MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT HAS WORKED IN BROADCAST JOURNALISM
FOR OVER 50 YEARS.
PLEASE WELCOME CHRIS WALLACE!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) ( BAND PLAYING )
>> SO, STEPHEN -- >> Stephen: YES, CHRIS
WALLACE?
>> YOU HAVE NOT HAD ME ON THE SHOW FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS,
SINCE APRIL OF 2016.
I HAVE TO SAY, I'M A LITTLE BIT HURT, BUT --
>> Stephen: YES?
DO YOU NOTICE ANYTHING DIFFERENT ABOUT ME?
>> Stephen: YOU NO LONGER HAVE BLONDE HAIR?
( LAUGHTER ) >> SO, CAN WE GET A TWO-SHOT
HERE SOMEWHERE?
SO THIS IS THE WAY, IN 2016, THAT I LOOKED.
OKAY?
>> Stephen: WOW.
THIS IS THE WAY, IN 2018, THAT I LOOK.
I HAVE GONE FULL STEPHEN COLBERT!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: YOU LOOK SO SMART!
YOU LOOK SO DAMN SMART!
>> IVE DONE A PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, INTERVIEWED VLADIMIR
PUTIN, ALL ONCE I WENT STEPHEN COLBERT.
>> Stephen: CONGRATULATIONS.
WELCOME TO THE BRIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD?
I'M NOT SURE.
DO YOU NEED THOSE GLASSES OR ARE THOSE ATTITUDE GLASSES?
>> NO, I NEED THE GLASSES.
I CAN'T SEE TELEPROMPTER, I CAN'T READ MY NOTES, SO I GOT
GLASSES.
>> Stephen: GOOD.
WHAT'S TELEPROMPTER LIKE?
BECAUSE I MAKE ALL THIS STUFF UP.
I HEAR THEY'RE GREAT, TELEPROMPTERS.
I NEVER USE THEM.
I NEVER USE THEM, CHRIS.
>> YOU HAVE A TEAM OF PRODUCERS.
I HAVE BEEN PRE-INTERVIEWED.
IF I GET ALL THE PREPARATION FOR MY INTERVIEWS THAT YOU GET FOR
YOURS -- >> Stephen: THAT IS FAKE NEWS,
RIGHT THERE.
( LAUGHTER ) ( APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: TH THIS IS IMPROV.
LET'S JUST TAKE THESE AWAY FROM YOU THEN.
>> Stephen: SURE.
( LAUGHTER ) FIVE DAYS AWAY FROM THE
MIDTERMS.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: THERE'S A LOT OF TENSION IN THE COUNTRY.
>> I AGREE.
>> Stephen: A LOT OF PRESSURE, LIKE A BOIL THAT WANTS TO BE
LICENSED.
DOES THIS FEEL, LIKE, MORE STRESSFUL THAN IT HAS IN THE
PAST?
BECAUSE YOU'VE COVERED A BUNCH OF THESE.
>> YEAH, I WAS NOT THERE FOR THE SECOND LINCOLN ADMINISTRATION,
BUT, IT CERTAINLY -- LOOK, EVER SINCE PRESIDENT TRUMP CAME IN,
EVERYTHING SEEMS -- THE VOLUME SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN ARCHED UP,
WHETHER YOU'RE FOR HIM OR AGAINST HIM, IT SEEMS TO BE MORE
INTENSE.
I MEAN, THERE HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT MIDTERM ELECTIONS.
REMEMBER AFTER THE ObamaCare WAS PASSED IN 2010, AND THEN YOU
HAD THIS COMPLETE BLOWOUT OF THE DEMOCRATS, AND REPUBLICANS
PICKED UP AN HISTORIC 63 SEATS?
REMEMBER, IN 1994, AFTER CLINTON FAILED TO PASS ObamaCare, YOU
HAD NEWT GINGRICH COME IN WITH THE REPUBLICANS FOR THE FIRST
TIME IN 45, 50 YEARS.
I MEAN, THIS WILL BE A BIG ELECTION BUT THERE HAVE BEEN
OTHER BIG MIDTERM ELECTIONS.
>> Stephen: AMONG THOSE YOU NAMED, HEALTHCARE WAS A BIG PART
OF IT.
>> RIGHT.
>> Stephen: AND THIS TIME THE REPUBLICANS AREN'T RUNNING ON
THE ECONOMY THAT MUCH, A LOT OF THEM, THEY'RE RUNNING ON THE
FACT THAT THEY'LL SAVE YOUR HEALTHCARE, SAVE YOU BEING
COVERED BY PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS WHEN, JUST SECONDS
AGO, THEY WERE DOING EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO STRIP ALL OF THAT
OUT OF THE LAW.
ARE PEOPLE BELIEVING THAT?
ARE YOU -- WHEN YOU TALK TO PEOPLE, DO THEY SAY, SURE, WE'LL
SWALLOW THAT?
