it is free-formed, kennedy begins right now, talk about free-form, here she is. kennedy: there it is, thank you very much david a -- michael con is headed to the big house. sentenced to three years behind barrings, used today court hearing as a soapbox to go after his former boss, so far. president has yet to swing back. affairs with stormy daniels and thaother one, prosecutor claim t was to help swing 2016 election, accord tokinaccording to a repon read a statement, i want to be

clear, it was my own weakness. and a blind loyalty to this man. that is heavy, he said, my weakness can be characterized as a blind loyal to to donald trump but i was weak for not having strength and question and refusing his demand. cohen also claimed hig he flippn the president out of a sense of duty to his family and country. st should be pointed out cohen is a known liar. his true motives may never have been known. avenatti had harsh words for cohen, and a big warning for the president, ooh watch. >> michael cohen will report to federal prison, one year after we filed the case on behalf of

stormy daniels. michael cohen was sentenced today, donald trump is next. kennedy: oh, all right, slowdown hop along. the question tonight, does cohen saga help or hurt president trump. joining me now, former cia officer, it is buck sexton, what do you make of this circus? >> a good thing for cohen that avenatti exists, at least is complicates contest for worse lawyer in america. you can make a case one way or the other, and probably thank avenatti for cav ne kavanaugh gg through. and whole incident where he was accused of domestic violent. cohen, three years is about what was expected. a lot of people running around, presenting this as show it is a huge condemnation for president trump. you know that trump is

essentially just days or weeks or whatever it may be away from himself getting caught up in this. there is actually on no evidence and no reason to believe there is evidence to even prove what cohen says in the documents, cohen can say that trump said whatever he wants there no proof. this is his word, who is now a known liar. kennedy: if cohen had all these recordings of president in his office at trump tower, you would think, if he had something that damaging he would have gotten more leniency from the southern district of new york. >> absolutely, this -- the claims that people are -- people keep saying, he is implicated in a felony, people implicate each other, all of the time. kennedy: i have seen stars key and hutch, i know. >> this is a slimy lawyer trick to go after president trump,

they or a hunt. kennedy: here is my question about southern district of new york are they more politicized than was of special counsel. >> i think very possibly yes, i have friends of mine that worked there, they are worried. this is a shop run by pre-cnn for a long time. just fun how all of these names keep popping up in highly politicized and somehow very bad for republicans. >> and they are all going to run for president, mark my words. >> certainly comey is, that is why he stear looking at bodies f water on his phone all of time. the point about cohen, if he had information to give, your point about possible recordings, he would have given them. people say, he is not going to prison for 3 months.

kennedy: that is really good point, usely you don't wait until after you are sentenced to be a helpful witness. he did not have a cooperation agreement. well you lindsay graham saying, any time a former lawyer much yours goes to jail, it is probably not a good day, but i have yet of seeing any evidence from mr. cohen of collusion. >> that that kavanaugh hearing lindsey graham for the other. kennedy: he was arousing. >> he was amazing that lindsey graham i love. the president has obvious weaknesses, one is hes had a preference for personal loyalty over competence, that not a shock. it is hard for people to argue

otherwise. but give than the entirety of establishment is trying to destroy him, i understand why he has a fixation for loyalty, that said, cohen was not top man there are the job of chief counselor to president trump. rest of payoff 6 scandal they he will come, you have ami people saying that is where we get more information about karen mcdougal. the payoffs are almost certainly not criminal. kennedy: what if ami said no, we have worked in concert with the campaign, they have no reason to lie. you everyone david pecker has essentially signed his soul over. to have this immunity, saying it was in concert with the campaign, is that more problematic than michael cohen. >> there is a lot of entangle

am, thement, they say, stormy dl payoff they argue is personal that trump would have done anyway. this not his first roa rodeo, im guessing. the ami of the part of this other catch and kill story operation. they grab woman's story -- >> like the border. >> we'll pay people so the story does not come out, they say that a complicated version of essentially they did with stormy daniels, even if trump was not running for president, he might have gone to his president, says buy this woman's story get her to be quiet, it is damaging for most folks to have affairs when you are a public person, and also hurts your personal life. kennedy: can you imagine money to pay people to be quiet.

