NEIL: THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH.
MARK MEREDITH ON ALL OF THAT.
THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS BEING
RAISED ON BOTH FRONTS HERE.
BUT WE'RE NOT EXACTLY HEARING
REPORTING ON MUCH OF BOTH
INCIDENTS
WHAT TO MAKE OF THAT WITH NEW
YORK CITY COUNCILMAN, DEMOCRATIC
STRATEGIST AND A HOST OF
SINCERELY KAT ON FOX NATION.
THE CONCERN THAT A LOT OF
REPUBLICANS HAVE HAD IS THAT
WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE
DOESN'T NECESSARILY APPLY WELL
TO THE GANDER.
WHATEVER THAT MEANS.
BUT THERE IS A VALID POINT HERE
ABOUT IT'S QUESTIONABLE THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
TO URGE A LEADER OF ANOTHER
COUNTRY TO LOOK INTO A GUY WHO
WANTS TO BE A LEADER OF THIS
COUNTRY AND I GET THAT, AND THE
CONCERN TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF
THAT BUT NO CONCERN ABOUT WHEN A
GUY WANTS TO BE A LEADER OF THIS
COUNTRY WAS DOING WHEN HE WAS
THE SECOND HIGHEST ELECTED
OFFICIAL IN THIS COUNTRY IN
UKRAINE.
>> THAT'S WHY I DON'T UNDERSTAND
THE MEDIA'S COVERAGE OF THIS.
JOE BIDEN WAS ACTUALLY THE VICE
PRESIDENT.
IF YOU LISTEN TO HIS OWN WORDS,
WHICH YOU JUST HAD ON THE
SCREEN, HE ADMITS ESSENTIALLY TO
A QUID PRO QUO INVOLVING U.S.
TAXPAYER DOLLARS, A BILLION
DOLLARS OF IT IN RESPONSE TO THE
UKRAINIAN'S FIRING A
PROSECUTOR -- FIRE A PROSECUTOR
THAT WAS INVESTIGATING A COMPANY
WHICH HIS SON HAD A FINANCIAL
INTEREST.
NEIL: JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS
PROSECUTOR AT THE TIME WAS
LOOKING A LOT AT THINGS AND
THERE WAS CONCERN ABOUT
GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION.
THIS MADE IT SEEM -- OR THE
TRUMP FOLKS ARE TRYING TO SAY
THIS MADE IT SEEM LIKE A QUID
PRO QUO DEAL TO EASE THE
PRESSURE ON HIS SON, WHO WAS A
BOARD MEMBER OF ONE OF THESE GAS
COMPANIES BEING --
>> SURE.
AGAIN YOU HEARD THE VICE
PRESIDENT'S WORDS.
I THINK THE DEMOCRATS ARE REALLY
RISKING ONE OF THOSE K
RISKING ONE OF THOSE COYOTE
MOMENTS WHERE THEY THINK THEY
HAVE THE PRESIDENT AND MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT BIDEN MAY COME
OUT AND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
THE SCANDAL THEY REPORTED BACK
IN 2017 ABOUT THE UKRAINIANS
POTENTIALLY HELPING CLINTON
DURING THE 16 ELECTION.
THERE IS A LOT OF LAND MINES FOR
THE DEMOCRATS TO FALL ON.
NEIL: I'M TRYING HARD NOT TO
PLAY THE POLITICS GAME WITH
THIS, JESSICA.
THERE ARE A FAIR NUMBER OF
QUESTIONS BEING RAISED ON BOTH
CASES AND BOTH SHOULD BE
EXAMINED.
WHAT I DO NOTICE IN THE COVERAGE
IS THAT IT IS NOT
>> THAT'S BECAUSE THE JOE BIDEN
STORY HAS ACTUALLY ALREADY BEEN
COVERED.
