Judge Jeanine: The 'undoing' of America 'can only happen from within'
Judge Jeanine Pirro says the Left, in order to steal your freedom, lies to you about everything.
This is a rush transcript from “Justice with Judge Jeanine" September 19, 2020. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
JEANINE PIRRO, FOX NEWS HOST: Breaking tonight, mourners across the country. Remember a giant of the Supreme Court as the showdown in Washington over who will replace her and when grows more intense by the minute.
Hello and welcome to JUSTICE. I'm Judge Jeanine Pirro. Thanks so much for being with us tonight.
Tonight's opening statement is still ahead. But first, it's been more than
24 hours since the nation learned of the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but the partisan battle on the Hill is already in full swing.
President Trump for his part has already made it clear he intends to nominate a replacement for Ginsburg, and some expect it to come in the next few days.
As for the pick, the President made one thing clear in North Carolina tonight. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It will be a woman, a very talented, very brilliant woman. Well, I haven't chosen yet. But we have numerous women on the list. I built this incredible list of brilliant people and we're asking for Biden's list, he can't give it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PIRRO: So what woman will the President decide on? Will the Democrats tried to stand in the way and will any Republicans break ranks? We have live team Coverage tonight as America mourns an icon and navigates a political firestorm at the same time.
Let's begin with FOX News correspondent, David Spunt, live at the Supreme Court.
DAVID SPUNT, FOX NEWS CHANNEL CORRESPONDENT: Well, for more than 24 hours, thousands of people have been packing in front of the Supreme Court. In fact, there's a vigil going on right now over my shoulder. The street completely covered. We have some video taken.
It started about an hour ago, incredibly peaceful tone here to honor the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second woman to sit on the court and we know many people have been traveling from several different distances to memorialize and remember the late Justice. We spoke to a few of them earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that -- I think that Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a hero and icon. I think she is such a great example for women, and I have twin daughters who are growing up in a world that is so divisive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She is with a legacy for our country, and she did a lot for us, especially LGBT rights and everything, just women's rights as well.
And she will definitely be missed. It's like a gut punch.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SPUNT: And we have statements from the colleagues, the fellow Justices on the bench. I want to read one from Justice Sonia Sotomayor. She wrote, quote, "I will miss Ruth greatly. She welcomed me to the court with a warmth I could not have expected, and I came to feel a special kinship with her. She was someone whose wisdom, kindness and unwavering support I could always rely on."
Justice Clarence Thomas wrote, "Through the many challenges both professionally and personally, she was the essence of grace, civility and dignity. She was a superb judge who gave her best and exacted the best from each of us whether in agreement or disagreement."
Now I had a chance to see her several times in the courtroom over the past few months. She was peppy, she was active, but COVID as, you know, Judge Jeanine, really put the Justices apart from each other. They had to do these conferences on the phone calls, but she was always engaged, incredibly engaged.
As far as funeral arrangements are concerned, we know she will be interred at Arlington Cemetery. The rest of that right now still being worked out by officials here at the Supreme Court. Judge, back to you.
PIRRO: All right, David Spunt, thanks so much for joining us tonight.
Okay, 45 days until the election and the political mudslinging over Ginsburg's death, and what happens next has begun. Here to break it all down is a man who knows Capitol Hill like no other, FOX News congressional correspondent, Chad Pergram.
Chad, thanks for being here tonight.
CHAD PERGRAM, FOX NEWS CHANNEL CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good evening.
Good evening. Well, the strategizing is already starting on both the right and the left. Let me start with the Democrats here.
Democrats today in the Senate, they held a conference call to figure out what to do, how they would try to oppose this potential nominee here. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader said that anything is on the table including possibly trying to eliminate a filibuster if the Democrats get control of the Senate next year.
Jerry Nadler, the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, he was not on that conference call, but he has proposed possibly expanding the size of the Supreme Court.
Now Democrats, they want to remind voters that if there was a conservative Justice that's put on the Supreme Court, they will try to undercut Obamacare and Roe versus Wade.
