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Brexit supporters celebrate split from European Union

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson stresses the importance of the Brexit victory; Senior Foreign Affairs correspondent Greg Palkot reports.

This is a rush transcript from "Special Report," January 31, 2020. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

BRET BAIER, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Good evening. Welcome to Washington. I'm Bret Baier. Senators have just defeated a measure to call witnesses in the president's impeachment trial by a vote of 51 to 49.

It is a major step toward what now looks like an inevitable acquittal in this trial for President Trump. What is still to be determined is the process of how to get there and how long this trial may still go on.

Chief congressional correspondent Mike Emanuel tells us where things stand at this minute. A lot is been changing. Good evening, Mike.

EMANUEL: Yes, Bret. No question. Good evening to you. Within the last few minutes, Republicans defeating that critical vote on witnesses as expected, 51 to 49. Moments ago, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, saying about it. "Never in Senate history has this body pause an impeachment trial to pursue additional witnesses with unresolved questions of executive privilege that would require protracted litigation. We have no interest in establishing such a new precedent, particularly for individuals whom the House expressly chose not to pursue."

Much of the day, attorneys for both sides made their case ahead of that critical vote on witnesses.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): Rob this country of a fair trial, and there can be no representation that the verdict has any meaning. How could it?

JAY SEKULOW, CHIEF COUNSEL, AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE: Do not allow them to penalize the country and the Constitution, because if they failed to do their job.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

EMANUEL: The Senate Democratic leader tried to apply some last-minute pressure earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): If my Republican colleagues refuse to even consider witnesses and documents in this trial, this country is headed towards the greatest cover-up since Watergate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

EMANUEL: Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham was quick to fire back at Schumer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): Well, I think I can live with this criticism. It wasn't a fair process. First time in history, we've impeached the president so damn partisan lines in the House. Actually, a bipartisan reject (INAUDIBLE). If Senator Schumer is OK with this, be careful what you wish for.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

EMANUEL: A decisive blow to Democrats came from Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski, saying, "I carefully consider the need for additional witnesses and documents, to cure the shortcomings of its process. I don't believe the continuation of this process will change anything."

Late last night, retiring Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander said some of the president's actions were inappropriate but said that does not meet the Constitution's high bar for impeachable offense. So, Alexander declared he would vote no on more witnesses.

Today, Ohio Senator Rob Portman, gave him some cover, "I believe that some of the president's actions, in this case, were wrong and inappropriate. But I do not believe that the president's actions rise to the level of removing a duly-elected president from office and taking him off the ballot in the middle of an election."

Timing of the final acquittal vote is the question of this hour. We've got lawmakers meeting with their leadership trying to hammer it out. It's not entirely clear whether they go home for the weekend, and come back, and perhaps, resolve this after Tuesday State of the Union Address, a lot in flux at this hour.

Bottom line, I'm told attorneys for President Trump want to hit the gas and get this over with as quickly as possible. There are a number of Senate Republicans who agree with them. But there are also a lot of senators who would like an opportunity to speak on the Senate floor about this moment in history after they've been spectators for much of the trial. Bret.

BAIER: Yes, that's the battle behind closed doors. We're told the two South Carolina -- South Dakota senators, Republican Senator Thune, just said we're still trying to figure out how to land the plane. Senator Mike Braun, just a matter of agreeing how we land the plane.

They're trying to land the plane, Mike, but it seems like there's some process in the way that could get sticky for, at least, a few days.

EMANUEL: Yes, and no doubt about it. Look, bottom line, these senators are fatigue, their staffs are fatigued. A lot of people are looking for a way out of this. There are clearly some Democrats who want to get to Iowa as quickly as possible. You've got Amy Klobuchar with events there tomorrow. You've got Elizabeth Warren with an event there later tonight if she can make it.

And so, there's a lot of interest in getting out of here. But there's also a lot of anger on both sides of this issue. Extremely polarized conditions, and so, they have to find the votes and agreement on a path forward to work the process to get to that acquittal vote which is not in doubt, but the question of the timing is what is in doubt. Bret.

BAIER: All right, Mike Emanuel, live on the Hill. Mike, thanks. We'll head back for any nuggets that you gather up there. Where Chad Pergram, also up on the Hill, digging things out. Tonight, President Trump is tweeting, the Democrats are scamming America in the impeachment trial, and that they had no case from the beginning.

Likely, a very pleased President Trump with that vote that just happened. He's traveling to Florida as we speak on Air Force One. Chief White House correspondent John Roberts is live on the North Lawn of the White House with the latest. Good evening, John.