SO THE STORY WAS A "NEW YORK
TIMES" PIECE AND KEN VOGEL IS
RIDING ON HIS PIECE WHICH HAS
BEEN THOROUGHLY DEBUNKED.
HUNTER BIDEN WAS THE BOARD OF
NATURAL GAS COMPANY, UKRAINIAN
NATURAL GAS COMPANY.
NEIL: WHY WAS HE ON THE BOARD?
ANY ENERGY EXPERIENCE?
>> NO, I BELIEVE AND IT WAS JOHN
KERRY'S SON HAD A CONSULTING
COMPANY OR A HEDGE FUND.
NEIL: NO BACKGROUND IN ENERGY
AND HIS FATHER IS THE VICE
PRESIDENT.
>> THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M HERE TO
DEBATE.
NEIL: GO AHEAD.
>> I'M TO PUT OUT THE TIME LINE
OF THIS.
THE PROSECUTOR, THE CORRUPT ONE,
IF YOU TALK TO ANY
ANTI-CORRUPTION ACTIVIST IN THE
COUNTRY, THEY WILL SAY THAT HE
WAS A TREMENDOUS AND THAT'S WHAT
BIDEN WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN HE
SAID HE NEEDED TO BE FIRED.
NEIL: HE WAS INVESTIGATING AMONG
OTHER THINGS ALL ENERGY
COUNTRIES WITH THE CONTRACT.
>> THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE
COMPANY THAT BIDEN WAS ON THE
BOARD OF CLOSED IN 2015.
JOE BIDEN ARRIVED IN UKRAINE TO
PUT THAT THREAT IN THERE IN
2016.
NEIL: I BELIEVE HE WAS LOOKING
AT 11 COMPANY CONTRACTS.
PRESENT OR PAST AT THE TIME.
>> THAT IS NOT THE REPORTING --
NEIL: I'M NOT HERE TO EXONERATE
OR BLAME ANYONE, JESSICA.
I'M JUST SAYING YOU ARE DOING A
TIME LINE TO VINDICATE THE VICE
PRESIDENT AT THE TIME AND NO
CONNECTION OR CURIOSITY BETWEEN
ONE OF THEM AND ANOTHER.
>> BUT THE F THE
INVESTIGATION --
NEIL: PEOPLE ARE TAKING THE LEAP
WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP THAT HE IS.
>> THE PRESIDENT IS ALLEGING
WHICH HE ABSOLUTELY IS AND RUDY
GIULIANI WHATEVER KIND OF
LANGUAGE HE WAS USING WITH CUOMO
THE OTHER EVENING THAT PRESIDENT
BIDEN WAS DOING THIS TO BAIL OUT
HIS SON.
IT DOES MATTER THAT THE
PROSECUTOR WAS NOT LOOKING INTO
THE COMPANY THAT HUNTER BIDEN
WAS ON THE BOARD OF.
THIS IS ALLEGING THAT JOE BIDEN
DID THIS TO BAIL OUT HIS SON.
>> I JUST THINK THAT IN GENERAL
THE WAY THIS IS ALL BEING
REPORTED ON IS WRONG AND IT'S
NOT THE WAY THAT I LOOK AT
THINGS.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT ALL OF THIS,
NO MATTER WHAT SIDE YOU'RE ON.
I THINK THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE
BETTER AT LOOKING AT INSTANCES
AS AMERICANS, RATHER THAN AS
MEMBERS OF A POLITICAL PARTY.
NEIL: I HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO
LOOK INTO BOTH CONTROVERSIES AND
THE TIME LINE.
I'M MORE UP ON THESE ENERGY
CONTRACTS THAN YOU MIGHT THINK.
AND I THINK THERE'S FAIR FODDER
THERE TO LOOK INTO THE TIMING,
YOU CAN SAY THE INVESTIGATION OF
THE PROSECUTOR WAS DONE, BUT THE
FOLLOW UP INVESTIGATION INVOLVED
ALMOST A DOZEN OTHER UKRAINIAN
ENERGY CONCERNS ONE OF WHICH
HAD, YOU KNOW, JOE BIDEN'S SON
ON THE BOARD.
