tv Happening Now FOX News March 2, 2018 8:00am-9:00am PST
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>> pleasure being with you this morning. i am done but you are not. >> tune into "outnumbered," we are going to have full coverage of billy graham's funeral. join us. "happening now" starts right no now. >> jon: we are following a breaking situation right now of a shooting on the campus of central michigan university. we are being told the two people have died. this all took place in mount pleasant mount pleasant, michigan. the campus is currently on lockdown, police say the victims were not students. officers are searching for a 19-year-old male suspect, they said he is wearing mustard yellow pants and they warn he is considered armed and extremely dangerous. we will have more on the story as it develops. ♪ and now this fox news alert on the fbi under new scrutiny amid
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claims it may have violated multiple criminal statutes in the early stages of the russia investigation, not to mention its own internal guidelines. >> melissa: happy friday, we made it. i melissa francis. devin nunes warning that the agency could have broken the when seeking a fisa surveillance warrant against carter page. saying it relied on unverified information and making its case to the judge in a blistering letter to attorney general jeff sessions, citing the fbi's procedures and the law itself. "i will remind you besides a violation of these protocols look , the presentation of the false or unverified information could entail violations." john roberts is live on the
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north lawn with more on this. >> good morning to you, this is a complex issue. chairman nunes sent this layer saying that the fbi may have violated some of its own guidelines as a basis to get that warrant. here is a game changer, the majority of the house intelligence committee got a hold of the fbi operations manual from 2011 which spells out in clear detail what the fbi must do when it goes to the foreign intelligence surveillance board to go on a warrant to surveillance people. chairman nunes wrote that the accuracy of the information contained within is of utmost importance, only documented and verified information may be used
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for support fbi applications to the court. we do know from james comey's testimony last summer that the information contained in the christopher steele dossier was unverified. according to sources, the guide is crystal clear that the fbi has to do everything it can to verify the information before it is brought to the court. in the letter, nunes is asking jeff sessions, have the guidelines changed since 2011 when they were written into this fbi operations manual, is it now okay to use unverified information to apply to the foreign intelligence surveillance court. if it hasn't changed, then what was behind using the unverified dossier? did somebody make a mistake or was their intent to obtain a warrant based on political
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information without fully disclosing that to the court? in addition to sending that letter to the attorney general, the chairman of the intelligence committee devin nunes also copied michael horwitz on it, he is the inspector general of the department of justice. sources tell me chairman nunes has full confidence that michael horwitz can carry out an investigation which eliminates a bit of a contrast between chairman nunes end of the president. yesterday ripped jeff sessions for putting an investigation into the hands of the inspector general, rather than watching launching a criminal investigation. the other thing that is new for the house intelligence committee is that questionnaire chairman nunes sent out to former members of the obama administration asking them to respond to ten questions. apparently a couple of those questionnaires have come back, some people have asked for more time. perhaps we will glean some more
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information when they return. >> melissa: thank you. >> jon: with the fbi under the microscope of attorney general jeff sessions earlier this week, order the justice department's internal watchdog to investigate allegations of surveillance abuse. that drew public criticism from president trump. an op-ed in "the wall street journal" says it sessions made the right move. "no one should underestimate the power of the inspector general. congress created after the nightmare of trying to pry information out of a crooked nixon administration. inspector general's were deliberately placed and empowered to seek out information in ways that congress can't. even with subpoenas, including by demanding quick and comprehensive access to documents and promptly interviewing relevant officials. glenn hall is chief editor for dow jones newswires, the attorney general defended himself as john roberts was just saying after the president's tweet storm. is that the appropriate way to
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go here? >> it's been rare for sessions to rebut the president and generally has been very supportive. in this case he didn't directly take on president trump as much as he said he will continue to act with integrity and his department will continue to act with impartiality for as long as he is on the watch. >> jon: that piece i just referenced suggests that she thinks the attorney general did the right thing. >> that's what the inspector general's are for, to do these kind of internal investigations within authority and impartiality. it's a little bit of a different scenario, justice department lawyers are investigating justice department divisions like the fbi. the inspector general creates a step removed from that internal dynamic. >> jon: also in that piece she suggests it is silly for president trump to call michael horwitz in this case an obama guy. >> he was a george w. bush guy before he was an obama guy.
