Cornel West: Trump a 'dangerous neo-fascist in the making'
Social activist talks voter suppression and his support of Bernie Sanders on 'Hannity'
This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," March 2, 2016. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: And welcome to "Hannity." And tonight, Donald Trump is surging towards the GOP nomination after winning seven states during super-Tuesday. And following his strong performance, Trump says he's the candidate who can bring the Republican Party all together.
Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, R-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am a unifier. I would love to see the Republican Party and everybody get together and unify. And when we unify, there's nobody, nobody that's going to beat us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Here with reaction, Fox News contributor Herman Cain, Fox News senior correspondent Geraldo Rivera, and from The Washington Times, Fox News contributor Monica Crowley is with us.
Herman Cain, let's start with last night. And I think if you add it two ways -- if you agree with me that Donald Trump and Ted Cruz are the insurgent candidates, that is 10 for Trump, that's 4 for Cruz and 1 for Marco Rubio. That's 14 insurgency wins, and you now see the reaction from the establishment.
What is your take?
HERMAN CAIN, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: My take is the establishment thought four months ago that Trump was going to flame out. But he didn't. He got stronger. And so the establishment, I believe, is acting insane and irresponsible because now they're in a panic because they can't control Trump, so now they do want to get behind Marco Rubio.
There's nothing wrong with trying to promote the person that you want to support. The problem I have, Sean, is that they also simultaneously want to try and stop somebody else. The American people who voted for Trump have spoken. Let it play out.
HANNITY: Yes.
CAIN: If he's the nominee, they ought to support the estimate (ph) Republican nominee.
HANNITY: I got in a little bit of a Twitter fight earlier with this -- this Politico guy, Geraldo. And -- because I went on radio and I said that this is not the Marco Rubio I have known all these years. You know, how many times in his interview with Bret Baier last night and Megyn Kelly last night can he say "con artist" and "fraud" and won't denounce the KKK and hired illegal immigrants and misspelled words and the size of his hands?
And that's not Marco. To me, it seems like the establishment is putting all this in his head. He's regurgitating it and being somebody that he's not! That's my take on it. Your thoughts.
GERALDO RIVERA, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: First of all, I have big hands.
(LAUGHTER)
HANNITY: Gee, thanks, Geraldo!
RIVERA: Marco Rubio clearly took on the role as attack dog. Marco Rubio became what Chris Christie did to him. Chris Christie destroyed Marco Rubio's candidacy...
HANNITY: But is this the real Marco?
RIVERA: ... but Chris Christie paid the price...
HANNITY: I don't think that's Marco himself.
RIVERA: I don't -- I'm not a shrink. I don't care. I only know what I see. Marco Rubio tried to take down Trump. And indeed, if you analyze the results last night, I think Donald Trump underperformed.
Now, Marco Rubio was effective in some of these attacks, but at the same time, Marco Rubio destroyed his own character. He made himself smaller than he is, than he could be. He I think eliminated any chance that he'll be the nominee. So...
(CROSSTALK)
RIVERA: ... as a result of Marco Rubio's attacks, underperformed, but still he is triumphant. No doubt about it.
HANNITY: I think...
CAIN: I would agree with...
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: I think there's influence coming from outside. I think he's being fed this, probably promised a lot of money. I don't think this is the Marco that we have known, and you know, except for comprehensive immigration, a lot of people respected. And to me, it's almost like a kamikazi mission. You know, what is Mitt Romney going to say tomorrow. What's all that about? Everyone that supported Mitt Romney, what now, he - - they're all going to blow up the party because they so hate the insurgency?
MONICA CROWLEY, FOX CONTRIBUTOR: Yes. I mean, the establishment has been in panic mode for a long time about Donald Trump, and only now are they starting to get really serious about it, and so they've decided that Marco Rubio is probably their best shot at retaining control of the party apparatus because, remember, they hate Donald Trump, but they fear him more because they can't control him. So I think...
HANNITY: But they hate Cruz, too.
CROWLEY: I think what -- what...
HANNITY: Let's be honest. They...
CROWLEY: Well, of course they hate Ted Cruz!
HANNITY: Yes.
CROWLEY: Of course, because he's blowing up the whole system, too. But I think with Rubio and what he's done over the last, like, week or so I think the calculation is that the only way you have any chance of trying to take Donald Trump down is by mirroring him, by mocking him, dismissing him the way he's done with so many other candidates from Jeb Bush to Marco Rubio to Ted Cruz, that you've got to fight him on his own territory.
The problem is Donald Trump is the master of this game, and you can't beat the master at his own game.
HANNITY: And if anything, Herman Cain, Donald Trump showed a side of himself last night -- I'm speaking objectively here, not taking sides in this. But Donald Trump showed a side of him that was very different last night. You could even use the word "presidential" in the way he approached -- he was magnanimous when it comes to Ted Cruz and his victories, how tough it is to run for president.
