This is a rush transcript from “The Story with Martha MacCallum" November 27, 2020. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
WILL CAIN, FOX NEWS HOST: Good evening, everyone. I'm Will Cain, in for
Martha MacCallum, and this is THE STORY. Tonight, President Trump is at
Camp David with his family after appearing before cameras at the White
House and offering his most candid assessment yet of the election outcome,
railing against fraudulent votes and fraudulent voting, all the while
announcing plans to rally for Republicans in Georgia in races that will
seal the fate of majority control of the Senate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Maybe I'll go twice. It's
very important that we win those races. These are two great people. And I
just want to tell my people, don't be disappointed yet because this race is
far from over. But I'm going on Saturday night. I'll be in Georgia. we're
going to have a tremendous crowd.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAIN: President Trump urging his supporters to get out and vote for
Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler. Perdue tweeting in response, I'm
proud to have Donald Trump support in this race. We need everyone to get
out and vote for me and Kelly Loeffler on January 5th.
In moments, our panel is here on the political power, the president will
hold in the coming months. Also, tonight, George Papadopoulos says he hopes
he's the next in line to receive a pardon from the president. And former
UFC champ Tito Ortiz is here to talk about his latest win, but not in the
ring this time. It's in the political arena. Plus, stunning hypocrisy from
former President Barack Obama and a rebuke of would-be authoritarians from
the Supreme Court.
But we kick off things tonight with Florida Republican Congressman Matt
Gaetz, Victor Davis Hanson, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institute and
author of The Case for Trump, and Jessica Tarlov, Head of Research at
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__Bustle.com&d=DwICAg&c=cnx1hdOQtepEQkpermZGwQ&r=jM_9hg5JFXCKo8_URsChJ7Uq86vcqmLBqkSbVkH8bXw&m=iYMF-Lx8n7TpFT2UORtheWE_2eVorVFhg7Ke0Ar87TU&s=H8hIrx-1SWXBThvfiYPZwZ6gXmw9DxRhwnV33-j6qM0&e= , her digital group and a Fox News Contributor.
Congressman, I'd like to start with you. The president today said that if
electoral votes went to Joe Biden, he would concede, and he would leave the
White House. But he made it clear, Congressman, that he believes this
election was rigged, that it was a fraud. Polls suggest many Americans
agree with him, but the courts as of yet do not. So, the question remains,
will he be able to prove it, Congressman?
REP. MATT GAETZ (R-FL): There's a difference between being able to prove
fraud and then being able to obtain the remedies that would decertify
election results, and I think the president has been pretty clear that he
wants to expose the fraud, not just as a consequence of the 2020 election,
but to try to ensure we have more integrity in our elections going forward.
Take Georgia, for example, where we're about to have this high impact
special election. The consent decree that Stacey Abrams rather effectively
litigated the state of Georgia into has dramatically reduced the amount of
absentee ballots that have gotten rejected as a consequence of bad
signatures, that number used to be 3.5 percent getting rejected and falling
down to 0.3 percent. That creates the opportunity for a lot more of those
ballots that seem to go Joe Biden's way.
CAIN: Jessica, it does seem that every one Republican or Democrat would
have a vested interest in exposing any potential irregularities in this
election and whether or not the president receives the remedies he seeks in
these court cases, isn't that a laudable effort to ensure that our
political system is honest and on the up and up?
JESSICA TARLOV, HEAD OF RESEARCH, https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__BUSTLE.COM&d=DwICAg&c=cnx1hdOQtepEQkpermZGwQ&r=jM_9hg5JFXCKo8_URsChJ7Uq86vcqmLBqkSbVkH8bXw&m=iYMF-Lx8n7TpFT2UORtheWE_2eVorVFhg7Ke0Ar87TU&s=tIoEEd3bVDINgPiJOyYMWXMwcD112Mt8y3_r99zIwrI&e= : Absolutely, I'm fully
supportive of that, and people like Chris Krebs who was fired by the
president just last week, are in support of that as well. There are many
officials who have come out and said that this is the freest and fairest
election that we've had in American history.
Irregularities should be examined. But we know now that we are moving to a
model where more people will be voting by mail. And I believe it's nine
states do this anyway with regularity and there's no reason that we can't
emulate that in elections to come.
But to the congressman's comments about what President Trump is after, he
is after subverting the will of the American people, he wanted to stop the
count in states where he was ahead, demanding the count continued, in
states where he's behind. He wants to disenfranchise black voters in urban
areas but wants to tout his 18 percent support with black men when it suits
him. You can't have it both ways. Joe Biden won this election by an almost
unprecedented margin. We're talking about Obama 08 levels and the president
needs to concede, aid the transition as he's committed to and make sure
that he is out by January 20th when President-elect Joe Biden is
inaugurated.