JOHN ROBERTS, FOX NEWS CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Bret, good evening to you. One plane that we do know will be landing soon is Air Force One. The president expected to touch down in West Palm Beach, sometime the next half hour to 45 minutes.

He didn't talk to the media on his way out of the White House to Mar-a-Lago this afternoon, earlier in the day. He didn't take aim at new allegations leveled at him in the new John Bolton book that's coming out in March. That is if it is eventually clear. But the president also spends some time keeping the business of the nation going today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have a lot of great senators that wanted to be here so desperately. But I said, just stay where you are and do your job, please.

JOHN G. ROBERTS, CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE UNITED STATES: Senators, please be seated.

J. ROBERTS: Impeachment was never far away, even when the topic was the scourge of human trafficking. President Trump, today signing an executive order to create a full-time White House position to combat the problem, and other measures.

TRUMP: This order expands prevention education programs, promotes housing opportunities for survivors, and prioritizes the removal of child sexual abuse material from the Internet.

J. ROBERTS: But the president was also pushing back against another 11th- hour revelation from John Bolton's forthcoming book. The New York Times reporting that in May, President Trump directed Bolton to set up a meeting between Rudy Giuliani and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. Bolton, says he never acted on the request.

The President dismissed the claim, and a statement saying, "I never instructed John Bolton to set up a meeting for Rudy Giuliani, one of the greatest corruption fighters in America, and by far, the greatest mayor in the history of New York City to meet with President Zelensky. That meeting never happened."

In his call with President Zelensky, July 25th, President Trump, himself, asked Zelensky three times to speak with Giuliani. Saying, "Mr. Giuliani is a highly respected man, and I would like him to call you. I will have Mr. Giuliani give you a call. I will tell Rudy and Attorney General Barr to call."

The Democratic House managers left on the new report, as to Joe Biden campaigning in Iowa.

JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My job is simple. I just got to go out and beat him.

J. ROBERTS: Coincidentally, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Ukraine today, meeting with Zelensky. Pompeo, again denying that an Oval Office visit was conditioned on Zelensky announcing investigations into Burisma and the Bidens.

MIKE POMPEO, SECRETARY OF STATE: No, there's -- there is no condition of the nature you described for President Zelensky, come to Washington and have that visit. So, it's just simply not the case.

President Zelensky will be welcome to come to Washington when we have an opportunity to do good things for both the Ukrainian people and the American people.

J. ROBERTS: Asked about it, Zelensky carefully towed a diplomatic line.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through-translator): In the state of Ukraine, there is no doubt whatsoever regarding the strategic partnership with the United States of America. That's why we are confident in the successful realization of all our common plans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

J. ROBERTS: According to The New York Times, Rudy Giuliani, the Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, and the White House Counsel Pat Cipollone we're all in the room when President Trump allegedly told John Bolton to reach out to Zelensky.

But both Giuliani and Mick Mulvaney had said that anytime, the conversation turned to matters of Ukraine, everybody else except Giuliani would leave the room in order to preserve attorney-client privilege.

And, Bret, the president has just tweeted not really a response so much to the vote in the Senate, but the president tweeting moments ago, Democrats equals 17 witnesses. Republicans equals zero witnesses.

And one thing we do know from this afternoon's vote, there will be no more witnesses. So, it will stand at 17-0, and the president will try to take that all the way to a win in November. Saying that this whole process was unfair. Bret.

BAIER: And quickly, John, do we have any sense what the State of the Union feels looks like on Tuesday? Is it a victory lap even if this vote is pushed past that? Any sense from the White House on that?

J. ROBERTS: Well, the White House actually walked us through the State of the Union just a short time ago. Earlier today, the theme of it is going to be, The Great American Comeback.

The President, we're told is going to present a vision of relentless optimism in the face of unjustified pessimism by some people in Congress. We tried to push our briefer to say, look at in this environment that's going on in Washington, as the president going to at all make reference to the rancor and the division up there on Capitol Hill.

The briefer wouldn't let on, but I would assume, Bret that if this impeachment trial has not wrapped up at the time the president gives State of the Union at 9:00 on Tuesday night, you just might hear something about it.

BAIER: Maybe so.

All right, John Roberts, live in the North Lawn, John, thanks.

J. ROBERTS: Thank you.

BAIER: Big move tonight from the federal government in response to the coronavirus outbreak in China. The Trump administration has declared a public health emergency. That means, four nationals who may pose a quote, contamination danger, will be kept out.

