going to break this down. We'll go house first and then we go to senate, then we'll go to the president's travels. We can do all that over the next couple of minutes here. Here's -- let's start with the house and try and give viewers a sense of what we can look for early in the night, say 7 o'clock, 8 o'clock east coast time, about 26 hours from now. Here's what I think, we've dividing the country up into regions. Let's consider the Mid-south here. If you've been watching TV for the last three days, in all likelihood if you're paying attention to selection, you've heard about Kentucky Sixth, a congressional district right in the city of Lexington, suburbs out to the rural areas. Andy Barr is the Republican. He's getting pretty good challenge by Amy McGrath, the Democrat, first-time candidate. Why is this considered a toss-up? Well, based on all the indications we're getting right now, McGrath is running a pretty good campaign. But we should get an idea, a little bit after 7 o'clock as to how the folks in Lexington, Kentucky, are feeling. And if Andy Barr does well -- well, I'll show you a few other districts where if you go 4 for 4 on the Republican side, it's going to be a long night for sure. And it's going to be a really close battle here for control of the House of Representatives.
The second one I want to show you, in addition to Kentucky Sixth, is North Carolina two. Now, you probably may have not heard a lot about this and there's a reason for that because it's lean Republicans. In fact, it might be likely Republican. But let me give you a little analysis here and you can make up your own mind. George Holding is the incumbent, he's getting a pretty good challenge here in Raleigh, the suburbs in Raleigh, out to the rural areas. Well, and a new tool we have this year, who are these voters, who lives there? Who votes there? The census data gives us a pretty good indication. They're fairly wealthy, about $8,000 above the median average of the country. About 70 percent have a college degree or better. And the racial breakdown, two-thirds white, 20 percent black, about 10 percent Hispanic.
So we're going to watch this race throughout the evening. Again, if Republicans hold that would portend good things for the GOP. The third area that I want to show you here is down here in Georgia, specifically Georgia 6 and Georgia 7. Karen Handel just won a special election a couple months back. Suburbs of Atlanta now, over here -- county, Georgia 7 as well. If Republicans go 4 for 4, early in the night, between 7-8 o'clock, 9 o'clock, again, I think, Dana, we're going to have a very interesting race in the house, and in all likelihood, a very close one for control of that chamber. So those are the four that I'm looking at early in the evening.
PERINO: OK. Since you're nice and warm inside, we're going to make you stick around for a little bit and we're going to put you through your paces. We're going to start with questions from around the table with Martha MacCallum.
MACCALLUM: Hello there, Bill. Good to see you out there at the billboard. I mean, you know, one of the questions that I have is what -- which races we might not know about, you know? Some of these could be prolonged over the course of the next few days. California, we know, doesn't even count all their ballots until a week later on the absentee. And, you know, Mississippi could go into a runoff, right?
HEMMER: Yeah. Very good question. I'll show you the poll closings may be gives us a better idea about how we can analyze that. At 7 o'clock, I mentioned Kentucky, Georgia, Virginia as well, come forward through the night, 7:30, I mentioned North Carolina. But also you've got good races in Ohio and West Virginia as well. And I'll just fast forward to the map, 8 o'clock, a lot of data is going to come pouring in, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Florida. Nine o'clock, a little more further west, 10 o'clock is still interesting. It's Nevada. It's Montana. It's Iowa. And 11 o'clock is California.
Martha, there are at least eight races on the house side we're watching in California, seven of which are in areas where Hillary Clinton did very well two years ago. In fact, she won the district but the Republican won the house seat there. And talking with our decision desk today, Stirewalt and all the other smart brains around here, if the house is not closed will be able to make a call much earlier in the night. Again, if it's close, that California thing could keep us up very late tomorrow night. So we'll have to see how that turns out there.
PERINO: All right. Jesse Watters, you've got one?