CAIN: I want to get to Victor Davis Hanson in just a moment. But,
Congressman, I'll let you respond to what Jessica said.
GAETZ: Well, the president hasn't done anything to bar the transition of
power. And I do think that the legal process and also the political process
to uncover fraud, to enact better laws ought to unite all Americans. So,
there's no disagreement there. There are very small margins in some of
these places like Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania. And there are a lot of
Republicans who don't understand why we went to bed with the president
having leads at times in the hundreds of thousands in these states. And you
wake up to see ballots seemingly willed into existence.
And while you at the same time see observers excluded and you see signature
matches seemingly ignored, it raises questions that I think we've got to
answer through the political process and through the legal process.
CAIN: This news just in Milwaukee County has certified its vote for Joe
Biden. Victor Davis Hanson, I want to bring you in now, please. I know
you've written this. You believe that the president is at a crossroads. His
political future or the power that he wields in the coming months is
quickly, rapidly approaching a crossroads.
VICTOR DAVIS HANSON, SENIOR FELLOW, HOOVER INSTITUTION: Yes, I think that
the congressman is right. He has a legitimate right and responsibility to
question any irregulars that come up and he's doing so. And that's not new.
I remember Al Gore remember 36 days; he didn't concede in 2000 until
December 13th. That's about two and a half weeks from now.
And remember, in 2000 even and 2016, it's tomorrow, November 28th, when
Jill Stein is a surrogate for Hillary Clinton, sued to overturn the
election in three key states. Hillary Clinton, remember, and Hollywood
people supported subverting the Electoral College because we heard nonstop
television ads urging the electors not to follow their constitutionally
mandated responsibilities.
And, of course, Hillary Clinton would then by January were saying the
election was stolen. She joined the la resistance and tried to oppose it
based on the fraudulent dossier. And then four years later, in August of
this year, she said that the election had been stolen and Joe Biden should
not concede under any circumstances.
So, there's a history of acrimony. And what the president has to understand
is that he is doing things legitimately and then there's going to be a
deadline, and that's when the electors meet on December 14th. And I think
he's got to avoid conspiracy theories that he won a landslide by 70
percent. He didn't. But there's nothing wrong with saying this was an
unusual year to massive mail in and early voting. And we have to examine
discrepancies, mathematical, statistical anomalies, all of that. But
there's going to be a date when the electors are going to vote. And after
that, it becomes very problematic.
And that's why he, I think, wisely is going down to Georgia. He's going to
try to win those two seats. And then I think in the House race in 2022,
it's going to be a whole different game. I think the future bodes well. If
he doesn't press it beyond the electoral voting and he doesn't get into the
conspiracy theory, I think he's avoided that so far.
CAIN: Jessica, to Victor's point that many of the claims made by the Left
today are completely in contrast to claims they made just four years ago.
Every claim seems to come with some burden of hypocrisy, whether or not
with Stacey Abrams claiming fraudulent voting in her bid to become
Georgia's governor or claims that the twenty sixteen was illegitimate,
there was Russian interference or an MSNBC host who in 2016 suggested maybe
the electors should be appointed by state legislators, not following the
will of the vote. Every single claim to move on, as you said earlier, seems
to be in opposition to the claims made four years ago.
TARLOV: So, I obviously don't speak for every liberal in America, but I
will do my best to address the points that you made. First and foremost,
speaking to Hillary Clinton, who was the one who lost to Donald Trump by
77,000 votes, she conceded the night of the election, asked him which he
was very kind to give her for a few hours to compose herself and prepare,
and then came out the next morning with her husband by her side and talked
about the fact that she had lost and Donald Trump had won and that we had
to work together.
To state what Stacey Abrams said, I have been critical in the past of her
refusal to say, I concede, but she did acknowledge that Governor Kemp was
going to become governor, that he would be governor-elect, and she has
worked her butt off to get people registered in Georgia and to provide us
with a great boon and being personally responsible for our win there for
Joe Biden and registering about 800,000 people.
And what an MSNBC host said. I don't follow all of it, but there are people
out there who have said things that I don't necessarily agree with and it
doesn't mean that we should lead by example this time around.
CAIN: That's completely understandable. Speak for yourself, it just seems
like it's run of the mill doing business as usual four years ago and akin
to acts of insurrection some four years later when it comes from the Left.