NOW I'M NOT SAYING THERE'S A
QUID PRO QUO OR THAT HE WOULD DO
ANYTHING NEFARIOUS, JUST AS I'M
NOT GOING TO LEAP TO CONCLUSIONS
ON THESE ALLEGATIONS ABOUT THE
PRESIDENT.
WHAT I WILL ASK YOU, KAT, THIS
ISSUE INVOLVING THE PRESIDENT
RAISES SERIOUS CONCERNS THAT HE
WAS USING ONCE AGAIN A FOREIGN
POWER TO POTENTIALLY INFLUENCE
ANOTHER ELECTION.
AND I'M LOOKING AT ONLY THAT FOR
THE TIME BEING TO SAY RIGHT NOW
IN THIS ENVIRONMENT THAT DOESN'T
LOOK GOOD FOR THE PRESIDENT.
>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THAT.
I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS
SITUATION, BUT THE REASON I WANT
TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT IS BECAUSE
I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT ALL
THE SITUATIONS.
I DON'T TRUST ANYONE IN THE
GOVERNMENT, REGARDLESS OF
POLITICAL PARTY.
NEIL: I TRUST JOE.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY EXCEPT FOR
BILL DE BLASIO.
A REAL SHAME TO SEE HIM OUT, I
THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO TAKE IT
ALL THE WAY.
NEIL: MORE TIME TO TAKE CARE OF
NEW YORK.
>> OR TO MESS THINGS UP.
THE MORE TRANSPARENCY WE HAVE,
REGARDLESS OF PARTY, THE BETTER
DECISIONS WE CAN MAKE AS VOTERS.
IT IS NOT A GOOD LOOK.
DO I THINK IT IS GOING TO TAKE
HIM DOWN?
NO.
I ALSO THINK THAT THE DEMOCRATS'
MOTIVATIONS FOR WANTING TO KNOW
MORE ABOUT THIS ARE NOT THE SAME
AS MINE.
I THINK THEIR MOTIVATIONS ARE
THEY WANT TO TAKE TRUMP OUT.
NEIL: THIS IS WHERE THE POLITICS
COMING IN AND TRYING HARD NOT TO
DO THAT AND I CREDIT JESSICA
WITH TRYING TO BE VERY CAREFUL
ABOUT ONE THING OR THE OTHER.
JOE, THE ONE THING I WILL RAISE,
IF YOU ARE THE WHITE HOUSE, AND
YOU JUST SURVIVED THIS MUELLER
REPORT OR HOPE YOU HAVE, AND
THEY ARE DOING THIS KIND OF
STUFF, MAYBE PERFECTLY VALID
REASONS LIKE HEY, THE MEDIA IS
COVERING UP THIS STORY INVOLVING
JOE BIDEN, AND YOU ARE UPSET, I
GET IT; RIGHT?
BUT YOU DON'T DO THIS.
I KNOW IN GIULIANI THIS
INTERVIEW ON CNN ARGUED IT IS
PERFECTLY FINE AND LEGAL.
>> IT WAS A SHAMED TO SEE RUDY
GIULIANI TO BE TRASHED AND BY
QUOTING BIDEN'S OWN WORDS.
NEIL: HE SAID IT WAS PERFECTLY
FINE FOR THE PRESIDENT TO DO
THIS AND HE DIDN'T BELIEVE THE
PRESIDENT DID IT, I DON'T KNOW
THE LAW PART OF IT BUT THE SMELL
TEST --
>> WE OFTEN HAVE TO TRANSLATE
SOME OF THE PRESIDENT'S TWEETS.
NEIL: I WAS HAVING TROUBLE
ENOUGH TRANSLATING GIULIANI ON
THIS.
