Republican candidates set to square off at Fox News debate

close

Video

Republican candidates set to square off at Fox News debate

Ben Carson skips debate in Detroit

This is a rush transcript from "The Five," March 3, 2016. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

ERIC BOLLING, CO-HOST: Hello, everyone. I'm Eric Bolling along with Jedediah Bila, Juan Williams, Dana Perino and Greg Gutfeld. It is 5 o'clock in New York City and this is right here is "The Five."

We're just four hours away from what could be the most intense debate of this election cycle so far. Fox News is hosting the widely anticipated GOP smack down showdown at 9:00 p.m. eastern. Only four candidates are on the stage this time. So do or die for anyone not named Donald Trump, who is well on his way to securing the nomination. We want to go now to a very special person inside the Fox Theatre in Detroit where it is all going down. Kimberly Guilfoyle, she's going to be with us for the full hour. KG, the anticipation mounting, we're down to four candidates and this could be the last, hope for some of them. Can you feel the tension?

KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE, CO-HOST: I can feel the excitement. Let me tell you something, back home there, it's show time. It is super exciting here. Everybody fired up for this debate and a lot of us going around about the candidates. Who's going to go after who? What the questions might be. And I was able to get a first-hand look behind the scenes today, right up on the stage at the podium where those last four standing candidates are going to be, everybody battling it out for first place. Including -- sitting at the anchor desk where our fantastic moderators from the Fox News Channel are going to be Wallace, Kelly and Baier -- so very excited about that. I actually shot a little video. I don't know if you want to take a look at that nor or a little bit later?

BOLLING: Right now.

(LAUGHTER)

BOLLING: Right now.

GUILFOYLE: All right.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GUILFOYLE: We are here at the Fox Theatre for the big GOP debate tonight with the four remaining candidates vying for a first place position. Take a look at the candidate's podium here, Marco Rubio, Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and John Kasich. And here's where the Fox News Channel all-stars are going to be, the moderators of the debate tonight, Chris Wallace, Megyn Kelly and Bret Baier.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLLING: That was great, KG.

(LAUGHTER)

BOLLING: That was really good.

GUILFOYLE: Yeah, and let me tell you something -- did you like that?

BOLLING: Yup.

GUILFOYLE: So it was, it was very cool because, you know, everybody wanted to get up on stage. But let me tell you something, I was outside for a while trying to get inside. Believe me, the security is that tight. I haven't seen it like this at other debates before or other events where we've had, you know, candidate events, the RNC, et cetera. Really, a tremendous amount of.

BOLLING: Yeah, yes.

GUILFOYLE: . a secret service here and protection. Tonight, the snow is falling, but the lights are bright and shining in here. So I think it's going to be a good one.

BOLLING: Yeah. It looks super exciting. We're going to bring around the table, Dana is going to go first.

DANA PERINO, CO-HOST: I have two questions. KG, has any sledding in Detroit with you this week?

GUILFOYLE: Is anybody what? Sledding?

PERINO: Yes. Go out and sledding. Going on a sled, you know, down the hill in the snow.

GUILFOYLE: Oh, yeah, yeah. No, let me -- let me tell you something. You know, after I got that last, you know, (inaudible), thanks to you Dana. You're like the Jamaican Bob sled team all in one tiny (inaudible) package. No, nobody has challenged me, but they should because they would win. But listen, I brought my snow pants just in case, but of course my heels as well. Little bit of light snowfall coming. But again, we're inside this place here. Dana, you would love it.

PERINO: Yeah.

GUILFOYLE: It is like Phantom of the Opera in here meets Wuthering Heights. I'm waiting for Heathcliff here.

PERINO: All right. I'll ask you a serious question then.

GUILFOYLE: Go ahead.

PERINO: This is the first a debate where we only have four candidates. There's no undercard debate, and but there still the same amount of time, it's two hours. What do you think the moderators are going to do to try to manage that much time? I mean, that's a lot more time for the candidates to speak and a ton more for follow-up questions.

GUILFOYLE: You know that's a great question and I did get a chance. I tracked it down, some may say stalk to Bret Baier earlier. When I saw him, I made a beeline across the stage and got him. And I said, hey Bret, how do you feel tonight? I got up close and personal, you know violating his personal space, it's like pretty much got everything out of him. He seems pretty fired up about it. He said, "Kimberly, it's going to be two hours." So they expect to get a fair amount of substantive material and questions to each candidate. Because keep in mind now, this is a game changer. It's down to four with Ben Carson, deciding to suspend his campaign and not come to the debate tonight. So I think you actually going to get a lot more than you have seen in prior debates. And they have a pretty good feel in terms of how they're going to allocate it.

BOLLING: Greg.

GREG GUTFELD,  CO-HOST: Kimberly, I'm glad that you're there. I have three questions. How did the podium take it? When he found out that Ben Carson had dropped out? Number two --

GUILFOYLE: Yes, Well --

GUTFELD: Well, I'm not done yet, Kimberly.

GUILFOYLE: OK, go on.

GUTFELD: It's going to be a wild debate. I'm wondering, have the moderators suggested breaking the ice with a song like "Happy Together" by the Turtles or maybe "We are Family" by Sister Sledge? Before this begins, so it doesn't turn bloody. And finally, after the debate, if you can just head down to 8 Mile Road west and pick up a package for me. That would be great.

