Caitlyn Jenner: I've watched California crumble right before my eyes

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Caitlyn Jenner: I've watched California crumble right before my eyes

Former Olympian and gubernatorial candidate says 'California is worth fighting for' in 'Hannity' exclusive

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," May 5, 2021. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS HOST:  And welcome to HANNITY. 

Now, in just mere moments, California gubernatorial candidate Caitlyn Jenner will join us for her first exclusive interview. 

Tonight, we're in beautiful Southern California, where some might say the united socialist states of California, where, by the way, it was once the land of American pioneers. Ronald Reagan was governor out here, boundless possibilities. Not really that long ago, that Republican presidential candidates could win the great state of California. A lot has changed. 

Now, California's beautiful weather, abundant natural resources, it has attracted hardworking, innovative, fun loving people from all across the country. So for many years, California was, well, pretty much an image of the American Dream. It embodied the American Dream. It truly represented what Reagan called a shining city on a hill. 

But now, today, California is suffering. The state's one party, Democratic Party rule, has been unchecked, and by the way, hasn't been checked in a decade, and the results are palpable. 

The state's taxes are now beyond oppressive, especially to those who are struggling to get by. Income tax, well, can be high as 12 percent, 13 percent. Sales tax over 7 percent. Corporate taxes, which, of course, they don't pay taxes, they try as hard as they can to pass it on to we, the people -- well, that is hovering around 10 percent in the state. 

And get this, California's gas tax, a whopping $0.50 per gallon, among the highest in the nation. And meanwhile, massive restrictions on development, construction. It has caused home prices in the state to skyrocket. As a result, homelessness is now rampant all throughout the state. 

These problems are real. Thousands upon thousands of tents, makeshift shelters, lined very busy streets in Los Angeles, San Francisco, other major cities in the state, and the situation is dire. 

We have shown you ourselves, we send our cameras to both Los Angeles and San Francisco. And to make matters worse, California, it is hemorrhaging jobs. The state of California now has the third highest unemployment rate in the country, the highest number of unemployed residents. In the last year alone, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the Oracle Corporation, Hewlett-Packard, all announced bye-bye, they're leaving California, and they are going to Texas. 

And not far behind, the residents of California, they are fleeing the state. Over the past decade, 1.3 million more people left California then came in from other states. After this year's census, California lost a congressional seat for the first time ever, and it's only getting worse.

As we speak, the state's ongoing draconian COVID-19 lockdown measures, they continue to drive more residents out of this great state because of Governor Newsom's unholy alliance with teachers unions, over now half of California's public school students, they are not in the classroom. As a point of reference, in Florida, kids have been back in school since August. 

But, of course, Governor Newsom's children, well, they have enjoyed in person learning at a private school for quite some time. Just like the governor enjoyed a maskless dinner with no social distancing at an upscale restaurant, all while restricting California residents from doing the same, and even shutting down businesses that do not strictly adhere to his long list of COVID rules and regulations. Now, keep in mind, California has twice as many COVID deaths as Florida and a similar per capita death rate, and Florida has been wide open for months. 

Tonight, it is clear, California is at a crossroads. Its governor is now facing a recall election. The people of California will have a critical decision to make. 

Now, one candidate, Caitlyn Jenner, is avowing a new path, a new vision forward, for the people of California. Take a look. 

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAITLYN JENNER (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE:  California needs a disruptor, a compassionate disruptor. I came here with a dream 48 years ago, to be the greatest athlete in the world. Now, I enter a different kind of race, arguably my most important one yet -- to save California. 

I want to carry the torch for the parents who had to balance work and their child's education, for business owners who are forced to shut down, for pastors who were not able to be with their congregation, or the family who lost their home in a fire, for an entire generation of students who lost a year of education. 

This past year has redefined our career politicians as elitists, and the people of California as the warriors, the kings, and the angels. 

We never take kindly to glass ceilings here. Instead, we shatter them. 

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Way out there. 

JENNER:  We're the trailblazers, the innovators. California is facing big hurdles. Now, we need leaders who are unafraid to leap to new heights. 

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He doesn't want to finish record (ph) in this race. He wants the world record. 

JENNER:  Who are unafraid to challenge, and to change the status quo. 

I want to prove that it is absolutely possible, if we only do it together. 

