believe and take in. our thoughts with his family and all those who were lost yesterday. >> ed: will be back covering this tomorrow morning as well as the impeachment trial. in the meantime, "outnumbered" starts right now. >> melissa: a fox news alert, president trump's legal team set to resume opening statements in the next hour. the president is now hitting back at a "new york times" report that he told former national security advisor john bolton he wanted to withhold ukrainian aid until an investigation was launched into the bidens and other democrats. the "times" citing the manuscript of bolton's upcoming book but the president denying he ever told bolton that. our short time ago at the white house also saying this. >> i haven't seen a manuscript but i can tell you nothing was ever said to john bolton but i have not seen a manuscript. i guess he is writing a book. >> melissa: democrats calling the report explosive amid their

new pusher witness testimony but at least one republican senator says that a case not changed. >> if there was ever even a shred of logic left did not hear hear witnesses and review the documents, mr. bolton's quote just erased it. the president ordered everyone with firsthand knowledge of his actions not to testify in the impeachment inquiry. we are all staring a white house cover-up in the face. >> there is also called blockbuster report in today's "new york times," to me the facts of the case remain the same. there is nothing new here to what the house managers have been saying. >> jessica>> melissa: the justie department pushing back on the report, saying bolton did not inform attorney general barr about the zelensky call. this is "outnumbered" and i

melissa francis, year-to-date, harris faulkner," kennedy" on the fox business network, fox news contributor jessica tarlov and in the center seat, matt schlapp, and he is "outnumbered." i want to get right to it, going on in washington, it seems like the tide is turning on the witnesses, maybe from the republican side. here's what mitt romney has to say. >> i think the story that came out yesterday is increasingly apparent that it's important to hear from john bolton, we will make a final decision on witnesses after we've heard from the prosecution and the defense. it's pretty safe to say that john bolton has a relevant testimony, it's important to be able to hear, for us to be able to make it.

>> melissa: john bolton, it would seem to be two republicans prayed i would ask you, is the tide turning and also, john bolton, we don't actually know what's in the book. >> matt: a long time host of news hour, he had rules for journalists, which i know you seem to be reminded of. don't run into say something is factual when you have no name to associate with this. john bolton, now we revert back to this question about witness witnesses. i don't think there's any problem here. the aide was released, the aide was increased, legal aid, what the president said or didn't say it, what he used in a conversation with an eta, doesn't matter. if adam schiff thought john bolton was so set to impeachment, he would've subpoenaed him, fought to keep that subpoena.

just so everybody listening understands, when you are not senate confirmed, congress can't take a white house advisor and say you must come talk to us. because he's not senate confirmed, you have to go to court or go through protracted negotiations to get that collate to testify. you know what adam schiff said? it's not that important to the case. they thought they already had a case. now that they realize they don't have a very good, strong case, they don't the votes, they are about to lose democrats on this question of acquittal. of course they want to bring you more witnesses, they are not trying to find the case. >> melissa: how much do you think it would change things if he does testify, i don't know how much that change is because republicans don't think he did a great thing but don't think it's impeachable. there are democrats who think it's impeachable. how much difference will it make? >> jessica: we are not flipping 20 republican senators,

that's what it comes down to. there are a number of republicans who do have a problem with that, though. seeing adam shif adam schiff mid his chance, john bolton was represented by the state attorney, for eight or nine months to do this. >> melissa: we don't actually know that because they didn't subpoena him and now he's sayi saying, if i'm subpoenaed i will come. we don't know he was subpoenaed last time. >> harris: my big question today is how much do you really want to tangle with john bolton on either side of the political aisle? he's got evidence, and what is going to say. the president doesn't know what is going to say either. here is our two each, sitting next to benjamin netanyahu a little while ago, it goes

farther. i "never told john bolton that aid to ukraine was tied to investigations or the democrats, including the bidens. in fact, he never complained about this at the time of of his very public termination. "a little further without being said, let this statement on the merits you're saying, i wonder how risky this is, kennedy, to sort of dig through the mud. >> kennedy: i don't think we are in the fact-finding part of this expedition and things are moving much more quickly, senators have to make up their minds and if they are going to call witnesses they have to have a very clear idea. you are absolutely right about bolton, he has an unknown here. there are so many variables. he has a book coming out marc

march 17th. it's already available for presale now and his lawyer said, we don't know, this must've come from the white house. all it does -- >> matt: the publisher. >> kennedy: it ramps up the drama, it ramps up the intrigue. the other place where you'd go for the answer to this chapter is john bolton's book. clearly getting this out, it is perfect timing. >> melissa: that's back where we started, we don't actually know what's in the book. we don't know it says what "the new york times" says it says. we don't know. >> matt: we know that ip hiding clear evidence of some kind of impeachment crime, i the doj's comment on this leak is really important.