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he was put into public office by george w. bush. when you look at his record during the obama administration, it was michael horwitz who put the fast and furious investigation into play and took on several of the obama administration officials with the investigation there. >> jon: it's always so strange when you think that jeff sessions was the first sitting united states senator to endorse this businessman from new york and a lot of people were scratching their heads when senator sessions did so. he went out on a limb to endorse candidate trump and now president trump doesn't seem to have his attorney general's back, why not? >> i think the president wants his administration officials to have his back, he is always expressing disappointment when attorney general sessions recused himself from overseeing the investigations for the russia allegations and he's also been concerned, that he was not
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acting aggressively enough to defend the president and his administration. on the session side of the equation, he is trying to look at his own reputation and defended the institution and impartiality of the department. he is looking at it from a different perspective. >> jon: there are echoes of watergate when you think about our president leaning too heavily on his attorney general. that >> that is what sources have told "the wall street journal," he's finally decided he needed something to defend the protocoo people wouldn't think the president was directly interfering with their impartial investigations and their support of the rule of law. >> jon: thank you. >> melissa: new information in the fight to end opioid crisis during a white house summit, president trump suggesting making drug dealing punishable by death. >> we have pushers and drug dealers that don't -- they
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kill hundreds and hundreds of people. most of them don't even go to jail. if you shoot one person they give you life, they give you the death penalty. these people can kill 2,000, 3,000 people and nothing happens to them. >> melissa: the president says has administration plans to roll out strong policies on opioids in the coming week. this coming on the heels of the justice department announcing it plans to back a high-profile lawsuit accusing opioid makers of using marketing to promote the painkillers. >> jon: a broward county florida deputy sheriff is a demanding higher ups to provide clarity. >> the only way we are going to be able to heal as an agency and heal as a community and move forward is to be completely transparent with the public. if we did something wrong, we
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did something wrong. >> jon: meanwhile, students and teachers returned to the parkland campus on wednesday for a modified day of classes. this 11th grader was one of those there. >> it's hard, i have an empty seat in my class. just seeing the people around that table emotional makes all of the class emotional. >> jon: some students said classrooms were quiet, others describe stories from classmates who were inside the building when the massacre took place. >> melissa: immigrations and customs agents arrest more than 200 illegal immigrants in a four-day raid. but they say it could have been a lot more if it weren't for a local mayor. president trump vows to fulfill a campaign promise with hefty tariffs on steel and aluminum imports but some say that plan could bring other big problems. >> we have the big aluminum companies in the united states and they've been unfairly
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>> jon: of fox news alert, we are going to take you to douglas international airport, you see the big blue door of air force one. president trump on the ground there, he will attend the funeral services for the late reverend billy graham about an hour from now. the president is about to deplane from air force one. live coverage of the services as they get underway about an hour from now. in the meantime, more than 200 people arrested for immigration violations and other crimes in a four-day ice sweep in northern california. authorities say hundreds more
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avoided capture because they were warranted by oaklands mayor . enforcement agents say the warning endangered the community and creates a magnet for more illegal immigration. the raid was the second in california since the statewide sanctuary law took effect in january. >> melissa: knew this morning, the president's latest, president trump promising hefty tariffs on u.s. imports of steel and aluminum. >> we will be imposing tariffs on steel imports and tariffs on aluminum imports and you are going to see a lot of good things happen, immediately expanding if we give you that level playing field and we give you that help and you can hire more workers and your workers will be very happy. what's been allowed to go on for decades is disgraceful. >> melissa: the announcement prompting anger and threats of
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retaliation from major u.s. trading partners and warnings from some in the president's own party. >> if you own a steel mill, today was great for you. if you consume steel, and every american family at the store tonight bought something that has a different metal in it, it's a bad deal for you. when the trade war gets worse, there will be retaliatory tariffs against the farmers and ranchers and workers of america. we will lose as consumers and producers. >> melissa: a fox news contributor, we've seen tariffs and trade wars before, i don't know that they've worked out necessarily very well. do you think this one will be different? >> can we hear carl? am i the only one who can hear carl? nope, i'm not the only one who can't hear carl's answer. we are going to go to president trump right now as he is deplaning there in north carolina.