California, it's time to reopen our schools, reopen our businesses, reopen the Golden Gates. 

So I don't care if you are a Republican, Democrat, I'm running to be governor for all Californians.

To reclaim our true identity, to bring back the gold to the Golden State. 

Now is the time to achieve that summit, to be the shining city on the hill, and together, we'll restore and renew the California Dream. 

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY:  So, just how will Caitlyn restore that California dream, and can she actually beat the state's very powerful Democratic machine? 

One note, by the way, moments ago, Caitlyn wrapped up a private event with supporters; they decided to stick around. 

Welcome all of you, good to see you, thank you for being here. 

(APPLAUSE) 

HANNITY:  And Caitlyn Jenner now joins us. 

(APPLAUSE) 

JENNER:  Wait a second, after that opening -- 

HANNITY:  Yeah. 

JENNER:  -- I'm out of here. 

HANNITY:  That's the campaign -- 

(LAUGHTER) 

JENNER:  I'm moving on. Yeah, that was the scariest thing I've ever heard. 

Yeah. 

HANNITY:  Well, it's all true. 

JENNER:  It is true. It absolutely is true. First of all, I got a gift. 

HANNITY:  Oh, thank you, what is it? I love gifts. 

(CROSSTALK)   

JENNER:  I know, according (ph) to the face mask thing out here in California, so I thought I would get you one -- 

(CROSSTALK) 

HANNITY:  Hannity supports Caitlyn -- he's not allowed to, he's on the news. 

(LAUGHTER) 

JENNER:  Recall Gavin Newsom. 

HANNITY:  By the way, I support the recall. 

JENNER:  Yeah. 

HANNITY:  Just (ph) to be very clear. 

JENNER:  Yeah. 

HANNITY:  You know, it's amazing when you think about it; I just have such respect for athletes. You know, you didn't win the gold in '72; you came back in '76, and you won the gold -- a great Olympian, a great champion, and you're really -- I always say politics is a blood sport. 

JENNER:  It is. 

HANNITY:  And a part of me is saying, what the hell are you thinking? This is -- this is going to -- this is hard. 

JENNER:  It was not an easy decision. It took an awfully long time. I've always been involved in politics. 

For the LGBTQ community, I used to go back -- but in 1973, I graduated from college in Iowa. I packed up my '63 VW Bug and drove across the country, everything I owned in the backseat. And I came out -- come to California, the Golden State. 

I went to San Jose. Why? Because San Jose was where all the great athletes lived. I had met them in my first Olympics in 1972. And me as a decathlete, I wanted to learn from all these other great athletes. 

In fact, in 1976, we took -- we placed fifth as a nation with three gold medals, a silver and a bronze within a five-mile radius up at my house. I put myself with some of these great athletes, and I learned so much. 

I want to do the same thing now. I want to take that same fight, that same spirit, go to Sacramento, surround myself with some of the smartest people out there. I am an outsider, I understand that. Smartest people out there. 

Because now I'm in a race for solutions. I need to find solutions to be able to turn this state around. I absolutely love this state. 

I'm a fighter, always have been. I come from a long line of fighters. My grandfather was in World War I, was in the dead pile; somebody was walking by and heard a moan, and they said, oh my God, somebody's alive in here and pulled him out, and he wound up going on and living a very good life. 

HANNITY:  Dead pile, meaning they thought he was dead. 

JENNER:  They thought he was dead. They had the tag on his foot and everything. And - but went on to live a good life. 

My father, when he was 19, in fact, welcome to my hangar, this is actually my hangar, I have pictures on the wall of my father over there when he was 19, when World War II was breaking out, he wanted to fight. And so, he joined the 5th Ranger Battalion, landed with the first boats on Omaha Beach

-- 364 guys in his division, 60 came back alive. 

HANNITY:  Wow. Let me get in -- 

(CROSSTALK)   

JENNER:  And just so -- he's buried at Arlington with all his buddies. And I thought to myself, you know what? If we can fight, because we've got to fight -- and you say it all the time -- we can fight. Somebody's got to stand up. You know? 

I'm not going up in Omaha Beach, I'm going up in Sacramento. And -- but we have to change things. 

I love this country. I'm a patriarch. I love this state. The state's done so much for me over the years, and I've watched it crumble right in front of my eyes. 

And you've got to stand up, you know? And so, I knew it would not be easy. 