You know, and what I'm watching here is the kitchen sink, scorched earth, MMA bare-knuckle brawl, thermonuclear attacks. And where does this go tomorrow night during the debate, Herman Cain?
CAIN: Well, I agree with you. I saw a different Donald Trump through the eyes of the lens of the media last night when he did sound more presidential. He sounded conciliatory. He sounded calmer. He even touched on some specific substance items, which I thought came across real well. This is exactly the same thing that I heard from a lot of my callers and listeners to my radio show today.
Now, where does this go tomorrow during the debate? We will just have to wait and see because as you know, Ben Carson, who has announced that he won't be there, has called for more civility. Let's see whether or not Marco Rubio is going to continue the attack...
HANNITY: Not happening.
CAIN: ... dog approach that you talked about which I think that's just not his character. And I think that makes him seem smaller by trying to continue to go down that road. And then let's see what happens tomorrow, is the big unknown.
HANNITY: Geraldo, I don't think it's a big unknown. I might disagree. I think this is going to be an MMA, bare-knuckles bloody brawl tomorrow, and they're going to try to take Trump out in one punch. It's a Hail Mary.
RIVERA: I agree. I don't know why you're giving Marco Rubio the benefit of the doubt. He was such a little snotnose in this attack on Trump. Trump, on the other hand, I have to say, as a person who considers him a friend -- I love Donald Trump. He profoundly disappointed me, Sean, with that whole KKK David Duke thing. Now, don't tell me about the disavowals and all the rest of it...
HANNITY: Oh, stop, Geraldo.
RIVERA: I caught an interview...
HANNITY: He did it back in August.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: He did it on Friday!
RIVERA: June, 1976...
HANNITY: He did it 100 times, Geraldo!
RIVERA: Let me -- just give me one sentence. June 1976, I first interviewed David Duke at a cross burning outside of New Orleans. I've known this guy over 40 years. He is a disgusting...
HANNITY: He's a racist punk!
RIVERA: ... a lowdown and dirty racist...
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: How many times does he have to say it?
HANNITY: And so there should be no -- why did Donald Trump -- why did Donald Trump allow even equivocation? Why did he allow...
HANNITY: There was -- wait!
(CROSSTALK)
RIVERA: ... the power he has...
HANNITY: That is not accurate!
RIVERA: ... with the power that he has -- that David Duke is a...
HANNITY: Oh, stop!
RIVERA: ... is scum...
HANNITY: He said in August!
RIVERA: ... that has no place in American society...
HANNITY: He said it on Friday!
RIVERA: I not only disavow him...
HANNITY: He said it on social media all weekend!
RIVERA: ... and he's disgusting...
HANNITY: Geraldo, you're not being fair!
RIVERA: For the fact that he allowed -- why didn't he condemn David Duke with the same vigor that he condemns the Chicago gang bangers...
HANNITY: Monica -- let's get Monica in here.
RIVERA: ... or ISIS? Because that's where David Duke resides.
CROWLEY: OK, to bring it back to what's going to happen tomorrow night at the Fox News debate -- look, Marco Rubio is constantly trying to bait Donald Trump into -- into mutual combat on territory that they both understand, mocking, dismissing, ridiculing.
My advice to Donald Trump is don't take the bait because if you start...
CAIN: Right.
CROWLEY: If you start taking the bait and falling into the trap, now you're fighting on the same ground.
HANNITY: By the way, now he's...
CROWLEY: What Trump did yesterday...
HANNITY: That's not in his nature, though.
CROWLEY: Yes, but what he did yesterday -- first of all, he called a press conference rather than doing a campaign rally...
RIVERA: Smart.
CROWLEY: ... very smart. He took questions from the press. His demeanor was a lot calmer, more presidential. I think if he proceeds that way, he'll end up calming a lot of the fears that a lot of people might have about Trump and his demeanor and how he carries himself going forward.
Is he presidential? I think he took a big step toward that last night. So if the others want to...
HANNITY: Continue it.
CROWLEY: ... engage in a brawl tomorrow, my advice to Donald Trump is fight back when necessary, defend yourself, but don't necessarily take the bait.
HANNITY: Watch the (INAUDIBLE)
CROWLEY: Deny the others the ability to drag you in.
HANNITY: All right, last -- Herman, real quick because we got to go.
CAIN: Yes. Well, I agree with Monica entirely. And that is, if he keep that same demeanor that he had last night in that press conference, he will rise above all of the bickering that's going to take place, as well as all of the attacks that are definitely going to come against him tomorrow night.
HANNITY: All right, guys. Thank you all. Geraldo, you -- I'm going to have you back on this because we need to have an argument.
(LAUGHTER)
HANNITY: Thank you all.
