anger and angst in a way that's very different than any time i can recall. but it should not come as a surprise americans are fed up that politicians don't listen to them. it's that frustration that we'll highlight, not bury in the debate tonight. i hope you enjoy the show. we'll have lots to talk about. have fun. here is lou dobbs. lou: good evening, i'm lou dobbs. coming to you from the north charleston coliseum and performing arts center in charleston, south carolina. we are one hour safe way from the first republican presidential debate. three candidates will be taking the stage in this first debate.

carly fiorina, rick and tore you have and mike huckabee will take the stage and trish regan and sandra smith will moderate. tonight marks the 6th time the republican field has gathered on one stage and the second time the fox business network has had the privilege of hosting the event. it will be a terrific evening. only 7 candidates in the second debate. fashion stall security, illegal immigration and our economy are topics that dominated the campaign trail and our news over the course of the past half year in this country. i'll be joined by familiar faces to you all, and the candidates will be joining us for interviews throughout the evening. right now chris stirewalt and

ebony williams join me in north charleston. relationship can strategist ed rollins joins me now from new york. we begin with carl cameron in north charleston. reporter: one of the main narratives has been the ends of peaceful play between peaceful play between donald trump and ted cruz. for several months the two said they like one another, they like one another and they will refrain from attacking but donald trump has persistently and relentlessly raised questions about whether ted cruz is a natural-born citizen and because he was canadian born and his father was a cuban, american now. cruz is going right back at trump. watch. >> it's very interesting.

this issue did not seem to concern donald until a little over a week ago when suddenly he was trailing in the polls in see you what. and i understand, in trump and other candidates in the race being disturbed conservatives are coming together. and when they are disturbed they have try to raise whatever attacks they can. reporter: cruz said trump has quote new york values and conservatives from not the east coast have a different view of the world. it's a nasty battle and is sure to be parts of what happens tonight. they are the front runners nationally. this is a scene setter and a real battle is coming tonight, lou. lou: do you expect amongst the seven candidates on that stage in the second debate for cruz

and trump to lock down and hands to hand combat? >> sure. cruz last night donald trump said quite clearly that he didn't intends to initiate. but if he's cite size of thed by anyone he will come back five times as strong. by contrast, donald trump is in something of a spat with south carolina's governor nikki haley in her state of the union response. she talked about in her view all the age term fomented by the republican campaign without using donald trump by name, that's who she was talking about. trump has taken a couple glancing shots and said you are right i'm angry. >> nikki haley, a very nice woman said you are an angry person. they said she said you are an angry person. and i says i am. i hate what's happening to our country.

i'm angry because we are being led by ver -- by very stupid criticism and they don't know what they are doing. >> reporter: so what was amendments as criticism crowd turns it around in one rally into a crowd pleaser. lou: we'll see more of that nimble footwork from mr. trump. carl cameroon as always. reporter: it's a multi-level game of three-dimensional chess. jeb bush, chris christie, marco rubio, arguing with one another. john kasich chiming in. ben carson hospital campaign has been flagging lost some more senior staff today. and we can't forget there will be an absentee here. there were hands wall supporters

demonstrating in the parking lot. but the republican senator will be holding a rally in iowa. lou: that was entirely his decision. joining us now, fox news "digital politics" edstorm chris stirewalt and ebony williams and former reagan white house political director, republican strategist ed rollins. chris, this is a debate for these three, they will have more time to am anyify their views to put their nature and personas in front of the american people for greater examination. it sounds like a wonderful advantage. >> when you have put it that way, everybody ought to want to be in the first debate. but there is a disadvantage. and it's because of why you are

there. it's because your polling is. carly fiorina was once one of the top tier. she was once an elite in this field. there was a period of time after her first main stage debate where she turned back donald trump briefly. she had a big moment. the surge abated and she was still in decent position. she was as strong as jeb bush. but we have seen her numbers and interest and support retreat. how she deals with this tonight will determine whether or not there is any -- lou: whether she seize it as an opportunity. >> do you sight as an opportunity to fight, to be ugly and hard, or do you sight of as an opportunity to say i have got

to go out there and make my best case. >> chris christie showed us, i'm the guy who shouldn't be here. and i belong on that's big stage. i thought that was smooth of christy rsh. he hand it as a champ. he didn't take his toys and go home. this an uninterrupted space where you get to show america what you are talking about and why you should be in that elite crowd that usual speaking about. lou: do we expect these three to go at one another or reach wider and take on the whole field? >> i think they will take on the whole field. to some extents they have to promote themselves. in the big debate -- the big debate has talented people. donald trump -- lou: first debate, second debate. i can keep that straight.

