This is a rush transcript from "The Story," February 6, 2019. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

MARTHA MACCALLUM, HOST: That's a lot of golden retrievers. Chris, thank you very much. So breaking tonight, what is next? Virginia. The nation is watching the commonwealth right now. You've got issues of third term abortion, blackface, sexual assault, unraveling the leadership in Virginia.

Here we go again? Remember these moments in the Kavanaugh chaos?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are allowing someone who is unwilling to take responsibility for his own actions and to sit in the higher court of the country.

SEN. CORY BOOKER, D-N.J.: And in ultimately, not whether he is innocent or guilty, this is not a trial. But ultimately, has enough questions be raised then we should not move on to another candidate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: He said ultimately it didn't matter if he was innocent or guilty. But it does matter, doesn't it? Will we see similar outrage as it appears in this battle being waged again in Virginia?

Tonight, Fox News can confirm that both the lieutenant governor and his accuser have now hired the same attorneys that Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, had. Good evening, everybody. I'm Martha MacCallum. This is really quite a story.

Let's go straight to Kristin Fisher, live in D.C. with the late-breaking details tonight. Hi, Kristin.

KRISTIN FISHER, CORRESPONDENT: Martha, Virginia's attorney general has now admitted to doing the very same thing that he said, Governor Northam, should resign over just four days ago. It's a truly stunning turn of events.

Here's the statement from Attorney General Mark Herring. He says, "In 1980 when I was a 19-year-old undergraduate in college, some friends suggested we attend to a party dressed like rappers we listened to at the time. It sounds ridiculous even now writing it. But because of our ignorance and glib attitudes, we dressed up and put on wigs and brown makeup."

We'll save to say, Virginia's Democratic Senators were stunned.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MARK WARNER, D-VA: I'm shocked and incredibly disappointed. This has been an awful week for Virginia.

SEN. TIM KAINE, D-VA: This week has just made me sick. You know, it just made me sick. From Friday to now, it's just been one bit of bad news. After the next and it's all been shocking.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FISHER: As for Governor Northam, he is still weighing whether or not to resign after admitting that he, too, wore blackface. Many congressional Democrats have already called for his resignation, while others are reserving judgment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JIM CLYBURN, D-S.C., HOUSE MAJORITY WHIP: We ought to let due process take its course. And then, we ought to then act once that's done. Take all these allegations seriously, investigate them, and then, we'll make a decision afterwards.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FISHER: And then, there is the Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, who is facing sexual assault accusations from 2004. He describes the encounter as it consensual. But today, his accuser put out a statement that said, "What began as consensual kissing quickly turned into a sexual assault. Mr. Fairfax put his hand behind my neck and forcefully pushed my head towards his crotch. As I cried and gagged, Mr. Fairfax forced me to perform oral sex on him."

Well, Fairfax responded by saying, "I wish her no harm or humiliation, nor do I seek to denigrate her or diminish her voice. But I cannot agree with the description of events that I know is not true."

So, just to recap here, there are now calls for the top three Democrats in Virginia to resign. If they do -- and I'm in no way saying that they will, but if they do, that would mean that the Speaker of the House of Delegates, a Republican, would become Virginia's next governor, Martha.

MACCALLUM: And that may have a big impact on some of the decisions that are made herein politics in Virginia. Thank you very much, Kristin. I'm joined now by Kayleigh McEnany, RNC's spokesperson. Chris Stirewalt, Fox News political editor. And Juan Williams, Fox News political analyst and co-host of "THE FIVE".

Chris, let me start with you. You say that this whole thing is an object lesson for the Democratic Party nationally and what's going on in Virginia.

CHRIS STIREWALT, POLITICS EDITOR: Absolutely. Look, the Democrats are in the position, the Republicans were a generation ago. They are the moral majority. They're out against racism, they are out against sexism, and particularly, in the mode of MeToo.

And they are setting these standards for themselves. But instead of ensnaring Republicans who mostly dismiss this stuff, then say, "You're snowflakes, we don't want to hear about it. This is whatever. These aren't -- these aren't the real issues."

So, Republicans are -- don't make themselves subject to the rules. Democrats are subject to the rules, and they're tearing themselves apart. If they do this with their own nominees in the 2020 cycle, they will leave the door wide open for Donald Trump to walk into a second term.

MACCALLUM: Fascinating. Juan, what do you think about that?

JUAN WILLIAMS, POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, I think that we are in the Trump era, and from the Democrat's perspective, a lot of the attacks on President Trump have focused on race, misogyny, and the like.