Coming up next on this busy news night tonight on "Hannity"...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MARCO RUBIO, R-FLA., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We are going to send the message that the party of Lincoln and Reagan and the presidency of the United States will never be held by a con artist!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: So is the GOP establishment -- are they sending Marco Rubio on a suicide mission that could ruin the Florida senator and blow up the party? We'll check in with the original insurgent, Patrick J. Buchanan. He'll joining us.
Also tonight, Cornel West is here in studio. He'll weigh in on the 2016 race.
And I go one on one tonight with the former president of Mexico, Vicente Fox.
That and more tonight on "Hannity."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWSBREAK)
HANNITY: And welcome back to "Hannity." Senator Marco Rubio has been hammering GOP front-runner Donald Trump with vicious attacks on the campaign trail. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MARCO RUBIO, R-FLA., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He's not a tough guy. The other day, he told a protester, I want to punch you in the face. Donald Trump has never punched anyone in the face.
He doesn't sweat because his pores are clogged from the spray tan that he uses.
(LAUGHTER, CHEERS)
RUBIO: Donald is not going to make America great. He's going to make America orange! He's always calling me "little Marco," and I'll admit he's taller than me. He's, like, 6-2, which is why I don't understand why his hands are the size of someone who's 5-2. Have you seen his hands? They're like this!
And you know what they say about men with small hands.
(LAUGHTER)
RUBIO: You can't trust them.
We are going to send a message that the party of Lincoln and Reagan and the presidency of the United States will never be held by a con artist!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: So are Rubio's attacks turning into a suicide mission? And could it actually ruin his career and destroy and hurt the Republican Party? Here to answer that question, author of the book "The Greatest Comeback," the original insurgent himself, Patrick J. Buchanan.
Sir, how are you?
PAT BUCHANAN, "THE GREATEST COMEBACK" AUTHOR: Doing fine, Sean.
HANNITY: So I watched Marco in two interviews last night. And I want to be very clear here. For the record, I've always liked him. It's very hard not to like Marco Rubio.
I get the sense that he couldn't get out the word "con artist," "fraud," supporting the KKK, hiring illegal immigrants, Trump University over and over enough, probably a preview of tomorrow's debate. Here's my question. Do you agree with me that probably this is -- that this is not Marco we've known, and B, that he's probably being influenced and he's the hired gun now to take out the insurgency?
BUCHANAN: I think he's made a calculated decision that he's going to be the -- he's getting the applause of the media establishment. He's getting the applause of the establishment. He's tearing down Donald Trump. The establishment wants him destroyed. Marco has volunteered to be the instrument of destruction.
I agree with you in the longer run, Marco is not going to be the nominee. I don't think the Trump people at the convention would ever support Marco Rubio after these kinds of attacks. But in the short run, Sean,there's no doubt about it. It is an effective tactic. It's got Marco tremendous amounts of attention he never otherwise got.
Let me just tell you about the strategy they had in Virginia. They ran all these savage attack ads on Trump again and again and again. That's where I live. Marco is calling him a scam artist, a con artist. And Marco closed the gap there. That's the strategy between now and the ides of March.
HANNITY: OK. But if you look, Pat, you know, he got the votes -- most of his votes in northern Virginia. That is not an area where any Republican is going to really do well on -- in the general election, same in Minnesota. I mean, he's looking in Minneapolis/St. Paul, not exactly Republican-friendly territory here.
So what is his goal here? In other words, is his goal...
BUCHANAN: This is not...
HANNITY: ... to win or is his goal to prevent Trump or Cruz from getting 1,237 delegates?
BUCHANAN: His goal -- this is not a -- you're right. This is not a general election strategy. It's not even a good nomination strategy. But it is a good strategy if the objective of you and your supporters is to bring down Trump, no matter how you have to do it, because we can't accept him. And there's a lot in the media, there are a lot here in the establishment in Washington, there are a lot of folks in the party who would be delighted to see Donald Trump taken down.
HANNITY: But that's what -- and you don't think there's been back door meetings and closed door meetings and smoke-filled rooms and he's not and he's not getting support and being offered money to do all this? Maybe it's my conspiratorial mind. I think this is orchestrated, well-funded and well organized.
BUCHANAN: Right. I think this helps Marco in the short run. In the long run, I agree with you. I think it may terminate the political career. And what I don't understand is if they manage to destroy Donald Trump, who do they think's going to get the nomination, Marco?
HANNITY: Ted Cruz.
BUCHANAN: Well, the likelihood is Ted Cruz, and the establishment doesn't like him anymore than...
HANNITY: They hate him, too.
BUCHANAN: ... they like...
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: They hate them both, and they hate you, also, Pat.
(LAUGHTER)
HANNITY: By the way, for the record, they don't like me, either. All right, so 14 of 15 contests, though, 14 or 15 go to insurgent candidates, if you agree with me that both Donald Trump and Ted Cruz are insurgents.
