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Trump and Supporters Racist; Biggest Mistakes of 2016 - Part 1>
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BILL O'REILLY, FOX NEWS HOST, "THE O'REILLY FACTOR": THE O'REILLY FACTOR is on -- tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(RICKY MARTIN PERFORMING AT THE 2001 INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH)
O'REILLY (voice-over): That was Ricky Martin performing at the 2001 inauguration of President Bush the younger. But this year, many performers are afraid to attend the Trump inauguration. We will tell you exactly what is going on.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the phrase make America Great Again, there is one word, if you are a person of color, that you sort of a stumble over, it is the word "again."
O'REILLY: New Year, same old story. The far left branding Donald Trump and his supporters racist. Will this ever stop?
JESSE WATTERS, O'REILLY FACTOR CORRESPONDENT: What was the biggest mistake you made in 2016?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Following other people's opinions.
WATTERS: Like when everyone said Hillary was going to win?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That was a big one.
(LAUGHTER)
O'REILLY: Also ahead, Jesse Watters in Times Square asking people about the New Year.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's going to be a beautiful year filled with love and acceptance, I'm sure of it.
WATTERS: Did you read that on a hallmark card?
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'REILLY: Caution, you are about to enter the No Spin Zone. THE FACTOR begins right now.
Hi, I am Bill O'Reilly. Things were watching us tonight. First edition of 2017. Happy New Year, hope it is a good one for you and your family. Donald Trump's inauguration, that is a subject of this evening's talking points memo. There are wide reports that many entertainers are frightened to perform and the inaugural festivities on January 20th. Hard to pin down, but the roster of performers today is scant. Some of The Rockettes from Radio City Music Hall in New York City will be there. The Mormon tabernacle choir out of Utah is scheduled to perform.
And Jackie Evancho of "America's Got Talent" is also set to sing. We hear the Beach Boys in the country group Alabama maybe appearing but that is not been confirmed. Also, not confirmed are some entertainers reportedly believe if they show up at the inauguration, it will hurt their careers. The tenor Andrea Bocelli has been mentioned. Along with Garth Brooks, I should say. But again, we cannot confirm the fear element.
However it is obvious there is a problem, and there should not be one. The inauguration of a president, celebrates a peaceful transition of power engineered by the American voters. That is what the ceremony is, not a political gesture. So, all Americans should respect the process. Even if you don't like the incoming president. It should never be intimidation about attending or performing at inauguration. That is un-American.
The election of George W. Bush in 2000 was perhaps the most controversial vote of the nation's history. Decided by the Supreme Court. Yet, a variety of entertainers showed up at the inauguration, including Ricky Martin, Wayne Newton, Jessica Simpson, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and The Rockettes. Even Beyonce showed up, performing with Destiny's Child as her inaugural concert for America's youth.
So, even though there was bitterness over the Bush-Gore race, the nation came together at the inauguration. But now, that cohesive spirit seems to have changed. The harsh truth is that there is reverse McCarthyism going on in the entertainment industry. Remember that in the 1950s, Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy started accusing people in Hollywood of being communist, that led to a black list where people were not hired because McCarthy smeared them. It seems anti-Trump zealots may be doing the same thing.
If you are a Trump supporter, you are a bad person. And a number of entertainers believe their careers will be harmed should they associate with the new Trump administration. Again, that is terrible and awful state of affairs. "Talking Points" believes enough is enough with the anti-Trump movement. The man won the election, give him a chance. Respect the process! And stop the nonsense. And that is the memo.
Now the top story tonight, reaction, joining us from Washington, the New Year's guy, Charles Krauthammer. I have a series of very short questions for you.
First of all, do you believe that to some, may be many entertainers, are frightened to go to Washington because they think their careers may be harmed?
CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: I have no idea. That's why you presented no evidence to that effect.
O'REILLY: Well, thus far, there are very few booked, and we know that a number of people were asked to appear. But very few said yes.