Correspondent Jonathan Serrie has the latest tonight from Atlanta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEX AZAR, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: I have today, declared that the coronavirus presents a public health emergency in the United States.

JONATHAN SERRIE, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: In the late afternoon White House briefing, the Trump administration announced, it will temporarily deny U.S. entry to foreign nationals who pose a risk of transmitting a deadly new coronavirus. The temporary restrictions go into effect this Sunday.

AZAR: Foreign nationals other than immediate family of U.S. citizens and permanent residents, who have traveled in China within the last 14 days will be denied entry into the United States for this time.

SERRIE: Additionally, U.S. citizens returning to the United States from China's Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak will be subjected to a mandatory quarantine of up to 14 days. The virus's incubation period.

Today, federal health authorities issued quarantine orders for all 195 U.S. citizens, who returned from Wuhan China, aboard this flight landing at March Air Reserve Base on Wednesday.

NANCY MESSONNIER, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL CENTER FOR IMMUNIZATION AND RESPIRATORY DISEASES: This is the first time in over 50 years that CDC has issued a quarantine order. While we understand this action may seem drastic, our goal today, tomorrow, and always continues to be the safety of the American public.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SERRIE: The deadly coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed more than 200 lives in China has prompted the State Department to issue its highest level four advisory. Do not travel to China.

Although coronavirus is making headlines, federal health officials believe the threat to the general American public remains low. To put it in perspective, this year's flu season has already made 19 million people sick in this country and claimed 10,000 lives. Bret.

BAIER: We'll follow this. Jonathan, thank you.

Markets plunge today on more coronavirus fears. The Dow losing 603 and its worst day since last August. The S&P 500 fell 58, the NASDAQ dropped 148. For the month the Dow lost one percentage point, the S&P 500 dropped one- sixth, the NASDAQ gained two.

The Trump administration is also expanding its immigration restrictions to six additional countries. Officials say those nations do not meet security standards. They are Kyrgyzstan, Burma, Eritrea, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania.

Immigrants from those countries will face new restrictions and obtaining certain visas to come to the U.S. The ACLU, says the ban should be ended not expanded, calling the policy anti-Muslim.

In tonight's "DEMOCRACY 2020" report, the Iowa caucuses will be held in three days. Oh yes. The new poll shows Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden, virtually neck and neck in the Democratic presidential race.

Meanwhile, a rules change as the Bloomberg campaign ecstatic tonight and the rest of the field not so much. Correspondent Peter Doocy reports tonight from Des Moines.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETER DOOCY, FOX NEWS GENERAL ASSIGNMENT REPORTER: Joe Biden is telling Iowa Democrats that Bernie Sanders isn't exactly a Democrat.

BIDEN: He calls himself a Democratic socialist. We have a different view on a whole lot of things.

DOOCY: Now, Biden is behind Bernie Sanders in a new NBC News Wall Street Journal survey. The Sanders' lead, which is within the margin of error, has grown, even though he's stuck in the Senate and relying on surrogates, like his wife to defend against charges that he's not a Democrat.

JANE SANDERS, WIFE OF BERNIE SANDERS: I think people realize that in Vermont, we don't have party registration.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

SANDERS: So, you just say what you are.

DOOCY: Amy Klobuchar doesn't know if she'll make it to Iowa by caucus night, telling reporters covering the impeachment trial. "You may have heard the rumor today about this going into next week. And I've got a few other things going on at the same time. But my view is the people of Iowa and beyond will understand I'm in the arena."

The DNC, says they're staying neutral, but the party is changing a critical rule. Now, you can qualify for debates with polls only, no grassroots donors needed.

The Sanders campaign says, "To, now change the rules and the middle of the game to accommodate Mike Bloomberg, who is trying to buy his way into the Democratic nomination, is wrong. That's the definition of a rigged system."

The Bloomberg team says they are thrilled if they tease a Super Bowl ad about gun control.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I heard Mike was stepping into the ring. I thought, now, we have a dog in the fight.

DOOCY: Bloomberg campaign announced today, they spent $132 million on ads by the end of last year. On a campaign that's less about Bloomberg and more about Trump.

Michael Bloomberg was asked if the country wanted a race between two New York billionaires, and his response to that was who is the other one? Do you think he's trying to get under your skin?

TRUMP: No, he's mini Mike, come in. He was very -- he did a poor job, and the last --- his last time it was terrible. And frankly --

(CROSSTALK)

DOOCY: Does he get under your skin?