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we can see there. >> jon: you can see it is obviously windy there, the entire east coast is being sort of swallowed by what we in the northeast call a nor'easter. that extends all the way down to charlotte and beyond. many federal offices closed today because of wind. you see the president hopping into the beast, the armored limousine that goes everywhere the president goes. he will be heading off to those funeral services for reverend billy graham. >> melissa: that's right. we are trying to get carl back with us, it looks like he was saying something really interesting, if you are a lip reader it was a fantastic response to my question. >> jon: you know more about business and how things work than i do, the present is obviously trying to protect or may be revived the steel industry in the midwest and perhaps the aluminum industry in the northwest. >> melissa: if you are a student of economics, it makes everything more expensive and it inspires others to do the same
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thing. i wonder, is it his opening in a negotiation? we've seen it time and again, at the start of a negotiation with a very extreme position, scare everyone to the table and go back on that. it could be about putting pressure on china with regard to north korea or it could be about defending the steel industry, we will definitely see the market has been quite roiled over it. >> jon: we've got karl rove at the table, we just don't have a microphone on them at this point. we are going to try to get back to him in just a minute. it's television, who needs audio? in the meantime, the weekend is starting early in d.c. uncle sam closed up shop, how that powerful storm is affecting the federal government. that's next. plus, the media describes the white house is going into
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meltdown mode after the latest staff departure. this time of communications director hope hicks. should a change in personnel be such a big deal? our medial panel straight ahead. you wouldn't accept an incomplete job from any one else. why accept it from your allergy pills? flonase relieves your worst symptoms including nasal congestion, which most pills don't. flonase helps block 6 key inflammatory substances. most pills only block one. flonase.
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do you think it is just an opening salvo to bring everyone back to the table and renegotiate? what's your take? >> i think it's a misplaced action. of the president tweeted out "if trade wars are good and easy to win" know they are not. the last really big trade war we had lasted more than a decade and it took world war ii to get america out of the depression. look, in the bush administration we attempted to help the steel industry by tapering tariffs, they lasted less than a year before they were declared in violation of our international treaty agreements and our training partners threaten to the united states with a very measures that would hurt american industry. it the president is attempting to do the impossible, repeal the law of comparative advantage. this is not even aimed at china. some of our biggest sources of
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steel are places like canada and mexico with which we have a free-trade agreement. they've got a comparative advantage making steel in their countries. we have a comparative advantage making lots of things, for example, airplanes. we are the world's largest producer of airplanes. you think every country could say "america has a comparative advantage, let's punish america by having high tariffs on their planes." >> melissa: what about the argument that this is a precious resource? it's necessary for national security and if we let our steel industry be driven out, it's one of the things we must have ready to go in order to be ready in times of war. >> in times of war we've got big steel producers nearby who are allies of the united states, we have other countries nearby like korea and brazil that are willing to sell us steel. i understand the national security argument but this i
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think is misplaced because we have steel capacity in time of war. the american shipbuilding industry, there are 200,000 steel workers in america and 6.5 million people whose jobs depend on steel fabrication. the steel manufacturers, the ship producers say we may not be able to have a shipbuilding industry because we are not going to be competitive on the international market. how's it going to be when all of those at bowling, who have more than 200,000 employees at one company alone, how is it going to be when those airplanes are 10% more expensive and there steel components are 25% more expensive? >> melissa: it's barely noticeable but we know economics happen at the margin, let me ask you about the argument about something in general which is something -- whether it's lumber, steel, something the
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president has been sensitive to. that another government has a comparative advantage or the government subsidizes the industry so the import can be brought and undercut our industry, drive it out of business and they are able to just raise the price after they've driven us out? we end up with higher prices anyway only we don't have the ability to battle back, what about that argument? >> we've got tools to deal with things like that. any country that is a remember of the world trading organization has agreed to trading rules and if they are violating those rules by subsidizing or stealing our intellectual property, we have ways to go directly at that country. we only get 2% of our imported steel from china but if they are dumping that steel, drove steel because up $650 a ton of to manufacture, if that's a problem we have ways to go about getting specific remedies for that in our international trade
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agreement. we are going to hurt americans first and hurt america's competitiveness second. >> melissa: i don't want to run out of time without asking about the late billy graham. >> i am deeply moved by him, i got to meet him when he came to texas in 1995 to help preside over the ceremonies swearing in a young governor named george w. bush. as president, i was involved in the event at the national for freedom staffers, in charge of making sure billy graham got to the nation's capital from north carolina and on that particular day, you may remember, all commercial air traffic had been grounded, there was one civilian aircraft in the skies above the united states that day, carrying billy graham to the national cathedral where he ministered to an entire country in a moment of grief and sorrow. >> melissa: thank you and thanks for bearing with us, we appreciate it. >> you bet, thank you.
