House GOP subpoenas Comey, Lynch on Clinton e-mails

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House GOP subpoenas Comey, Lynch on Clinton e-mails

Former FBI director James Comey and former AG Loretta Lynch to testify on Clinton e-mail scandal, Russia probe; Rep. Peter King reacts.

This is a rush transcript from "The Story with Martha MacCallum," November 23, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

ED HENRY, FOX NEWS: Breaking tonight, growing cries of hypocrisy directed at fired FBI Director James Comey who says he'll "resist Republican demands to testify about his actions during the 2016 presidential campaign." Because the man who used to selectively leaked to the media to maybe make himself look good is suddenly against selective leaks to the media.

Good evening everybody, I'm Ed Henry in for Martha McCallum. In a Thanksgiving surprise, Comey and former Attorney General Loretta Lynch have both been subpoenaed to testify behind closed doors next month to answer questions about the FBI and DOJ handling of the Hillary Clinton e-mail probe. The behind closed doors part is what Comey is taking issue with. He tweeted in part "I will resist a closed door thing because I've seen enough of their selective leaking and distortion. Let's have a hearing and invite everyone to see."

That response triggering a bit of outrage among Comey critics quick to remind the former FBI chief of this moment last year when he himself admitted under oath to yes selective leaking.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES COMEY, FORMER DIRECTOR, FBI: My judgment was I needed to get that out into the public square and so I asked a friend of mine to share the content of the memo with a reporter. I didn't do it myself for a variety of reasons but I asked him to because I thought that might prompt the appointment of a special counsel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: Yes. In moments, Congressman Peter King, a Republican, on the pressure building tonight against James Comey. But first, our Correspondent Peter Doocy is live in Washington with what we know tonight. Good evening, Peter.

PETER DOOCY, FOX NEWS CHANNEL CORRESPONDENT: Ed, James Comey says his big worry is that there might be selective leaks out of a closed-door meeting. That's also a big worry of the Inspector General as it turns out which launched a review and why Comey's memos with classified materials about meetings with President Trump wound up leaked to a media outlet. But Comey's lawyer still says a closed hearing is a no-go explaining that while the authority for congressional subpoenas is broad. It does not cover the right to misuse closed hearings as a political stunt, to promote political as opposed to legislative agendas.

Mr. Comey embraces and welcomes a hearing open to the public but the subpoena issued yesterday represents an abuse of process, a divergence from House Rules, and it's presumption of transparency. Accordingly, mr. Comey will resist in court this abuse of process. Now, Democrats in Congress are sympathizing with Comey's concerns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JIM HIMES (D), CONNECTICUT: So I think at some level Jim Comey is right. Let's have -- let's -- any question that is not about classified information, that is not about something that we don't want on the public, let's ask it. Let's ask it in open hearing with cameras running so Americans can see both the questions and the answers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DOOCY: Republicans want Comey to appear December 3rd and former Attorney General Loretta Lynch to appear December 4th. Lynch has drawn Republican suspicions for meeting privately on a tarmac with Bill Clinton as her Justice Department deliberated possible charges against his wife Hillary ahead of the 2016 election.

Now, Tom Fitton, President of the conservative watchdog Judicial Watch writes, "Maybe Congress can ask Mr. Comey and Miss Lynch about their shady immunity deals for the Clinton gang. Donald Trump should also ask DOJ, FBI why they still protect Clinton, Comey, etcetera. These high-profile subpoenas come at the very end of the Republicans ability to issue subpoenas because once Democrats take over, they're the ones with the subpoena power. Ed?

HENRY: That's right. Peter, I appreciate that report. Here now, Republican Congressman Peter King, a Member of the House Intelligence Committee. He joins us live from New York. Good evening Peter.

REP. PETER KING (R), NEW YORK: Thank you, Ed. How are you?

HENRY: Good. Congressman, I wonder James Comey as I recall selectively leaked information in order to force the naming of a special counsel to investigate President Trump and his aides. What moral authority does he hold tonight to try and dictate the terms of his testimony?

KING: As far as I'm concerned, any hold is none. And I was never one of those people who was opposed to Jim Comey when he was FBI director but I really been disappointed in what he's done since he's left and also looking back on what he did when he was with the FBI. For instance, he used to test -- I'm on the Intelligence Committee and he'll be telling us one thing behind the scenes at these closed hearings and then given a totally different impression when he was out in public.

For instance, he would say good things about General Flynn and then he makes a big thing later on about how President Trump was trying to help General Flynn. He told us in executive sessions that the FBI thought the General Flynn had not lied. He never said that in public.

HENRY: Right.