TRUMP: No, no.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DOOCY: The DNC changed the rules to debate now, but they didn't back in December when candidates like Cory Booker and Julian Castro were asking them to lower the threshold to make the stage so it could be more diverse. And the first one, Mike Bloomberg could possibly qualify for -- is in Nevada, a state he is not even competing in. Bret.

BAIER: Peter Doocy live in the morning. We will be there tomorrow. See there, Peter. Thanks. Up next, Brexit becomes official. Tonight, we'll go live to London. First here's some of our Fox affiliates around the country covering tonight. Fox 5 in New York, a key accuser in the trial of movie producer Harvey Weinstein testifies. He trapped her in a hotel room angrily ordered her to undress and raped her. But the woman told jurors she stayed in contact with him because his ego was "fragile." Weinstein has insisted any sexual encounters were consensual. A conviction could put him behind bars for the rest of his life.

WSVN in Miami with video of confessed Parkland High School shooter Nikolas Cruz attacking a Broward sheriff's deputy while in jail. It happened in November 2018. The video surfacing yesterday. Cruz killed 17 people, wounded 17 others in the shootings in February of that year.

And this is a live look at San Diego from Fox 5, one of the big stories there tonight. Officials discuss how new federal funding could help stem the tide of pollution flowing from Tijuana into San Diego. The new North American Free Trade Deal, the USMCA, allocates $300 million to fund a border water infrastructure project.

That is tonight's live look outside the Beltway from SPECIAL REPORT. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAIER: Breaking tonight, as of about 20 minutes ago, the United Kingdom is officially out of the European Union. Brexit became reality at the top of the hour. So what does it all mean? Senior Foreign Affairs Correspondent Greg Palkot is live in London right now. Good morning, Greg.

GREG PALKOT, FOX NEWS SENIOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Bret. Yes, it has finally happened. Britain has formally exited the European Union or as we've been calling it for a very long time, Brexit. There was a huge raucous crowd outside of Big Ben and Parliament tonight. They counted down the break to 11:00 p.m. here or midnight Brussels time.

The departure was agreed to in a referendum three and a half years ago. They've been haggling over it ever since. In a T.V. address tonight, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for unity.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, PRIME MINISTER, UNITED KINGDOM: The most important thing to say tonight is that this is not an end, but the beginning. This is the moment when the dawn breaks and the curtain goes up on a new act in our great national drama.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PALKOT: Now, not everybody was happy about all this. There were other anti- Brexit gatherings across the country. Critics fear that rather than independence, the move could hurt the economy and do real damage to the U.K. itself. Now, as the Union Jack was lower for the last time in front of the European Union headquarters, some say the hard part really begins.

In a transition period to the end of this year, the U.K. and the E.U. had to sort out all sorts of new arrangements on trade and security, for example. This could mean another extension, also free to start work on a new trade deal between the U.S. and the U.K. President Trump is a big backer of Brexit. He says it's going to be a big deal, some say it's not a done deal yet, Bret.

BAIER: Greg Palkot live in London. Greg, thanks. Up next, the battle off the field to keep the Super Bowl safe. First, beyond our borders tonight, Iraq's most powerful religious figure reiterates his condemnation of the use of force against anti-government protesters. The comment from Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani comes as the mass movement enters a critical juncture and political blocks tussle over naming a new premier.

The Australian Capital Region is now under a state of emergency because of an out of -- out of control forest fire burning erratically to its south. Emergency Services Agency says the threat is posed by a blaze on Canberra's southern fringe that has raised more than 53,000 acres since it was sparked by heat from a military helicopter landing, Monday.

Poland signs a $4.6 billion deal with the U.S. for the purchase of 32 F-35 fighter jets. The planes will be used to enhance air defense on NATO's eastern flank at a time of increased Russian military activity there. Just some of the other stories beyond our borders tonight. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAIER: Breaking tonight, senators are on break after voting 51 to 49 not to go forward with witnesses. Now, we don't know the way forward from here. Let's talk about it with Minnesota Democrat senator, presidential candidate, Amy Klobuchar. Senator, thanks for the time.

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, thanks, Bret. It's great to be on again.

BAIER: I want to get you to react first to the witness vote and what you think is happening moving forward.

KLOBUCHAR: I really thought we should have witnesses. And you could see Mitt Romney has been outspoken about this for quite a while. I think the reason is this. The truth is going to come out and people could vote the way they want on impeachment. I get that people are going to have different opinions. But I really felt that it was important to have the witnesses because we've always had witnesses in these trials and 70 percent of the public want to see witnesses.