Congressman, I have to end with you, but I would like to ask you something
that Victor brought up, and that is the president has said everyone in
Georgia should get out and vote. There are others like one of his
attorneys, Lin Wood, that said conservatives should boycott the Georgia
vote. Where are you on this? Should conservatives get out and vote for
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler?
GAETZ: Absolutely, Senators Perdue and Loeffler are all that stand between
our great nation and socialism, and so I hope that in and of itself is
sufficiently motivating. But we don't have as united a movement in Georgia
as I wish we did. I think that's the consequence of poor political
leadership from Governor Kemp. And so, we've got to go and fight with the
team we've got. And it's my hope that we'll see a different type of
electorate and a different type of outcome in the special election that's
coming up in January.
CAIN: And it sounds like the president will be down there campaigning for
both of those senators. Jessica Tarlov, Victor Davis Hanson, Congressman
Matt Gaetz, thank you all so much for your time today.
TARLOV: Thanks, Will.
HANSON: Thank you.
CAIN: The Supreme Court is sending a strong signal to governors about COVID
restrictions encroaching on civil liberties. Constitutional Law Attorney
Jonathan Turley and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Charlie LeDuff after
this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CAIN: The Supreme Court sending a warning to governors about overstepping
in the age of COVID-19. In a five to four decision, the high court ruling
against an order from New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo limiting
the size of religious gatherings to 10 to 25 people in churches and
synagogues and other places of worship, in certain areas of the state.
Here's how Governor Cuomo responded, though.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D-NY): You have a different court, and I think that was
the statement that the court was making, and we know who he appointed to
the court. We know their ideology.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAIN: Joining me now, Jonathan Turley, George Washington University law
professor and a Fox News Contributor. Jonathan, thanks for being here this
evening. I'd love to read something from Justice Neil Gorsuch's concurrence
here if we can put it up on the screen. I found this fascinating. He said
even if the Constitution has taken a holiday during the pandemic, it cannot
become a sabbatical. Its time, past time to make plain that while the
pandemic poses many grave challenges, there is no world in which the
Constitution tolerates color coded executive edicts that reopened liquor
stores and bike shops, but shutter churches, synagogues and mosques.
Jonathan, I understand the Supreme Court cases are narrowly tailored to the
issue before them, but this appears to me a stunning rebuke of the power
grabs by many of these governors and mayors across the country.
JONATHAN TURLEY, LAW PROFESSOR, GWU: Well, it's a curious thing to see the
governor lashing out at the court and suggesting that this was all ideology
or some form of activism. He seems focused on the fact that they ruled as
opposed the fact that five justices indicated that he violated the
religious protections of New Yorkers. And it's not just five four, because
Chief Justice Roberts indicated that he was not ruling on the merits, that
he might find this unconstitutional. He just thought it was premature to
rule. So, it could be six to three.
You would think that would be a greater concern for the governor. And what
really troubles me is this attack on the court that this is just ideology
and therefore I don't have anything to answer for here.
What the court was saying is that you can have restrictions on churches,
but they can't be arbitrary. You have to recognize that the free exercise
of religion is protected under the First Amendment. You can't just willy
nilly restricted in ways without creating some type of substantive
foundation. And that's what's so, I think, troubling about his comments.
The Democrats have, in my view, rightfully criticized the president for
attacking judges that ruled against him. And yet we're seeing that with
people like Cuomo that are saying, if they ruled against me, it's just
because they're a bunch of political shills. Instead of addressing the
underlying problem.
CAIN: Red zones, orange zones, liquor stores versus places of worship, it's
a stunning observation. This is where we are in America. But here's the
illustration, I think, Jonathan, if what you're talking about this attack
on the court, this is Ben Rhodes, former President Obama's speechwriter. He
said the following. He said the new illegitimate five, four Supreme Court
majority overturning a policy to put more lives in danger. Your thoughts,
Jonathan?
TURLEY: Yes, that's the same Mr. Rhodes who just recently criticized
Republicans for challenging the legitimacy of President-elect Biden. The
hypocrisy that is floating around today is really overwhelming. This is a
legitimate court. The reason you can tell that is Governor Cuomo will do
exactly what it just told him to do. That's the proof. It's a legitimate
court.
The Justice Barrett, which I think is what he's referencing was put on the
court through a constitutional process to fill a vacancy. You can disagree
with the choice, but there's no asterisk after her name. There's no
asterisk on this court. It is a legitimate court that issued a legitimate
order. And that's why Governor Cuomo is going to do exactly what they just
ordered him to do.
CAIN: All right. Jonathan Turley, Fox News Contributor. Thank you so much
for your time, Jonathan.
TURLEY: Thank you.