KING: He would tell us that Donald Trump was over the target but he would never say that in public. And then when we get him in public hearings, I don't know how many questions he would say well I can't answer that, we have to go into a private session or executive session. And then he brags about the fact how clever he was in leaking out the really important material.

HENRY: Right. So let me take another tact in which is that I checked the record and back in April you said in another interview that James Comey's actions were all blowing up in his face. You were probably right at the time, I'm not questioning the accuracy of it, but I'm wondering here we are months later. It doesn't seem like he's been held accountable, Congressman, and doesn't that frustrate people?

KING: It's to me very frustrating. He had his big book tour, he was hailed as a hero, and then he got caught. It was actually Brett Baer that caught -- you know, caught him on the fact that he had said privately that General Flynn had not lied. Then when he was confronted with it, he didn't recall saying that. And then as more and more things come out, yes, it did show that his record was not what he claims it was and he's not really been held accountable.

Now, here he is the former FBI director who conducted so many interrogations in private and then you would find things being selectively leaked out including excerpts from your Russell reports and everything else, and now he wants to be all out in public. Again, this to me is really -- it is hypocritical, it's a double standard that he's applying to himself. And really the media shouldn't let him get away with it, even I'm not having too much help from the mainstream media.

HENRY: Sure. Congressman, let me ask you about another key player in this, Loretta Lynch. As Peter Doocy reported, there also -- your fellow Republicans are trying to bring her in for testimony. In addition to the Bill Clinton tarmac meeting and wanting to get more information about that which is a critical piece here, James Comey in his book teased out that there were some sort of a reason, that he didn't really tell the public that she was Lynch tortured in a response to the Clinton probe, that maybe there was some reason why she was conflicted. What do we know about that?

KING: You know, I don't we caught all the details. Other than the fact, I think Comey was taken in by that. I think that was a story being put out by the Russians and he believed it, that there was something that was going to be a scandal about Loretta Lynch and he wanted to go forward on his own because he thought this would tarnish the investigation. I think I was literally fake news or phony news that he was taking from its source that he turned out to be wrong. I mean, he's relying on wrong information and then he was taken in by it.

HENRY: Congressman --

KING: You know, the -- you know the Director of FBI been taking in.

HENRY: Sure. Congressman, I've got 30 seconds. Peter Doocy mentioned something else. As you know all too well for your party, you're going out of power in the House in a few weeks. The public also wants to know tonight, are you going to get some of these FISA documents about the surveillance of Carter Page for example. Is the President going to declassify that or are Republicans in their final days going to push to get more information out about what went on the Obama days?

KING: We should. And I certainly don't know why the President does not declassify them. To me it would show that this investigation, this whole FBI investigation of Russia followed by the special prosecutor had no basis. There was no reason for it, there was no legal justification for it. And if they were basing at all on that Carter Page and George Papadopoulos, it shows this investigation never should've been started in the first place. It was an investigation in search of a crime not to solve a crime but to try to find one. And so far they haven't find anything involving Russia and collusion after all this time, two years.

HENRY: Congressman, I appreciate you coming and hope you had a good Thanksgiving.

KING: Ed, thank you. Yes sir, you too.

HENRY: All right, here in respond a Democrat, Bryan Dean Wright. He is a former CIA officer. Good evening Bryan.

BRYAN DEAN WRIGHT, FORMER CIA OFFICER: Good evening.

HENRY: Let's start right there where the Congressman left off. Where is the accountability? Here we are almost two years into the Trump administration. It seems to me we still don't know -- if you're a Democrat, you don't know whether or not there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians, the President says there wasn't, but you still don't have an end to the Mueller investigation. And if you're a Republican tonight, you're wondering why don't we still know exactly what James Comey and Loretta Lynch did?

WRIGHT: Yes. And I think what this begs is the question that a lot of Americans ask irrespective of the party is what about the equal justice that we should all face irrespective of our power or of our money? And I think that what you're seeing with this Comey shenanigan is really an example of that of somebody who does have power and has money and can seemingly get away with something and that makes all of us frustrated because it makes us question --

HENRY: Yes -- you know, it looks like actually, Bryan's satellite might have gone down. Are you back Bryan?

WRIGHT: I can sure hear you.

HENRY: Oh there you are. OK, I'm sorry. I know you got a little bit of delay out there in Washington State. Pick up where you left off there.

WRIGHT: The bottom line is if we deny this open hearing and don't couple it with this private hearing, what we will allow is Comey to hide behind potentially issues of perjury, right, because the Department of Justice right now is investigating him for leaking. And if we don't hold him to an account, then I think what you're going to see is basically an arsonist who started a forest fire and he's going to be complaining about it the whole time when we can't hold his feet to the very fire that he started.