>> HE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT
SHOULD INVESTIGATE CORRUPTION OF
JOE BIDEN'S SON.
THIS DOES INVOLVE THE HIGH
LEVEL -- THE HIGHEST REALLY THE
VICE PRESIDENT LEVEL OF U.S.
GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT WITH
UKRAINE, A QUID PRO QUO, AND IF
YOU TAKE JUST THAT ON ITS FACE,
WHY WOULDN'T THE PRESIDENT BE
CONCERNED ABOUT A CORRUPTION?
NEIL: A GUY THAT COULD BE THE
OPPONENT.
WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE UKRAINE
AT THE TIME, OTHER WESTERN
GOVERNMENTS WERE LOOKING INTO
UKRAINE AND HOW CORRUPT IT WAS.
ALONG CAME THE ELECTION WITH
THIS GUY, WHO IS NOW RUNNING
UKRAINE, THE SAME GUY THIS
PRESIDENT CALLED TO ARGUE FOR
THIS.
>> I'M SAYING THERE MIGHT BE A
PERFECTLY GOOD REASON FOR
INVESTIGATING CORRUPTION.
NEIL: IF HE MADE THE CALL, WOULD
THAT BOTHER YOU?
I MEAN THAT CALL --
>> NO, IF THE MOTIVE WAS TO FIND
OUT WHY JOE BIDEN IN HIS OWN
WORDS WAS USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS
TO LEVERAGE A PROSECUTOR'S
FIRING IN UKRAINE, I THINK THAT
IS A VALID CLAIM TO ASK THE NEW
PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE WHO VOWED
TO ELIMINATE THIS TYPE OF
CORRUPTION.
>> THERE ARE A COUPLE OF ISSUES
THAT ARE IMPORTANT HERE.
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS IN AID TO A
DEMOCRATIC ALLY IN THE REGION
THAT WAS HELD UP BECAUSE OF
THIS.
ACCORDING TO "WALL STREET
JOURNAL" REPORTING, PRESIDENT
TRUMP NOT JUST ASKED ONCE,
ALLEGEDLY EIGHT TIMES AND IT WAS
SO SERIOUS WHEN IT WAS GOING ON
THE POTENTIAL CRIMES BEING
EXTORTION, CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT
EXTORTION AND CONSPIRACY TO
VIOLATE FEDERAL ELECTION LAW, A
WHISTLE-BLOWER SOMEONE WHO IS
NOW RISKING THEIR CAREER WHEN
YOU LISTEN TO GRAHAM WHO SAID WE
KNOW WHO IT IS WE ARE GOING
AFTER THEM.
HE THOUGHT IT WAS SO SERIOUS
THAT HE HAD TO BLOW THE WHISTLE
ON THIS, SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE
DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
THEY KNOW THEIR CAREERS END
AFTER THIS.
>> ONLY AN ALLEGATION AT THIS
POINT.
NEIL: YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE
DOLLAR AMOUNT HERE.
THE 250 MILLION DOLLARS AT THE
TIME WITH BIDEN --
>> NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE AID
THAT GOT HELD UP.
NEIL: I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE
SAYING.
WE WERE THREATENING A BILLION
DOLLARS ON THAT CASE.
I'M NOT COMPARING A BILLION, 250
MILLION, I'M JUST SAYING PURSUE
BOTH.
LOOK INTO BOTH.
>> BUT THE BIDEN CLAIM HAS BEEN
LOOKED INTO, AND THAT'S WHAT
BIDEN WAS SAYING ON THE TRAIL
YESTERDAY.
NEIL: I LOVE YOU DEARLY.
YOU ARE WRONG.
IT'S NOT BEEN THOROUGHLY LOOKED
OR VETTED.
AND THE INVESTIGATION NEVER GOT
FINISHED BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE
GUY LEFT.
SO ALL OF THAT STOPPED.
A NEW GOVERNMENT CAME IN.