>> NO, AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS -- IT IS A PROBLEM
FOR REPUBLICANS BECAUSE THEY RAN ON REPEAL AND REPLACE, AND
REPEAL AND REPLACE PARTICULARLY WEAKENED THE PRE-EXISTING
CONDITION FACTOR, AND, SO, REPUBLICANS ARE GETTING THEIR
TAILS WHIPPED ON THAT SUBJECT AND, AS A RESULT, THEY'RE TRYING
TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE PRESIDENT
TALKING SO MUCH ABOUT IMMIGRATION AND THE CARAVAN
ABOUT TO INVADE AMERICA.
>> Stephen: WELL, TODAY HE GAVE A -- ABOUT TO.
THEY'RE CAREENING TOWARD US AT FOOT SPEED.
( LAUGHTER ) OKAY.
SO IN FIVE DAYS, MIDTERMS.
THE IMMIGRATION SPEECH TODAY, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO THE
ELECTION?
BECAUSE IT'S A REAL FEAR-STOKING SPEECH.
>> YEAH, I MEAN, THE INTERESTING TO ME ABOUT THE SPEECH, WE HEARD
THE PRESIDENT WAS GOING TO SPEAK AT 4:15 IN THE ROOSEVELT ROOM,
MAKE A SPEECH TO THE NATION.
I THINK MOST OF THE NETWORKS OR CABLE NEWS TOOK IT LIVE.
HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING NEW.
I MEAN, YOU CAN ARGUE AS WHETHER HE SAID WAS GOOD OR BAD --
>> Stephen: BAD.
( LAUGHTER ) YOU WANT TO ARGUE THE GOOD PART?
>> YES, OKAY, I WILL ARGUE -- I'LL ARGUE -- YES, HERE WE GO.
LOOK AT US AGAIN.
TAKE THE TWO SHOT.
DON'T WE LOOK -- I MEAN, COME ON!
IT'S ADORABLE, THE TWO OF US!
>> Stephen: FANTASTIC!
YOU COULD BE MY SLIGHTLY OLDER BROTHER.
>> YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US?
I MAKE IN LOOK GOOD!
( PIANO RIFF ) ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
OH!
I GOT A RIM SHOT FROM THE BAND!
>> Stephen: OKAY.
FEAR TO HAVE THE CARAVAN GOOD.
>> FEAR OF THE CARAVAN IS NOT GOOD, BUT THE IDEA THAT 3 OR 5
OR 7,000 PEOPLE FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY CAN JUST WALK UP TO OUR
BORDER, KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND SAY, WE WANT IN, WE WANT TO TAKE
JOBS HERE, WE WANT TO WORK HERE, NO.
A COUNTRY DOES NEED TO HAVE BORDERS AND THERE DOES NEED TO
BE SOME KIND OF SYSTEM THAT DETERMINES WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE
ARE ALLOWED IN THE COUNTRY OR NOT.
I MEAN, DO YOU BELIEVE -- SERIOUSLY -- DO YOU BELIEVE IN
OPEN BORDERS?
>> Stephen: NO, WE DON'T HAVE AN OPEN BORDER.
THERE IS A SYSTEM, AND 3,000 TO 5,000 PEOPLE WILL NOT MAKE IT
HERE.
THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES BEFORE, AND THEY NEVER DO, AND
YOU KNOW THAT.
( APPLAUSE ) THERE IS A SYSTEM IN PLACE, A
LEGAL SYSTEM AND WE HAVE LAWS THAT ALLOW ASYLUM.
SO I BELIEVE IN THE LAW.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE LAW, CHRIS WALLACE?
>> YEAH, AND I -- >> Stephen: WELL I ACCEPT YOUR
APOLOGY, THEN.
>> NO, BECAUSE TO HAVE THE FACT THAT THE ASYLUM RULES, NOW, IF
SOMEBODY COMES IN AND SAY, WE HAVE A CREDIBLE FEAR OF
PERSECUTION -- >> Stephen: YES.
-- WHAT HAPPENS?
THEY ARE PUT OUT INTO THE COUNTRY, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH
PLACES TO PUT THEM, SO WE DO HAVE A CATCH AND RELEASE
PROGRAM, AND ABOUT 10% OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CAUGHT AND
RELEASED RETURN FOR THEIR HEARINGS AND ONLY ABOUT 10%
ACTUALLY GET LEGITIMATE ASYLUM.
>> Stephen: I'M NOT GOING TO FACT CHECK YOU BECAUSE I DON'T
HAVE TIME BUT I WILL REJECT YOUR REALITY AND REPLACE IT WITH MY
OWN.
WHEN YOU FIND OUT WHETHER HIS STATS ARE TRUE OR NOT, LET ME
KNOW.
WE HAVE A LONG INTERVIEW, BY THE TIME THIS IS OVER.
>> I MAY BE WRONG -- >> Stephen: I ACCEPT YOUR
APOLOGY RIGHT NOW.
( LAUGHTER ) ( APPLAUSE )
>> ONLY 10% OF THE PEOPLE WHO SEEK ASYLUM ARE GRANTED ASYLUM.
>> Stephen: THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU SAID.
>> I SAID TWO THINGS.
