How should President Trump, Republicans address coronavirus at the GOP convention?

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How should President Trump, Republicans address coronavirus at the GOP convention?

Insight from Fox News contributors Karl Rove and Ari Fleischer.

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," August 24, 2020. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS HOST: All right. Tucker, thank you.

And welcome to ”Hannity.”

We begin with a Fox News alert: the Republican National Convention is officially underway.

And, by the way, we do have a programming note -- big announcement at the end of the show tonight about where we will be broadcasting the next three nights.

But, breaking right now, we just received a ten-minute warning that the president of the United States, he will be making remarks and an appearance and be speaking. When that happens, we will bring it to you.

We'll also bring you a lot of the convention. We'll get to that in mere moments. We have a lot -- a lot to cover tonight. We want you to see it for yourself.

We'll also hear from dozens of speakers throughout the evening. Let's see. Steve Scalise, Herschel Walker, an NFL legend. Remember Mark and Patricia McCloskey? They're on -- they'll be speaking at the RNC tonight. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Donald Trump, Jr., Senator Tim Scott, all throughout the night.

Tonight's theme is the "Land of Promise".

Unlike the dull, the boring, the hateful Democratic convention, hate Trump, hate Trump. Do you hate Trump? I hate Trump. Do you hate Trump? I hate Trump. No vision. Oh, and apparently, the rioting, the unrest, the arson, the looting and the anarchy doesn't exist in America because they never talk about it.

The RNC will be touting American greatness and opportunity and freedom each and every night. As the late great Barry Farber once said, one of the pioneers of talk radio, never been a place on earth that has accumulated more power and abused it less than this one, the United States.

And I add this country has done more because of freedom and liberty and invention and innovation and risk and reward who advanced the human condition to the entire world. We've done that. America exceptionalism, American greatness, not American perfection but we do always seek to have a more perfect union. And, of course, our constitutional system allows that.

The mob, the media, they won't be covering large parts of the RNC that we'll be showing.

Now, let's dip in to what's going on right now where front line workers are talking about the coronavirus pandemic.

AMY FORD, REGISTERED NURSE: My name is Amy Ford, and I've been a Registered Nurse for 17 years.

I'm from the small town of Williamson, West Virginia, where I've lived my entire life, the daughter of a nurse and a coal miner.

Even though I was the youngest of four children, I was always somewhat of a caretaker. It came natural for me.

So it felt right to follow in my mother's footsteps and become a nurse.

And this March, when COVID19 sent our country into crisis, I knew I had to help any way I could.

I deployed to New York in April, and then to San Antonio, Texas, working as a COVID relief nurse in both states.

As I contended with the challenges of treating our patients who had their worlds turned up side down, I noticed a positive change in their health care system.

President Trump recognized the threat this virus presented for all Americans early on, and made rapid policy changes. And as a result, telehealth services are now accessible to more than 71 million Americans, including 35 million children.

Prior to COVID, telehealth was not covered or reimbursed under Medicare, Medicaid or CHIP. This left our most vulnerable populations with no other choice but to have an in-person, office visit with their physicians, increasing their risk of exposure to COVID 19 exponentially.

The expansion of telehealth services has also resulted in the integration of video visits between patients and their families, allowing loved ones to have contact and visualization, as well as a better understanding of care.

Telehealth has been essential during this pandemic.

I don't want the media taking my personal story and twisting it, so let me clear, as a healthcare professional, I can tell you without hesitation, Donald Trump's quick action and leadership saved thousands of lives during COVID19. And the benefits of that response extend far beyond coronavirus.

Telehealth will continue to aid many that are just unable to find transportation or a way to the doctor for regular checkups.

This is especially true in rural America. I live in a town of about 2,000 people. We do not have buses, trains, trolleys or Ubers available to us. In addition, the unavailability of services can also hinder treatment for many.

So the increased accessibility of telehealth for millions of Americans has truly been lifesaving and we have President Trump to thank.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From the very beginning, Democrats, the media and the world health organization got coronavirus wrong. The World Health Organization said authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to- human transmission.

DR. JOHN TORRES, NBC NEWS: Overall, most people should not be terribly concerned about it.

REP. NANCY PELOSI, D-CA, SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Everything is fine here. We want to say to people, come to Chinatown. Here we are. Come join us.

NEW YORK GOV. ANDREW CUOMO: We don't even think it's going to be as bad as it was in other countries.

NEW YORK CITY MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO: Go about your lives, go about your business.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One leader took action to save lives. President Donald Trump, banning travel from China and coronavirus epicenters. Biden charged xenophobia. But President Trump was right, signing the CARES Act, providing immediate relief to American families, workers and businesses, declaring a national emergency, tapping into $42 billion in existing emergency funding, quickly getting crucial, personal protective equipment to the states, signing the families first coronavirus response act, ensuring that American families and business impacted by the virus receive the strong support they need launching operation Warp Speed to fast track a vaccine in record time.

CALIFORNIA GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM: He said everything that I could have hoped for. Promise made, promise kept.

CUOMO: He is ready, willing and able to help.

He's been responsive. He's done a lot of good things.

What the federal government did was a phenomenal accomplishment.

GOV. PHIL MURPHY (D-NJ): In our hour of need, you are literally helping us in a big way. We were at the edge. This is life or death stuff. And we're forever thankful for that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Soon we will emerge safer, stronger and greater than ever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: All right. We're going to get back to the RNC now. We just have a mere moments. The president will be speaking and we'll take large portions of this tonight so you know. Quick response. That was an extremely powerful videotape.

Ari Fleischer and Karl Rove joining us now with their quick tape on, wow, first of all, the production last week and this week, let's start there. Karl Rove?

KARL ROVE, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Well, the evening is not done. So, we don't know if we'll have minor technical glitches like they had at the Democratic convention. But this is very impressive, high production values, emotional beginning I thought with Cardinal Dolan and the World War II veteran. I thought the tape from the nurse was particularly strong.