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>> jon: the president telling members of congress not to be afraid of defying the national rifle association. now meeting with one of the organization's leaders creating new uncertainty as to where president trump stands on gun control. >> i don't think the nra has had concerns with this president, he's been very committed to supporting the second amendment but also looking for ways that we can promote school safety and reduce gun violence.
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>> melissa: one day after putting the national rifle association on the defense, president trump is again shaking up the gun control debate. chief lobbyist for the nra tweeting "i had a great meeting tonight with donald trump and the vp. we all want safe schools, mental health reform, and to keep guns away from dangerous people. support strong due process and don't want gun control." president trump offering no details as to what was discussed, only tweeting "good great meeting in the oval office tonight with the nra." what do you take from that back and forth? >> i think the president has done a good job in the follow through to the in florida.
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he's done a good job listening, now he needs to act. he needs to put together the specific things he wants congress to do and push congress to get them done. what's different is it really does seem like something will happen after this tragedy which never have been previously. the president can make it more likely if he gets behind specifics. the time has come. >> melissa: there's a lot of fear on both sides. fear of the weapons and everything else, there is a fear of having the second amendment taken away. is he the right person to bridge that gap? it looked like he had a good sense, that goes away quickly when the cameras go off. >> i think the florida shooting has shaken everybody up in a way that we haven't seen before. the moment has come to say we are fed up with something. i don't think we need to ban
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categories of weapons, that doesn't work. there are a series of things that can be done to keep weapons out of the hands of people who should never have weapons in the first place. specificity matters. the president's strength and power derives from specificity. be specific, what changes do you want? demand the house and senate passed them. that's the way presidents accumulate greater power and are able to be successful in change of policy in washington. >> melissa: you use the phrase gun control, who knows what that even means. if you use new phrases, maybe people don't retreat to their corners. how do you change the conversation, you talk about the gun show loophole, immediately people start screaming that there is no gun show loophole.
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>> this is where specificity matters. what exactly are you going to propose? are you proposing stricter background checks? what does that mean? that's what legislation is. it's the power of leadership that drives things through congress. if you keep debating, once you get specific and push for action, people are either going to come together and do some thing about this shootings or we will continue talking to each other and yelling at each other. >> melissa: isn't it easier to do something on a state level? we seen local attorney generals and governors talking about changing the laws for themselves. they can tailor towards their community needs, does that make more sense? >> i think that's true in some instances. raising the age of possession after 21. that is something that could probably be done easier on the state level but it doesn't mean it shouldn't be done on the federal level.