I ALSO SAID -- >> Stephen: THEY DON'T SHOW UP
FOR THEIR HEARING.
>> A LOT OF THEM DON'T.
>> Stephen: NOW, IF A MAJORITY SHOW UP FOR THEIR HEARING, HOW
WRONG WILL YOU BE?
>> I'LL BE ABOUT 40% WRONG.
( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: WE'LL FIND OUT.
I DIDN'T KNOW MATH WAS GOING TO BE PART OF THIS INTERVIEW.
>> Stephen: NEITHER DID I.
I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU WERE GOING TO DEFEND DONALD TRUMP.
>> I'M NOT GOING TO ATTACK HIM.
>> Stephen: WHY NOT?
IF HE LIES ALL THE TIME, WHY WOULDN'T YOU ATTACK HIM?
>> BECAUSE THERE ARE GOOD THINGS AND BAD THINGS, SERIOUSLY.
>> Stephen: OKAY, LISTEN -- NO --
>> Stephen: -- IF YOU POUR POISON IN A CUP OF WATER THERE'S
STILL WATER IF THERE BUT I'M NOT GOING TO DRINK IT BECAUSE I WILL
BE POISONED.
>> 3.7% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, DID YOU EVER IMAGINE THAT?
>> Stephen: YES, BECAUSE WE WERE HEADED THAT WAY THE LAST
FIVE YEARS.
WE ARE AN EXTENSION.
YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY DID NOT START ON
JANUARY 1, 2017.
>> I AGREE WITH THAT.
I POINTED OUT ON MY SHOW A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, MORE JOBS
HAD BEEN CREATED IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS OF OBAMA THAN THE FIRST
18 MONTHS OF TRUMP.
>> Stephen: THEN WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THIS?
>> THE FACT THAT IT'S CONTINUED AND HASN'T GONE IN THE OTHER
DIRECTION.
>> Stephen: SO THE FACT IS HE'S NOT DESTROYED THE GOOD BUT
INTRODUCED A LOT OF HATEFUL NATIONALISM.
>> WHAT ABOUT I.S.I.S.?
>> Stephen: I TAKE THAT.
I ACCEPT YO YOUR APOLOGY.
>> Stephen: I APOLOGIZE, CHRIS WALLACE.
HAPPY TO.
>> I THINK THE TRUMP PEOPLE WILL BE SURPRISED I'M DEFENDING THEM
BECAUSE THERE IS NOBLE THAT IS MORE CONSISTENTLY CRITICAL OF
THEM.
>> Stephen: HAS HE EVER ATTACKED YOU?
ARE YOU FAKE NEWS?
ARE YOU THE ENEMY TO HAVE THE PEOPLE?
>> HE'S LET ME KNOW THAT HE DOESN'T THINK I TREAT HIM
FAIRLY.
>> Stephen: ARE YOU THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE?
>> BY HIS IDEA?
>> Stephen: YES.
MAYBE A LITTLE BIT.
>> Stephen: DOES THAT BOTHER YOU WHEN HE CALLS THE FAKE NEWS
THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE?
>> I THINK ITS OUTRAGEOUS.
>> Stephen: DO YOU THINK IT'S DANGEROUS?
>> I DO.
I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE.
( APPLAUSE ) I TAKE THE WORD -- THERE'S A
FELLOW NAMED BILL McRAVEN, A NAVY SEAL FOR 37 YEARS AND THEN
HEAD OF OPERATIONS COMMAND, BLEEDS RED WHITE AND BLUE, HE
WAS IN CHARGE OF THE OPERATIONS THAT CAPTURED SADDAM HUSSEIN AND
TOOK DOWN BIN LADEN.
HE SAID HE THOUGHT THIS WAS THE GREATEST THREAT TO THE DEMOCRACY
THAT HE EVER HEARD, BILL McRAVEN, ADMIRAL, BECAUSE HE
SAID WE SWEAR AN OATH, THE PRESIDENT, HE DID, TO THE
CONSTITUTION, AND THE THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IS THE
FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION, AND WHEN YOU CALL
US THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, YOU'RE UNDERMINING THE
CONSTITUTION.
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH HIM.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: BUT YOU CAN'T
REALLY ATTACK THE PRESIDENT BECAUSE -- YOU KNOW, NOT THAT MY
OPINION MATTERS, BUT I DO RESPECT YOU AS A JOURNALIST
BECAUSE DO I THINK YOU ARE FAIR AND YOU HOLD A LOT OF PEOPLE'S
FEET TO THE FIRE REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL AFFILIATION, SO I
DIDN'T MEAN TO IMPLY YOU WOULD BE CARRYING WATER FOR THE
PRESIDENT AND WOULDN'T ATTACK HIM.
>> I ACCEPT YOUR SECOND APOLOGY.
>> Stephen: WE'LL TAKE A LITTLE MORE BREAK.
BACK WITH CHRIS WALLACE.
THE NUMBERS ABOUT MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS AND ASYLUM WHEN WE
COME BACK.
STICK AROUND!