pretty boring part of the building it is fascinating as a reporter, seeing the shift from where the news happens, move from the house, chamber and speakers gallery to the basement. >> thank you, now here is lou dobbs. lou: fbi director james comey now under investing a himself -- investigation himself, justice department inspector general investigating allegations of misconductings over how comey handled hillary clinton's e-mail scandal, congressman jim jordan is joining us to weigh in on that and the effort to repeal obamacare. also three confirmation hearings on capitol hill, trump's choice to run the pentagon taking a harder stance on russia. >> if putin likes donald trump, guess what, that is an asset, not a liability.

>> i am all for engagement, we have to recognize reality and what russia is up to. lou: general jack king among our guests, with just over seven days until opponent leaves office, the -- before obama leaves office, the president is hard at work awarding medals this time to his vice president, a week after president obama ordered his defense secretary to give mr. obama a medal of his own. lou: good evening, a busy day on capitol hill. three confirmation hearings for trump cabinet nominees, retired general james mattis for secretary of defense, broke with trump on the iranian nuclear deal. what is what president-elect has said about that deal. >> to smantle the disastrous deal with iran.

i have been in business a long time, i know deal making. and let me tell you, this deal is catastrophic for america, for israel, and for the whole of the middle east.s is what his perspective defense secretary today said. >> i think it is an imperfect arms control agreement, it is not a friendship treaty, but when america gives her word, we have to live up to it. lou: so, that is a gap, that will have to be closed. trump's choice to lead cia, congressman mike pompeo accepted intelligence community conclusion that russia interfered in our presidential election senate republicans today launching their effort to repeal, and replace obamacare, approving a budget blueprint. president-elect trump issued

this statement on twitter, condition tbrats to sense -- congrats to senate for taking first step to repeal obamacare, now it on to the house. >> we're working together on this. i have spoken with president-elect trump two times in the last 3 days on this, mike pence was in my office yesterday, we're in sink. we agree, we want to make sure that we move these things concurrently at the same time, repeal and replace. lou: ryan said that house is working on an aggressive time table, but there are quote no hard deadlines for producing an alternate program. ure next guest said that republicans have no information from their house or senate leaders on what that repeal and replacement legislation would look like, and has not decided how he

will be voting tomorrow. joining us tonight congressman jim jordan who serves on oversight committee, and freedom caucus littl. >> good to be with you. lou: always a noise in the air, some static around ryan when he talks about the same issues and same evens at president-elect. and when you say, that we -- you don't have definitive communication or direction from leadership this and i understand a very difficult issue. but this a peculiar thing. >> we want to repeal obamacare, health care will cost less once we do that, what happens tomorrow, this is the first step, when you open

the barn door and the horse starts running we would like to know where the horse is going on go. are we going to repeal everything? there is talk of keeping from taxes, of knol was not completely defunding planned parenthood. and and mandates on insurance companies, that drives up costs, we want to fully repeal it. we would like to make sure it happens this congress. we told voters we would repeal it i think we should repeal it before we go to next elect, that is what we promised. of course, we want to vote for this and make it happen. but we would like to know where this horse is going to run before we open that barn door. lou: as a fellow from texas, i like your metaphor, with horses and barns you got me, but you lose me with this congress. we heard from ryan your speaker talk about february 20. we know that this

president-elect wants this done straight forwardly expeditiously, carefully and effectively, but we really, really need to understand how soon and where that horse is going, also how long it will take him to get there. >> i appreciate that. we want that vote to happen as quickly as possible, we're talking about effective date, like some off ramp from time frame to adjust, i don't think that transition period should be what some senators are saying, 3 on 4 years, i believe it should happen within two years, we want vote to happen, but until we know like when is the effective date. and until we know all that, i think we would like to get some kind of answers to those critical questions, before we open the barn door.