I knew it would be tough. But you know what? California's worth fighting for, and that's what I'm doing. 

HANNITY:  Let's talk about, I want to, in the course of the time we have here together -- 

JENNER:  Right. 

HANNITY:  -- I want to get specific. 

JENNER:  OK. 

HANNITY:  -- on very specific issues.

Let's start with a general overall, overarching; I want you to grade Gavin Newsom. I want you to define what a compassionate disruptor is, words you've used to describe yourself. 

JENNER:  Yeah. 

HANNITY:  And then we'll get into the specifics of what it would take to, for California, a state you clearly love, to recover. 

(CROSSTALK)   

HANNITY:  And are you a Republican or a Democrat? You know?

JENNER:  What I see in Gavin Newsom is a politician up to special interests, makes his decision as a politician and special interests, and the hypocrisy that is going on right now. It's like, there's one set of rules for Sacramento, and there's another set of rules for everybody else. 

I mean, you've seen the video of him at The French Laundry, OK? I can't go down to my restaurant, and all the employees in that restaurant down there are not working. OK? And he's up there dining. 

We see Nancy Pelosi. I can't go to my hair salon. All the salons in my town are closed. Nobody can go in there and nobody's working. People are losing money. But she can sneak in. And it's the hypocrisy of what's going on. 

Yes, it is -- a dynasty, I guess you could say, in Sacramento. They've really been in charge for the last 40 years. I mean, we had Reagan come in a little bit, Arnold come in a little bit as Republicans, but it's been a dynasty. 

And as we see what happens here and, in the recall -- everybody was behind the recall; they needed 1.5 million votes, they got 2.1. But, of course, the Democrats had to verify every signature. 

HANNITY:  Mm-hmm. 

JENNER:  Isn't it shocking? 

HANNITY:  It doesn't shock me. 

JENNER:  And eventually they had wound up, after they disallowed like a half a million of them, and they had 1.6. So the recall is on. 

But I'm really fighting against the hypocrisy that's going on up there, that he's been bad on every issue. He's bad on taxes. Obviously, we're the most taxed state in the nation. 

He's been horrible for business. Obviously, companies are leaving left and right -- 18,000 companies have left California. 

My friends are leaving California. Actually my hangar, the guy across, Fred Griffin (ph), he was packing up his hangar, I said, where are you going? 

And he says, I'm moving to Sedona, Arizona, I can't take it here anymore. I can't walk down the street and see the homeless. 

I don't want to leave. OK? Either I stay and fight, or I get out of here. 

HANNITY:  Let's describe -- you can answer the specifics -- are you a Republican? Are you a Democrat? Are you Independent? 

And I really want you to define this term -- a compassionate disruptor. 

What is a compassionate disruptor? 

JENNER:  I kind of played around with that term. And originally, I started out as a compassionate disruptor, and then I was thinking the other day, I think I'm more of a thoughtful disruptor. I have common sense, OK. I see what's going on, and I see no common sense in politics and why they're doing it, besides only for political reasons. 

And I have always been on the Republican side, just because I have conservative economic values. You know, the old saying, lower taxes, less regulations, you know, a more friendly business environment, and we don't have that in California. 

But socially, I've much -- I've been much more progressive all my life. I get it. People do need help. You know, we need programs. 

But you cannot have social programs without an economy -- doesn't happen. 

You just don't have the finances to do it. And that's what's happening here in California. 

And so, it's been so frustrating for me. I don't care -- I - honestly, I 

like everybody. I'm friends with everybody --   

HANNITY:  I don't like everybody. There are people I don't like in life. 

(CROSSTALK)   

(LAUGHTER) 

JENNER:  I can get along with anybody, Sean. You know, I can get along. 

So, honestly, I don't really care if you're a Republican, a Democrat, a Libertarian, a vegetarian, you know? It doesn't make any difference to me. 

I want solutions. 

If the Democrats are able to come up with great solutions, I am behind that

100 percent. Solutions to bring this state back and to give the power of this state back to the people and not to special interests and Gavin Newsom. 

HANNITY:  Now, let's get to specifics. 

JENNER:  Uh-oh. 

HANNITY:  No, uh oh -- 

JENNER:  Let's go. Hit me with it. 

HANNITY:  OK, California is a sanctuary state. 

JENNER:  Yes. 