Now just how fast could they get a nominee onto the Supreme Court?
President Trump says probably before the election. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We're working with all of the Republican senators and working with Mitch McConnell and we'll be making a decision. I would think before would be very good. But we'll be making a decision.
I think the process can go very, very fast. I'll be making my choice soon, and when the choice is made, I'll be sending it over to Mitch in the Senate. And they will do what they have to do, I think we'll have a very popular choice whoever it may be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PERGRAM: Now, confirming a Justice that fast will be extraordinary. Most Supreme Court nominees take about 45 days just to get a hearing -- a hearing. We are currently 45 days from the election.
Now senators do not like to be rushed, especially on something of this magnitude. This is a legacy decision. And Republican Maine Senator Susan Collins says go slow. And here is her statement that she released about five hours ago, "Given the proximity to the presidential election, I do not believe the Senate should vote on the nominee prior to the election. The decision of a lifetime appointment should be made by the President who is elected on the third of November."
Now somebody else to watch here is Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska who has indicated that she thinks that this decision should come sometime after the inauguration. And again, as I always point out, the math is going to be very important on this.
The divide right now in the Senate, 53 Republicans, 47 Democrats, that means that Republicans can only lose four of their own, otherwise, it's game over for this nominee, even if you have Republican senators saying we'd like to vote for somebody, but we don't want to go this fast.
Now, Mark Meadows, the White House Chief of Staff, he has been talking with the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell multiple times since Justice Ginsburg passed away last night. This is going to be a rollicking few weeks as they go through this confirmation process -- Jeanine.
PIRRO: All right, Chad, normally, it's my understanding that from the nomination to the actual confirmation, the average over the years has been approximately 60 days. And so 45 days until the election would certainly be unusual in terms of a confirmation in any event, but given the -- you know, the temperature, the political temperature out there, the left is absolutely indicating that they don't want this President to make the appointment. What do you think is going to happen as soon as the President announces his choice?
PERGRAM: Well, there's going to be a firestorm. I mean, they felt that there was a seat stolen from them four years ago. This is when Mitch McConnell, the Majority Leader refused to consider Merrick Garland, no hearing at all for Merrick Garland, who was President Obama's nominee.
Again, this is an issue that, you know, it goes back a long, long way.
And the fact that there have been two other justices put on to the Supreme Court since then with Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, and now President Trump gets a third pick. That's a problem.
But again, watch these Republican senators in the middle. Somebody else I would pay attention to as Mitt Romney. There aren't a lot of levers that the Democrats can pull. They can make a lot of noise. They might be able to make an impact in the election. We certainly saw this to be an election issue in the midterms in 2018, with Brett Kavanaugh, but we don't know how this will slice just yet.
PIRRO: Well, you know, if you've got Murkowski and Collins, they're both, I imagine in tough races, and if maybe we can't rely on Mitt Romney, there's only one more that we can lose if this is going to happen, correct?
PERGRAM: That's right. That's right. Susan Collins has a tough race here.
Lisa Murkowski is not in cycle this year and that's where some people say, what about Cory Gardner? The Republican from Colorado. That's pretty much a Democratic state now or look at, you know, someone like Thom Tillis from North Carolina, Joni Ernst, Republican from Iowa, a tough race there.
Martha McSally, Republican from Arizona, who is probably the most imperiled Republican senator, up for re-election this fall. She has already said, go ahead.
PIRRO: Well, you know, did the Dems shoot themselves in the foot, in I believe, it was 2013 when -- with the filibuster?
PERGRAM: Well, you raise a very interesting point here, and I've said this many times and other people on Capitol Hill have said this, paybacks are hell. That's true on the playground for school kids. It's true on Capitol Hill.
Harry Reid, the then Senate Majority Leader, opened the door for what's called the Nuclear Option. He was upset that a lot of Republicans were blocking some of President Obama's lower tier nominees, and so what he did is he lowered the threshold for a filibuster for Executive Branch nominees from 60 to 51, but they left out the Supreme Court.