>> the * debate clearly has three frontrunners that are serious candidates who have the resources and organization. trump has been in first place. but breathing down hard on him is cruz and rubio. those three will go on and come in first, second or third in both new hampshire and what have you. the three governors who are obviously talented people. they have to break out and one of them gets to continue on after new hampshire ben carson's campaign has come apart at the seams. their campaign finance chairman quit today. my sense is he's not going to be there. no disrespect to him, but he's not going to be there. i would argue if i was advising the two senators, don't beat each other up as much as make your points and look presidential. lou: chris, you were somewhat sceptical of their chances to

exploit the gift that's been given. how would you advise they connects on these issues given to hem by trump? they are -- they likely to benefit from the example and emlate and do they have the tall don't do so? >> if you were one of the people who won the powerball today or last night, and i hope to god one much those people in tennessee is a stirewalt and they have been thinking of me fondly. but if you had a miracle happen in your life like that. you would be hard pressed to give up on miracles again. for both santorum and huckabee, they have been there when the lightning struck. they were way back. they weren't this far out of the race. but they were not favored to win. they were come from behind. they were dark horse victors.

how do you tell them they are not going to do it. they have to say we both have don't before and we have to do it again. >> i don't think it will make a difference. santorum has point and it made a difference they are them in the long term. if you are running for president, i'm going to give you have the benefit of the doubt you are doing it for the right reasons. now is your time to show that and step up to the plate. in this i'm expecting to see something from marco rubio. he has been shut out in the narrative and i want to see shim be more than just the most informed guy on the stage. he needs to connect. lou: ed rollins? you get the last 30 seconds. >> if trump maintains the momentum, he could win iowa and new hampshire and if he does

there is no stopping him. lou: we have just about 49 minutes to see the process begin. i can't wait. thanks so much, ed rollins in new york, ebony williams. we'll be seeing you later. up next donald trump sees himself as the next ronald reagan. that's a good thing that in his mind. however, president obama is really just jimmy carter. >> this is jimmy carter stuff. what's going on now, we are back -- we are now back in the age of jimmy carter. okay? we are back in that age. remember the hostages, we couldn't get them back? so i look at it and i had it watching that today. lou: we'll have a lot more on donald trump and all of his rivals for the republican

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lou: a lot of donald trump supporters are beginning to call themselves members of the silent majority. a term used by richard nixon. but trump has decided to call them something else. here is trump before a crowd of 10,000 people in pence coala, florida. >> you know what? you can call this the silent majority which some people say we shouldn't use that term. it's a very descriptive term. but it's no longer silent. it's nicey as hell. lou: joining us tonight guy benson, trump campaign national spokesperson katrina pierson and fox news contributor, jeddidiah.

that crowd is impressive. what do you expect on the first debate amongst huckabee and santorum and fiorina? >> i think they will be struggles to make their voices heard. think is their opportunity right now, right here and now. these three people have to somehow get themselves into that maintain later in the night. they have to make the american people hear something from them that they won't hear later on. there has to be some strong messages. the keys are snagsal security and the economy. to come in strong, to not be weak or mild and don't be afraid to go after people in the later

debate and force hope to later have to answer to you without you even being there. lou: the dynamic at work. much more time for these three candidates to speak to the american people as they watch this first debate that will begin in 42 minute on the fox business network. we are looking at a real opportunity for them to take the measure -- allow the viewers to take the measure of them. >> they will have plenty of time to flesh out real arguments. they would rather be on the maintain. they are not reaching polling thresholds. lou: is is their opportunity to show they can command the attention of the viewer. >> what has to be frustrating for carly fiorina. she outclassed the field in cleveland. she earned her way on to the big stage. now she has fallen back and she