And I really believe with the Bolton revelations that have come out. It's not going to be five years from now that we know what happened in those rooms, it's going to probably be five days from now or five weeks from now. And I think it is better to get testimony under oath and then people can make decisions.

BAIER: We're reporting at this hour that Democratic amendments tonight include no weekend session, Monday, Tuesday, comments on the floor, and then Wednesday afternoon a final vote. Are you OK with that?

KLOBUCHAR: We have been pushing for witnesses and I would assume some of the amendments that have been some discussion since this went down now on that close 51-49 vote about what kind of amendments to extend the timetable, to get specific witnesses, to get specific documents. So that's going to be the discussions.

And I would like to do whatever we take -- it takes to get a fair trial for the people of America and we're just waiting word and what we work out here.

BAIER: But you don't have the votes, Senator, so why go through those processes if you're, you know, obviously trying to get to Iowa other people are as well, why go through that if you know, you don't have the votes?

KLOBUCHAR: That just can't be my motivating force, Bret. I've got to bet that the people in Iowa understand that I'm doing my job. I'm in the arena. You know, other people can say I don't want to look at what's going on there? I've got to do my job and get to the truth.

BAIER: All right, I want to ask you about Iowa in a second, but Jonathan Turley, law professor cited by both sides, cited about the House managers a number of times.

KLOBUCHAR: He just went off. Bret just went off.

BAIER: Oh, can you hear me?

KLOBUCHAR: I can't hear. Guys?

BAIER: Can you hear me now?

KLOBUCHAR: The volume went off.

BAIER: All right, we'll come back to the center in a second. Well, how about now? Do you got me now? No. All right, how about this? We'll go bring our panel in. Matthew Continetti, Susan Ferruccio, and Jeff Mason as we wait for the audio to reestablish.

What about this, Matthew? Obviously, Senator Klobuchar is saying they're going to continue to fight for witnesses, even though that witness fight is over.

It is over and I think that means that impeachment is over. And to people who thought that this had a chance of removing Donald Trump from office before the election were wrong, as I think many of us predicted. I actually think Brett Nancy Pelosi made a terrible mistake opening up this impeachment inquiry. If she had just allowed this story to kind of on a slow boil to unwind over time, you could have had hearings from last September up until Election Day, 2020. Instead by moving for impeachment, right, in order to secure our left flank, she has handed Donald Trump an acquittal, which we know he will crow about as soon as it happens.

BRET BAIER, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Susan?

SUSAN FERRECHIO, "WASHINGTON EXAMINER": He's already crowing about it.

CONTINETTI: As he should.

FERRECHIO: Well, I think this week is going to be a slow landing of the plane. We talked about how do you land this plane? Well, it looks like they are going to debate this a couple more days. This will give senators an opportunity to talk about their vote, to talk about the case for or against acquitting the president, for or against why they voted on witnesses, and this gives them that opportunity.

They did this during the Clinton impeachment trial. It was in a closed session. They are going to insist this be in open session so that the public can see it. We, in the press, of course, love that. That's what we want. But it will take them a couple days. And it's a negotiated ending to this because people didn't like the idea of having a dark of night vote. They wanted time to let the public see what they were doing.

BAIER: Chad Pergram has been at that camera for a long time, and I guess the batteries ran out on the microphone. So we Senator Klobuchar back with us.

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you, Bret.

BAIER: Sorry about that.

KLOBUCHAR: I didn't go away.

BAIER: Thank you very much.

I was reading this quote from Jonathan Turley, who has been quoted by the House managers, the Democrats. He says, this is why I told the Judiciary Committee that it was a monumental mistake to rush the impeachment vote on an incomplete record and hand over their case to the other house and the opposing party. This will go down as a blunder of historic measure by the House leadership. Your reaction to that?

KLOBUCHAR: Yes, I just don't agree, because we have already seen in the Don McGahn court case that they keep appealing, the White House, about not producing these witnesses, and they know very well that they can put all the president's men, even a few of them, up to testify just like they have done in past impeachment hearings. So I don't buy that. I think they just don't want those witnesses to come forward. And, again, eventually, the truth is going to come out.

And the other thing I would say about it is every day that goes by, you now have General Kelly, President Trump's former chief of staff, saying the job is half-done, that there should be witnesses. You have a number of other people, including, of course, Mr. Bolton and John Warner, the former senator from Virginia, who have come forward, these are Republicans, and said that you should have a thorough trial with witnesses. So I just view it as a consistent effort to stop these witnesses from testifying.

BAIER: Let's talk about Iowa. How much do people when you are on the ground ask you about impeachment?