This is an important issue to engage with. Democrats built their -- most of their case around Donald Trump is a bad person and incidentally he bungled the response to coronavirus, and laying out the case, letting people know what the president did is a very important part to establish credibility on the issue and diminishing Biden's lead on it.

HANNITY: Yeah, Ari Fleischer, I'm looking at -- it was like -- I don't know. Maybe a college Zoom class comparison to what looks like a real set, real convention.

ARI FLEISCHER, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Well, nobody does patriotism better than Republican conventions. It's just stirring the way it began and the displays, the military, the flag, the things you love, that we should all love about America.

Here's what I'm looking out for. One, people. How many people are watching? The Democrats had the lowest numbers, 22 million to 24 million, a big drop off from 2016.

What will the Republican numbers be? Will it be on par with 2016, or more or less than 2016? And then two, taking advantage of the Democratic openings and they're (ph) doing it on one. Public safety is the huge opening that Democrats left Republicans because they didn't talk about how to keep people safe in our cities. Republicans, you can already see, they're talking about it.

And then, two, policy. Only the socialists talk policy last week for the Democrats. Huge opening here for President Trump and the Republicans to talk about what policies to enact to keep America strong. That's what I'm looking for.

HANNITY:  You know, Karl, they ignored the violence in American cities. They ignored it all. And they tried to use COVID. That was a powerful tape rebutting, Democrats praising Donald Trump. I guess that counters the narrative of last week.

ROVE: It does damage to it, that's for sure. And remember, we were lectured about response to COVID by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. The state of New York has had more deaths than California, Texas and Florida combined. All of those beachgoers in Florida, and California, you know, the mask adverse Texans, fewer deaths in the three most populous states combined than in the fourth most populous state. Why?

He sent a lot of COVID patients to nursing homes where they infected the elderly populations there. And to this day, the governor of New York will not release the number of people who died in nursing homes. And so, I think that's a -- that's a big point.

I want to pick up on something that Ari said --

(CROSSTALK)

FLEISCHER: And, Sean, let me jump in -- let me jump in on that as well. It's vital for President Trump and the Republicans to talk about COVID. They cannot let it slide. They need to take it head one, and that's why it's hearten to see this. This president --

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: Let me go to tape guys. Let me interrupt you, if I may, from the White House. Let's watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We launched the greatest mobilization of American society since World War II. Patriots of every race, color and creed rallied together to defeat the invincible enemy and save the lives of their fellow citizens.

Today, our hearts overflow with appreciation for the incredible front-line workers who risked their own health and safety to keep America strong and safe.

When crisis came, millions of everyday Americans rose to the challenge. In their actions, we see true greatness of the American character. We always find a way to victory. History will remember and celebrate the heroes of 2020 for as long as our great America flag waves over the land that we love. To every front-line worker, I offer the salute of a nation that is forever in your debt.

Thank you, God bless you and God bless America.

These are my friends. These are the incredible workers that helped us so much with the COVID. We can call it many different things, from China virus -- I don't want to go through all the names because some people may get insulted, but that's the way it is.

These are great, great people, doctors, nurses, a fireman, a policeman. We want to thank you all. You've been incredible. And we want to thank you, and all of the millions of people that you represent.

Thank you all very much. Great job. Thank you. Thank you all very much.

So, tell me a little about your stories. How about we'll start with you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a postal worker. I delivered to the senior communities during COVID-19.

TRUMP: Good, and we're taking good care of our postal workers.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely.

TRUMP: That I can tell you. We're not getting rid of our postal workers, you know? They would like to sort of put that out there.

If anybody does, it's the Democrats, not the Republicans. I want to thank very much and thank everybody in that whole beautiful post office system. We appreciate it.

How about you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a trucker.

TRUMP: Good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I own a small business in Ohio.

TRUMP: Great.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hauling steel mostly. You know, some of our customers actually made hospital beds with the material.

TRUMP: That's fantastic. Well, congratulations. I love the truckers. You know, they're on my side.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

TRUMP: I think all of them, frankly. I think pretty much all of them.

How about you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a custodian at the post office as well.

TRUMP: What do you do exactly?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Clean up everybody's mess and germs and all that.

TRUMP: That world, that profession will never be out of business. You know that, right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah, for sure.

TRUMP: Thank you very much for being here. Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you for having me.

TRUMP: And how about you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a registered nurse, President Trump.

TRUMP: Good.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I work at a New Jersey hospital. It's called Virtua Libero (ph) hospital.

TRUMP: Right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I also represent an organization of professional nurses. It's called the National Association of Catholic Nurses.

TRUMP: Very good.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But I want to tell you, sir, as a nursing supervisor, I am so in awe of your leadership honestly. I know many people have said often interesting things, but it takes a true leader to be able to ignore all that stuff and do what's right and not be offended by all the words being said.

TRUMP: Yeah.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And you really do show that positive spirit to us. And as nurses, I appreciate that. But just as an individual, I'm grateful for that.

TRUMP: Well, I'm for the nurses, I'm for the doctors. I'm for everybody. We just have to make this China virus go away, and it's happening.

Please, go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm also a nurse. I represent Genesis Healthcare, which is a skilled nursing facility company. I want to thank you and your administration for all the supplies and support --

TRUMP: Right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- and funding that you've given the skilled nursing units. Without that, we couldn't do as well as we have done.

And I spent some time in New Jersey. I lived in West Virginia. Went to New Jersey and did some work there. And we finally started to see things change and turn around.

TRUMP: I appreciate what you said. We have delivers billions of dollars of equipment that governors were supposed to give and in many cases they didn't get. So, the federal government had to help them and all of the people that did this incredible work, they never got credit for it.

But you understand where it came from. Thank you very much. Thank you both. Truly nice.

Please, go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a police officer in Englewood, Colorado. I contracted COVID in late March and recovered.

TRUMP: That means we don't have to be afraid of you at all, right?

(LAUGHTER)

TRUMP: Once you recovered, we have the whole thing with plasma happening.