WATTERS: Sure, I mean, I think, personally, the key to the midterms is going to be this hidden Trump vote. The people that really shocked the world in 2016, don't really talk to pollsters, are those Trump voters8 going to materialize when Trump's name personally is not on the ballot? And I don't think the pollsters know either and that's why see such large spreads. You see CNN has plus Dems 13. Rasmussen has plus 1. And that's why people are hedging because they don't know. Your instincts as you see the landscape right now, is there anything that you see tomorrow that can give you a sense of which way those hidden Trump voters could go.
HEMMER: I will tell you, Jesse, it's a great question. That's why they vote. That's why they play the game. I can't answer it right now in a factual sense. But I'll tell you, as we cover these stories, these campaigns that go on for as long as they do, data points stick in your brain. The president is still traveling. He's still turning out great numbers too. In fact, this and how we ended up in 2016, red is Trump, blue is Hillary Clinton. You think about where he went today. In Ohio, he was a winner in that state by almost eight points. Two years ago, he's also in Indiana, northern part of the state, Fort Wayne. He was the easy winter by 20 points over Hillary Clinton two years ago in the Hoosier state. And later tonight in Missouri, again, same margin about 19, 20 points in the end. And then, Jesse, he concludes his night here in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, a county that, easily, he won with 76 percent of the vote in that county. Why is he doing this? He has said for weeks now that midterms are base elections and that's what he's banking on for tomorrow, on Tuesday. Great question. Don't have an answer. But just think about some of these data points as we get some of the information throughout the night, tomorrow night.
PERINO: Greg, they've given me about 45 seconds. You go next?
GUTFELD: Martha took my question. So, Juan, what.
PERINO: OK, Juan, go ahead.
WILLIAMS: Hey, Bill, is that also a weather map because turnout is so key tomorrow and what we're hearing is you could have rain in Georgia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota.
HEMMER: I love the coat too, Juan.
WILLIAMS: Thank you my brother.
HEMMER: You look handsome.
WILLIAMS: By the way, you know what, Bill? They say, right now, we have a chance for a record turnout. We've already had our record early vote. So that's why I'm asking about the weather tomorrow.
HEMMER: You could get a record midterm, you're right. Juan, you know, it's a very interesting question. I'll answer two ways. East coast is going to get some rain tomorrow. Now I feel like a weatherman.
(LAUGHTER)
HEMMER: But I'll tell you, two of these states are critical. They don't have early voting, that's Virginia and Pennsylvania. So, it's a good question and we'll see how it goes tomorrow. How's that?
PERINO: All right. Bill Hemmer, thank you so much. We're excited to watch you tomorrow night and get all that information. Up next, a struggling red state Democrat calls out his own party's mistakes ahead of tomorrow's election. Details when The Five returns live from Fox Square.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WILLIAMS: Welcome back. Democratic senate candidate Phil Bredesen laying the groundwork for a potential loss against opponent Marsha Blackburn in Tennessee, the former governor rejecting tactics used by fellow Democrats against Brett Kavanaugh and slamming his own party leadership.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHIL BREDESEN, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE: I didn't think the Kavanaugh thing was handled properly. I thought the way in which the information about Dr. Ford was delayed to the end, did not read well at all in a lot of the country. And I wish they've handled it differently. I think it hurt the brand. If I lose, I think it will just be because, you know, the national Democratic brand is a problem in general for me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAMS: So, what we have here, Dana, is Phil Bredesen who is a very popular governor in Tennessee, saying that in a nationalized election, he thinks the Democrats, and I'm using his language here, have drifted from their core, how do you see it?
PERINO: Well, I think that -- he's being honest. It might not be the message that Democrats on the left want to hear. But if you look at candidate recruitment, Phil Bredesen, to be willing to come back and run statewide again in Tennessee, an experienced governor, well-liked, but in a Trump -- in a state where President Trump won by 19, 20 points, it's going to be very difficult for Democrats to win in any of these senate races going forward. Now, President Trump has played this very well. He trusts his instincts. He's going to continue to follow them. And you looked at that map as Bill Hemmer showed us where the president is going, these last few days are in the states where senate Democrats are endangered. The difference is -- to see what happens in 2020 because there is no senate Democrat that is up for reelection in 2020 in a state where President Trump won. So, the travel at that point and the message might look a little different.
