Donald Trump on why his message resonates with voters

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Donald Trump on why his message resonates with voters

GOP presidential candidate slams 'incompetent politicians' on 'Hannity'

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," July 27, 2015. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN HANNITY, FOX HOST (voice-over): Tonight...

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's been interesting when you look at what's happened with Mr. Trump.

HANNITY: President Obama lashes out at Donald Trump.

OBAMA: The American people deserve better.

HANNITY: Mr. Trump is here tonight to respond.

Then President Obama calls out Senator Ted Cruz and others.

OBAMA: We've had a sitting senator suggest that I'm the leading state sponsor of terrorism.

HANNITY: The senator from the great state of Texas will respond in a "Hannity" exclusive.

CECILE RICHARDS, PLANNED PARENTHOOD PRES.: These tapes have been edited and they've tried to entrap doctors to say things…

HANNITY: And the president of Planned Parenthood attacks the very group that made the shocking undercover videos allegedly exposing her organization. Mark Steyn is here with reaction.

Plus, 2016 GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie and Ann Coulter join us in studio.

"Hannity" starts right here, right now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HANNITY: Welcome to "Hannity." While holding a press conference earlier today in Ethiopia, President Obama ripped the 2016 Republican presidential field and specifically called out the front-runner, Donald Trump. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When you look at what's happening with Mr. Trump, when he's made some of the remarks that, for example, challenged the heroism of Mr. McCain, the Republican Party is shocked. And yet that arises out of a culture where, you know, those kinds of outrageous attacks have become far too commonplace.

The point is, we're creating a culture that is not conducive to good policy or good politics. The American people deserve better. Certainly, presidential debates deserve better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Now, the same guy that referred to Republicans as social Darwinists and said Republicans want dirty air and dirty water -- really?
OK.

Here with reaction to the president's comments, 2016 GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump. Sir, how are you?

DONALD TRUMP, R, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: How are you, Sean?

HANNITY: I assume you probably want to respond to that. He's used a lot of incendiary language throughout his career. I can go through the laundry list. But you're pretty aware of all the things he's said.

TRUMP: Well, look, number one, he took my statement and cut it up, like everybody else. And you are the first to admit. I mean, if people read it, whether it's Sharyl Attkisson, who did an analysis -- and that doesn't make me a fan of John McCain because he's let a lot of people down, especially the veterans, especially at the border. He has really failed the veterans and he's really, really failed at the border, and I'm very open about that.

And they just did a recent poll that I'm much more popular with the veterans than John McCain is. And the reason is that he doesn't do the job. He talks, but he doesn't do the job. So I'm disappointed in him.

But equally with the president, he's probably the worst president in the history of our country. He's a very divisive person, which is why he brings this kind of stuff up. And he should have devoted more time to working on a good nuclear deal with Iran instead of what he's doing because he has just been a disaster for our country.

HANNITY: Oh, I don't disagree. All right, a lot of people, all weekend long, wherever I went, people said Donald Trump. Why do you think Donald Trump is leading in all the polls? You're winning nationally. You're winning in New Hampshire. You're doing very well even in Iowa. You're in second place, 2 points between Scott Walker in the recent poll. But I have one poll has you at 24 percent, the next closest competitor, 13 percent.

I have my answer. What is your answer? Why are you doing so well?

TRUMP: I think people are tired, really tired of these incompetent politicians where it's all talk, no action. I didn't want to be doing this. I love my business. I built a tremendous company, and you see that.
I did my filings. Everyone said, Wow, it's much bigger and much better than we even thought.

I built an incredible company. I've had tremendous success. I love doing it. But I'm so sick and tired of watching these incompetent politicians that are all talk, no action. They don't do anything. And I just felt that I had to do it.

And I guess we engender some great love because I have the biggest crowds of anybody by far. And I have the biggest standing ovations. People agree
-- I'm not sure they like me, but they certainly like my message. I hope they like me. I think I'm a nice guy.

But I'm tired of watching these all talk, no action politicians. The only thing they want to do is keep their job. And that's just not for me. And it resonates with all of these people that are for Trump.

I'll give you another example, Walker. I mean, I was very nice to him. He gave me an award, came up to my office and gave me an award three, four months ago, a beautiful plaque. It was very nice. But in the end, they said something a little nasty about me. And what did I do? I looked into Wisconsin. And I love Wisconsin, but they have a tremendous budget deficit of $2.2 billion, which is unthinkable. They were supposed to have a surplus of a billion, and they have $2.2 billion.

