Tucker vs. Avenatti
For months, Tucker has mocked Stormy Daniels' attorney as a 'Creepy Porn Lawyer' and ridiculed his potential presidential bid. Now, Michael Avenatti sits down for an interview. #Tucker
This is a rush transcript from "Tucker Carlson Tonight," September 13, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
TUCKER CARLSON, HOST: Good evening and welcome to "Tucker Carlson Tonight."
We've talked a lot about Stormy Daniels' attorney on this show over the past year. We've mocked him extensively. We've denigrated his possible run for President. We even gave him an unflattering nickname. But tonight, after many requests he has agreed to come on our show. And in return, we're prepared to give him the serious treatment he says he deserves. And so, we will. Stormy Daniels' lawyer joins us just minutes from now.
But first tonight, Hurricane Florence has arrived in the United States. The storm is causing havoc all along the Carolina coast ahead of an expected landfall sometime tomorrow. Our Chief Meteorologist Rick Reichmuth has been following this since the very beginning and he joins us with the latest.
Hey, Rick.
RICK REICHMUTH, CHIEF METEOROLOGIST, FOX NEWS: Hey Tucker, yes, maybe sometime tomorrow, tomorrow night, it might make landfall a couple of times kind of bounce along the coast here. We can't exactly say that kind of precision, maybe 10, 20 miles one way or the other - or the other, we just we don't have that just yet.
But I will tell you. This is satellite image. The storm very close here just south of the outer banks around Morehead City, at least that's the center of it, but it's a very large storm. Hurricane-force winds crossing about a 160 mile path right there and tropical storm force winds that's winds around 40 miles an hour and above are about 400 miles across, so, a - a really large storm that's going to impact so many people here.
And the radar picture, this right here are tornado concerns. Right there, that's a tornado warning. We will see little tornadoes pop up throughout this. We have one tornado warning. And then I want to move forward and show you the flooding concerns right there, Morehead City, flash flooding going on so that one spot dealing with both of this right here. We've probably seen six to eight inches of rain already fall. And I think we're probably maybe 10 to 15 percent away through what this storm is going to be doing.
Take a look at this. A buoy out here recorded a wind gust of 112 miles an hour, so the winds are definitely with us right in the center part of this storm and that center part of the storm just going to get closer to the shore tonight into tomorrow.
Take a look at this. There's going to be a huge swath of land here. North Carolina, also into South Carolina that gets about a foot of rain and there will be isolated spots that are two-plus, probably a few spots that are 40 inches plus by the time this is done. And when I say done that means maybe Sunday into Monday.
This is the track of it. Again, we don't know what is going to happen here along the coast, eventually moves inland, and then, very quickly, Monday, Tuesday moves up towards the Northeast and we'll be done with this.
But we have a long, probably, 48 to 72 hours ahead.
Tucker?
CARLSON: Rick Reichmuth, a real authority on that subject. Thank you, Rick.
REICHMUTH: You bet.
CARLSON: Stay tuned for more hurricane updates throughout the hour and throughout the night here on Fox. We'll take you live to the coastal regions that are already feeling the effects of Florence. It's happening now.
But first tonight, Democrats are powerless to stop Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination on their own. That's the math of the question. But they're still trying and they're going to keep trying apparently till the bitter end.
In a last minute twist today, Senator Dianne Feinstein of California says she has sent a letter about Kavanaugh to the FBI. It's a secret letter written by a secret person containing a secret allegation about possible misconduct in high school some 35-plus years ago. That's what we know.
Trace Gallagher has more. Hey, Trace.
TRACE GALLAGHER, FOX NEWS: Hi, Tucker.
Senator Feinstein released a statement saying the reason she won't talk about the information she passed on to federal investigators is because quoting here "That individual strongly requested confidentiality, declined to come forward or press the matter further, and I have honored that decision."
The New York Times is reporting the matter involves possible sexual misconduct between Kavanaugh and a female when the judge was in high school.
Fox News has learned that Senator Feinstein first heard about the claim back in July. And yet, during 65 meetings with senators, including Feinstein, more than 32 hours of confirmation hearings, and 1,278 written follow-up questions from Democrats to Kavanaugh, the matter was never raised until today when Senator Feinstein sent it to investigators.
The FBI says it will include the information in Kavanaugh's background file but were (ph) told any further action on the letter would have to come from the White House. So far, the White House has done nothing except call this a Democratic delay tactic.
John Cornyn, the number two Republican in the Senate and Member of the Judiciary Committee is incredulous saying "Let me get this straight. This is a statement about a secret letter regarding a secret matter and an unidentified person. Right."
The conservative Judicial Crisis Network says "This has all the indications of an 11th hour character assassination." We should note Democrats on the Judiciary Committee have also tried and failed to subpoena documents into Kavanaugh's time as a top White House aide to George W. Bush, including documents on Kavanaugh's knowledge of enhanced interrogations and warrantless wiretapping in the wake of 9/11.
Judiciary Committee Chair, Chuck Grassley, who has not yet seen the letter from Senator Feinstein, says the confirmation vote will go forward as scheduled, September 20th.
Tucker?
CARLSON: Trace Gallagher, thanks a lot for that summary.
Author and columnist Mark Steyn has been following this too. And he joins us tonight. So Mark, typically you'd want to withhold judgment on something like this because you don't know what's in the letter.
MARK STEYN, STEYNONLINE.COM: Right.
CARLSON: But here's what we do know. Judge Kavanaugh went to high school at Georgetown Prep in Bethesda, Maryland. If there was a crime alleged 35 years later, presumably, that would be referred to the Maryland State Police, with the local police in Bethesda. Instead, Senator Feinstein sent it to the FBI. Federal authorities would have no obvious jurisdiction.
STEYN: Right.
CARLSON: So that tells me right there that this is a crock and it's the worst kind of smear, a smear you can't rebut against a man with a wife and small children. I'm not sure I've seen anything lower ever.
STEYN: No. You're absolutely right there. As you say, the FBI has no obvious jurisdiction here. I - I think in the normal course of events given that this is something to do with the Junior Prom in Maryland in 1981 or 1979 or whenever the hell it was, it would be going to juvenile court.
So this would be the first United States Supreme Court justice to be tried in juvenile court. I don't - that's a - that's a legal fuzz. I think what we have here is actually the equivalent of what happened when Comey briefed the President on the so-called Steele dossier about Russian hookers in his hotel room--
CARLSON: Right.
STEYN: --and all the rest of it. And that gave the pretext to the media because Comey then leaked news of the meeting that gave the media a pretext to discuss the dossier.
Likewise, Senator Feinstein releasing, as everyone said, the secret letter from a secret person about a secret matter about the high school prom has now given cover for a - a lot of sexual allegations. We don't know what they are.
They were - they were half a lifetime ago. And as you say, it's not something that he can be rebutted. And I think and - and the real battle here, Tucker, is actually between Dianne Feinstein and the new Left. They were disappointed--
CARLSON: Right. Exactly.