So, there's -- the Democrats are wide open to charges of hypocrisy here unless they enforce a strict line. I think we have seen this before Al Franken in the Senate, on charges of sexual harassment. And now, you are in a situation about race in Virginia.

I would say that today we learned about Mark Herring, the attorney general. I think there's a big difference between Herring and what's going on with the governor, Ralph Northam because I think blackface is always offensive. But I think, in the case of Northam, his press conference were -- to me, it looked like he was -- you know, his first says it wasn't and it was him, then he's apologizing, and not apologizing. He has made it all about himself.

It's all about not wanting to be called the racist governor for life, rather than understanding the degree of hurt and the moral offense and trying to regain moral authority. His poll numbers have absolutely plummeted.

MACCALLUM: Let me ask you this. So Juan, is an apology in the cases of the governor and the attorney general -- in your mind, is an apology enough?

WILLIAMS: Yes. To my mind, what it is as you have to rebuild political stock. I mean, I think in Christian mode, I'm a Christian. I would always go for forgiveness. The key here though, Martha, is I think there are a lot of white people in America who say, oh, you know, it's Halloween, or you just playing around. Herring said, he was imitating a rapper from the 1980s, he was 19 years old. OK, but, to me, the idea is that a lot of people don't understand that this goes back 1800s intended to mock, denigrate, demean, black people as less intelligent, lazy, sexually abusive and all the rest.

And to for men, for young white men at this period, not to realize that I think is nonsense. I think people have an idea of exactly what they're doing.

MACCALLUM: Yes. But you say, an apology would be enough?

(CROSSTALK)

WILLIAMS: Yes. Well, if it helped to rebuild. If it's heartfelt.

MACCALLUM: If it -- if it right and they understand. You know, I mean, I'm amazed that this stuff was going on in the 1980s

WILLIAMS: I'm with you, Martha.

MACCALLUM: You never -- I never saw anything like this in the 19180s in high school, or in college.

WILLIAMS: Right.

MACCALLUM: So, I do find that very surprising. Although, you know, that may not be the case for other people in other parts of the country. Kayleigh, you know, I mean, there has been so much said about -- you know, the Republican Party, and how much it needs to learn about the issue of race. What is the take away from what's going on in Virginia, and do we need to have more sort of forgiveness across, political spectrums?

KAYLEIGH MCENANY, SPOKESPERSON, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Well, of the Republican Party of Virginia has called on Mark Herring to resign because he's betrayed the people of Virginia. I say this because look, Mark Herring, himself set the standard when he called on Northam to resign. He's lost all credibility if he himself does not set the same standard for himself.

But I really want to say one thing about Justin Fairfax, who is, of course, accused of sexual assault here. The number four in line is a Republican, his name is Kirk Cox. He has come out with a statement. It's in his political interest to say, "Hey, he should step down." That's not what he is saying. He is saying we need to allow the facts that come out. The same thing Republicans said with Kavanaugh.

But when it was in the political interest of Democrats, they called on Kavanaugh to step down immediately. You had Kirsten Gillibrand said, saying one accusation of credible sexual assault is enough.

MACCALLUM: Yes.

MCENANY: You had Elizabeth Warren, saying withdraw the resignation, and many other Democrats -- they set a very different standard.

MACCALLUM: Well, that's the problem here.

MCENANY: Right.

MACCALLUM: That is the problem here. We showed Cory Booker in the intro, saying it didn't matter if he was guilty or innocent that President Trump needed to move Kavanaugh aside and pick someone else.

But you know, Chris, it does matter if you are guilty or innocent. And we aren't seeing the same standard that was applied to Kavanaugh by some of these same Democrats being applied to Fairfax.

STIREWALT: That's certainly true. And we would acknowledge that the positions are different in scope and magnitude. But yes, the hypocrisy is quite rank here. And I would also say that the message as I received it about the MeToo movement, and the moment -- this moment in time where we find ourselves in reckoning is that women are not necessarily to be believed no matter what. But women are supposed to be heard and treated with respect.

The way that Fairfax responded to his accuser was shocking to me. He really did go after her. And he described her as being a very willing participant. He tried to portray her as to somebody who was lustily involved in the action and that now is either malicious or unwell to make these accusations.

He did try to smear the accuser, and now understands that he blew it in such a huge way, I think he's done.

MACCALLUM: Thanks, guys. Good to have all of you with us tonight. Thank you.