KRAUTHAMMER: That doesn't prove fear. Hollywood is overwhelmingly, more than 100 percent liberal. And it could very well be that these people for their own political reasons, don't want to perform at a Republican or a Trump inauguration.
O'REILLY: Why did the George W. Bush inauguration have, you know, a good cross-section of entertainers and not the Donald Trump so far?
KRAUTHAMMER: Wayne Newton? Is that your A-list?
O'REILLY: Ricky Martin? Andrew Lloyd Webber? Pretty big names.
KRAUTHAMMER: You know, I find it hard to get exercise over the fact that we may be short a rockette at the inaugural celebration.
O'REILLY: You're dodging the question. You don't believe that there is pressure being put upon entertainers, not to show up? You don't believe that?
KRAUTHAMMER: There is a group called friends of ape, you know them, I know them. A bunch of Hollywood conservatives who meet every once in a while, semi-clandestinely, they won't even publish their membership list because they know that if the word gets out, that they are conservatives it could hurt their careers. That has been true for decades.
O'REILLY: Isn't that reverse McCarthyism?
KRAUTHAMMER: It is deplorable but it is nothing new. And in fact, it is not only in Hollywood. Why do you have all of these conservative think tanks in Washington? The reason is that intellectuals, conservative intellectuals, have not been able to get jobs in elite universities for decades. So, they had to establish their own counter institutions, things like the American Enterprise Institute, Heritage Foundation, et cetera, as an alternative venue.
O'REILLY: Okay.
KRAUTHAMMER: Liberals get control of cultural institutions and conservatives are --
O'REILLY: I think that is far beyond that. I think it is far beyond the general philosophical --
KRAUTHAMMER: That is the sun rising in the east.
O'REILLY: Okay. You basically have, do you agree with me, that in inauguration is a celebration of the peaceful transition of power in the United States? You agree with that?
KRAUTHAMMER: Yes.
O'REILLY: Do you agree that anyone, anyone, who would hold it against someone who performed at inauguration is un-American? That's an un- American act? Would you agree?
KRAUTHAMMER: No, of course not.
O'REILLY: You wouldn't?
KRAUTHAMMER: No, look.
O'REILLY: So, it's okay to deny somebody a job in Charles Krauthammer's world if they show up at the Trump inauguration? That's okay? To deny someone a job?
KRAUTHAMMER: No.
O'REILLY: But that is a cloak of fear that we are dealing with now.
KRAUTHAMMER: But you have shown no evidence that that is a --
O'REILLY: Oh, Stop! The evidence is there's nobody booked. That is the evidence. There is nobody booked, two weeks away.
KRAUTHAMMER: They don't want to play for Donald Trump. This is a republic. You are not summoned to perform for the king or for the dictator. In some places, if Kim Jong-un calls you to sing, you better show up because otherwise you're not going to be --
(CROSSTALK)
O'REILLY: You don't know anything about the Hollywood industry. They will perform for Joseph Stalin, okay, if they think it is going to help their career. Okay? They are afraid, these groups, rock groups, pop groups, even the country people, are afraid that if they do it, that they are going to lose bookings, that they are going to be attacked on the internet, they are going to be smeared all over the place, and so, they are not. I can't believe you are denying this. It is so obvious.
KRAUTHAMMER: I -- I find it extremely hard to get exercised about something which is, that some people will perform for people for whom they have a political affinity. If I were asked to perform at a Clinton inauguration, I could very easily say, yes, I respect the process, and I will do it, that is perfectly fine. Or I could say, no, I think she is a crook. I think she was not -- she would not be the right choice. And therefore, I exercise my right to simply say no.
O'REILLY: And that's fine but you are not in fear of losing your job or a book contract or a speaking engagement. See? I don't mind people exercising their freedom to do what they want to do. I am telling you that there is very ranked fear in the entertainment industry to be associated with President-elect Trump. Last word.