STEYN: --by the big shot Democrat dinosaurs' performance in the hearing rooms and they want something a little more Antifa, a little more Black Lives Matter--
CARLSON: That is so true.
STEYN: --a little more Bernie Sanders. And it's pathetic to see Dianne Feinstein, and I've no - I've no idea what she did at her high school prom however many years ago that was. It's pathetic to see Dianne Feinstein reduce to this.
CARLSON: Well it's disgusting. And the dynamic you describe is exactly what's happening. The dinosaurs who were on their way out in charge of that party are terrified and they're responding to them up.
Let me ask you a question that seems reasonable to me, it'll probably spark protests against me, somehow. But and I don't know what the allegation is and I'm prepared to withhold judgment on that.
But a 35-year old allegation, if it exists, that has never been reported to the police doesn't that at least raise the question of why is it never been reported assuming it hasn't been?
STEYN: Yes, it's actually I think it's - I think it's wrong to go back and - and re-litigate a past you didn't litigate at the time. I think that's very, very dangerous. You see that as part of this moral panic that is going on over the Me Too things. I mean if you - if you go back to the nearest comparable thing, the Clarence Thomas business--
CARLSON: Right.
STEYN: --that was within the previous decade. We're - we're talking about something that was never - I mean what - the only reassuring thing about this is that as you know, investigations are interminable in this country and in--
CARLSON: Right.
STEYN: --Washington, in particular. And the only good thing about this is that the FBI has looked at it and kicked it out of their purview in 10 minutes flat. And good for them, they're not opening an investigation. They've just given it to the White House. They don't want to touch this. She's just collude - she's just diminished her own reputation by participating in this smear.
CARLSON: I've never met Brett Kavanaugh. I have no personal stake in this whatsoever. But I don't - honestly, I think that any normal person should be offended by this. This is too much. It's too low. It's disgusting.
STEYN: Oh absolutely - absolutely, it's--
CARLSON: It's unbelievable.
STEYN: --it is. And - and this high school, I gather this is where Neil Gorsuch went to school too.
CARLSON: Right.
STEYN: So, apparently it's where all Supreme Court judges, that's what it's the preparatory school fall (ph).
CARLSON: Preparatory (ph).
STEYN: So, maybe - maybe he did something at his prom too.
CARLSON: Yes.
STEYN: Maybe it all goes back to the prom.
CARLSON: It's - it's unbelievable.
STEYN: That is ridiculous (ph) too.
CARLSON: It's an all-boys school for whatever it's worth. Mark Steyn--
STEYN: Yes.
CARLSON: --we'll see you in just a minute, thank you for that.
STEYN: Thanks.
CARLSON: Well after many months of waiting, we're finally welcoming Stormy Daniels' lawyer on to the show, on to the set, actually. Right here, he'll be joining us in just a moment. Obviously, all night, we'll be watching the Hurricane Florence as it slams into North Carolina. We'll have updates on that throughout the night.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CARLSON: This is Fox News Alert: ABC is reporting tonight that former Donald Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort has tentatively agreed to a plea deal with the special counsel, Robert Mueller.
If that's true that deal would head off Manafort's upcoming trial in Washington. He's being tried on charges of fraud and, hilariously, failing to register as a foreign agent. He's already been convicted in the State of Virginia on eight separate financial charges, tax evasion, mostly.
It's unclear if this deal, if it exists, would involve any testimony about the 2016 campaign. The Special Counsel's Office, not surprisingly, has declined to comment. We'll, of course, continue to follow it as updates appear.
But in other news today, just days ago, Peter Strzok's attorney tried to claim that the text messages that Strzok sent to his girlfriend Lisa Page about a "Media leaking strategy" were actually evidence he was trying to stop leaks.
Ha. It wasn't believable then. It's less believable today because we have a new text message, this also from April of 2017. And what Strzok talks openly to Page about interacting with the press. He says The New York Times was angry because The Washington Post got a scoop surreptitiously on a story about Carter Page.
In another message from December of 2016, Strzok told Page "Think our sisters have begun leaking like mad. Scorned and worried, and political, they're kicking into overdrive."
Don Calloway is an attorney. He's a former Member of the Missouri State House representing St. Louis. And he joins us tonight. Don thanks a lot for coming on.
DONALD CALLOWAY, JR., DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Thanks for having me here, Tucker (ph).
CARLSON: So, there's a lot we don't know about--
CALLOWAY: Yes.
CARLSON: --the context of these.
CALLOWAY: Yes.
CARLSON: But one thing, I think, we can be certain of is that the FBI was leaking about an ongoing criminal investigation.
CALLOWAY: No, no, we can't be but--
CARLSON: Really?
CALLOWAY: No, no, listen--
CARLSON: Based on what you just heard?
CALLOWAY: Yes, I mean, you know, Page and Strzok had a relationship that we can all agree was inappropriate. That shouldn't have happened. But to take that relationship - first of all, it's very flimsy to suggest that they were somehow trying to initiate or corrupt the Trump Administration or the Trump investigation--
CARLSON: I'm not. By - by the way--
CALLOWAY: --but also - also - but I would also say--
CARLSON: --I'm not just - I'm just saying they were leaking to the press.
CALLOWAY: No, no he - he doesn't--
CARLSON: He says it in his text.
CALLOWAY: That's very unclear. But I would also suggest that--
CARLSON: Well wait, wait, wait, hold on, he just says The New York Times is mad because--
CALLOWAY: --wait, wait, wait, no, that's not - that's not what he says.
CARLSON: --The Washington Post does (ph).
CALLOWAY: He says our sisters are leaking like mad--
CARLSON: No. In a separate--
CALLOWAY: --we don't know who any of that is.
CARLSON: --no, no (ph) in a separate text he suggests he's been in contact with both The New York Times and The Washington Post and they're in a competition--
CALLOWAY: But he--
CARLSON: --getting it (ph) from the FBI.
CALLOWAY: Right. But he doesn't say that he did that.
CARLSON: OK. But yes--
CALLOWAY: He also doesn't say but--
CARLSON: The FBI was doing (ph).
CALLOWAY: --and it's also - it's also inappropriate to suggest that Page and Strzok's relationship, if we think that they were trying to bring down the President--
CARLSON: I'm not - look, I'm not suggesting any of that.
CALLOWAY: Again, again - let me finish--
CARLSON: OK.
CALLOWAY: --and this is (ph) one sentence. It's inappropriate to somehow transmogrify that to the entire FBI and impugn the integrity of--
CARLSON: OK. But - but I'm actually being careful--
CALLOWAY: --the entire bureau.
CARLSON: --and precise.
CALLOWAY: Right. Right. Let's hope for that (ph).
CARLSON: And - and I - you know, I have a lot of theories about this. But here's what I know. The FBI was leaking to the press about an on--
CALLOWAY: We don't know that.