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you have a national system of background checks that should keep guns out of the hands of more people. all that can and should be federal. i am for action on both ends of it. i just don't think after all these tragedies, this is going to be the one we look at each other again and say there's nothing we can do. there are things that can be done without taking away law-abiding citizens rights to guns. it will make it more likely for things to get done. the other thing about donald trump, he was elected to go to washington to fix the town that everybody knows doesn't get anything done. he talked about all talk, no action. the time has come for action. >> jon: changes and rumors concerning the white house staff's sparking some dire language in the media. reporters describing the
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white house is being rocked by chaos after the departure of communications director hope hicks. she is still on the job but she announced her resignation this week. amid the headlines, sarah sanders trying to put it all in what she calls proper perspective. >> the chaos i see most this morning, the power out at my house was pretty chaotic, far more chaotic than when i got to the office. >> jon: our media panel today, if you've been watching the white house for a while, things happen there. is this a more chaotic, more turbulent time than normal? >> from what we've seen in the past comparatively i don't know that we will call it more chaotic. i want to remind people, hope hicks has been by
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president trump's side from the campaign until now. until she eventually leaves the white house. that is a lot of work to do. the reports have been saying this might have something to do with her testimony on the hill, it might have something to do with her relationship with rob porter who obviously was kicked out of the white house. you have to remember, she's been there for two plus years by donald trump's side is an important figure, that's got to be exhausting. i also will say, we've been talking about rex tillerson at the state department leaving since i think christmas, he is still there. when we read these reports i think there should be a little bit of context and some skepticism >> jon: there were also reports that h.r. mcmaster was going to be leaving. sarah sanders shot that down, i want to play that for you. and then i will get your thoughts. listen to this. >> general mcmaster is not going anywhere, the president
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said yesterday in the oval office, he thinks he's doing a great job and he's glad he's here. >> jon: we should be reminded that the media were saying that the secretary of state rex tillerson would be out of a job as a january. he is still there. >> it's true. these kind of reports have come out, the media has reported that gary cohn could be on its way out and they are saying that now mcmaster. i agree that you have to share some context but this was a pretty amazing week of news. so many new stories came out just on wednesday and thursday. that could have been stories of the year. you have them in one and two codays, hope hicks was a bombshell obviously, really overshadowed so many big storie stories, from clearance woes to the back and forth, the attacks by trump, the mueller investigation, it's been an
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interesting week. i know trump said that he came to washington to shake things up, i'm not sure this is what he meant. >> jon: you mentioned the security clearance slab, my buddy david as matt had some thoughts on that, i want to play that for you now. >> this is such a small potatoes in the way the media is playing it up on the front page everywhere, certain people in the obama administration either lost their security clearance or didn't get security clearance. that wasn't big news back then. >> jon: again i guess it's all a matter of perspective. how do you see it? the fact that the president's son-in-law doesn't yet have full security clearance. >> he was in this position for over a year and received the security clearance that he had reduced. this is a story, we've seen other stories coming out over the recent day, about how we needed these loans from
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different companies. we've seen this throughout the trump administration, we've seen a lot of controversy over jared kushner in particular, financial issues, the property up where you are in new york. one thing i will say about the economic advisor to trump was what is weird about this report, the reason it has some skepticism is trump has been talking about steel and trade for the last three decades. the idea that he has an economic advisor that is thrown off or surprised by this, it strikes me as a little bit odd. >> jon: president this presidet promised to drain the swamp. it could be that some of these older washington hands don't like the approach he is taking to the office he holds.
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>> it's certainly possible. on this issue, the issue of the trade, it's pretty fascinating that so many republicans, so many of his strong supporters take the freedom caucus, free-trade republicans are saying that he is going against the main principles he was elected on. the freedom caucus is not a supporter? i'd say he is a supporter. this is a major issue that he is fighting off major criticism from the republican party. it's interesting that some democrats have actually supported it. you had karl rove speaking against this earlier. >> jon: it makes it interesting for those of us who try to report on all of the stuff.
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we appreciate it, thanks. >> melissa: in moments now the nation saying good-bye to reverend early gram. we will speak to one of his closest friends, a man who worked with him for decades. >> in those moments when we felt weak in spirit, when our country was on its knees, he reminded us, he convinced us, that is exactly when we find our grace and ourva strength. to rail car. which helps improve every aspect of advanced rail technology. all with support from a highly-educated workforce and vocational job training. across new york state, we're building the new new york. to grow your business with us in new york state, visit esd.ny.gov.