lou: i have to ask you, as one who washes you -- watches you all carefully through these moments and these processes, and votes. i n't know where the leadership as been for last two years, the house in particular has voted more than 60 times to repeal obamacare, and aside from individual, congressmen holding their own legislation, and bills in waiting, there is no replacement strategy, there is no you can talk about a structure of values, but i think a lot of people who voted for donald trump, for president, repeal, replace, get it on, help the american people, they are expecting this to happen quickly, not just a vote but for a actual change in direction and impact. >> i agree, but the best replacement is full repeal, then you bend cost curve and bring down the cost of insurance, there are other things to add, like expanding

medical savings account, allowing interstate shopping of insurance, and -- those are important, but they will require 60 votes, though will be tougher, but repealing it all is start of replacement that is what will allow competition, and empower people, not washington like the affordable care act. we should be able to president on president trump's desk what we were able to put on president obama's desk in 2015, when we did this, if we don't have at least that which fully repeals all taxes and defend planned parenthood we put that on obama's desk certainly we can put that much on president trump's desk as well. lou: you know, it is only a guess on my part, i think you all would have some assistant

from he'll and human ser -- health and human services, perspective secretary tom price who has been working on this alongside you and congress. but how are you going to vote, come tomorrow? >> we're still talking with leadership and our colleagues. look, i want to do everything we can to pedthis up, we just like a little bit more sense of where it is going. our fundamental questions are, effected dates should be within this congress within 2 years, we should repeal everything, those are big things we're pushing for, we'll see if we have more discussions in next 24 hours. lou: is it your sense that president-elect will have patience for this? >> i think most important thing is we do it right, we want to do it as quick li a quickly as possible, but right, the key is the effective date, when are we didn't with obamacare, and market is offering insurance that is afford able that

families, doctors and individuals want to have to get better healthcare. >> quite a process. in the republican party had nothing to do with its borning and killing it will be on your back. so that we can move forward, let me ask, as we wrap up here, today the igrvetion a ig at department of justice revealing that fbi director james comey is under investigation for his conduct during the investigation of the democratic presidential nominee, hillary clinton. >> right.. lou: your thoughts. >> it great we'll have an investigation of the investigation, that is warranted, we have talked about this before, when you have subject of investigation husband sitting down with the attorney general three days before the subject of the investigation is interviewed by fbi, that is a problem, that does -- you and i don't get this treatment, why did bill clinton and hillary clinton get that? you have 5 peoplget immunity

3 of 5, are subpoenaed and brought in front of congress and take the fifth. and cheryl mills, you give us your laptop, nothing will be used against you, are you kidding me? we need to have, mr. horowitz is a good man, do the investigation, and remember, comey screwed this up, in july he announces he is not prosecuting then a few weeks before the election, 10 days, he said we're going to reopen it then -- he was wrong all the way through this, of course, i think this is the right you know course for the inspector general to take. lou: any political insight, just can't help, any why the administration would at this moment, over 7 days remaining, before leaving office, obama administration ig and justice department, would open it up?

>> i don't know, but i talked with on the phone, and hearings and meetings with mr. michael horowitz, i find him to be an honor able straight-shooting guy, maybe he feels that this is the right thing to do, that would be a shock for government to do the right thing, to get back to this basic standard we have always had, equal treatment under the law, maybe it that basic. and mr. horowitz probably the case. lou: that would raise average considerably for this administration. >> it would. lou: congressman jim johnson. >> thank you. lou: we're coming back there is a great deal to cover, it is fascinating. stay with us we'll be right back. >> secretary of defense nominee general james mad dog mattis breezing through the confirmation process. >>y have it stay focused on a military that is so lethal on

the battlefield it will be the enemy's longest day and worst day when they run into that force. jim: morforce. lou: more than 3,000 american troops, have begun arriving in poland, russia calls the, arrival of our troops a threat to its national security, joining me is general jack chinking, stay with us, when we come back. just like the people

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lou: a report that intelligence officials warned israel not to trust president-elect trump, and chosen tell -- those intelligence actor creating a fear that russia ha blackmail on president-elect according to an israeli news paper that reports officials from both country met with u.s. officials believing that putin had left ran leverages of pres pressure over trump. before the dossier released by some organization this week, administration using that against donald trump with the israelis according to israeli newspaper president-elect today, confirmed that director of

national intelligence did can tax him over that -- contact him over that unverified dossier, tweeting james clapper called me yesterday to denounce the false and fictitious respect that was made up, phony facts, too bad. clapper released statement saying, i emphasis this document is not a u.s. intelligence community product, and that i do not believe the links came from within the ic. the ic has not the intelligence community, has not made any judgment that the information in the document is reliable. it is worse, because clapper statement says, i express my profound dismay at leaks that have been appearing in the press, we both agree we -- they are damaging to our national security. joining us now, general jack

king, retired four-star general, general, i cannot remember a time, ever, in which the intelligence community, was back on its he heels for going forward against a president-elect in matter it has against donald trump can you? >> well, it is amazi, watching it, i agree with that assessment. as best as i understand this, this was a document that was created by president-elect trump's political opponents, someone who was contracted to find out some dirt or whatever, information on somebody. and that person did that work but then, anybody that checked on it could not verify that information that was in it, that is what i have been led on believe. i am stunned by, why did the intelligence community even dealing with this matter.

