'The Five' reacts to investigation into American athlete's medal protest
American athletes are being called out for protesting at the Olympics; 'The Five' weighs in
This is a rush transcript from "The Five," August 2, 2021. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
DANA PERINO, FOX NEWS HOST: Hello, everyone. I'm Dana Perino, along with Greg Gutfeld, Katie Pavlich, Richard Fowler, and Jesse Watters. It's five o'clock in New York City. And this is THE FIVE.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: But things are going to get worse. If you look at the acceleration of the number of cases, the seven-day average has gone up substantially.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PERINO (on camera): Democrats ignoring warnings like that from top Biden officials and are now being called major COVID hypocrites after a weekend of breaking their own rules.
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser was spotted maskless at a wedding after reinstating her city's mandate to cover up just hours before. And Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was maskless posing with celebrities at Lallapaloosa after threatening new COVID restrictions. She has also been criticized for allowing that mask about the music festival in the first place.
Plus, former President Obama reportedly defying CDC guidance for his 60th birthday party. Nearly 500 guests have been invited to the bash and at least 200 workers are expected to staff the event. Just to get a point on that Jen Psaki the White House press secretary commented on the Obama party. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Former President Obama has been a huge advocate of individuals getting vaccinated. This event according to all the public reporting is outdoors and in a moderate tone. The guidance is about what steps people can take when they're in public setting, indoor setting specifically was the new guidance.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PERINO (on camera): Jesse, did you get an invite?
JESSE WATTERS, FOX NEWS HOST: No, but that's the hottest take for the summer for sure. The big story about that is that Barack didn't invite Joe. That's cold. No, they were best buddies for eight years. I could see Trump not inviting Pence to a birthday party but Barack not inviting Joe Biden? Either they're not on speaking terms or Barack Obama doesn't want anybody more powerful than he is at the party. I can understand that.
Like if I had a birthday party would I invite Hannity? Hell, no. I don't want everybody sucking up to Sean. I want them sucking up to me. The other thing they have is COVID coordinator --
PERINO: Yes, that is a new thing.
WATTERS: -- at the party. So, what is that person supposed to do? Shoot Eric Holder in the head with the temperature gone? You can go, Eric. What are they going to tell Spike Lee to sneeze downwind? It's like a useless job they probably make more than I do. Pearl Jam is performing? Barack doesn't like Pearl Jam.
PERINO: They're not.
WATTERS: Of course, they are not because Michelle doesn't like Pearl Jam. That doesn't make sense --
(CROSSTALK)
GREG GUTFELD, FOX NEWS HOST: I love how you were able to --
WATTERS: -- to book Pearl Jam --
GUTFELD: I love how you were able to pivot but when you found that you weren't to pit it on her?
WATTERS: It was like Michelle cancelled Pearl Jam.
GUTFELD: I can't believe they're having, they're not, it's her fault.
PERINO: I certainly felt like President Obama hasn't been out there saying put masks on. He doesn't have any power anymore. He is saying I'm vaccinated. My friends are vaccinated, I'm throwing a party. Isn't that what we should be doing?
GUTFELD: Yes. In fact, I'm going to take this as he's a leader. And he's telling Americans, it's time.
PERINO: It's OK.
GUTFELD: Not only is COVID over, so is climate change, right? Because think about between 500 to 700 people, how many private jets are going to be landed in that tiny airport. So, we now know that do not let, do not let the last, you know, the threats of impending doom keep you from your 60th birthday party.
I am by the way, I'm totally for it, but I do think it's like why does -- I mean, does President Obama, the former president still need more love? Does he need another -- hey, think about all the celebrities that are going to be there. It's just going to be hilarious.
PERINO: Except for Jesse.
GUTFELD: Well, no. I'm not going unless Tucker is going. I got my ticket. He hasn't gotten his yet, so.
PERINO: What did you think about Mayor Bowser? I mean, this is -- should Lori Lightfoot to some extent but I think Mayor Bowser, I think that was one. It was like, we've seen this movie before.
GUTFELD: Because she made the deadline after the wedding which was like we weren't supposed to notice that, which was hilarious. It used to be that laws were for everyone, not so anymore. We have -- we only have laws for the law-abiding. Have you thought about this? No -- we don't have any laws anymore for people who really need them, meaning the criminals and politicians.
So, when there is a surge in crime, the instinct is to go after the criminal if your common sense, but instead, they talk about creating more laws for gun crime, for basically laws that would be followed by the law- abiding.
So, every -- all the suggestions and everything that we hear and the orders that we are given, they are for people that you know are going to do the right thing. But no one ever pressures the people who are doing the wrong thing to do the right. Politicians and criminals, no different.
WATTERS: The move at that wedding, Greg, is to have always a drink in your hand. That way you don't have to wear a mask. You're just drinking at the wedding.
(CROSSTALK)
KATIE PAVLICH, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: actively.
WATTERS: Yes.
PERINO: I don't know, Richard, what did you think the D.C. scandal de jour?
RICHARD FOWLER, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: I like Jesse's solution to the problem. It was rather funny. No. I think the mayor here, according to her statement from (Inaudible) she said that she had a mask on the whole time. the picture shows a little different. So, I think that's a little bit problematic to her.