STIREWALT: You're welcome.

MACCALLUM: So, coming up next, another state goes to the extreme on late- term abortion. Former NFL player and pro-life advocate, Ben Watson, wants to speak out about this tonight. He's up next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN WATSON, FORMER FOOTBALL TIGHT END, NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: There is a truth and the truth is that these lives are important. The pre-born are important. The reason why I stand for pro-life, is because I believe God created all life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I am asking Congress to pass legislation to prohibit the late-term abortion of children, who can feel pain in a mother's womb. And let us reaffirm a fundamental truth. All children born and unborn are made in the holy image of God.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: That was last night. President at the State of the Union as more states try to loosen their abortion laws in the face of an increasingly conservative Supreme Court.

So except for Senator Joe Manchin, this was -- has met with basically stone face from most of the Democrat side of the aisle. And I think we have the image of him standing in front of them, and applauding during all of this.

But here was the scene when Patty Murray, the Senator from Washington was asked in the halls of Congress today, why she voted against unanimous consent on the Born-Alive Bill?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. PATTY MURRAY, D-WASH.: Politicians should not be -- can get between a woman and her doctor.

JASON CALVI, CAPITOL HILL CORRESPONDENT, EWTN: All this bill would do is say that if a child survives abortion, should be treated by medical professionals.

MURRAY: That's not all it says.

CALVI: That's what the text says in the bill. Why oppose it, Senator?

MURRAY: Infanticide is illegal in this country.

CALVI: But this bill said they have to treat those babies who survive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Now, today in Vermont, new legislation under consideration is even more direct than either of the bills that we have seen in New York or Virginia. It states this: A fertilized, egg, embryo or fetus shall not have independent rights under Vermont law.

My next guest is an NFL Tight End and outspoken defender of life. He is also the Founder of one -- of the One More Foundation. Ben Watson joins me now. Ben, good to have you here tonight. Thank you very much for coming back to the show.

WATSON: Thank you for having me.

MACCALLUM: Good to see you again. First of all, what was your reaction when you watched the President's speech last night and you heard him speak about every child born and unborn being in God's image?

WATSON: Well, we have -- all of us have different opinions of the President for different reasons. But I was encouraged by that and that's true. There is human dignity that we all have no matter what stage of development we are in. And we are living in a time where we have seen that starting to try to get pushed further and further. And it's important to identify and acknowledge the dignity that we have whether we are the preborn or whether we are on our way out of here so to speak.

MACCALLUM: Yes. What do you make of new laws and especially this Virginia Law which is really unequivocal and this is under consideration I should say in Virginia and basically says that there is no, you know, there is no recognition of any -- of any fetus before birth.

WATSON: Well, I would employ those who want to stand for justice. I would employ those whether they are part of the faith community, whether they're part of the science community, or wherever they find themselves to stand up against something like this that is obvious murder of the unborn.

It's going to take all of us. And it's going to take all of us to be awake and to be involved and to be engaged and to influence our specific spheres that we have whether it's in our home or whether it's at our workplace to stand for those who don't have a voice. Something that my wife and I always want to do is be people that stand for the voices whether that's the sex trafficked, or whether that's the poor, and in this case whether it's the pre-born.

MACCALLUM: You know, Governor Cuomo has pushed back against this. He says, you know, he's a Catholic but he says politics -- politicians can't get in between people and their feelings on their issue and their faith. And he says, you know, that essentially, it's extremely rare. He said that this whole issue about late-term abortion is being misrepresented, that it is extremely rare and it's only in the cases of health for the mother.

But the way that some of these laws are written, that also includes the mental health of the mother which just a lot of people feel opens up a very wide definition of reasons that a person could compel a doctor to do something very late-term or even at the moment of birth.

WATSON: We're living in a time, Martha, of abortion on demand. We're living in a time of relativism. And while I would agree that hopefully these happen in very rare instances where someone would wait nine months before having an abortion, the fact still remains that whether it's at nine months or whether it's at 8 days or 18 days, when the heart is developing, when the baby is breathing, it's still the same life.

And so, no matter what the reason is, science proves it that this is an individual entity, this is an individual person with their own DNA, with their own dreams, with their own blood type, even. And so it's important to not only be people that stand for abortion as if it's some sort of political stance, which it kind of turns into sometimes but be someone that stands for whole life. Be someone that's willing to support not only this baby coming into the world but also to support the mother and the father that may be in crisis, whatever they may be going through.