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the capitol rotunda earlier this week, more than 2300 people are expected out today's invitation-only funeral for billy graham. the service set to begin within the next half-hour in charlotte, north carolina. joining me now for more on the man we are remembering, larry ross. a longtime friend and former personal spokesman to reverend billy graham. it's good to be here on this very special day, you knew the man for more than 30 years. what is your favorite billy graham moment? >> first of all, thank you for having me on. as the world mourns the passing of billy graham, for many it will be a celebration of a life well lived and and a lord well served. people have asked me to sum up his life in one word, i have to use four.
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humility, integrity, authenticity, and love. it wasn't about him or his ministry, it was always about the message. he was faithful to lift up the name of jesus and proclaim the gospel message of faith in christ everywhere he went. >> jon: he became a master of the medium of television, starting with the revivals that really build his ministry. he became masterful at using television and i don't mean that in a pejorative way. at employing this medium to get his message across. >> i would say his ability to make positive points for the gospel in any media situation. he was always pastoral, not political. he never approached media as marketing. he always was an advocate for the christian faith, showing how
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the bible speaks to personal and societal issues. for mr. graham, he was not a televangelist. he was an evangelist whose ministry was not in the studio but on stadiums. it was always an extension of a meeting he'd held live somewhere around the world. >> jon: larry ross, longtime supporter and advisor of billy graham. thank you. this sunday, be sure to head over to your local fox channel and catch the never before seen documentary, "billy graham: an extraordinary life." private funeral services as we sit just about to get underway, the opening strains of the organ are already playing there in charlotte, north carolina. >> melissa: look at the crowd of people gathered and the number of people whose lives he touched, that's a tiny fraction all across the world. what contribution this man made.
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>> jon: billy graham and i shared a birthday and it was always kind of fun on my birthday when i got the alerts of who else shared this particular birthday. billy graham, i will miss not seeing his name anymore. thank you very much for joining us. >> melissa: "outnumbered" is going to start with special coverage of the funeral of billy graham. it starts now. ♪ >> sandra: welcome to special coverage of the funeral of reverend billy graham. i'm sandra smith. the private service is being held at the billy graham library in charlotte, north carolina, . president trump and the first lady are there right now along with what is expected to be thousands of others whose
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lives have been touched by the reverend. watching as the proceedings unfold, let's go to steve harrigan live in charlotte, north carolina, now. >> the presidential motorcade has just pulled up, we are waiting to see the president and the first lady as well as vice president pence. 2,000 people gathered for what is likely to be a very carefully organized funeral. billy graham was known for carefully organized crusades and festivals, things planned down to the minute. 82 minutes of the same combination of things he used on those crusades, namely preaching from scripture and also music. some of that music has begun here. about 2,000 people in attendance, they are under canvas tent. a very modest setting for a billy graham. it's really how he started back in 1949. he rented a canvas tent, threw it up in a vacant lot in
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los angeles. it was there he first drew national attention. it's an amazing career arc when you think about it, billy graham born just 4 miles from where i'm standing. he was the son of cow farmers, he would have to start milking those cows at 2:30 in the morning. to think he went from there to the places he's gone, he's preached in front of nearly 200 million people personally, and besides his ministry, he was also a close personal friend to several presidents. and was really a spiritual advisor as well. he was able to speak on a lot of changes in the u.s. especially changes in the media. but then began my began a radio show for about half an hour eack and he was gifted on the radio but it was really television
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that became his medium. that's where his power, his charisma and his good looks flourished and drew tremendous crowds. this is a man who set attendance records around the world at yankee stadium, madison square garden, central park, wembley stadium. wherever he went, crowds came. he had a tremendous endurance as well, he kept his ministry going out in the field for 60 years and in those 60 years it was really untouched by scandal. he ran clean, tight, open operation. that's part of the reason he was able to endure so long. despite the changing times and the changing message over the decades, one thing remained constant and we expect to hear that today as we hear from his family members, his son. and that is the consistency with which he turns to the bible, to scriptures as having the answers
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to modern-day problems. on his headstone it is going to say "billy graham, preacher of the bible and jesus christ." when you saw him on the podium gesturing energetically with one arm, and the other hand was usually the bible. that was the touchstone and basis for his preaching. we are quieting down as we wait for the president, the first lady, and the vice president and mrs. pence to take their seats. >> sandra: here today, harris faulkner, lisa boothe, marie harf and fox news religion contributor father jonathan morris, good to have you on this very special day. for this very special moment. >> jonathan: steve just did a great job of summing up who billy graham is.