it is mystifying to me, why would they carry it forward to bring it to mr. trump when we have unverifiable information, they are in the business of intelligence, bringing forward verifiable information. lou: let me offer a proposition. in that that would be, our know teligent agencies have a responsibility in these situations to know, to be able to say, with clarity, with absolute confidence, that this is nonsense it should never have been brought forward. and say with absolute assurance to the american people, that these leaks would not originate from any agency, any department within our national security ap

apparatus. it is least an american citizen should expect of such people. >> i think they sort of said things like that to president-elect trump and his people. but there is no public declaration of that. and as i said, before, i don't know why they walk down the road with the document at all, it should have been dismissed. this is part of a political opponent using to leverage a candidate against a candidate, that stuff happens all of the time in politics. why are they involved in it? lou: this never happened with barack obama, it did not happen with any other president that i can recall. i would think we would agree on this. there seems to be amongst elite whether in academia or politics or intelligence, a sort of a self-permission to treat donald trump in way they have never treated any president-elect before in

history, it is his position against the establishment, the elites, if you will, the comfortable order of things in washington. the swath that makes him so dangerous they fear him so much they descend to these depth. what do you think? well, yes. i don't dispute it, but it is unfortunate, there are so many people. >> these intelligence agents that serve this nation so well. i am familiar with some of them, and i am encouraged by the way, with appointments that the president-elect is making, and certainly the performance that congressmen pompeo turned in to as nominee are in central intelligence agency, and i am incurraged by senator dan coats takeover clappers position, that leadership will move in a different direction, i am hoping that these agents are considerably less politicized than what they have been in recent years.

>> i join new that hope, i am glad to hear you feel so positively about the president-elect's choices for the director of the cia, for defense department. first of all i think all of his choices for cabinet posts are remarkable, and will be -- will be absolutely effective and successful as a group, and individually. general, turning to, if i may, the russian aspect of this. and we heard general mattis today, talking abou about 3 tha-- lethality of force. i am concerned that we're -- we're hearing a lot of different views about russia. there seems to be one group of people in washington d.c. who' to go to war with russia for crying out loud, they will not accept anything other than, a

documented surrender from vladimir putin. and others a group who think they should go golfing with perhaps, vladimir putin. because he is just a hell of a guy. this is a very confusing time for many americans to see such a range of views about one of two powers that has capability to present us a threat. >> i think, right in middle of it not either end. i was impressed with secretary state nominee tillerson yesterday, and his sobering clear-eyed assessment of the world situation, despite the fact he has been in business all-of the his life, i know jim mattis very well, he is thoughtful, tough, smart, he understands. here is where i think we are. in walking through the minefield you described. they are trying to make it

clear that -- and they cannot help but react to administration that has been in power for 8 years. that administration, has backed away every single time when confrontation was on the horizon, not necessarily conflict, but just confrontation. lou: i apologize, to you and the audience, but we're coming on a hard break, i will ask if you would, to stay with us through the break. and conclude your thought, i would appreciate it we'll be back with the generate here next, thank you, jack for staying with us. >> up next, need to respore prosperity to our middle class, it is the subject of my commentary, it is important. stay with us, we'll be right back with that, and general jack king. achoo! (snap) achoo! (snap) achoo!

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lou: back with general jack keane. i want to apologize for the interruption and not giving enough time.

as you tell us how to walk through this mine field. people have a softer or harder view of russia, there is none of the discussion anything other than a tacit acquiesce even that crimea now belongs to russia. am i wrong on that? >> sadly, crimea does belong to russia. what's happening is the new defense leaders and secretary of state and pompeo as the director of the cia. what they are reacting to largely is we have given in to russia on so many occasions because i believe barack obama fears consequences of any response. most us who look at it closely

believe it led us closer to a potential conflict with russia and putin, particularly in the baltics. that's what nato fears. so what the signals that are trying to be sent simply is this. we want putin to understand where our national interests are, where our red lines are, and we are not going to permit him to trample over those national interests which could lead to conflict. but you have to be willing to have some confrontation which obama has never been willing to do to convince your adversary that you are serious. i believe that is what is happening. it does not mean they are looking for a fight with putin. they are trying to avoid one. lou: thanks for being with us, thanks for your thoughts. turning now to my commentary, a few thoughts on china's president ex pingchina's ochinas

globalization pitch to a bunch of globalists it's an echo chamber in the alps. let's hope their globalist cries aren't heard beyond the alps. median household income grew less than 1% under president obama. 95 million people aren't in the labor force. while the labor force participation rate is at historic lows. 66 million of us receive benefits from social security and 40 million on food stamps. globalism failed. it helped out a lot of the multi-nationals.