KRAUTHAMMER: There has been ranked fear in Hollywood for decades to be even known as a conservative. You are about 20 years late to the party, Bill. And I don't think the inauguration is sort of this is scandalous exception. This has been true forever. There are many places where liberals will not welcome conservatives. Hollywood, the university, those are just a couple of examples. And you live with it, the way you live with the weather.
O'REILLY: Not me.
(LAUGHTER)
I think the process should be respected and anyone invited should show up just to help their country. Anyway, great debate. Really good way to kick off the New Year, Charles. And we appreciate it.
KRAUTHAMMER: Thank you.
O'REILLY: Next on the rundown, already, the Democrats are threatening to delay confirmation of some Trump cabinet appointees. We will tell you about it.
And later, Watters in Times Square New Year's Eve. Not a good recipe. Those reports after these messages.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'REILLY: "Impact Segment" tonight, to the political stories today, first, Donald Trump continues putting pressure on companies who want to move jobs overseas. In fact, he threatened General Motors for making a car in Mexico.
Also, Ford announced it is canceling, canceling, $1.6 billion factory it was going to build in Mexico. The other big story, politically, is Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer threatening President-elect Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY), SENATE MINORITY LEADER: We will hold President-elect Trump accountable to the values that truly make America great. But we'll fight him tooth and nail when he appeals to the baser instincts that diminish America and its greatness.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: Joining us now from Austin, Texas, Karl Rove. So, Senator Schumer wants to hold up, delay a bunch of Trump's cabinet appointees. Is that correct?
KARL ROVE, FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH SENIOR ADVISOR: Yes. This is pretty much a boilerplate speech today, where he said, we will going to define what the values are by which we will judge Donald Trump. If we agree with him, we will help them come, if we oppose him, we disagree, we will oppose him. This was sort of a standard stuff. What is more dangerous is, is that the Democrats have announced that there are eight appointees, eight nominees of President-elect Trump to the cabinet that they are going to oppose and delay them as long as until March.
Now, this is just obstructionism, pure and simple. This is an attempt to make it difficult for him to put together a government, make it difficult for him to take early actions and some critical departments. And it is an obstructionism that is a jaw-dropping. Particularly, if you look back at the historic record, here is what happened with President Obama came in. Did the Republicans obstruct? No. Did they ask tough questions? Yes.
But think about this, within two days of being sworn into office, seven of his cabinet members have been approved, six of them on voice votes. One of them was approved, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, 94 to two. And a couple of days later, they approved it by voice vote on the 23rd, the transportation secretary, on the 26th, Tim Geithner, who had not paid his taxes and had to undergo a rough confirmation fight, he was approved on 60- 34.
Basically, within one week of the President being sworn in. HUD Secretary, within eight days. Ten of the 15, excuse me, ten of the 14th that had to go through confirmation were approved within basically eight days of the President being sworn in. Two more were approved in February, one of them was delayed until late February because she -- Hilda Solis, the Labor Secretary, her husband had not paid taxes.
And then, we had two of them that were completely President Obama's fault. The Commerce Secretary in March because he went through two cabinet secretary nominations and had to be withdrawn before he finally got to the third run. And then finally, the HHS Secretary Sibelius, remember, Tom Daschle had to withdraw himself for not having paid taxes on the third of February.
O'REILLY: Right.
ROVE: She is nominated and approved basically five weeks.
O'REILLY: All right. So, I mean, look, the point is that when President Obama took office, the Republicans didn't try to sabotage him.
ROVE: Right.
O'REILLY: It looks like Schumer and his crew is going to try to sabotage Trump. The question is, they can't stop these appointments, like Sessions as Attorney General.
ROVE: No.
O'REILLY: So, they just try to embarrass the President and the individual appointees. Try to embarrass them, right?