HENRY: And you wonder, you're a Democrat as I mentioned. Democrats were not happy with the way he handled the Clinton investigation. Now, you have Republicans who are not happy with the way he handled the Trump investigation and as you say what about the rest of the FBI been waiting for the Trump Justice Department to get to the bottom of that not just Comey and is leaking, Andrew McCabe who lost his job, Strzok and Page, the FBI agents who were texting back and forth, their hatred of Donald Trump, why don't we still have those answers?

WRIGHT: Well, I cannot tell you. If this goes beyond I think what a lot of us in the Democratic Party are saying publicly, and I think it privately, folks that I've talked to on Capitol Hill said look we're hitching our wagons to a bureau that very clearly through the I.G. report has shown they're up to some dirty bad things, very questionable things, that if were to happen to us, we'd be raising you know, holy hell.

So I think privately Democrats are saying FBI needs to be held to account here and they have been so far and that's wrong, irrespective of a party that is wrong.

HENRY: Yes. OK, I've got 30 seconds. Adams Schiff is going to be the Democrat who will be taking over the House Intel committee. Another thing he says he wants to investigate is the U.S. Intel Assessment of Jamal Khashoggi. As you know, the President has come under criticism for not seeming to accept the CIA's analysis. You're a former CIA official as I -- as I noted, where do you think all that stands to?

WRIGHT: Look, everybody wants to think the intelligence community can come up with 100 percent truth or 100 percent certainty with their assessments and that's just not how it works. We give assessments that were high or medium or low degrees of confidence based on our understanding of our sources and different kinds of sources we get. But the bottom line this is going to be a political decision. Do we want to make our bed with some folks or questionable character for broader strategic interest? Every president has done it, Democrat or Republican alike. So are we going to give Trump of the leash to do the same and that's what this really boils down to.

HENRY: All right, Bryan Dean Wright, I appreciate you coming in. The President has made clear in recent days that he sees the Saudi Arabia is still a key ally particularly in the fight against terrorists and in dealing with Iran. That debate is going to continue. I appreciate you coming in, Bryan.

WRIGHT: Absolutely, pleasure.

HENRY: All right, still ahead, the Commander-in-Chief escalates his war of words against the Chief Justice John Roberts. And Law Professor Jonathan Turley says Robert should clean up some of the politics in his own house before throwing stones at the President. He's here to explain next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: -- getting some terrible decisions from the Ninth Circuit as usual and it's a shame, it's a shame. It's a disgrace, frankly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: For having a great family and for having made a tremendous difference in this country. I've made a tremendous difference in the country. This country is so much stronger now than it was when I took office that you wouldn't believe it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: President Trump there is spending Thanksgiving with his family at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, but the holiday did not slow down his recent feud with the Chief Justice John Roberts who the president is publicly slamming for siding with a lower court judge over migrants seeking asylum. White House Correspondent Kevin Corke has been traveling with the President and has the story for us tonight from Florida.

KEVIN CORKE, FOX NEWS CHANNEL WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Ed, good evening. The back and forth between the President and the Chief Justice actually stems back to the President's comments about Judge Jon Tigar's nationwide injunction to effectively stop the President's new policies on asylum along the U.S. border. It's a hot topic and to say the least we have seen this before, a lower-level federal judge and an Obama appointee for that matter making a ruling to effectively thwart the Trump administration forcing it now to go through the courts before the policy can take effect.

The President calling the judge and Obama judge which the Chief Justice rejected saying we do not have Obama judges, or Trump judges, Bush judges, or Clinton judges. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appear to for them. That independent judiciary is something we should all be thankful for. But let's be frank given the Ninth Circuit's well-earned reputation for being progressive and frequently ruling against the president. Well Mr. Trump said it's high time someone called them out for their judicial activism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We're getting some terrible decisions from the Ninth Circuit as usual. It's a shame. It's a shame. It's a disgrace, frankly. And essentially their legislating is not right and it's been going on like that for a long time. We have to use some common sense. It's Ninth Circuit, everybody knows it, it's totally out of control.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORKE: Meanwhile, back online, Chuck Grassley weighed in on this topic. He said this. Chief Justice Roberts rebuked Trump for comment he made about a judge's decision on asylum. I don't recall the chief attacking Obama when that president rebuked Alito during a State of the Union. Just a snapshot, Ed, of the intensity surrounding this debate which obviously doesn't look like it will be abating anytime soon. Ed, back to you.

HENRY: No doubt about it. Thank you, Kevin. Here now with more, Jonathan Turley, of course, a constitutional law professor at George Washington University. He joins us now live. Jonathan, I wonder -- it's interesting. I spoke over the weekend with Andrew McCarthy we're going to get to in a moment whether it's wise for the president to continue attacking various federal judges. It's not the first time he's done that.