Their jobs are a disaster. Their schools are a disaster. Their roads are a disaster. They don't want to spend any money on roads because he doesn't want to raise taxes, so he's borrowing and borrowing. And you know, when the facts come out about Scott Walker, I think he's going to plunge in the polls because -- and I'm -- obviously, he's also very divisive because it's a very divisive state. I mean, everybody's fighting with everyone.

So I think that's going to be next. I think he's going to be the next one to fall.

But I think in the end, Sean, just to answer your question, people are tired of incompetent politicians running our country. When they see a deal like the Iran nuclear deal, when they see how badly our veterans are taken care of, they're just sick and tired of it.

HANNITY: You know, the -- there's a recent poll, a Pew poll that came out that showed that since January, Republicans have lost 18 percentage points in terms of their support. And I would argue there's a reason for it.
They promised they'd stop the president's executive amnesty. They didn't do that. They've been promising to repeal and replace ObamaCare forever. They won't use their constitutional authority to do that.

They won't stop sanctuary cities. And even with the Iranian deal, when they had amendments that would have demanded recognition of Israel, demanded that they release our hostages, they didn't even want to add those amendments.

So when people ask me, I say you're willing to fight, and the Republican establishment in Washington is not willing to fight. Is that an accurate description?

TRUMP: Sean, and also, I'm not controlled by special interests and lobbyists and donors. I don't need any money. I'm using my own money. So the lobbyists and the donors, they're not giving me, like in Bush's case,
$100 million-plus, and Hillary Clinton, $50 million-plus. Walker, all these guys, they're controlled by the people that give them the money.

Look, who is the king of that for many years? Me. I mean, you give money, and you don't ask for anything. You have total power over these people.
Believe me, total power.

And if it's bad for the country and good for them, the candidate, whether it's Bush or whether it's walker or Hillary or whoever it might be, they're going to do what their donors and lobbyists tell them what to do. That's not good for the country.

I know the system better than anybody. And now I'm running because we're not going to have a country soon. We don't have borders. We don't have law enforcement. They've taken all of the power away from our policemen.
And sure, you have a couple of bad apples and you have some bad decisions being made. And I hate to see it when I see it.

But the fact is, we don't have law and order. We don't have -- I mean, our country is going to hell. And you know what else we don't have? We don't have jobs because our jobs are going to China and so many other countries.

HANNITY: Let me ask...

TRUMP: So I just see this all happening, and I said it's time to do something about it.

HANNITY: The issue of third party keeps coming up again and again and again. And when it came up last week, I wrote Reince Priebus. I said -- because you had said that you weren't being treated well by the RNC. And I said, Are there any issues between you and Mr. Trump? He wrote me back, and I'm paraphrasing, not specific -- no, he's running for the presidency.
My job is to remain neutral. And my hope is, is the best man wins. That's what he said to me.

He was asked about this. I want to play it for you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REINCE PRIEBUS, RNC CHAIRMAN: My job is not to call balls and strikes but to treat everyone respectfully and fairly. But certainly, I think our candidates should pledge not to run as a third party candidate. If Hillary Clinton's going to get beat, she's going to get beat by a Republican. And most people that run for president run to win. And if our candidates want to win, then they'll have to run as a Republican.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Can you put this to rest once and for all? You're not planning on running third party. You have no intention...

TRUMP: No. Absolutely.

HANNITY: And do you have any issues with -- do you have any issues at all with the RNC?

TRUMP: So let me just do this. I'm leading in the Republican primaries.
I mean, by I think every poll you have in front of you, but I think I'm leading in every poll, doing great in New Hampshire, doing great in Iowa, great places, and we're doing really well.

The way we're going to beat the Democrats and Hillary, who would be a disaster -- by the way, she was the worst secretary of state in history.
Why is she going to be a good president if she ever makes it? Because I think her e-mails are a criminal thing. They're far beyond what people are talking about.

But assuming she runs, I think I'm the one that can beat her. I would much prefer -- I will say, so many people want me to run as an independent. I don't want to do that. And why would I do that? I'm leading -- with all of the Republicans, I'm leading, and in some cases, as you just stated, by a big margin.

No, my preference and what I want to do is to run as a Republican and win.
And I think I will win. I think I'll win in the primaries and I think I'll win ultimately, and I'll make our country great again.

We have so many things to do. We don't have time for other things. And I think doing a third party would be very difficult, and it's not something I want to do.