I think that it turns into a divisive issue when we simply stand for the unborn but we are willing to neglect the mothers that are going through these difficult choices.

MACCALLUM: One of the things that you make a big point about is talking to men about this. And I mentioned before the image of Joe Manchin standing and applauding and then there were rows of women behind him who were not -- who were not in favor of what the president was talking about. What's your message for men? You say even if it wasn't demonstrated for you by a father, you can be different.

WATSON: Look, men are in a role of leadership in many areas. Men are protectors. We are providers. Many women would not be seeking abortions if the men involved in their lives were doing what they were supposed to be doing. And that's a challenge to myself. That's a challenge to all men who are listening. That's a challenge to men everywhere to step up and be men.

A lot of the issues that we face in our country, whether it's the abortion issue or education or whatever it may be, sometimes incarceration, whatever it may be, if men were doing their job, these things would be eradicated.

And so my message to men is a lot of times me looking in the mirror and encouraging myself as a father, as a husband, to do what it takes to stand in the gap to step out and to lead because manhood is really falling by the wayside and the crazy thing is that abortion itself is really the ultimate form of sexism against women. And if men were standing up doing what they're supposed to do much of this would be eradicated.

MACCALLUM: Ben Watson, thank you, Ben. Wise words. Always good to see you.

WATSON: Thank you. Good to see you too, Martha.

MACCALLUM: You too. So much for off-the-record. The New York Times decided to publish everything in front of the President's private lunch with reporters that was supposed to be an understood off-the-record briefing before last night's speech. Jill Abramson, the Executive Editor who was fired by the New York Times has now written a new book, she is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACCALLUM: Moments after President Trump's State of the Union Address, media across the country was rushing to fact-check the President but some of it that they came up with has raised some eyebrows today. Trace Gallagher has this story.

TRACE GALLAGHER, ANCHOR: Hi, Martha! It's when media fact- checking becomes media nit-picking that critics begin crying partisanship. And the State of the Union provided several examples like President Trump's contention that migrants traveling through Mexico are often sexually abused. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: One in three women is sexually assaulted on the long journey north.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GALLAGHER: The President was citing a 2017 study by doctors without borders but Politico called the statement only partly true because doctors without borders actually found 31 percent of female migrants had been abused and 31 percent isn't quite one third.

And here's the president urging both parties to act on what he believes is happening along the U.S.-Southern Border. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Now Republicans and Democrats must join forces again to confront an urgent national crisis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GALLAGHER: Well, the New York Times took issue with the phrase urgent national crisis rating it a false statement because border authorities say in recent months the number of migrants crossing had gone down. Apparently the sex trafficking of minors across the border and smuggling significant amounts of lethal opioids across the border among a litany of other crimes do not fall under the banner of urgent crisis.

Or as David Harsanyi of the Federalist writes we have seen a steep decline of gun violence in the last 30 years. Would the New York Times every fact- check a Democrat who argued that gun violence was an urgent crisis? Then there is the President talking about women in Congress. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We also have more women serving in Congress than at any time before.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GALLAGHER: NPR tweeted "Fact-check: President Trump praised the record number of women in Congress but that's almost entirely because of Democrats, not Trump's party. Except the President never mentioned his party. It was the state of the union, not the State of Republicans. Martha?

MACCALLUM: Thanks, Trace. here now with more Jill Abramson, former Executive Editor of the New York Times and author of the new book Merchants of Truth: The Business of News and the Fight for Facts. Jill, good to have you with us tonight.

You know, you see all those comparisons, and the fact-checking that goes on and sometimes some of those fact-checks do lead themselves into curious territory. What do you make of those comparisons?

JILL ABRAMSON, FORMER EXECUTIVE EDITOR, NEW YORK TIME: Well, you know, I think that the job of fact-checking in real time, which is what the fact- checking for the state of the union was, you know, is difficult and some of it may seem, you know, too exacting or nitpicking. But, you know, he did make several errors in the speech, including his claim that there are more women in the workforce than at any point in history. So, you know, I think some of it --

MACCALLUM: But that moment when he was talking about the more women in the workforce who are members of Congress and he sort of you know --

ABRAMSON: Yes, I mean --

MACCALLUM: -- lauded them and said good for you. And then the instant reaction is, you know, well there is irony there because many of them were elected because they were running against President Trump but you are still magnanimous in that moment. I don't think they were suggesting they were there because of him.

ABRAMSON: No, I don't either and I think most of the coverage that I read about the women in white and the record numbers didn't have the kind of angle that NPR had.