WILLIAMS: So, Greg, I want your head to blow off here.
GUTFELD: Yes.
WILLIAMS: What we have.
WATTERS: Juan, stop with the violent rhetoric.
WILLIAMS: I know. I know. I know.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: I'm trying to tone it down. I didn't say anything more that he was going to become excited.
GUTFELD: Nice white scarf, Juan.
WILLIAMS: All right. So, Greg, we have Claire McCaskill in Missouri saying she's not one of those crazy Democrats. You have Joe Manchin saying, you know what, I didn't like the way we handled Kavanaugh. And he voted for.
GUTFELD: Right.
WILLIAMS: . Kavanaugh, right?
GUTFELD: That's correct.
WILLIAMS: So what do you think about this? What's going on.
GUTFELD: Well, first of all, what's his name, Bredesen? Whatever. Now he speaks up about Kavanaugh. Would have been nice if it was during the time that he actually said something -- did he? What did he say? I don't remember it.
WILLIAMS: Well, he voted for him.
GUTFELD: I didn't know that.
PERINO: He said he would have voted for him.
GUTFELD: OK. So, forget that I ever said that, he's a great guy. Vote for him. I think it would be healthy for the Democrats -- what happened to the Republicans which is a challenge to their orthodoxy. And maybe that will happen in 2020. The fact is, what is the Democratic orthodoxy? It's identity politics. It's grievance theater. It's who is more aggrieved than the other person. Ultimately, these people will eat themselves alive. That's why they need a new message, and they need a new message of unity of like bringing America back together again. The Kavanaugh -- what happened with Kavanaugh is a perfect example of the Stalinist end game, right? This is where identity politics will take you and the individual becomes subservient to the political party. Because, as Nancy Pelosi said, you know, to achieve a political aim, collateral damage is collateral damage. And the collateral damage is the individual. Kavanaugh was the innocent individual that was thrown to the fire to achieve a political aim. So, if the Democrats actually confront that problem, they might actually have the White House, but I don't know if they have the guts.
WILLIAMS: So what do you think, Jesse? I'm struck by the idea that you had Democrats kind of saying, hey, you know what? Let's not go too far because the president has been saying, hey, these are the radical Democrats. They're going to let criminals into the country. They want open borders. And here is a guy saying we don't need to play hardball with President Trump.
WATTERS: It's a good point. I think the Democrats do well when they appear moderate and when they stick to kitchen table issues like college tuition, wages, and health care. And when they talk about things like inclusion and fairness, when they get into trouble is when they start demonizing people and dividing. You know, is it possible for the Democratic Party to be pro-worker and still be pro-capitalist? Can they pull that off?
Can the Democratic Party be pro-#MeToo movement and also for due process? Can the Democratic Party be for diversity but also be against open borders and not be so anti-white?
So far they haven't been able to strike that balance. Right now the president comes out with an extreme position, and they automatically go to the other extreme. Abolish ICE, impeachment, socialism. I don't think that brand plays, because right now, and it always has been a center right country in America.
And when you look at the polls right now, the president and his party, the American people agree when it comes to the military, when it comes to jobs, when it comes to the economy, when it comes to Kavanaugh, and even, Juan, when it comes to the caravan.
A new poll outs, 51 percent of Hispanics support sending troops to stop the caravan. Sixty-five percent of all Americans want to send troops to stop the caravan.
The president knows where the center of the country is. The Democrats just have to be disciplined enough emotionally to create a contrast position which is not in Venezuela.
WILLIAMS: Really?
WATTERS: Yes.