ROVE: Right, exactly. And draw it out. So that look, they don't want the White House to be coming out with the lot of initiatives, they're moving forward. They want them to, you know, this is like a holding action while Trump is trying to undo a lot of what Obama did in trying to repeal ObamaCare and replace it, and trying to get a tax cut through, and tax reform. They want him tied down.
That is why they are going after people like the Secretary of Treasury nominee, Mnuchin, that is why they are going after the Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. There are couples that are payback, they're going after Betsy DeVos, the Education Secretary because the Democratic Party is lock, stock, and barrel by the Teacher Unions.
O'REILLY: Yes.
ROVE: And she is a fighter for school choice. They are going after --
(CROSSTALK)
O'REILLY: All right. That is politics over --
ROVE: Yes. Absolutely.
O'REILLY: Let's get into, you know, it looks like Trump is going to be the strong man and he is calling out GM for making a car in Mexico and trying to embarrass them. But, you know, all of a sudden, Ford says, you know what? We are not going to build a $1.6 billion plant in Mexico, and we are going to build it in the USA, and all the jobs that come along with it. So, it looks like being a strong man is working for Trump. At least in the beginning.
ROVE: Well, maybe. Look, I accept that the Ford CEO today in his statement saying, look, we made this decision because it is in the best interest of our company. The facility in Mexico is un-needed, we're going to keep the small car production there. But we aren't selling enough of those cars, so, we're not going to expand it. And we need to expand production in the U.S. of the kinds of cars that Americans are buying.
O'REILLY: Yes.
ROVE: But we got to be careful about this. GM, let's think about this. The implication is, you're building a bunch of cars in Mexico and shipping them into the United States. That is fundamentally not true. In Lordstown, Ohio, there is a facility that since 2010, since being up and then, has made 1.3 million Chevy Cruisers. And in the United States, 1.1 million roughly have been bought. The other 200,000 were sold elsewhere, primarily in Canada. The facility in Mexico supplies the foreign markets. We have had about a million won U.S. purchases of Chevy Cruisers. There have been a million three --
O'REILLY: All right. But so what? You know the foreign market can be supplied in Michigan? And so, what?
ROVE: May be. But look, a couple of things.
O'REILLY: I don't have a lot of time. Wrap it up.
ROVE: Mexico has better trade agreements with other countries than we do. And we can make that product in Mexico and sell it and bring the profits back to the U.S. We couldn't make that product.
O'REILLY: Putting the tires on a car, Mr. Rove. As long as the strongman stuff doesn't get out of control, I think it's a good thing.
ROVE: I think it is getting very close to it.
O'REILLY: All right. Directly ahead, while the far left ever stop demonizing Trump supporters as racist? And later, a survey says more conservatives in America than liberals, but the gap is closing. THE FACTOR is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'REILLY: "Personal Story" segment tonight, almost from the beginning of the Donald Trump's campaign for the presidency, the far left has this been demonizing him and his supporters as racist.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
And the phrase Make America Great Again, there is one word that if you are a person of color that you sort of stumble over, and it is the word "again." Because you are talking about going back to a time that was not very comfortable for people of color.
O'REILLY: And joining us now from Washington Lisa Boothe and Juan Williams. So, I don't think their racism play, want, will ever stop them, what do you think?
JUAN WILLIAMS, CO-HOST, "THE FIVE": I think you are right. I think you are right on target. I think to me, it is almost like, why am I arguing here about Make America Great Again. This is a small potatoes. It's like evidence of sort of liberal or left-wing oversensitivity to my mind. But, you know, if you want to make the case, I guess you could say Trump has a history, you know, discrimination in the housing that he built, saying Blacks are responsible for most of the White murders in the country, it's crazy stuff. But again, to me, it is just evidence of people --
O'REILLY: I'm more --
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: Argue about his policy.
O'REILLY: Look, what do you think, Juan, the phrase "Make America Great Again" refers to? What?