With that being said, I will say -- maybe it's the polls, but the chairman and the RNC, they've treated us with great respect over the last week or so. We're getting along with them great. They respect what we've done and where we've come from. And I think they respect the kind of things I'm saying.

So I'm not looking to do that at all. I want to run as a Republican and I want to win as a Republican, and win the big thing so we can take our country back.

HANNITY: I think the fear is, is that if you didn't win the primary, that you would leave it open as an option. That's what people are wanting to hear you take a stand on that, whether you win or lose, you're going to support the eventual candidate, even though you hope it's you.

TRUMP: If I'm treated fairly and I get a good, fair shot at this and I'm not, you know, being sabotaged with all sorts of nonsense and a lot of phony ads and they throw a lot of money into it -- and you know, they'll do ads that are all false, and you know, this and that -- if I get a good shot, a fair shot, I would have no interest in doing that whatsoever. All I want to do is be treated fairly. And I will say, over the last week or so, Reince and the whole group, they've treated us very fairly.

HANNITY: You know, you -- I was glad to see this weekend -- and you just mentioned in this interview about Hillary Clinton's criminal misconduct. I think a lot of people are looking forward to the time where maybe you're not going after Scott Walker, Jeb Bush or any of the Republican candidates, but her. If it's you versus her...

TRUMP: I am, too!

HANNITY: All right. You said she's guilty of criminal misconduct. Where would you go in a campaign if it was you and Hillary?

TRUMP: Well, one thing I see is that the Republicans don't hit her very hard. And I think they probably say -- you know, look, again, I became a politician a couple of months ago. I'm not a politician. They are politicians. I think they say, Well, we don't want to hit her hard because we could be there also.

The fact is, what she's done is criminal. And if you look at General Petraeus, what he did is nothing compared to what she did. I mean, what he did, honestly, is nothing by comparison, and they destroyed his life. His life was destroyed. His reputation was destroyed.

Well, what she did is far worse. She gets a subpoena from the United States Congress, and her server is gone and her e-mails are gone and everything is gone.

HANNITY: And she had classified information, we now know.

TRUMP: I mean, if that was General Petraeus, he would have gone to jail for 10 years. What she did is far worse, and they destroyed his life. It's tough stuff.

HANNITY: Yes. Well, she apparently has classified information, which she swore repeatedly she didn't have.

I want to go back to immigration first. It's been an issue that now defines your campaign in many ways. OK. You build better walls, you said, than anybody else. Nobody could build a better wall. I hope you can do it quickly because I believe it's a big problem.

TRUMP: Nobody. Nobody.

HANNITY: I've been down there 12 times myself. I know the problems first hand. Anybody that denies it's just not telling the truth. My question to you is, what -- assuming you build the wall first, what is your plan for 11 million people that didn't respect our law and sovereignty?

TRUMP: Or more. OK. Number one, don't say just assuming because you got to build a wall. It's not an easy thing to do. And I'll get it done. And believe me, I'll do it for the right, but I'm also going to have Mexico pay for it. Mexico is making a fortune over us. They will pay for it. So just mark my words. That's called negotiation.

The first thing I'd do is I'd get rid -- before the wall, before we even start the wall, I get rid of the bad ones because we have a lot of really bad apples. We have a lot of bad dudes that are causing tremendous problems.

You know, You see what's happened. You know, I've been totally exonerated. If you look at what people have said, how they respect what I -- you know, I brought up this issue. I took a lot of heat. And now, all of a sudden, they're saying what Trump did was right. And I actually had people in your profession apologize to me for the statements I made that first week because I was right. And I'm very proud of bringing up illegal immigration. It took a -- it was not easy to do, and I'm very proud of it.

I would get rid of the bad ones, the criminals. We have a lot of people here that shouldn't be here, and I don't want to house them in our jails because it's costing us a fortune. I want them to go back to the country where they came from -- not only Mexico, plenty of other countries. They're pouring across the border. So that's number one.

Then number two, you either -- and these could be some great people. But you either have laws or you don't have laws. I would get them back. I would get them back where they are, and I would try and work out a process where they can come in legally.

But they got -- they have to come in legally, Sean. It's about laws. It's about borders. If we don't have a border, we don't have a country. So I'd get them out, and if they were really outstanding -- because some of these people have been here for a long period of time -- I'd let them back legally.