WILLIAMS: I'm glad you're so moderate in your views.
WATTERS: I am so moderate. That's -- when people think of moderate, they think of me.
WILLIAMS: Of you? I know. That's what I do.
But by the way, I don't think Democrats are anti-white. Where'd that come from?
WATTERS: I'm talking about sometimes when you hear things about, "Oh, you want a border wall? Oh, you must hate, you know, Mexicans."
WILLIAMS: Oh, no.
WATTERS: That kind of positioning turns a lot of white working-class voters off.
WILLIAMS: Martha.
MACCALLUM: Well, if Phil Bredesen were to win, he would be the first Democrat senator since Al Gore in Tennessee. So it's been quite some time. And I think he's sending a very similar message to the one you pointed out from Claire McCaskill who talked about crazy Democrats. And Claire McCaskill has come out and said, you know, "I don't think the caravan should be allowed into the country."
So they are sending almost a clarion call to the rest of the party across the country, saying you are not where we are and you're not in a place where we can win in our home states.
WILLIAMS: So but do you think, though, that in fact, it's legitimate for Democrats to say, "Why are you guys always pulling back while Trump is punching hard?"
MACCALLUM: You know, I think that President Trump has gotten a long way with a lot of people that he referred to as forgotten men and women. Right? And a lot of them live in places like rural Tennessee and rural Missouri. And they feel recognized by these candidates right now. And as you say, you know, Bredesen is saying we have to become the party of labor again. You know, we have to re-identify with those workers or we're going to be in big trouble.
WILLIAMS: All right. Thanks, Martha.
Ahead, Texas congressional candidate and decorated war hero Dan Crenshaw has a message for NBC after Pete Davidson's joke on "Saturday Night Live." That's next on the freezing "Five."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC: JACKSON FIVE, "I WANT YOU BACK")
MACCALLUM: Love the Jackson Five. My first concert, actually.
PERINO: Good to know.
MACCALLUM: Welcome back to "The Five," everybody, live from FOX Square.
New fallout tonight over "Saturday Night Live" and Pete Davidson mocking former Navy SEAL and war hero Dan Crenshaw for wearing an eye patch. The Texas congressional candidate responding to this controversy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. DAN CRENSHAW, R-TEXAS: They probably should apologize, but that doesn't mean I'm going to demand an apology. I don't want to demand an apology that is hollow and empty.
What passes for humor these days is not what used to pass for humor. And I think that's the big tragedy in all this. Right? Why can't we just be funny again? What happened to our comedy in this country?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUTFELD: Hey!
MACCALLUM: Smart man, right? He served five tours of duty, two after he was blown up by an IED and lost his eye. He almost lost both eyes. But sort of miraculous recovery, he regained the sight in one eye.
Pete Davidson, you know, you would imagine if he's a normal human being, is feeling a lot of remorse over what he said, Greg. But what I liked about that statement was when he talked about, "I don't really want a hollow apology."
GUTFELD: Well, I used to like Crenshaw; I met him. But not anymore. I mean, "What happened to comedy?" Why don't you watch "The Greg Gutfeld Show," 10 p.m. Saturday? You did want to come on. We talked.
Anyway, his response was perfect and infuriating. And here's why it's perfect. We have to stop ruining people's lives over mistakes. We have to stop mobbing people online because they said a bad joke. Everybody has to be like Crenshaw. If everybody forgives, then we will all lead better lives. Instead of -- we get the adrenaline rush from chasing people down online, on Twitter, and making them feel bad, forcing an apology, forcing them to resign.
What's infuriating about his response is that it will only come from that side. The left will never do it. But the right will always -- for example, we've talked about Joy Behar. We've talked about Joy Reid. We've talked about Alec Baldwin. Nobody here ever demands an apology or says they should be fired. We just say they made a mistake. When Joy Behar made a --
PERINO: Yes.