HANNITY:  You have sanctuary cities. Would you eliminate sanctuary status of the state of California? 

JENNER:  I would keep it a sanctuary state for small businesses. 

(LAUGHTER) 

HANNITY:  Meaning? 

JENNER:  Meaning, I want small businesses to come into this state. You know, I want people to create wealth here. I want -- and to employ people -

- yeah, but as far as immigration, no, I am -- I am not on that. 

We need to spend some money to have a fair and equitable immigration system in this state. 

HANNITY:  Gavin Newsom, for the record, he's given $500 checks to illegal immigrants. 

JENNER:  Yes. 

HANNITY: Guaranteeing healthcare for illegal immigrants. 

JENNER:  Right. 

HANNITY:  He's guaranteeing education for illegal immigrants. It's a big issue. 

What would you do different -- and for example, if you could, would you continue building the border wall? 

JENNER:  I am all for the wall. I would secure the wall. We can't have a state -- we can't have a country without a secure wall. 

You have two questions here. One is stopping people from coming in illegally into the state, and then the second question is, what do we do with the people that are here? 

We are a compassionate country. OK, we are a compassionate state. Some help, I mean, some people, they're -- we're going to send back, OK, no question about that. 

But I have met some of the greatest immigrants into our country. I had a guy the other day, and he was Spanish, and I've known him for 17 years. And I said, you know what, come over here, I want to learn something.

You know, what is -- what is your status? And he said, I've been in this country 17 years. This is a gentleman, I mean, this is the greatest guy. I want him to be a U.S. citizen. OK? He's an asset to this state and to this country. But he's been trying for 17 years to get citizenship. 

He says, I'm hoping -- 

HANNITY:  Did he come in illegally or did he stay -- over? 

JENNER:  I think he was on a visa. 

HANNITY:  On a visa. 

JENNER:  Yeah -- and stayed. 

But he's been there, but he's lost two jobs because he didn't have legal status. He finally got this other job where I met him. And he is the nicest, greatest guy. He would make -- I mean, I would do everything for him to stay here. 

And so, you have to deal with it. We have to modernize. We have not modernized our immigration system in the United States to make it possible for people to immigrate into this country -- 

(CROSSTALK)   

HANNITY:  Let me ask this question. 

(CROSSTALK) 

JENNER:  Such a ridiculous process (ph). 

(CROSSTALK) 

HANNITY:  Would you allow the state to work with ICE and enforce the laws? 

In other words, people get out of jail, they are supposed to be deported, would you eliminate all of the sanctuary status that currently exist in this state? 

JENNER:  I would do my absolute best to do that. It's not going to be easy. 

But I will do --   

HANNITY:  Stay right there.

(CROSSTALK)   

JENNER:  -- my absolute best. I am for securing this state. I am pro-law enforcement; I am pro-border protection, OK? ICE, pro-ICE. We need these people, and they do a wonderful job. 

HANNITY:  We have a lot more to get to. Out of time. Thank you for being with us. 

When we come back, more with Caitlyn Jenner, and also, we'll get her take on Silicon Valley's big tech censorship, so much more, a lot of ground to cover. Thanks for being with us. 

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) 

(NEWSBREAK)

HANNITY:  All right, as we continue to broadcast, sunny Southern California, the highest taxed state in the country, for the hour, we continue with California gubernatorial candidate, Caitlyn Jenner. 

All right, let me -- let me get to this issue. On the issue of girls' 

transgender sports, created a controversy. That was interesting to me, and your comments to Joy Behar, we've got bigger problems -- 

JENNER:  Yes. 

HANNITY:  -- than pronouns in the state of California. 

My -- Joy Behar and I agree on nothing, but I thought that was very gracious of you, and I agreed with you, I don't think she did it on purpose. 

JENNER:  No, no, most people -- honestly my mother at times misgenders me. 

By the way, my mother -- 

HANNITY:  Yes. 

JENNER:  -- OK, she was -- during World War II, she was a parts inspector for the Avenger Aircraft. She is a patriot; I love her to death. She's living up in Idaho. 

My mother loves you, watches you -- 

HANNITY:  She -- 

JENNER:  -- every night. No -- 

HANNITY:  Thank you. 

JENNER:  -- she watches you every night, calls me after the show to discuss everything on HANNITY. So, in 10 days -- 

HANNITY:  Yes. 