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i say is because billy graham very famously said what we all believe, that death is not the end but it's a moment of transition, that is exactly the core, the essence of billy graham as a man and as a leader in the united states of america. he was not a leader because he was a great speaker, he brought this huge family together around jesus, but rather because first and foremost he believed that jesus of nazareth was born, lived, and died so we might live in eternal life and that's what we are celebrating today. >> harris: he has asked many times for people to share in
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john 14: six and just a reference to that verse will be on his grave marker. the text is so much a part of his ministry. jesus answered no one comes to the father except through me. he referred to it, he taught by it. >> he did and he was never embarrassed by it. there's a danger when somebody gets bigger than their ordinary walks of life. when he left the south and came up to the northeast, when he started dealing with catholics and non-christians, to kind of modify the message and say i am going to go to the lowest, did not denominator, he never did it. he went to the essence but it wasn't the lowest common denominator of a secular culture, it was jesus and the message of salvation and redemption. very simple. >> sandra: the symbolism of having this under a tent, a
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sunset earlier today. the president called and offered the national cathedral. he said he they said no thank you, we are going to hold the service where everything began for our father. >> marie: the casket was formed from though wood from inmates at the louisiana state penitentiary. i think for a lot of us, we've been looking back on his life in one of the biggest lessons i've taken away, when we are looking at ourselves and how we can be better is that he never stopped learning and growing and he never stopped becoming a better person. >> harris: we are going to pause just here if you don't mind. >> sandra: you are looking live at the president and of the first lady and the vice president and karen pants have have arrived. they are honoring the life and
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legacy of americas pastor. more than 2,000 will be in attendance, you can hear the music already playing as the leaders of our country make their way to say good-bye and pay their respects. >> harris: this is the second time in the last few days the president of the united states has paid his respects. you may know from our coverage on fox news, billy graham was bestowed a great honor by lying in honor of the u.s. capitol. that was led by a delegation of lawmakers from his home state of north carolina, making sure that he got very rare and special recognition. 12 presidents in his lifetime. 99 years old when he passed awa away. >> lisa: he's the only religious leader to have been laid in honor as he was. he was the embodiment of a purpose driven life.
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his purpose on earth was to bring as many people to christ as he possibly could and he did that so successfully. i think the reason he touched so many people is using the secret to his work is god it. he had such a big impact on so many presidents as well as the martin luther king and average people like my grandfather who was so moved by his teachings. >> harris: marie, i cut into you so we could watch the president and vice president and their families arrived. >> marie: i was so struck by reading throughout his life, he never stopped learning, he never stopped looking back on past decisions and saying here's how i could do it better in the future. he understand it wasn't about always having the answers. >> sandra: you are watching special coverage of the funeral for reverend billy graham, live in charlotte, north carolina, where the private ceremony honoring the life and legacy of america's pastor is underway.
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you can hear the music playing now. the private service is being held at the billy graham library in charlotte, north carolina. as you can see the president and the vice president have made their way under the tent where the ceremonies will begin shortly. let's pause and bring in our stations. thank you for joining us, this is fox news coverage of the funeral for the reverend billy graham. i'm sandra smith in new york. you are looking live in charlotte, north carolina, at the billy graham library where the president and the vice president and first lady and karen pence have made their way to say good-bye to the nations pastor as we say good-bye to billy graham today. the ceremony has begun, you can hear the music playing now. the official ceremony will begin in just moments. we are joined
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