CARLSON: Well he says it repeatedly.
CALLOWAY: We don't know that. He doesn't--
CARLSON: And - wait, he does.
CALLOWAY: we - let's review the - let's review the text--
CARLSON: Shall I read it to you?
CALLOWAY: We shall. We shall.
CARLSON: OK.
CALLOWAY: We don't know that. We don't know who--
CARLSON: First, he talked about a media leaking strategy about the FBI. And that's in a verbatim quote.
CALLOWAY: About the FBI, yes. He does not say the FBI--
CARLSON: OK. So there is leaking going on at the FBI about - about--
CALLOWAY: He does not say that.
CARLSON: Yes, he does.
CALLOWAY: That's what - these texts do not confirm that, Tucker.
CARLSON: So, here's my question. Well, they do.
CALLOWAY: They don't.
CARLSON: He says "Our sisters have begun leaking like mad. They're kicking into overdrive."
CALLOWAY: We don't know who our sisters are.
CARLSON: OK.
CALLOWAY: We don't know. It's very unclear.
CARLSON: But he says earlier that there are leaks about Carter Page. Here's my meta-question which is why defend this? You don't have to like Trump.
CALLOWAY: No, no (ph)--
CARLSON: All of us as citizens--
CALLOWAY: Right.
CARLSON: --leaving Trump out of this--
CALLOWAY: Yes.
CARLSON: --and Carter Page out of it, why should we allow the most powerful law enforcement agency to leak against U.S. citizens about cases--
CALLOWAY: Right.
CARLSON: --that haven't even been tried yet.
CALLOWAY: And again, we don't like it. I don't like it. I don't like their relationship. But to suggest that this is something that was happening throughout the FBI it is (ph) simply not true.
CARLSON: I'm not - I'm not - I'm not suggesting anything.
CALLOWAY: And we again--
CARLSON: What I'm doing is repeating his text in which he says--
CALLOWAY: He says our sisters. We don't even know who that is.
CARLSON: He, in the text that we got yesterday, again what--
CALLOWAY: It isn't - there's so much of it that's the--
CARLSON: --it - it couldn't be clearer (ph)--
CALLOWAY: --entire (ph)--
CARLSON: He says it.
CALLOWAY: There's so much of it that's--
CARLSON: He would first destroy. He's referring to news organizations being mad that they didn't get the scoop. How would he know that unless he'd spoken to them?
CALLOWAY: There's so much of this is nebulous. And we talk about things that we've heard around town. You and I talk about things all the time.
CARLSON: It's not things we heard around town.
CALLOWAY: We don't know that--
CARLSON: It's their text messages.
CALLOWAY: --he was in touch. We - we don't - what he's expressing to Lisa Page--
CARLSON: OK, right (ph)--
CALLOWAY: --we don't know that either (ph).
CARLSON: So what - so what you're doing is running interference for the FBI.
CALLOWAY: I'm not at all. But what I'm--
CARLSON: Well of course (ph) you are--
CALLOWAY: What I'm suggesting is--
CARLSON: Because we have texts where they're saying--
CALLOWAY: What I'm suggesting is that Page and Strzok's conversation does not suggest that there is a larger corrupt leaky FBI--
CARLSON: All I'm saying is--
CALLOWAY: --whatsoever, yes.
CARLSON: --it doesn't suggest anything. It tells us in plain language the FBI is leaking about the (ph) criminal investigation.
CALLOWAY: I'll tell you--
CARLSON: So, here's my question.
CALLOWAY: Here - here - here's what--
CARLSON: Why wouldn't you want to know more about that?
CALLOWAY: I do want to know more about it. And you know what?
CARLSON: It doesn't sound like you do.
CALLOWAY: You know what? You know what? I am so glad that we have Inspector General Michael Horowitz on the case because he is looking--
CARLSON: But why aren't you made about it?
CALLOWAY: He is--
CARLSON: I mean as an American doesn't that bother you?
CALLOWAY: Michael - Michael--
CARLSON: How should they give (ph) to you?
CALLOWAY: Michael Horowitz is looking into it. And I, actually, unlike the President welcoming the Russian investigation, I am very happy--
CARLSON: What? No, no, no, but how about this?
CALLOWAY: Tucker, let me (ph)--
CARLSON: I'm going to leave you on this question.
CALLOWAY: No, here's the thing. Let me just finish the sentence. I am very happy that the United States Inspector General is looking into--
CARLSON: Yes, OK. I've lived here too long.
CALLOWAY: Carter Page and Michael (ph)--
CARLSON: I'm not--
CALLOWAY: That's a great thing.
CARLSON: I guess it's not right--
CALLOWAY: And he is going to answer it.
CARLSON: --look, I want an answer.
CALLOWAY: I did not. I did not (ph)--
CARLSON: What I really - really simple.
CALLOWAY: --I'm happy that it's being investigated.
CARLSON: Yes, sure investigate it.
CALLOWAY: Mm-hmm.
CARLSON: If we find out that the FBI and I - I think any reasonable person would conclude (ph) we already know was leaking about an ongoing political investigation, wouldn't you be outraged about it?
CALLOWAY: Absolutely. And I think that--
CARLSON: Wait. Then - then why aren't you bothered by the--
CALLOWAY: --we should have--
CARLSON: --obvious suggestion that they were in Peter Strzok's admission that he was (ph).
CALLOWAY: Those texts are very - they're not innocuous but they're very nebulous. We have no--
CARLSON: So weird. Obviously, Democrats we just (ph) we need to defend like corrupt bureaucrats--
CALLOWAY: Oh, stop it.
CARLSON: Why? Why don't attack them? Nobody like this.
CALLOWAY: Stop it.
CARLSON: No good Liberal likes this.
CALLOWAY: I don't - I don't like it. But it's kind of hard to say that this is applicable across the board in the FBI--
CARLSON: OK. Well we'll get many texts (ph) Peter--
CALLOWAY: --these are very, very nebulous texts.
CARLSON: --Strzok coming out of the Times building in New York and I'll send it to you.
CALLOWAY: While he was an agent, yes.
CARLSON: Yes, OK, glad maybe that will prove it.
CALLOWAY: That maybe (ph)--
CARLSON: Don, great to see you.
CALLOWAY: Good to see you, Tucker.
CARLSON: Thank you.
Michael Moore is a crusader for the average American. He's told you that countless times. But in business, according to people who work with him, he acts more like the robber barons he denounces. What is that?
Greg Gutfeld will unravel that mystery. Plus, after that, our long-awaited interview with Stormy Daniels' lawyer who joins us on set, just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CARLSON: Well here's an odd story we thought we'd tell you about. A week ago today, last Thursday, with no warning, federal authorities swooped into something called the National Solar Observatory.
It's in Sunspot, New Mexico right above the Mexican border and they evacuated the premises. It's a - it's federal facility. There's a post office next door to the Observatory and they shut that down too.