(CROSSTALK)
PERINO: That's her social media team it was like --
FOWLER: I can only imagine. If I was in a (Inaudible) I would be pretty pissed too. But listen, I think they're -- I'm not a fan of Mayor de Blasio, but his -- how he sort of approached this I think is the right way to do it. What he said today was, look, I strongly encourage folks that are vaccinated to wear mask indoors if you can because we want to stop the spread of the COVID variant but I will not in the city of New York put out a mask mandate. And I think that's the right way to go.
GUTFELD: But still not true.
FOWLER: If you are trying to encourage folks to get vaccinated, which is what the goal here is, the goal is to encourage people to get vaccinated especially when we had a week where Florida reported its highest number of COVID cases in a single day in the entirety of this pandemic. Right? And we also know that there is 10,000 people in Florida over that that are currently hospitalized.
And the only way we're going to stop this is via vaccination. Understanding that the vaccination is more effective than the actual COVID treatment if you catch COVID and you end up being hospitalized. Then we're going to have to do it with sort of a carrot and not a stick.
PERINO: Vaccinations are up. I mean, --
(CROSSTALK)
FOWLER: Yes, they are. They are on a two-week high.
GUTFELD: Making people --
PERINO: They finally met there -- as someone laid that they met their deadline.
FOWLER: Yes. We're on a two-week high in vaccination.
PERINO: They wanted their goal with 70 percent --
KATIE PAVLICH, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: With 70 percent.
PERINO: -- of the first shot by July 1st, it was August 1st. I mean, (Inaudible) progress.
(CROSSTALK)
PAVLICH: Yes, they are meeting those goals but I think when you look at the way that people's lives are being controlled and these big questions about kids going back to school and the teachers unions demanding that kids be massed, the panic pushers on COVID are not afraid of COVID come apparently.
The people like Mayor Bowser or Gavin Newsom in California as the governor, they've never been afraid of this in the way that they are pushing it on everybody else and acting like everybody needs to be terrified about it. And I think the question is, why not? Because if it's as serious as they are saying where they are trying to regulate every aspect of their lives, you would think that they would also be taking it seriously, but they have not been taking it seriously.
Over the weekend, it was more important for her to go and hang out with Dave Chappelle and to be at this wedding. And then they go after the reporter who was there and say that she wasn't invited and how dare she report the news.
So, when there are big decisions being made by the CDC director, by the White House talking about mandates when you had one of the White House's top COVID advisors today who is from the University of Minnesota saying that the masks that we're wearing, the non-N95 masks aren't working to slow the spread.
Well, when they put this government mandates in place and they encourage small businesses or corporations to do the same, you are affecting people's lives, you're affecting their livelihood, you're affecting kids' ability to go back to school and have social interaction with each other.
And so, I think it's a bigger question of, why are they acting like everybody needs to panic and possibly locked down again and do all these things when they are not doing them and they're implementing rules that none of them are affected by it?
They're not affected -- you know, the people going to Barack Obama's birthday party aren't affected by these rules. They can fly on their private jet. They can have things delivered. All the people who are mandating these issues skirt the rules or they aren't affecting by them, and it affects real people.
GUTFELD: It is like -- it's an interesting kind of class warfare --
PAVLICH: Yes.
GUTFELD: -- in a sense that they are -- you can tell people to do the things that you, yourself can endure, but they can't and they will have to do it. And over time, their lives get worse. But I mean, I even put myself in that exception. I was able to work all the way through this.
PERINO: Yes.
GUTFELD: We were able to work from home. That's why we like, we were like, wanted to get back here because, you know, we were -- we are giving advice to people and yet, we are not being -- we are not taking the advice. It's hypocritical.
PERINO: Well, imagine if you're restaurant owner who got through this --
GUTFELD: Yes.
PERINO: -- and is now looking at the possibility of, you know, as the president said, that today there might be more restrictions come in. It's not lockdown, he said restriction.
FOWLER: I think there's a balance approach. I think what the CDC could be doing is saying in place where there is a high infection rate and there's a low vaccination rate. Here is the threshold, when you get to this point you have to go to masking. When you go to this point, you have to go back to lockdown.
So, it's very clear everybody knows what the threshold is, everybody knows it's going to happen when you get there so people aren't in alert when a presser comes up from the CDC.
WATTERS: But it's not clear.
(CROSSTALK)
PAVLICH: The think the CDC had stop talking.
WATTERS: It's not clear.
FOWLER: No, it's not clear right now. I'll give you that.
WATTERS: They gave you the county by county map. And according to those guidelines every single city right now, you have to wear a mask according to their guidelines.
FOWLER: I agree. I'm not --
WATTERS: And that's crazy.
FOWLER: I'm agreeing with you on that one.
(CROSSTALK)
WATTERS: That's crazy that you are agreeing with me, Richard.
PERINO: You're not crazy! Coming up, an American athlete being investigated for protesting at the Olympics as others like Gwen Berry plans to do the same.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WATTERS (on camera): Is that the best draft we had all week? The Olympic podium being used to protest. American shot put Raven Saunders being investigated after crossing her arms above her head during the medal ceremony this weekend. She says it's to represent oppressed people and she's telling the International Olympic Committee to try to take it, her medal.
This comes as Olympic hammer thrower Gwen Berry who turned her back on the American flag during the national anthem at the Olympic trials says she'll do it again if she reaches the podium, saying quote, "I feel like I've earn the right to wear this uniform. I will represent the oppressed people. That's been my message for the last three years. All those people who hate me, they aren't here so they can't affect me."