Let's look at the polls. You got the RealClearPolitics average in Florida, for example, Donald Trump 40.3, Rubio 20.8, Cruz 15.8.
Here's how bad it's gotten. Now, I want to be very clear. I liked the old Marco Rubio. I didn't like the comprehensive immigration bill, but I've always -- he was a Tea Party guy in 2010. But when he runs an ad like this, invoking the KKK, when Donald Trump had disavowed it again and again and again, this to me is -- this is now way beyond the pale of what I would expect in a primary.
Let me roll tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I asked Donald Trump three times if he would disavow the support of David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan.
TRUMP: Well, I have to look at the group.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Trump refuses to denounce the KKK. Think about that. For president?
RUBIO: Ronald Reagan made us believe that it was morning in America again. Well, now the children of the Reagan revolution are ready to assume the mantle of leadership!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Now, that's a Rubio super-PAC. Pat, your reaction to that because I'm -- I'm stunned!
BUCHANAN: Well, this is -- it is outrageous. Everybody knows that David Duke has got nothing in common with Donald Trump and Trump and the KKK is preposterous, outrageous. But when you -- somebody, a reporter goes up, Do you renounce the KKK? They put that in people's minds. It is insidious. And the idea that Rubio and his super-PAC -- I understand why they're doing it. They want to destroy this guy, Sean. They're going all out. They think...
HANNITY: Does it work?
BUCHANAN: ... he's a menace to the party...
HANNITY: Do you think this works? And also what's coming in tomorrow night's debate.
BUCHANAN: I think to a degree, it is hurting. I think it hurt Trump, the attack ads in northern Virginia. I don't know if the KKK was in there. But these things are designed to hurt him. My guess would be you might see some kind of closing in Florida. But again, you got to wait for April 15th -- or excuse me, March 15th.
And I'll tell you. Then at this point, we're going to see whether Trump has a clear shot to the nomination and can't be stopped or whether he's going to be short in terms of delegates.
HANNITY: Does he have to win Ohio and Florida on the 15th, or just...
BUCHANAN: No, I don't think so. I think if he wins one of the two, frankly, even if he loses them both, he's not done. There's races between now and then. But I will say this. Look, the people in the Republican establishment, the enormous turnouts we're getting -- I've never seen anything like this!
HANNITY: They should be ecstatic!
BUCHANAN: If you can pull this...
HANNITY: They should be happy!
BUCHANAN: If you can pull this party together, Sean, you can beat Hillary! Her turnouts of her and Bernie are anemic despite the big turnouts for Bernie!
HANNITY: Isn't it amazing...
BUCHANAN: This thing is winnable if the party gets together...
HANNITY: ... they hate -- but they hate the two top guys...
BUCHANAN: ... but it is getting...
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: The two most popular people that are winning in this process, they hate them!
BUCHANAN: Well, they're going to have to get over that by -- after March 15th, I'll tell you...
HANNITY: Yes.
BUCHANAN: ... or they will be responsible for blowing not only opportunity to win, this -- I think if you drive these Trump people off from the party who are coming in...
HANNITY: They're gone.
BUCHANAN: ... the party is gone and I don't know why it shouldn't it. Look, the establishment's positions have been repudiated! They're not coming back on trade or intervention or open borders or all the rest of it. That is over. Bush Republicanism is yesterday, and the establishment has got to wake up to it, otherwise it's not going to have any future at all!
HANNITY: All right, Pat Buchanan, the original insurgent, thank you for being with us.
BUCHANAN: Thank you.
HANNITY: And coming up next tonight right here on "Hannity"...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I'm going to get along great with Congress, OK? Paul Ryan, I don't know him well, but I'm sure I'm going to get along great with him. And if I don't, he's going to have to pay a big price, OK?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: All right, according to a new report, Republican leaders in Congress -- they're working on a plan to deal with the surging Donald Trump. So did the party establishment underestimate Trump's campaign?
Also later tonight...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, D-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We know we've got work to do. But that work -- that work is not to make America great again. America never stopped being great.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: So does Hillary really fear Donald Trump? Ed Henry will have a full report. We also get reaction from Professor Cornel West. And I go one on one tonight with the former Mexican president, Vicente Fox, over the border. That and more tonight on "Hannity."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, R-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm going to get along great with Congress, OK? Paul Ryan, I don't know him well, but I'm sure I'm going to get along great with him. And if I don't, he's going to have to pay a big price, OK?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: All right, that was Republican front-runner Donald Trump talking about Speaker Paul Ryan last night. So is it time for the GOP establishment to accept that Trump will be the nominee?
Here with reaction, conservative columnist A.J. Delgado, and former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer is with us.
A.J., look, you were right about Trump's rise way before other people -- and you and I were discussing this recently on Twitter -- and you were dead-on accurate.