will have to put in another commanding performance to have a chance to make it back on the maintain in iowa. lou: your candidate is dominating in the polls. your crown if you could give it wholeheartedly to these three candidate, donald trump's communication skills don't translate to every person. is there a way they can find if not his approach and tech next, his result. >> i'm not sure there is an opportunity to break through at this point. but think is the first debate after the holidays. more people are tuned in and paying attention. i think with mr. trump in the race as he dominated since he got in the race in june. a lot of people have heard some of these candidate before.

they have done their own research which a lot of voters didn't do in the past. they pretty much snow the guys on the -- they pretty much know the guys on the maintain will be the ones they are choosing from. lou: we are watching for the first type in my memory presidential candidates in one party actually talking about real issues, talking about their positions, exposing themselves to the electorate in valid and authentic ways, whether they went to or not, that's been the consequence. >> and i think it requires substance. the likes of donald trump who has been accused of not having a lot of substance by some, i think it's a challenge to him. donald trump is a charismatic guy. he's in the lead. he says a lot of thing i agree with. he has a lot of business savvy. it's his opportunity to show

when it comes to serious national security issues, he can handle it. lou: i have to interrupt you, we are crushed on time. >> i'm popping my popcorn for ted cruz and donald trump on the eligibility issue. finally the showdown between these two frontrunners, it will be fascinating. >> i think donald trump has been substantive. i think what people are conditioned to is to hear what they want the voters to hear. lou: a lot of americans have lost some faith in our government. the shockingly low number of people who consider it a matter that they could put a positive next to. we'll be talking about which candidate could likely restore their faith in government. we'll ask reince priebus, the chairman of the republican national committee. he's the fella putting on the show.

he will talk about how republicans plan to turn that around for millions of americans. i think it landed last tuesday. one second it's there. then, woosh, it's gone. i swear i saw it swallow seven people. seven. i just wish one of those people could have been mrs. johnson. [dog bark] trust me, we're dealing with a higher intelligence here.

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lou: tonight the republican candidates with the chance to address what's at stake for the country and for all of us to watch these candidates with so much at stake for them. the latest fox news polling find only 27% of americans believe this country and our countrymen and women are strong and confident. each presidential hopeful will try to convince you and me of their vision for this nation and the leadership it so desperately needs. we'll have quite a choice to make amongst this large field. joining us, the chairman of the republican national committee, reince priebus. it's nice to have you with us

for another presidential debate. >> we feel like we are getting to be best buddies. lou: one thing people can't accuse the republicans of is not putting their candidates in front of the american people to make decisions. i have got to compliment you. >> i appreciate that. we'll have debate tonight. we have another debate on fox news in two weeks. we have another in february. and our numbers are off the charts. everyone wants to talk about the drama and intrigue. but with that comes an enormous interest in what's happening on the republican party side. i think we can take that interest and capture the culture of america and do a much better job on the ground than we did in 2012 and try to win this race. lou: in terms of putting your candidates forward. no one could ask more of you and the republican marty and what you have done and by counter

point the dnc is being savage bid their members and constituents for hiding candidates. >> they will have a debate now -- i think we are at the end of this month, we'll have twice as many debates. they are having a debate on sunday night. last debate before christmas on sunday night. it's a little bit of a joke. but they have all run like drones behind hillary clinton. but now they find find her numbers are in a ditch and people aren't buying what she's selling so now they are looking to bernie sanders and that's not a great option. lou: i'm not sensing sincere sympathy and empathy for their moment of testing and challenge. let me turn to your challenges. you addressed them a few days ago saying you are confident the republican party will get behind your nominee. it was exactly the right thing to say.