But let's start with Andrew McCarthy over the weekend was telling me look, Chief Justice Roberts should know there are in fact Obama judges. They are trying to undermine the President's agenda, and politics has been played for a long time here and maybe this is one that the Chief Justice should have set out.

JONATHAN TURLEY, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW PROFESSOR, GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: Well it's a very important act for the Chief Justice to engage in any tit-for-tat with a politician let alone the president. Presidents have criticized the Supreme Court since really the earliest days of the Republic. But having said that, I am sympathetic with the Chief Justice's decision. You know, he has remained silent for a couple of years. The President has been unrelenting and what I think are unfair attacks on many judges. And I think he felt that as the head of the judiciary, he had to say something.

You know, where I -- where I have a slight problem as I say in the column tomorrow on the Hill is really the balance for Chief Justice Roberts in making these comments. There have been long al controversies on the court with his own members engaging in political commentary, even going to political fundraisers and he has never given nary an objection.

HENRY: Yes, professor. In fact Kevin Corke referenced this, what happened at President Obama's 2010 State of the Union. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: With all due deference to separation of powers, last week the Supreme Court reversed a century of law that I believe will open the floodgates for special interests including foreign corporations to spend without limit in our elections.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: So there you had a president going after the Supreme Court. Yes, he said with all due deference, he wasn't it wasn't a full-on slam and you saw Justice Alito shaking his head saying that's not true, and then fast forward -- that's 2010. July 2016, the heat of a campaign, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says this about candidate Trump. He is a fake, he has no consistency about him. He says whatever comes into his head at the moment. He really has an ego. How has he gotten away with not turning over his tax returns? And I wonder professor, where was the chief justice to adjudicate that and to say wait a second that's not fair?

TURLEY: Well, first of all, I will disagree with Chairman Grassley in one respect, and that is President Obama a politician, Alito is a jurist. He should never have made those objections public. That violated a long history of the court remaining neutral. But the point is still a good one. You know, judge -- many of us have criticized Justice Ginsburg for her many political statements and she has apologized on occasion but continues to make them. It is really the domain of the Chief Justice to make it clear that this conduct is not appropriate for members of the court and he should start there, I think, when he wants to fight the politicalization of the courts.

HENRY: Professor, I've got less than 30 seconds. Is it wise for the President to take on the Chief Justice who he may need in some close 5-4 decisions down the road?

TURLEY: Well, I've been very critical of the President's criticism of individual judges in the courts. I think he's dead wrong on this. You know, there's no question that there's judges with different ideologies. The Obama judges are likely to have a different interpretive approach then Trump judges. But the Chief Justice is right. They do try to get it right. And in case of Judge Tigar, I think that that decision would likely been issued by Republican and Democratic nominees on the court.

HENRY: And Professor, there's certainly a lot of Trump allies tonight who agree with what the president said that the Ninth Circuit has been out of control for a long time. This debate will continue. I appreciate you coming in tonight.

TURLEY: Thanks, Ed.

HENRY: Still ahead, Hillary Clinton opens up about migrants in a brand-new interview and her unexpected tough talk may sound a little bit like President Trump. It didn't sit well with some Democrats heading into 2020.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well I'd like to be President.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HENRY: Hillary Clinton offering up a harsh critique of Europe's migrant crisis telling The Guardian "I think Europe needs to get a handle on migration because that is what lit the flame. I think it is fair to say Europe has done its part and must send a very clear message, we are not going to be able to continue providing refuge and support because we don't deal with the migration issue it will continue to roil the body politic."

Her comments drawing criticism from some fellow Democrats tonight and a lengthy walk back it seemed like from Mrs. Clinton who later tweeted in part "I have always been and remained a staunch advocate of comprehensive immigration reform. So could her clarification be yet another signal of a possible 2020 bid? Here now, Elisha Krauss Host of The Conversation and a Contributor for the Daily Wire, Jess O'Connell is the former CEO of the Democratic National Committee. We appreciate both of you joining us tonight.

ELISHA KRAUSS, CONTRIBUTOR, THE DAILY WIRE: Of course.

JESS O'CONNELL, FORMER CEO, DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Thanks.

HENRY: Jess, I want to start with you. I woke up to this headline and I wrote it down, the New York Times of the jump page. Clinton warns Europe of migration peril and I thought hasn't President Trump been warning Europe, been warning the United States, warning the entire world for the last two years about this peril. Is she seeing the like?