CAIN: All right. Also, here tonight, Charlie LeDuff, the Pulitzer Prize
winning journalist and host of the No B.S. Newshour Podcast. Charlie, I
asked this of Jonathan, is this a rebuke in general of these mayors and
governors commandeering what seems like somewhat arbitrary, but yet heavy-
handed power in the age of the Coronavirus pandemic?
CHARLIE LEDUFF, HOST, NO B.S. NEWSHOUR PODCAST: Well, I think my fellow
citizens believe so, even if you are liberal, I mean, we're looking at the
same thing in Michigan where the governor suspended the state constitution
for six months, the state high court review.
We had liquor stores open, the lottery machines open, but you couldn't have
more than 10 at a funeral. She tried at first to shut down the churches,
but the lawsuit came, so she thought better of it. Then she exempted the
churches. What, not the people who attended church and then backed off on
that. So, it was coming because she pretty much follows what Cuomo does.
So, I think it's important in this era that some kind of sense to what
we're doing, because as your former guest just said, it's hypocrisy, but
it's a hypocrisy on the Left, it's hypocrisy on the Right. And we're all
just trying to live, make a living and keep our open to faith.
CAIN: Whitmer, Cuomo, Garcetti, Newsom, state-after-state, it seems like
mayors and governors grabbing more power during this time. But shockingly,
I think, and I want to put this to you, Charlie, one of the biggest grabs
of power might be coming from a Republican governor in the state of
Maryland.
I want to play for you something said earlier this week, week by Republican
Governor Larry Hogan about whether or not you have a constitutional right
to go mask free. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY HOGAN, MARYLAND GOVERNOR: It's sort of like saying I have a
constitutional right to drive drunk, I have a constitutional right to not
wear a seatbelt or to yell fire in a crowded movie theater or to not follow
the speed limit, wear a mask. There's no constitutional right to walk
around without a mask.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAIN: Charlie, I think they're incredibly important points to make about
the responsibility or the individual choice or the helpfulness of wearing a
mask during this pandemic. But I wasn't where we needed a constitutional
amendment, a bill of right to ensure that we had a right to go mask free.
Is that where we are now?
LEDUFF: How about, like, there's a constitutional amendment, like just be
cool, do something for your fellow man. I'm wearing one, I'm not really
worried about. I'm pretty healthy, doing it for you. So, come into the gas
station like a tough guy. It's not going to kill you. Put it on. I'll say
this stuff.
Here's the deal with the governors, which is really upsetting, and it
pisses me off and you too, what are they responsible for? They're
responsible for the nursing home. In Michigan, 4 percent of the cases are
in the nursing home and 50 percent of the debt, they're paying to fix it.
Governor, the schools and the and the universities. Look at New York and
the debate over the schools, de Blasio, Cuomo, they don't know what each
other is doing.
Same here. The big outbreaks at universities, jails and prisons do the
stuff that you've been elected to do, the governmental stuff and not the
personal stuff. Stay out of the churches, stay out of the factories and
deal with the places where we're really getting hit. And that is where the
old and frail are living and that you inspect and send public dollars to.
CAIN: And it was my understanding, Charlie, the Constitution limited the
government, not the people, that any rights not in the Constitution were
assumed to be reserved for the people. But Larry Hogan has a different
view.
LEDUFF: And a great philosopher once said, a wise man needs no law. Be
wise, look out for each other.
CAIN: That's very wise. Thank you, Charlie, so much for your time tonight.
LEDUFF: Thanks, Will.
CAIN: All right. Take care. All right. Tonight, United Airlines is flying
doses of Pfizer's vaccine to be in a position once FDA approved. Dr. Marty
Makary on just how close to distribution we could be. That's next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: The vaccines and by the way, don't let Joe Biden take credit for the
vaccines. Joe Biden failed with the swine flu, H1N1, totally failed with
the swine flu. Don't let him take credit for the vaccines because the
vaccines were me and I pushed people harder than they've ever been pushed
before.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CAIN: Breaking tonight, United Airlines has reportedly started flying
charter flights to position doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine at various
sites across the U.S., readying them for quick distribution if the vaccine
is approved by regulators. President Trump saying, we can expect deliveries
to start as early as next week for high risk groups.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: The vaccines are being delivered literally, it will start next week
and the week after. And it'll hit the frontline workers and seniors and the
doctors, nurses, a lot of people are going to start and we're going very
quickly. Two companies already announced, the third one coming up, and a
fourth and fifth one coming up soon also.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAIN: The FDA is set to meet December 10th to take up Pfizer's application
for emergency vaccine approval. Joining me now, Dr. Marty Makary, professor
at Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health and a Fox News Medical
Contributor. Dr. Makary, can we start with this? What a stunning course of
development here. What a stunning innovation, the number of months we've
gone from looking for a vaccine to COVID-19 to perhaps having one at our
doorstep. Can you contextualize that for us, the timeframe that this
vaccine was developed versus historical precedent?