That means your blood is very means your blood is very valuable. You know that, right? Thank you very much. Great.

Please?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a detention deputy at the Kern County Sheriff Department in California.

TRUMP: Great.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I also contracted COVID, end of March, and recovered from that also.

TRUMP: How long was your problem?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was sick about ten days really bad, and I got everything besides a cough but recovered and I was off work for a month and a half. I work in our local county jails.

TRUMP: Did they do anything specifically to help you recover?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They gave me Z-Paks, medication, cough syrups.

TRUMP: OK, and I won't even ask you about the hydroxychloroquine --

(LAUGHTER)

TRUMP: -- because it's a -- it's a shame what they've done to that one. But I took it, I took the Z-Pak also and zinc.

I want to thank you very much. It's an honor to have you on the White House. You are fantastic people and the people you represent. You represent an incredible group of people, and we love you all. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

REP. JIM JORDAN, R-OH: Good evening, I'm Congressman Jim Jordan representing the 4th district of Ohio.

The Republican Party is the pro-America party. President Trump is the pro- America candidate.

This election is about who can preserve the values, principles, and institutions that Make America Great.

Don't believe me? Look at what's happening in America's cities -- all run by Democrats. Crime, violence, mob rule. Democrats refuse to denounce the mob.

And their response to the chaos? Defund the police, defund border patrol, defund our military. And while they're doing all of this, they're also trying to take away your guns.

Look at the positions they've taken the past few months: Democrats won't let you go to church, but they'll let you protest.

Democrats won't let you go to work, but they'll let you riot.

Democrats won't let you go to school, but they'll let you loot.

President Trump has fought against each of their crazy ideas.

He's taken on the swamp, all of the swamp. The Democrats, the press, and the Never Trumpers.

And when you take on the swamp, the swamp fights back. They tried the Russia hoax, the Mueller investigation, and the fake impeachment. But despite this unbelievable opposition, this President has done what he said he would do.

Taxes cut, regulations reduced, economy growing, lowest unemployment in 50 years, out of the Iran deal, embassy in Jerusalem, hostages home from North Korea, a new USMCA agreement, and, of course, he's building the wall, and rebuilding our economy as we speak.

I love the president's intensity and his willingness to fight every day in Washington for our families. But what I also appreciate about the president is something most Americans never get to see -- how much he truly cares about people.

Our family's seen it. Two years ago, our nephew Eli was killed in a car accident.

He lived a mile from us. Grew up wrestling and training with our boys. Was a high school state champion. Varsity athlete for the University of Wisconsin.

It was a Saturday morning, three days after the accident. I walked to the car, to help Eli's parent's home, when the president called.

We talked about a few issues. And then he asked how the family was doing. I said they're doing OK, Mr. President, but it's tough."

The president said, yeah, losing a loved one's always difficult, and it's really tough when they're so young."

I then said, Mr. President, I'm actually walking into their house right now. Obviously, they don't know I'm talking to you. But if you'd be willing to say hello to Eli's dad, you'd make a terrible day a little less terrible.

What's his name?, the President asked. I walked through the door, and said, Todd, the President wants to talk to you.

For the next five minutes, family and friends sat in complete silence, as the president of the United States took time to talk to a dad who was hurting.

That's the president I've gotten to know the last four years, the president who shared private moments like this with shoulders, victims of violent crime and people who had businesses destroyed by the mob. That's the individual who's Made America Great Again and who knows America's best days are in front of us.

And that's why I'm busting my tail to help him get re-elected. I'm asking you to do the same.

Thank you, and God Bless America.

HERSCHEL WALKER, FORMER NFL PLAYER: I am not an actor, a singer, or a politician. I'm Herschel Walker. Most of you know me as a football player. But I'm also a father, a man of faith, and a very good judge of character.

I've known Donald Trump for 37 years. And I don't mean just casually ran into him from time to time. I'm talking about a deep personal friendship.

I watched him as the owner of a professional football team. Right after he bought the team, he set out to learn. He learned about the history of the team, the players, the coaches, every detail. Then he used what he learned to make the team better.

I watched him in the board room. He could be in the middle of a big meeting, but if one of his kids was on the phone, he dropped everything to take the call. He taught me that family should be your top priority.

I watched him treat the janitors, security guards, and waiters the same way he would treat a VIP. He made them feel special because he knew they were. He understands that they are the people who make this country run.

They clean. They cook. They build. They drive. They deliver.

He told me, Herschel, make an effort to get to know people. Remember their names. That stuck with me.

One time, I had planned to take his kids to Disney World with my family. At the last minute, Donald said he'd like to join us. So there he was, in a business suit, on the "It's a Small World" ride. That was something to see.

It just shows you what a caring, loving father he is.

It hurts my soul to hear the terrible names that people call Donald. The worst one is "racist." I take it as a personal insult that people would think I would have a 37-year friendship with a racist. People who think that don't know what they are talking about.

Growing up in the Deep South, I have seen racism up close. I know what it is. And it isn't Donald Trump.

Just because someone loves and respects the flag, our National Anthem, and our country doesn't mean they don't care about social justice. I care about all of those things, and so does Donald Trump. He shows how much he cares about social justice and the black community through his actions. And his actions speak louder than any stickers or slogans on a jersey.

He keeps right on fighting to improve the lives of black Americans and all Americans. He works night and day. He never stops. He leaves nothing on the field.

Some people don't like his style -- the way he knocks down obstacles that get in the way of his goals. People on opposing teams didn't like it when I ran right over them either. But that's how you get the job done.

I pray every night that God gives him some more time. Give him four more years. He has accomplished so much, almost all by himself and under constant attack.

But there is more work to be done. If you love America and want to make it better, Donald Trump is your president. He's my president and I'm blessed to call him friend.

HANNITY: That was Herschel Walker. Before that, Congressman Jim Jordan is with us. The person that is up speaking now is Natalie Harp who credits life right to try to helping her in the battle with cancer. Let's listen in on this.