KLOBUCHAR: They do some, especially when things are going on like this hearing. But a lot of them are still focused on healthcare and on prescription drugs, on cost of college. But I do think this election, especially for moderate Republicans and independents, is more than just an economic check. I tell them all the time, especially people showing up at my events that may have voted for the president or may have stayed home, I tell them, look, you may not agree with everything that is said on the debate stage. I don't agree with everything on the debate stage. But this election is going to be a decency check and a patriotism check. And they, many of them, believe that we should have a president that isn't putting his private interests in front of the interests of this country. And that's why they are showing up at my events.

BAIER: Are you better positioned against Donald Trump than Joe Biden? Do you think this impeachment hearing has hurt Joe Biden and his ability to go head-to-head with Donald Trump?

KLOBUCHAR: I'm going to let the pundits decide all of that. I have a lot of respect for the vice president. But I know this about me, and that is that I am someone that's from the Midwest. It's not flyover country to me. I'm one of two candidates left that are from the Midwest. I'm also someone in another generation. And I'm somewhere in between the age of Mayor Pete and the vice president. I would say that 59, my age, is the new 38. And I think all of that is a good thing, to have a fresh face, to have someone that is new representing our party at the top of the ticket.

BAIER: There is one poll just out that has you now in third in Iowa. The average of polls nationally in Iowa and New Hampshire has you in fourth, fifth in Iowa, New Hampshire. Where do you see it on the ground? And where do you have to finish in Iowa by your count?

KLOBUCHAR: That's going to be, I think, just near the top of the group of people. We are in the top five in both states right now, and that is good for me. But I'm doing more than that. We doubled our staff in both states. I just got the endorsement today of the "Iowa City" newspaper as well as the Seacoast in New Hampshire adding to the union leader in New Hampshire as well as the Keen paper and the Quad Cities, "New York Times," all of them make that case for me, that I'm someone that can bring our party together and bring people with me. And I think that's very, very important.

And I have just got to believe despite the fact that three days before the Iowa caucus, I never thought I would be here in the Capitol. I thought I would be out with my competitors doing my job. I just don't think that people are going to hold that against me. I think my experience passing over 100 bills by working across the aisle more than anyone in the Senate running for president, I think that's going to matter.

BAIER: I just have a minute left. You mentioned the debates. There was a ruling by the DNC that seems to open the door to Mike Bloomberg qualifying for at least one debate coming up. Are you OK with that?

KLOBUCHAR: Yes. I think that when you have got someone that is running all those ads all over the place, including a Super Bowl ad, I think that it is better to have that person debating in the case of Mayor Bloomberg than outside just spending a ton of money, because I want to make the case to America that I would be the best one to lead the ticket. And I would rather debate him than have him outdo me on the airways.

BAIER: And what happens if Bernie Sanders wins Iowa, goes on to win New Hampshire? What happens to the party?

KLOBUCHAR: I would say that this is a long, long primary, and there are many steps along the way. I continue to believe that it is best to have someone leading our ticket that, for instance, in my case, I don't support Medicare for all. I read the bill. I never got on it. I'm not going to kick 149 million Americans off their current health insurance, which is what that bill says on page eight. I believe with education, I know that free college for all sounds good on a bumper sticker. But I think the best thing is to match our education system with our economy. And when you do that, you see we have over a million openings for home healthcare workers, over 100,000 openings for electricians. We are not going to have a sports marketing degrees. We are going to have a shortage of plumbers.

So this means investment in K through 12, one and two year degrees, and then doubling the Pell Grants for college students. I think those are plans and not pipe dreams. They are progressive but they are practical.

BAIER: Senator Klobuchar, we appreciate your time. I'm heading to Iowa tomorrow.

KLOBUCHAR: OK.

BAIER: We will see when you get.

KLOBUCHAR: We'll see if I'm there. You may beat me there, but I plan on being there at least by Sunday.

BAIER: OK, Senator, thanks for your time.

KLOBUCHAR: Thank you.

BAIER: The impeachment saga seems to be winding down, as we talked about. The presidential primary season about to begin. We will talk about it with the panel when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): Whether you decide to hear witnesses and relevant testimony, the facts will come out in the end. In all of their horror, they will come out.