All right, Katie, what do you think? Come and take it.
PAVLICH: Well, we'll see if the investigation plays out. There are different rules from the Olympic committee and international committee on what you are allowed to do when you are protesting. But I don't want to focus on the people who are not proud of the country they are representing. I think we should focus on those who making our country proud like the men's relay team over the weekend when they won gold in swimming, that was amazing. I love watching that.
And also, to emphasize the point that our USA athletes can get up there and they can protest and come back to a country where they have freedom and the freedom of speech to speak out against things that they think are unjust.
In the meantime, there is a Belarus runner, her name is Krystsina -- her last name starts with T I will not try to say it.
WATTERS: Just try it, Katie, just try it.
PAVLICH: Tsimanouskaya.
PERINO: Perfect.
PAVLICH: And she spoke out against Belarus officials and criticize them. And her life is now in danger and she's trying not to go back to Belarus because she thinks that she will be either killed but --
(CROSSTALK)
GUTFELD: Belarus.
PAVLICH: Belarus.
WATTERS: Wow.
GUTFELD: I'm such a jerk.
PAVLICH: Screw me up with the first one, Belarus.
WATTERS: You're such a (Inaudible).
(CROSSTALK)
PAVLICH: Anyway, the point is that if you are an American athlete you can protest and come back to a country and live freely where as if you are from a number of other countries the majority of them around the world you have no right to do so either at the Olympics or when you go home. Or to Belarus.
WATTERS: Tomato or tomato. Right?
PAVLICH: Belarus.
FOWLER: I actually agree with -- I'm agreeing with you all today. I agree with Katie on that point.
PAVLICH: But makes me say Belarus or Belarus?
(CROSSTALK)
FOWLER: And makes my life easy, Belarus. But, you know, I think that is what makes America great, is that you can go to the Olympics, you can win a gold medal, or silver medal, or bronze medal for America and then you can express your agreement with the country. That's what makes America a good place. And this is nothing new. Right?
We saw this happened in the 1968 games when Tommy Smith and John Carlos protested the United States and Mexico City. We've seen it happen when Muhammad Ali did the same thing. And listen, politics and politics and athletics have always sort of been connected, even when Richard Nixon send the table tennis team to China. So, this is nothing new and I'm happy to see that these players are expressing themselves.
WATTERS: I actually don't mind this as much as the knee. The knee really drove me nuts but this, not the best, but not the worst.
PERINO: I think that there were some amazing things, including that guy I say a duet who was tripped by the guy, he's on our team USA, tripped by the guy behind from Botswana, ruins his race. He was on track to win. And instead of getting mad, gets up, shakes his hand, and they run together.
WATTERS: That's not my reaction.
PERINO: Nope, that would not be your reaction. But this on --
(CROSSTALK)
WATTERS: No, no. But Batswana tries that on me, they know the price.
FOWLER: That's the sportsmanship, Jesse.
PERINO: But here is the thing. First of all, if Gwen Berry wants to protest, first she got to win. OK? So then and then less talk.
WATTERS: Yes, right?
PERINO: And if you get win -- she might win the medal, OK, fine, but if she does, she's like, when you are -- this is the thing about it. If you are going to do this, you can't just like say preview it.
WATTERS: Right.
PERINO: It loses all of its impact.
WATTERS: Right.
PERINO: So now we're all like, first of all, we don't know if you are going to win a medal. Second, like, if you do it, it's like, gosh, here she goes. Like we already get it. But also know this. If you decide to do this, and that's your right and you think that's your right, you have to understand that everyone has a right to an opinion about that action as well.
WATTERS: That's right.
PERINO: So then don't get mad if you get a reaction.
WATTERS: And you have a lot of strong opinions, Greg.
GUTFELD: Yes. In fact, well, first of all, I still go back to my original solution we need to have activist Olympics, combing activism with physical fitness. Because let's be honest about, I always worry about the average activist, they are often terribly out of shape, overweight. They look very unhappy, miserable.
If we can just get them into some kind of routine of physical fitness or perhaps something like -- it's not like I would call the activist Olympics and just let them -- I think it would be beautiful. Now your point is, you know, we have athletes making political points. This is a political show. I should be able to make comments about athletes. I don't think a lot of these people are very good athletes.
WATTERS: No.
FOWLER: Because before they have to win the gold or silver medal.
GUTFELD: I just don't -- I just don't consider a lot of these things actual sports.
WATTERS: Like hammer throwing.
(CROSSTALK)
GUTFELD: So that's my opinion on some of these Olympic sports. Also, people like to watch the Olympics because they like to root for somebody, your team, team America. It's not just a personal athletic endeavor, you are representing your country so this isn't like the NBA or the NFL where you can be -- you can live in L.A. and be a fan of the next, whatever.
So, it gets tiresome for a lot of people when you want to support them by they come off as unthankful brats.
PERINO: Yes.
GUTFELD: And see, that's just my opinion on the athletes. A lot of them are ungrateful brats. You know, are Americans rooting against the American -- at the American female soccer team? I know a few who are.
WATTERS: I know a few, too.
GUTFELD: I mean, and it's because they come off as super smart. And the fact is the Olympics are graded for a point of national pride being number -- every day you want to know how many medals Americans --
WATTERS: I ask what the medal count is.