They'd have to come through a legal system, and I'd make the system much faster, much (INAUDIBLE) We would -- I want people to come into the country. I love the fact that people come into the country. They have to come in legally. Not only them, other people. We welcome people. I mean, my parents and my grandparents, they came from different parts of the world, too. We all sort of did...

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: They'd first have to go back and then...

TRUMP: They go back...

HANNITY: ... you'd expedite the process.

TRUMP: They go back and -- I would expedite it because some of these people are fantastic people. I've been to the border. I was there a few days ago. I met some people. These are fantastic people and they have great reputations within their community.

So what I'd do is I'd expedite it. But you have to have laws. If you don't have laws, you don't have a country. I would get them out and try and -- the good ones. The bad ones, they're gone. They never come back.
They'll never get back into this country. But the good ones, of which there are many, I want to expedite it so they can come back in legally.

HANNITY: All right, Mr. Trump, always a pleasure. Thank you. Congratulations on your good poll numbers. Appreciate you being with us.

TRUMP: Thank you.

HANNITY: And coming up next tonight here on "Hannity"...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: We've had a sitting senator who also happens to be running for president suggesting that I'm the leading state sponsor of terrorism. These are leaders in the Republican Party.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: All right, Obama lashes out against Ted Cruz. The senator from the great state of Texas -- he'll be here to respond exclusively.

And then later tonight...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CECILE RICHARDS, PLANNED PARENTHOOD PRESIDENT: The folks behind this, in fact, are part of the most militant wing of the anti-abortion movement that has been behind, you know, the bombing of clinics, the murder of doctors in their homes and in their churches.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: The president of Planned Parenthood lashes out at the group that made the undercover videos allegedly exposing her executives. Mark Steyn has reaction. And Ann Coulter and Chris Christie and more -- we can't do any better than this -- straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWSBREAK)

HANNITY: Welcome back to "Hannity." So the president is wrapping up his trip to Africa. He managed to find some time to fire a few quick jabs at the GOP presidential field. During a press conference in Ethiopia, the president took some cheap shots at Governor Mike Huckabee and Senator Ted Cruz. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The particular comments of Mr. Huckabee are, I think, part of just a general pattern we've seen that is -- would be considered ridiculous if it weren't so sad. You know, we've had a sitting senator call John Kerry Pontius Pilate. We've had a sitting senator who also happens to be running for president suggest that I'm the leading state sponsor of terrorism. These are leaders in the Republican Party.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Here with reaction, author of the best seller "Time for Truth:
Reigniting the Promise of America," 2016 Republican presidential contender Texas senator Ted Cruz.

Senator, the Iranians right now are not abiding by the deal. They wouldn't let the IAEA inspect their nuclear detonator sites. And we're giving them
$150 billion, and we can't get a deal that releases four Americans and says they got to recognize Israel's right to exist? What is he talking about here?

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, you know, unfortunately, with President Obama, it's all politics all the time. It speaks volumes that he's halfway across the globe and he feels the need to attack me directly.

And it's interesting, Sean, he didn't actually dispute the substantive criticism. So the point that he responds to there is I've pointed out that under the Obama nuclear deal, over $100 billion will flow to Iran. Iran is the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, so much of that money will end up in the hands of Hamas and Hezbollah and the Houthis and other radical Islamic terrorists. And if this deal goes through, the Obama administration will become quite literally the world's leading financier of radical Islamic terrorism.

Now, President Obama didn't dispute that. He didn't point to any other entity on earth that would send more money to radical Islamic terrorism.
He didn't dispute that billions of dollars in the control of the American government will be used to fund jihadists who will take that money and murder Americans, murder Israelis, murder Europeans. Instead, he simply attacked us.

HANNITY: $150 billion based on their economic size is the equivalent of $8 trillion to the U.S. economy. All right, I want to go...

CRUZ: Well, and I'll tell you real quickly, Sean, since he's not willing to discuss the substance, I'll make an invitation right here tonight, which is I will invite President Obama at any time and place of his choosing to debate the substance of the Iran deal. Let's do it in front of the American people anytime in the next 60 days that Congress has to review this deal.

If he's so convinced he's right on the substance, I will welcome him anytime. And if he's unwilling to show up, he can send as a proxy John Kerry. Let's debate the substance of how much this endangers the United States of America, Israel and the world. It's the single greatest national security threat facing America.

HANNITY: You gave a powerful floor speech on Friday, in which you stated that Mitch McConnell had lied to you. And this was about the import export bill, basically corporate cronyism, where we, I guess, back up, give loan guarantees to billions of dollars, the taxpayers do.