Local residents watched all that. They saw at least one Black Hawk helicopter, for real, circling the site. The local sheriff told reporters that the FBI refused to explain any of what was happening to him.
"For the FBI to get involved that quick and be so secretive about it, there was a lot of stuff going on up there."
Huh? What stuff? Well we asked. The Feds won't say. But the Observatory today issued a cryptic statement about an unnamed security issue. Now, maybe it's nothing. Maybe, it's something. We're going to keep on it. Find out.
American society seems to be fraying at the edges but filmmaker Michael Moore believes he's part of the solution. He is the hero who can help save it. Watch him describe his role earlier this year.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL FRANCIS MOORE, DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER, LEFT-WING ACTIVIST: We must also cleanse our American soul of its White male privilege, its voracious greed, and its enforced ignorance that has made a population of semiliterate and unaware people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARLSON: Michael Moore, the soul cleanser. One of the things rotting our soul, he just said, is greed. And yet, many people close to Moore, people who would know say that he himself is Exhibit A for that problem.
For example, his film festival has just been sued for allegedly failing to pay vendors, the little people, and instead, smearing them in the press. Meanwhile, Moore's ex-wife says that he stiffed her on the profits from the films she helped produce. Those would include Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11.
Greg Gutfeld has long made a passion of studying the career of Michael Moore. He also, of course, hosts "The Five" on Fox as well as "The Greg Gutfeld Show" and he joins us tonight. So, I'm a little confused by this Greg. Michael Moore, one thing we know about him is he's a champion of the people.
GREG GUTFELD, FOX NEWS: Right.
CARLSON: So why isn't he championing individual people and, instead, scamming them, they say?
GUTFELD: Well that - that's where you're wrong. He's a man of the people unless those people are working for him.
CARLSON: Yes.
GUTFELD: Then he will shaft (ph) them to pay for his pies because he loves his pies. You know what - here's the - it's the truth of the activists, Tucker. They think globally but they're jerks locally. The act - the act of caring actually excuses--
CARLSON: Yes.
GUTFELD: --their own obnoxious, self-involved, arrogant behavior. If you ever were in college you know this.
You always - if you had a roommate that was an activist, they would go to the peace marches but they would never pay their rent on time. They never spring for the toilet paper. And they always ate your food, Tucker. I'm also worried because Michael Moore is looking more--
CARLSON: That is so true.
GUTFELD: --it's true but, you know, Michael Moore is looking more and more like Large Marge from "Pee-wee's Playhouse," the movie, "Pee-wee's Great Adventure." Do you remember Large Marge, the truck driver?
CARLSON: No, I've missed that. Maybe it is I saw the sequel, maybe.
GUTFELD: And by the way, he's - you know, he believes that the world's coming to an end. Why is it that people who think they're so brilliant and they think that the world is coming to an end they never bathe or wear fresh underwear?
CARLSON: Well maybe that's why because it's not worth it. But wait--
GUTFELD: Yes.
CARLSON: I'm still sort of confused by this. So, if you really cared about the world and making it better, wouldn't you begin with the people around you?
GUTFELD: They're unimportant, Tucker. They're unimportant because you have a greater mission in life and that is to save the world. Therefore, you could be mean to your wife, you could ignore your kids, you could cheat, you could be terrible.
And by the way, Tucker, you're not so perfect yourself. You know what - do you know what yesterday was, Tucker? Do you know what yesterday--
CARLSON: Right.
GUTFELD: --Man of The People Tucker, Populist Tucker--
CARLSON: Yes.
GUTFELD: It was my birthday. Did I hear from Tucker Carlson?
CARLSON: Yes, you did. I texted you.
GUTFELD: No, you didn't.
CARLSON: I said happy 30th birthday. Yes, I did.
GUTFELD: I waited.
CARLSON: No.
GUTFELD: I waited. I was playing our song.
CARLSON: You lost your--
GUTFELD: I wore your favorite shirt.
CARLSON: You lost your phone in a bar and you know it.
GUTFELD: Anyway.
CARLSON: So, I'm going to ask you this because you're the perfect person to ask.
GUTFELD: Sure.
CARLSON: Very shortly in this show we're going to speak to Stormy Daniels' attorney in just a few minutes.
GUTFELD: Right.
CARLSON: If you are sitting in this chair what would you ask him?
GUTFELD: I would, you know, he's a porn expert. So, I would ask him how do you permanently erase your browser history because I'm always interested in that. That's a question a - a lot of my friends asked me that question.
No, here's what I'm complaining. You know, I got nothing against porn. But this is a highly immoral activity that Stormy Daniels is participating in. It's not adult films. It's that she reneged on a deal.
She is a - she is a paid sex worker. She gets paid for sex. Isn't that what this is - what is she mad about? I don't understand. What did Trump do? He- -
CARLSON: Well that--
GUTFELD: She's blinking (ph)--
CARLSON: --that's the real question. What is--
GUTFELD: Yes.
CARLSON: --and that's a sincere question, by the way I'm not--
GUTFELD: Yes.
CARLSON: I feel sorry for Stormy Daniels. I think she's being exploited right before (ph)--
GUTFELD: Yes, absolutely. Absolutely.
CARLSON: But I don't understand what the injury to her was. I'm not being mean.
GUTFELD: No, it's - it's--
CARLSON: Do you know what it was?
GUTFELD: It's - it's a - it was a deal that they made. And I think it's maybe she's mad that he - she could have gotten more money out of it then she did because he became President. Maybe that's why she's upset. The other sad thing about porn is that no one ever retires.
CARLSON: Yes, right (ph).
GUTFELD: They always try to - the - the whole thing is they try to get out of porn. Everything's about getting - can't be a good vocation if the first goal is to get out of it.
CARLSON: It's true whereas no one ever wants to get out of television.
GUTFELD: No, that's true. We're dying.
CARLSON: But thank you (ph)--
GUTFELD: You'll have to carry me out of here on a stretcher.
CARLSON: You only get fired. That's the only way out.
GUTFELD: Exactly.
CARLSON: Greg Gutfeld, great to see. Thank you for that.
GUTFELD: Always a pleasure. And thanks for the gift.
CARLSON: As we told you, the wait is over. After months of trading barbs on air and online we are going to meet Stormy Daniels' lawyer right here. That's next. And, of course, we're going to continue to keep you updated on the path of Hurricane Florence bearing down on the Carolinas. That's ahead too.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CARLSON: You may recognize this man. He's a lawyer. He represents the porn actress Stormy Daniels in her lawsuits against the President and Michael Cohen. But in the last six months he has become famous in his own right.
He's now one of the most consistent fixtures on cable news in this country. He's appeared on CNN and MSNBC literally hundreds of times but he's moving beyond being a mere television celebrity. He's now talking about running for office for president.
He's released his positions on major issues. He's traveled to Iowa, New Hampshire and Michigan and Ohio. He seems serious about it. We've invited him on this show many times to talk about his plans but he's always declined until tonight.