PATRICK PHILBIN, TRUMP IMPEACHMENT ATTORNEY: This is the very epitome of a partisan impeachment. There was bipartisan opposition to it in the House. The Senate is not here to do the investigatory work that the House didn't do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAIER: And in the end senators agreed with that 51 to 49, voting against witnesses. One of the key votes, Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, Republican, said "I carefully considered the need for additional witnesses and documents to cure the shortcomings of its process, but ultimately decided that I will vote against considering motions to subpoena. I have come to the conclusion that there will be no fair trial in the Senate. I don't believe the continuation of this process will change anything. It is sad for me to admit that, as an institution, the Congress has failed. It has also become clear some of my colleagues intend to further politicize this process and drag the Supreme Court into the fray, while attacking the Chief Justice. I will not stand for nor support that effort." That's a reference to Elizabeth Warren and her question that Chief Justice Roberts read as presiding officer.

Let's bring in our panel, Matthew Continetti, founding editor of the "Washington Free Beacon," Susan Ferrechio, Chief Congressional Correspondent for the "Washington Examiner," and Jeff Mason, White House correspondent for "Reuters." Jeff, your thoughts on where we are and where we may be going here?

JEFF MASON, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, REUTERS: Just picking up on the discussion of while Amy Klobuchar was on the air with you, I think it's important to realize that it's still early in terms of what the political ramifications of all of this will be. Clearly, she doesn't want the impeachment process to have hurt her in a place like Iowa. But the bigger question is, will it hurt Democrats in November? Will it help President Trump in November? His campaign believes so far that it's helping him. They have economic numbers to verify that in terms of their fundraising.

But there is still a lot that can happen in this election between now and November in terms of how it settles down and whether some people who may be on the fence about President Trump will look back that the impeachment and think, hey, that's raised some questions, or whether that base that is so strengthened by this and has come out of this will then show up in greater numbers.

BAIER: It is a long time from now until November, so we will see how that sits. From colleagues on board Air Force One, senior administration officials saying after the vote happened the reaction was calm but pleased, nothing like applause or cheering but a recognition that things are clearly going in the right direction.

Matthew, to Jeff's point about things coming out, obviously today you had the "New York Times" with this headline about John Bolton, another section of this book, we're told, where he says that the president told him in May to kind of pave the way for this meeting between Rudy Giuliani and Ukraine's leader. Joe Biden reacted to that and about impeachment. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not surprised. I didn't know that but I'm not surprised. I find it kind of amazing that serious constitutional lawyers would suggest that it's OK, it's OK to seek the help of a foreign government to interfere in an election on behalf of the sitting president by threatening to withhold aid.

It is not a partisan impeachment. He violated the Constitution, period.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC NEWS: Only Democrats voted for it in the House and one independent.

BIDEN: Well, that doesn't mean that the facts, the underlying facts, George, whether the Constitution has been violated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAIER: But, as far as the votes, it was pretty partisan.

MATTHEW CONTINETTI, EDITOR IN CHIEF, "WASHINGTON FREE BEACON": Yes. Biden doesn't know what he is talking about there. Look at this politically. When Nancy Pelosi announced the impeachment inquiry, Donald Trump's approval rating in the RCP, Real Clear Politics average, is the same as it was today. If you look at Biden's numbers, his unfavorable rating has spiked, and his margin in the head-to-head in September, he was beating Donald Trump by double digits. Now he has a slim, under five-point lead in many polls. This has hurt Joe Biden. It is not too early for us to talk about the political consequences.

BAIER: I tried to ask that to Amy Klobuchar. She deftly dodged it. But pretty soon there is going to be some efforts, I think, to separate once you get through Iowa and New Hampshire.

FERRECHIO: There is 1,000 news cycles between right now and the November election. And getting through this whole primary process, I have a feeling we are going to be talking about something completely different. The Clinton impeachment ultimately was a net loss for Republicans who instigated it. So there's a fear, of course, amongst Republicans that the same impact for them, for their House seats, for the Senate races, for their efforts to win White House, that they're just going to be seen as partisans trying to stop this president.

But they are also trying to do a lot of political damage for Trump. And they have dinged him, no question, with all these allegations. There will be more drip, drip, drip coming out with the book manuscript. We don't have that yet. Eventually the whole book will be out and we'll all be able to read it. I don't see this ending. I think this is going to just plague Trump's first term all the way up to the --

BAIER: It may be a slow burn. You've got the book. You have got the decision on McGahn, the former White House counsel, of whether he is going to testify on Capitol Hill. You have the Supreme Court taking up the case about the president's tax returns at the end of March. So, you are right, Susan. Here is the president talking to Peter Doocy about his potential competition.

I don't have his ear. But let me tell you what he said. He said that I'm leading everybody in Iowa. He goes on to talk about mini-Mike did a very poor job in that last term. He was terrible. And he goes down the list, including Joe. And he says that Bernie is surging.