Well, Mitch McConnell saw the writing on the wall. He saw what they were going to do to Neil Gorsuch in 2017. There had never been a filibuster against a Supreme Court nominee. So he lowered the threshold through a Parliamentary artifice from 60 to 51 for Supreme Court nominees.
Now, to be clear here, Abe Fortas who was on the court in the late 1960s, his nomination to become Chief Justice of the United States was filibustered, but he was already on the court. He did not become Chief Justice. And later, he had to resign due to an ethics issue. So this is what opens -- or Harry Reid opened Pandora's Box.
PIRRO: Indeed, he did. And it's such an important time now. Chad Pergram, thanks so much for being with us.
Let's talk more about Ruth Bader Ginsburg's life and legacy as well as some of the women President Trump is thinking of replacing her with. I'm joined now by the host of "Fox News at Night," who spent years covering the Supreme Court, Shannon Bream.
Shannon, thanks so much for joining us tonight. It appears that there are two women who might be the favorites. They call her ACB, Amy Coney Barrett, as well as the woman from Florida. Her name is Barbara Lagoa.
Let's talk about Amy Coney Barrett first. She's a woman that the President has already nominated to the Seventh Circuit and she already had an experience in terms of her faith being brought up in the nomination process. Why don't you tell us about that?
SHANNON BREAM, FOX NEWS CHANNEL CHIEF LEGAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you're exactly right, Judge and that is something to focus on because she has been sort of through the fire. We know whoever gets selected and asked to go through this confirmation process is going to have to have, you know, basically a spine of steel and nerves of steel, because this is going to get real, real fast.
She has been through a little bit of that because during her confirmation before the Senate for the Seventh Circuit, she talked about the fact that she's a devout Catholic that is well known. She practices her faith that is real to her and is a part of her life.
And I believe it was Senator Dianne Feinstein who said something to the effect of the dogma lives loudly in you. There were others who question, too, whether she could be an impartial judge and also be a devout Catholic.
There were a number of senators who pushed back on her behalf who said, this is outrageous. We cannot have religious tests about people that we are considering for government positions and Federal bench positions.
So she has stood up for herself. That was a bit of a bruising. And she showed that she was willing to go through it and to stay calm and to -- listen, she said, I don't think anything in my personal faith, in my personal beliefs should, you know, it shouldn't factor in at all for me as a judge. That's not the way judges decide things. You interpret the law and you apply the law.
PIRRO: You know, her response was quite strong. She says it's never appropriate for a judge to impose that judge's personal convictions, whether they arise from faith or anywhere else on the law. So she is able to push back pretty strongly and has experience with the process.
Now let's go to the second woman, Barbara Lagoa, who is a Justice in Florida, but is not in the Federal system as I understand it.
BREAM: Well, you know what? She has been, but for just a short time. She was in the Federal or the State Judiciary in Florida for a long time. She was the first female Hispanic Latina to go to the Florida Supreme Court, Governor Ron DeSantis appointed her there, and now, she has made it to the Federal bench as part of the 11th Circuit. Just a short time, though. She doesn't have a long time in the Federal bench.
Some see that as a plus, some see it as a minus. She has less of a Federal record for us to track. The kinds of issues that she would potentially be deciding on as a Supreme Court Justice.
But she has got such a compelling backstory, as many of these contenders on the President's list do.
Her parents escaped from Cuba more than 50 years ago. She talks emotionally about how her father gave up his own opportunity to be a lawyer, his dream in Cuba because he wanted to get his family to the freedom of America. I'm told that very much color is the way that she sees freedom, the Constitution, and the way that she interprets that and reaches her decisions.
She is very moving when you hear her speak, and she does have a great story. She's got three daughters, and a husband who is also an attorney.
And so she spent her life in the law. And as a woman who has raised a family as well, and I hear a lot of good things about her.
She signed on recently to a decision that was a bit controversial out of the 11th Circuit that upheld the Florida law that said felons who have outstanding fees or court fees due and fines have to pay them before they can get back their right to vote and a lot of people -- so that is very controversial. She signed on gladly and she seems like somebody who is not afraid to do what she thinks is right and the right interpretation of the Constitution and law.