(LAUGHTER)

GUILFOYLE: Right. Exactly, it will be no problem, given the amount of bomb man, drug sniffing dogs around. I'm sure that will be OK, Greg. As for the podium, I found Ben Carson's podium hiding in the corner, silent, screaming, sad saying, put me in coach. I'm ready to play. So I don't know about that. The last I saw it was still hanging out on the right side. In terms of a song, I think it is more like, you know Kool and the Gang, "Celebrate" like tonight. So I think people are going to be excited. That's the kind of the feeling here. Oh by the way, Greg.

GUTFELD: Yes.

GUILFOYLE: Do you feel a little bit scared. There aren't robots here at the Fox Theatre, but there are ghosts there has already been one sighting of a woman in red garb dressed and that hangs out in the bathroom, and no, I'm not kidding. That's what's happening behind the scenes here. Somebody call a Ghostbusters.

GUTFELD: No, I think that's Nancy Pelosi.

GUILFOYLE: I'm avoiding that bathroom.

BOLLING: I was going to go --

GUILFOYLE: Is that what it is?

(LAUGHTER)

GUILFOYLE: Yeah, yeah.

BOLLING: Hang in there, KG.

GUILFOYLE: I don't want to go into that bathroom, so I'm going to use the men's room instead. Go ahead.

BOLLING: Jedediah has a question for you.

JEDEDIAH BILA, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: KG, I'm keeping your seat warm.

GUILFOYLE: OK. Hi, Jedediah.

BILA: I'm keeping your seat warm over here.

GUILFOYLE: All right.

BILA: . but you left me with Gutfeld, so I'll be accepting apologies later.

GUILFOYLE: Yes, yes.

BILA: What tone -- I'm curious, what tone you think Donald Trump is going to take in this debate, because when you saw him on Super Tuesday, a lot of people saying he was very presidential. He wasn't doing his usual round of attacks. Ted Cruz, so was, of course. But what do you think he's going to do tonight? Is he going to back off or is he going to be faced with Cruz and Rubio going at him and he's going to be stronger than ever?

GUILFOYLE: Yeah, good question. Because what we also saw was yes, a definitely much more measured tone. And Dana had mentioned that on yesterday show that she thought coming out more, you know, presidential, more measured, even keeled. Showing some of those qualities that people have been saying, listen, we know that you can counter punch and fight amongst the best of them, but this is the time now to show the seriousness of the office, and why I should be commander-in-chief. I think you're going to see more of that tonight. Because especially when he was getting hit very hard by Romney today. He did respond back. But maybe perhaps not with the vitriol that we would have, perhaps expected in the past. What I do think is you're going to see that tone a little bit in the beginning, an as the evening goes on, and he will be talking heavy as I like to call it C- 130 fire from all sides. He will respond back in kind. So he's going to be true to himself, to his true colors.

BOLLING: All right, Juan. You have a question on --

JUAN WILLIAMS, CO-HOST: I sure. So Kimberly, you know, to my mind, the last debate was really fireworks. I mean, people slugging it out, saying, I think, horrible things to each other. Charles Krauthammer, though, has advice for the candidates tonight. Let's listen to Charles.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Unless his opponents, namely Rubio and Cruz, open the Bombay doors and drop all the remaining ordinance. It seems that Rubio enjoyed doing that last time around, and he found it that the way to get after Trump, the kind of it is with mockery, it ridiculed. And if you look at the exit polls, late deciders did not to go Trump; they went to Rubio and to Cruz. So it might work. It is the only option. I would look for carpet bombing starting in about 12 hours from -- 24 hours from now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIAMS: So it looks like Charles is calling for fisticuffs of an even higher level when we saw in the last debate. And I got to wonder, you know, I mean, Chris Wallace said in an interview, you know, it wasn't presidential. He thought it was embarrassing. Do you get the sense now right there, you're there.

GUILFOYLE: Yeah.

WILLIAMS: That there's a lot of tension among, not only the candidates but the moderators and the audience over what might come.

GUILFOYLE: You know, when I spoke with Bret Baier earlier, he was saying that he expected this to be a very fiery night. That right away from the beginning, that there was going to be exchange back and forth and pretty heated. Because this is pretty much, you know last stand here. This is the one last chance they really have in order to try to get those delegates and scoop them up. And now is the time to try to steal it out of the guy on the left or the right pocket to be able to put it in your bank. So if they don't make a stand tonight, this is going to be it. I mean, you have Mitt Romney coming out hard against Trump, and I believe you can expect Rubio to do the same, and Cruz. Like what you said, when you saw those exit polls, it looked like it did make a difference in terms of, you know last-minute deciders, people that were trying to make up their mind and make a choice.

WILLIAMS: And do you think that there's any tension between Megyn Kelly and Donald Trump tonight?

GUILFOYLE: You know you've seen a lot of talk about that. One thing that you can count on as the Fox News moderators are going to come prepared, they'll going to be fair and they'll going to make sure that they go after each one of the candidates on the specifics, on their record. Put their words in front of them, make them back them up, and you know, nail it down. I mean, Megyn is a lawyer like myself, and so she's going to become very prepared to do that, like we've seen in the past debates. So if you want to be commander-in-chief, then you'd better be able to face these questions.

BOLLING: All right, KG, we're going to see you on the other side of the next break; couple of minutes from now. Next, Mitt Romney made a dramatic attempt today to take down Donald Trump, but will it back fire on the GOP establishment that? -- Plus, Trump's reaction ahead. And later, if you have a question for us on tonight's debate, tweet it to us using our handle at @thefive, hashtag #thefive.

(LAUGHTER)

BOLLING: And what if they want to tweet? Tweet us at @thefive or hashtag #thefive; either one of both them, how about that?