NATALIE HARP, CANCER SURVIVOR/RIGHT TO TRY ADVOCATE: Tonight, Mr. President, we'd like to give you that same gift.

Without you, we'd all be living in Pottersville, sold out to a crooked Mr. -- or I should say a crooked Mrs. -- Potter, with no hope of escape except death itself. I should know, because I wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for you.

About five years ago, I was the victim of a notoriously deadly medical error. I survived, but only to be diagnosed with a rare and terminal bone cancer.

You know, the Democrats love to talk about healthcare being a human right. But a right to what? Well, I'll tell you. To them, it's a right to marijuana, opioids, and the right-to-die with "dignity" -- a politically- correct way of saying assisted suicide.

I was told I was a burden to my family and to my country -- and that by choosing to die early, I'd actually be saving the lives of others by preserving resources for them rather than wasting them on a lost cause like myself.

And when I failed the chemotherapies that were on the market, no one wanted me in their clinical trials, I'd make them look bad. They didn't give me the right-to-try experimental treatments, Mr. President. You did. And without you, I'd have died waiting for them to be approved.

Now, with the coronavirus, everyone knows what that feels like to be waiting for a cure -- but we've only been waiting a few months. Just imagine what 2020 would've looked like, fighting for your life, without Donald Trump fighting for it too.

In January, there'd have been no China travel ban. Millions would've died. Millions more would've been infected -- for there'd be no record levels of testing. No right-to-try treatments. No Fast Track for a vaccine, nor Operation Warp Speed ready to deliver it.

And without Donald Trump as our patient advocate for the past four years? Well, the opioid epidemic would've stolen even more lives from even more families. Kidney patients would have no future except dying on wait lists, for there'd have been no initiative to increase donations.

There'd be no accountability at the VA, and our brave veterans would still be suffering from long wait-times with no choice or access to faster care. Insulin and other drug prices would've continued to rise while many generic drugs would still be stuck in the pipeline.

There'd be no price transparency. We wouldn't have health plans up to 60 percent cheaper than Obamacare. And we'd still be stuck with that infamous individual mandate.

And God forbid what the next four years would look like. For in Joe Biden's America, China would control our drug production. We'd be one step closer to government-run healthcare. We wouldn't just be unable to keep our doctors, we'd be lucky if we could see any doctor.

And even then, some of us would be denied care. For in socialized medicine, you don't beat the odds. You become the odds.

And I would lose my Right-to-Try just like Charlie Gard, that terminally- ill British baby, whose government-run healthcare system decided it was too expensive and too "cruel" to keep him alive.

You see, Mr. President, you've done so much more than your promises-made and promises-kept. For numbers only tell part of the story. We are the rest of it -- facts with faces of Americans who would still be forgotten if you and our favorite first lady hadn't given up your own wonderful life so we could have the chance at one.

George Bailey's father was right: All you can take with you is that which you've given away.

And, Mr. President, that makes you the richest man in the world, for you have used your strength to Make America Strong Again. Sacrificed the life you built to Make America Proud Again. And risked everything to Make America Safe Again.

It's a wonderful life. You made America Great Again. And on November 3rd, we are going to Keep America Great.

HANNITY: All right. That's Natalie Harp talking about the president's right to try.

We're going to get to Congressman Vernon Jones in a second. Quick reaction, though, from South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham about this. He also has some breaking news you broke with Maria Bartiromo. We'll get back to the proceedings in just a minute.

This is big news, Lindsey. First, your reaction to the events tonight.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): If we don't make a commercial out of what Herschel Walker said about the president, it's political malpractice. And what this lady said about the right to try should be a commercial.

I want people all over the country to hear what Herschel Walker said about Donald Trump, a 37-year friendship. I can't get out of my mind Donald Trump in the Small World ride in a suit.

So, I just think this is an incredibly powerful one-two punch between Herschel and Natalie and I just hope we'll let the whole world know about it.

HANNITY: Watching you this weekend, you have new information as it relates to the deep state investigation, which would be the Durham investigation.

GRAHAM: Right.

Well, Sally Yates said the goal was to treat both campaigns the same. Well, Ms. Yates, you failed miserably. I found out in March of 2015, the FBI found a plot to funnel money into the Clinton campaign illegally.

The -- one of the FISA warrant, the FBI office in D.C. said no FISA warrant until you tell Clinton about the problem so she can fix it, compare that to the way the FBI treated Trump. They never told him about any of the problems. They used the FISA process to spy on his campaign. This is a very big deal.

HANNITY: Are you confident now that there's enough evidence, incontrovertible evidence that grand juries should now be convened and indictments given? And will that happen?

GRAHAM: Well, I'm looking at two things. The testimony given to the Senate Intel Committee in 2018 by the FBI was completely white-washing what the sub-source told the FBI in 2017 about the reliability of the dossier. I'm now looking at trying to find out, did McCabe and Comey know that the January and March interview of 2017 trashed the dossier as a reliable document?

I think Durham is closing in and I'm closing in. The idea that McComey and McCabe -- Comey and McCabe signed warrants in April or June of 2017 not knowing that the dossier was a bunch of garbage is pretty hard for me to believe. Stay tuned.

HANNITY: Senator Lindsey Graham, thank you. We now return to Georgia State Representative Vernon Jones.

VERNON JONES (D), GEORGE STATE REPRESENTATIVE: -- University, a historical black college. For generations, HBCUs have been the incubators that developed black scholars in math, and science, and religion, engineering and politics. They have been important springboards for black success. But Democrats haven't treated them that way.

When President Trump took office, he changed everything. He delivered historic funding to HBCUs. And he guaranteed it for 10 years, something that's never happened in the history of this country.

That gave our HBCUs stability, the chance to grow and produce the next generation of black leaders.

That's right. Donald Trump did that.

He also supported school choice initiatives to ensure that no child -- no matter their race or zip code -- is left behind. Every child should have access to a quality education.

But education is just the beginning.

The President also built the most inclusive economy ever, with record low unemployment for African Americans and record high participation in the workforce.