JENNER:  -- she turns 95. 

HANNITY:  I'm calling mom. 

JENNER:  -- her name -- her name is Esther. 

HANNITY:  OK. 

JENNER:  And a quick little -- maybe to the camera, happy birthday, Esther. 

HANNITY:  Of course, I always -- Esther, happy birthday, God bless you. And you're smart, you're in Idaho. 

(LAUGHTER) 

HANNITY:  And Caitlyn is paying way -- and, by the way, I'm dumb, I'm in New York, and Caitlyn's in California. Big party (ph), happy birthday, you're in our love, thoughts, and prayers. 

JENNER:  Yes, oh, she will -- she will go crazy on that one. Anyway, I just had to do that, you know. 

HANNITY:  So, what -- but -- 

JENNER:  OK. 

HANNITY:  -- girls' transgender sports -- 

JENNER:  Yes. 

HANNITY:  -- people that -- like Joy, that say the wrong thing. 

JENNER:  Joy this is -- you know, I mentioned a second ago my mom sometimes, you know, when she gets upset, you know, she -- I don't have a problem with that. The community has a bigger problem with that than I do. 

I stick with my statements that I made. I think we have to make sure that the integrity of girls' sports is there. I think that's extremely important. 

But it's -- there's more to it than just what I said, because I just said biological boys in sports. There's more to it than that, and I think in the future I will explain more of that. 

But for me as a trans woman, I think role models are extremely important for young people. Trans issues people struggle with big time. Our suicide rate is nine times higher than the general public. 

And for me to be a role model to them, to be out there. I am running for governor of the state of California, who would have ever thunk that? We've never even had a woman governor. 

HANNITY:  But some are mad at you. 

JENNER:  That's -- I don't, you know, I move on. 

I want to be a role model, and I think -- and to be a leader. And I think the most important thing as a leader that you can do is your compassion, your honesty, and I think that sometimes is very lacking in politics. 

So, I want to be an example to all people, not just trans people. But this is what you can do. 

HANNITY:  Why on -- why on the sports side of it though? 

JENNER:  Why aren't I what? 

HANNITY:  Why did -- how you came down on the sports side of the issue?

JENNER:  I don't know why. To be honest with you, I don't know why they keep asking that. What do you think, Sean? I don't know. Why do they keep asking me that question? 

HANNITY:  Great question. 

JENNER:  It is a good question, but we can deal with that. There's more problems here in the state of California than that now. 

HANNITY:  Well, understood. And there are. I want to get into to -- 

JENNER:  Honestly, it's the community, Sean (ph). 

I -- my issues, I'm standing on my back porch a couple years ago, I'm watching 200-foot flames come in -- coming up the hill at me. 

Why? Seventeen miles away in Chatsworth, a transformer blew. A few hours later, they traveled 17 miles. 

I had to eventually evacuate my house, it was so intense. We had not had a burn there in 35 years. It was so intense. 

We need to upgrade our grid, our electrical system. I think that's a position where we work with the electrical companies and Sacramento. I don't think Sacramento, the taxpayers, should do all of it. They're already paying enough. 

HANNITY:  These rolling blackouts, just like wildfires. 

JENNER:  Rolling blackouts. I -- I -- I put my generator at my house just because like every time the wind blows, they turn off everything because they're afraid some system's going to spark and start a fire. 

We also -- when I stood there watching this fire come at me, I never saw -- now I love the fire department, I love these guys that are out there -- but when it was coming at my house, I never saw one helicopter, I never saw one fire truck, I didn't even hear a siren. Granted, I live in a more rural area, and they were probably over protecting more houses. 

But we need to do a better job. We need an early detection system when it comes to fires. I've seen so many of them in Malibu. I've lived there for

48 years. 

And the biggest thing and the most important thing is that they jump on a fire as quick as possible and put it out when it's small. And once it gets away from them, they can't. 

HANNITY:  Would you allow controlled burns? 

JENNER:  Yes. 

HANNITY:  Isn't there a science behind forestry? Is that science being ignored in this state? 

JENNER:  Yes. 

HANNITY:  Because when I watch it, it breaks my heart. 

JENNER:  Management -- 

HANNITY:  I lived in Santa Barbara. I watched Hope Ranch -- Hope Ranch burn down after I had just left the state. 