When Marco Rubio, who I know you used to like and I've always liked him, now starts invoking the KKK in spite of many, you know, "disavows," disavow, disavow, to me, it's a bridge too far. To me, that in my mind conjures up a conspiracy to just go scorched earth and destroy the whole party because they're not winning.
A.J. DELGADO, CONSERVATIVE COLUMNIST: Absolutely. And I think the establishment has a choice to make. They could either go with Rubio's disgusting tactics lately, or they can realize that Trump will be the nominee, so they can either get on board or they can choose to reveal themselves to be puppets of the donor class, people who are not with the American people and standing against immigration, the way Trump is with us.
It's a case of -- you know, to borrow my fellow guest's former boss's term, it's a case of you're either with us or you're against us. You're either with us with Trump and with the people and standing against America -- and standing against illegal immigration and standing against the donor class, or you're with us the likes of Marco Rubio, somebody who said in 2010 that he would never support amnesty, and then exactly the moment he was elected into the Senate, did just that.
There's something mentally or morally wrong when you can support that type of candidate.
HANNITY: You know, Ari, if you look at 14 out of 15 contests won by insurgents, you look at Donald Trump's success in this race, what I think the establishment is not getting is that they created Donald Trump and Ted Cruz's popularity by not using the power of the purse to repeal and replace "Obama care," by making a promise in 2014 that they would defund Obama's executive amnesty.
You know, look at the polls, the exit polls last night. Sixty percent of Republicans in most states feel betrayed by their party! And now the establishment is turning around and they're going to go scorched earth because they're not winning?
ARI FLEISCHER, FMR. BUSH WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Well, I do think the establishment helped create the rise of Donald Trump because of the frustration a lot of voters feel with all things Republican. I also think Barack Obama helped created Donald Trump because...
HANNITY: Yes, but the Republicans didn't stop him.
FLEISCHER: ... he has been the lead contributor -- he has been the lead contributor of the difficulties in Washington that people are crying out to go in a different direction.
But here's the shape of the race as I see it right now, Sean. The Trump train is leaving the station, but at this point, it's got 34.9 percent of Republicans on board. That's his percentage of the winning vote in 15 states, 34.9. He's not above 50 yet.
And when you go back four years ago, Mitt Romney had won 50 percent in four votes, four states by super-Tuesday. So he hasn't put together a majority coalition yet. That's why March 15th is crucial. If he can do it on March 15th...
HANNITY: Yes.
FLEISCHER: ... I'm willing to say it's over. But right now, remember, the majority...
HANNITY: It is not over. I agree.
FLEISCHER: ... almost two thirds, have said they want somebody else. That's the shape of the race.
HANNITY: But you have five people race up until today. Ben Carson not going to the debate tomorrow night. A.J., talk about that because I thought Trump actually reached out and said, OK, I want to bring the party together. It's going to be probably a bare-knuckles brawl, as I've been calling it, tomorrow night. What do you think will happen?
DELGADO: I think he'll take Florida. I'm in Florida. I think we see through Marco Rubio here, and I think that will be the death knell in Rubio's candidacy. We're tired of somebody -- of these two-faced politicians, as I said earlier, somebody who ran on an anti-amnesty platform and then not only supported amnesty, but became the front man for it. We do not want that type of man in the Oval Office, at least Floridians don't.
So I think Trump takes Florida and that's when you're going to see the coalition, and maybe Kasich and Carson drop out. And I think those voters, a big bloc of them, some of Cruz's will end up going to Trump, and then we'll have the numbers that Ari's alluding to that Trump really needs to ferment (ph) his status.
HANNITY: Ari, does any of what's happening bother you, scorched earth, invoking the KKK, even though there's many -- you know, disavow, disavow, disavow? Does that bother you? Because that bothers me. That's a bridge too far for me.
FLEISCHER: Well, Sean, two points. One, I criticized Donald Trump for his answer to Jake Tapper's question. I pointed out he did answer it properly at the Chris Christie news conference, but he should always say that. He created that problem himself. I accept his denunciation, but...
HANNITY: But he did it the Friday before. He did it over the weekend...
FLEISCHER: But he -- but he should...
HANNITY: ... before the Tapper interview.
FLEISCHER: That's not an excuse not to do it in the Jake interview. He created his own problem. But I'm over that. I criticized him.
But here's the second point, Sean, that I want to make about the shape of the race and the type of campaign now. You know, Donald Trump questioned Ben Carson's religion.
HANNITY: He's tough!
FLEISCHER: He questioned Marco Rubio for being corrupt with his credit card. So look, I don't fault Marco Rubio for punching back on the same tough level. That's politics. That's what they're doing to each other. If it's wrong for Rubio, it's wrong for Trump. Welcome to politics.
HANNITY: All right. Yes, what's (ph) a blood sport. I got to roll. A.J., welcome back. We missed you. And it was my fault. I forgot to call you.