He put Opportunity Zones in the Trump tax bill that will drive investment into our communities for decades to come.

He put the interests of American workers -- and especially black workers -- first. That's right. Donald Trump did that.

He delivered historic criminal justice reform. He ended -- once and for all -- the policy of mass incarceration of Black people, which has decimated our communities caused by no other than Joe Biden.

Democrats wouldn't do it. Obama didn't want to do it. And Joe Biden and Kamala Harris definitely wouldn't do it.

But Donald Trump did. He's also working every day to make our communities safer.

As a former County Executive of DeKalb County, Georgia, I directed one of the largest public safety departments in the southeast.

I've seen tragic shootings on both sides -- officers killing citizens and citizens killing officers in the line of duty.

Police officers are our fellow citizens. They live in our country. They have families. They live in our communities. Unfortunately, Democrats have turned their backs on our brave police officers. They call it "defunding." And it's a danger to our cities, our neighborhoods, and our children.

Isn't it ironic that the Democrat politicians have personal security to protect them? So, why don't they forgo their security and replace them with social workers, especially since that's what they want for you and me?

Our police need more funding, not less -- for frequent psychological examinations, for "non lethal" --

HANNITY: A small break here. We have Mark and Patricia McCloskey coming up in just a moment. We're going to hear there from Andrew Pollack whose daughter Meadow was killed in the Parkland shooting.

But, first, a quick reaction from Dan Bongino and Leo Terrell.

Dan Bongino?

DAN BONGINO, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Well, Sean, what a difference in the opening. I mean, Americans want to be proud of something. What better to unify us and be proud of America. To be proud of America. I mean, the Democrat convention was macabre, dark convention, where this is awful place.

Not tonight. Really proud. They did a really, really well-done, good job. Make us proud of living in this great country.

HANNITY: Yeah, and what's your take, Leo Terrell going to be voting Republican for the first time in your whole life. Civil rights attorney. Your thoughts tonight so far?

LEO TERRELL, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: And I'm so proud of it. I see -- you're talking about a rainbow coalition. All the speakers, with Herschel, with Vernon, with Jim Jordan, all these people talking about American values and institution.

I think Ari Fleischer hit it right on the head. We have to nationalize this law and order issue, because the Democrats have turned their back on law and order and President Trump is on the page regarding law and order. It is amazing that Democrats have abandoned cities and it's going to affect every suburb in this country.

So law and order along with attacking the virus which he's done a wonderful job, this convention is exciting. And it's important. It's factual. And I think it's to the benefit of the president. I hope every Democrat gets kicked in the head and said what did we do last week? It was horrific.

This is a perfect convention and we got three more days left.

HANNITY: It's going to get more interesting as the days go by. And when we come back, you know, our next speaker is Vernon Jones now, wraps up his portion of the program tonight.

Andrew Pollack, his daughter Meadow, was killed in the parkland shooting. One of the big issues that we have as a divide here is really obvious -- higher taxes, lower taxes, energy independence, open borders, no open borders. Gun control or not. This is Andrew Pollack, his daughter, Meadow killed in the parkland shooting. Let's stay on this.

ANDREW POLLACK, DAUGHTER DIED IN SCHOOL SHOOTING: In 2018, a gunman walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and changed my life forever.

My name is Andrew Pollack. His name isn't worth saying.

One of the seniors walking in the hallways that day was my beautiful daughter Meadow. She was just months away from graduating and beginning a new life. We were so proud of the woman she had become.

But in the hallway on that third floor, the gunman saw Meadow and shot her down the hallway, hitting her four times. After she was shot and on the floor, she crawled over to another student, a freshman girl to protect her. She draped her body over her, and then the scumbag gunman shot my daughter at point-blank range five more times, killing Meadow and the girl she was shielding.

She had her whole life ahead of her, and in that life, she could have done anything and been anything. So many moments that I waited so long for were taken from me. I didn't get to drop her off at college. I didn't get to walk her down the aisle. But every moment was taken from her and for what?

I never wanted this to become a political spectacle but it did. I never wanted to meet the president like this, but I did.

I was invited to the White House. The truth is, I had just buried my daughter that week, and I really wasn't interested in public events like a tour or a photo-op, I was interested in answers and solutions. So, the president wanted to meet me personally, I said I'd go. They said, of course, that was his plan.

At the White House, my family and I sat with the president in the Oval Office and told him about Meadow. I too old I told him what we knew. I told him that his administration needed to take a closer look at what went wrong and why.

And I got to see who President Trump really is. He's a good man and a great listener. And he cuts through the B.S.

Then, the president did what he said he would do, he took action. He formed a School Safety Commission that issued dozens of recommendations to make schools safer. But I'll bet you never heard about that, instead the media turned my daughter's murder and went into a coordinated attack on President Trump, Republicans and our Second Amendment.

In fact, when President Trump asked me and other parents of children that were murdered in school shootings to join him as he announced the commission's findings, the media's first question wasn't about protecting kids. Shockingly, they asked about the government shutdown.

President Trump turned to me, appalled and said, Andy, can you believe these people? We're trying to talk about school safety and this is what they do?

But I could believe it. After my daughter's murder, the media didn't seem interested in the facts, so I found them myself. I learned that gun control laws didn't fail my daughter, people did.

The gunman that threatened to kill his classmates before, he had threatened to rape them, he had threatened to shoot up the school -- every red flag you could imagine. But the school didn't just miss these red flags, they knowingly ignored them.

Far left Democrats in our school district made this shooting possible, because they implemented something they called restorative justice. This policy which really just blames teachers for students' failures, puts kids and teachers at risk, and makes shootings more likely. But it was build as a pioneering approach to discipline and safety.

I was just fine with the old approach of discipline and safety. It was called discipline and safety. But the Obama/Biden administration took Parkland's bad policies and forced them into schools across America.

When President Trump rescinded Obama's guidance on restorative justice policies, he put an end to that, and that meant the world to me.

