Bennett: Trump, Like Reagan, Showing ‘He Meant What He Said, He Said What He Meant’
RUSH EXCERPT:
KELLY: "First let’s talk about Donald Trump’s speech tonight. What a speech it was. Optimistic, you know at times — strong, at times a little threatening of those who would cross America in his view, not dissimilar from what we heard from Ronald Reagan."
BENNETT: "That’s right. But it was vintage Trump. Very funny I think when he was on the text reading from the text and then when he departed. I preferred the departures from the text, actually. Would be just as happy if he didn’t return to the text. He’s the same guy. That’s the same thing. And when Reagan did the air traffic controllers firing, everybody said oh my gosh, this guy is serious. Remember, Ronald Reagan was called a dunce by part of the Republican establishment. People didn’t know what we were getting. Washington didn’t know what they were getting. The people knew. And when he got in and did this, people said my gosh, this guy is serious. He means business. That’s what trump did in Indiana with the carrier thing. Two things, he showed that he meant what he said, said what he meant and second he showed that he remembered what he promised during a political campaign. Do you know how cynical people are about American politics? Here’s a guy that said something, before he’s president he acts unit."
KELLY: "Obviously he did not keep the promise to go after Hillary and put her in jail and got some heat on reversing himself on that promise and a couple of others. This leads to real American employment and jobs which may be more important to the American people. How do you square those two?"
BENNETT: "Both are consistent with Christmas, I would argue, and before Christmas. The Hillary thing that can still be covered by other people if it needs to be. I don’t think people are worried about that. The Clintons are done. She’s out of the picture. But this was a reminder that the guy meant what he said and he means business. Now we’ll see what else. But the other thing I mentioned was about the cabinet because people have been saying the never trumpers, with whom I was arguing, said two things they were sure of, one, he wouldn’t be elected. That was wrong. The second thing is he’s no conservative. This cabinet, these picks so far are not the most conservative by a Republican president since Reagan. They’re the most conservative including Reagan. I was there. I sat around the table. You have place, you have Jeff Sessions, you have Flynn, you have Betty DeVoss in education and now 'Mad Dog' Mattis. It’s nice to have a general named mad dog, I think. I’d like the other side to think he meant it for them. I can imagine he could be tough there. The warrior monk they call it because he reads books. How about that, generals read books."
KELLY: "What do you think about the Never-Trumpers? Do you think they’re coming around now. A lot of the Republicans who opposed Donald Trump are suddenly looking around saying, this is actually great, we control the house, we control the Senate, we’ve got a Republican president in the White House who is saying all of the things that we believed in, maybe not the trade stuff but apart from that he’s saying a lot of things. That speech tonight was a speech 80% of which most Republicans have been dreaming about for eighars."
BENNETT: "Yeah, no kidding. I haven’t heard from them. I’m still lonely for lunch but that’s okay. Maybe you’ll come you and I can have lunch. Some of them are trying to get on the transition team and they’re looking for positions in the White House. I’ve talked to a couple of people who say they were in transition. I said did you vote for trump, no. Did you support him, no. I’m going to turn you no. I don’t think you should be on the transition team. But in any case I haven’t heard people saying you were right, we were wrong. If you’re a conservative, you have to be very pleased. Administration is personnel. I ran three federal agencies. When you hire conservatives, that means your government and your policy will be conservative.
KELLY: "Quickly, what do you think — who do you like for secretary of state, who do you hope he picks? And he mentioned, we’re going to get to this in a minute, possibly Sarah Palin for the head of the VA who is a controversial figure for half of the country. What do you think of those two positions."
BENNETT: "I’m loyal to Fox so I would like to see Pete get that position."
KELLY: "He’s going to be on tonight. He’s coming on."
BENNETT: "Good. You tell him I’m supporting him. In terms of secretary of state, a name not on the list and I don’t know why is John Kyle. I think he’s one of the most capable people."
KELLY: "Would you stick to the list, stick to the list, Bill."
BENNETT: "Yeah, okay I’ll stick to the list and go for Giuliani. I have trouble with the Romney thing. He was so far out of the realm of fairness no terms of what he said. So personal, so nasty, so uncalled for by Romney, supposedly a general. But if Donald Trump was to forgive him and say fine, I’ll following the example of my leader."
KELLY: "Bill, great to see you."
BENNETT: "Thank you."