Did he or did he not say to you there is no deal, that this wasn't going to come up? Because that's the crux of it. Either what he said to you is true or not true.

CRUZ: Right.

HANNITY: What is the bottom line?

CRUZ: He said it multiple times back in May. When we were debating trade promotion authority, TPA, I asked him at a Senate lunch. It looked like a deal had been cut to reauthorize the corporate welfare that is the export import bank. And I asked him, What deal did you cut? And he said three times, There is no deal, there is no deal, there is no deal. He said it not just to me but to all the other Republican senators.

And Friday on the Senate floor, I recounted, here's what he said. And his actions were directly contrary.

HANNITY: All right, so -- but there's a poll that came out, and it's fascinating. The Republicans have lost 18 percent.

CRUZ: Yes. Yes.

HANNITY: Here's what I'm trying to understand. In 2013, every Republican, when they were running in 2013, 2010, they all said they'd repeal and replace "Obama care." They voted to do it when it didn't matter, symbolically. But when it came to defending it and using their constitutional power, you stood alone.

I think there were two other senators that joined you, or three other senators in the well as you went through your filibuster -- on issues of immigration, health care, time and again, why does the Republicans -- why do they keep caving? And are they not understanding the American people are fed up that they're not keeping their promises?

CRUZ: Well, it's even worse than that. It is Republican leadership that is leading the effort to kill conservative principles. And the sad reality is Republican leadership -- they're not listening to you and me. They're not listening to the conservatives who elected them.

They're instead part of what I call the Washington cartel, career politicians in both parties who get in bed with lobbyists and special interests and grow government.

This weekend, we saw Republican leadership kill an amendment to defund Planned Parenthood. We saw Republican leadership kill an amendment to stop the Iran deal unless Iran recognizes Israel and releases our hostages. We saw Republican leadership kill an amendment to end sanctuary cities and pass Kate's Law. We saw Republican leadership kill an amendment to end the congressional exemption from "Obama care."

HANNITY: Why would they do that? Why?

CRUZ: Because it's all one and the same. What we have today is the McConnell-Reid leadership team. The priorities of Republican leadership and the priorities of Democratic leadership are the same. It is the Washington party. They grow government.

They fight side by side to do it. Whether it is cronyism and corporate welfare like the export import bank that both McConnell and Reid are fighting side by side, whether it is fighting to confirm Loretta Lynch as attorney general, which Republican leadership did, they're not listening to us.

And Sean, it underscores the need for a strong conservative president.
We're not going to turn around this country from Congress because there are too many career politicians who are captive of the lobbyists.

But the last president who stood up to the Washington cartel was Ronald Reagan. The Reagan revolution came from the people. And what I believe Republican primary voters are looking for is someone who's been a consistent conservative. Show me where you've stood up not just to Democrats, but to members of your own party, to the Washington cartel.

And I'll tell you this. If I'm elected president, I'm going to tell Republican leadership, if you pass corporate welfare, if you pass corrupt legislation, I will veto it. And as president, like Reagan did, I'm going to stand with the people and fight to defund Planned Parenthood...

HANNITY: That would be refreshing.

CRUZ: ... to repeal "Obama care," to stop amnesty, to actually stand with millions of courageous conservatives across this country!

HANNITY: All right, Senator. Thanks for being with us.

CRUZ: Thank you, Sean.

HANNITY: Pretty inspiring what happened in Friday, interesting to see how it develops.

And coming up, the president of Planned Parenthood claims her organization did nothing wrong? Really? Despite the undercover videos that shockingly show otherwise? Mark Steyn is here with reaction as we continue.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: Welcome back to "Hannity." Planned Parenthood continues to be mired in controversy tonight after the release of several undercover videos purportedly showing high-ranking doctors negotiating the sale of fetuses aborted at Planned Parenthood clinics.

Now, despite the damning videos, the president of Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards -- she's refusing to apologize and is even taking shots at her critics! How dare they? Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CECILE RICHARDS, PLANNED PARENTHOOD PRES.: I think what's not told is that, of course, these are highly selectively edited. The folks behind this, in fact, are part of the most militant wing of the anti-abortion movement that has been behind, you know, the bombing of clinics, the murder of doctors in their homes and in their churches.