DR. MARTIN MAKARY, FOX NEWS MEDICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Well, it is. It's truly
amazing. Well, but what's even more amazing is the vaccines should be
approved by this point in time. They should have been approved by now. Why
is the FDA scheduling a meeting for December 10th after we have all of this
promising phase three data?
We have this archaic, outdated system at the FDA that's been there for
legacy and generation after generation where there's no rolling active
reviews like Europe has. So, as the data comes in, Europe reviews the data
with each piece of data that comes in. And then once we give the green
light, we don't really survey the marketplace. We don't continue to follow
patients in any meaningful way.
And the FDA added that weird, once in its history, added an eight-week
additional safety observation period to any phase three trial just to make
sure that it came after the election. So, really, we're just waiting around
now for that eight-week period to come pass and then for this meeting to
happen on December 10th, the vaccine should be out there right now.
CAIN: And such is the case, the normal course of events in a bureaucracy or
a political institution. I think all the more making it stunning. This
vaccine has made it as quickly as it has to the doorstep of the market.
Doctor, I know you have some questions about who would qualify as high-risk
individuals. This vaccine will be prioritized in the beginning for high-
risk individuals and of course, front line workers. How do you suspect we
will qualify who is high-risk?
MAKARY: Well, you know, we haven't done a great job studying that because
there hasn't been funding for clinical research. We just completed at Johns
Hopkins the largest study on COVID today looking at mortality and risk
factors and we identified groups that are especially high risk who should
be first in line to get the vaccine.
Those over 65, who have any chronic kidney disease, sickle cell disease,
leukemia, lymphoma, heart disease, diabetes, or obesity. After that initial
group those with cerebral palsy in any residential facility that they
reside in and those with any lung disease or previous lung cancer. Those
are the people who right now should go to their doctor and tell them get
ready to get the vaccine if you have not the infection already.
CAIN: I'd love you to get you to address quickly some concerns that people
have about the vaccine. The Brazilian president said he won't take any
vaccine. There is a story out today that some side effects have hit some
people in the trials for these vaccines. What should we feel, what should
we know about there in the public about the efficacy and safety of these
vaccines?
MAKARY: Well, first of all just from a pure mechanism. If you think about
the mRNA that's being administered there is no reason to think that that
would cause serious side effects. The side effects that we've been seeing
are transient and I would urge people who are candidates for the vaccine to
get it.
The side effects are comparable to that of the seasonal flu in terms of how
quickly they've resolve. They can knock the wind out of you or give you
some fatigue or headache or some muscle soreness or soreness at the site of
the injection. But those resolve within 24 hours in the small subset of
patients where it occurs.
Remember, I don't think everybody needs to get the vaccine. Thirty percent
of the population will have natural immunity by the end of the winter base
on the current trajectory that we're on. And we need about 60 to 70 percent
of the population to get immunized in order to have the antibodies in order
to have herd immunity. So that means 30 to 40 percent may need to get the
vaccine.
CAIN: I keep going to that first thing you told me. Stunning fast as this
vaccine has made its way to our doorstep. it should have been even faster.
The FDA held it we're sitting here for eight weeks as the election was
taking place.
Really interesting point. Thank you so much, Dr. Makary.
MAKARY: Thanks, Will.
CAIN (voice over): All right. Michael Flynn speaking out on Thanksgiving
after a full pardon from President Trump. Former Trump campaign aide George
Papadopoulos is hoping the president will do the same for him. And he's up
next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARTHA MACCALLUM, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Do you think you are going to get a
pardon from President Trump?
GEORGE PAPADOPOULOS, FORMER TRUMP CAMPAIGN AIDE: I have no idea. I have no
expectation for it. My lawyers, I know my lawyers have formally applied for
one. And if I'm granted it would be a tremendous honor, and of course --
(CROSSTALK)
MACCALLUM: You already spent 12 days in federal prison which I'm sure was
not a picnic, but you would like that off your record?
PAPADOPOULOS: Yes, I would. I mean, I definitely would. It would be nice
to move on with my life and my wife would certainly like to kind of forget
this --
(CROSSTALK)
MACCALLUM: To get it behind.
PAPADOPOULOS: -- our chapter and get this behind us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CAIN (voice over): President Trump's former national security advisor
Michael Flynn expressing gratitude on Thanksgiving after being granted a
full pardon by the president. Saying in a statement he can, quote, "breathe
freedom and liberty." And going on to say, "never again should any family
or individual be so viciously targeted, malign, smeared, and threatened.