For Republicans, they would like to see Bernie win in Iowa and New Hampshire and wherever else he can, right?

MASON: I think. I think that that's reflected in the fact that President Trump has been talking a lot about Bernie and saying that maybe the Democrats and the DNC is trying to rig the system against Bernie again. He would like to have somebody up there on the stage who he can say very clearly without any challenges to him, I'm running against a socialist, because Bernie Sanders identifies as a democratic socialist. And one of the biggest applause lines that President Donald Trump gets rallies and elsewhere is when he says under my watch, we're not going to become a socialist country.

BAIER: And that's what's going to play out over the next couple weeks really, couple months.

CONTINETTI: If Bernie wins Iowa, he is already very well-positioned in New Hampshire. That will set the Democratic Party on fire. And that's why I think you have had this rule change to allow Mike Bloomberg into the debates. This is their insurance policy if the Biden campaign collapses.

BAIER: I should point out that Elizabeth Warren tweeted that she is very opposed to this rule change, shouldn't allow changes for billionaires, she says. Thanks, panel. We'll take to you Miami for a report on Super Bowl security next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAIER: We are just two days away from the Super Bowl, which you can see on the FOX broadcast network on Sunday, big FOX. It's Kansas City versus San Francisco, of course, on the field. But the effort off the field to keep everyone safe, just as intense. Correspondent Phil Keating shows us from Miami.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHIL KEATING, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: As far as NORAD and the Department of Homeland Security is concerned, the safest place this super Sunday will be around Miami. Pilot Alex Edwards flew me on board an Interview Guard F- 15 warplane, pulling serious g's with every maneuver.

NORAD is enforcing the 30-mile no-fly zone around Hard Rock Stadium on game day. The priority, keeping bad intent away from the game and the huge crowd. To simulate, we intercepted a small Cessna playing the role of a small plane full of explosives head to the Super Bowl.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Simulating, no response.

KEATING: In this drill, the bad guy refused to land, and that's the biggest fear for Edwards.

ALEX EDWARDS, PILOT: Fear, I say, never really wanting to have to go that far, but if it ever comes to it, we have trained for it. We prepare for it. We have our rules of engagement, if it comes to that, to execute.

KEATING: Customs and Border Protection is also heavily involved with their armed Blackhawk helicopters and their Go-fast boats up and down Biscayne Bay. They simulated an on-the-water intercept of a boat with bad guys posing a threat entering the no boating zones. Facing big guns and shoutout engines, they gave up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hands up!

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEATING: Also here at the stadium, x-ray trucks scanning every vehicle and cargo container entering the footprint. Everyone very well aware that if a bad actor wants to make a big international splash, it will be here at the biggest global event, Super Bowl Sunday. Bret?

BAIER: Phil, thank you.

Finally tonight, "Notable Quotables."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not going to be able to joke at his Hall of Fame ceremony. Those are the ones you can't get back.

TRUMP: We're finally ending the NAFTA nightmare.

KELLYANNE CONWAY, COUNSELOR TO PRESIDENT TRUMP: Two new trade deals, two Supreme Court justices, two dead terrorists. That's two terms.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trump is the smart one. You all elitists are dumb.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: That was a good one. I needed that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know you want to ban our national flags, but we are going to wave you goodbye.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Put your flags away. You're leaving. And take them with you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have today declared that the coronavirus presents a public health emergency in the United States.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is Hunter Biden a relevant witness, senator?

SEN. JOE MANCHIN, (D-WV): I think so. I really do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you lower the bar that way -- danger, danger, danger.

ALAN DERSHOWITZ, HARVARD LAW PROFESSOR EMERITUS: If a president does something which he believes will help him get elected, that cannot be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have got to stop building and replacing pipelines.

BIDEN: Go vote for someone else.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like Mike.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like Mike. I lick Mike.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chiefs or 49ers.

TRUMP: I do have a feeling as to who is going to win, but I'm not going to say it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAIER: One week. Just getting word, final vote Wednesday.

This weekend, "FOX News Sunday" is in Miami. Chris Wallace will interview Trump impeachment attorney Alan Dershowitz. Check your local listings for show times.

Thanks for inviting us into your home tonight. That's it for this SPECIAL REPORT, fair, balanced, and unafraid. "The Story" hosted by Martha MacCallum starts right after the break. We are heading to Des Moines, Iowa, for the Iowa caucuses, but we have got you covered. We know the process now. It keeps going tonight.

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