kennedy: that is tough time, a lot of lap dances for that. thank you so much. >> i knew that was coming. kennedy: so did patrons, legal expert say that michael cohen will get out of prison early fe he continues to provide evidence to investigators, it may explain why some analyst say still seems that cohen is not being truth full. how weird. is he still holding on to some secret he will try too cash in later, we go to tonight's panel, kayleigh mcenany with founder of lgbt for trump, chris baron, and former criminal defense parent emily campaignio is here, welcome, i have two attorneys. >> i went to law school. kennedy: holy cow. so let's talk a little bit about thing well legality of the payments and what it takes to reach threshold of violating

campaign finance laws, if president says, i paid someone, but it came out of my own personal kitty is he is less legal jeopardy. >> yes, particularly if he can say i had another intent for this contribution that was protecting my, and my family. that would observe him of report -- absolve him of respecting reg requirement. this is not a campaign contribution. kennedy: i was thinking of other things that you might do to head off embarrassment, if you are a great big fat person or very unattractive, and you are amber assed -- embarrassed and hide it, some physical qualities maybe you would spend thousands on plastic surgery, and your

plastic surgeon loyal to you would help you through that is, that a violation. >> is elizabeth warren dna test, a campaign e expenditure. the answer is no. we were to be talking about collusion in russia. talking about a quid pro quo between campaign and vice vladir putin to steal the election. now we're down to a campaign finance violation, done by mr. trump's lawyer. in paying off somebody who claims he had an affair with him. we're so far afield of what we're supposed to get to bottom of, it just shows how desperate they are, michael cohen is not a good guy, she is a sleaze ball, that is not surprising, no one is surprised. kennedy: so, you know, i talked

a little bit about it with buck. what is more problematic for the president. michael cohen admission and his changing story and you know he was not shown a lot of leniency or the ami agreement, where they said yes, we killed the story in concert with trump campaign? >> i think what answer would rely -- when corroborating evidence is prove able ng -- pre in addition to testimony or statement. the question in this way, it really illustrates that there is a gray area that right now, every arm chair quarter backing attorney is trying to put in a black or white buck it, not the case, a couple things about cohelp'cohen hearing, he pled t8 counts and received 4 years is interesting and rare situation. the fact that judge reduced 4 year re recommendation to three

tremendous, and any sentence reduction moving forward has to be by the judge himself, it is inot up to prosecutor. and jurial authority had different stories, about kind of person cohen was, one -- >> because, special counsel saying he cooperated with us. and the southern district of new york said he is a narsistic grandstander looking out for his own interest. that disconnect was jarring to me. i want to talk about the president and the polls, president calling russia investigation a phony witch-hunt. a new fox news poll shows most americans think that it is legitimate, according to this poll, 56% approval mueller probe, 37% disapre. disapprove and 42% believe it will make countingry

stronger in long run. poll shows 46 percent of americans approve the president let's overall job performance, what conclusion, if any can we reach. >> this president is at high watermark for approval. highest mark in fox poll in 48%. i think far to higher than 50%, that said, i would not read much into mueller number, polling has been all over the map, yesterday's cnn poll had it 13% lower approval for mueller, and exit polling 54% of voter fought mueller probe was politically motivated, i don't put as much stock in polling request any more. >> a majority of voters' mueller

investigation to finish. i think that president has pretty much said the same, he dud not like it but do you feel like he is going to try to stand in the way of this if he does have the new attorney general confirmed. >> i don't think so, i think he wants to see it come to a conclusion, at en of the day, again the quid pro quo between campaign and russia government to steal elected in 2016 is bogus. he is right on that. i think he wants this to conclude before the ramp up of 2020. and i think that end of the day, numbers are very baked with this president. i don't think that there is a lot of swing vot voters with you know president trump. i think a reminder of why you see president working so hard to motivate his base, it -- >> emily, if you have the en

entrenched voters, you, there is a second section in middle how does he bring them in. >> with transparency, and he does best is messaging, reducing what is a complicated mess, and total hemorrhage of our tax dollars to something people can understand. look at cohen's fines, they totaled almost 2 million, to me that is -- >> tax evasion. >> true, and in addition to fines and actual restitution this is above that, and people's expectations of mueller investigation grew with how long it has dragged out. and perception of seriousness of crimes, has also grown, it is all perception. kennedy: interesting. >> we'll see who uses that perception best, and where investigation lands, we do not

know, we have more coming with panel, a group of migrant, near the u.s. border trying to shake down the president. and our government, you won't believe what they are demanding. we have details and reaction from geraldo rivera, there he is, geraldo hi.i just wanted to tell you that chevy won a j.d.power

dependability award for its midsize car-the chevy malibu. i forgot. chevy also won a j.d. power dependability award for its light-duty truck the chevy silverado. oh, and since the chevy equinox and traverse also won chevy is the only brand to earn the j.d. power dependability award across cars, trucks and suvs-three years in a row. phew. third time's the charm...