JENNER:  Yes. Yes. Forest management is extremely important, yes. 

Just like at my house -- and it's not even forest management at my house. 

The reason my house made it is because they say you have to keep any brush

50 or 75 feet -- I think I had 75 feet clearance. 

When the fires came, they just went around my house so fast, it was gone, because it's moving very fast. 

So, it's almost the same thing for forest management. Just a little bit of preparation, you know? And my house made it. But five houses around me were burnt to the ground, lives were destroyed. 

HANNITY:  We -- we now went through this -- this worldwide pandemic, very huge differences between say red states, Florida, California. What would you have done differently if you were the governor with COVID-19? 

JENNER:  First of all, Gavin Newsom on this issue has been absolutely horrible. OK? He's used it as a political tool in this state to shut it down, to control people, and that should not happen. He's destroyed businesses -- thousands of businesses were destroyed, restaurants destroyed not being able to open up. 

He should have done a better job. I don't blame anybody back in March of 2020. I don't blame the federal government for coming down and saying we're going to shut this country down quickly, and they did. But I don't think anybody had any idea how it was going to be a political game to reopen. 

As you said, some states have done very well -- mentioned Florida. We've done a terrible job. Easy example, Florida, Orlando -- Disneyworld opened up nine months ago. Anaheim, Disneyland opened up six days ago. We're talking nine months of shutting Disneyland down, when it didn't have to be shutdown. 

And the list of that goes over, and over, and over -- and just this total mismanagement of this process. 

HANNITY:  Did you -- would you, if you had to pick governors in the country, because like New York -- Newsom, Whitmer, Murphy, Wolf, they all have the executive orders for nursing homes --- which people don't seem to talk about. 

JENNER:  Right. 

HANNITY:  Are there two or three governors that you look at in the country that you think are going a great job, that you, if you become governor would like to be?

JENNER:  Texas doing a great job. I, honestly, would have coordinated with those people. I would have been calling them and talking -- what's working for you, what's not working for you? 

It becomes - and I look at the successful ones, they've all been a collaboration between private business and government. 

HANNITY:  Would you open the state of California completely tomorrow? 

JENNER: Absolutely. Open it right up. Actually, you know what's -- 

HANNITY:  Just don't close In-N-Out Burger before I leave. 

JENNER:  It's even on a small-scale kind of working already. About three weeks ago it was rumored -- rightfully so, it was rumored that I was looking into run for governor. The next day, Gavin Newsom has a press conference, says the state is opening up July 15. 

I'm laying there in bed and watching this and I'm saying, yes, it's already working. Yes. 

HANNITY:  Oh, by the way he's blaming this recall on QAnon, anti-vaxxers, and anti-immigration citizens. 

JENNER:  Yeah. I'm pro-illegal immigration. I want an organized (ph) -- we really have to -- 

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY:  You're pro-legal immigration. 

JENNER:  What's that? 

HANNITY:  You're pro-legal immigration.   

JENNER:  Legal immigration, yes. Pro-legal immigration, sorry, did I miss the legal part? 

HANNITY:  Yeah. 

JENNER:  Thanks for catching me. You've got my back, Sean, I appreciate that. 

HANNITY:  No, I knew what you were saying. 

All right. We'll take a break. We'll come back. More with Caitlyn Jenner running for the governorship for the state of California as we continue. 

Thanks for being with us. 

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) 

HANNITY:  All right, we're here tonight in Southern California for our exclusive interview with Caitlyn Jenner running to be the next governor of the great state of California to replace Gavin Newsom. 

Let me just ask you about law and order. We have -- you watched the riots this summer, some Democrats, media people, wouldn't acknowledge their riots. 

I have statistics in LA, 465 shootings since January 1st, up 67 percent from last year, homicides up 26 percent. 

When you look at L.A. County and outside the city of Los Angeles, well, homicides up a whopping 113 percent, and Gavin Newsom is going to release

76,000 additional inmates for good behavior, 63,000 of them committed violent crimes. Would you do that? 

JENNER:  Not at all. I think on the releasing of the prisoners, criminal justice reform is very important, and we need to do that, OK? We need to rehabilitate people in prison and bring them back into the community safely. 

In his case, I don't know how many of these people have actually been rehabilitated to go back into society. 