and then within moments president obama was attack your front runner in the state of the union address and a reef but thal by a republican governor was also an attack. >> it was more subtle than calling it an attack. lou: give me a word. >> i don't even view of it that way. i was watching it. i didn't think of it that way. i thought of nikki haley in a state that went through a tremendous tragedy, building and changing a lot of things down here, and she has been leading our country on this constant -- lou: what word would you use? >> i don't even know what the word would be. i didn't perceive it that way. i perceived it as a call for unity. a call for maybe a better tone. but not necessarily for the republican party, but just

generally in this country. lou: she said herself -- >> i know she did. but when i saw it. but the other thing people have to be remind, there are two doors people can walk through, a republican and democrat door. and the people in those doors don't always agree with each other on everything. lou: you are confident you can unite the frontrunner behind the nominee no matter who he or she is. >> yes. lou: president obama touting his economic record in his final state of the union address. >> anyone claiming america's economy is in decline is peddling fiction. [applause] lou: guess what, mr. president. americans are increasingly worried about this economy.

we'll have the numbers and the reality for you here next. stay with us as we count down to tonight's big presidential debate. michelle malkin joins us in just moments. stay with us. we are coming back after these messages. and can you explain why you recommend synthetic over cedar? "super food?" is that a real thing? it's a great school, but is it the right one for her? is this really any better than the one you got last year? if we consolidate suppliers, what's the savings there? so should we go with the 467 horsepower? ...or is a 423 enough? good question. you ask a lot of good questions... i think we should move you into our new fund. sure... ok. but are you asking enough about how your wealth is managed? wealth management at charles schwab. on location with the famous, big idaho potato truck. our truck? it's touring across america telling people about idaho potatoes.

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he threatened to vote against it. and then voted for it. he supported his own dream act and then he abandoned it. marco rubio. just another washington politician you can't trust. jeb bush. he's a leader, so you always know where he stands. right to rise usa is responsible for the content of this message. lou: welcome back to the north charleston coliseum in north carolina site of the next republican debate. one of the issues the candidates

will be take on tonight is the economy. americans are increasingly concerned about the economy and themselves after a rough start to this year in the stock market, the roughest in history. the latest fox news poll shows the number of american voters who are optimistic about this economy has dropped to 49%. not exactly what the obama administration -- well, wants to hear nor what the president suggested in his state of the union. joining us tonight, fox news analyst, the host of media buzz, louie kurtz, morgan ortegas and andrew bolton. i want to turn to the dynamics in play here. the reality is you have got three candidates in just about

24 minutes who are going to have an unprecedented opportunity to appeal to the american voter. do you expect to see attacks on the part of these folks or serious substantive, if you will, expositions? >> i expect it to be a combination of both. as we are getting closer to iowa and new ham sure it gloves are likely to come out. but you put on a serious debate and i think viewers tuning in tonight think this will be a serious discussion. >> if you are huckabee or carly fiorina, it's still a great audience. you are trying to lift your poll numbers, get a headline. get back on the main stage later on. and the media loves conflicts. i think we'll see some elbows thrown as well. lou: all of these candidates have seen what hachts when you

speak directly and sometimes inartfully as donald trump has. he has broken through in large measure because of his language as well as the contents. are we going see sharper dialogue here? >> i do think so. there is longer answering time. so for somebody like marco rubio who speaks eloquently, this will be clearly an advantage for him. but i like what you said about pointing out the stock market. this is one of the roughest starts we have seen in defend kids if not ever. there are a lot of the people wondering just how stable the u.s. economy is. you heard carl icon say trump is the only person who understands corporate taxes need to come down, but tax on hedge fund managers need to go up. he's not the only person saying

that. the point is the economy. you mentioned the labor market. there are tons of people who have given up look for a job. you have seen that in that labor participation rate. this is where our moderators will shine. it's about the economy and how much money people have in their pockets and how secure they feel in their employment. lou: when we talk about what people are concerned about, they are concerned about themselves in this economy. we see so many people without sufficient savings to retire. we see people with no increase in their monthly wages over the course of the past 30 years in many case. this is a republican party taking on these issues for the first time again in my memory. they are not come together it from the perspective of the chamber of commerce or the business rounds table.