but the failure is the reason we have seen the election of donald trump it's time for the globalists to quiet themselves and look to a future that will be led by donald j. trump. london's got the best of everything. cornwall's got the best of everything. sport sport nightlife nightlife (both) fashion adventure i'm tellin' ya, britain is the only place you really need go. expedia. everything you need to travel britain better.

lou: our quotation of the evening from, we thought it was appropriate -- steve ba bannon d

an elite so is one who's for themselves and not for the country. joining me now, gordon chang. representing as we have heard from a number of the president's nominees in the confirmation hearings. china is a threat to the united states who should be dealt with because of its views and actions in the south china say. >> we saw that yesterday with rex tillerson. he talked about how the united states should not allow china to occupy those reclaimed islands in the south china sea.

lou: china at the same time as there is all of this discussion because of the intervention of russia into our presidential election by hacking into the dnc and clinton campaign head john podesta, their email, you are talking about two powers coming together. and i didn't hear much discussion amongst the committee members about the fact we may well be contending with a joined force when it comes to both russia and china. >> certainly just take the hacking issue. september 2015, president obama agreement with xi ping not to hack for commercial purposes. when chinese hack for commercial

purposes started to tail off in 2016. russian hacking took off. we don't the russians n't hack for commercial purposes because they don't have a manufacturing base. they were working with the chinese. >> what the chinese need in the way of commercial secrets, and intellectual property, they steal. >> each year china takes somewhere between $300 and $500 billion of intellectual property and other know-how from american cop any for commercial purposes. lou: now the chinese sending a bomber to go to the island in one of the disputed areas in the south china seas to do flyovers of artificial island that they built. the united states now as we

listen to what is being discussed in these committee confirmation hearings, they have got to be stopped. >> there has been increased activity by the nuclear capable bombers of china. flying over the spratleys in the east china sea, and the u.s. navy is nowhere to be seen. lou: that may be about to change. >> i hope so and i think we'll. >> with that change will come some better judgment on the part of the chinese. up next. president-elect trump wants congress to repeal and replace obamacare, essentially simultaneously. >> we are going to have a healthcare that is far less expensive and far better. it will be repealed and replaced.

it will be essentially simultaneously. >> amongst the questions now, will congress fall in line? can they readjust their sense of time to a new kind of leader in president trump or are they going to be sort of stuck with the old let's wait and see and see how long we can make it take. betsy mccoy joins us next to answer all of that. when a cold calls...

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lou: a border lives matter hangs above the picture depicting a police officer as a pig. both side of it, make the flag bigger. put it right over it. joining me, betsy mccoy. great to have you with us. you have got to be impressed how quickly congress is moving and how quickly the senate is

moving. >> because paul ryan is no match for donald trump. and donald trump is clearly in charge of this timeline. and he's given notice to both senators mitch mcconnell and paul ryan in the house that a bill must be ready. the fact is the trump people will be writing a bill. and i believe it will be on the desk of he senator probably in the middle of february. and thene'll get r of this. the american people are going to get rid of it. my prediction is contrary to what paul ryan has said. when 2018 premiums renowned next fall, they will be lower. the american people are not going to wait two or three years for relief. lou: we are watching this thing implode.

the devastation that's being created here, economically, financially, in terms of healthcare, it's so widespread and profound -- >> the bill will substantially lower premiums, protect the needy and protect those are preexisting conditions. that's been demagogued. lou: by senator schumer? >> and president obama who has lied. 133 million people are in jeopardy if the law is repealed? that is such a lie, lou. he got the staff at the department of health and human services to put out a sham report. lou: a sham report from this administration? >> do you know what the real number is? not 133 million. there are 500,000 people in the individual market at most with preexisting conditions, and they

will be protected. lou: will be protected, and the republicans are getting their act together. you have got to be impressed with how quickly congress is moving. because if donald j. trump hadn't been elected it wouldn't be moving at all. >> i'm impressed with how quickly donald j. trump has inspired these members of congress to get to work and get it done. lou: i think that's one of his watch phrases. up next, l.l. bean facing calls for a boycott because the founder's granddaughter donated $30,000 to the trump campaign. guess what. she has trump on her side. chris plante and eboni williams join me next.