PIRRO: All right, both of them very strong women. Both of them with strong credentials. Shannon Bream, thanks so much for being with us tonight.
BREAM: You've got it.
PIRRO: And a quick a quick programming note. Tune in tomorrow night at
10:00 p.m. for a special "Fox News at Night" with Shannon focused on Ruth Bader Ginsburg's legacy and what's next.
Much more ahead tonight including Sean Hannity, Lara Trump, Sarah Sanders.
But my opening statement delayed by tonight's breaking news is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PIRRO: Welcome back to JUSTICE on this busy night of news as we look live at a vigil for Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the Supreme Court.
We spent some time talking about her and the developing situation in Washington tonight, but now, let's get to my open.
The only thing that can stop the freight train that America has always been is ourselves, and that my friends is the danger of our current state and the 2020 election.
In 1838, a 28-year-old lawyer named Abraham Lincoln gave a speech at the Lyceum in Springfield, Illinois warning about the forces that might tear the U.S. apart from within. His warning still rings eerily true today. It goes exactly like this.
"From whence shall we expect the approach of danger shall some transatlantic military giant step the Earth and crush us at a blow? Never.
All the armies of Europe and Asia could not by force take a drink from the Ohio River or make a track on the Blue Ridge in the trial of a thousand years."
"No. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we will live forever, or die by suicide."
Lincoln was right. The undoing of this great nation can only happen from within. True, we were attacked by an invading enemy when the virus from China hit us. But that's not the greatest threat to the United States of America. The greatest threat to the United States remains those inside this country who would rather tear it down, the ones who spew hatred and venom toward our institutions of government, from the Constitution, to historical statues, to our belief system, our religion and now our way of life.
They have anointed themselves and forces our thinking through force, destruction of property, intimidation, threats, and outright physical violence.
They lied to you. They have an agenda, and it doesn't include you and it doesn't involve the silent victim of crime, the ones who go quietly, unannounced and unheralded.
In order to steal your freedom, they lie to you on everything from the President's handling of the coronavirus to their assertion that police in this country are systemically racist murderers, which has denigrated law enforcement, causing them to be targeted, shot, and killed.
The Black Lives Matter movement receiving support from many Americans after the horrific death of George Floyd on May 25th was engulfed by Black Lives Matter, the organization, a completely separate organization that does not believe in the nuclear family and promotes Marxist and communist ideology.
Their ideology and belief system is contrary to our democratic system of government.
Very often joined by members of Antifa, an alleged antifascist group. They wreak havoc against courthouses, businesses, neighborhoods, towns and cities promoting the leftist policy of hate.'
And the founder of Black Lives Matter has just connected with a pro-Chinese Communist Party to join up. After all, Joe Biden says China is not our enemy. I would think he would say that since he outsource jobs there, brought his son, Hunter there and accessed $1.5 billion from the Chinese for a hedge fund company.
The left lies to you when they say we will be a better country if we defund the police.
One of the first cities to do this was Milwaukee, who just this week had a meeting because they couldn't understand why crime has gone up. They actually called on the Police Chief to explain why there was so much crime.
Are these people stupid?
At Joe Biden's Democratic National Convention, no one even mentioned the violent protests, looting, arson and chaos occurring in our cities like Los Angeles, New York, Milwaukee, Chicago, St. Louis, Atlanta, Portland, and Seattle, let alone condemn the criminals and the chaos.
And they lie to us, and they tell us these are peaceful protests.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What you're seeing behind me is one of multiple locations that have been burning in Kenosha, Wisconsin over the course of the night.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PIRRO: They lie to us when they tell us America was never that great.
Please explain to me why people risk dying to come here, or why they kick and scream if we choose to deport them back to their country of origin? I guess it's not all that bad.
They lied to us about the pandemic when they said the President hasn't done enough. When the President closed the borders to foreign nationals from China and later Europe, he was referred to as hysterical xenophobe.