GUTFELD: Hit me up on Facebook.

(LAUGHTER)

BOLLING: . Facebook, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GUTFELD: His name is Mitt, and off came the gloves:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)

MITT ROMNEY, FORMER REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Wait, wait, wait. Isn't' huge business success? Does he know what he is talking about? No, he isn't, and no, he doesn't.

His bankruptcies have crushed small businesses and the men and women who work for them.

I predict that he told the New York Time that his immigration talk is just that. Talk.

Donald Trump said he admires Vladimir Putin. At the same time he's called George W. Bush a liar.

There's a dark irony in his boasts of his sexual exploits during the Vietnam War. While at the same time, John McCain, who he has mocked, was in prison and tortured.

A person so untrustworthy and dishonest as Hillary Clinton must not become president. The Trump nomination enables her victory.

(END VIDEO CLIPS)

GUTFELD: There's more:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROMNEY: Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University

Playing the members of the American public for suckers, he gets a free ride to the White House, and all we get is a lousy hat.

Donald Trump tells us that he is very, very smart.

(LAUGHTER)

I'm afraid that when it comes to foreign policy, he is very, very not smart.

(END VIDEO CLIPS)

GUTFELD: Ouch, Mitt. Don't get so rough.

So was this a good idea? Frankly, I don't know. Call it return fire after months of abuse. See Trump's aggressiveness is often lauded by those who love how he tells it like it is. But when other people tell it like it is, boo-hoo -- Jedediah. So they'll hit Mitt for speaking out against the frontrunner, while they demanded allegiance before the primaries began.

But if Trump reflects anger, Mitt reflects concern. So why not listen to both? Here's why: You will not win without reconciliation. It is no longer Trump who has the power, but those holding fast to their principles. Those authentic conservatives smeared as losers because they didn't fall for Trump like a farm girl fresh off the bus in a big city. You think you're angry? Try those people. And if you don't convince them, you'll use.

So why not persuade, Donald? No more shouting "China" until you're blue in your face. If you put off 55 percent of Republicans, maybe stop putting them on. You've got the fans, get the rest. The truth: When Romney ran, we wished he was more like Trump. We wanted a pit bull, I know, I did. Now with Trump, we wish he was more like Romney: less attack, more tact. Can't we have both?

Trump seems ready, but it's tough to expect unity after insulting everyone for so long. But if you want it, come and get it or lose to Hillary. Parading Christie out like a prized carp ain't enough. Unlike him, we aren't for sale.

So we're back with Kimberly. She is still in Detroit, hasn't been mugged yet. Good for you Kimberly.

GUILFOYLE: Oh.

(LAUGHTER)

GUTFELD: What do you mean?

GUILFOYLE: No takers so far.

GUTFELD: She's --

PERINO: Detroit is a good place.

GUTFELD: It's a very good place.

PERINO: Yeah.

GUTFELD: Anyway, do you guys want to talk about Mitt, or do you want to go to Trump's response?

BILA: I think we should talk about Mitt.

GUTFELD: OK.

BILA: Yup.

GUTFELD: All right.

GUTFELD: I know that Jedediah, you just can't stand Mitt.

(LAUGHTER)

GUTFELD: He's just a wimp.

BILA: Look, he's a failed candidate. I don't want, you said you know, we want Trump to sound more like Mitt Romney, I don't. I don't want a guy who --

GUTFELD: Why did you not you like his -- why did you not like his --

BILA: He is not a conservative. A, Romney has been on both sides of every issue, and now you're coming out and criticizing Trump. This is the guy who lost the last election, partly because of his demeanor. Because he looked like a wimp the whole time, I'm glad he grew some guts now. But we have could use this against Barack Obama.

GUTFELD: I use of guts.

BILE: Yes, exactly, because I'm not Greg Gutfeld.

(LAUGHTER)

BILA: But you know it's ridiculous that you have the failed 2012 GOP guy coming out and speaking out against the GOP front-runner right now.

GUTFELD: Yeah.

BILA: The timing is ridiculous. I think he looks ridiculous. I don't know who put him up to this. I would love to know who's behind the scenes, but it helps Trump. Maybe John McCain can come out next to give a speech that's anti-Trump to boost his numbers a little bit more. These are the guys who lose elections. So if you want to come out and you want to endorse Marco Rubio, fine. You want to come out and throw your hat in the ring, that's fine. But if you are going to come out just to pick on the front-runner when you're a guy who has been on both sides of every important issue, there were websites devoted to which Mitt are you going to vote for?

GUTFELD: Yeah.

BILA: Last time around. So this isn't your guy.

GUTFELD: It's unusual though, because Trump.

BILA: It doesn't make sense.

GUTFELD: . Trump is on both sides of every issue too. But you don't mind that.

BILA: No, I -- no, I didn't say that.

GUTFELD: You don't mind that at all.

BILA: No. I didn't that at all, actually.

GUTFELD: So do you have a problem with Trump (inaudible)?

BILA: I do. I've often said on air that I don't know what Donald Trump will actually do when he gets into office and that's a concern of mine. What I have a problem with is people who will now look to Mitt Romney and say, oh, well, this guy is a great guy. He is trying to bring conservatives together. He is out there quoting Ronald Reagan. Quoting Ronald Reagan does not make you a conservative. Your record does. So I have a problem with it when it comes to Donald Trump. And I have a problem with people who support Mitt Romney, but somehow pick on Donald Trump for the same thing. Be intellectually --

GUTFELD: But there were definitely some people who wanted him to run in 2016, including Ann Coulter. So maybe he is a conservative too.