A NEW GUY WITH NO EXPERIENCE AT
ALL, A GREAT ACTOR I'M TOLD,
REALLY GOOD, A MAN OF THE
PEOPLE, AND I JUST WANT TO BE
VERY VERY CLEAR, THAT WAS NEVER
RESOLVED BECAUSE THE GUY WHO WAS
MAYBE A NEFARIOUS CHARACTER,
HE'S GONE NOW AND EVERYTHING
THAT FOLLOWED ENDED.
>> SO THE ISSUE NOT JUST THE
PROSECUTOR, FOR YOU, THAT'S NOT
WHAT I'M HEARING FROM PRESIDENT
TRUMP --
NEIL: CORRUPTION IS CORRUPTION.
IF PEOPLE ARE TRYING --
>> IT IS ALLEGED THAT JOE BIDEN
LET HIS SON OFF.
NEIL: IF WE WANT TO INVESTIGATE
THE PRESIDENT AND WHAT HE MEANT
AND IMPLIED AND WAS ARM-TWISTING
OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL PHONE
CALLS, WITH THE LEADER OF
UKRAINE, AREN'T WE AT LEAST AS
OBLIGATED TO INVESTIGATE THE
INCIDENT THAT HAS GOT HIM ALL
FIRED UP?
>> I THINK DEMOCRATS SHOULD WANT
TO DO THAT BECAUSE IF YOU ONLY
INVESTIGATE THE ONE, THEN
TRUMP'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO SPIN
IT AS MORE BULLYING.
THIS IS ANOTHER WITCH HUNT,
ETC., ETC.
AND THAT REALLY FIRES UP PEOPLE
ON, YOU KNOW, ON TRUMP'S BASE
AND ALSO PEOPLE ARE GOING TO
START TO TUNE IT OUT, IF IT'S
ALL JUST TRUMP FOCUS THIS, TRUMP
FOCUS THAT.
NEIL: BUT DO REPUBLICANS RISK
BEING KIND OF HYPOCRITICAL ON
THIS INSPECTOR GENERAL FRONT,
YES, LET'S HEAR THE GUY, WHO HAS
SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT HOW THE
MUELLER INVESTIGATION STARTED
AND MAYBE THE FALSE PRETENSES ON
WHICH IT STARTED BUT NOT
SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DAMAGING
TO THIS PRESIDENT, ABOUT TRYING
TO ARM TWIST INFLUENCE IN
UKRAINE.
>> YES.
I THINK BOTH SIDES ARE DOING IT
WHICH IS WHY IT'S SO
FRUSTRATING.
NEIL: I WANT BOTH ISSUES TO BE
COVERED.
I WANT BOTH ISSUED TO BE
COVERED.
THE PRESIDENT BY THE WAY HAS
BEEN COMMENTING ON THIS ENTIRE
ISSUE.
DO WE STILL HAVE THAT?
NOW THAT THE DEMOCRATS AND THE
FAKE NEWS MEDIA HAVE GONE BUST
ON EVERY OTHER OF THEIR WITCH
HUNT SCHEMES THEY ARE TRYING TO
START ONE JUST AS RIDICULOUS AS
THE OTHERS.
CALL IT THE UKRAINE WITCH HUNT
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME TRYING TO
PROTECT SLEEPY JOE BIDEN WILL
FAIL AGAIN.
MR. PRESIDENT, THERE'S A LOT
HERE THAT HAS TO BE ANSWERED FOR
AND A LOT HERE THAT HAS TO BE
CLARIFIED AND A LOT OF
INFORMATION YOU HAVE TO ALLOW
THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IN THIS
CASE TO GET OUT AND THIS FELLOW
WHO HAS SORT OF DRAWN ATTENTION
TO IT TO SPEAK.
THAT'S ON YOU, AND IT WILL
VINDICATE YOU IF IT'S EVERYTHING
YOU SAY IT IS.
FAIR AND BALANCED.