On that day, the President declared, January 31, a national health emergency, Nancy Pelosi was telling people in February, go to Chinatown.
Celebrate our diversity. Bill de Blasio and his administration was doing the same thing.
In the meantime, the President had the Coronavirus Taskforce put in place and he put them before the American people on a daily basis so Americans knew exactly what was going on, and allowed those experts to be cross examined by the press.
Meanwhile, Joe Biden was having a rally in March to the extent that Joe Biden even has a rally.
So in April, Joe writes an op-ed piece on how he would be better to handle the virus than President Trump in both "The Wall Street Journal" and "The New York Times" said the President was already doing what this guy just came up with, and that candidate Biden had written about. It's no surprise.
Joe is not on top of a lot of things.
This week, the President in an effort to upend the hatred young people have in this country has started the 1776 Project, to counter "The New York Times" 1619 Project, which is used in our schools in America throughout this country to educate our children about how racist the country the United States is, and to encourage rioters to destroy property in the name of social justice.
The 1619 Project goal is to advance reparations. We find ourselves, ladies and gentlemen fighting the forces of darkness that are threatening our nation and there is only one way out of that and that is by keeping the torch of truth and allowing it to light our way forward.
Abraham Lincoln was right. Your job is to fight for the America that our founding fathers envisioned. One where you can follow your dreams and pursue your happiness.
The path we're on with the greatest economy, the strongest military and a leader who wanted America to be proud and prosperous, not the one that the left progressive socialists want to impose on us.
You have 45 days to decide. You can decide on the truth or the lies.
And that's my open. Let me know what you think on my Facebook and Twitter #JudgeJeanine.
And if you like my opens, you'll love my new book, "Don't Lie to Me"
available right now for preorder coming out on Tuesday of next week.
Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders is on JUSTICE and still ahead on this packed night of big names.
But next, the leftist throwing all it has against Trump to try to stop him from winning a second term, I'll discuss that in more with Sean Hannity next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JACKIE IBANEZ, FOX NEWS CHANNEL CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, and live from "America's News Headquarters," I'm Jackie Ibanez on a Saturday night.
The Trump administration declaring that all United Nations sanctions against Iran have been restored. It's a move most of the rest of the world rejects as illegal. The administration said earlier tonight that its triggering of the so-called a snapback mechanism is to ensure that Iran does not gain substantial nuclear power.
President Trump also took the opportunity to rail against President Obama's
2015 deal with Iran, calling it soft and weak.
Other members of the United Nations Security Council say the U.S. has lost its legal standing and that a snapback of sanctions against Iran is against the rules and conduct. The decision is expected to be hotly debated over the next few weeks.
I'm Jackie Ibanez. Now, back to JUSTICE WITH JUDGE JEANINE.
For all of your headlines, you can always log on to http://foxnews.com. Enjoy your night.
PIRRO: Welcome back. Just yesterday, before we learned of the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I spoke with our own Sean Hannity, host of "Hannity"
and author of "Live Free or Die," about America's true greatness and its future. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PIRRO: Sean, great to have you on the show.
SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS CHANNEL HOST: Hey, Judge. Great to be on. First, let me give you a plug. I read your book cover to cover. I'll give -- I'll show you my copy. It's highlighted everywhere.
The art -- you being you and laying out great, strong, powerful arguments how we are lied to so awful or lied about -- lied to about the Deep State, we are lied to about COVID. Where was Joe Biden hiding in his bunker worried that China would get annoyed with us, because the President put in the travel ban 10 days after the first case of corona, he was saying that all through March, while the President was putting in the first quarantine, subsequent travel bans and building out all the PPE that Joe says he'll now do which already has been done.
And by the time we get to November, we're going to have a vaccine by every indication that we now see, which is great news for everybody.
Anyway, congrats on your book. I love your arguments. You bring us along a journey to understand things better. You know, those that say America has never been great. Really? Excuse me. There's never been a greater country in the history of mankind that has used the might of capitalism, and innovation and risk and reward and invention to advance the entire human condition.