WILLIAMS: Well, I think, what struck me when I first heard it, was make America great again, but I guess he is talking about Obama. So, I was thinking about the politics of it that he doesn't like Obama policy.
O'REILLY: No. Make America Great Again --
WILLIAMS: Bill Clinton said it was a way of wink and a nod, a dog whistle, to White southerners.
LISA BOOTHE, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Well, guess what, Bill --
O'REILLY: What do we care the Bill Clinton says, he is campaigning for his wife.
WILLIAMS: Correct.
O'REILLY: What do you think Make America Great Again, that refers to, Lisa? What?
BOOTHE: Well, I think it refers to it Reagan had said when he was the slogan, restoring the American dream.
O'REILLY: Very good.
BOOTHE: Rebuilding America.
O'REILLY: Lisa Boothe, everyone!
BOOTHE: But Bill --
O'REILLY: It's the Reagan years! It's when America was dominant in foreign policy, exercised at superpower status, that was not a racist era, Juan. Come on!
BOOTHE: But I have to tell you this, though. Because Juan had mentioned the fact that Bill Clinton was saying that the slogan was a racist dog whistle. Guess who use the slogan repeatedly when he ran for president in 1992? President Bill Clinton. So, that is just how ridiculous the left is, the fact that President Bill Clinton is using this slogan to malign Donald Trump when he used it himself. You are right, the left --
O'REILLY: Okay. We're going to rundown all the hypocrisy.
WILLIAMS: Here is my argument with Lisa. I think Lisa you have to realize that when Bill Clinton set it, he didn't say again and again and again. And you know, to me --
O'REILLY: Oh, please. Oh, my gosh. Juan, get out of here.
WILLIAMS: No, no, hold on.
BOOTHE: Oh, come on!
WILLIAMS: I think America is a great country right now. I look at the stock market, I look at gas prices, the unemployment, I look at the opportunities for Blacks, Latinos, immigrants, women, Lisa, more than ever in our history.
O'REILLY: All right, this lady -- wait, wait. This lady from NPR has said the sound bite on CBS. She's basically saying, look, America is a racist nation. Yes, we may have made some improvements, as you just pointed out. But if you say, "Make America Great Again," anything that happened in America, anything, defeating the axis powers, Japan, you can't say that was great because people of color were getting hammered. Which is partially true, by the way.
WILLIAMS: Wait, wait, wait. How is that true? Wait a minute. How was that true?
BOOTHE: This is absolutely, utterly ridiculous. And Juan, to your earlier point, the reality is that when Donald Trump was running for president, you have the majority of Americans who felt that this country was on the wrong track, even the majority of Americans who felt like their children or grandchildren were going to inherit a nation that was less good off than the one that they have had and the one that they have enjoyed.
WILLIAMS: Lisa, the fact is --
BOOTHE: That is what Donald Trump meant by make America great again.
O'REILLY: All right, Juan. Go, Juan.
BOOTHE: Let's make America strong again, let's rebuild the country economically.
WILLIAMS: Lisa, you go back to win George W. Bush won in 2004, a majority of Americans thought the country was headed in the wrong direction. That is not the measure. I think that America is great when it can beat the Nazis, the access is Bill O'Reilly just said.
BOOTHE: I think America is great --
(CROSSTALK)
O'REILLY: Lisa, let him finish. Lisa.
WILLIAMS: I don't think that means that you can't also - what the civil rights movement at the time call a double beat, victory abroad and victory at home over racism and discrimination.
O'REILLY: All right. But you can't as that woman implied, Juan, you can't say that America, if you say make America great again, again, that goes back to the '80s, that is a vision of the Trump people, okay?
WILLIAMS: Okay.
O'REILLY: But you can't do it because it was inequality in certain times. America was great --
WILLIAMS: Oh, I think so.
O'REILLY: -- in freeing the world from Hitler and Tojo. However, back home, things weren't that great for minorities. But you have to put everything into perspective. And that woman doesn't.