GUTFELD: -- criticized Christians, none of us that she should be fired. We all have the ability to forgive.
But none of those people are going to give us the same allowance. The moment Jesse, you screw up, Media Matters will be all over you. "The View" will be all over you.
WATTERS: That's a good thing, because I'm never going to screw up. As a matter of fact, I think you should be fired. I've talked to -- getting you fired ever since I got on the show.
GUTFELD: Compassion is a one-way street.
WATTERS: It's true.
MACCALLUM: Dana, you know, he said that he wanted the "SNL" producers to get together. And he said, "Let me pick a number. I'm going to say a million dollars to your favorite veterans charity."
PERINO: Yes.
MACCALLUM: Good approach?
PERINO: Well, the night that he -- the night after this happened, he was at the Folds of Honor event doing a fundraiser for them, which is a worthwhile thing.
The thing I wonder about is that NBC, it's not like this joke wasn't in the teleprompter.
GUTFELD: Yes.
PERINO: It's not like they didn't have a graphic ready to go. So it's not just Pete Davidson --
GUTFELD: Yes.
PERINO: -- that said it. Right?
But I also think, I would agree with Greg on this, for sure, I am so tired of people calling for others to be fired. It's just -- you don't have the responsibility to fire anybody. That's their job, and you can express your outrage, whatever, but stop it with the demanding that they get fired.
MACCALLUM: Jesse, Joy Behar, speaking of Joy Behar, said you know, that she understood the joke, because his father died during 9/11; and he takes just the dark view of real life and tries to bring something comedic to it.
WATTERS: Yes, he's a dark guy, that's pretty clear, Pete Davidson. And he's going through some struggles in his personal life, because he was just -- had his engagement broken off by a pop star. So, you know, maybe he's trying to self-destruct. I don't know.
I don't think it was that bad of a joke. He was comparing the guy to a hit man. You know, could be worse. And it --
MACCALLUM: A porn star hit man, I think.
WATTERS: In a porn movie. I mean, there could be a lot worse insults.
GUTFELD: That wasn't the insult.
WATTERS: I guess now people say the insulting part was that he goes, "Oh, yes, well, I guess he, like, got it in war." That was more of, like, an off-prompter kind of throwaway line.
MACCALLUM: So you thought it was OK?
WATTERS: From a dark place. I didn't think it was OK. I just didn't think the joke landed the way he thought it was going to land. But do I think he needs to be fired? No.
MACCALLUM: Juan, what do you think about the apology thing? That we're always requiring people to apologize, requiring people to be fired.
WILLIAMS: I don't know about always. I was curious, in listening to my colleagues here on "The Five," Martha, because they are all in self- preservation mode. They don't want anybody criticized. I mean, I take a beating on Twitter every day. But anyway --
(CROSSTALK)
PERINO: You're not alone in that.
WILLIAMS: I must say --
MACCALLUM: We've kind of lost the art of forgiveness.
WILLIAMS: Hey, the art -- the art of forgiveness, oh, gosh. I love the art of forgiveness, because I'm a Christian. So I'm big into it.
And I -- but the thing is, I'm still with Greg on this. You know, I just think it's a matter of his sense of humor; and it's not the best humor, because I have such reverence for our veterans. But I must say that, when you stop and hear are some of the rhetoric that comes from, hmm, you know who about people who are -- even been prisoners of war, and he doesn't like --
GUTFELD: Chris Rock?
WILLIAMS: -- people who are captured. Who was that?
GUTFELD: Chris Rock?
WILLIAMS: No. It's not that --
GUTFELD: He made the -- he made the joke first.
WILLIAMS: I think it's D.T., I think the initials.
GUTFELD: We know. We know Trump. We know Trump.
WILLIAMS: Yes. I think he says some awful things that people say, "Oh, it was just a joke."
WATTERS: Well, this is more about "Saturday Night Live," and the point is that they'll make fun of veterans, but they won't make make fun of Democrats, Juan.