MACCALLUM: I also want to get your thoughts on this because yesterday I went to the anchor luncheon before the state of the union at the White House. We were all told it's a tradition that it's off the record. And there were even moments at the end of the luncheon when people raised questions, you know, would it be OK if this item is on the record, Mr. President? And it was decided unanimously that the whole lunch was going to be off the record.

And then this piece surfaces in the New York Times and in other places that details things that were said in there. Joe Biden is dumb, the President said. He called Schumer a nasty son of a (EXPLETIVE). All of this stuff starts coming out. But it never mentioned in this story that there was an agreement that this -- that this lunch would be off-the-record. What do you think about that?

ABRAMSON: Well, the Times wasn't part of the lunch. They weren't part of the pledge to keep it confidential. And, you know, some of those remarks, I think, were destined to leaked and maybe wanted to be leaked even with the agreement that the lunch was --

MACCALLUM: Do you think it should be mentioned in the story that the lunch that is traditionally off the record or do you think it's fine for there to be no mention of that?

ABRAMSON: Well, for transparency, you know, I think it would have been good to mention it. But I don't think the Times transgressed in any way.

MACCALLUM: All right. You are doing a book tour and your book is called "Merchants of Truth" which we just mentioned in the intro. I want to ask you about this. It's just coming -- just surfacing on Twitter. There are suggestions that some parts of the book could be plagiarized that they are matched to other writing that is very close in its wording here.

Michael Moynahan of Vice is writing about this. He goes to a section that Jake Malooley wrote in Vice cop that talks about Jason Mojica and the paragraphs are very similar in your writing. Do you have any comment on this? There is another one.

ABRAMSON: I really --

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: Lizzie Widdicombe the bad boy brand? I mean, you are going to be asked to respond to this --

(CROSSTALK)

ABRAMSON: Sure.

MACCALLUM: -- at some point and I put them right in front of you so you have a chance to look at them.

ABRAMSON: you know, all I can tell you is, you know, I certainly didn't plagiarize in my book. There are 70 pages of footnotes showing, you know, where I got the information and --

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: So do you think it's possible that some of these are just not - - they're incorrectly footnoted perhaps this one Lizzie Widdicombe the bad boy brand the New Yorker talks about Szalwinski told Wired that he doesn't remember reading the article and that his investment was a few hundred thousand dollars. And then the next paragraph from your book is essentially - essentially the same. Do you think this is a footnote issue?

ABRAMSON: No, I don't think it's an issue at all.

MACCALLUM: So, you are standing by your work 100 percent?

ABRAMSON: Yes.

MACCALLUM: And I mean, I asked because he has been going on, I guess for the past 20 minutes pulling out --

(CROSSTALK)

ABRAMSON: Well, many people from both Vice have been taking issue with the book. It seems, you know.

MACCALLUM: And why is that?

ABRAMSON: I think they don't like the portrayal of Vice. Although I think it's a very balanced portrait and I have a lot of praise for some of their journalists and some of their stories. I like their fresh approach to news.

MACCALLUM: All right. So, you are on the record of saying that there is absolutely nothing in here that --

(CROSSTALK)

ABRAMSON: I haven't had --

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: -- you have any problem with and --

ABRAMSON: I haven't looked at it yet.

MACCALLUM: -- you take a look at them.

ABRAMSON: Yes.

MACCALLUM: All right. Well, one last question before I let you go about covering President Trump in general because you have said that you think the New York Times is sometimes biased in their coverage of the president.

And, you know, when you talk to the people in the communications department at the White House and not just talking about the New York Times, but they feel like there is such a broad brush that they basically can't get out from under every single day.

There is so much negative coverage of the president. And you look at the right track, wrong track numbers and most of America seems to be very happy with the economy and foreign policy in general. And yet, they think the country is on the wrong track. And some say that's because the message that they get all the time from much of the media is so dark. What do you say to that?

ABRAMSON: Yes, I don't think the media is why there is that discrepancy. And I do think on some days there are too many stories on the Mueller probe or about allegations or negative appraisals of the president's agenda.

And I think, you know, they are all well-reported and factual but, you know, when you have many at once and some of the headlines will needlessly throw him in and partly it's because any time you have a story on Trump, you get a big audience. Lots of clicks and the president has been ratings bonanza especially for cable channels. You know that.

MACCALLUM: That is true. He's the story. There is no doubt about it?

ABRAMSON: He is the story.