WILLIAMS: I agree with you.
O'REILLY: She condemns her country and I didn't like it. All right. Good debate. Good debate. I got to go.
WILLIAMS: I just ask you to realize that people who are Blacks, Latinos, given what he said about immigrants --
BOOTHE: Oh, come on, Juan. America is great when --
(CROSSTALK)
O'REILLY: All right. You guys continue among yourselves. We have to take a break.
Plenty more ahead. THE FACTOR moves along this evening. Gutfeld and McGuirk on how racial politics are hurting the USA.
And later, Watters in Times Square on New Year's Eve.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WATTERS: What is the biggest mistake that you made in 2016?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not watching you on TV enough.
WATTERS: That's the best answer I heard all day.
O'REILLY: And we hope you stay tuned for those reports.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'REILLY: "What The Heck Just Happened" segment tonight, as you just heard, there is no letup in playing the race card by the far left. The question are, our Americans growing dumb to it or will they get worse in 2017?
And here they are, New Year's guys, Bernard McGuirk and Greg Gutfeld. I am so tired of this, Gutfeld, I really am. I mean, I take it personally, not a Trump supporter, per se, never endorsed him, or anything like that, I think I gave him a fair shot on the program.
GREG GUTFELD, FOX NEWS CO-HOST, "THE FIVE": Uh-hm.
O'REILLY: But the interviews were tough, as many people pointed out. However, I know a lot of people who supported Donald Trump. Of course, I am one of them. Okay?
BERNARD MCGUIRK, HOST, THE BERNIE AND SID SHOW: Absolutely.
O'REILLY: And I am supposed to sit here and allow them to be called racist?
GUTFELD: Yes. Because they are. You know what it is? Liking Donald Trump is not liking Obama of 2016. Remember, if you didn't like Obama, you were racist. Now, if you like Trump, you are racist.
O'REILLY: So, you are double racist.
GUTFELD: You are racist cubed. You know, there is a left wing superhero, it is called a race man. The only power it has is to throw accusations of bigotry at you.
O'REILLY: Right.
GUTFELD: The great thing about 2016, 2016 is the kryptonite, it took away the power from race man. And that is why they are imploding everywhere because of the more the boy cried wolf --
O'REILLY: Do you really think they are imploding, though?
GUTFELD: Every time you employ mockery against somebody calling you a racist, they fail, and you create free new Trump supporters.
O'REILLY: What do you say?
MCGUIRK: Well, he is absolutely right about that. It's overused. The accusation, leveling that accusation is so overused. Look, they had Ellen DeGeneres with a racist in 2016. I mean --
O'REILLY: Yes. Usain Bolt thing --
MCGUIRK: That's right.
O'REILLY: -- cartoon. Right.
MCGUIRK: It is the last refuge really of a skunk with no argument, essentially. And yes, they want to leverage it against Donald Trump because he won, they are frustrated. They want to keep it up. So, I don't think it is going to stick, I mean, you know, against it.
O'REILLY: But they are not going to stop.
MCGUIRK: They are not going to stop but he can chip away at it slowly. I mean, look, you had Jim Brown over at the Trump Tower talking nice about Donald Trump. I understand Bill and Hillary Clinton are going to go to the inauguration.
O'REILLY: That is what I hear.
MCGUIRK: Slowly, if he improves the economy and the inner cities, they can chip away at it. But they will always use it. They use it against Bush, who was a compassionate conservative. They had George Bush 43 dragging black people behind in chains behind a pickup truck if you remember that. So, it is a playbook that they always go back to. But one that people are seeing through and are sick and tired of.
O'REILLY: All right. Per se, to our interview with Charles Krauthammer at the top program, this plays into the difficulty of booking inaugural talent. Because these entertainers, not the brightest people, many of them, and the world, you know, the blacks aren't going to like me if I show up or maybe the Hispanics aren't going to like me. So, I got to sit this one out because there's all that --