It's tough to tell how much Mr. Biden understands about what happened at Parkland. Mr. Biden has campaigned on bringing back restorative justice as part -- as part of his unity platform with Bernie Sanders and has pledged to implement it in school districts across America.

But he doesn't even seem to know when the shooting happened. He said that he was vice president when it happened. But he wasn't.

Mr. Biden may not know when my daughter was murdered, but I do. February 14th, 2018. Mr. Biden may not know that these policies make shootings more likely, but I do.

Mr. Biden may not know who was vice president that day, but I do. It wasn't Joe Biden. It was Mike Pence, thank God.

And I know who the president was too, it wasn't Barack Obama, it was President Donald J. Trump. And he took action.

I truly believe the safety of our kids depends on whether this man is re- elected. I hope you'll join me in helping to make that happen.

Mr. President, myself and millions of Americans appreciate you and love you.

God bless America, and God bless our President Donald J. Trump.

Thank you.

HANNITY: All right. That was Andrew Pollack speaking there. His daughter, Meadow, killed in the Parkland shooting. This video is about the McCloskey case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You a racist! You a coward (EXPLETIVE DELETED)!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Call the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) cops! You (EXPLETIVEs DELETED)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We gonna kill you (EXPLETIVE DELETED)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a rape you (EXPLETIVE DELETED)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mark McCloskey says he and his family have been threatened with violence.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Under the Missouri law, you have a right to defend your home and the lives of your family.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A search warrant has been executed at the home of Mark and Patricia McCloskey.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The husband and wife attorneys charged with pointing guns at protesters.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were simply trying to protect their home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK MCCLOSKEY, ST. LOUIS RESIDENT: Good evening, America. We are Mark and Patty McCloskey. We're speaking to you tonight from St. Louis, Missouri, where just weeks ago you may have seen us defending our home as a mob of protestors descended on our neighborhood.

PATTY MCCLOSKEY, ST. LOUIS RESIDENT: America is such a great country that you not only have the right to own a gun and use it to defend yourself, but thousands of Americans will offer you free advice on how to use it. At least that's what we experienced.

What you saw happen to us could just as easily happen to any of you who are watching from quiet neighborhoods around our country. And that's what we want to speak to you about tonight.

MARK MCCLOSKEY: That's exactly right. Whether it's defunding the police, ending cash bail so criminals can be released back out on the streets the same day to riot again, or encouraging anarchy on our streets, it seems as if Democrats no longer view the government's job as protecting honest citizens from criminals, but rather protecting criminals from honest citizens.

Not a single person in the out-of-control mob you saw at our house was charged with a crime. But you know who was? We were. They've actually charged us with a felony for daring to defend our home.

On top of that, consider this: The liberal activist leading a mob to our neighborhood stood outside of our home with a bullhorn screaming, "You can't stop the revolution!" Just weeks later, that same Marxist activist won the Democrat nomination to hold a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the city of St. Louis, that's the same as winning the general election. The Marxist revolutionary is now going to be the congresswoman from the first district of Missouri.

These radicals are not content just marching in the streets. They want to walk the halls of Congress. They want to take over. They want power. This is Joe Biden's party. These are the people who will be in charge of your future and the future of your children.

PATTY MCCLOSKEY: They are not satisfied with spreading the chaos and violence into our communities, they want to abolish the suburbs all- together by ending single-family home zoning. This forced rezoning --

HANNITY: All right. Dan Bongino, very powerful tape leading into the McCloskeys, big, big issue and hearing their case. Prior to that, we heard the case of, you know, Natalie Harp, how right to try helped save her life. Andrew Pollack, his daughter, Meadow that was killed in the Parkland shooting.

Kimberly Guilfoyle is coming up after that. Your take on all this so far.

BONGINO: I'm blown away, Sean. Andrew Pollack's speech was the most powerful and emotional appeal for safety and security, for American families. I heard in a five-minute speech or my 45 years on this planet.

I will never forget in 2018, I'm like stumbling over my words here, that was just incredible. 2018 CPAC, I was in my hotel room getting ready to go down stairs. Andrew Pollack came on, and he grabbed the microphone and he said, and I'll never forget it, he said, that was my daughter. That was my daughter.

I will never as long as I live forget that moment, the raw emotion in a man that just lost his teenage daughter in this horrific tragedy. And to hear him frame it in words that everybody can understand. Tell America, you know who listened to me? Donald Trump and the vice president. They heard me.

You didn't hear any of it because you heard about all this other crap. That was just really emotional, Sean. Really blew me away. I was like I hope he doesn't come to me here because I was getting choked up even listening to him. I was just amazing.

HANNITY: Real quick, Leo. Leo, real quick. Kimberly Guilfoyle is next.

TERRELL: Andrew Pollack talked about the heart and soul. He has every reason to tell the American public the truth. And what you heard, you heard the heart and soul of America, and what Donald Trump, what he has done for this country and for individuals. Donald Trump cares about the every day American.

HANNITY: Let's go back to Kimberly Guilfoyle.

KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE, NATIONAL CHAIR, TRUMP VICTORY FINANCE COMMITTEE: I'm Kimberly Guilfoyle.

I speak to you tonight as a single mother, a former prosecutor, a Latina and a proud American.

And, yes, a supporter of President Donald J. Trump. Why? Because he is the President who delivers for America. He built the greatest economy the world has ever known -- for the strivers -- the working class and middle class.

As Commander-in-Chief, he always puts America First. President Trump is the Law and order president.

Now, Presidential leadership is not guaranteed. It is a choice.

Biden, Harris and the rest of the socialist will fundamentally change this nation. They want open borders, closed schools, dangerous amnesty and will selfishly send your jobs back to China, while they get richer. They will defund, dismantle and destroy America's law enforcement. When you are in trouble, and need 911, don't count on the Democrats.

As a first generation American, I know how dangerous their socialist agenda is. My mother, Mercedes, was a special education teacher from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. My father also an immigrant came to this nation in pursuit of the American Dream. Now, I consider it my duty to fight to protect that dream.