What I want to really make clear, George, is Planned Parenthood has broken no laws. We have the highest standards. The care and health care and safety of our patients is our more important priority.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Broken no laws, that's to be determined. Joining us with reaction co-author of the bestseller "Climate Change, The Facts," Mark Steyn is back with us. I watched those tapes. It is illegal to sell human body parts. It is illegal to manipulate the abortion techniques to save body parts, both of which I hear on those tapes being acknowledged and admitted to. Your reaction?

MARK STEYN, "CLIMATE CHANGE, THE FACTS" AUTHOR: Absolutely. Cecile Richards calls the people who did the video the militant wing of the anti- abortion movement. Planned Parenthood is the paramilitary wing of abortion absolutism. Planned Parenthood does about a third of a million abortions a year, which is as many as France, Germany, and Canada combined. So Planned Parenthood is the biggest aborter on the planet. And it's a business model for them.

And that is why you have the situation which is straight out of "Brave New World" or "H. G. Wells" or whatever where you are having healthy term babies being delivered and cannibalized for their baby parts.

And it speaks very poorly for American liberals that they are prepared to support this regime because it's far more liberal than any other abortion regime in the rest of the civilized world. In France it's 12 weeks. In Italy it's 13 weeks. In Norway it's 18 weeks if you get the approval of a government commission. This idea of delivering a 39 week babies and crushing them, as the woman on this video says, in a way that you can preserve the body parts and sell them, is a uniquely American evil. And Planned Parenthood are an industrial scale example of that.

And there is absolutely no reason why American taxpayers should -- there should not be Planned Parenthood simply on anti-trust grounds, Sean. It's like Standard Oil or U.S. Steel. It's something like that. On sheer anti- trust grounds, this abortion industrial complex should be broken up.

HANNITY: and $500 billion selling the body parts, crushing this part of the baby, not that part of the baby to protect the lungs, the liver, and the heart. That's a business so she can buy a Lamborghini. And that's a quote.

STEYN: Right.

HANNITY: It's a little scary.

STEYN: Right.

HANNITY: So we have Donald Trump on. You see this battle with Ted Cruz going on. I kind of like it. I like -- I see a revitalized conservatism within a week Republican Party, a Republican Party that didn't repeal and replace ObamaCare, a Republican Party that ended up funding executive amnesty, a Republican Party that is afraid and timid to take on some of the issues we're talking about. I think this is healthy and good. What does Mark Steyn think?

STEYN: Yes, I agree with you. I came on halfway through some discussion a couple of days ago. And somebody was asking a panel, will this damage the Republican brand? And I was laughing so much I nearly drove off the road.
The Republican brand has damaged itself by demanding people work within the party in 2010 and 2014 and delivering the party huge victories that were then squandered, that made no difference whatsoever.

And whatever you feel about Donald Trump, people like someone who is not managed by and house trained by this terrible, appalling consultant class that commands huge sums of money because it was responsible for the triumphant Fred Thompson campaign in 2008 or the Rick Perry campaign in 2012, and they control the candidates and they narrow what the candidates are allowed to talk about.

Donald Trump just says what's on his mind. He's not managed. And people respond to that because -- it's appalling reflection, but he's closer to a real human being, a reality show host is closer to a real human being than these candidates who are managed and controlled by these overpaid D.C.
consultants.

HANNITY: Can he sustain it and can he win? Can he go all the way in your view?

STEYN: Well, here's the thing. I think when I saw his press conference, his launch, I thought this is -- I didn't think it was that great. And I thought he'd be a busted flush within a couple weeks. But the stupidity of the Republican establishment in reacting to him when you have powerful figures, powerful lifelong senators like John McCain effectively calling 20 percent of the Republican base crazies, the stupid reaction of the RNC and the McCains and so forth has insured he is now -- I think he's a factor with us suddenly all the way to South Carolina and Florida, which means that whatever else -- whoever emerges as the candidate, Donald Trump will play a part in determining the nature of the race.

HANNITY: Mark Steyn, always good to see you. Thank you, sir.

Coming up, the one and only Ann Coulter, she reacts to Donald Trump's rise to the top of the 2016 GOP field. And then later GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie is in studio. He is going to explain how he would
fix America's broken borders and deal with Iran. That's straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SHOUTING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Welcome back to HANNITY. That was Ann Coulter at a book signing getting heckled by protestors. She joins us now, the "New York Times" bestseller, "Adios, America, The Left's Plan to Turn our Country into a Third World Hellhole." That was a nice little crowd you drew, "Breitbart" covered.

ANN COULTER, AUTHOR, "ADIOS, AMERICA": Yes, other cultures don't have our tradition of free speech.

