FOX NEWS.
>> Shannon: SO FORMER VICE
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN HAS
MAINTAINED THAT HIS SON'S
BUSINESS DEALINGS HAD NO IMPACT
ON HIS POLICIES.
WHEN BIDEN WAS STILL VICE
PRESIDENT, HE TOLD THE ATLANTIC
IN AUGUST 2016 ABOUT THIS
EPISODE.
HE SAID I PUSHED HIM ON GETTING
RID OF A CORRUPT PROSECUTOR
GENERAL.
WE HAD COMMITTED A BILLION
DOLLARS.
I SAID YOU'RE NOT GETTING YOUR
BILLION DOLLARS.
THAT STORY COMPLICATED BY THE
FACT THAT BIDEN'S SON, HUNTER
AND HIS BUSINESS PARTNER'S FIRM
WERE REPORTEDLY PART OF A BROAD
EFFORT BY IN WELL-CONNECTED
DEMOCRATS IN A PERIOD WHEN THE
COMPANY WAS FACING
INVESTIGATIONS, NOT JUST BY
DOMESTIC UKRAINIAN FORCES BUT BY
OFFICIALS IN THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION.
THAT'S ALL ACCORDING TO "THE NEW
YORK TIMES."
TALK ABOUT IT WITH DEMOCRATIC
STRATEGIST, KEVIN WALLING AND
BLACK BLAKEMAN.
WELCOME ON THIS FRIDAY NIGHT.
>> HI, SHANNON.
GOOD EVENING.
>> Shannon: LET'S START WITH
THIS.
THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT,
BIDEN, HAS ISSUED A STATEMENT
SAYING -- TALKING ABOUT THE
PRESIDENT.
"THIS BEHAVIOR IS ABHORRENT.
DONALD TRUMP SHOULD RELEASE THE
TRANSCRIPTS OF THE CALL IN
QUESTION."
BRAD, A SENIOR ADMINISTRATION
OFFICIAL IS TELLING US THAT HE
MIGHT JUST DO THAT BECAUSE THE
MEDIA IS OVERPLAYING WHAT THIS
WAS.
>> I THINK IF THE ADMINISTRATION
OFFICIAL WAS READ THESE
DOCUMENTS, IT'S IN THE
PRESIDENT'S INTEREST TO RELEASE
THEM, HE SHOULD.
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
YOU HAVE AN UNNAMED FACELESS
BUREAUCRAT THAT HAS SUBJECTED
HIS INTERPRETATION OF A
PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION WITH
A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT.
SUBJECTING HIS OWN PERSONAL BENT
ON IT TO A CONSTITUTIONAL
FIGURE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
THIS IS UNHEARD OF.
I DON'T WANT TO SET A PRECEDENT
FOR IT.
>> Shannon: ISN'T THAT WHAT
WHISTLE-BLOWERS ARE SUPPOSED TO
DO?
THERE WAS A FRAME WORK PUT IN
PLACE --
>> HOW DID THAT GET TO THE
PUBLIC?
THAT'S THE PROBLEM HERE.
HOW DID THIS COMPLAINT GET TO
THE PUBLIC?
IT HURT OR FOREIGN POLICY, THE
PRESIDENT'S ABILITY TO CONDUCT
IT.
BY THE WAY, THIS IS THE CHICKEN
AND THE EGG.
JOE BIDEN BRIBING THE
UKRAINIANS.
THEY'RE NOT GROWING TO GET THE
MONEY THAT IS DUE THEM UNLESS
AND UNTIL A PROSECUTOR THAT IS
INVESTIGATING HIS SON WAS FIRED.
GUESS WHAT?
HE WAS FIRED.
UKRAINIANS GOT THE MONEY.
SO I WOULD CAUTION DEMOCRATS.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR.
YOU WANT TO START ANOTHER WITCH
HUNT?
THE PRESIDENT WILL BE VICTORIOUS
AGAIN.
>> Shannon: REGARDLESS OF WHERE
THIS GOES WITH BIDEN'S SLICE OF
THE STORY, HE HAS TO NOW STILL
ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT
THAT.
IT DOES DREDGE THIS UP.
THE "WALL STREET JOURNAL"
REPORTING ON THIS SAYING
ACCORDING TO THEIR SOURCE,
MR. TRUMP DID NOT MENTION A
PROVISION OF U.S. AID TO UKRAINE
ON THE CALL.
THERE WAS NOT QUID PRO QUO FOR
HIS COOPERATION.
IF THAT PLAYS OUT TO BE TRUE,
THIS IS MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.
>> THERE WERE CONCERNS RAISED BY
THE WHISTLE-BLOWERS.
WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
WE DON'T KNOW THAT THERE ARE ANY
POLITICAL MOTIVATIONS AS THE
PRESIDENT SAID IN THE PRESS
CONFERENCE TODAY.
WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THERE WAS
SOME PROMISE MADE IN THE CALL
THAT RAISED AN ALARM WITH AN
INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL.
IT DIRECTED THEM TO GO THROUGH
THEIR CHANNELS TO RAISE THIS
CONCERN TO THE INDEPENDENT
INVESTIGATORS AT THE DNI'S
OFFICE.
SO THIS PROCESS IS PLAYING OUT
THE WAY IT SHOULD IN THAT AGENCY
AND WE NEED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM
OF IT.
>> Shannon: THERE CALLS FOR IT
TO GO PUBLIC, THE COMPLAINT AND
THE CALL.
AT LEAST IN PART BECAUSE THERE'S
SOME NATIONAL SECURITY
INTERESTS.
EVERYTHING IN WASHINGTON HAS
BLACK LINES THROUGH IT.
SEAN DAVIS TWEETING THIS.
THE LATEST MEDIA MANUFACTURED
FAUX SCANDAL.
FINAL WORD FROM YOU BOTH.
>> I THINK THE DEMOCRATS ARE
GOING DOWN ANOTHER SLIPPERY
SLOPE.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE ADAM
SCHIFF THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE.
HE'S THE ONE THAT SAID THAT THEY
HAD EVIDENCE THAT THE PRESIDENT
COLLUDED WITH THE RUSSIANS.
HE HAD NO EVIDENCE.
THE PRESIDENT WAS CLEARED OF ANY
COLLUSION CHARGES.
SO DEMOCRATS WANT TO HARP ON A
"NEW YORK TIMES" STORY AFTER
THEY WERE DEBUNKED A WEEK AGO?
THAT HAD NO FACTUAL BASIS TO A
STORY?
NO.
I THINK DEMOCRATS SHOULD PROCEED
WITH CAUTION.
>> Shannon: KEVIN, YOU THINK
DEMOCRATS ARE LIKE THE BOY THAT
CRIED WOLF.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS THE BOMB
SHELL THAT IT'S ME SENTED TO BE.
>> I NEVER CALLED FOR THIS
PRESIDENT TO BE IMPEACHED.
I THINK I'M A REASONABLE
DEMOCRAT.
I THINK WE NEED TO SHOW WHERE
THE EVIDENCE LEADS.
LET'S GET IT OUT IN THE OPEN.
LET'S ALSO MAKE SURE THAT A
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
ISN'T REQUESTING THE ASSISTANCE
OF A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT TO
ATTACK A POLITICAL OPPONENT.
>> Shannon: WHETHER IT'S BIDEN
OR TRUMP?