BILA: Mitt Romney?

GUTFELD: Yes.

BILA: Maybe he's evolved.

GUTFELD: Yeah, there you go.

BILA: Maybe he's evolved. So then be consistent and say, well then, maybe Trump has evolved. I just don't see the benefit to having this guy come out now and give a long speech devoted to picking on the GOP front-runner.

GUTFELD: But, but --

BILA: Talking Hillary Clinton.

GUTFELD: He picked on everybody including, the quote "establishment." And you're upset that somebody fights back.

BILA: He's running office, though. Donald Trump is running for office. He is picking on the establishment. He could --

GUTFELD: So only he could be critical?

BILA: No, what -- tell me, just -- are you? I mean, Mitt Romney? Really? Does -- the guy who lost the last election?

GUTFELD: I think he was standing up for a lot of people who felt that they been impute for six months.

BILA: I think, I think that he is -- what he is doing is he's telling that whole -- the public is voting for Trump. Republicans right now are backing Donald Trump. You see, Mitt Romney can take on the general public if he wants. But I guarantee you, that help Donald Trump's number.

GUTFELD: Not all republicans.

BILA: We'll see.

(CROSSTALK)

BILA: You will see what happens --

GUTFELD: Juan, quickly, because I got to get to KG.

WILLIAMS: It's not. It's not all republicans.

(CROSSTALK)

WILLIAMS: As we, Eric and I have been fighting over for a week, of two- thirds of republicans are not voting for Trump. But the thing is he's not alone. Today, it was with 50 foreign policy experts came out and said, this guy will damage America and the world, and damage the economy, damage foreign relations. It's not just Mitt Romney. And remember, if there is an establishment right now, you put him down as a loser. I don't know about that. I think that John McCain, Mitt Romney are seen as the leaders of the republican brand in this country.

BILA: According to whom?

BOLLING: Can I take --

(LAUGHTER)

WILLIAMS: Sure, (inaudible).

BOLLING: Because they are seen as leaders of the past Republican --

BILA: Yes.

BOLLING: . in the country.

WILLIAMS: Well --

BOLLING: There is a new brand of republicanism.

(CROSSTALK)

GUTFELD: But what is that brand though?

(CROSSTALK)

BOLLING: Whatever it is.

(CROSSTALK)

BOLLING: And it certainly (inaudible) from an anger.

GUTFELD: Yeah.

BOLLING: . we'll final out what it ends up being when -- if and when Donald Trump is nominated, and if and when he'll be --

GUTFELD: Can other people be angry too about being called so many names, as lifelong conservatives?

BOLLING: We just talk about what that was today, as Mitt Romney coming out and making a very passionate speech and a very poignant speech, no doubt, but why? I mean Jedediah points out, what was the reason? And I would agree with Jedediah in this that, if you have that much passion for it then put your hat in the ring.

(CROSSTALK)

BOLLING: You can still get in. You probably won't win, but you'll stop Donald Trump from getting the (inaudible) needs.

GUTFELD: That is their point.

BOLLING: You can get California, you can get a couple other states and Trump doesn't get the delegates. But you're not going to do it. Why not, because you don't want to look like a one, two, third time failed candidate.

BILA: Yup.

BOLLING: That's -- that is part of the problem. That's really why people are so ticked off at D.C. politics and the establishment class. And you see this in the establishment class, a brand of politics.

GUTFELD: Right.

BOLLING: We're done with it.

GUTFELD: Yes.

BOLLING: Just -- if you're going to do it, do it.

GUTFELD: But the thing is --

BOLLING: But don't cry about it and take someone down that you're not even running against.

GUTFELD: What about the other people? The people that Juan mentioned, who are behind Trump, who have been -- who have to sit here and be called establishment over and over again. I thought he was speaking for them. I don't know.

PERINO: I think he probably was. What I had today was an out of party experience.

(LAUGHTER)

PERINO: I sat back and just looked at him. We're witnessing history.

GUTFELD: Yeah.

PERINO: Parties evolve. And this hasn't happened in over 100 years. And I also feel like it was a decent speech, well written. Speaking for a lot of people who are saying why isn't anybody saying anything? And then he says it. And if you look down all the list, it's a good thing. I just worry that they may have brought Romney to a knife fight, and that is not going to be good enough.

GUTFELD: Yeah.

PERINO: So I don't think it's really going on change any minds. It might harden some opinions for people who, or maybe afraid to say that they were not going to vote for Trump.

GUTFELD: Yeah.

PERINO: Those people might feel a little bit more brave to do so now, but I don't really think it's going to have that big of a difference at this point. I think that Rubio and Cruz are the ones, and Kasich, tonight. But Rubio and Cruz are the ones that are going to have to convince people in the debate that they can have be -- that they lead the future of the Republican Party.

GUTFELD: Right.

PERINO: As their --

GUTFELD: Let me get Kimberly in here. In terms of convincing, one of the points I was trying to make is that, it's time for Trump, in a way, to talk to people that he's alienated. It's not just the other way around.

GUILFOYLE: Well, perhaps we're going to see that --

GUTFELD: Does that make sense?

GUILFOYLE: Yes. Perhaps, we're going to see that tonight when the lights shine on. I mean, perhaps he's going to be able make his case and demonstrate that in the face of such adversity and criticism. But can I say (inaudible)? But where were those (inaudible) back in 2012, when Mitt Romney needed to be --

GUTFELD: Yes.