Such has been the experience of my family and I. Not you, or your loved
ones, not me, nor President Trump."
Flynn had twice pled get guilty after admitting to lying to the FBI about
his contacts with Russian officials.
My next guest was the first Trump campaign aide to be charged in the
Mueller probe, sent to 14 days in prison for lying to the FBI about his
interactions with Russians, and now he hopes President Trump will step in.
George Papadopoulos is former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser and
author of "Deep State Target: How I Got Caught in the Crosshairs of the
Plot to Bring Down President Trump."
George, thanks for being here tonight. First, I'm going to assume you
believe this was a very appropriate action for President Trump to take with
Michael Flynn?
PAPADOPOULOS: Thanks for having me, Will. And absolutely. What happened to
General Flynn was an injustice, it was a stain on our history -- on the
history of our country. And it's something that actually should have never
happened in the beginning. General Flynn is a three-star general who served
his country honorably. And I think the president did the right thing. He
tried to rectify this major injustice.
CAIN: I think many see that. In fact, the Wall Street Journal have said
the following when it comes to this case with Michael Flynn said,
congratulations, Mr. Trump for sparing an innocent man who served his
country well but was ill served by too many of his countrymen.
George, I understand you were hoping to find a similar pardon in your
future from President Trump, is that right?
PAPADOPOULOS: Look, I want the facts to speak for themselves in my case.
We can't forget that the Russia investigation, if you will, was the biggest
story in modern political history. And we still have not closed the chapter
on this particular story.
First, we had the Mueller investigation which turned out to be a complete
dud and basically a conspiracy theory. Then we had I.G. Horowitz do a
thorough investigation in which both A.G. Barr and John Durham refuted the
key findings of that particular investigation even started.
They had criminal referrals and now John Durham who seems to be the final
chapter of this trilogy has already indicted an FBI attorney who was
working not only on the Clinton e-mail case but was appointed to work
directly with Robert Mueller, this Kevin Clinesmith.
So, I think my story given that reportedly is at the center of what John
Durham was investigating, is investigating and what I.G. Horowitz was
looking into it. I hope once all these facts are out there and once the
president releases the documents that he's declassified that they will
support a logical conclusion which will be a full pardon.
CAIN: George, why do you think the president hasn't taken up your case as
of yet?
PAPADOPOULOS: I don't know. I can't speak for the president. This, the
pardon power obviously rests exclusively with the president. He can pardon
whomever he would like or not like. I have basically set out my case, I've
testified under oath to Congress in front of both John Ratcliffe who's now
the head of the DNI, and Mark Meadows who obviously is the White House
chief of staff.
I've written an entire book on this story. And reportedly, as I mentioned,
what happened to me involving the spying scandal, if you will, that
targeted me to basically harm President Trump is now reportedly in the
center of a massive global spanning criminal case led by John Durham.
So maybe the president is waiting for the right time to look into the exact
facts of what happened in my particular situation. Others, we'll see what
happens. The president has been very unpredictable with his pardon power.
CAIN: All right. George Papadopoulos, thank you so much for joining us
tonight.
PAPADOPOULOS: Thank you so much.
CAIN: Best of luck. Former President Obama paints Evangelicals and
Hispanics with a broad brush when explaining President Trump support among
Latino voters. That debate is coming up next. You don't want to miss it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CAIN: President Trump getting a boost from Latino voters in Texas and
Florida this election. His predecessor though is offering a controversial
take as to why that might be.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: There are
lot of Evangelical Hispanics who, you know, the fact that Trump says racist
things about Mexicans or put detainees, you know, undocumented workers in
cages, they think that's less important than the fact that, you know, he
supports their views on gay marriage or abortion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAIN: The Washington Post following up with this. Former President Barack
Obama gave an answer that will fuel growing criticism of the Democratic
Party, its apparent deep misunderstanding of the Latino vote.
Joining me now is Bianca Gracia, president of Latinos for Trump, a
grassroots organization. It's not affiliated with the campaign. And Michael
Starr Hopkins, a Democratic strategist and founder of the John Lewis
Brigade Project.
Thank you both for being here.
Bianca, let's start with you. So, President Obama's explanation for
President Trump's support with Latinos is they're simply willing to
overlook bigotry because they are essentially bigoted themselves in their
religious views. Is that what he is saying?
BIANCA GRACIA, PRESIDENT, LATINOS FOR TRUMP: I think -- actually thank you
so much for inviting me on and having to come and clarify some rhetoric of
the previous president has bestowed upon our communities. It's a backlash.