they aren't aware of anything they should have been told of. you have to tell somebody about the crime, you don't get to just hide it away. speech of the other thing i wonder, don't fee army, republis don't want witnesses, maybe democrats are getting tricked into witnesses. if you bring up one, they are going to bring up others. >> matt: i want to correct that record. all of them believe -- i believe all of them including the ones on television believe adam schiff and the democrats haven't had the standard, presenting an impeachable case. >> harris: it wasn't just witnesses, it was further evidence. there are some republican saying it's not necessary. he said we just need to move on.

and then there's that. it's a myth. >> jessica: it is important to say that from the get-go, we have enough evidence to make the case the democrats made, what adam schiff displayed last week. you have people that -- you can have, why shouldn't you have more first-hand witnesses, is the argument they are making? >> harris: the speaker of the house, if you just let it cook long enough. >> kennedy: sometimes your dreams arm nightmares when you got people like corey lewandowski testifying. john bolton may not be they give the democrats are thinking. >> harris: quickly on balance, the senior advisor to john bolton said the hard copy draft

of his manuscript several weeks ago for review, he has not distributed any other copy to anyone at all. and the reports of "the new york times" saying he shared the manuscript with others and all caps is false. we >> melissa: we are just one week away from the first in the nation iowa caucus, who is tryig to downplay expectations? that's next. ♪ here's record-breaking news for veterans. va mortgage rates have dropped to near 50-year lows. newday usa can help you refinance your mortgage and save thousands a year. newday's va streamline refi makes it fast and easy because there's no income verification, no appraisal, and no out of pocket costs. i urge you to call newday usa now. get relief finally, with magnilife® pain relieving foot cream. while also restoring cracked, damaged, and itchy skin.

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>> harris: and here is our focus next hour, capitol hill, where president trump's defense team is set to resume its opening statements in the senate impeachment trial after house impeachment manager is laid out their case last week. special coverage beginning at the bottom of the hour, so watch for that with bret baier and martha maccallum.

>> we stand together as a nation. we will not only defeat this very dangerous president, but we will transform this country and creating an economy and a government that works for all of us, not just wealthy campaign contributors. >> harris: senat senator bernie sanders in iowa yesterday, know where he is now surging in the polls. a new survey shows him with 30% support there, nine points ahead of joe biden, while elizabeth warren has plummeted now to fourth place. the latest fox polling as sanders just three points behind biden nationally causing concern among some of his 2020 rivals who are urging voters to look beyond the early stage. >> we not only have to beat donald trump, we have to win in states that can win back the united states senate.

north carolina, we have to win in georgia senate seats, in arizona, not just my home state in pennsylvania and others. we will win those. >> harris: the war in campaign appearing to downplay expectations ahead of iowa, writing to supporters, "we expect tha this to be a long nomination fight and have built our campaign to sustain well and stay resilient no matter who or what breathless media narrative come when voting begins." that's a shot, kennedy? >> kennedy: elizabeth warren has to tamp down these expectations because she's going -- they are breathless because this election is still very crowded, it is still very, very intense and there are some real issues at stake and she had the momentum after bernie's heart attack and he came back in with fire and fury and took it right back from her and he is now the standard bearer of the progressive wing and doing well

nationally, he's doing well in iowa and every time bernie makes another statement with an exclamation point, joe biden seems to go -- >> harris: i want to ask the obvious question, we know how it burned last time ol, is the democratic party going to let bernie continue to run? >> jessica: the democratic party doesn't pick winners and losers, the democratic voters -- this fallacy that the dnc rigged the 2016 primary to make hillary clinton the crown jewel and throw bernie into the basement is so ridiculous, she won by 4 million votes, this is a man whose ideology appeals to a very particular subset. he's doing well in iowa and new hampshire because that's where white liberals are, he's doing well nationally because he's been compelling and because elizabeth warren is dropping. >> harris: why is he doing

well past the early stage? >> jessica: take me to south carolina, the number where joe biden is getting 60% support from african-americans. it's not dropping. listen. bernie sanders is obviously a threat to win clearly states and anything could happen. mike bloomberg, this is open in that way. >> harris: you say that like it's not a good thing. we are out of time for you, we want to go to matt. >> matt: i am obviously not a democrat. i'd love to watch it because i'm a political weirdo. joe biden leading in all these national polls really never mattered. i think the one indicator of support amongst african-americans is a big deal but the fact is these early states matter and democrats nominate people who win in iowa and new hampshire and the fact that bernie sanders, which socialist is the socialist standard-bearer? let me tell you something about the democratic party, you can look at gallup, it is a party