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kennedy: if border battle had a theme song it would be, all about the benjamins. members of migrant caravan showed up atu consulate in tijuana, and demand trump administration let them in to country immediately or pay them $50,000 each to go home, what a shake down, president is leans toward none of the above, buffeting his own money problem. in his request to fund the border wall. it is unclear if they have the votes needed to pass, after yesterday's white house hulla ballou with chucky schumer and nancnancy pelosi, ended with tho of them whining about the president, and not negotiating, who has a better chance of

getting a check, president or caravan. >> geraldo rivera is back. >> hi kennedy. kennedy: this is a fascinating story, there is a lot of irresponsibility on both sides way they are framing this. or whether they are demonizing or victimizing people, what is more likely to han the people trying to get over the border who have appealed to u.s. consulate in tijuana what want 50 thousand each or will president get his 5 billion for the wall. >> president is facing a daunting prospect, as of the new year, he will not have a united government. the democrats will control house of representatives, and nancy pelosi will make his life a horror show any time he tries to bring up the border wall. that means he has the next two holiday weeks to get something done with the republican majority, you know, united

republican government. and it does not seem as if there is were urgency to get that vote done in the house. so if i were betting, you know, i don't think it that outlandish that caravan is asking for money to go home. i would do given react by so many mornings, i would send air-conditions greyhound buses to tijuana give them a luxury trip back to ho to -- long ho -r wherever they hailed from. i would do is very necessary, is surge immigration judges to the border, so the asylum hearings

can proceed with dispatch in a business like way, you can take care of this backlog, most of these claims are without merit, they are not people who are afraid of being persecuted for their religious beliefs. they are economic refugees. my heartbreaks for them, i would urge much more liberalize immigration reform, the fact is they don't qualify for asylum, it is inhumane to keep them wait for hearings for weeks and months in squalor conditions they are living? kennedy: i agree with that, we need a better process, better system. but when you create bureaucracy, they will fail individuals, we see that with immigration over and over. i would pause perhaps we should end drug war, it is cartel who now run the countries, and you

can argue they run them in to the ground. and the people there are casualties, that is incredibly unfacunfortunate that is markete have, when you don't with a free market, have a black market, and have you pr prohibition whether human bee beings or substances people die. we so that. we need to take a look at some structural issues we have. not just with immigration, but why certain things are illegal, we never really address demand. >> spoken like a try libertarian, i don't know, i want marijuana to be legalized yesterday. i was onboard 45 years ago, i thought it would happen any day. now 45, a half century later,

we're just grudgingly getting to it to wait for cocaine or heroin or fe fentanyl is problematic fm a while stand point it will never happen despite -- >> i don't want people to use those drugs, or die from them, but they have a better chance of dying for them when you have narcoterrorists running countries, and fighting with the u.s. government. and also people put things in their body they don't have an ingredient list, you know, another couldn't ver conversatir day, you are one of the most interesting people here at fox. >> i say the same about you kennedy. kennedy: geraldo you are the best. >> thank you. kennedy: house democrat don't have majority yet but they are talking about impeachment, i'll explain why this is a terrible idea for everyone who is not

mike pence. my monologue is next. >> and dennis miller is in studio to react, stay with me.

kennedy: with rope of campaign finance violation, tightenin tig round money's clamy neck, democrats are salivating, if president directed his dumb scumy loyal to funnel hush money toker who -- whores, president mist must be guiltier, two things i know president is a magnet for questionable characters who are slimy than aing about of snakes in a mucus pool, and two impeachment would be best thing for him, democrats

have been short-sighted on this issue, all they want to do is undo the election. they have the house majority, and they want to blow their political capital on a gamble that will payoff for the guy they trying to screw over could bill clinton reached his popularity after the house slow thed to impeachment. same boomerang will hit democrats where they least expect it in political jugular when president received a bump at worse time right before the 2020 election. and trump, pelosi and schumer fought like three weasels in heat, vice president pence sat with an angelic smile -- his face, if trump is impeached, his ratings will go up, and he will