GUILFOYLE: . candidate to Barack Obama. And instead, we see that the White House when -- it should have been an election that was a lay-up.

(CROSSTALK)

GUILFOYLE: Where was that during the debate? You know, this is the issue here. I mean great. I'm glad that he stood up for what he believes in, and he represents the voice of people out there that are dissatisfied. But at the same time it's like, you know, you don't -- what are you -- are you a late game spoiler? Like, I don't know. I mean, this is a little bit late in the game to try to go for a Hail Mary pass. I'm not sure what good it will do, ultimately, absolutely his right to do so. I'm, you know, like Mitt Romney. But I'm, you know, I also like to have a republican and a conservative, you know, in the White House. So to what end are we able to move like forward and move on --

WILLIAMS: But Kimberly --

(CROSSTALK)

WILLIAMS: But Kimberly, he said he doesn't think that Donald Trump can beat Hillary Clinton, that's what he said. He doesn't, he doesn't like Hillary, and he doesn't (inaudible). And let me just say, it's not just Mitt Romney. You have now club for growth, you have lots of big money people on the republican side who say they're going to bombard the upcoming states with anti-Trump advertising.

GUILFOYLE: Right. Sure. And in anything, you have to look at what are people's motivations? What are their certain special interests behind what they're doing, by the statements that they're making, the attacks that they are making? You know, going forward. You know, but Mitt Romney is someone who sought out Donald Trump's endorsement, right? So what they've been back and forth about that today. So there is lot of factors in play, which by the way, makes for great television tonight, in terms of the viewers getting answers to those set of questions.

BOLLING: All right. Great (inaudible), but let's talk about what this really is. This isn't an establishment -- call them something else. D.C. in place D.C. elite who said, it can't be Trump at all costs. So Marco Rubio has a zero path to the nomination, yet he stays in. John Kasich has a zero path to the nomination. He stays in, so that Donald Trump doesn't get 66 delegates in Ohio. And Mitt Romney comes now -- comes out now and says, Donald -- anyone but Donald Trump. They are so desperately afraid of the changing of the guard in D.C., that they're doing everything in their power to do it. And frankly, I agree with you Kimberly, a little too late.

GUTFELD: I --

GUILFOYLE: Yeah. And what --

(CROSSTALK)

GUILFOYLE: That's the problem.

GUTFELD: We got to tease.

GUILFOYLE: OK.

GUTFELD: What if somebody --

GUILFOYLE: That's why I'm here for.

GUTFELD: What if --

(LAUGHTER)

GUTFELD: What if somebody has a concern for the country over the party? You can't just, you don't know the intent. It could be about the country and not the party.

BOLLING: Does Kasich really think he's going to be the nominee?

GUTFELD: No.

(LAUGHTER)

WILLIAMS: But you were talking about Romney?

(CROSSTALK)

GUTFELD: Yeah. Yes, he might care more about --

(CROSSTALK)

BILA: Like when he endorsed Trump a few years ago?

GUTFELD: Well, and Trump gave money, gave money to Hillary.

BILA: No.

GUTFELD: What about that?

BILA: It's not happening.

GUTFELD: What about that? How much money did Romney give to Hillary?

BILA: But he supported Trump. He told us how great he was. We have tons of clips for that.

GUTFELD: All right, I got to go.

(CROSSTALK)

BOLLING: If they truly, truly hate Trump and they want to make sure he's not the president, why doesn't Rubio, Kasich and everyone drop out and put, to say, put your support behind Ted Cruz.

GUTFELD: Fair point, fair point. I don't know what they just said to me. But we have to run. We have to front Trump's response in the next block, and Kimberly is going to be sticking around. Plus, some ominous news for the Clinton campaign ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BILA: Welcome back to "The Five." We've been talking about Romney's criticism of Donald Trump. Now, what did Donald Trump have to say in response? Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Mitt is a failed candidate. He failed. He failed horribly. That was a race that absolutely should have been won. I don't know what happened to him. He disappeared. He disappeared. And I wasn't happy about it, I'll be honest, because I am not a fan of Barack Obama. And that was a race that I backed Mitt Romney. I backed him.

You can see how loyal he is. He was begging for my endorsement. I could have said, "Mitt, drop to your knees." He would have dropped to his knees.

He demeaned 47 percent of the people in our country.

He let us down. He should have won.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BILA: Wow. All right. Well, we still have Kimberly Guilfoyle with us. She is at the debate site. Kimberly, what do you think of his tone there? It looks like he's not going to take it. You know, he's going to come back fighting strong. Is that an indicator, I asked you before, what his tone might look like tonight? Is he telling us right there what it might look like?

GUILFOYLE: I think it was interesting, because you saw a little bit of all of it in that exchange. Right off the top, you saw Trump coming out with some hard specifics, like, OK, "This is coming from someone who is a failed candidate, who should have won that race. He disappointed and let down the party."

Then as he goes to the end, he segues to the part about the begging, that, "Well, this is the guy that begged for my endorsement. He would have done just about anything, including he would have gotten down on his knees" to try to show that "this is a man that was willing to be subservient to me, because I am superior to him." That was the language that he was kind of wrapping his comments in.

It was a very short, quick but effective in terms of getting his message that he wanted to across. Because he has to try and take the sting out of that. Right? Nobody wants somebody like Mitt Romney on the eve of the biggest points, you know, in this primary, this FOX News debate in Detroit, making those kind of comments about the front-runner of the party.

BILA: Greg, Romney did seek out his endorsement. I mean, there's clips of him speaking wonderfully about Trump. Does that bother you now to have that same guy come out and suddenly be like, "This is a guy that would ruin the country"?