Rioters must not be allowed to destroy our cities. Human, sex, drug traffickers should not be allowed to cross our border.

The same socialist policies which destroyed places like Cuba and Venezuela must not take root in our cities and our schools.

If you want to see the socialist Biden/Harris future for our country, just take a look at California. It is a place of immense wealth, immeasurable innovation and immaculate environment -- and the Democrats turned it into a land of discarded heroin needles in parks, riots in streets and blackouts in homes.

In President Trump's America we light things up, we don't dim them down. We build things up, we don't burn them down. We kneel in prayer and we stand for our flag.

This election is a battle for the soul of America. Your choice is clear.

Do you support the cancel culture, the cosmopolitan elites of Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden -- who blame America first? Do you think America is to blame?

Or, do you believe in American greatness, believe in yourself, in President Trump, in individual and personal responsibility?

They want to destroy this country, and everything that we have fought for and hold dear. They want to steal your Liberty, your Freedom. They want to control what you see and think, and believe, so they can control how you live.

They want to enslave you to the weak, dependent, liberal, victim ideology, to the point that you will not recognize this country or yourself.

From the beginning, when President Trump spoke about Making America Great Again, he was speaking about that shining city on a hill and restoring the beacon of light that once shined so bright.

His promise was to put America fFirst and he has.

When President Trump cut middle-class taxes, putting tens of thousands of dollars back in the pockets of working-class Americans, that beacon began to flicker once again.

When President Trump commanded the defeat of ISIS, took out Al-Baghdadi and Soleimani, and paved the way for peace in the Middle East, that beacon started to glow.

When he negotiated historic trade deals with Canada, Mexico, Japan and China, bringing back thousands of manufacturing jobs to America, that beacon shined bright once again for the world to see.

America, it's all on the line. President Trump believes in you. He emancipates and lifts you up to live your American Dream.

You are capable, you are qualified, you are powerful, and you have the ability to choose your life, and determine your destiny.

Don't let the Democrats take you for granted. Don't let them step on you. Don't let them destroy your families, your lives, and your future. Don't let them tell future generation, because they told you and brainwashed you and fed you lies that you weren't good enough.

Like my parents, you can achieve your American Dream. You can be that shining example to the world.

Manifest and be the change --

HANNITY: We'll get back. Dip in every once in a while as we're doing here. The host of "Justice" with Judge Jeanine, as well as Turning Point founder, Turning Point USA founder, president Charlie Kirk. He spoke in the 8:00 p.m. hour tonight.

Judge, we'll start with you. Friend, colleague, Kimberly Guilfoyle, given a very impassioned speech there. Your overall take on the night.

JEANINE PIRRO, FOX NEWS HOST, "JUSTICE": Well, I'll tell you, when the night started, Sean, I was so happy toe be an American. It was uplifting, it was exciting. It sent chills down your spine.

Everything about this night has been all about American and how hard we work and how hard we try to make it the land of opportunity. And to make it what our Funding Fathers intended it to be.

I mean, Meadow's father was heart breaking to listen him talk about how his daughter, a senior in high school, I was killed trying to protect a freshman. It's heart breaking to hear about the McCloskeys. In the end, we're all going to have to defend ourselves. The Second Amendment is on the line now. We have to make sure that this president gets re-elected so we can continue to have a prosperous America and one where we're safe.

HANNITY: Yeah. And, Charlie Kirk, your take on the night. Steve Scalise just stepped up.

CHARLIE KIRK, TURNING POINT USA FOUNDER: I was honored to participate earlier. What is amazing, Sean, is every one of these speakers was an issue that Democrats ignored last week from riots to safety to family creation, future of America, school choice, education.

The Republican Party, and credit to the producers of this convention, doing a brilliant job, much better than the Democrats, considering the short nature of planning this virtually. They have been communicating to real concerns for middle class Americans.

I think the president right now is going to see a double digit boost because of this convention. You're seeing real stories, passionately told to people that quite honestly are worried about the future of America and Democrats possibly getting to power. This has been a total home run and I was honored to be able to participate in it.

HANNITY: And let's get your take, go back to Leo Terrell and Dan Bongino - - Leo.

TERRELL: Can I vote right now? I'm so excited. I want to vote right now. Is there early voting? Can I vote right now?

HANNITY: Any one person or was it Kimberly that say over the top, what happened?

TERRELL: I'm telling you, no, it's a collection. Charlie and the judge, everyone. It brings chills.

I got chills right now. I want to vote right now. We're going to vote. Is there early voting? Can I vote after the show?

HANNITY: Well, it depends, if you live in Chicago, God knows, if you're dead apparently, people in past elections have voted and I keep reading this.

TERRELL: It's unbelievable. This is fantastic.

HANNITY: Don Bongino?

BONGINO: Yeah, I think tonight you had two speeches that already just broke the entire Democrat convention. Herschel Walker was simply phenomenal. And again, Andrew Pollack's speech was just mind-blowing. I mean, the Twitter response has been off the charts.

It's night one. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but these are just really phenomenal speeches. I think everybody in the panel is right. Compared to the Democratic convention, it's entirely night and day.

HANNITY: And, you know, when you look at this -- go ahead. Yes, go ahead.

PIRRO: You know what? Isn't that the whole point? The Democrats talked about how dark and dreary and depressing the country was. And the Republicans are talking about how optimism can exist, how well we can do in America. You're absolutely right. It's night and day. That's the exactly way they have described it.

HANNITY: Yeah. Let me go back --

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: Let me get back to you guys in a minute. Let's go to Steve Scalise, the House minority whip.

REP. STEVE SCALISE, R-LA: I'm Congressman Steve Scalise.

We're facing some tough challenges in America. This isn't the first time we have been here.

I have worked closely with Donald Trump over the last few years, and if there's one constant theme to how he approaches problems, it's how much he cares about the hardworking people that Washington left behind.