HANNITY: Yes. Did I see the American flag outside?

COULTER: There was a Mexican flag and a little -- not burning, because that would harm the environment. That could contribute to global warming.
But some book ripping.

HANNITY: You are now a single issue -- you make a compelling case. Single issue, immigration is at the heart of most America's problems and you're loving, you're all about Donald Trump.

COULTER: Go Trump, go.

HANNITY: So he is your guy?

COULTER: As long as he keeps talking the way he's talking on immigration, I mean, that's why.

HANNITY: Did you hear what he said tonight?

COULTER: Yes.

HANNITY: Go back and apply --

COULTER: My only quibble with him is that, number one, it's legal immigrants, too, and number too, there are no good ones.

HANNITY: Come on, Ann. There are people who --

COULTER: It's not going through the hiring of bureaucrats to deal with it.
You can put me in charge of it. I'll get five good ones.

HANNITY: Listen. I've been to the border. There are people that just want a job.

COULTER: So what? So what? The question isn't that you're a good person, oh, automatic entry to the greatest country in the world with an enormous welfare state. The question is, is it good for the people already living here? I don't care if they're not committing crimes. Are they using our schools, our roads, our hospitals? No. I want the nuclear physicists. I want people to replace United States senators' jobs and "Wall Street Journal" editors' jobs, not my landscaper's job.

HANNITY: The impact on education, healthcare, criminal justice system is massive. And that isn't even hardly brought up.

COULTER: And the most important issue, and this is why it is the most important issue, is post 1970 immigrants, and as I've said before we're talking about post 1970 immigrants, so do not weep about your grandfathers arriving at Ellis Island. Pre-1970 immigrants had higher education, made more money, bought more houses. Post-1970 immigrants, we are taking the poorest of the poor from the most corrupt, backward cultures in the world. Nobody goes home. Thirty percent used to go home. Now nobody goes home. You go on welfare.

But most importantly, post-1970 immigrants are voting eight to two for the Democrats. If they were voting eight to two for the Republicans Chuck Schumer would be on the border with the minutemen. This has changed the political landscape. Republicans have been hit just wave after wave of losses with gay marriage and Obamacare. Obama himself, Obama would have never been elected without Teddy Kennedy's 1965 immigration act.

HANNITY: Anyone comes from Australia they give you food. They give you medical care, they'll take care of you, and then they put you back on the boat and you go away. Now, if you want to become a citizen of Australia and you're wealthy, if you invest $11 million you can then become a citizen.

COULTER: That makes you eligible. You also, I believe -- maybe if you have $11 million you don't care how old you are, but you have to be under 40. We want productive people. Both Australia and New Zealand look around the country and say we need more engineers over here. We need more doctors here. And you know what the minimum wage is in Australia? It's the equivalent of $14. That is not by law. It has risen naturally because they're not dumping low wage workers on the country. These Democrats want to get credit for raising the minimum wage artificially. Well, it wouldn't be so low other than they're dumping low wage workers on us.

HANNITY: Let me ask you a political question. Can Donald Trump, do you see him - -go, Trump, go -- do you see him getting from where he is today through the debates, does he win Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina? Does he win Nevada, does he win big super Tuesday state? Can he take Florida?

COULTER: I can see him more than I can see any of the other ones winning the nomination and winning the presidency right now, certainly winning the presidency.

HANNITY: Ann Coulter, congrats on the book.

COULTER: Thank you.

HANNITY: Coming up, where does 2016 GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie, where does he stand on immigration and the border security and Iran? We'll ask him next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: Welcome back to HANNITY. Illegal immigration, border security have now become some of the top issues in the 2016 race for president.
Joining us now in studio, 2016 Republican presidential candidate, he's also the governor of the great state of New Jersey, Chris Christie is with us.
How are you, governor? Good to see you. Appreciate you being here.

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE, R-N.J.: My pleasure.

HANNITY: My opinion, having been to the border a dozen times, Donald Trump is right. And I think Republicans are afraid to say it. Since Obama's been president, 642,000 Texans have been victims of crime by illegal immigrants, including nearly 3,000 murders. How come we don't secure the border?

CHRISTIE: Because it's been a failure of a president who has been unwilling to even acknowledge that there's a problem, let alone come up with a solution for it, Sean. And we have talked about four steps we have to take. You have to put a fence or a wall in the places where it's appropriate. Second, you have to hire more border patrol officers. Third, you have to use drones and other electronic surveillance in some of the tougher areas to be able to monitor exactly what's going on. And fourth, every business in this country has to use e-Verify, because a lot of these folks coming across the border are coming across to work.