be reelected. and if unseated a boost for republicans, pence rocks his party back too peaceful protionl prosperity, either way the democrats lose. wake up people, that is theo. >> president trump told reuters yesterday, people would revolt if he is impeached. >> i don't know how you can impeach someone who has done a grigreat job, if i got impeachei think that market would crash, and everyone would be poor, without this thinking you would see numbers you wouldn't not believe in reverse. kennedy: would president's impeachment backfire on the left, asking comedian, brilliant

dennis miller, welcome back. >> kennedy put her there. kennedy: nice to see you. >> your hitch in your giddyup is gone. kennedy: my dumb knee scooter, i parked it off. >> i went to the y, you are on so late now. i had to do some laps. i came out it was being picketed by -- >> go to. >> try to impeach, you saw schumer talking today, grounds they are going after are so expanding, he believes that trump was born in kenya. kennedy: and e-mail sending chuck, you won a lottery, give me $3,000, you get 3 million. chuck is that darn kenyan boy.

not making good on his promise. i think they will go after him, but i think it dangerous, if you lower threshold that much you can apply it to next democrat in office. >> when they tell you that democrats -- you watched that mazey, she said we're too smart, they never exhibit that. they always label themselves super smart. really, you if they go after him on impeachment, it only helps him. i think most of the fair minded people in this country, they find trump group around the edges. some days it is effective, at that point, they can't we just conditio--can't itch impeach ev. i don't think i they are as smat as they think they are, because

they i think they are going to troy try to do it. kennedy: either trump will get a boost or there is something in there and senate will take him away, have you president pence, and republican are delighted. democrats have not thought about, that it is crazy. and we have a new contendor on the left, for president, my heart is skipping beats. alexandria ocasio-cortez. the future of this great socialist country, joked with a politico photographer, she can run for the nation's highest office, even though she 29, because constitution techi techy says he cannot run unless he is 35. the constitution does not use gender pronouns and said any person under 35 can run for president. but not stopping her biggest fans for calling for an

amendment to constitution to be president. matthew, what aien -- genius. too late to rule out one of the most talented playering due to o -- players due to age. the star power can last for years and years without dimming, oh, get a room. alexandria ocasio-cortez saying we should focus on other things, like living wage, and legalizing weed, he is half right, but is alexandria ocasio-cortez 2020 what we need? she the run for president and vice president on her own ticket. >> i heard on bloomberg, ministry of punctuation called alexandria ocasio-cortez and demanded their hyphen back. i think she has to be done in, in a odd way. as they should not go after

trump, the right should not go after her. because she will be a fool hardy, i think long knives will come out in house. down shoot inside the tent, they have to start to somebody like her. if a gaffe, a moment they have biden, he is a gaffe mast ir ma. i think they will have to say to her, you are not o age. al was a smart cat, he kissed ridge, stayed below the radar. kennedy: wrote the books. >> she should chill now, and down the road they may visit her, if high she will blow the brand up. kennedy: she declares for draft after her freshman year. she needs more time in college. >> only kobe come out of high school. kennedy: she is lonzo ball, not kobe. >> look how hip you are with a

lonzo ball reference. kennedy: go bruins. she is her own undoing, she quotes the constitution without having read it, she thinks three branches of government are senate, house and presidency, and government has 21 trillion in a safe somewhere and we can pull it out. and if you say anything about her, her supporters say she has a degree in economics. >> she was knocking on doors, her that, she should be like gary cooper at some point, big of movie star, because as some point, gary cooper thought, i should be quiet. and let it come to me. she looks the part, she is in, she has the gig, she can only screw it up now by talking too

much. i would just sit back, say, i am from a different generation, i'll learn the weighings here, and then -- learn the ways and then moderate them, i am not going to blow it up myself. kennedy: dennis miller school of political consultancy. >> someone will grab her and say, i -- you know i saw her on pelosi's office, you don't want to get that demented mag pie on you. >> h no dry cleaner in the world that can get that out. kennedy: dennis miller, real jokes, amazon, itunes google play, here is a look. >> might wait until next year and get apple cufflings. watch wimbledon and work on my laps. as i speak to you, i'm wearing

