'Special Report' All-Star Panel on Biden banning Russian oil

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Biden's hostility to US oil companies is clear and present: Bill Bennett

'Special Report' All-Star panel reacts to the president's decision to ban Russian oil.

This is a rush transcript of "Special Report with Bret Baier" on March 8, 2022. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

BRET BAIER, ANCHOR: Obviously important to point out that gas prices were going up before Putin invaded Ukraine, but all part of the day's news, with oil leading the way.

Let's bring in our panel, Harold Ford Jr., former Tennessee Congressman, co-host of THE FIVE," "Washington Post" columnist Marc Thiessen, and former Education Secretary Bill Bennett. Bill, what do you think of this move to ban Russian oil and kind of the fallout from whether U.S. production is up or down, or going up or down?

BILL BENNETT, FORMER EDUCATION SECRETARY: Well, I think it was the right thing to do. This is blood-soaked oil. Nevertheless, the president's palpable hostility to the fossil fuel, to oil companies, is still present. Why he would prefer the oil out of -- from Maduro or Iran, Venezuela or Iran, over American oil I don't understand. And the claim that he did nothing to prevent the flow or inhibit the flow in production of oil is obviously false.

So Bill Buckley used to say, it's not where a man says. It's where he puts his emphasis. And clearly the animus of this administration toward the oil companies is clear and present.

BAIER: Harold?

HAROLD FORD JR., FORMER TENNESSEE REPRESENTATIVE: Well, first, thanks for having me. I think the secretary has a lot of this right. I think we have to be focused on building nuclear, fracking, and drilling. These set of challenges in Ukraine have really triggered two things, in my mind. It has forced us in the west, and the U.S. as leading the effort, to set the tone for the struggle between autocracy and democracy in the 21st century. And a part of that, obviously, is energy.

We have seen one of our great geopolitical foes weaponize energy. And we should not kid ourselves. The second half of the 21st century to 22nd century, no doubt clean and green energy will be integral parts of our energy mix and matrix. But at the time being, fossil fuels and oil and gas continue to not only be an important part of what we do here in America, but an important part for our NATO allies as well. We should do all of the above when it comes to energy and our security.

BAIER: It's interesting to watch the administration answer those questions.

I want to play a soundbite from the president of the Ukraine addressing Parliament, as he talked to Congress here. But here is Volodymyr Zelensky today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We will fight to the end at sea, in the air. We will continue fighting for our land whatever the cost. We will fight in the forests, in the field, on the shores, in the streets. Best of all to Ukraine and to the United Kingdom.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAIER: Standing ovation there, Mark, and obviously using Churchill's words to Parliament.

MARC THIESSEN, COLUMNIST, "WASHINGTON POST": Yes. It's really a shame. He is such a hero, and he has basically for a week been challenging the United States and the world, saying look, either you impose a no-fly zone or give us the planes to do it ourselves. And Joe Biden's answer to him is no. Not one -- to both answers.

And the objection to -- what the Poles basically did is they called Biden's bluff. He was blaming Poland for the drag on this. They said, OK, we'll give you the planes and you send them over there. And the Biden administration turned it down. Their objections are absurd.

First of all, as you pointed out earlier in the show, it makes no difference whether the plane takes off from a Polish NATO base or a German NATO base in terms of international law. And second, the Biden administration is providing Stinger missiles to Ukraine right now to shoot down Russian planes. Those aren't magically appearing by teleportation in Ukraine. They are coming from U.S. bases in Germany and throughout Europe and eastern Europe.

BAIER: We don't think that Vladimir Putin knows that we are sending hundreds and hundreds of Stingers and Javelins in?

THIESSEN: Yes. Yes, they have the same mission.

BAIER: So are they not going to get the MiGs because the Pentagon says this configuration doesn't work?

THIESSEN: So here's what the Poles have done for us. They have clarified things. They have offered the planes. The planes are ready to go tonight. They could be there tonight if Joe Biden says yes. So if these planes are not flying over Ukrainian skies in the next 24 hours, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has one person to call, Joe Biden. Nobody else is holding this up. Joe Biden and the Biden administration because of their fear of Vladimir Putin and their weakness are not providing those planes, and Ukrainians are dying, innocent civilians are being slaughtered every day by Russian forces.

BAIER: OK, Marc, but the other side of the coin is once do you that, and I will talk to Bill here, you do get closer to some kind of reaction from Putin. Whether you want to do that or not, whether you say we are stronger and we can handle it, the nuclear pushback, the possibility of World War III, that is the other side of the coin, Bill.

BENNETT: Yes, I have a little different read from Marc's but in the interest of time, I'll just say consistency is not the hallmark of this administration. In terms of calibrating according to Putin's brain, I wouldn't do that. He can say any one of these acts is a provocative act which is going to get him to the trigger. So I wouldn't base anything on calibration of his mind and motivation.

BAIER: I have got 15 seconds, Harold, but the CIA director said Putin is going to double down. It's going to be ugly over the next couple weeks.

FORD: The Ukrainians, their resolve and their strength have slowed the Russians down. My position is to flood that zone with whatever weapons we need, whatever weapons they need, and let the Ukrainians fight this fight with even more weaponry and perhaps even more courage.

BAIER: And even planes?

FORD: I would give them whatever they needed, Bret. If they had the ability to prosecute it themselves, I would give them the tools to fight this effort.

BAIER: All right. Panel, thank you very much.


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