And so, I am 100 percent behind our police force. Every place I go, if I see a cop -- if I'm driving, and I see a cop, I'll put my hand out the window and give them a thumbs up. If I'm -- they're sitting there, I'll pull up and say, hey, thank you for your service. You know, this citizen appreciates what you do. I 100 percent support our police forces. 

As far as -- I would be very tough on rioting, using as many forces as I could possibly use to stop the rioting and protect the citizens and the businesses of this community. I think that's extremely important -- the National Guard, whatever we need to keep peace. 

HANNITY:  What is the police reform then that you want? 

JENNER:  The only police reform, I think we need -- look it, in every business out there, there's good people, and there's bad people who probably shouldn't be there. No matter if you're a journalist, OK, no matter what the business is -- 

HANNITY:  You mean the mob and the -- yeah, go ahead. 

JENNER:  Yeah, yeah. No matter what it is, you're going to get good and bad. 

I think proper training, being able to weed out the good with the bad. I have a very good friend of mine who was in the sheriff's departments for years, and we talk a lot about this issue. 

And I was talking with him the other day about it, and he said, you know what the sad part is? The sheriff's department training center is like, almost empty. Nobody wants to be a cop anymore. 

HANNITY:  Do you blame them after all they've been through? 

JENNER:  I cannot blame them. I do not blame them. But as -- from Sacramento, that has to change.

HANNITY:  This is important, how -- how do you change that? In other words, for example, I would suggest more training and -- 

JENNER:  Oh, yeah. 

HANNITY:  I would -- I would look for more nonlethal options -- I think would be a good idea. But defunding, dismantling, who -- my question to people, who are you going to call? 

JENNER:  I totally agree. It's just a stupid idea. Again, no common sense in Sacramento. Gavin Newsom, no common sense to release prisoners into the community, and then say they're going to defund the police. 

I support the police 100 percent. I support the National Guard. I support our business owners in Los Angeles and around the country, and would do everything I can to protect them. 

HANNITY:  We have other issues. For example, Gavin Newsom talks about taxing water. I did a show from San Joaquin Valley. I was just doing my research -- 

(LAUGHTER) 

JENNER:  I know. 

HANNITY:  And the delta smelt prevented farmers from being able to farm. 

Not a small deal. This is farms now -- 

JENNER:  I heard about the delta smelt, yeah. 

HANNITY:  How would you - what would you do in that case? 

JENNER:  Water is a big issue in this state.

HANNITY:  It is. 

JENNER:  OK? It's a big issue in the state. 

To be honest with you, I mean, every year I follow -- just as a resident, I follow what the waterfall is. I used to have a home in Tahoe, how much snowfall do we have here, because that's where the bulk of our water comes from. 

And every year, I see this guy go out, and he's on the news, and he has this big, long pole. And he takes it out of this field, and he sticks it down to see what the -- how much snow we have. This year, it was only down maybe three or four feet, other days (ph), it's been like 10 feet where he's like, pushing the pole down, you're thinking, oh, we're in pretty good shape. 

Our water system's going up and down all the time. This year, we're down. 

We've gotten, here in the Los Angeles area, really, probably only two good rainfalls, and you can see that -- from my house, you can see how vegetation is very -- you know, it's not green, it's just - because it just hasn't gotten much water. We are headed for a drought. That has to be looked at in advance. 

Here's my crazy thinking -- again, Sean, logical thinking. We are now spending billions of dollars on this high-speed rail, OK? They talk about it all the time between LA and San Francisco. 

And I'm going, why are we doing that? I can get on a plane at LAX and I'll be in San Francisco in 50 minutes, you know, why do we need high-speed rail? Why don't we do this -- why don't we invest that money in desalinization plants along the coast? 

Take that water, and any time it's a bad year, desalinate the water, have some pipes going over the mountains out to the San Joaquin Valley for all our farmers, have it down here, we're in the Camarillo area. You look right over here; I drive through the farmyards every year. 

Why don't we just start to look at it -- wait a second, maybe water is a bigger issue than trying to move a few people fast -- 

HANNITY:  Believe or not, 33 years ago when I started my radio career, that was a big issue in Santa Barbara. We got to take another break though. 

I want to ask you when we get back about taxes, right? Highest taxed state in the country, and how do you stop people from leaving your state? 

JENNER:  OK. I'm looking forward to that. 