GUTFELD: Yes.
WATTERS: And we're up to on China right now.
GUTFELD: Yes. But the point, is, I should say being woke that being number one, Jesse, doesn't matter if you come from a racist country. That's the message. Being -- the idea of winning doesn't matter. The number of medals doesn't matter. I think that these athletes are unique specimens that no longer matters either, right? Because they punctured every one of these aspirational values with their behavior. So, it doesn't really matter to me.
I don't -- so I get to look at them, I go, you're not really that good. You're boring. I don't care about that. I used to care. I used to actually put forth this compassion because you are a part of America's team but now, I don't give a damn.
WATTERS: And what's the difference between Mexico and the United States? There's no borders there.
GUTFELD: Good point.
FOWLER: Right?
WATTERS: It doesn't even exist. It doesn't even exist anymore. Yes. They just might combine Mexico with the United States --
(CROSSTALK)
FOWLER: OK. I mean, it's one point that Raven Saunders, she did not -- she save her protest until after the Chinese anthem and after the medals pointed handed out. And so, she waited for the photo to actually do that.
WATTERS: Did anyone throw and accept for the Chinese --
(CROSSTALK)
FOWLER: And just to point out --
PAVLICH: No.
WATTERS: No? Because you know what happens --
FOWLER: Just to reference, Jesse, on Saturday to make a one-one-two, and three and in the women's 100. I told you were fast.
GUTFELD: I love Jamaica.
FOWLER: I told you that we're fast.
(CROSSTALK)
GUTFELD: I'm rooting for --
FOWLER: I'm a proud Jamaican-American and I root for both athletes. --
WATTERS: You're a Jamaican-American.
GUTFELD: Jamaica is --
(CROSSTALK)
WATTERS: Total medal count, Richard --
FOWLER: Listen, one, two, three.
WATTERS: You guys aren't even in double digits, are you?
FOWLER: One, two, three.
WATTERS: Coming up, AOC slamming her own party and threatening to blow up a major bill if her radical demands aren't met.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAVLICH (on camera): Democrat civil war seems to be hitting up in D.C. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez not happy with her own party for allowing a COVID era eviction moratorium to expire. And AOC is also threatening to blow up the bipartisan infrastructure deal if her far-left demands for trillions of dollars in more spending aren't pushed through Congress.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D-NY): The House and House leadership have the opportunity to vote to extend the moratorium. And there were many, and there was frankly a handful of conservative Democrats in the House that threaten to get on planes rather than hold this vote. And we have to really just call a spade a spade. We cannot in good faith blame the Republican Party when House Democrats have the majority.
If there is not a reconciliation bill in the House and if the Senate does not pass the reconciliation bill, we will uphold our end of the bargain and not pass the bipartisan bill until we get all of this investments in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAVLICH (on camera): So, Dana, why is this your favorite story?
PERINO: Well, the rent -- the eviction moratorium story is one my favorite. But let me just go back a comment on one thing when she's talked about how she -- they won't hold up their end of the bargain and they won't pass the infrastructure deal. But she's playing with a smaller hand.
So, the infrastructure bill is going to pass at least the Senate and has the potential of getting Republican votes. The reconciliation bill has no chance of any Republican vote. So, she can talk about the House margin, but that's not -- that's not what matters. And she is making Senator Sinema's life so much better.
PAVLICH: Yes.
PERINO: As she sits there as a moderate Democrat saying, I'm pragmatic I'm trying to get things done and it's like Arizona, that's where things like that really matter for her politically. On the rental moratorium, imagine for one moment if Republicans have just forgotten --
WATTERS: Yes.
PERINO: -- to work on extending the eviction moratorium. now she -- now Speaker Pelosi then puts out a statement on Saturday night blaming Brett Kavanaugh. As if that was -- like blaming Kavanaugh.
WATTERS: What?
PERINO: First of all, the only reason it was extended for another month or two is because Brett Kavanaugh said fine, you're going -- I'll do it -- I'll do it this time, but this is not constitutional. And Congress needs to do something. Then they sat on their hands.
And I would ask this, does President Biden think the Senate should extend it? You know, not all landlords are Warren Buffett.
PAVLICH: Right, exactly right.
PERINO: And there are people who all of a sudden, are going to owe all the back rent.
PAVLICH: Right.
PERINO: But here's the kicker of all of this, remember when states could not get unemployment money out and it was so frustrating? And it was like wait, why are we the federal taxpayer is offering more so we are willing to pay all of this, and then the state can't get money to anybody and they're going to go to the food banks and they're not able to pay their electricity bill and the stress of all of that through no-fault of their own is happening.
Now in this case the federal taxpayer gives $49.6 billion to the states and they can't figure out how to get this money out, they sat on it. In New York $2.7 billion and then the Democrats turned around and said actually the landlords are to blame. The landlords you're the one should apply for this money.
I think this is absolute incompetence at the federal level. I think that they actually, I think Nancy Pelosi knows that this moratorium needs to end.
But hear me out just one less thing. If they pass the moratorium for another four to five months, where does that put you? Christmas. Do you think anybody is going to want eviction notices going out at Christmas? And then the moratorium never ends. And then what happens? So, yes, this is my favorite story for lots of different reasons.