WILLIAMS: Oh, come on.
WATTERS: Juan, when have they made fun of Democrats on that show?
WILLIAMS: Are you telling me you missed -- you missed the whole '16 elections in they did to Hillary?
MACCALLUM: They're telling me that we have to go. And it's not my show, but they're telling me we have to go.
All right. Coming up, this amazing video and the midterms next on "The Five."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GUTFELD: Here's some winter vacation footage of Michael Avenatti chasing down his new client, Alec Baldwin. I kid the lying litigator and the fat felon. It's great tape of a mama bear scaling a mountain with a baby bear close behind, until the baby bear loses its footing. And then regains its footing and climbs again.
But as the cub gets close, down it goes, and it keeps trying; it keeps trying. And then it goes down and down, down. It looks like CNN's ratings. Anyway, the cub gives it one last try and makes it -- does make it back to mom. See?
I think this is really cute, even though both of them would rip you to shreds given the chance. They're adorable but vicious. A lot like "Today Show" anchors.
Of course, this raises an important question: why am I showing this video? Am I that bored with politics? Yes. But even more, it's a parable about persistence in the face of failure. And I don't mean Hillary. It's about you, the viewer, who every day has to climb over mountains of self- appointed experts telling you absolutely nothing. The polls, the predictions, the bad haircuts. Midterms are like the Super Bowl for the uncoordinated.
Or maybe this just was a desperate analogy so I could use this bear video. What can I say? I like bears. Even the mean one, named Bret.
WILLIAMS: Oh, my gosh.
GUTFELD: What?
WILLIAMS: Yell, you'd imagine that Bret Baier is a little upset at what you just did.
GUTFELD: He's no snowflake. Have you seen his biceps?
WILLIAMS: No.
PERINO: Have you?
WATTERS: Have you? Is there something you want to tell us?
GUTFELD: I have some pictures in my dressing room. I have -- I've blown them up.
Dana, does this video create any special meaning for you, or are you just mad I took attention away from Jasper?
PERINO: No, I -- so I watched this video late last night. I was so nervous for the bear I had to fast-forward to make sure it had a happy ending. It was, like, a three-minute-long event.
GUTFELD: Yes.
WATTERS: This is --
GUTFELD: There are two jokes in there I can't touch.
PERINO: I think I got it.
GUTFELD: Yes, Jesse.
WATTERS: This is what I would call a huge television risk. We are on the eve of the biggest midterm election in my lifetime, and Greg is showing animal videos.
GUTFELD: Yes.
PERINO: And making fun of his colleagues.
WATTERS: This could have a huge payoff, or we could see the viewership die.
The way I would describe the parable, Greg --
GUTFELD: Yes.
WATTERS: -- is Trump is the big bear, and he's trying to pull the House, little bear --
GUTFELD: Yes. Very good.
WATTERS: -- over the finish line against all odds. And look what happened.
PERINO: Look how perseverant they are.
WATTERS: Got to the top. Worked their way up.
GUTFELD: Juan, how about this for a metaphor? The big bear is Trump, and the little bear is the anti-Trump media that can't keep up with all of his achievements. It's a mountain of achievements, it's so high. They keep falling.
WATTERS: That is a stretch.
WILLIAMS: Jesse. Jesse, he was trying. He's an artist.
WATTERS: I know.
WILLIAMS: You've got to give Greg credit. But Greg, what happened then? I see the little media caught up.
GUTFELD: Yes, barely. Because you've got to -- I didn't see that one coming. "Bearly." No?
WILLIAMS; But you know --
GUTFELD: Must have made you smile.
WILLIAMS: It did. I loved that video. To me, it's like --
WATTERS: I thought it was unbearable.
PERINO: Oh, boy.
WILLIAMS: Look at that. That's a grisly joke. I think -- I think what we have here, though, Greg, is an example of perseverance.