He's now agreed to appear on our set provided we give him time to state his case. And we're, of course, happy to do that. In the past, he's also demanded that we stop referring to him by a certain unflattering nickname.
We haven't agreed to that demand. But tonight, as a gesture of goodwill, we will not use that nickname because we're always grateful when guests are brave enough to show up in person including in this case and he joins us now. Thanks a lot for coming on.
MICHAEL JOHN AVENATTI, ATTORNEY: Yes.
CARLSON: So, I mean we could sit and hurl insults at each other for the segment, already done that. I've certainly insulted you. You've insulted me. But you seem smart.
So, let me take you seriously as someone who wants to be involved in the public conversation and ask you about things that you have said on questions of policy to flush them out a little bit.
So this is you at a rally in July, I think it was the day after the President spoke with Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, and you were addressing a rally and here's what you said. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AVENATTI: What Vladimir Putin and Russia did to this country in connection with the 2016 election is no different than if they would had placed a 100,000 troops on our border.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
AVENATTI: This was an invasion. It was an electronic invasion.
They used hackers and tweeters to elect this president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARLSON: So, if Russia had a 100,000 troops on our border I mean that would be an active war, a profound provocation. What would be the rational response to that if you really felt the threat was that profound? If you were president, how would you respond to that?
AVENATTI: Well Tucker, I understood that I was coming on your show tonight to talk about the case involving my client.
CARLSON: Why? I didn't - I didn't tell you that and--
AVENATTI: Wait, wait--
CARLSON: --I'm happy to talk about the case. I - but I just played you a clip--
AVENATTI: --wait, wait, Tucker, Tucker, Tucker, Tucker, you got to stop--
CARLSON: --I don't - I just asked you--
AVENATTI: --Tucker, you got to stop interrupting me, OK, because one of the conditions of me coming on tonight was that you were not going to do what you do routinely to guests with (ph) just talk over them and interrupt them so--
CARLSON: Well--
AVENATTI: --just let me finish with my answer, OK?
CARLSON: OK. I said I'll give you a fair interview. I just I actually don't have an interest in squabbling with you at all or name-calling. I've done a lot of that to you. And you've done that to me.
AVENATTI: Right. But not to, you know, but not to my face.
CARLSON: I could but what's the point? I want to take you seriously. I'm serious.
AVENATTI: OK.
CARLSON: So, I just played a clip of what you said at a rally. You're traveling to states because you want to influence policy direction.
AVENATTI: Correct.
CARLSON: I don't think it's unfair to ask you about something that you said.
AVENATTI: What's the question?
CARLSON: And the question, let me restate it, is you said that Russia has done something that is equivalent to putting a 100,000 troops on our border. That's an act of war.
AVENATTI: Correct.
CARLSON: And I wonder two things. One, what you would do as president if that happened on your watch? And two, what do you think Russia thinks watching public figures like you say that we're at war with Russia? What effect do you think that has?
AVENATTI: Well first of all there's no question that Russia interfered with the 2016 election in a very serious way. The only question is what was the involvement in Donald Trump or by Donald Trump and his cronies in the process? And that's what Bob Mueller's in the process of getting to the bottom of but one of the grant (ph)--
CARLSON: But how should we as a country respond?
AVENATTI: There you go interrupting me again.
CARLSON: OK.
AVENATTI: So, how - how should we respond? We should--
CARLSON: Yes, I asked you that three times.
AVENATTI: --we should respond with the absolute force of the law. We should be doing everything in our power to bring those individuals to justice, those individuals that are also in Russia.
And let me tell you what we should not be doing. We should not be standing shoulder to shoulder with Vladimir Putin and choosing Russia over the hard- working men and women of the intelligence community that risk their lives for this country.
CARLSON: So--
AVENATTI: The President has sold out the United States for the benefit of--
CARLSON: OK. But the Administration--
AVENATTI: --Putin.
CARLSON: --announced today a new round of even tougher sanctions against Russia. Do you support that?
AVENATTI: I - I think it's a start but I don't think it's a step--
CARLSON: What would be the end?
AVENATTI: --I don't think it's a step in the right direction. I - I don't think the President has shown any leadership relating to Vladimir - Vladimir--
CARLSON: Sanctions are not a step in the right direction? Want to change (ph)?
AVENATTI: --no, I said it is a step.
CARLSON: OK.
AVENATTI: But it's not enough.
CARLSON: OK.
AVENATTI: I believe that President Trump should demand the extradition of each and every individual in Russia that Bob Mueller and others believe were responsible for the election meddling--
CARLSON: OK.
AVENATTI: --in 2016.
CARLSON: OK. So remember people have been (ph)--
AVENATTI: I think that's - I think that's a--
CARLSON: --they have been charged. OK. This is starting--
AVENATTI: --start. I think that's a start.
CARLSON: But what's - I mean if you really believe that it's the same as a 100,000, what I'm saying is you're using reckless rhetoric on a subject you don't really understand that increases the temperature between the United States and a nuclear-armed adversary. Is that a responsible thing to do?
AVENATTI: I think under those circumstances I stand by my words. And I think for you to lecture--
CARLSON: That it's a 100,000 troops on the border?
AVENATTI: I think - I think for you - I think for you to lecture me about reckless rhetoric is rather ironic, Tucker, in light of some of the reckless rhetoric that you engage in--
CARLSON: OK. OK. Reckless rhetoric--
AVENATTI: --each and every day on this show.
CARLSON: OK. So, you've said that you are a civil libertarian in effect. You're a libertarian on sex questions. And that's - that's fine with me. Does it bother you that the Obama Administration authorized spying on American citizens connected to a rival presidential campaign?
AVENATTI: Well, first of all, I don't think it's been established that that occurred, number one.
CARLSON: That Carter Page was spied on?
AVENATTI: I - I don't believe that that's been established, number one that in fact President Obama authorized such - such--
CARLSON: His - his Administration--
AVENATTI: Are - are you going to interrupt me for the entire segment or just--
CARLSON: I'm - I'm clarifying because I don't think you understand the question.
AVENATTI: No, I do understand the question.
CARLSON: The Obama Administration authorized spying an American citizen connected to the Trump campaign. Does that bother you at all?
AVENATTI: First of all, I don't think that's been established. If it was established, of course, it would bother me. Are we going to get to the facts of my client's case? Are we going to get to the--
CARLSON: Yes, let me just ask you one last--
AVENATTI: Are we going to get - are we going to get--
CARLSON: --adult (ph) question first.
AVENATTI: OK, yes.
CARLSON: Because you're traveling around the country--
AVENATTI: Go ahead.
CARLSON: --as a commentator on politics. And I'm interested to know what you think. I don't think that's illegitimate. So, it has not been established that Carter Page was spied on? Is that what - is that what you're saying?