PAVLICH: Yes. So, Richard --
(CROSSTALK)
PERINO: And I didn't even get to the thing about sleeping on the steps of the capital.
GUTFELD: That's the worse. Talk about it.
PERINO: No, go ahead.
GUTFELD: No, you go.
PERINO: I'm done. I'm done. I'm done.
PAVLICH: Richard, do you want to talk about Congresswoman Cori Bush sleeping on the steps of the capital when we have millions of job openings and restaurants are having hard time getting workers back to work and rent -- and landlords are having a hard time, you know, paying mortgages that they actually owed to the bank as well?
FOWLER: Well, I think it's a balanced approach here. Because I think Dana points out of good point. In the American rescue plan there is about $50 billion of money that is set aside to deal with the fact that there are both the landlords who behind in their mortgages because there's renters they can't find jobs or renters who can't work for various reasons because kids aren't on the school, what have you.
And so this money should be used more effectively and states need to figure out who these folks are and get to them.
We know -- the Census Bureau seems to be able to find these people because according to the Census Bureau, there are about 3.6 million folks that will be impacted when this moratorium goes away. So, this is about government working for the people. And I think the government needs to do a better job both state, federal and local government working for people.
And I appreciate Cory Bush for sleeping on the steps of the Capitol just because we are having a conversation about this issue. And now we're saying, but wait a minute, where did the $50 billion go? and how can the $50 billion get to get to the -- get to the right people, which is what the White House was trying to say?
Where is this money and why hasn't it got to the people when we've already allocated it, Congress has passed it? So, how are we not getting this money to landlords and renters so they could begin to pay this money so they can stay in their homes and not be evicted because we don't need more homeless people on the streets?
PAVLICH: But Jesse, why weren't Democrats having this conversation in June when it was clear that it needed to pass through Congress and that's --
WATTERS: Because they were focused on January 6, Katie. That's why. AOC says I need to pay for someone else's rent because the pandemic is still a threat. No, I don't and no, it's not. We helped a lot of American people with what, free money, free rent for nearly a year when they needed it. Well, they don't need it anymore. And now they can help themselves.
What did Joe Biden say, this was the workers job market? Go work. Last -- yesterday, they were 62 COVID deaths, OK. 102 COVID deaths -- I mean, 102 people died in car accidents, OK. So, we've neutralized the threat from COVID with vaccines. And we know that AOC wants this free rent for life. It was in the Green New Deal.
PAVLICH: Right.
WATTERS: She even wrote it. So, she is actually on the committee that oversees housing. She didn't see this coming. She could have written a bill and then tried to get support for it. But instead, she waited for the last minute and then blame the Biden White House for it.
PAVLICH: Yes.
WATTERS: She's -- AOC is the least effective member of Congress basically. She has never written a bill that's gotten out of committee in her entire career. She's just not an effective legislator. She'd be much better on cable news.
FOWLER: You still like her a lot though, Jessie. You talk about her quite a bit.
PAVLICH: Congress has a habit --
WATTERS: Do I or do we cover over stupid things she does.
FOWLER: I mean, you caught -- if she's so ineffective, you sure -- you talked about her a lot.
WATTERS: I say stuff about what people do that's stupid, Richard. That's my job.
PAVLICH: Hey, Greg, this is a broader movement about canceling rent, right? The left -- the far left of the Democratic Party has had this movement going on for a long time, universal income, government paying for everything, and private business owners being on the hook.
GUTFELD: This is the -- this is the reason why you can even compromise with temporary solutions. Because even if you give a temporary solution to a lefty, they're going to make it permanent. There's no such thing as temporary whether it was mail-in ballots, you know, or it's the moratorium. You give them and they go, oh, yes, sure, and we'll get back to normal. No, they won't. Moratorium, they don't even know what that means.
And we don't actually -- we -- I have to say, we don't talk about her at all. We talk about the stories and we're always very, very respectful. I think she's incredibly talented, but she hasn't lived enough to be that arrogant in her wisdom. And that is an issue with the problem with the Democratic Party is that they're hard loony left, are young and ignorant in terms of wisdom. They don't know how the world works.
You need -- and they're not going to listen to me. And I've said this before at THE FIVE. We've raised the flags, we've called out violence, cancel culture, that mob mentality. But we do -- it doesn't land with the Democrats. So, you need the remaining sensible i.e. older Democrats to take responsibility, you know, and pretend you didn't hear it from us. You know, make it your idea and we'll salute you.
But we need -- we need -- it's time for old people in the Democratic Party to take their party back from the young and loony.
PAVLICH: The boomers.
GUTFELD: Yes.
PAVLICH: Come on, boomers.
GUTFELD: The wisdom challenged.
PAVLICH: All right, coming up American are supposed to --
GUTFELD: I'm that old.
PAVLICH: -- arm themselves during a major crime wave but they are running into a big problem. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOWLER: Americans are racing to protect themselves during a spike in violent crime this weekend in New York City. 10 people were shot including an innocent bystander when a masked gunman sprayed into a laundromat. And panic in New Orleans. People running for safety after shots erupted on Bourbon Street leaving five wounded.
Thanks to scenes like this, Americans are buying guns in record numbers. But a new report says the demand is creating a shortage on ammunition. Katie, you are a believer in the Second Amendment and a gun enthusiast. What do you think about this shortage on ammo?