GUTFELD: No. It's the same logic that Trump used when he chased around Hillary. No, let's stick to the topic at hand, which is what Trump said. I mean, come on. Mitt would have gotten on his knees. What does that mean? And what would Trump have done after that? He left that part out.

BILA: So -- but isn't that typical Trump?

GUTFELD: Oh, yes. And you're OK with that?

BILA: No. I'm not saying I'm OK with it or not.

GUTFELD: Because you were upset when Mitt gets aggressive.

BILA: No.

GUTFELD: OK with Donald -- OK with Donald.

BILA: It's not about being aggressive. For me, it's not about being aggressive. It's about being a giant hypocrite, and why are you there? Why...

GUTFELD: Would you like your children to listen to that?

BILA: Listen, this is why people -- like him or not, Dana, some people love him; some people hate him. But his is why people are voting for him. Because Donald Trump says what he thinks, and sometimes it's crass and inappropriate. But this is why people like him. I mean, I think anyway.

PERINO: Well, yes. So people -- well, I don't know about that comment. Like people -- people like someone who will tell it like it is.

BILA: Right.

PERINO: To some people, like do they like their presidential candidate to be able to deliver a line like that? I don't know.

Because just three days ago we were talking about what a great performance he had on Tuesday night, where he was looking all presidential and had a different tone; and he was making a pivot. So -- and I remember Eric said something that I had thought of, too, which is I don't know if people are going to like that one.

This is more of his comfort zone. And OK, I realize that there are a significant number of Republicans that are voting for him in open primaries. In the closed primaries, not so much.

The message today from Mitt Romney was specifically to Republicans and the Republican Party and the legacy of it. And whether it was effective or not, that was the audience.

Trump's audience, he needs to grow it. To Greg's monologue, you can't win with 36 percent of the vote. You have to grow that. You might be able to get some independents and some Democrats who come over to your side. You have a lot of enthusiasm in new voters. But it's still not going to be enough. Republicans have to over-perform their 2012 numbers, and right now, I think Hillary Clinton is on track to get the nomination if the Republicans don't figure out how they're going to pull together.

BILA: Eric, is part of the problem that this is just the climate now? You have Marco Rubio talking about Trump's small hands. I mean, these are just the kinds of things that are thrown out right now. Is this just what it's going to look like for everybody in order to play the game?

BOLLING: I have no -- I have no idea. But apparently, that's what it is. And...

GUTFELD: He started it!

BOLLING: Yes, yes. No, there's no doubt that Donald Trump said, "If you hit me, I'll hit you back hard." He said it, in fact, today, so...

GUTFELD: He went after Carly's face. He went after McCain's service as a POW.

BILA: But that's who he is. That's not who Marco Rubio is.

GUTFELD: So then he gets the exception. He gets the exception.

BILA: I'm not saying it's acceptable.

GUTFELD: Sorry, Eric.

BOLLING: No, no, it's fine.

BILA: I'm saying that's what launched him to success.

Juan.

BOLLING: No, I'm not done.

BILA: Oh!

BOLLING: By no means am I finished.

BILA: You tell them.

BOLLING: So what Mitt Romney did, and knowing that everyone knows if you hit Trump, he's going to hit you back harder. Mitt Romney went after him. Probably the one thing that -- you can play with his hand; he doesn't care. I mean, yes, he make [SIC] it. But the thing that really irks him is if you accuse him of not being a good businessman.

GUTFELD: Right.

BOLLING: I mean, the guy wrote books on deals. He built the whole West Side Highway. He built buildings. And so when Mitt Romney said he's a fake successful -- is he successful in business? Romney says no. I was like, what? I mean, of all the things to attack a guy who's worth anywhere between $5 and $10 billion, maybe you don't attack him on his business sense.

WILLIAMS: How many did he get from his daddy?

BOLLING: Two hundred million dollars.

WILLIAMS: Oh, yes, and he'd be richer if he'd just invested Daddy's money.

BOLLING: For Mitt Romney to say that.

WILLIAMS: Oh, come on.

BOLLING: And then Donald Trump mentioned a thing that he had said in the past, that he has one store that's worth more than Mitt Romney completely. I went and did -- I went and looked at that at the Des Moines Register. His Gucci store front on the Upper East Side is worth $500 million. So...

GUTFELD: So elect George Soros. He's richer.

BOLLING: No, no, no, no. But George Soros didn't attack Mitt -- attack Donald Trump.

PERINO: Well, he will.

GUTFELD: Four -- there's also the four bankruptcies, Chapter 11s.

BOLLING: One more number, and then we'll go. The Republican Party is now coming out. It is 67 percent higher rate than they did the last time there was uncontested primaries.

WILLIAMS: He's a great entertainer. He's a great entertainer, but here's the thing.

Look, all you guys are dancing around this. The sexual innuendo of what the man said to another man is just insulting. And he does this all the time. He does it -- you know, "I really didn't hear David Duke's name." Or, "Oh, I was talking about blood coming out of her nose." This is crazy. You can't...

BOLLING: When I go to church -- when I go to church, I pray on my knees.

WILLIAMS: Look, I'm just telling you, Eric, anybody who's aware and an adult would say, "I don't want my kids hearing this." This is inappropriate. It's not the way a presidential candidate...

BOLLING: ... beg forgiveness, you never heard that?

BILA: We've got to go. I'm getting yelled at.