DELGADO: I missed you, Sean.
HANNITY: All right, we appreciate you being back. Ari, always good to see you.
And coming up next tonight on "Hannity"...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: We know we've got work to do. But that work -- that work is not to make America great again. America never stopped being great.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: All right, during her speech last night, Hillary Clinton slammed Donald Trump. Is that a sign that Clinton could be starting to fear the GOP front-runner? Well, the one and only Cornel West will join me to weigh in on that and more.
And then later tonight, former Mexican president Vicente Fox has been ridiculing Donald Trump and his plan for the border wall. I'll go one on one with him later tonight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: Welcome back to "Hannity." 2016 Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton won seven states last night, and during her Super Tuesday victory speech, she took some not so veiled shots at Donald Trump. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: We know we have got work to do. But that work -- that work is not to make America great again. America never stopped being great. Instead of building walls, we're going to break down barriers and build --
(APPLAUSE)
CLINTON: -- build ladders of opportunity and empowerment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: So does the Clinton campaign actually fear Donald Trump? Joining us now, Ed Henry. Do they fear him?
ED HENRY, FOX NEWS SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Sean, at least publicly they insist they don't. I think what's going on here with that comment you saw there, a series of comments, is a strategy from Hillary Clinton. Number one, she's wants to look past Bernie Sanders. Yes, he did better than expected last night. He won four states on Super Tuesday. He outraised here in the month of February another $12 million beyond what she raised in February. So he is sticking around. He's not going away. But Hillary Clinton wants to look past him by attacking Donald Trump instead.
Secondly, she is having an enthusiasm problem, an energy problem. And so that's why she wants to pit herself against Donald Trump, go after some of his incendiary comments and basically say, look, I'll restore sanity here. And what is that about? That's about her trying to juice Democratic turnout. Democratic enthusiasm has been lagging. We've seen that in terms of turnout among Democrats compared to Republicans in primary after primary.
But as you say, there are some Democrats warning the Clinton campaign that it may be a mistake for them to take Donald Trump lightly. Look at Mudcat Saunders. He's a conservative Democratic strategist, used to advise Jim Webb in his failed presidential bid. He said this today, quote, "I think Trump could beat her like a tied-up Billy goat. There are many areas in key swing states like Virginia and North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania that look like Sherman went through and didn't burn anything, empty factories, empty buildings, few opportunities for young people. It's sad. It should be no surprise to anybody that voters in those states are gravitating to Trump."
So look, she wants to make this Clinton v Trump and it may end up being that. But there are some Democrats warning her that Trump might be stronger than he thinks in a general, number one. And number two, by the way, Bernie Sanders is still trying to tap into those very same voters, and you have the Ohio and Michigan primaries coming up the next two Tuesdays. Sanders hopes to make one last stand there. Sean?
HANNITY: I hope she's paying attention that the FBI director says he is taking ownership of the investigation into the email, and Joe DiGenova, former U.S. attorney, says he believes a grand jury has been convened. So we'll be watching that closely. Ed Henry, thank you.
HENRY: Good see you.
HANNITY: Joining us now to weigh in on the 2016 race, the Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice at Union Theological Seminary, also a professor at Princeton University, Dr. Cornel West.
DR. CORNEL WEST, PROFESSOR EMERITUS, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: Always a blessing, my brother.
HANNITY: Come on. I have a hard time going at you because we're good friends. Let me play for you -- don't you find the race card repugnant? You do.
WEST: Oh, absolutely.
HANNITY: Let me play Hillary Clinton and I want you to objectively tell me if this is playing the race card.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: Republican governors and legislatures are erecting one barrier after another that make it harder for black people to vote. It's a blast from the Jim Crow past, and we need to call it for what it is.
And it's state after state they're doing everything they can to stop black people, Latinos, poor people, young people, people with disabilities from voting. It's a blast from the Jim Crow past.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Do you know anybody that's trying to stop black people, Latinos, poor people, young people, people with disabilities from voting? Do you know who is doing that?
WEST: I think there's no doubt. I was just talking to my dear brother William Barber, Reverend Barber, a King-like figure of our time, about the voting suppression activity there in North Carolina. As you know there is a court case going on right now.
HANNITY: but do you know anybody that's actively trying to stop people from voting?
WEST: It's not a question of motivation. It's a question of effect and consequence. If in fact we see it's harder for black people, brown people to vote --
HANNITY: How is it harder?
WEST: That's what the arguments are about.
HANNITY: But when she talks about Jim Crow past, I thought -- and then a southern accent, I thought we were done with that in the '60s. That's playing the race card, isn't it?
WEST: It's her attempt to be fake and phony and try to mobilize people who wanted to vote, because you and I know, the country is in deep trouble, though, Sean. You're having a meltdown on one side and a break down on the other.