apple ca catheter. i think -- yeah "game of thrones" just came on. [ laughter ] kennedy: dennis thank you. >> good to see you, i am glad you are back, have a great holiday. kennedy: you too baby, if christmas, holiday, kwa kwanzaao it all. >> thank you for having me. kennedy: i talk with michael tanner, what is really behind american poverty, less ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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kennedy: according to a fox new poll, 47% say in excellent or good shape, 51% said fair or poor. 22% of voter have been helped by trump administration economic policy, 51 said not that much of a difference. my next guest said right and left are to blame for culture of property. cato e institute senior fellow, michael tanner. and also author of how to bring wealth to america's poor, welcome. >> thank you. kennedy: talking about how government is making people poor. what is the driving force as far as government in terms of property here. >> -- poverty. >> government gets in way of people participating in the economy. way that get out of poverty not

to collect a welfare chuck well- welfare check. it is to have a job support the economy, government gets in the way that on regulation, type of jobs, and education system does not prepare system, and criminal system locks them out. kennedy: two point, one on over criminalization, you take fathers from families, you increase poverty, but interesting you point out, people who have a higher edition education make more money but government run schools are under performing doing such a disservice. >> it is special that people be repaired for new economy we're going into. days you could drop out of high school and go to factory and get a job and support your family are gone. no matter what donald trump says they are never coming back. we're in a new high-tech era you

need skills, public schools are not preparing children, particularly low income school areas, we pour money to inner-cities like chicago, and washington dexrrwashington d.c., and we don't get results, children do graduate, as precious few who do are not prepared. kennedy: not prepared for college. spannards are lowered. -- standards are lowered. i was torying a high schoo tourh my daughter, and i asked if they had a stem program, and she looked at me like stem? we have an after schoo -- progr. >> no, it is the unions and you

have a great book, and you are fighting against the system, well written, very well researched, michael tanner thank you. >> my pleasure. kennedy: good to talk. >> who is next in topical storm, told you so. i'm ken jacobus and i switched to the spark cash card

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kennedy: 70-year-old british couple was removed from a cruise after finding 20 pounds of cocaine in their luggage,. they were suspicious of them, they were only ones onboard who lost weight. call in the attorney this topical storm. in washington dc, a thief committed several moving violations, stolen packages from dozens of homes in dc area. he will be wanted by pc police and dc police if he is dancing to baby its cold outside.

homhomeowner reported to amazon, they will catch suspect in 5 days or three if he has prime. >> a package deal. topic two. there it is. to badger state. wisconsin. middle school student had a little too much wild turkey. everyone gets bullied at school. but this is fowl play. bird's name is smoke, locals refer to him as mayor of the town. this kid did not vote for smoke. he is shaking him down, all fun and games until the kids gets his unkal uncull -- uncle frankr

die on the phone, someone will have a new set of drumsticks for christmas. i think that sounds delicious. he would be real good at chasing people off stage on time, but after two straight years of jimmy kimmel, last thing academy needs is another turkey. topic three. houston rockets, lead by clyde drexler hosting alex last night, they threw in a a free beer, te entire front row was soaked like they were sitting at seaworld or gallagher show. rockets defeated trail blazers.

administration -- dang it. they mailed a new outfit. >> here you go. on my own. dances like my producer paul after one or 12 too many natty lights, there are no such things as too many natty lights! that's right. >> to sports, topic 4. that is not hockey kennedy. really? it is a penguin parade at pittsburgh zoo. they are cute, so classily dressed, they are confused with st. patrick day participants. in the end all they saw was a route rowdy free-for-all, they

can't get enough of that ben roethlisberger. if you didn't make the penguin parade there still time to hit wisconsin for the turkey parade. it could have been avoided if the kid's parents would have let the kid's parents would have let him get that you ok there, kurt? we're about to move. karate helps... relieve some of the house-buying... stress. at least you don't have to worry about homeowners insurance. call geico. geico... helps with... homeowners insurance? been doing it for years. i'm calling geico right now. good idea! get to know geico. and see how easy homeowners and renters insurance can be.

kennedy: thank you for watching the show, the best hour of your day, you can follow me, twitter, insta gram, kep kennedy nation,

tomorrow night, flood congressman matt gaetz, mollie hemingway and chris bedford, what an evening, see you tomo the following is a paid advertisement for time life's music collection. ♪ chances are 'cause i wear a silly grin ♪ there are artists we'll always remember... ♪ mona lisa, mona lisa ♪ men have named you there are beautiful songs, words and memories that will always touch our hearts... ♪ it's impossible ♪ to tell the sun to leave the sky ♪ ♪ it's just impossible this is the music of your life.