And you lay that case out beautifully. Our framers, our founders, you know what a system they developed. Perfect? No. Are there any perfect people?
No. Have there ever been perfect people? No. But we have this ability to become a more perfect union because of the system they laid out. They have been proven right over and over again. We have made so much progress and we have so much more we can make to make it a better country.
Hopefully we can start with law and order and safety and security and good schools for our kids. Right?
PIRRO: Yes.
HANNITY: Anyway. Great to be here. Thanks for having me.
PIRRO: Clearly -- and -- oh no, I love having you on and you know, that's my wheelhouse. That's why I called it "Don't Lie to Me." When I was a judge. I used to look at defendants and say "Don't lie to me."
HANNITY: They hate that, right?
PIRRO: But anyway, oh, yes. The lies by the way, just keep coming from the left, and I want your take, Sean on what happened this week when the President said that he was going to create -- he announced this 1776 Project to pretty much against the 1619 "New York Times" Project which you know, a lot of us, as parents, didn't really know what was going on with our kids in school. And we just said, gee, where do these millennials get this information?
They are being taught that America isn't great, that America is a racist country, that it isn't the greatest country on Earth. What's your take on what the President did this week?
HANNITY: You know, remember, 1776, that's our founding document. This is what separates the United States from all other countries and socialism has been a failure, whatever name it has been given, whatever form it's taken.
It always manifests in the same results: Cuba, Venezuela, the former Soviet Union, the Bolsheviks, Eastern European states under the Soviet Union, Mao's Revolution. What do we always end up with?
We end up with broken promises, unfulfilled promises, poverty, a lot more of it and a loss of freedoms. You know, what did the great pamphleteer Thomas Paine said? He said, "Government is in its best state is but a necessary evil, its worst state, an intolerable one." But what makes us different is that our founding document, our Declaration were endowed by our Creator.
Our rights come from God, not from government, not from men, and that that is the natural state of man and then governments are instituted to protect the liberties and freedom so we can find our God-given gifts and serve others, produce goods and services, others want, need and desire and maybe make a profit in the process. And apparently, that's a bad thing in these days.
PIRRO: Well, you know, the frightening part of it is you get someone like Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, who, you know, all this week, he talked about the Harris-Biden administration, and Kamala Harris talked about the Harris- Biden administration.
You kind of wonder if anybody knows what's going on and if the President wasn't right about the Trojan horse. I have 15 seconds, Sean. Go ahead.
HANNITY: Yes, honestly, I mean, if you look at their stated policies, remember she co-authored the New Green Deal in the Senate. She co-authored Medicare-for-All. She said, no choice in terms of your own healthcare provider. The biggest anti-Second Amendment. She thinks she can eliminate guns through executive fiat.
PIRRO: Yes.
HANNITY: And higher taxes, no more energy independence. We will be dependent. Open borders. The United Sanctuary States of America. Weak foreign policy that appeases mullahs with 150 billion in cash and other currency, hoping they'll be nice to us and getting nothing in return.
Look, you know this and I know this, Judge, in 45 days, the American people are going to decide this election. This is a tipping point for the country.
PIRRO: Right.
HANNITY: You're laying out the case.
PIRRO: Without a doubt.
HANNITY: And there are a lot of people, sadly, that have been indoctrinated into that mindset, and they think they're right. I think they've convinced themselves it is right. But it's guaranteed to fail. It will be an unmitigated disaster and "We, the People" will lose our freedoms, and we will never get the promises they are making.
PIRRO: Well, you know what, hopefully in 45 days, America will see what it needs to see to keep it going.
Sean Hannity, thanks so much for joining us on JUSTICE.
HANNITY: Thank you, Judge.
PIRRO: And congrats to you.
HANNITY: And congrats to you.
PIRRO: Take care.
HANNITY: Bye.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PIRRO: Lara Trump and Sarah Sanders still on deck, and we'll be back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PIRRO: Welcome back to JUSTICE. As America remembers Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and President Trump confirms he will nominate a woman to replace the legendary Justice.