MACCALLUM: Jill Abramson "Merchants of Truth," thank you very much.

ABRAMSON: Thank you.

MACCALLUM: Good to have you here tonight. Thank you.

So, did you ever think that this would be essential to point out in a State of the Union address?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: But now even Chuck Schumer is raising some eyebrows on the question of whether or not we should be open to socialism. Bill Bennett reacts to that coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Here in the United States we are alarmed by the new calls to adopt socialism in our country.

America was founded on liberty and independence and not government coercion, domination and control. We are born free and we will stay free.

(APPLAUSE)

(CROWD CHANTING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Bernie Sanders fallen a bit at those comments as did Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. But even Senator Chuck Schumer seemed to leave the door a little bit open on this general idea when pressed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE SCARBOROUGH, HOST, MSNBC: Hold on, do you support American capitalism and do you think American capitalism is worth defending and fighting for?

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER, D-N.Y., MINORITY LEADER: OK, the answer is we are a capitalist country, yes. And you have to work with capitalism. That doesn't mean you shouldn't make it better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: OK. See what you think about that up to interpretation. Joining me now is Bill Bennett, former education secretary and now a Fox News contributor and a host of the Bill Bennett podcast. Bill, good evening. Always good to have you with us on this story. I mean, I thought Senator Schumer seemed pretty clear on that. Didn't you?

BILL BENNETT, CONTRIBUTOR: Earlier in that interview I saw it this morning and he said when asked, he said well, we have a difference of opinion about how much government intervention there ought to be in people's lives in our party.

And then one of the hosts of the show, Morning Joe, said what about Democratic socialism? He said yes.

In other words, there is a debate going on inside the Democrat Party about whether socialism should be blessed or not. This is hard to believe truly given the record of socialism in the 20th century. And then, of course, you had Ocasio-Cortez speaking about its merits.

MACCALLUM: Yes. Let's play what she said about this, about the Venezuela comparison.

BENNETT: OK.

MACCALLUM: Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ, D-N.Y.: Single policy proposal that we have adopted and presented to the American public has been overwhelmingly popular. Even some with the majority of Republican voters supporting what we're talking about.

What we really need to realize that what is happening is that this is an issue of authoritarian regime versus democracy. And in order for him to try to, you know, dissuade or throw people off the sense of the scent of the trail he has to really make and confuse the public. And I think that that's exactly what he is trying to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: What do you think about what she said, Bill?

BENNETT: No. That's a confusion on her part. Look, if you say to people free college, free medicine and medical care for everybody, some of these other schemes they are talking about, people will say sure, but then look at the fine print. Look at what socialism has done. Socialism is as socialism has done.

Look at Maduro, look at Castro, deprivation, poverty and suffering. Look at the real masters of socialism, Mao, Stalin, 30, 40 million dead. There should be no track at all with this idea of socialism and if they want have to have a debate on this, I think the president would welcome the debate. I know many of us would.

Part of this, Martha, is because when you talk to millennials, just out of college, they will tell you many of them that they have more sympathy for socialism than they have for capitalism. That speaks to the state of their education and their lack of historical knowledge.

MACCALLUM: I just want to get a final thought from you, Bill. Today would be Ronald Reagan's 108th birthday. What do you think he would have thought if you can go there of the president's speech last night?

BENNETT: I thought he would have loved it. The president did a great job. That's one of the best speeches I have heard. It's interesting you put it that way because in our house Mrs. Bennett and I said not since Reagan. And Ronald Reagan would have been generous and said and would have said that's a great speech.

You know, delivery, delivery, delivery. His cadence was right and his points were right. It was beautifully written and very well delivered and I think it constitutes a great 2020 campaign speech.

If they want to have the socialism issue, Martha, bring it on. By the way, you did very well last night too, I must say, all evening.

MACCALLUM: Thank you very much, Bill. Thank you. Thanks for watching.

BENNETT: You bet.

MACCALLUM: Always good to talk to you, sir, Bill Bennett. So, coming up next, less than 24 hours after President Trump slammed "ridiculous partisan investigations" were his words, a now Democratic-led House intel committee for the very first time all together in a big moment is moving their first chess piece.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ADAM SCHIFF, D-CALIF.: We are not going to be intimidated or threatened by the president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Former Congressman and intel committee member Trey Gowdy coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACCALLUM: Calls for unity cooled quickly as the now House intel chairman Adam Schiff made his first big move tonight announcing a sweeping investigation into President Donald Trump and voting to turn the transcripts of the congressional interviews with Donald Trump, Jr. and Hope Hicks and others over to the special counsel Robert Mueller for cross- checking, wasting no time firing back from the president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: He is just a political hack, who is trying to build a name for himself and I think that's fine because that's what they do. But there would be no reason to do that. No other politician has to go through that. It's called presidential harassment and it's unfortunate and it really does hurt our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Joining me now former prosecutor and congressman, Fox News contributor Trey Gowdy. Good to see you tonight, Trey. Thanks for being here. I also want to put up a tweet by Adam Schiff and get your thoughts on this.