though they are taking it into account in the propositions they are debating tonight. they are focusing on workmen and women, and what is best for this country. it is i think an extraordinary campaign in that respect. >> i'm a any lynnial. i reached out to people on social media to see what they were concerned about. everyone knows who you are, lou dobbs. but i was asking millennials what they want to hear from the presidential candidates. we hear presidential candidates talk about entitlement reform and talk about the debt in terms of what we'll leave to our grandchildren. as a millennial, someone under 35, we aren't going have social security. no one is depending on social security or medicare. for me this is the here and now. entitlement reform affects me now. that's something i would like to hear tonight.

lou: sandra smith and trish regan i'm sure will get to that. is this a breakout moment, an opportunity for these three? >> at a time of economic anxiety sit could well be. president obama was able to points to the 5% unemployment. but this republican party prodded by trump is having to speak working class of america as well as the upper income folks. lou: thank you all. up next, republican voters are looking for someone who is strong on illegal immigration like donald trump we are told. that's why a ted cruz super pac is slamming one of his rivals for supporting amnesty. michelle malkin, one of the leading in the conservative thinkers and writers joins us here next. stay with us as we count down to the first republican

presidential debate in north charleston, south carolina coming up in just about 18 minutes. can you wait? i can't. but i will. with creative new business incentives, the lowest taxes in decades, and university partnerships, attracting the talent and companies of tomorrow. like in utica, where a new kind of workforce is being trained. and in albany, the nanotechnology capital of the world. let us help grow your company's tomorrow, today at business.ny.gov

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debate of the evening in the republican presidential debates, one of two that we'll see this evening, a super pac supporting senator ted cruz is out with a hard-hitting ad that may be discussed here tonight. it labels marco rubio as pro-am necessary city for illegal immigrants. >> let's bring these people out of the shadows and tell them to get background checks. >> it was the rubio-schumer bill. >> his fingerprints are all over that bill. >> he understood it, he made it. lou: joining us syndicated columnist fox news contributor. michelle malkin. you are in colorado tonight as nearly always. we appreciate you joining us. this will be some debate tonight.

i want to start with the first debate that begins in 14 minute. three candidate with a tremendous opportunity to explain themselves, their positions and let the voters get to know them. what is your thought about this first debate and whether they will have a bona fide opportunity to better connect with voters? >> i have to give the three who will be on stage credit for showing up and realizing that you have to get into the lion's den and use every opportunity that you have to put yourself out there and make yourself known. you know, it seems like it's been a long time already and a lot of voters are already overdosing on so much of the campaign. but i think the main question that these three have to face is why are you still here? in many cases a lot of these campaigns are in their last gasp, and riding on fumes.

so this will be a choice opportunity for carly fiorina and mike huckabee and rick santorum to establish why exactly they should stay in and why voters should vote for them. lou: as you know, santorum and huckabee have won the iowa caucasus before when they were not riding in the front of the pack as it were. >> that's true. lou: so perhaps they are a little more confident than carly fiorina. she was doing so well. what does she have to overcome tonight in your judgment to resume her trajectory? >> what i'm hearing from my readers and much of the base of the republican party and the conservative movement is that of the choices right now, she does not provide the most persuasive case of the most winningest anti-establishment candidate.

and in fact she had some success in posturing that way, but the veneer has worn off. lou: we have about 30 seconds. in your judgment, what are the dynamics of this ways as expressed by this debate? and that is in the second debate. trump the frontrunner by a considerable margin. can that gap be closed by attacking which of these issues most effectively and clearly? >> i think the huge theme that needs to be hammered here among all the candidate is that american lives matter, and american jobs matter, and american workers matter. what these candidate need to do is take the abstract of the economy and jobs and bring it down to a very granular level. we also need to have and i hope to see, because we have such great moderators on hand, a substantive discussion of immigration, the gaining of 8

bill, and all of the visa programs undermining and sabotaging american workers who have been sold out by both parties. lou: thank you, michelle, enjoy the debate. the debate 10 minute away. sandra smith and trish regan getting ready to moderate the first debate of this new year. stay with us.