Before the news broke yesterday, I spoke about the race for the White House and more with senior adviser to the Trump 2020 election campaign, Lara Trump. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PIRRO: Good evening, Lara. I understand that you were in Florida this week on the bus tour, and you head to North Carolina next week. What's the feeling on the ground amongst Americans, especially those that say they are still undecided?
LARA TRUMP, SENIOR ADVISER, TRUMP 2020 CAMPAIGN: I've got to tell you something. We had turnouts that Joe Biden couldn't even dream of, Jeanine.
This was amazing.
We were in Florida the past couple of days. I just got back from that trip.
Like you said, we're going to North Carolina, but I've really been all over this country. I've been in Iowa. I've been in Minnesota. I've been in Nebraska.
I'm telling you, people are so excited about Donald Trump. I think it's even bigger now than it was in 2016. People are ready to go vote. They can't wait to cast a vote for Donald Trump.
PIRRO: Well, you know, that makes sense to me, because in 2016, I mean, they didn't know him. At least now, they've seen the man, you know, says what he means, means what he says and delivers on promises.
But you know, what I think is stunning this week, is the fact that in addition to announcing that peace deal between Israel, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kosovo and Serbia, where Nancy Pelosi just said it is distraction, as if they could ever have done this.
You know, he talked about something that was near and dear to my heart, and that is almost explaining what's going on in the schools and creating the new project, the 1776 Project to bring into schools so that young kids can be proud of America and not think that America is this racist country that was born of you know, darkness.
L. TRUMP: Yes, it's so important. I've got to tell you, having a child that is now in school, I think about this all the time. And by the way, Judge, I hear this from women on the ground, from moms. They're very nervous about what is being taught in schools and the indoctrination of our youth.
I mean, for our future generations, we want them to love this country. We are so lucky to live in America. There's a reason that people risk their lives to come to America, because we are the greatest country in the history of the world.
And so I think this is a huge, huge step forward. I think it's so important. I think it's going to resonate with a lot of women out there.
I'll tell you what, every mom I know with a child in school thinks that this is a good thing and I'm really proud of the President for doing it.
PIRRO: Yes, a lot of people are. I mean, he is basically touching all of the issues. You know, he has time, you know, apparently, he doesn't sleep.
But let's talk about Joe Biden.
The debate is coming up. Joe Biden is showing up every now and then. I won't go into the difference between their handling by the media. We already know that. But how do you think Joe Biden is preparing for a debate with your father-in-law?
L. TRUMP: Well, I mean, you've got to think. Joe Biden has been in this game for almost five decades. So I would assume that he's a decent enough debater.
I mean, we all saw him during those primary debates with the Democrats. I mean, I assume he is doing okay, and he'll do fine.
The reality is, he's going to have a problem whenever it comes down to actual policy, though. So the issue I think, really comes down to the fact that the Democrats don't have a plan for America and their only plan so far has been to implement socialism.
They know that people are not for socialism in America. They're trying to slide it in through the back door and make sure you don't see it. But he's going to have to have that on full display on stage with the President, and then the President, Judge, gets to talk about what he has actually done for America.
Donald Trump in 47 months has done more for the United States of America and the American people than Joe Biden has done in 47 years in politics, and we're going to have to see that on the debate stage. I can't wait.
PIRRO: Well, neither can I and neither can a lot of Americans.
Lara Trump, thanks so much for joining us, and get back on the road with that team. We love you. Have a great time.
L. TRUMP: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PIRRO: Back in a moment with Sarah Sanders.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUESTION: Why did you throw vulnerable people like me under the bus?
You've coined the phrase make America great again.
TRUMP: Right.
QUESTION: When has America been great for African-Americans in the ghetto of America?
QUESTION: Why don't you support a mandate for national mask wearing? And why don't you wear a mask more often?
QUESTION: Pre-existing conditions, which Obamacare brought in to -- brought to fruition be removed?
TRUMP: No.