AVENATTI: How many times are you going to ask me the same question? I've already stated that in my view I don't believe that President Obama has been shown to have authorized the spying quote-unquote on - on--
CARLSON: The - the Obama Administration, why dodge the question? Look, you traveled here with policy advisors who've worked on other campaigns to the show tonight--
AVENATTI: I have no idea. I didn't - I didn't - I didn't--
CARLSON: --I think you'd be (ph) ready for a simple question.
AVENATTI: --travel here with policy advisors. Can I ask you - let me ask you a question? Why is it - why is it--
CARLSON: No, no, thank you. Why don't you get a TV show and then you could ask me a question?
AVENATTI: No, no, why is it that, no - no, why is it that you don't--
CARLSON: I've asked you a simple question. And you're not answering--
AVENATTI: --why is it that you don't call--
CARLSON: --the question.
AVENATTI: --Donald Trump the creepy porn president? He's the one that had sex with a four month old son at home--
CARLSON: OK. So, so now--
AVENATTI: --with my client without a condom.
CARLSON: OK. So here's - here's the - here's the--
AVENATTI: But - but you don't want to acknowledge that.
CARLSON: Hold on.
AVENATTI: You don't want to acknowledge that.
CARLSON: Let me (ph) acknowledge that.
AVENATTI: Acknowledge it.
CARLSON: OK.
AVENATTI: Do you believe that he had sex with my client?
CARLSON: Yes, I do. I've said that on the air multiple times.
AVENATTI: OK. So, he's lied repeatedly to the American people and you're OK with that.
CARLSON: So let me ask you a question. What is - what is the--
AVENATTI: You think it's OK if the President lies to the American people?
CARLSON: Let's - settle down. Let me finish my question to you. What is the crime, the harm, the injury to your client by Donald Trump? As far as I understand this was a consensual sexual relationship. And yes, I believe it occurred. I don't know that. But it seems like it did. I'm willing to believe that it did.
But it seemed consensual and then she was paid at the end of it. And yet, you and, by the way, I'm not attacking Stormy Daniels. I feel sorry for here. I feel she's being exploited by you and--
AVENATTI: You - you've attacked her for six months.
CARLSON: I feel that you and others are exploiting her, so I feel bad for her. But I'm wondering what the injury is to her.
AVENATTI: I think you demean her repeatedly and I think you're--
CARLSON: Really?
AVENATTI: I think you're a hypocrite because when's the last time--
CARLSON: So let me ask you - let me ask you what the injury--
AVENATTI: --I think you're an absolute hypocrite.
CARLSON: --you want to talk about the case. I'm asking you the core question--
AVENATTI: Sure.
CARLSON: --in the case. What is the injury to Stormy Daniels?
AVENATTI: The injury is that the agreement that was entered into was not adhered to by Michael Cohen and Donald Trump. They did not fulfill their end of the bargain. Now, do you want to talk to the - about the injury to the American people--
CARLSON: So, it is lying so you're--
AVENATTI: --the lies and the cover (ph)--
CARLSON: --you believe that you believe--
AVENATTI: --are you going to continue to interrupt? Yes.
CARLSON: No, but you just - you just went off on this moral lecture about how it was wrong for the President to have an adulterous affair. And I would agree with that. But you're very outraged. So was your--
AVENATTI: I didn't say that.
CARLSON: Yes, you said.
AVENATTI: No.
CARLSON: It's an injury against the American people that he had sex with someone not--
AVENATTI: No, you didn't let me finish. You didn't let me finish.
CARLSON: --his wife when his wife was pregnant.
AVENATTI: The injury is that he and Michael Cohen and others lied to the American people and covered up the $130,000 payment and violated campaign finance law. That's why Michael Cohen--
CARLSON: Then he has an obligation (ph)--
AVENATTI: I'm not done.
CARLSON: No, but let me - let me - I'm sorry--
AVENATTI: That's why Michael Cohen just pled guilty.
CARLSON: Let me ask you a question. Did they have an--
AVENATTI: That's why Michael Cohen just pled guilty.
CARLSON: I understand that.
AVENATTI: Right.
CARLSON: I've been following the news as well.
AVENATTI: OK.
CARLSON: Did Donald Trump have a moral obligation to tell the American people that he had a sexual relationship with Stormy Daniels?
AVENATTI: I don't care whether he had a moral obligation--
CARLSON: Then that's why they probably didn't (ph)--
AVENATTI: --what he had an obligation - no, what he had an obligation to do was not cover it up - cover it up and lie about it and commit campaign finance violations--
CARLSON: OK. Oh, no (ph)--
AVENATTI: --as his right-hand (ph) Michael Cohen just pled guilty to the felony, Tucker. What are you talking about?
CARLSON: All campaign (ph) finance violations?
AVENATTI: Yes. Associated with--
CARLSON: Right.
AVENATTI: --with Ms. McDougal and--
CARLSON: So--
AVENATTI: --I thought you were following the news. I thought you were--
CARLSON: So let me ask - let me ask you--
AVENATTI: --knowledgeable about these things.
CARLSON: I'm a little confused.
AVENATTI: I thought you were knowledgeable.
CARLSON: So you're - you're the protector of Stormy Daniels. Stormy Daniels is right now working in strip clubs in little towns on stage. People are throwing things at her. You're wearing a $1,000 suit. Why is you - why are you not paying her?
You've profited from Stormy Daniels. You've done tens of millions dollars' worth of free media on the basis of your relationship with her and she's working in strip clubs. You're exploiting her, and you know that. Why aren't you paying her some of what you're making?
AVENATTI: Sir, this is absurd. I have not exploited.
CARLSON: It's not absurd. Those are the facts.
AVENATTI: No. You don't know the facts as evidenced by the fact that you don't even know--
CARLSON: Is she working in strip clubs?
AVENATTI: Are you going to continue to interrupt me or you're going to let me finish?
CARLSON: I do know the facts, actually.
AVENATTI: All right, no, you don't because you just demonstrated your ignorance because you didn't even know Michael Cohen pled to two felonies associated with the campaign finance violations.
CARLSON: I don't believe that what Cohen did, and I'm not defending Cohen, I never have, was a campaign finance violation. I think it's absurd.
AVENATTI: Well he pled to it. He pled to it.
CARLSON: I think it's absurd.
AVENATTI: He pled guilty to two felonies.
CARLSON: OK. So, everyone who pleads - look, this is a--
AVENATTI: What? He's innocent?
CARLSON: --listen (ph) we have a - we have an honest disagreement - I don't think it was a campaign finance violation. Stormy Daniels was to perform in Richmond in a depressing strip club. This hero that you say you're protecting, you're her protector, why is she working in seedy strip clubs while you're on television wearing expensive suits?
AVENATTI: Because--
CARLSON: Why are you not exploiting (ph) her? Why is she doing that?
AVENATTI: Because she wants to, Tucker.