It's no worse than Joe Biden saying that you couldn't vote for Trump, you
know, if you were black.
I think it's condescending for him to undermine our voices and our votes.
We had a 200, 300 percent increase in Hispanic voter turnout in the valley
which is the Rio Grande Valley down in Texas. You had, you know, it's just
-- it's just appalling to say that we would rather defend our religious
liberties than to ignore things that have been previously said.
They always use the race card, and that's the thing. And so, the fact is,
that in 2014, Obama is the one that made the cages for the illegals that
came across. And the fact is that he is the one that deported more people
than under President Trump.
And those are the facts. And our Hispanic communities are awake to that.
Seventy-four percent of our border patrol agents are Hispanic. And it was
time that we decided to come to the polls and vote what was best for the
communities. And the policies that are coming out of President Trump's
administration do benefit our communities.
CAIN: Michael, let's set aside for a moment although it's difficult to,
but let's set aside for a moment what was a fairly condescending statement
towards people of faith.
I want to just address what Bianca said there. It's flat wrong. President
Obama was the one who built the cages that he is now alleging President
Trump put immigrants in and therefore they should be holding that against
President Trump. What more, and I don't know how this escapes, President
Trump has never said anything opposing gay marriage. it was President Obama
that first opposed gay marriage before -- before embracing it. President
Obama is just wrong in his characterization from start to finish here,
isn't he not, Michael?
MICHAEL STARR HOPKINS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: No, President Obama's point
was that the Hispanic and Latino community have often been used as a pawn
in political games. And so, when religion is used as a wedge issue which is
often used as, the ill of addressing issues like immigration, addressing
issues like economic justice it does no one a service.
You know, there is a reason why there's such a big disparity between the
Latino for people that are 18 to 25, and the older Latino vote 32 to around
52. And it's because Republicans have been successful at using words like
socialism against Democrats in a way that Democrats haven't been the kind
of --
(CROSSTALK)
CAIN: Michael, with all due respect, it would seem to me that issues like
socialism are substantive policy issues. Faith itself is a substantive
policy issue. It would seem to me that identity politics, the embrace of
race is a wedge issue. Let me give you an example if I might.
This is something that President Obama said in that same interview with The
Breakfast Club about what President Trump is doing to appeal to white
voters. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: You've seen created in Republican politics the sense that, you
know, white males are victims. Like they are the ones who were like under
attack which obviously doesn't jive with both history and data and
economics. But that's a sincere belief.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAIN: Michael, every time I look up what's happening here is we are waving
our hand at real issues. Government growth, faith and having Democrats
remind everyone you are forgetting they are racists. I keep trying to tell
you they're racist. And yet, he is growing, President Trump, his vote with
African-Americans that went up in this past election with Latino voters. It
seems that nobody is hearing this. And yet President Obama is doubling and
tripling down on this identity politics.
HOPKINS: For the last four years President Trump has been the president
and he hasn't been able to push through successful legislation because he
has focused on this grievance politics. This idea that rather than focusing
on policy, we're going to argue that, you know, it's the country that's
unfair to white America.
That it's the changing demographics that are going to take away money and
resources from middle America. It's, you know, the dog whistles that you
and I both know are part of the political game --
GRACIA: Well --
HOPKINS: -- but have been used in a way that haven't been used since
George Wallace.
CAIN: Bianca, go ahead.
GRACIA: Well, you know, this is the thing about the left -- I'm sorry. I
just disagree. The policy that have been coming out under President Trump's
administration clearly have benefitted our communities and all communities.
It's all communities. It's not just -- there is no pandering to race and
one race is better than the other or ethnic group, I'm sorry, is better
than the other.
You know, we had the lowest unemployment for blacks and Hispanics. We had
the fastest growing --
(CROSSTALK)
HOPKINS: Thank you, President Obama.
GRACIA: -- on small business -- no, no, no, that was under this president
in the past four years. I know you like to take credit.
(CROSSTALK)
HOPKINS: One point -- one-point five percent --
GRACIA: But as Obama said, as Obama said, what Trump is going to do come
sprinkle some fairy tale dust over and the GDP is going to grow? No.
Actually we have the fastest growing small businesses of Latina business
owners. That is who under President Trump benefitted.
We were -- you saw less taxation. You saw less government regulation. And
that is what cause. There was more money in our Latino pockets at the end
of the day because of all of the deregulation that President Trump did. At
the end of the say that is what Hispanics understand. We understand our
pocketbook. That's what we understand. We do not completely agree with any
of the socialist communists --
CAIN: Right.