He says, "I can understand why the idea of a meaningful oversight terrifies the president. Several of his close associates are going to jail. Others await trial and criminal investigations continue. We're going it do our job and won't be distracted or intimidated by threats or attacks," he writes. What say you, sir?

TREY GOWDY, CONTRIBUTOR: I just wish Adam would be intimidated by the facts. The two years that I worked with him on the Russia probe Adam was wrong about collusion. Remember, he said he had evidence that was more than circumstantial but not quite direct that the president colluded with Russia.

He was wrong about Donald Trump, Jr. and who he called before and after the meeting at Trump tower. Adam has also leaked incorrect information to media outlets.

I wish Adam were serious about oversight. There's a lot that needs to be done in the intelligence community about leaks, about FISA, he is not interested in that. He is interested in undoing the 2016 election results. And he needs facts for that and so far --

MACCALLUM: Yes.

GOWDY: -- his intimidation has only been by that.

MACCALLUM: You know, it's interesting to me because as you point out he said early on that he had seen evidence, evidence that there was collusion. So, I'm just wondering, you know, I mean, none of us know what is in the Mueller report. But I wonder what his response is going to be if they don't -- if they don't find collusion, you know, well, nobody knows what else they might see in there.

But, I mean, how is he going to react and where is his evidence going to be if, indeed, that report disappoints him?

GOWDY: I just hope he is asked. I mean, I will just settle for someone in the D.C. print media asking Adam a follow-up question. He said he had evidence of collusion between Russia and President Trump before Bob Mueller was ever appointed. He had evidence of collusion before anybody else did according to Adam Schiff.

So, why is he not constantly asked, as a Republican would be, and should be, if you claim you have evidence, direct evidence of collusion, what is it? He is either not asked or he's not forced to respond.

MACCALLUM: Yes. And if that's the case, I think, you know, most of America would certainly like to know what happened. Because everybody would certainly want to know that if that was indeed the case.

In terms of Mr. Nadler, Congressman Nadler who is heading up the committee and he is asking for Matt Whitaker, the acting attorney general, excuse me, who is coming in on February 8th to testify about why or why not, you know, what his process was on not recusing himself from the Russia investigation when he became acting attorney general, then they said they are going to subpoena him also even though he said he was going to come and talk to them.

GOWDY: Yes. There are three reasons that Jerry Nadler did that. Number one, so that you and I would be talking about it and others would be talking about the acting A.G. being under subpoena. Number two, it does compel attendance but Matt has already said he is coming.

Thirdly and importantly, and what I don't think your viewers know is when Matt says I can't answer that question because it's privileged, I can't answer that question because it's an ongoing investigation. If you are under subpoena it makes it much easier for the committee to compel you to answer. That's why they are doing it.

They are not worried about him not showing up. He already said he is coming. Although, Martha, I hope he doesn't.

MACCALLUM: Why?

GOWDY: He is going to be the A.G. for about another week. He's got about another week. So, he is certainly not going to talk about his vision for the Department of Justice. He can't talk about Mueller. He can't talk about Rosenstein. He can't talk about any ongoing investigation and he can't talk about communications he's had with the president.

So, what's he going to talk about? He is not going to be there in a week. So, look, Matt got access to much better legal minds than mine, but I think I would have a cold Friday if I were him. And then by this time next week Bill Barr will be confirmed and he can come answer all of Jerry Nadler's questions. But Whitaker has got? A week left on the job?

MACCALLUM: Good point. Good point. Trey Gowdy, thank you very much.

GOWDY: Yes, ma'am.

MACCALLUM: Good to see you as always, sir. See you next time.