HANNITY: I agree.
WEST: I think that Donald Trump himself is a dangerous neo-fascist in the making.
HANNITY: Oh, stop it. Stop it.
WEST: You know what I mean by that?
HANNITY: Neo-fascist, you just throw out these words. Stop it.
WEST: It's true.
HANNITY: He's a nationalist and he's populist and conservative leanings. That's not a fascist.
WEST: He has autocratic sensibilities. The Muslims, the Mexicans, and not only -- look what he said about the press.
HANNITY: Wait a minute, James Clapper, national intelligence director, the FBI director, Obama's envoy to defeat ISIS all said that ISIS will infiltrate the refugee population. So he said put a hold --
WEST: On all Muslims in the world?
HANNITY: -- until we can secure the safety and security of America. I'm not willing to gamble with Americans lives. Are you?
WEST: I'm not willing to gamble. But I'm concerned about the precious humanity of Muslims --
HANNITY: Our intelligence officers say that ISIS will infiltrate, don't you worry about that?
WEST: But the sad moment is this. We have got on the one hand a milquetoast neo-liberal in Hillary Clinton.
HANNITY: Milquetoast neo-liberal.
WEST: Milquetoast neo-liberal tied to Wall Street, tied to big money. And then we got a dangerous neo-fascist. The only way out is the genuine populism of my dear brother Bernie Sanders.
HANNITY: You want the communist.
WEST: He's a genuine populist.
HANNITY: No. He's an admitted socialist.
WEST: He calls himself a socialist.
HANNITY: He is a socialist.
WEST: I'm a genuine democratic socialist. He's not calling for the elimination of private property. He's not calling for the national --
HANNITY: You know how you call me "brother Sean," and you call our friend Tavis Smiley "brother Tavis"?
WEST: That's right.
HANNITY: Tavis actually said that Hillary better be careful that the black vote to go to Trump.
WEST: Well no. No, the black vote won't. Trump scapegoats the vulnerable too much. Mexicans, Muslims, women -- he can't get away with that. I can say this. Hillary doesn't have enough gas in her tank, and that's what the only person to beat Trump is Bernie Sanders. Look at the polls. Look at the polls.
HANNITY: Here's what I want to ask you. Are black Americans, there's millions more in poverty since Obama's been president, million more on food stamps --
WEST: Child poverty is higher.
HANNITY: Millions more in poverty, millions more on food stamps, millions more out of the labor force. And 50 percent of black teenagers can't get a summer job. If I didn't have a summer job, I'm getting in a lot of trouble.
WEST: You and me together. You and I together.
HANNITY: We would have been good friends.
WEST: Absolutely.
(LAUGHTER)
HANNITY: Here's the problem. Is black America better under Obama? No. It's not better under social liberal policies.
WEST: But you know what it has, though? A symbol. Large numbers of black brothers and sisters are tied to symbol.
HANNITY: Symbol doesn't put food on the table.
WEST: I agree.
HANNITY: Symbol is not a job.
WEST: You know my own criticisms have been trying to get beyond symbol and trying to talk about substance.
HANNITY: I know. How about you get people back to work and get the economy working?
WEST: That's what Bernie Sanders is talking about.
HANNITY: We become energy independent like Republicans are talking about. If you actually build a wall there's less competition with the illegal immigrants.
WEST: You don't want to build a wall.
HANNITY: I want to build a big wall, huge.
WEST: That's wrong.
HANNITY: That's right. We can. And we can hire Americans to do it.
WEST: No, Sean. You don't want to --
HANNITY: You need a drink after this.
WEST: A cognac.
HANNITY: Get a cognac.
WEST: We can't be building no wall.
HANNITY: We are going to do it. It's coming, a big wall. I'll go down there with you. And less drugs will be coming into the country, less crime, and people that want to come in here legally, they can be part of our family legally.
WEST: Yes. But that's a longer discussion. But at the same time --
HANNITY: You're agreeing with me. You almost agreed with me.
WEST: No, no, not at all.
HANNITY: You winced toward my direction.
(LAUGHTER)
WEST: No, no.
HANNITY: I have to roll.
WEST: All right.
HANNITY: You've got to come back more often. We miss you.
All right, up next, you don't miss this here on "Hannity."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We are going to have a wall. I watched the ex-president of Mexico, the arrogance of this man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Donald Trump went after former Mexican president Vicente Fox. I go one on one with the former president right after this break, an interview you don't want to miss straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We are going to have a wall. I watched the ex-president of Mexico, the arrogance of this man. And I get along great with the Hispanics. You saw in Nevada, I won in the poll the Hispanic vote. Vicente Fox, first of all, he used the word that you should never have -- if I used that word you folks would have never, never, ever let me get away with it. Nobody even talked about the word he used, and this is the ultimate word. But he was angry at the concept of somebody saying that they would pay for the wall. Mexico is going to pay for the wall.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: That was 2016 GOP frontrunner Donald Trump last night taking a swipe at the former president of Mexico. Joining me now to respond to Mr. Trump is former president of Mexico, Vicente Fox. Mr. Fox, welcome back to the program, sir.