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lou: joining me now, senior writer for "weekly standard" and fox news contributor steve hayes here in charleston, south carolina. ebony williams back with us. i'm also joined by editor of "national review," fox news contributor rich lowery. good to have you with us. let's start with a development, if i may bring you up-to-date. carl cameron has talked with governor nikki haley, about the first question i was going to ask all of the folks here about that spat between haley and trump. governor haley telling our carl cameron there is no spat as she put it. that donald trump and she are friend. i know that is breaking news to a lot of people including those

assembled here to take up the issues. let me start, ebony, first with your reaction to the above's statement? >> that's a nice cover, right. first day trump called her out i wasn't that bad when you were asking me for money, you know. so, he says in the clip you showed earlier lou, she is nice lady. when trump starts something like that, that is as close we get to ringing endorsement on behalf of donald trump. i'm sure behind closed doors they're friendly, but i don't think he took too kindly her calling him out. lou: he responded, certainly one of displeasure, steve. he was constrained. he did not unload as he might have having been provoked by the above in her rebuttal to the president's state of the union. >> that's right. we've seen from donald trump his willingness to go after people regardless what it might do to him politically. went after mccain up in new hampshire. lou: that is a long list if you

start going down it. >> i am not going to do the whole list but look, i think what nikki haley was trying to say, there are ways she could have maybe said it more artfully, i saw the speech was perfectly fine -- lou: you should advise donald trump. >> if you're angry, those of us frustrated with the washington establishment, the way things have been going for years, have every right to be so. we would be crazy not to be but anger should be used to some productive means. lou: one of angriest people i know is rich lowery. rich lowery is angry, my goodness. your reaction, rich. your defenseless so i couldn't help but kid you. i mean nikki haley turning it around pretty quickly. what do you make of it? >> what i would say, lou, often times people who give responses to the state of the union blow it in the actual response but she, her performance was fine the other night but had a very

rocky aftermath. first of all i would have recommended denial when she was asked whether she was directly addressing donald trump and then in her walk back she insults, disagrees with marco rubio and jeb bush in very notable ways. has to walk that back. it has been a messy couple of days for her. lou: as steve hayes says i think correctly, she gave a terrific rebuttal, one of the best by the republican party in years. and anyway, there we are. with the debate starting here in a matter of moments, are we going to get a surprise here? how excited are you? what are the potentials very quickly? >> i'm very excited, lou. are we going to get a surprise? i certainly hope so. i said earlier i want to see something more from marco rubio, not just facts and figures but resonating if he wants to remain as top three or four candidate. i know trump will have zingers

for us. dr. carson, if he doesn't do something tonight, his campaign is over. lou: he lost campaign director, finance director, communications director. your thoughts, steve? >> he has a loyal following. came in a strong fourth place in the new nbc poll out but he risks losing more of that if people continue to see this bleed and if he doesn't have a good night tonight. more broadly though in the 2012 presidential elections, caucuses in iowa, 2/3 of voters didn't make up their mind until the last month and 46% of them made up their mind in the last few days before the caucuses. lou: do you think, rich, there is analog here for any year before the caucuses for any primary, rich lowery? >> so far it has been completely bizarre and unprecedented and characterized by the complete dominance of donald trump. the state of the union was in part about trim trump. response to the state of the union was part of was donald trump.

most interesting dynamic cruz-trump. the relationship has fon from fake friendship, passive aggressive and now cold war. it will be interesting to see whether act hostilities break out tonight. lou: those hostilities are expected, even desired by many. we're turning to the debate stage where the candidates taking their places. they will have a full hour, three candidates, not a forth. that would have been senator rand paul but he chose to make as his colleague put it a small l into a big l. beneficiaries are standing right there before you now on the stage of the first debate of this new year. each of us i think has intimated we're pretty doggone excited to hear these three and to see how they will take advantage of an opportunity to connect with the american voter and particularly

the republican primary voter who will be polled how they did and well, how much they can turn around a campaign what is now a winnowing period and the exciting first few moments before the beginning of tonight's first republican debate hosted by --. announcer: the long road to election day every campaign has the turning point. every candidate looks for an opening. and sometimes it comes in the flash of a second. >> i paid for this microphone. announcer: tonight republican candidates for president are looking to capture their moment. south carolina has history of making and breaking campaigns and this week charleston is the center of the political universe. three days from now, the