Well, look I think as you just said, Hillary Clinton has been very clear throughout the entire course of her career that what she favors and is advocating for is comprehensive immigration reform. And with respect to Europe, I mean. you know, immigration is a challenge that both the Europeans and Americans have to solve together. But here in America, you know, there's one party that is working for immigration reform that is humane, that does not separate families, and there's another party that wants to divide us. And I think that Hillary Clinton -- go ahead.

HENRY: Well, I want to get Alicia in the conversation. I'll let you respond her. But Elisha, I didn't really hear a clear answer there and I wonder -- you know, there from Jess. And Elisha, I wonder you know, when Hillary Clinton talks about the migrant crisis, it's illuminating to some Democrats, when Donald Trump talks about it he's a racist.

KRAUSS: It's also funny -- you're totally right. What she gave in that interview to The Guardian seemed very different from her walk back today and a multiplicity of tweets saying, oh you know, I am for comprehensive immigration reform. I am for not separating families at the border like President Trump has done, except she did serve as the secretary of state and loved getting the endorsement from a president who did do that.

Sorry to break it to Democrats but his name was Barack Obama.

ED HENRY, FOX NEWS HOST: Right.

KRAUSS: So, it is kind of funny how they seem to be, do as they say not as they have done and how they have governed in the past.

HENRY: Yes. And Jess, I want to give you a chance to jump in.

(CROSSTALK)

JESS O'CONNELL, FORMER SENIOR STAFFER, HILLARY CLINTON '08 CAMPAIGN: Hillary Clinton--

HENRY: Go ahead.

O'CONNELL: Look, Hillary Clinton was addressing this issue of rising populism and that is really a result of the extremism that is based in racism. That's what she is addressing in this. This -- who, you know, she supports comprehensive immigration reform as do all Democrats.

What's happening right now is outrageous and it is cruel what's happening on the border.

HENRY: Yes.

O'CONNELL: Look, there are real challenges at the border. I'm in Arizona there are challenges along the border here as well.

HENRY: Yes.

O'CONNELL: That we have to solve together. But that's going to take Republicans and Democrats coming together to do that. And there is only one party that is stepping up to that right now. We need Republicans to do the same.

HENRY: OK. But Elisha, is this a sign that Hillary Clinton is running and that she realizes that I got to find this balance?

KRAUSS: God.

HENRY: Maybe she didn't strike it yet. But she's going to have to crack down on illegal immigration and somehow please the Democrats on comprehensive reform.

KRAUSS: Well, she is going to have to really toe a weird line here because the Democratic Party has moved so much to the left. You've seen this with the rise of, you know, Bernie Sanders even though he lost, you know, Beto down in Texas. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. People having to move to the left in a lot of ways.

But, if she really does want to run in 2020, she still hasn't answered how she is going to gain back those rust belt voters that didn't turn out for her and that turned out for Donald Trump.

HENRY: Yes.

KRAUSS: I mean, she couldn't even get the Barack Obama coalition to come out and vote for her against Donald Trump. I don't see her being able to do that again in 2020.

HENRY: We shall see.

O'CONNELL Well, those voters turned out for Democrats--

(CROSSTALK)

HENRY: Last word, Jess.

O'CONNELL: -- in 2018 just now. I think that, look, Hillary Clinton, the former first lady, former secretary of state and former U.S. senator, there's hardly -- she is one of the most qualified people ever to be president. I'd be surprised if she runs. But she is a stateswoman and has every right to be on the national and global stage.

HENRY: Well, we'll be watching. She also, I should be honest and transparent, she took some pokes at Fox News. I'm sure we will be hearing about that in the days ahead, as well. Jess and Elisha, I appreciate you both for coming.

KRAUSS: Thanks.

O'CONNELL: Thanks, Ed.

HENRY: Still ahead, the dire warning from a former George W. Bush staff who says America could be in for a rude awakening if it doesn't get the federal government and its spending in check.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We are right now sitting on a bubble that's going to explode and it's going to be a real bad situation. And we better get rid of the debt and we better straighten ourselves out because we have debt on debt on debt.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HENRY: New tonight, President Trump firing back at Wall Street Journal claiming he dissatisfied with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, specifically about Mnuchin's push to appoint a Federal Reserve chair who has been raising interest rates.

The president trying to shoot it down in a tweet just moments ago saying, in part, quote, "I am extremely happy and proud of the job being done by the treasury secretary, Steve Mnuchin. The fake news likes to write stories to the contrary," quoting "phony sources" or jealous people, but they are not true. They never like to ask me for a, quote, "because it would kill the story."

Well, one of the many tasks on Mnuchin's radar involves dealing with the national debt, something my next guest warns in a new Fox News op-ed could be a ticking time bomb, thanks to entitlement spending.

Brad Blakeman is a former deputy assistant to President George W. Bush, he joins me now. Good evening, Brad.