New developments on the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's private e-mail server. It's coming up next on "The Five."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PERINO: Some breaking news on Hillary Clinton's e-mail investigation. FOX News has learned the FBI could interview the presumptive Democratic nominee within the next few week, along with some of her top aides. We've also confirmed the former aide who set up her private e-mail server has been granted immunity by the Justice Department and is cooperating with the FBI. Bryan Pagliano pleaded the Fifth before a Benghazi committee this summer.

Here's Judge Napolitano on that significant new development.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUDGE ANDREW NAPOLITANO, FOX NEWS JUDICIAL ANALYST: A federal judge would only grant immunity for a witness to testify. A witness could only testify if a grand jury was already hearing evidence. They want him to testify against some person or persons north of him on the totem pole. Mr. Pagliano, the Justice Department apparently believes, was present at the creation of this conspiracy. He knows who led it, and he knows who was in it; and he's about to spill the beans to a grand jury.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PERINO: Still with us from Detroit, Kimberly Guilfoyle. I wanted to start with you, Kimberly, because of your legal experience, of course, and your great insights.

Earlier there week, Loretta Lynch, the attorney general, gave an interview to Bret Baier. And at the time, when we were talking about it at "The Five," said, "I don't understand the timing." This actually helped clarify it for me. Because I don't think that the immunity offer would have been granted without some sort of OK by political leadership at the Justice Department. Does that sound right to you?

GUILFOYLE: I think you're right. Especially with your insight and experience and, you know, years in the White House, you ought to know. In my experience as a prosecutor, I'll tell you something. This is significant breaking news and a crucial development in this criminal investigation.

You do not grant immunity like that to someone who's right there at the inception of this without going after the higher ups. That means that Hillary's inner circle, everybody is in play here.

Exactly what I did as a prosecutor. You grant immunity when you want to catch the big fish. Because this is the guy that can put the little Jenga puzzle pieces together and really lay it out to say this is where the conspiracy was formed. This is who knew about it. This is the overt act in furtherance of it to be able to put this case together to make for a successful prosecution, if there, in fact, would be an indictment. So I think this is a major blow to the Clinton camp right now.

PERINO: So Greg, while the Republican Party is basically eating itself...

GUTFELD: Yes.

PERINO: ... the Democrats are looking at the possibility that their presumptive nominee has a former staffer and a grand jury meeting.

GUTFELD: Do they like -- do they have an option somewhere, like in a drawer that they can just inflate? Like you know, like a replacement nominee? Because I don't think they do.

BILA: Called Joe Biden.

GUTFELD: Yes, Joe Biden. He's in a freezer right now. But imagine if somebody knows a lot about you and is granted immunity. That's like after a break-up when you're constantly worried whether your ex- is going to...

PERINO: Release all the pictures?

GUTFELD: ... release all the pictures. I never want any of you to be granted immunity. Ever.

PERINO: Don't worry. Eric, what do you think about this development?

BOLLING: K.G., I have a quick question. And I don't know the answer to this. I did read somewhere this is a -- it's a civil lawsuit. And they haven't filed criminal charges. I mean, that's a big distinction, is it not?

GUILFOYLE: Yes, it is. But I mean, a lot of times these two things will run parallel to one another.

But I think the fact of the matter is, is that you have somebody who's a significant player. I mean, his testimony, evidence that would come together. Those sworn statements under oath are pivotal, crucial for any kind of case going forward, civil or criminal. We know that there is a criminal investigation, as well.

So all eyes are on this guy in terms of what he would say. The kind of information that he would provide could be used in both arenas, and that's significant.

PERINO: All right. We're going to have to go. I'm going to get Juan's point of view, and we'll somehow get it to you.

Before we go, quick programming note. Tomorrow I'm heading to Washington to speak at CPAC and will join "The Five" from there. Looking forward to that. So

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WILLIAMS: We're a little over three hours away from now the big GOP debate on FOX News. In our final moments, some final predictions of how it's all going to go down. And the lady on the scene, Kimberly Guilfoyle at the FOX Theater in Detroit. Kimberly, any last thoughts?

GUILFOYLE: I'm telling you, it's really intense here. I think these camps are fired up. What I'm hearing is there's going to be a big push to get somebody out after tonight. And so now is a chess move. It's do or die, 9 to 11 Eastern tonight, so don't miss it.

WILLIAMS: Jedediah...

BILA: Yes.

WILLIAMS: you're got three -- I think it's -- let me see here: Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine on Saturday, Puerto Rico on Sunday. And then next Tuesday, Michigan, Mississippi, Idaho and Hawaii.

BILA: Yes. I think tonight is a huge night for Marco Rubio. I think he has to come out strong. I think people are going to be watching the Cruz- Rubio dynamic if they team up and sort of go against Trump.

But Rubio, he really hasn't won anything yet. So they're going to be looking and saying, can he shine? This is his moment to shine. It might be his last opportunity. And I'd be curious to see how Donald Trump plays it all off. I think it's going to be a great debate.

WILLIAMS: Eric, the establishment's last hope. This is it.

BOLLING: They're not going to get out, so -- and again, they're not going to win either, so the thing is how do they take down Trump? So they'll attack him.

If I'm Trump, there's -- I was wrong the last time. I thought he should have coasted through the last one, because he was winning in South Carolina. If I were Trump, this one -- I would focus on Florida, stay in Florida. If you nail down Florida, you basically...

WILLIAMS: In the debate?

BOLLING: Yes, just stay on it. Just talk about -- talk about, you know, things that...

WILLIAMS: Not going to happen.