HANNITY:  Quick break. We'll come back. California gubernatorial candidate, Caitlyn Jenner. 

Please stay with us. 

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) 

HANNITY:  All right. As we continue Southern California with gubernatorial candidate, Caitlyn Jenner. 

We've had four years of Donald Trump. We have Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. 

Give me your assessment of those three people. 

JENNER:  What I liked about Donald Trump is he was a disruptor, you know? 

He came in and shook the system up, OK. A lot of people didn't like that in Washington, D.C., but he came in and shook the system up. I think he did some things that I agree with, some things I didn't agree with. I -- 

HANNITY:  You were critical on transgender issues. 

JENNER:  On trans issues, LGBT issues, I was more hopeful at the beginning. 

And -- but there were some good things he did. 

On the other hand, Biden, I don't think I've agreed with anything. I don't think, since he's been in there, he has done anything for the American worker, maybe other ones. So it is a -- it is a 180 degree turn in our country, going the other direction, and it scares me. 

HANNITY:  Are you happy with where - how everything worked out? And number

-- that's the first thing I want to say. And the second thing that I want to ask you is, you said to me that Bruce Jenner could not be doing this, what you as Caitlyn Jenner are doing, meaning running for governor. What did you mean by that? 

JENNER:  When you deal with gender dysphoria, it affects you your whole life. I mean, you're a little kid, you're wondering -- I grew up in the `50s and `60s, and nobody knew what it was, there wasn't even a name. 

And so, my whole life I struggled with this issue. I snuck around. I wasn't honest with myself -- a lot of times not honest with other people. 

And that all changed when I finally had my final conversation with God. I talked to all my children. I raised all my kids -- 65, 64 -- 

HANNITY:  You have amazing kids.

(CROSSTALK) 

JENNER:  - I have wonderful children, love them to death. 

HANNITY: Successful. 

JENNER:  They've all done very well, yes, they have. 

But discussed it with all my children, but the last thing I had to do was sit down with my pastor, because if anybody has any issues in their life that they're -- and everybody does, everybody's got stuff they have to deal with. 

And if they have any faith in their soul whatsoever, they sit there and they go, God, why'd you do this? Why is this issue for me, of identity, in my head 24 hours a day, every day, 365 days out of the year? You can't take two aspirin, get plenty of sleep, wake up the next morning and you're fine

-- it's just always there, it's who you are. But why? 

And so, this question was always in my heart. And sitting - I sat down with my pastor, and you know what? I thought, is there a reason for this? Am I doing the right thing? Do I need to come out and make a difference in probably the most marginalized community in the world? 

After long thought, I said, you know what, at this point in my life, my kids are raised, everybody's fine. Maybe it's time I take care of myself. 

Because when that day comes, and you go up to the pearly gates, and you're walking up the stairs, and you're seeing God in front of you, and you just ask that question, did I do a good job? Did I do the right thing? And just hope he says, hey, come on in. I did a good job. 

So that's what my life's been about. I'm just trying to be myself, and I can be myself now -- I couldn't do it before, because I had too many secrets. 

In my book, "Secrets of My Life," I got all my secrets out, I have no secrets anymore. And I just wake up and be myself all day. And -- but I still feel like I'm doing the right thing, and that's the most important thing. And I think when I get up there, that day, hopefully I'm in. 

HANNITY:  Caitlyn Jenner, thank you for being with us. 

JENNER:  It was my pleasure. Always a pleasure to talk to you, Sean. 

HANNITY:  Good to talk to you. Good to see you again. 

JENNER:  Now, we're going to go find my plane around the corner. I'm going to take you for a flight. 

HANNITY:  I'm going right -- wheels up any minute, all right. 

(LAUGHTER) 

HANNITY:  All right, thank you for your time. We do wish you nothing but the best. We're going to follow this race closely. 

Final thoughts from California as we continue.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY:  All right. Unfortunately, that is all the time we have left here in California. Back in, oh, another higher tax state, New York, tomorrow, and we'll an incredible show plan for you with reaction to our interview tonight with Caitlyn Jenner. Also, Mark Meadows, Newt Gingrich, so much more. 

We hope you'll always set your DVR. Never miss an episode. 

In the meantime, let not your hearts be troubled. The news continues. Laura Ingraham takes you home. Have a great night.

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