BRAD BLAKEMAN, FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH'S DEPUTY ASSISTANT: Hi, Ed.

HENRY: Among other things you say in this op-ed there are a lot of former Obama officials who like to point the finger at President Trump. But they forget an important point that you make which is that a number of people using Medicaid right now has exploded in the last couple of years. As I recall it has to do with the creation of Obamacare.

BLAKEMAN: Right.

HENRY: And they said, hey, we are going to cover all these new poor people that is a very noble goal. We should all be trying to help the poor, but they never quite paid for it, did they?

BLAKEMAN: They did not. It's unsustainable currently and it's the future. President Trump has done the right thing. He primed the pump the economy could not be doing better on so many levels. And that's exactly why we need to get a handle now on the debt.

We have to give confidence to the taxpayer and also the markets that we are being responsible. It's not only the annual budget where we are spending too much and taking in too less also the long-term liabilities of the entitlements of social security, Medicare and Medicaid. We have people living longer. That's a good thing. But we also have to take care of them.

HENRY: Right. SO, I mentioned runaway spending under President Obama. We should be fair and point out under President Trump we don't know how we are going to pay for these tax cuts. Now the president says that economic growth as you just alluded to is going to help pay for the tax cut and it is going to bring down that national debt you see soaring on our screen right now. Do you believe him?

BLAKEMAN: I do. The same pessimistic statements were made by Ronald Reagan. There is a cause and effect it doesn't happen immediately. Our economy is like a huge aircraft carrier it doesn't change on a dime. But we are going in the right direction. Every leading indicator not only suggests it but proves it.

So, now is the time to really challenge Democrats now that soon we will have divided government.

HENRY: Right.

BLAKEMAN: To put your money where your mouth is let's work together. Let's solve some problems. We always seem to wait for to be a crisis before we ever do something.

HENRY: Sure.

BLAKEMAN: And now it's time to be responsible.

HENRY: Right. You teed it up perfectly. We got 30 seconds. So, you've got Nancy Pelosi is going to have to share. She can't just throw. At least I don't think she can, just continue to resist. She has a responsibility to govern if, in fact, she becomes speaker. Do you see some deal-cutting with Nancy Pelosi?

BLAKEMAN: Well, the opportunity is there. We have never had a more transactional president. That's a good thing. He is not stuck on ideology. If it's a good deal, he will make it. And the bottom line is we have to solve problems. Donald Trump is a problem-solver.

HENRY: It is, as you say, a ticking time bomb tonight. Brad Blakeman, thanks for sounding the alarm. We'll have you back soon.

BLAKEMAN: Thank you.

HENRY: All right. You know him for his role on the big show "Duck Dynasty." When we come back, Willie Robertson is here with a little bit lesson on the entrepreneurs who made America great.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JASE, WILLIE ROBERTSON'S BROTHER: Willie like the sophisticated side of life, even though he looks like a beggar underneath all that hair, he is a smart dude.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is a great product.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think you all can handle some more business?

WILLIE ROBERTSON, AUTHOR, AMERICAN ENTREPRENEUR: Always ready for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: It looks like a little vintage Willie Robertson right there, maybe best known from the hit TV show "Duck Dynasty." But now as millions of Americans tap into their consumer spirit on black Friday, Robertson is serving up a history lesson on the successful business founders who have turned America into an economic power house.

Willie Robertson is author of the brand-new book "American Entrepreneur: How 400 years of Risk Takers, Innovators and Business Visionaries Built the USA." And he's, I'm proud to say he is with us right now. Good to see you, Willie.

ROBERTSON: What's going on, Ed? How are you doing?

HENRY: I'm doing great. I saw you at the inaugural for President Trump. We were both out there in the rain. I was covering it, you were watching it all play out. How does it feel to be a big bad author?

ROBERTSON: It feels pretty good and then I spoke to you again and I had just come out of the hunting field where I had bagged a deer. So, this time I just got through, I pulled the food out of the oven, I've got a lot -- all my family is over. We are still cooking and we're still eating and had a little scrabble tournament and I just dominated that so here we are. And talking about American entrepreneur.

HENRY: I didn't get invite to the Robertson house. I'm still hopeful. Maybe next Thanksgiving, my friend. But I want to ask you what has your family -- you start with the duck whole business, and now it seems to be a multi-million-dollar, you know, enterprise, frankly. What have you learned about the entrepreneurial spirit in America that you want our viewers to know about?

ROBERTSON: Well, we put the book out there because we went back all the way through American history and talked about really entrepreneurs that have helped shape the country. And we also put our story in there about dad coming out with this double reed duck call and really it take a long time for that to come about 40-something years before everybody knew who we were.