BOLLING: Marco Rubio. About his -- about his voting record. That he doesn't show up for votes. Just stay on that and go -- just see if you can...

WILLIAMS: All right. Like, if I was in a debate, I'd call you, Dana. I'd say Dana, how should I handle this?

PERINO: Well, you know, I was thinking today about -- I wrote this book, "And the Good News Is." And I'm trying to think, what is the good news? So if, like, if the Republican Party were in family counseling right now, the good news would be, at least everybody is talking. OK, like being honest with their feelings at this point. It's all out on the table.

But I was the kid in the back seat of my car when my parents were fighting. I was like, "Oh, my God." I hated it so much. I would have rather died.

And I am there and I think, well, he should have said it this way, and she should have said it that way. She should wait till we get home and could say it this way.

So I don't pretend to know what everybody should say. I think that they should stop practicing right now, center themselves, pray if that's what they want to do to get themselves ready to go, and then just put it out. Lay it all on the field. Put it all on the field. Leave it all on the field. I knew -- I knew you -- I'm so nervous about sports metaphors around you. Leave it all on the field.

GUTFELD: Streakers take it off on the field.

WILLIAMS: Greg, I think the ratings are going to be out of the roof.

GUTFELD: It's great.

WILLIAMS: For lots of reasons, including, you know, the relationship between Megyn Kelly and Donald Trump.

GUTFELD: Well, you're forgetting the fact that Carson is not there, which means more Kasich. More Kasich for everybody. For everybody.

I think one question has to be solved. Is Trump a conservative, or is he a different kind of conservative, or a pretender seeking power? That's what a lot of people on the fence want to know.

WILLIAMS: I think that's among Republicans. I'll tell you, I think lots of people are going to be watching, watching a party imploding.

"One More Thing" up next.

GUTFELD: Say that fast.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLLING: OK. Time for "One More Thing." Six people, so we've got to go quick. K.G., you're first.

GUILFOYLE: OK, yes. We have a little bit of a snow shot out there and me, of course, at the podium, as well, where the contenders are going to be tonight. And also, there was this episode where we did maybe perhaps take the wrong car from the National lot. So -- Lociento (ph) Detroit National car. GTA in Detroit. That's happening. But they did let me out of the lot. It was an SUV counted as mid-size.

BOLLING: Stolen car, K.G., already first thing. By the way, maybe that happens a lot.

BILA: Exactly.

BOLLING: Juan, you're up.

WILLIAMS: All right. So one man's trash, another man's treasure. An anonymous family found seven baseball cards, likely valued in the millions, yesterday. The cards feature Ty Cobb, the Georgia Peach, famed Detroit slugger. The printing was from 1909 to 1911. Previously, only 15 of these cards existed. This is most valuable baseball card. If you like baseball cards, this is the one. Experts describe it as a spectacular, miraculous find. On the back, though, it says, "Ty Cobb, King of Smoking, Tobacco World."

BOLLING: Times have changed.

WILLIAMS: Times have changed.

BOLLING: Outside vaping in the back.

All right. Dana, you're up.

PERINO: Al right. FOX business reporter Jeff Block and his team went to an idle coal mine yesterday called Tussey Mine. They talked to some of the miners. The reason I bring this up is that the coal mining country is one of the most maligned in this country by government and they are going to be very important constituency in the upcoming election. Government regulations is killing them. This is a mine that wants to reopen next year. But they don't know if they're going to be able to. They had to stay open a little bit because of regulations. You can't just close one. Listen to some of their stories. Here we go.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now, I think we all feel like a forgotten industry.

JEFF BLOCK, FOX BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Would you say you feel like you've been under attack.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely. The regulations are coming down every day. And it makes it harder to do our job.

BLOCK: Do you think you're going to have a job in another year?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You never know. It doesn't look good right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PERINO: And credit FOX Business for taking on this story. It's a big one. And a lot more people should cover it and it follow it.

BOLLING: OK, Greg. You're up.

GUTFELD: OK. Time for...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GUTFELD: Greg's Nutrition Tips."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUTFELD: As you know, I love a good multivitamin. Of course my vitamins are beef, nachos, cheese, cheddar cheese, spicy chicken and Cheetos. So Taco Bell has created the Cheetos Crunch Wrap, which contains every one of those important vitamins, from the beef to the spicy chicken to the cheddar cheese and Cheetos, crunchy Cheetos. They are so delicious. I had 16 this morning. Then I threw up.

BOLLING: OK. Very quickly. K.G. will be on, I believe, Greta and then again on "Hannity" later on tonight. So make sure you check that out. Just keep it here all night, all night long.

Ad also, Bret Baier is doing something very interesting from the debate. Check it out. He's Instagraming the whole debate throughout the night. I believe he's got four of them up there right now. You want to check out Bret's Instagram. It's going to be very, very exciting.

Jed, very quickly.

BILA: Yes. Jimmy Fallon has an amazing clip out about Trump, about Christie. Just watch it. Trust me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIMMY FALLON, HOST, NBC'S "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JIMMY FALLON" (AS DONALD TRUMP): I want to thank Governor Chris Christie for his unblinking support. I love this guy, this guy right here. He's like my Mini Me except bigger. He's my Mega Me. Thank you, Mega Me. You can go home now, Mega Me. Good boy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLLING: All right. That's it. We have to leave it right there. K.G., have a great time. See you, everybody. "Special Report" next.

Content and Programming Copyright 2016 Fox News Network, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Copyright 2016 Roll Call, Inc. All materials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Roll Call. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.