HANNITY: Why haven't the Republicans done this? The Republicans, they don't defund Obamacare and use their constitutional power. They didn't stop Obama's executive amnesty, they funded it. Are they catering to big business, as many charge?

CHRISTIE: I think some are. Some are. And then I think also you feed a strong president who is willing to lead.

HANNITY: If the Iranian deal couldn't get any worse, they get conventional weapons, they get to continue their missile program, they get 24 days to clean up their mess before inspectors, they get 24 days’ notice. They $150 billion, the equivalent of $8 trillion U.S. dollars based on the size of their economy, they don't stop their rhetoric about killing or destroying or wiping Israel off the map or burning American flags.

CHRISTIE: "Death to America."

HANNITY: And John Kerry is surprised at all this. Now we found out there may have been secret side deals.

CHRISTIE: There were.

HANNITY: You have an ad that just came out.

CHRISTIE: Yes, sir.

HANNITY: Let's roll the tape.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTIE: President Obama gave away the store to the Iranians, to a group of people who since 1979 have been chanting "Death to America." Issues were negotiated so badly that you wouldn't let this president buy a car for you at a car dealership. They're lying to the America people about how to deal is going to work.

I would have walked away from the table. That's what Reagan did when he walked away from Gorbachev in Reykjavik. And so as president the top priority is to protect the United States of America, and I'm the only one in this race who has had at least some small part of that responsibility.

I'm Chris Christie, and I approve this message.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: They were chanting death to America during the negotiations.

CHRISTIE: Of course. Listen, only the president and John Kerry and Hillary Clinton believe that Iran is going to change their conduct. They haven't changed it for 36 years, Sean. You and I are old enough to remember when those hostages were taken in 1979 for 444 days. And the only reason those hostages got out is because we had a strong person in the Oval Office. When Ronald Reagan there, they were released.

HANNITY: Do you see a path to stop it, because I don't see a numbers in Congress that will prevent that from happening?

CHRISTIE: It's going to be hard, but let me tell you something, Democrats in Congress better step up here.

HANNITY: Where is Chuck Schumer? First time in his life he's hidden from a TV camera?

CHRISTIE: Right. I mean, where are these folk whose should be standing up by saying Ronald Reagan was right in Reykjavik, Sean. And I read Ken Adelman's book. It's a great book on the negotiations in Reykjavik.
Ronald Reagan knew that no deal is better than a bad deal. He walked away.
And what happened?

HANNITY: We got a deal.

CHRISTIE: We got a deal, and we got a better deal for the United States of America. I wouldn't let this president buy a car for me. That is like walking into the showroom and saying, listen to the salesman. I'm going to buy a car today no matter what, now let's negotiate price.

HANNITY: It's over.

CHRISTIE: It's over. It's over. You might as well empty your pockets.
And that's what we've done with America treasure and American lives, because the Iranians are going to continue to use this money we're giving them for terrorist activities. They're the biggest state sponsor of terrorism.

HANNITY: This is as bad or worse than Chamberlain in Munich.

CHRISTIE: And Sean, in what has been -- I think you and I would both agree
-- an awful presidency, this will go down in history as the worst moment.

HANNITY: The worst thing he did.

CHRISTIE: The worst thing he's done. And let me tell you, as the only person who has actually prosecuted and investigated and convicted terrorists who is in the race, I know how severe these challenges are. And people in America need to know how to fight this.

HANNITY: He doesn't get radical Islam. He has no clue.

CHRISTIE: No, he does not. And we've fought it and I fought it as part of the Bush administration for seven years as U.S. attorney. And that's why the country stayed safe for seven years because we used every tool at our disposal to make sure first and foremost we protect the lives of the American people.

HANNITY: Governor, good to see you.

CHRISTIE: Great to be back, Sean.

HANNITY: And coming up, we need your help with tonight's very important
"Question of the Day." That's straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: Welcome back to HANNITY. Time for tonight's "Question of the Day." Do you agree with President Obama that 99 percent of the world supports the Iranian nuclear deal? Not true, but what's your opinion? Go to Facebook.com/SeanHannity, on Twitter @SeanHannity, let us know what you think.

That's all the time we have left for this evening. We hope you'll set your DVR so you never miss an episode. The road to 2016 starts right here. We'll see you back here tomorrow night.

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