‘Fox & Friends’ Remembers Charles Krauthammer with Emotional Tribute

RUSH TRANSCRIPT KILMEADE Today ░░░░░░░░ all day and for ░░░░░░░░ long time we are ░░░░░░░░ to remember our friend ░░░░░░░░ beloved Fox News commentator ░░░░░░░░ Krauthammer He passed away ░░░░░░░░ a long fight with ░░░░░░░░ EARHARDT Pulitzer Prize winner ░░░░░░░░ bestselling author inspiring millions ░░░░░░░░ people with his insight ░░░░░░░░ his wisdom across the ░░░░░░░░ spectrum DOOCY Special Report ░░░░░░░░ Bret Baier shares this ░░░░░░░░ tribute to his very ░░░░░░░░ friend clip starts KRAUTHAMMER ░░░░░░░░ s my job to ░░░░░░░░ a folly a folly ░░░░░░░░ voice over Charles Krauthammer ░░░░░░░░ author and Fox News ░░░░░░░░ lived his life telling ░░░░░░░░ exactly what he thought ░░░░░░░░ You re betraying your ░░░░░░░░ life if you don ░░░░░░░░ say what you think ░░░░░░░░ you don t say ░░░░░░░░ honestly and bluntly BAIER ░░░░░░░░ over It was that ░░░░░░░░ that brought Charles to ░░░░░░░░ News channel during Brit ░░░░░░░░ s tenure as anchor ░░░░░░░░ This is not a ░░░░░░░░ designed for television You ░░░░░░░░ at him this is ░░░░░░░░ a potential TV star ░░░░░░░░ fact he became a ░░░░░░░░ star Even I would ░░░░░░░░ a mega star on ░░░░░░░░ channel It was the ░░░░░░░░ force of his intellect ░░░░░░░░ the power of his ░░░░░░░░ And on top of ░░░░░░░░ there was a gentleness ░░░░░░░░ him personally that if ░░░░░░░░ disagreed with you you ░░░░░░░░ you never felt attacked ░░░░░░░░ know He just disagreed ░░░░░░░░ you DENNERT He was ░░░░░░░░ unspoken on the panel ░░░░░░░░ he was always the ░░░░░░░░ because of his delivery ░░░░░░░░ intellect BAIER voice over ░░░░░░░░ Report stage manager Mary ░░░░░░░░ Dennert was on set ░░░░░░░░ Charles every night for ░░░░░░░░ DENNER It was kind ░░░░░░░░ an ongoing joke on ░░░░░░░░ panel that Bret Baier ░░░░░░░░ a signal when people ░░░░░░░░ to wrap up I ░░░░░░░░ them 30 Bret puts ░░░░░░░░ arm out And Charles ░░░░░░░░ on the show forever ░░░░░░░░ always laughed that I ░░░░░░░░ t think he paid ░░░░░░░░ to that once If ░░░░░░░░ had something to say ░░░░░░░░ was going to say ░░░░░░░░ No time constraints were ░░░░░░░░ to control him on ░░░░░░░░ BAIER voice over Born ░░░░░░░░ 1950s New York to ░░░░░░░░ parents who left World ░░░░░░░░ II era Europe Charles ░░░░░░░░ raised his son to ░░░░░░░░ the pursuit of knowledge ░░░░░░░░ His motto for us ░░░░░░░░ I want you to ░░░░░░░░ everything I want you ░░░░░░░░ learn everything You don ░░░░░░░░ have to do everything ░░░░░░░░ you have got to ░░░░░░░░ everything He thought that ░░░░░░░░ part of life BAIER ░░░░░░░░ over The family lived ░░░░░░░░ Montreal and summered at ░░░░░░░░ cottage in Long Beach ░░░░░░░░ York KRAUTHAMMER It was ░░░░░░░░ paratypical childhood My brother ░░░░░░░░ I were inseparable He ░░░░░░░░ insisted I be included ░░░░░░░░ I got used to ░░░░░░░░ around the big boys ░░░░░░░░ taking the slings and ░░░░░░░░ That s how you ░░░░░░░░ toughened up BAIER voice ░░░░░░░░ As a senior at ░░░░░░░░ University in Canada Krauthammer ░░░░░░░░ captivated by political journalism ░░░░░░░░ applied to medical school ░░░░░░░░ appease his family and ░░░░░░░░ accepted to Harvard But ░░░░░░░░ put off attending and ░░░░░░░░ at Oxford instead It ░░░░░░░░ there that he met ░░░░░░░░ student from Australia Robin ░░░░░░░░ who would later become ░░░░░░░░ wife Charles reversed course ░░░░░░░░ headed back to the ░░░░░░░░ S to attend Harvard ░░░░░░░░ Why did you choose ░░░░░░░░ KRAUTHAMMER I was looking ░░░░░░░░ something halfway between the ░░░░░░░░ of medicine and the ░░░░░░░░ if you like of ░░░░░░░░ So psychiatry was the ░░░░░░░░ thing BAIER voice over ░░░░░░░░ was there that one ░░░░░░░░ moment a tragic diving ░░░░░░░░ changed Charles life forever ░░░░░░░░ It just hit at ░░░░░░░░ the angle where all ░░░░░░░░ force was transmitted to ░░░░░░░░ spot and that is ░░░░░░░░ cervical vertebra which severed ░░░░░░░░ spinal cord BAIER When ░░░░░░░░ you realize that the ░░░░░░░░ was life altering KRAUTHAMMER ░░░░░░░░ second it happened BAIER ░░░░░░░░ over Despite his permanent ░░░░░░░░ Charles astounded his professors ░░░░░░░░ classmates by graduating on ░░░░░░░░ near the top of ░░░░░░░░ class Ultimately he decided ░░░░░░░░ field wasn t for ░░░░░░░░ A career reversal he ░░░░░░░░ about on Fox decades ░░░░░░░░ KRAUTHAMMER I m a ░░░░░░░░ in remission Doing very ░░░░░░░░ I haven t had ░░░░░░░░ relapse in 25 years ░░░░░░░░ voice over In 1978 ░░░░░░░░ headed to Washington D ░░░░░░░░ for a government job ░░░░░░░░ I thought once I ░░░░░░░░ in Washington isn t ░░░░░░░░ where they do politics ░░░░░░░░ thing will lead to ░░░░░░░░ BAIER voice over Robin ░░░░░░░░ him to follow his ░░░░░░░░ He soon landed at ░░░░░░░░ left leaning New Republic ░░░░░░░░ just as the Reagan ░░░░░░░░ took office REAGAN So ░░░░░░░░ me God BAIER voice ░░░░░░░░ Krauthammer found himself agreeing ░░░░░░░░ the new president and ░░░░░░░░ his own feelings about ░░░░░░░░ Democratic Party KRAUTHAMMER I ░░░░░░░░ up supporting just about ░░░░░░░░ element of the Reagan ░░░░░░░░ policy BAIER voice over ░░░░░░░░ after Reagan s re ░░░░░░░░ Krauthammer penned the phrase ░░░░░░░░ Reagan doctrine in a ░░░░░░░░ Time magazine column and ░░░░░░░░ name stuck UNKNOWN He ░░░░░░░░ the Reagan doctrine Nobody ░░░░░░░░ heard of it Charles ░░░░░░░░ together a piece and ░░░░░░░░ it I have read ░░░░░░░░ many times And it ░░░░░░░░ holds up so well ░░░░░░░░ discovered then that there ░░░░░░░░ was a lot to ░░░░░░░░ BAIER voice over But ░░░░░░░░ would take years before ░░░░░░░░ fully embraced domestic conservative ░░░░░░░░ KRAUTHAMMER It took me ░░░░░░░░ a decade I was ░░░░░░░░ of tax cuts I ░░░░░░░░ skeptical of smaller government ░░░░░░░░ the beginning Then by ░░░░░░░░ end of the 1980s ░░░░░░░░ had been begun to ░░░░░░░░ BAIER voice over In ░░░░░░░░ his son Daniel was ░░░░░░░░ and two years later ░░░░░░░░ won the biggest honor ░░░░░░░░ journalism the pulitzer prize ░░░░░░░░ was the events of ░░░░░░░░ 11th 2001 that brought ░░░░░░░░ more forceful ton e ░░░░░░░░ his commentary and a ░░░░░░░░ spot on the Special ░░░░░░░░ panel Over the years ░░░░░░░░ became an audience favorite ░░░░░░░░ The biggest error that ░░░░░░░░ make is to lose ░░░░░░░░ damn war because we ░░░░░░░░ to recognize hot enemy ░░░░░░░░ and what it requires ░░░░░░░░ god s sake why ░░░░░░░░ you have to talk ░░░░░░░░ that The morning is ░░░░░░░░ The chiva is done ░░░░░░░░ you are a conservative ░░░░░░░░ should be optimistic I ░░░░░░░░ it will snow in ░░░░░░░░ before doj is going ░░░░░░░░ go after her We ░░░░░░░░ were expected it It ░░░░░░░░ t happen That was ░░░░░░░░ dog that didn t ░░░░░░░░ BAIER voice over Despite ░░░░░░░░ his accomplishments awards and ░░░░░░░░ profile endorsements krauthammer was ░░░░░░░░ humble and at times ░░░░░░░░ with the influence his ░░░░░░░░ held KRAUTHAMMER I think ░░░░░░░░ it but find it ░░░░░░░░ When I was totally ░░░░░░░░ I could say anything ░░░░░░░░ damn well pleased BAIER ░░░░░░░░ over That included when ░░░░░░░░ opinions reached presidents B ░░░░░░░░ Read krauthammer column in ░░░░░░░░ post Is he a ░░░░░░░░ man KRAUTHAMMER You know ░░░░░░░░ you get praise from ░░░░░░░░ Clinton and you are ░░░░░░░░ my side of the ░░░░░░░░ that means that my ░░░░░░░░ is done I mean ░░░░░░░░ m toast BAIER voice ░░░░░░░░ Krauthammer s high standards ░░░░░░░░ political leaders were bipartisan ░░░░░░░░ President Obama KRAUTHAMMER When ░░░░░░░░ think he has done ░░░░░░░░ about everything wrong BAIER ░░░░░░░░ over To then candidate ░░░░░░░░ Trump KRAUTHAMMER This is ░░░░░░░░ strongest field of Republican ░░░░░░░░ in 35 years You ░░░░░░░░ pick a dozen of ░░░░░░░░ at random and have ░░░░░░░░ strongest cabinet America has ░░░░░░░░ in our lifetime And ░░░░░░░░ all our time is ░░░░░░░░ discussing this rodeo clown ░░░░░░░░ don t think I ░░░░░░░░ ever heard such a ░░░░░░░░ of disconnected ideas since ░░░░░░░░ quit psychiatry 30 years ░░░░░░░░ TRUMP As far as ░░░░░░░░ Krauthammer I m not ░░░░░░░░ fan of his I ░░░░░░░░ he is a highly ░░░░░░░░ pundit He is wrong ░░░░░░░░ so many things BAIER ░░░░░░░░ Krauthammer who by the ░░░░░░░░ in candidate casino put ░░░░░░░░ first money TRUMP I ░░░░░░░░ that I couldn t ░░░░░░░░ it thank you Charles ░░░░░░░░ m going to make ░░░░░░░░ look good Charles BAIER ░░░░░░░░ over In recent years ░░░░░░░░ the took office He ░░░░░░░░ t shy away from ░░░░░░░░ blunt unabashedly critical analysis ░░░░░░░░ it came to President ░░░░░░░░ KRAUTHAMMER Presidents don t ░░░░░░░░ like this They never ░░░░░░░░ This is what it ░░░░░░░░ like when you are ░░░░░░░░ in a banana republic ░░░░░░░░ voice over Charles had ░░░░░░░░ loves aside from politics ░░░░░░░░ played chess and was ░░░░░░░░ avid baseball fan KRAUTHAMMER ░░░░░░░░ grew up playing the ░░░░░░░░ I loved to play ░░░░░░░░ game BAIER voice over ░░░░░░░░ loved nothing more than ░░░░░░░░ his Washington nationals play ░░░░░░░░ win KRAUTHAMMER Glory With ░░░░░░░░ White House on fire ░░░░░░░░ Congress in chaos and ░░░░░░░░ world going to hell ░░░░░░░░ a hand basket we ░░░░░░░░ happy news like this ░░░░░░░░ is why