GUTFELD: Yes.
WILLIAMS: And so I was thinking I wonder if Trump is going to build a wall. Where's that wall?
GUTFELD: Build a wall.
WILLIAMS: Because he promised us a wall.
WATTERS: Finish the wall. Finish it.
WILLIAMS: No, no, but you're going to pay for it. Is that right, Jesse?
WATTERS: No, Mexico.
WILLIAMS: No? Oh, maybe Martha will pay for the wall.
MACCALLUM: Yes, I'm not going to pay for the wall.
But let me tell you what I like about that video. Because at the end, it's sort of like a metaphor of tough love. Right? The mother is just standing there.
GUTFELD: Yes.
MACCALLUM: I look at it as a mom, you know, just standing there. Like, "Come on, come on, come on." But she doesn't run down and help him up, which was an option, right? She could have pushed him up. But she waits and waits and waits.
Then when he finally gets to the top, she doesn't go, like, "Yay, you did it!" and give a big hug. She just goes, "Yes, come on."
PERINO: Let's go. I think she didn't go down, though, because she was so heavy she knew she would not be able to stop.
GUTFELD: Wow, body shaming the bear, Dana. "Oh, I guess the bear's overweight."
PERINO: Well, I think she was appropriately sized for the winter.
GUTFELD: Right. Well, that's true.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
PERINO: That was a great monologue.
GUTFELD: Well, thank you very much.
PERINO: You're welcome.
GUTFELD: Shall we move on?
PERINO: I think so.
GUTFELD: Coming up, "One More Thing" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WATTERS: Time now for "One more Thing." Before we get to Dana, I just wanted to tell the audience Greg has a man satchel. Yes, I do. All right.
GUTFELD: I'm man enough to have a satchel.
WATTERS: That's right. Go ahead, Dana.
PERINO: ok. I want you to see Winston. He is a bull dog who has a deep love for the blues. Check him out. He is deaf, but he loves to dance along when his owner is playing the blues. He can feel it, and the owner says he's happy. He has a clean bill of health. And ahead of tomorrow's elections, you could think about Winston.
GUTFELD: Is he scratching his butt?
PERINO: No, he's --
GUTFELD: That's what I'd do.
PERINO: When you listen to the blues?
GUTFELD: Yes.
PERINO: All right. We'll be sure not to play that.
If you -- and just remember, if you go to Vote.org, you can find your polling location, you can check your information is up to date and find out where you're supposed to be tomorrow.
WATTERS: All right. And Democrats, the election is Wednesday -- Juan.
WILLIAMS: Thank you very much, Jess.
Anyway, folks, you know that tomorrow is election day. Women are going to play a huge role in deciding the outcome. So it caught my attention when I saw that 146 years ago today, Susan B. Anthony became the first woman to cast a vote in the USA. Of course, it was illegal, and she was arrested. And she was fined $100. She refused to pay.
The 19th Amendment gave women the legal right to vote 100 years ago, and today, there's a record number of women, 107, in the U.S. Congress.
Anthony died before women got the right to vote, but in 2016, with a woman running for president, look at what happened at her grave site.
That's right. Women papered it with stickers that said, "I voted." Terrific.
WATTERS: And women across the country are going to be very excited when Ivanka is president, 2024.
All right. My turn. How many cheeses can you name in 20 seconds? Well, a Milwaukee Bucks fan was put to the task on this. From Wisconsin, obviously. She did pretty well. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mascarpone. Buffalo. Smoked, Swiss, cream cheese, string cheese, cottage cheese. Brie, feta, Gouda, Munster, Colby Jack, Colby, pepperjack.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATTERS: Pepperjack! Came on pretty strong at the end. That was pretty good.
Greg, I know you're not allowed to eat cheese. Does that make you upset?
GUTFELD: That actually is a hate crime where I come from.
PERINO: Are you triggered?
GUTFELD: What?