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lou: in our online poll last night we asked you, do you think donald trump is correct to dismiss the national left-wing media that unfairly attacked him? 88% of you have said yes, and i didn't even below baselessly until tonight. liberals call to boycott l.l. bean.

mr. trump tweeted, thank you to linda bean of l.l. bean for your great courage. people will support you even more now. buy l.l. bean. the attempted boycott sparked by reports that linda bean, the reported heir gave $60,000 to a pro-trump pac, bean calling the attack un-american. >> it's bullying. it's bullying the company that didn't give the donation. i gave the donation personally. lou: joining me now, the host of the chris plante show in washington, d.c. chris plante. good to have you with us. eboni williams, great to see you. the polarization in this country is so profound, and so energetic that we are going to see

boycotts if this keeps up from both sides. >> it's a boiling temperature. you can advisor alley feel it when you walk the streets it's really sad. but now we are seeing ate least a bail would say everybody in this country has a right to speak their opinion. but nicole kidman coming out, and she is a hollywood a-lter. shis saying president trump was elected. let's get behind him. lou: are you telling me this knit-wit lefties need if hear it from another a-lister. >> i think they have to hear it from one of their own. lou: so you want to hear from chris plante on this? >> i don't know if you caught this. but rosy o'donnell, remember

her? she today is calling for martial law to be imposed across the united states of america and for the inauguration to be canceled while we sort out -- lou: i can't imagine why we would go ahead with the inauguration if rosie o'donnell is demanding that. >> that's so ridiculous. even for people with a legitimate political gripe with the president-elect which i'm personally willing to hear. when you talk about martial law. but when i talk about martial law, you are being ridiculous. >> you are not being ridiculous when you call for a boycott of l.l. bean because one of their

board members contribute to a candidate you disagree with. 367 if that were the model everything would have to be boy cod. any company anywhere. it's dangerous, they think it's no big deal. they wanted to boycott chick-fil-a because ceo was in favor of traditional marriage. it ended up with a gunman going into the familiar le research council offices in watched. lou: it was their security guard that stopped that. >> he was just a strong man and he took the gun away. but he was shot first, the employee was shot. lou:er >> i thought we were coming full

circle with that argument. he took the gun away from the activist. which is what he was called in "the washington post." if we are going to boycott based on that -- >> if we are not boycotting people when ceos have a right to support whoever they want to. lou: it does turn out to be nonsense. this thing with the left and their boy kotds and all the nonsense that they gin up. what's really interesting is to see a president-elect, this is just my view, a president-elect talking to leaders, he has the chambers of commerce scared to death because he's talking to businessmen and women leaders alike to bring jobs back to this country, and he's succeeding. that's terrifying the left. and the establishment right.

>> that's something i hope to see president-elect trump maintain as he becomes more a politician by nature of the jock. the fact of the matter is. he's quite a president right now. >> fair enough. i would like to see him maintain that business akiewf men. what do you have say the top six silicon valley -- lou: why didn't he talk to an organizer of what, chaos? >> look at the neighborhood in chicago he organized. >> why did you have to bring that up, chris. lou: you select your hometown as a place for your farewell address and not even mention the hundreds of young men and women shot down in that city and

killed. >> it might not reflect negatively or positive live upon him. >> it's his legacy without question. >> you won't read by the in any of the major newspapers or any of the first -- >> also pay attention. >> which one of the big nation national papers do you pore overlook for honest journalism. >> there are questions about why the silence on chicago. >> jeff intee dose, the billionaire own early o "washington post" just bought the largest private residence in washington, d.c. he bought it in october when it was assured hillary clinton would be president. he bought a 23,000 square foot residence in washington, d.c.

lou: after president-elect trump met with jack ma that he wanted to create 100,000 new jobs at amazon. eboni williams, thank you for joining us. , us tomorrow. we'll have a heck of a show. good night. kennedy: another big day of testimony for a handful of donald trump's cabinet nominees. it appears the f.b.i. direct years in the hot seat. judge napolitano has the skinny on the case. should the government in the business of regulating goods? what if it's your prescription drugs? time to get loud. kennedy: president-elect trump