QUESTION: Without -- please stop and let me finish my question, sir.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PIRRO: Whoa. Undecided voters at ABC's Town Hall this week with an onslaught of aggressive and often rude questions for the President. But should we really be surprised when it comes to the mainstream media?
My next guest is Sarah Sanders, author of "Speaking for Myself," former White House Press Secretary, FOX News contributor. Let's ask her. How did that sound to you, Sarah?
SARAH SANDERS, FOX NEWS CHANNEL CONTRIBUTOR: It sounds about like what you would expect from the mainstream media. It's no surprise that the President got tough questions. But he did a good job answering those questions talking about his record of accomplishment over the last four years in what he would do as President.
I wish I could say I was surprised that they had a total ambush against the President. But I'm not.
The good thing is, Donald Trump takes hard questions every single day, he's not afraid to do it. He's not afraid to talk directly to the American people and put his message out there. Huge contrast from Joe Biden, who barely comes out of his basement and when he does, gets softball questions from anybody around him, while at the same time this President has proven he can take on any question at anytime, anywhere.
PIRRO: And, you know, the amazing part of it is, you know, you expect from the mainstream media, at least an effort at being objective. They don't even cover up the fact that you know, that what they're saying is not in many cases, the truth or they're ignoring the truth, the big stories that the President like, this week with the peace deal, the Abraham Accord.
I mean, it's just -- it's unbelievable. But what do you think Joe Biden is thinking right now as he prepares to the extent he can prepare for the debates?
SANDERS: Well, I think he's probably very happy that he will continue to have the propaganda machine of the mainstream media helping support his campaign and his effort in the debate.
I don't expect him to have a hard time on the debate stage, because I think they'll take it easy and give him softball questions the same way they have been over the course of the entire campaign where he's been out there.
On the other hand, I think they're going to hold Donald Trump's feet to the fire at every turn they get. The good thing is, I think the President will help push back on Joe Biden directly. I think that's going to be important for him.
Donald Trump used the 2016 debates as a turning point for his campaign. I think he needs to really make sure his performance is strong. A lot of people will be watching.
I think it's a pivotal moment, and I think it's one that the President will rise to the moment, rise to the occasion and do very well that night.
But he has to remember, he's not just competing against Joe Biden, he has to compete against the entire mainstream media that will praise Biden if he just puts coherent sentences together and so, it's going to be an uphill battle, but one I think the President is capable of taking on.
PIRRO: You know, this week, Sarah, there were a couple of, you know, you thought at the beginning, they were Freudian slips. I mean, a Freudian slip as an accident. To me, they were not inadvertent when Kamala Harris talks about the Harris administration, with Joe Biden as President.
And then within 24 hours, Joe Biden talks about -- he doesn't talk about it, he is reading on the teleprompter, the Harris administration. I mean, he didn't even catch it until the next day, apparently.
What's going on there? Is President Trump right about this Trojan horse that Joe Biden is?
SANDERS: Well, I think we all know Joe Biden hasn't demonstrated he is capable or willing to stand up to the radical left. Kamala Harris will be running that administration. I think they already clearly both know it.
They have moved so far to the left, she will be running that train. Joe Biden doesn't have the ability to fight back against it. Otherwise, he probably would have. He certainly hasn't shown that.
I think it's evident in everything that's going on, they will continue to move to the left, and she'll be in charge and taking a much bigger role than we've seen a Vice President in a long time.
PIRRO: That is frightening. Anyway, Sarah Sanders, thanks for joining us tonight.
And remember, if you don't like people lying to you, buy my book, "Don't Lie to Me." It comes out on Tuesday, but you can still preorder it and we'll be right back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PIRRO: Finally tonight, don't forget to preorder my new book, "Don't Lie to Me" on Amazon and be the very first to have it.
And by the way, if you like listening, we're selling audio books as well, so you can hear me reading my own book, which by the way, a lot of that book is what I used in my opening tonight.
So if you liked my opening, you're going to love my book.
Thanks for watching. I'm Jeanine Pirro advocating for truth, justice and the American way.
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