PAVLICH: I would say it's not a new shortage. It's a shortage for about a year now. So, it's been a problem. But this is a perfect story because it's National Shooting Sports month which is the month of August. And people are encouraged to bring someone new to the range, but there's no new rule.
GUTFELD: Is there a special flag?
PAVLICH: There's no new flag, but we should get a flag. Let's make a flag. But yes, the problem now is it's hard to find ammo, so you have to bring your own ammo B-Y-O-A if you're going to take someone to the range.
But the principles behind this are pretty simple, Richard. I mean, you defund the police in dangerous situations, you don't put criminals in jail, people want to protect themselves and their families, and therefore eight million new people went out last year to purchase firearms. And unfortunately, for the gun control left, it's not the people they want it to be. It's minorities and women who are buying guns to defend themselves in places all over the country.
So, if there's a shortage because we have eight million new people who are buying -- say you buy just 200 rounds for one day at the range, which is not a lot, that's hundreds of billions of rounds of ammo. So, if people could be entrepreneurial, maybe open up some more companies.
PERINO: This is a good business opportunity.
PAVLICH: That would be great.
FOWLER: I mean, I think that's a good point, Katie. I wrote a piece about this for Forbes actually talking to two black gun owners and talking about why they bought guns. The two -- the two -- the reasons that they pointed out was one, they said an increase a crime in their community. The second was, they missed trust law enforcement to serve them well, so they decided to put the protection in their own hands.
But the gun sales amongst African Americans are 52.2 percent amongst African American men and women. They're the newest purchasers of -- they're the newest first-time gun owners. What do you think about that, Dana?
PERINO: Well, I think it all makes sense. I mean, just rationally, it makes sense. But also, that's one of the reasons you need ammunition so that people that are new gun owners can go to the range and practice or go through their NRA instructor or whoever they decide to go through in order to be able to use it appropriately to actually protect themselves and not harm anyone, including themselves.
FOWLER: Greg?
GUTFELD: This is a perfect opportunity to talk about the environment. When are we going to start recycling the bullets? Well, I know -- I have friends who actually do that. They do recycle bullets. They make their own bullets out of -- out of the shells, and they put the gunpowder and it takes a long time.
PAVLICH: Reloading.
GUTFELD: But when you hear of an ammo shortage, don't look at me, don't look at anybody -- don't look at the NRA. The Democrats have to look at themselves and the media has to look at themselves for denying the rising crime, mocking and demoralizing the media, justifying looting and riots. That creates a legitimate explanation and reason for citizens to arm up and they're solving their problem.
And gun control, and I -- this is the fourth time I've said this, is dead. Because if leaders can't get illegal guns off the street, you aren't going to get the legal ones off because you aren't getting -- I mean, in this -- in this climate, it's not happening. Again, horrible crimes are being committed, and the reflex is not to react to the criminal, but to direct action against the law-abiding.
You're seeing this now every time. It's a scam to pretend that they're seeking remedies when they're covering the radical transformation of society. They want this to happen. But it's not happening. This is the best rebound you could ever imagine. God bless guns and ammo.
PAVLICH: Amen.
FOWLER: Jesse, your take.
WATTERS: Let's pretend I was a Democrat consultant. And I get a bunch of Democrats in the room and I say, guys, what if I was to tell you that I have an idea that can reduce the taking of Black lives and reduce the amount of guns in circulation? And then silence would fall over the room and they lean in, and they'd say, yes, what is the solution, Mr. Watters?
And I'd say first, my retainer is 50 grand a month. And then after they agreed to that, I would say, well, in order to do that, you take the shooters off the streets by being tough on crime, hence, Richard, saving Black lives. And you also by stopping the crime wave, people are less scared, so they're not stocking up on lots of guns and ammo. See how easy that is?
FOWLER: But how do you answer the fact that people --
WATTERS: Do you see easy that is, Richard?
FOWLER: But how do you answer the fact that people in the Black community are -- mistrust the police which is one of the reasons why they have --
WATTERS: You owe me $50,000, Richard.
FOWLER: Well, I wouldn't pay you because you didn't answer my question.
PERINO: It's another 50 for that.
WATTERS: You owe me $50,000.
(CROSSTALK)
GUTFELD: Richard, they're -- Richard, they're the victims of the looting and the arson.
FOWLER: Yes, but they also have a mistrust of police and they think that --
GUTFELD: Yes, and (INAUDIBLE)
FOWLER: This is -- listen, I tell him you what -- I'm telling you what --
PAVLICH: Richard, let me break it to you. What do you think the second amendment is for? What do you think the second amendment is for? It's for mistrusting the government.
FOWLER: I agree with you. I was a gun owner. But I'm telling you why people -- why Black people are going out and purchasing weapons. Either way, we don't have any time. "THE FASTEST" is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GUTFELD: Welcome back. Time for "THE FASTEST." First up, people will do anything for social media likes. Look at Dana. A new survey finds one in three of media -- social media users have ordered food they didn't even eat just so they could post a picture of it. Dana, that's just disgusting. Why do you do it.
PERINO: I mean, I'm all for this. I think that this is a great way to reduce your caloric intake.
WATTERS: Oh, really?
PERINO: I'm just kidding.
GUTFELD: I print out the -- I print out the food, I chew it, and then I spit it out.
WATTERS: Is it -- is it an artificial commentary?