So, it was a long journey and kids worked this all aspects of the business. Then I had my own little business ventures selling gum and candy. I also sold earth worms for a while which is a tough business as you probably know. I'm sure you were in the worming business as well. But that's a tough business.

HENRY: I was -- no.

ROBERTSON: But we share our story. That would be impressive. We shared our story and then we went back and talked about all kinds of businesses. All throughout this country. And some really unique stories in there. Some of the people you have heard of. And some you may haven't heard of.

HENRY: Yes, I would love to say that I started out as a poor earth worm salesman before I got into TV, I can't say that honestly, Willie. But I wonder, I mentioned the Trump inaugural. What do you think this president gets about entrepreneurs, about capitalism that socialists like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who are now rising to power in this new Congress simply don't get?

ROBERTSON: Well, do I appreciate the fact that he has been a businessman. That was one of the things that attracted me at first to Trump was that he had been in business until -- when the country is going good economically, there is opportunities for business and so that's better for entrepreneurs everywhere.

There's more chances to make money and, you know, it's a great country still for people who want to start businesses and in some ways a lot easier now than back in the beginning of the country where financially the country wasn't as stable, and so and we chronicle those.

In fact, a lot of entrepreneurs had to help in and bail the government out and loan them money. And so, but, yes, I think the state of America is good. The economy is good and people can start businesses and do whatever they want to do.

HENRY: Willie, in fact, I think we have some fresh video of people rushing out today to buy your book. Do we have that video?

(CROSSTALK)

ROBERTSON: Do you have it?

HENRY: Just some people running throughout for black Friday just crowds and crowds of people.

ROBERTSON: Just crushing it.

HENRY: Wait for it. No, I'm kidding.

ROBERTSON: Just crushing in to get this book.

HENRY: All these people lined up for you, Willie. Actually, I think that's black Friday not for you, but, go ahead.

ROBERTSON: That wasn't just for my book. I bet some of those people were looking for that book, though. There are easier ways to get it than having to rush in a store like that. I didn't get out--

(CROSSTALK)

HENRY: I went to Amazon--

ROBERTSON: I have done that in the past.

HENRY: I went to Amazon to buy your book today to prepare for this interview. And as I typed in your name the first thing that came up it said Willie Robertson bandanna. That's what the search suggested, so people know you for that, sir.

ROBERTSON: Really? Well, I have done pretty good with the bandanna and with that look for sure. I think with the Robertson's with the beards which became part of our business.

People asked us when did -- what was the marketing plan for the beards and like my father says that was a cold northwest wind when you are sitting out in the woods. So, it came in handy for us and it also came in handy for our business.

HENRY: Yes. You have come a long way from an earth worm salesman -- failed earth worm salesman it sounded like to a very successful entrepreneur. Everyone can go out and check out the book. Willie, always a pleasure to be with you, sir.

ROBERTSON: Great talking to you.

HENRY: All right. Take care. Meanwhile, disgraced Senator Al Franken, remember, his last Thanksgiving he got into a lot of trouble. He is now sharing his latest reflections of quote, unquote, "the women's experience." That's what he is calling it one year after his resignation. Our ladies' night panel reacts next. That's live, coming up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FMR. SEN. AL FRANKEN, (D) MINNESOTA: I am proud that during my time in the Senate I have used my power to be a champion of women.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: I know that I let a lot of people down, but I feel that you have to respect, you know, women's experienced.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: That was former Minnesota Senator Al Franken just about a year ago reflecting on the experience of women, once again now, one year after resigning from the Senate over allegations of sexual misconduct from several women.

The senator, former senator writing in Thanksgiving Facebook post, quote, "I've also e spent a lot of time over this past year thinking about the broader conversation we've been having about the experience of women in this country. I know that for so many people this issue raises a lot of powerful and painful feelings. I don't think it's my place to weigh in on all of the debates but I will continue to listen and learn."

Here now for some reaction and little bit of fun as well, Friday night is always ladies' night here. Rachel Campos-Duffy, my friend from the weekends, and Susan Li of Fox Business, Wendy Osefo, as well. Good to have you all here.

WENDY OSEFO, DEMOCRAT STRATEGIST: Thank you, Ed.

SUSAN LI, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Thank you.

RACHEL CAMPOS-DUFFY, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Good to see you.

HENRY: Rachel, let's start with you because I wonder as a woman, particularly a conservative woman who wonders about why this Democratic senator just won't leave the stage tonight.

CAMPOS-DUFFY: Well, to me, when you read his tweet and his Facebook post, to me, it's very obvious he thinks he's put in the amount of time he needs to put in as far as staying out of spotlight and now he is trying to basically throw himself at the altar of or at the mercy, I should say, of the Me Too movement and the Women's March because he wants his way back in.