GRACIA: -- agenda that is coming from the left at all. We have -- this
election was -- this is how the Latinos rejected your communist agenda,
it's how we rejected it by going to the polls and casting our votes for
President Donald J. Trump.
HOPKINS: Yes.
GRACIA: It was that clear. We did it in -- we did it in Florida and we did
it here in Texas.
CAIN: President Trump increased his votes --
(CROSSTALK)
HOPKINS: There is more --
CAIN: President Trump increased his vote among Latinos, among African-
Americans, among LGBTQ. And it would seem to me that would be a reflection
of a desire to embrace his policies not believing that he is a racist. I'm
sorry we are going to have to leave it here.
GRACIA: And Will --
CAIN: We run out of time. Go ahead.
GRACIA: I'm sorry. Will?
CAIN: Yes.
GRACIA: And Will, he is the first that has a cabinet member who is openly
LGBTQ.
CAIN: I suspect this isn't the last we'll hear of this debate, though.
Michael, Bianca, thank you both so much for your time.
HOPKINS: Take care. Congratulations on everything.
CAIN: Thank you.
Five months to go former MMA fighter Tito Ortiz joined THE STORY to explain
why he was exploring a career change to keep America safe.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MACCALLUM: Are you serious about this?
TITO ORTIZ, FORMER MMA FIGHTER: Yes, I am serious. I'm actually going to
have a meeting these couple of weeks, actually in the next couple of days
with one of my friends who is a retired police officer from Huntington
Beach Police Department and one of my friends from Los Angeles sheriff's
department.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAIN: At the time Tito was saying he was going to be a law enforcement
officer. But he's taking on new role but not on law enforcement. He is
going to tell us about it next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ORTIZ: How can I help the most? How can I help not just in our community
but the integrity of the officers across the United States because they
needed to be respected and because they protect and serve us?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAIN: UFC legend Tito Ortiz is known for fighting in the Octagon for
millions of fans but after a summer of nationwide protests and calls to
defund the police Tito decided it was time to fight for his community.
Running for city council under the slogan make Huntington Beach safe again
and winning. The former Huntington Beach bad boy joins me now.
Tito, the last time I saw you we were talking about weight cutting on a
different network. Here we are today talking about something much more
important. And that is your community. You are now a city councilman. I
should point out you got the most votes of everyone running for city
council. How do you take your message now? I know you're a big fan of the
president, and apply it to local politics. What do you plan to do for
Huntington Beach?
ORTIZ: Well, I think, you know, not just getting the most votes of all
council members that tried to run but the most votes of Huntington Beach
history. And it shows that the people have spoken. And what they want is no
more politicians in there. They want people that are from the grassroots
that are going to fight for the future of our city. And the safety of our
city.
You know, downtown Huntington Beach I see the homeless situation is growing
rapidly. I don't want it to turn Santa Monica or a San Francisco. You know,
back in 200 -- or excuse me, 1996, I went there to wrestle San Francisco
State went downtown, beautiful place. Beautiful, beautiful place. Went back
in 2014 for one of my fights and it was disgusting, embarrassing.
Showing what Gavin Newsom did for that city and I can't believe he became
governor. But once again I got to start at the grassroot level and I'm
going to help my city by starting with the homeless situation to zero
tolerance. We have the Navigation Center that is being built --
CAIN: Right.
ORTIZ: -- in Huntington Beach so they have a home to go through. Either
they get help to have a drug free life and rehabilitate their life. And I
think that's one of the things here in Huntington Beach all the city
council members we have the idea to protect our city and the safety of our
city and it's important.
Once again, like I said, the community has spoken and they voted for me as
being number one over 42,000 votes. I believe it was 17 percent of the
votes.
CAIN: Right.
ORTIZ: And I worked hard. It was three weeks -- excuse me three months of
every single day. I think I took off four days in that three months. But it
was --
(CROSSTALK)
CAIN: Hey, Tito, I don't want to run ahead too quickly, I only have a
second here with you.
ORTIZ: Yes.
CAIN: But homelessness issues, law and order issues making Huntington
Beach safe again. But although you just won, quickly, is this where your
political career starts or stops.
ORTIZ: This is where my political career starts.
CAIN: Higher ups.
ORTIZ: This is where I get educated and make sure I get my feet grass down
and understand the right things and not as a politician.
CAIN: I got to run, Tito.
ORTIZ: But as an American as a patriot.
CAIN: Best of luck there in Huntington Beach. This has been fun. Thank
you. That's THE STORY, Friday, November 27th, 2020. And catch me tomorrow
on Fox and Friends. Thanks.
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