I have seen this firsthand. After I was shot on a baseball field by a leftist gunman, first responders rushed me to the hospital, where I battled for my life.

That same night, Donald Trump came to the hospital, along with first lady Melania Trump. They consoled my wife, Jennifer. They were there for my family in my darkest hours.

Donald Trump would call to check on me throughout the following weeks just to see how I was doing. That's the kind of person he is. That's the side of Donald Trump that the media will never show you.

Look, there's a lot at stake. This is an election between a party that wants to burn down the foundations of our country to the ground and a party that wants to rebuild and protect our great nation.

The left wants to defund the police. This is personal to me. I wouldn't be here without the bravery and heroism of the men and women in law enforcement who saved my life. President Trump stands with those brave men and women.

Joe Biden has embraced the left's insane mission to defund them. There won't be an America to leave to our children and grandchildren without those brave law enforcement officers and first responders.

Joe Biden has made a career in Washington for 47 years promising things he's never delivered. In just three short years, President Trump has delivered huge wins for American families.

While Joe Biden made hollow promises when he chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee, Donald Trump took action and delivered criminal justice reform.

Joe Biden claims to care about the working man, but millions of good manufacturing jobs were shipped overseas during the Obama/Biden years to countries like China. Donald Trump brought those jobs back.

I have seen how deeply President Trump cares about rebuilding our evaporating middle class. President Trump pledged to give the forgotten men and women of America a real shot at the American dream. And, again, he delivered, the lowest unemployment rate in over 50 years, women creating small businesses at record pace, wages rising the fastest, by the way, for lowest income levels.

What can Joe Biden say to that? What has Joe Biden done in his 47 years in Washington that can compare to that?

President Trump has delivered for the hardworking people of this great nation. It's going to take that kind of bold leadership to get us out of this COVID crisis.

After President Trump saved lives by shutting down flights from China and Europe, he's now focusing the full weight of the government on a revolutionary plan to cure this virus by cutting red tape and empowering scientists to create a vaccine. This is visionary leadership in action, at a time when we can't afford another 47 years of hollow promises.

America has been through tough times before. Who better to lead us out of these times than the president who already built the strongest economy our country has ever seen?

Donald Trump did it before. Donald Trump will deliver for us again.

God bless you, and God bless these United States of America.

HANNITY: Next up is Sean Parnell. He is a congressional candidate from the ever-important swing state in 71 days, the great state of Pennsylvania that under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris would end fracking.

Here's Sean Parnell.

SEAN PARNELL (R), COMBAT VETERAN/PA CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: It is an honor to be here.

In 2006, the Army sent me to Afghanistan as a young platoon leader, placed in command of Americans from every corner of our planet.

Our platoon reflected the diversity of our nation, every race, creed and religion. Despite those differences, we were bound together as brothers from the same American family.

On June 10, 2006, our platoon was attacked just after dawn. Outnumbered ten to one, we endured mortar and machine gun fire as hundreds of Taliban charged us from three sides. We had 24 men that day.

Wave after wave of Taliban advanced up the hill, I was wounded three times in the fighting. Nearly all of my platoon was wounded within the first minute. But the enemy kept coming.

We fought to our last rounds of ammunition and when it was over, we held the hill.

In the face of death, I saw ordinary Americans become heroes. In our darkest hour, when our survival depended on each other, my men and I learned an important lesson -- we all bleed red.

Our differences did not define us. United we were unbeatable. After 485 days of combat, I came home eager to enjoy the freedoms that I risked my life to defend. But I watched with alarm as the party of my grandfather, a life-long union Democrat, turned against the very people that it professed to represent.

I watched as Joe Biden spit venom as an auto worker that dared to question Joe's intent to dismantle the Second Amendment and take your guns. Where Democrats once stood for law-abiding Americans who displayed our flag with pride, this new Democrat Party considers these people uneducated racists, clinging to guns and bibles.

The party of Harry Truman became the party of hedge fund managers, Hollywood celebrities, tech moguls, and university professors, all bloated with contempt for Middle America. I look across the aisle and I do not see a party that wants you to pursue your dreams. I see a Democrat Party that wants to dictate what the dreams are.

I don't see a party that wants you to be free. I see a party that wants to chain you to conformity and will destroy anyone they deemed heretic. I swore an oath to defend my country and its Constitution. President Trump has sworn to do the same.

That's why he's advanced freedom despite savage political attacks to overcome the agenda of the radical left. President Trump has unleashed the economic might of this nation like no other president in our history. He triggered the rising tide of working families, brought us energy independents, reclaimed jobs from overseas that, you know, Democrats said would never return.

He's fiercely defended the besieged First and Second Amendment. That is just a start. With four more years, imagine what we can achieve by simply working with our president.

I believe in our president's vision for the future. I stand here tonight calling on all Americans to join us. It doesn't matter what you look like, who you love, how you worship, your gender or your job.

If you're a traditional Democrat who's become disillusioned with how radical your party has become, then stand with us. You are most welcome. America needs all of her patriots to rush to her defense.

My fellow Americans, I promise you this: In our tent, you are free. Free to speak the truth. Choose your journey. Define your life.

You have the power to go as far as you aim, and aim higher and keep going because that is what Americans do.

We are idealists and dreamers, lovers of adventure, who are rugged and independent. We don't make excuses. We make the impossible a reality. Think about it. In a century, we went from ground bound dreamers gazing to the stars to doers who created the means to reach them.

This is not the time to stand on the sidelines. If you love our country as we do, as our president does --

HANNITY: All right. We're running out of time for our hour tonight.

Stay with the Fox News Channel for our continuing coverage. Programming notes. We'll be broadcasting live from the Rose Garden in the lead up for Melania Trump's speech tomorrow night. Wednesday, we'll be at Fort McHenry where Vice President Pence will be and on Thursday, we will live on the South Lawn where President Trump will give his speech.

"Live Free or Die",  Amazon.com, 40 percent off. Thank you for being with us.

Bret and Martha next followed by Laura Ingraham. Have a great night.

END

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