And the truth is he probably will be given forgiveness. I don't know if a Republican would be given forgiveness for what he did in the same situation.

HENRY: Yes.

CAMPOS-DUFFY: That's very clear this is what that is all about.

HENRY: Yes. Wendy, in fairness to him he's spent a year largely out of spotlight. Maybe he is putting a toe out there to try to have some voice in the public debate. As I recall it was Democrats who really drummed him out of office.

OSEFO: Absolutely. You know, Kirsten Gillibrand was one of the chief architects of that calling for his resignation. What I think is happening here is he just having a moment just to reflect and say these are things going on in our society and I'm aware that these are the things going on.

And although he says explicitly, I cannot speak about all of them, he will continue to listen and learn. I think for any one of us we are all human and we have the right to err and all we ask is when someone does make a mistake is for them to be able to learn from that. And that is what he is saying in this post.

HENRY: Yes. And Susan, we heard throughout a different story but some similarities in terms of sexual misconduct and allegations at least of that in the Justice Kavanaugh situation the president pushed hard for due process.

LI: Right.

HENRY: And one of the complaints that Al Franken had was that he never really got an investigation. He was pushed out of office before it was even looked at.

LI: From a woman's perspective though, time and time again, you always have to feel for the woman at the center of these allegations and the shame and probably the pain that they feel. So, for me to hear these words from former Senator Al Franken, I'm actually encouraged by it.

And, you know, being a cynical journalist though, I can't rule out the fact that he is saying this because he might be, might be running again for office.

HENRY: Aha.

LI: So, I can't rule that out.

HENRY: Exactly. That maybe he is keeping that toed in the water to maybe mount a comeback. Rachel, I want to ask you about the next story. Because when I heard we were going to do this one I knew you would love it.

So, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez we talk about her a lot on Fox & Friends weekend because she is out there in the news. She is coming to power now a socialist coming into the Congress. And now at Cornell University they are going to have this historical exhibit that among other things is going to showcase Ocasio-Cortez's shoes. You see them there.

CAMPOS-DUFFY: Right.

HENRY: They became famous during the campaign because they had holes in them and she said she was working so hard.

CAMPOS-DUFFY: Well, and she did. And she frankly has the shoes to prove it. I'll tell you what, my husband has shoes very similar to that. He is a member of Congress who has run. He also gets calluses on his hands from shaking so many hands during campaign season.

So, those are true stories. She is the youngest member of Congress. She has as I said the proof from these shoes. I think it's interesting that they are putting them in. She deserves to be in the museum for that in particular. And I applaud her for that.

I disagree with everything she is trying to do to our country. And economically, but, for the shoes, she deserves it.

HENRY: Wendy, I think I have seen everything now. Rachel is saying something positive about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

(CROSSTALK)

OSEFO: I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I was ready I had my talking points to go at Rachel. But, Rachel, I agree with you a 100 percent. I think if we are talking about what this museum is for which is women at the front lines, you cannot take that away from her whatever your political ideology is, she works for it.

HENRY: Yes.

OSEFO: She is 29 years old. She made history. And I know people who are actually in that district and they talk about how she--

HENRY: Yes.

OSEFO: -- hit the ground running and she did the work so she deserves that place.

HENRY: Susan, you get the final word on all of this.

LI: Can I--

HENRY: It's going to be an interesting balance here because she has already been a little bit of a thorn in Nancy Pelosi's side on climate change and whatnot.

LI: Yes.

HENRY: She is a rising star.

LI: Yes. She is a rising star. Can I just say, though, growing up in a household watching a single mom raise four kids on her own, I respect and admire the hustle. So, these shoes, yes, they are symbolic and they mean a lot.

But, you know, in finance, there is a term that says when you own the ups, you also own the downs, right? And so, there has been so much criticism on her what she is wearing whether it's on her feet or on her body.

HENRY: Yes.

LI: I mean, if she wants to talk about shoes, they are going to talk about her fashion, still.

HENRY: What he a great way to--

(CROSSTALK)

CAMPOS-DUFFY: Ed--

HENRY: Yes, go ahead, Rachel, Quick on.

CAMPOS-DUFFY: Ed, can I add one last thing? She is proposing that we take on -- that we bring socialism to our country right now. In Venezuela there are people who can't afford shoes. Don't have shoes on their feet--

HENRY: Right.

CAMPOS-DUFFY: -- because of what socialism has done to their country.

(CROSSTALK)

OSEFO: Rachel, never disagree.

CAMPOS-DUFFY: That's what we don't want here.

HENRY: We are going to end on a positive note about working moms, and you had to go there. Thank you.

That is "The Story" on this Friday night.

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