much like we were in '16 trying to figure out what it wants to be. does it want to be a marxist, socialist party or of big government liberal party? that's a fight that's going on and from all indicators bernie sanders is winning that fight. >> harris: i got to scoot to this because it's perfect. the trump campaign sending an email to supporters titled "socialist invasion" with an excerpt reading "why is radical socialist alexandria ocasio-cortez spending so much time campaigning for bernie? he is the godfather of her extreme agenda and socialist vision for america. the speed to all you have to say is if bernie sanders is the nominee the market is going to tank. that would be so nerve-racking. >> harris: you just said the nominee, he's got to go up against an incumbent president

with a great economy. >> melissa: if he wins the nomination that would make markets so nervous, that would make investors so nervous, company so nervous and he loves that and that's what he wants. as an ad for themselves. the markets would tank. >> harris: not you but from what we've seen in polling and what not, do you think he's the person that might have a shot? i'm just wondering, with the great economy with the current president -- >> melissa: i don't think he wins the general but i think it's possible that he's the nominee. >> kennedy: you're absolutely right because that sets up the socialism versus capitalism or that benefits this administration. i don't think he can beat him now with the economy and the president's record on all other things in the distractions and twitter. >> harris: the president's legal team continues to make its case when the senate reconvenes for the impeachment trial of the cop of top of the hour.

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>> melissa: boosted by his handling of the economy, president trump against potential democratic calendars. challengers. a new "washington post" "abc news" poll see americans now see the president as a slight favorite for reelection with 49% expecting him to win and 43% predicting a democratic victory. but those expectations are highly partisan, go figure. 87% of republicans say they believe that president trump will win reelection while a somewhat smaller 78% majority of democrats say they believe there party's will win. do you ever take any polls

seriously ever? >> matt: i think it's fascinating. there's this theory and politics so you want to go with the winner. a poll that comes out that says american sink trump is going to get a second term. a lot of trump supporter say, bernie sanders, he's a crazy socialist, he can't win, i'm going to rest. i look at this poll and say, if you're somebody who believes the trump agenda is helping the economy, making america strong again, i know history says he should get reelected but i can think of crazier things that have happened over the last three years. >> melissa: like impeachment? >> jessica: like trump getting elected. >> harris: how about another impeachment? i am hearing there is a potential that the house will take another bite of the apple and this time they will have john bolton be said because he said i'm coming with if you

testify. >> matt: the democrats strategy is to bring him down before the election because they believe that 49%, they think he's going to win. >> melissa: do you have a democrat right next to you, do you believe those numbers? >> jessica: this is going to be incredibly hard, history tells us presidents get reelected especially during a strong economy and you need a brilliant candidate on the opposition side like ronald reagan or bill clinton. >> melissa: or barack obama. >> jessica: we don't have barack obama this time around. looking at the numbers that came out over the weekend, trump versus generic democrats, is it joe biden who is a lifelong democrat with moderate policies or bernie sanders? there is a danger there and democrats are working on these campaigns on the ground know how tight this is going to be.

>> melissa: kennedy, i want to ask you. as time goes by they throw more and more things at this president that if you believe these polls he only gets stronger as they continue to do all these different things. it's starting to make him look like -- you know? >> kennedy: if you compare his favorability ratings with other presidents, other presidents would swing, they'd have a ten plus point swing throughout their administration and this president stays pretty much where he is. and look at what we've been through in the last couple years, look at what we've been through in the last couple weeks, the market was down a little bit this morning with the markets by and large are still in record territory. the other indicators are pretty solid so that means that the economy is still the most important factor for voters and a lot of democrats are frustrated at the chaos within the race and they want the kind of candidate jessica is talking about, they really do. they want someone who's going to deliver ideas and not just

resistance because that in and of itself will not bring the president down. >> jessica: we were talking about this in the break, it is astounding to me that you have 51% saying to convict and remove the president of the united states of america and his approval does not move. you think it would indicate that there was going to be a change there so that is remaining. >> harris: he's the underdog going against a head wind of change with a consistent, persistent view of the world. i said this till when he went to the march for life and became the first sitting president to do that, his check, his boxes he box he checks his often take authenticity. when you look at that, because he's consistent i theorize that's why the number is consistent around him. >> matt: he does what he said he would do even if you don't like what he said he would do. >> melissa: may be impeachment, maybe it's the

right thing to do it with the evidence they want to use this time, we will see anyway. thank you to our whole couch, matt schlapp and the rest of the group here. we are going to turn it over to bret baier and martha maccallum live in washington for a special coverage of the senate impeachment trial. ♪ >> bret: this is special coverage of the senate impeachment trial of president donald trump, live from washington. i'm bret baier. >> martha: i martha maccallum. president trump's legal team getting ready for day two of our giving arguments against the president's removal from officey they face a new impediment to a speedy trial in the form of an explosive leak from john bolton's you have to be released book. >> bret: the former national security advisor rights of the president held up ukraine military aid until that country promised to comply with an investigation of democrats including joe biden. president trump reacting earlier today.