VINCENTE FOX, FORMER MEXICAN PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Let me start by saying please wake up, America, from this Republican nightmare that is causing a lot of noise outside of United States. And I say it with clarity that is nothing personal but is really worrying us outside of the United States. The way he has said some programs he's about ready to launch. And I think starting with economic side he shows a lot of ignorance.
HANNITY: Mr. Fox, you called him a Nazi. You used the f-bomb on him.
I want to play for you -- now, I've been down to the border 10 times. I've been in drug warehouses, floor to ceiling, nothing but drugs that were being brought in from your country, Mexico, for the children of America. I've seen it with my own eyes. I've seen gang members, I've been with border patrol watch gang members get arrested crossing your borders. Similarly I've been out on horseback, all-terrain vehicle. I've seen tunnels that were dug --
FOX: I was ready to speak about the worry about economic and economic terms to show the ignorance of this guy. It's --
HANNITY: Wait, you're talking about -- do you care about the American people?
FOX: Very much so because my grandfather --
HANNITY: Did you care about drugs being brought into America?
FOX: My grandfather was an American.
HANNITY: I'm fine with that. Do you care about America? I just showed the video of drug warehouses. Do you care?
FOX: I respect very much America. That's why I intervene, because it worries me for America, worries me for the world, and worries me for Mexico.
HANNITY: But you wouldn't even admit to me in the past that illegal immigration exists. Do you acknowledge that people are entering America illegally?
FOX: Of course it exists. But you don't finish with that with a stick or with violence or being aggressive.
HANNITY: Nobody said to be violent. We're just building a barrier. What's wrong with building a wall, sir? What's wrong with building a barrier to stop drugs?
FOX: No, it's your right. It is your right. But walls don't work.
HANNITY: Oh no. I think walls work pretty good, actually. That's why prisoners are surrounded by a wall in prison.
FOX: The wall that he mentioned never worked.
HANNITY: Let me play for you, and I want you to respond, there are 642,000 crimes, and this was in 2014, in a seven-year period --
FOX: That cannot be accurate. I don't accept that.
HANNITY: You can hear it yourself. These are border agents giving real statistics. Play the tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Criminals have been responsible for about 642,000 offenses, criminal offenses. You look up there at top left, sexual assault, there's close to 8,000 victims.
HANNITY: And 642,000 crimes since --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In Texas.
HANNITY: In Texas alone?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Over 200,000 individuals with a criminal history reflected they were committed over 642,000 crimes. That's the cost of not securing the border.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: And 642,000 crimes since 2008 in a seven-year.
FOX: That's a lie. That's not true.
HANNITY: So the border patrol is lying.
FOX: -- in the whole of the United States.
HANNITY: We've never going to agree because I believe those people that are there. I was in the drug warehouses. I saw the underground tunnels. I watched criminal aliens get arrested.
FOX: We were going to talk about Trump.
HANNITY: We did talk about Trump. You used pretty nasty language towards him.
FOX: Come off it. He's going to take this nation to the desert. He doesn't understand about creating jobs. He only lies and lies and lies and uses whatever is convenient for him without any attention to facts. That's why I say he's an egocentric. He's only looking for himself and not for the rest. He believes in the white supremacy.
HANNITY: That's ridiculous. I have to go.
FOX: That's Hitler. I mean, that's --
HANNITY: That's Hitler? That's a disgraceful comment, sir for you to say.
FOX: I saw, wake up, America.
HANNITY: America has a right to protect its children from the drugs that - - listen, I understand most people want jobs.
FOX: The Republican Party --
HANNITY: I understand that you didn't fix the economy of your country.
FOX: Oh, yes, I did.
HANNITY: Oh, no, you didn't. Then why are they coming to America? But we have the right to protect our children from the drug trade.
FOX: Of course you have that right.
HANNITY: And the crimes that are committed on the border by illegal immigrants, sir.
FOX: And you have that right to stop consumption of drugs in this nation.
HANNITY: That's, true, too. I agree with you. But I have got to go. Thank you.
FOX: We don't produce drugs significantly.
HANNITY: You're right. Consumption is part of the problem. But distribution is also a big part of the equation. I have got to go. Thank you, sir.
All right, and coming up, we need your help, our very important "Question of the Day" coming up straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HANNITY: And time for tonight's "Question of the Day." So who do you think is going to win the Republican nomination? Just go to Facebook.com/SeanHannity, @SeanHannity on Twitter, let us know what you think.
That is all the time we have left this evening. As always, thank you for being with us. We'll see you back here tomorrow night.
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