CARLSON: Oh, she wants to have people throw things at her in--
AVENATTI: This is America. This is America. And guess what, if a woman wants to perform in a strip club she does so even though--
CARLSON: But you're getting richer, she's not.
AVENATTI: --even though people - I'm not getting richer.
CARLSON: Of course, you are.
AVENATTI: --even though people like you - even though people like you demean her--
CARLSON: I'm not demeaning her. You're the one--
AVENATTI: --and call her--
CARLSON: --who's profiting--
AVENATTI: You're the one that refers to her consistently as a porn star--
CARLSON: Right.
AVENATTI: --and as to me as a creepy porn lawyer and meanwhile you give the President - meanwhile you give the President--
CARLSON: Well, well, well hold on - I would say--
AVENATTI: --a pass to have unprotected sex with a porn star--
CARLSON: Oh, OK.
AVENATTI: --with a four-month old son at home.
CARLSON: Well, you are a moralizer for a guy who would actually do (ph)--
AVENATTI: No, no, I'm - but I'm not - I'm not--
CARLSON: Oh, you are though. You are a little moralizer. You're like - we're in church now with a four-month old son, OK, I'm - I'm officially shocked by Donald Trump's behavior. I had no idea. It blew my mind. But answer my question. Why are you rich and your client--
AVENATTI: Sir, I'm not--
CARLSON: --is working in seedy strip clubs?
AVENATTI: Sir, do you have any idea how much money I've earned from this case?
CARLSON: You're on every cable show.
AVENATTI: You have no idea.
CARLSON: You're running for president now.
AVENATTI: You have no idea.
CARLSON: Well, I know that you haven't paid your taxes because you've got--
AVENATTI: You haven't that (ph)--
CARLSON: --over a million dollars' worth of (ph)--
AVENATTI: --that's absolutely ridiculous. You don't even know the facts.
CARLSON: It's not true?
AVENATTI: You don't even know your - you don't even know your facts, Tucker.
CARLSON: You have over a million dollars in lease - look, I'm just saying why is she still--
AVENATTI: Tucker, tucker, how do you have a show and you're this ignorant? How is that possible?
CARLSON: Here's what I know for a fact is that your client is not thriving. And for you to look at me in the eye and say she wants to perform in strip clubs with people throwing stuff at her is insulting to her, people don't do that unless they have no choice or she just likes it. Is that what you're saying?
AVENATTI: Oh Tucker, now you're the defender of my client? You don't know anything about my--
CARLSON: It's the fact that (ph) you're exploiting her.
AVENATTI: --you don't even know - you don't know anything about my client. Exploiting my client - I've worked--
CARLSON: I know that she's working in a strip club in Richmond.
AVENATTI: You got to let me finish. Can I finish?
CARLSON: Please do.
AVENATTI: All right. I've done a remarkable job for my client and she'll be the first one to tell you that. And had you listened to any of her interviews or seen--
CARLSON: Yes.
AVENATTI: --any of her comments you would know exactly what she thinks of me. I am not - I'm not done. I am not exploiting my client.
CARLSON: Right (ph).
AVENATTI: I'm representing my client to the absolute--
CARLSON: So when she wants to get you a little advise (ph)--
AVENATTI: I'm still talking - I'm still talking - I'm still talking
CARLSON: --does she have to pretend to be a booker from CNN to get through to you?
AVENATTI: You know, that's - that's - that's disgusting. Why don't you show some respect?
CARLSON: What's disgusting is--
AVENATTI: Why don't you show some respect to my client--
CARLSON: --you are thriving and she is not.
AVENATTI: --and me and stop calling us a porn star and a creepy porn lawyer. If you've got that big a problem with porn--
CARLSON: Well I actually thought--
AVENATTI: --do you have that big a problem with porn?
CARLSON: --wait, wait, I'm not making fun of - hold on, slow down--
AVENATTI: When is the last time - when's the last - when's the last time you've saw porn?
CARLSON: Oh, you busted me. Actually maybe (ph) humiliation porn--
AVENATTI: That's why--
CARLSON: --that's why I watch you on CNN.
AVENATTI: No, no but when's the last time you've - when's the last time you've viewed - when's the last time you've viewed porn?
CARLSON: You're a little creepier even than I realized--
AVENATTI: Do you have a problem with it? Do you have a problem with porn?
CARLSON: You're dodging the question--
AVENATTI: What's your problem with porn?
CARLSON: --that I have asked you repeatedly--
AVENATTI: Let me ask you a question. Do you believe that people that view porn should watch your show?
CARLSON: I'm not even sure what that question means but I will say this--
AVENATTI: Do you believe - do you--
CARLSON: --sincerely that I have never attacked Stormy Daniels.
AVENATTI: Yes, you have, repeatedly.
CARLSON: I think you are exploiting her as I've said five times--
AVENATTI: That's the truth.
CARLSON: --and you haven't answered the question which is--
AVENATTI: What's the question (ph)--
CARLSON: --why is it that her life has stalled and your life has - you're planning a new career as a politician. And like so many lawyers, you are taking advantage of her. And you pose as a feminist hero because you are shameless and the other channels let you get away with it. But you're an exploiter of a woman and you should be ashamed of it.
AVENATTI: And you're a--
CARLSON: That is my - that is--
AVENATTI: No, are you going to let me finish and (ph) let me respond?
CARLSON: No, we're out of time. And I gave you more time--
AVENATTI: You're a hypocrite. You're an absolute hypocrite.
CARLSON: --more time than I promised you.
AVENATTI: You're a hypocrite. And you don't know what you're talking about yet again--
CARLSON: But it is nice to see you.
AVENATTI: --yet again.
CARLSON: 12 minutes. Creepy porn lawyer, great to see you.
Mark Steyn joins us after the break to react to that interview plus we'll have more on Hurricane Florence as it begins cutting its potentially deadly path through the Carolinas. Stay tuned.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CARLSON: We just finished speaking to Stormy Daniels' attorney. During that interview, Mark Steyn was observing from the wings and he joins us now to assess. So, I guess what struck me about it, maybe it struck you, Mark--
STEYN: Yes (ph).
CARLSON: And I hate to attack people when they're out here, so I'm not really attacking. I'm just noting--
STEYN: No.
CARLSON: There was this undertone of moralizing like it's unbelievable that Trump would do this. It's betraying the country.
STEYN: Right.
CARLSON: Either you get to be a libertarian on this stuff or you get to be an evangelical (ph) on it but you can't be both, can you?
STEYN: No. And - and as you said, it's particularly absurd when his client, and I'm glad you mentioned her name because he's now far more famous than the client--
CARLSON: Yes, of course.
STEYN: --only in - only in - only in America, normally in sex scandals, the person having the sex becomes famous. And it's a sad comment on contemporary America--
CARLSON: Oh, yes.
STEYN: --that the lawyer representing the person having the sex is now more famous but as you said he's playing (ph)--
CARLSON: That is so - let me just pause and say that is so deep and true what you just said.