PERINO: I'm trying to get in on that. What was it that you did that one day when you had a false --
WATTERS: No, that was you. It was --
PERINO: No. Somebody else said that you could have a false take on the --
WATTERS: It was him.
GUTFELD: It was me. I called it, this is my artificial stance.
PERINO: Artificial stance.
WATTERS: Artificial stance.
PERINO: I want to have an artificial stance.
GUTFELD: Boy, you are so high right now.
PERINO: I'm so -- it's a long day.
PAVLICH: It's Monday.
PERINO: And it's only Monday, but it feels like Wednesday.
GUTFELD: Jesse, when they take pictures of food, they never looks as good as you think it is. Like, oh, this is going to look great, but it never does.
WATTERS: If I took Emma out to dinner, and she ordered the lobster thermidor or some expensive dish, and the guy came out and put it down and she took a photo of it and didn't eat it, we'd be in a fight.
GUTFELD: Yes.
WATTERS: I'd take it home for lunch in a go-bag, but we would be in a fight.
GUTFELD: What's a thermidor?
WATTERS: Lobster thermidor?
GUTFELD: Yes. It sounds like a lobster inside a box.
PERINO: You light it on fire.
WATTERS: No, they put like a lot of nice little sauce on there, and then they brown it. They put it back in the shell.
GUTFELD: It sounds like something from a madman episode.
FOWLER: Talk about East Coast elite.
PERINO: They're taking it out of the shell and then put it back at the shell, and then eat it.
GUTFELD: Well, that's just pretty cruel to the lobster. Hey, we're going to do -- we're going to crack you open, and I'm going to put you back in your skin.
WATTERS: You eat -- you eat ribs every night.
GUTFELD: Yes, but that's supposed to be eaten -- your ribs --
FOWLER: And they're still on the bone. Lobster gets off the bone.
GUTFELD: They're the cockroaches of the sea. Richard, do you ever take pictures of your food?
FOWLER: Yes, but I usually eat it after that.
GUTFELD: Yes. I don't like when people take pictures of their finished plates.
FOWLER: No, that's gross.
GUTFELD: That's disgusting.
PAVLICH: That's gross.
FOWLER: That's absolutely gross.
PERINO: Who does that?
WATTERS: Who does that?
FOWLER: That's gross.
GUTFELD: The Pope does it.
PERINO: The Pope?
GUTFELD: Yes. No, I don't know.
FOWLER: What?
GUTFELD: I just thought I'd throw something completely wrong just to keep people at home on their toes --
PERINO: Trying to get on their Web site.
GUTFELD: What about you, Katie?
PAVLICH: I think it's really wasteful.
GUTFELD: Yes.
PERINO: Yes, absolutely.
PAVLICH: It's awful.
GUTFELD: I think that's a daring point.
WATTERS: Wait, but do you have to tip --
PAVLICH: Cutting edge.
WATTERS: -- if you don't eat the food?
PERINO: Yes.
GUTFELD: Yes.
WATTERS: I'm just throwing it out there.
PERINO: Why are you always trying to get out of tipping?
GUTFELD: Arkansas is cracking down on slow drivers who hang out in the left lane. A new law says you can only use that lane when passing other drivers, exiting left, or avoiding danger. This is a -- I'm surprised we didn't lead with this, Katie.
PAVLICH: Well, as someone from a state where you can drive 90 miles an hour on the highway or the freeway, I love this because it's really annoying when someone's blocking traffic on the left side. And they should pull people over and give them tickets for driving too slow.
GUTFELD: You know, Dana, obviously these are women drivers, a sexist -- a sexist would say.
PERINO: I see it every day.
GUTFELD: I see it -- a sexist would say something like that.
PERINO: It's unbelievable.
GUTFELD: Yes.
PERINO: I mean, just pull over, lady.
GUTFELD: See, that is the best impersonation of a sexist ever.
PERINO: Peter would be so happy if this were to happen in New York and New Jersey. Like, nothing would make him happier because you know, in Europe, like especially -- like, he lived in Germany for a while. You don't do that.
GUTFELD: Yes. Well, they have -- they have the autobahn there. It's German for fast.
WATTERS: How many false things can you say in one segment?
GUTFELD: I was trying to go for the record.
WATTERS: Just when -- just when you thought -- we didn't even think about Arkansas the whole year. I know no one's thought about Arkansas the whole year. No offense. We love you, Arkansas. It comes out with the best law of the year.
GUTFELD: Right.
WATTERS: Because you're either going 85 in the left lane or you're cutting ahead of somebody. So, get out of there if you're not doing either of those things. They got to get this to Murphy's desk. Dana, the governor of New Jersey --
PERINO: Absolutely.
WATTERS: You know how the parkway gets on Sunday.
PERINO: You need this, yes.
GUTFELD: You know how the parkway gets on Sunday, Richard.
FOWLER: I agree with this. Fast and pass to the left, slow and low to the right.
PERINO: Bipartisanship.
WATTERS: That's right. We're agreeing a lot today.
GUTFELD: Yes.
FOWLER: Listen, I like to go 85, and when you're in my way going 50 in the left lane, it makes my blood boil.
PAVLICH: Yes, not cool.
GUTFELD: Yes, I just stay in the right lane and check out the rest stops. All right, "ONE MORE THING" is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PERINO: It's time now for "ONE MORE THING." Jesse.