Coming up next, Elizabeth Warren breaks silence on being busted after claiming American Indian on a registration for the Texas Bar. Wednesdays with Watters coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACCALLUM: So, we first brought you this story last night. Senator Elizabeth Warren listed her race as American Indian on a 1986 registration card for the Texas Bar. Today, just three days before she's expected to announce her big campaign announcement, big splashy moment for the Democratic nomination for president, Senator Warren, again, had to say that she was sorry.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN, D-MASS.: This was about 30 years ago. I am not a tribal citizen. Tribes and only tribes determine citizenship. I am not a member of a tribe. And I have apologized for not being more sensitive to that distinction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Wednesday with Watters. Jesse, Jesse, Jesse. I mean, it's uncomfortable watching this.

(CROSSTALK)

JESSE WATTERS, HOST: It hurts a lot. I know. Ouch. You know, I'm blacker than she is Native American.

MACCALLUM: Is that true?

WATTERS: Point 1 percent, sub-Saharan African.

MACCALLUM: OK.

WATTERS: And she's point --

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: Did you dig her ancestry --

WATTERS: -- zero nine percent Native American. Yes, we did it at The Five.

MACCALLUM: Yes, that's right.

WATTERS Yes. But I didn't go along to tell everybody that I was in minority like she said she was a minority. Listen to all the times. UPenn, Harvard, her cook book, "Pow Wow Chow."

MACCALLUM: But she said she never used it in order to get ahead. And this is a bar registration. So, it's not technically an application for something. Does that matter?

WATTERS: Listen, diversity is a strength and she took advantage of that. You know, Harvard touted her as a woman of color. She made cash on "Pow Wow Chow." She literally profited --

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: Her name is Elizabeth Ann Fleming or Hemming -- I can't read it -- Warren. I mean, there's no trace of anything that I can see in there.

WATTERS: Nothing.

MACCALLUM: It's very big, big stretch, I think. And you know, the Globe did that exhaustive report.

WATTERS: Yes.

MACCALLUM: Saying that they talked to all her professors. None of them said she had ever been given an advantage for this.

WATTERS: That was a little hometown cooking.

MACCALLUM: You think?

WATTERS: Don't you think? I mean, come on. That was like masqueraded as a deep dive, there was kind of just more of a puff piece.

MACCALLUM: One for the local girl.

WATTERS: What I think -- that's right. What I think happened is, and I have no evidence to back this up.

MACCALLUM: OK Yes.

WATTERS: I'm going to the way here --

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: Please don't do that again.

WATTERS: I think Kamala Harris --

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: We've had enough of that tonight.

WATTERS: I think Kamala Harris kind of shot this to the Washington Post --

MACCALLUM: You do.

WATTERS: -- to take out the top tier female Democrat.

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: Really? Vicious politics.

WATTERS: It's dirty. You know, I just renounce it all.

MACCALLUM: Vicious, vicious stuff. All right, did you know the Patriots won the Super Bowl? It's the time of year, right? It's the time of year when the Patriots go to the White House to celebrate the Super Bowl.

WATTERS: It's that time of year.

MACCALLUM: It's like, here they go again.

WATTERS: Yes.

MACCALLUM: Here we go. Super bowl time again.

WATTERS: You're yawning because it was so boring.

MACCALLUM: No, it was actually, it was a boring game. Only a Patriot fan could love that game. But so, some of the players aren't going to go. Devin and Jason McCourty, the twins are not going. Duron Harmon they all said that they would not attend. No word yet on Tom Brady. I hope he will attend. I think everyone should attend. What do you think?

WATTERS: I think you think your own first name basis with the players.

MACCALLUM: Like I know them.

WATTERS: Yes. Like McCourty. And I talked to him the other day.

MACCALLUM: Rob.

WATTERS: Yes. Rob Gron -- yes, I don't know. I think Rob is going. I think Brady is going. I mean, he had to make America great again hat in the locker.

MACCALLUM: Yes.

WATTERS: Of course, he is going.

MACCALLUM: So, the best thing about State of the Union for the president was that they did not call out this boy by name and put the camera on him. This little boy, Joshua Trump who got bullied in school. Because look what he was doing. He was sound asleep.

WATTERS: You know what that was, Martha? Executive time. He's taking some executive time. I fell asleep too.

MACCALLUM: Can you imagine being this like, and this little boy, Joshua Trump, and he's like, no way.

WATTERS: Yes. He's just like drooling over here in the corner. I can't believe he fell asleep next to Melania. That's a big no-no. Big no-no.

MACCALLUM: Kids do that.

WATTERS: They do.

MACCALLUM: Thanks, Jesse. All right, that's “The Story.” We'll see you back here tomorrow night. "Tucker" is up next.

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