STEYN: Yes (ph).
CARLSON: I'm printing it out and putting it on my fridge, that's totally right. Sorry, excuse me.
STEYN: No, no, no it's - it's - and she is playing seedy strip clubs.
CARLSON: Yes.
STEYN: --the worst of the worst where you're standing on a narrow 18-inch bar while they're throwing dollar bills at you. And - and she's actually engaged in the same thing that this guy was doing on your show. They're both trying to figure out a way to monetize the case.
And as you say, his way of monetizing the case is on - is in being on prime time TV shows. And you insulted him by saying it was a $1,000 suit. It's a $4,000 suit. That's how well he's living. She's on those strip club bars collecting those dollar bills because I take it--
CARLSON: Exactly.
STEYN: --even if he's on a pro bono basis, she's still having to pay all the so-called "costs." And - and that's--
CARLSON: So then - then he says - so look, I don't even judge her in some ways because it's hard to make a living. I don't think you should be dancing in a strip club but I also know that people, you know, do things they shouldn't do because they're desperate. What infuriates me is when he- -
STEYN: Right.
CARLSON: --takes something as depressing as dancing in a strip club in Richmond or Bend, Oregon where she's having (ph) thrown at her--
STEYN: Right.
CARLSON: --and says well that's her choice. That's empowerment as a feminist woman is - that's not empowerment. It's sad.
STEYN: No, no, this is - this is an evolution of the cliche. The cliche used to be that, you know, you're working in strip clubs to put yourself through law school. She's working in strip clubs to put her lawyer into the White House. She will - I said--
CARLSON: Ha ha--
STEYN: --I said - I said when this whole thing started that the tragedy of this - he's basically a Category 5 hurricane porn lawyer, and she's like some spindly little clamored (ph) house on the beach that will be left busted, broken up in pieces--
CARLSON: Yes.
STEYN: --and with nothing to show for this.
CARLSON: That is - that is so true. In the end, the only ones who thrive are the lawyers, the parasites.
STEYN: Yes.
CARLSON: And that is actually a metaphor for what's happening in this country more broadly. Shakespeare was right.
STEYN: Right, right, right.
CARLSON: Boy, Mark, thank you very much for that.
STEYN: Thank you. No further questions, your honor. That's how you're meant to wrap it up with him.
CARLSON: Unbelievable. Unbelievable.
STEYN: You need a court stenographer to read back the questions.
CARLSON: Is there, really think, is there anything that I didn't ask that I should have asked that you would want to, I am not sure he's going to come back but if he does, that we should ask?
STEYN: I was fascinated by his idea that 100 - a 100,000 troops on the Canadian border from Russia is something you need to prosecute according to law. Brilliant. We should have - we should have tried that with Pearl Harbor. Files - filed suit in Tokyo District Court. It would all have been over a lot quicker.
CARLSON: Extradition treaties, so good. Mark Steyn, it's always such a pleasure to have you here. Thank you.
STEYN: Thanks a lot, Tucker.
CARLSON: By the way, Stormy Daniels' book comes out on October 2nd. I happen to know that because in one of those weird coincidences that happens, my book comes out the very same day. Daniels has written a tell- all, time to help Democrats in the mid-term elections, probably advised by her lawyer to do that.
I've written a book about why powerful forces are promoting people like Stormy Daniels and creepy porn lawyer in the first place. The book is called Ship of Fools. And it's the story of how our political class manufactures sideshows like this to hide the fact that they have no idea what they're doing but are getting rich doing it.
Two books, out the same day. If you want to send a message this might be the time. You can pre-order it if you want, just to make that message crystal-clear.
We've got a Fox News Alert. Of course, the outer edge of Hurricane Florence now made contact with the coast of North Carolina bringing with it powerful winds, huge amounts of rain, and a storm surge that could be deadly.
Our correspondent, Steve Harrigan is in North Topsail Beach, North Carolina, right in the path of this hurricane and he joins us tonight. Steve, what's it like?
STEVE HARRIGAN, CORRESPONDENT, FOX NEWS: Tucker, it's really gotten worse every hour. Right now, we're seeing sustained tropical storm force winds. A couple hours, we're probably going to see hurricane-force winds of over a 100 miles an hour.
The rain is just coming down in sheets. It's actually blowing right into me. It's been like that for the last several hours. That's the real concern here is after the wind passes through we could see 30 or 40 inches of rain in some places.
It was described in one weather - weather report as potential total inundation in parts of North Carolina, so that's the real fear. Most of the people are off this island. We just lost our own electric power a short time ago and it's just complete darkness all the way down this island (ph) and the people were well warned.
They took those warnings seriously. Most of them have boarded up these houses here running (ph) the beach and left. So they're - they're for the large part gone but - but for those who stayed and know the risks there is going to be some help, some very brave first responders are prepared.
There are Swift Boat (ph) rescue teams. There's - the National Guard's been called up, several thousand members and also the army is ready to save people as well with high water vehicles as well as helicopters.
So this could be a really dicey and dangerous next 48 hours here along the coast of North Carolina. Tucker, back to you.
CARLSON: I believe it. Steve Harrigan who is always on the scene, no matter what, no matter where, thank you.
Leland Vittert is in Morehead City, North Carolina for us tonight. Leland, what's it looking like?
LELAND VITTERT, FOX NEWS: Well, Tucker, the storm hit here a couple of hours before it hit Steve, so it has continually been a little bit stronger here and that is the real concern is these conditions have been going on for hours.
Typically, in hurricanes, the really bad stuff only lasts a couple of hours. It could last 12 to 24 hours where we are. We've seen winds up to about 80 miles an hour, some gusts probably stronger than that.
Again, power has been out here for now about six hours. Complete darkness. And you can see, as the tide has begun to come in we're getting the storm surge that is coming. Now it's actually much harder to stand than it ever has been here.
This storm surge next couple of hours or so will lift these docks clear up, where I'm standing will be flooded and turn those docks into barges of destruction here throughout this town.
Then, of course, comes the issue of inland flooding. We're going to be talking about hundreds of thousands, if not, millions of people without power and weeks to be able to restore it, Tucker.
CARLSON: Be careful, Leland. Boy, you don't want to go over that edge at all. Good luck. Thank you. Stay with Fox News for continuing coverage of Hurricane Florence all night long and as long as it lasts.
We'll see you tomorrow night on the show that's the sworn enemy of lying, pomposity, smugness, and groupthink. And trust me, we mean that with deepest sincerity. Good night from Washington.
Sean Hannity live from New York City right now.
SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS: By the way, are you and Avenatti going on to dinner after that?
CARLSON: I don't know who that is. I -- I haven't heard, oh creepy porn lawyer? Yes, no, I don't think we are.
HANNITY: You guys -- looks like you guys going out for drinks, out to dinner, all right, Tucker, great show. Thanks for being--
CARLSON: Thank you. Thank you, Sean.
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