PERINO: Are you triggered?
GUTFELD: I'm triggered by cheese. In fact, right now, I have to go to the bathroom. Thank you very much.
GUTFELD: Oh, my gosh.
WILLIAMS: Jesse, Jesse.
WATTERS: Yes, Juan.
WILLIAMS: Did she win?
WATTERS: Yes, she did.
WILLIAMS: What did she win?
WATTERS: I don't know, but we're going to say she won.
WILLIAMS: All right.
WATTERS: Greg.
GUTFELD: All right. I haven't banned a phrase in a while, but whenever we get around the elections, there are so many to choose from. And one thing I learned is that when a phrase in sports gets overused, it gets picked up by political analysts, like this one.
GRAPHIC: Greg's Banned Phrase. Today's phrase: Leaving it all on the field.
GUTFELD: Leaving it all on the field. I have heard this every time they talk about President Trump.
WATTERS: I said that on Saturday night.
GUTFELD: You did.
WATTERS: I did.
GUTFELD: I should listen to you more often. It means, just say he gave 100 percent or all of his effort.
PERINO: That's, like, taking something from a schoolteacher, though.
GUTFELD: Yes. What, leaving it all on --
PERINO: Yes. No, if you take he gave it 100 percent --
GUTFELD: Yes.
PERINO: -- it's like that's taking it from teachers. Like, there's nothing --
GUTFELD: How about 110 percent? I hate that.
WATTERS: Can you do that? Can you give 110 percent, Dana?
PERINO: Can I, personally?
WATTERS: Well, is it possible to do?
GUTFELD: The government does. Well, I mean, wasn't there a deficit basically, like, that?
PERINO: What deficit? We have a deficit?
WILLIAMS: I -- I wrote a book once, and the title was "Keep Your Eyes on The Prize," and someone said to me that, "If you got a nickel for every time that was in the sports page," you'd be a rich guy.
GUTFELD: Yes. You would. You'd own a lot of scarves, Juan.
WILLIAMS: Thank you, brother.
WATTERS: All right. Martha.
MACCALLUM: All right. So mine is Jillian Schnerch. This is Jillian, wearing an outfit that I have worn often myself, but I was not wearing it for Halloween. She is a tired mom. And she put Cheerios in her hair, and she's carrying Starbucks. And she has not one but two babies attached. One is up here, and the other one -- show the other one hanging onto her leg.
And the best part of this is that Jillian is 1 of 9 children, so she knows whereof she dresses and speaks. Her mom says she's like the little mommy in the family. She helps them take care of the youngest five, so Jillian, nice job.
GUTFELD: That was for Halloween?
MACCALLUM: That was her Halloween costume.
GUTFELD: Oh, I wanted to make sure.
(CROSSTALK)
MACCALLUM: She's like an adorable, beautiful girl and she put, like, Cheerios in her hair.
PERINO: We missed that part!
GUTFELD: We did. You did say it was Halloween.
MACCALLUM: It's my first "One More thing," so I'm not so good at it.
But I thought, is this too late to do a Halloween story? And then I realized that today I brought my Halloween candy and gave it to my staff. So I was like, "No, not too late."
PERINO: That was very good of you. And you're going to be back here on Wednesday, which I'm very excited about.
MACCALLUM: Yes, back on Wednesday with my playlist.
WATTERS: And then tomorrow night, we have Laura Ingraham. We have a Bret. We have Martha and Shannon Bream.
GUTFELD: Wow.
WILLIAMS: Wow.
WATTERS: Huge show tomorrow for the election. All right. Very important election. There will be no bear videos. It will all be politics.
GUTFELD: There will be Baier videos.
WATTERS: All right. Set your DVRs. Never miss an episode of "The Five." "Special Report" is up next with Bret.
BRET BAIER, FOX NEWS: Thanks, Jesse. Tell Greg I'd like to talk to him after the show. And I'm not a snowflake.
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