WATTERS: So, yesterday I was in Manasquan New Jersey signing copies of How I Save the World. And it was a great signing at Booktowne. Dana recommended I go there. And someone actually showed up in a T-shirt with Greg's face on it. Actually, I told him I wouldn't sign his book unless he covered it up.
And I just want to thank everybody for waiting in line for a few hours. We had almost 500 people show up, and you guys are amazing. And if you couldn't make it there, I'm going to be in Northville, New Jersey at Books and Greetings on Wednesday night right after THE FIVE, 7:00 sharp. You can call the store for tickets and I'll sign your book, take a picture with you, and you can even touch me. I will let you touch me.
GUTFELD: Oh my God. Don't say that.
PERINO: Oh, boy.
WATTERS: All right.
GUTFELD: You're going to regret that.
PERINO: All right. I'm glad you had a good time.
WATTERS: Thank you.
PERINO: That's a great bookstore.
WATTERS: Great bookstore.
PERINO: And Books and Greetings as well. Hey, OK, so I got this special picture from Jesse's assistant of Jesse getting ready for his book signing. So, we had to get a little food in him because you know, that was a lot of books to sign. So, check him out. This is him. He just decided to get a cheeseburger just like -- just like get it down because he's got -- you need a lot of energy to get through.
WATTERS: I have low blood sugar.
PERINO: That's just a seagull eating a burger. I thought it was pretty good. He ate the whole thing in one bite.
WATTERS: Hungry.
PERINO: He didn't even take a picture of it. All right, Greg.
GUTFELD: All right, there you go. Let's do this thing, whatever. Yes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GUTFELD: Animals are great. Animals are great. Animals are great.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUTFELD: Isn't it adorable? At least you could have been let me do the explanation before I got to it, but that's OK. I was going to say that I work in a lab. And this is my lab on a cabinet. But it already popped up thereby ruining the joke. And whoever put that up there, meet me after the show. We're going to discuss your future here at Fox or how your future was once at Fox. Yes. Anyway --
PERINO: You do a lot of filing there at the lab.
GUTFELD: Yes, I do a lot of filing. I am --
WATTERS: Do you have hiring and firing power at this company?
GUTFELD: I can -- yes. It's weird though. It's just totally I could just decide. I don't even know who -- I could just pick a name out. Pick a name.
PAVLICH: Very cute.
PERINO: Can you pick my name tomorrow? All right, Katie.
PAVLICH: OK, so, Tunnel to Towers CEO Frank Siller has started his 537 mile walk to mark the 20th anniversary of September 11. Yesterday, he started in Washington D.C. I actually saw them walking through Arlington, Virginia yesterday. And they will go to Shanksville, Pennsylvania and then end here in New York City.
Frank of course is the chairman and CEO of Tunnels to Towers Foundation and is doing the walk in honor of his brother Steven who died responding to the attacks and all of the other first responders and heroes who lost their lives on 9/11. So, he will go through the same tunnel his brother did on September 11, and will make his way to end at the World Trade Center for the 20th anniversary. So, Frank, best of luck and I hope you have some comfortable shoes.
PERINO: Yes, we will follow that one for sure. Richard.
FOWLER: Listen, I was busy this weekend. I'm so busy but I got some exclusive Olympics footage only here for THE FIVE. Here is the special men and women 60-meter finals. They are our future Olympians speeding through 196-foot track and field in Tyrone, Georgia. This group of toddlers are participating in the diaper dandy hosted by U.S. Track and Field. This footage was uploaded by Rusty Fields (PH). And you see these beautiful little young ones running down the track.
GUTFELD: I could take them. I could take them.
FOWLER: You have such bad sportsmanship, Greg.
GUTFELD: No, I could take them.
FOWLER: Really?
GUTFELD: Yes. I could take them. I'm in shape. I'm in shape. I'm slightly taller.
FOWLER: I'm pretty sure that -- I'm pretty sure she would beat you.
PERINO: You guys are going to watch Olympics tonight? There's diving tonight.
FOWLER: There's diving, Simone Biles is back.
PERINO: Is that tonight?
FOWLER: Yes, on the balance beam.
PERINO: OK.
FOWLER: And the floor exercise.
PERINO: What about -- what about Caeleb? Is he swimming again?
PAVLICH: I'm not sure. I don't know the schedule.
PERINO: He's done.
FOWLER: Caeleb is done.
PAVLICH: I don't know the schedule.
WATTERS: Are you going to be OK, Dana? Caeleb is done.
PERINO: Yes, I mean, I am -- I am really struggling on the time difference, but I love following it on social media. And I think that Isaiah Jewett's story was amazing.
PAVLICH: Yes.
PERINO: Good sport -- talking about sportsmanship.
WATTERS: Yes.
PAVLICH: From the team.
PERINO: So, how are you guys feeling on a Monday?
WATTERS: Not good.
PERINO: There's a lot of energy. We've got 18 seconds left. Help me out.
GUTFELD: Look, when somebody calls you at midnight, drunk, it's hard when you're just trying to get back to sleep, Dana.
PERINO: Did that happened?
GUTFELD: Yes, it happened.
WATTERS: Johnny.
FOWLER: Oh, come on.
PERINO: Hey, that's it for us. We promise we'll be more awake tomorrow. "SPECIAL REPORT" is up next. Hey, Mike.
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