god created ░░░░░░░░ late on the sixth ░░░░░░░░ BAIER voice over Friends ░░░░░░░░ Fox News channel remember ░░░░░░░░ quick whit and Charles ░░░░░░░░ for talking to anyone ░░░░░░░░ Special report has a ░░░░░░░░ of people that come ░░░░░░░░ and watch it and ░░░░░░░░ were always in awe ░░░░░░░░ Charles and always very ░░░░░░░░ about approaching him And ░░░░░░░░ would always say please ░░░░░░░░ say something to him ░░░░░░░░ would love to talk ░░░░░░░░ you and he was ░░░░░░░░ so friendly to everyone ░░░░░░░░ voice over In 2013 ░░░░░░░░ released a book Things ░░░░░░░░ matter And summed up ░░░░░░░░ survivor s spirit that ░░░░░░░░ guided much of his ░░░░░░░░ writing quote The catastrophe ░░░░░░░░ awaits everyone from a ░░░░░░░░ false move wrong turn ░░░░░░░░ encounter every life has ░░░░░░░░ a moment What distinguishes ░░░░░░░░ is whether and how ░░░░░░░░ ever come back KRAUTHAMMER ░░░░░░░░ is an element of ░░░░░░░░ in everybody s story ░░░░░░░░ low point Do you ░░░░░░░░ it enough and are ░░░░░░░░ lucky enough That s ░░░░░░░░ party of it too ░░░░░░░░ voice over In mid ░░░░░░░░ krauthammer announced that he ░░░░░░░░ been diagnosed with cancer ░░░░░░░░ doctors had given him ░░░░░░░░ weeks to live Writing ░░░░░░░░ leave this life with ░░░░░░░░ regrets It was a ░░░░░░░░ life full and complete ░░░░░░░░ the great loves and ░░░░░░░░ endeavors that make it ░░░░░░░░ living I am sad ░░░░░░░░ leave But I leave ░░░░░░░░ the knowledge that I ░░░░░░░░ the life that I ░░░░░░░░ BAIER Do you think ░░░░░░░░ will ever stop writing ░░░░░░░░ No I intend to ░░░░░░░░ at my desk BAIER ░░░░░░░░ KRAUTHAMMER I would like ░░░░░░░░ I m not sure ░░░░░░░░ I arrange it BAIER ░░░░░░░░ Krauthammer was 68 years ░░░░░░░░ clip ends DOOCY What ░░░░░░░░ life Pictures little boy ░░░░░░░░ up EARHARDT What a ░░░░░░░░ man KILMEADE Tonight at ░░░░░░░░ you will see an ░░░░░░░░ special of Charles life ░░░░░░░░ up to his book ░░░░░░░░ really applies here and ░░░░░░░░ realize how familiar you ░░░░░░░░ his commentary on what ░░░░░░░░ are going through on ░░░░░░░░ basis You always think ░░░░░░░░ yourself what would Charles ░░░░░░░░ I think when he ░░░░░░░░ in terms of the ░░░░░░░░ When he thought the ░░░░░░░░ was right He would ░░░░░░░░ When he thought he ░░░░░░░░ t he wouldn t ░░░░░░░░ afraid to get comment ░░░░░░░░ get blasted in return ░░░░░░░░ kind of liked it ░░░░░░░░ We heard from so ░░░░░░░░ of you asking where ░░░░░░░░ is over the last ░░░░░░░░ I know there is ░░░░░░░░ on my parent s ░░░░░░░░ always ask me when ░░░░░░░░ go home where is ░░░░░░░░ He was diagnosed with ░░░░░░░░ about a year ago ░░░░░░░░ had some complications after ░░░░░░░░ surgery after they removed ░░░░░░░░ tumor in his abdomen ░░░░░░░░ lots of complications Looked ░░░░░░░░ it was getting better ░░░░░░░░ cancer returned a few ░░░░░░░░ ago The doctors said ░░░░░░░░ don t have long ░░░░░░░░ live and that s ░░░░░░░░ he penned the letter ░░░░░░░░ Sad end What a ░░░░░░░░ life Charles Krauthammer was ░░░░░░░░ EARHARDT Rest in peace ░░░░░░░░ friend.”