i hope you have a great night. ♪ ♪ >> laura: i'm laura ingraham. this is a special christmas eve edition of "the ingraham angle" from washington. 2020 was a really challenging year for all of us. this show was afforded nevertheless the opportunity to speak to the leaders and the americans shaping the nation through a time of great uncertainty. and tonight, we take a look back. at "the ingraham angle"'s biggest interviews. president trump, vice president pence. attorney general bill barr and many more. and everyone amidst the pandemic we were able to take the show on the road and feel the rigors of the day with president trump campaigning for re-election. sit back and relax on

christmas eve. take a look back with us on the biggest moments of the year. we begin tonight with one of my most wide ranging interviews president trump and i sat down and discussed a lot. enjoy. >> laura: the oregon governor said no one is safe in donald trump's america. they are trying to turn the tables on you. >> president trump: trying. >> laura: after months of they are not really saying much about the violence. >> president trump: but they won't criticize anybody that is really, you know, that is a violent person, frankly. they is violent. they stick up for the violence. the people that are getting hurt, they don't care about the people. it's a weird thing. it's like warped minds. for the last 93 days i have been offering to send in and as you know they have to take the offer. they have to ask to have help. i've been standing and saying anytime you are ready, we will put it out there. >> laura: what is motivating them, mr. president? >> president trump: there's a sickness, actually. also there is a fear.

i watched the way they treated the mayor wheeler when he was standing there. i'll tell you how unfair the news is. nbc news didn't show he was been shouting at and cursed at. he ran, literally, he had to run for his life. they would have hurt him. he had security. >> laura: h they showed up at the apartment building. >> president trump: there is a fear. he is afraid. >> laura: isn't it true that the democrats are inciting the violence against the individuals for almost as long as you have been in office? >> president trump: sure. >> do you see anybody from the cabinet, you get out and you dash [inaudible] you get back on them. you tell them they are not welcome anymore anywhere. >> please, get up in the face of some congress people. >> there needs to be unrest in the streets. >> the domestic enemy to our voting system and honoring our constitution. right at 1600 pennsylvania

avenue. with the allies in the congress of the united states. >> president trump: it's not only the democrats. it's the media. the fake news. the news is so fake. with the mayor they make him look like it's a great unity thing and they were cursing at him and done the big numbers on him. they don't show that. they show the mayor standing with the tough thugs. he was gone. okay? they saved him. nbc shows it, like it's unity with the people. i don't get it. i don't know why they are doing it. i will say this. at some point i will not be president. hopefully that will be in five years from now. but i will not be president. they are going to die. they are all going to die. can you imagine if they had to cover sleepy joe biden. it won't be much fun. much more importantly, the country would go to hell. the stock markets will crash. as sure as you are sitting there. we will have problems like you have never had. if you take kenosha and other

part of the country i don't even talk about, i could show you things that we have done to stop this kind of a thing that is happening in portland and happening in chicago and happening in other places. >> laura: most red states are cooperating with the federal -- >> president trump: almost all. >> laura: things are relatively calm in red state america. biden said again today in pittsburgh that essentially you are not going to be safe in donald trump's america. >> president trump: so, if it weren't donald trump's america to just use the express aion as i'm president, you would have the riots like you have never seen. the democrats have lost control of thed are call left. tremendous fan of law enforcement. and i want to thank the law enforcement. they have done a good job. when the governor says that i shouldn't come or he would prefer i not come, i'm the won that called him and said tony, you got to bring out the national guard. "i don't want to do it." tony, you have to bring it

out. unlike the governor of oregon that says no, he agreed to it. he agreed to a small number but it was plenty. >> laura: isn't there political motivation? they don't want you to come to blue state america because they don't want the media to have to cover what is really happening. >> president trump: that is true. that is true. if you look at what is going on in the blue state america, blue city america. if you look at new york. or what is going on in the states. chicago is a disaster. portland. you look at portland. portland is a little different. that is anarchists. i actually think in my ways that is easier to handle. portland is easy to handle. that is a group of the anarchists paid by the outside. we put a lot of people in jail. i don't know if you know this or not. you remember three or four months ago we were having a problem with monuments, ripping down the statutes. >> laura: democrats didn't say anything about that. >> president trump: they had no control. it got it of control even for them. i signed in an executive order, ten years in jail if if

you knock down a statue or monument. you haven't heard one thing about it. they were going after thomas jefferson. they are going after lincoln and going after the washington monument. if they could knock it down. they were going after -- i actually don't even think they know. i think they are just thugs. i don't think it's -- it may be an ideology. and it may not. it is an ideology for people paying them. the funny thing is. strange thing is the people paying them and all the money, somebody is doing it -- >> laura: what about the corporations? >> president trump: wait. the people paying them, the people will be overthrown, the lives will be taken away and they will be gone. stupid foolish people that made a lot of money. >> laura: corporations have given an enormous amount of money in the tens of millions, hundreds of millions to the black lives matter. >> president trump: because they are weak. >> laura: all over a lot of the protests. so what does it mean about the corporations? why are they paying the money out? >> president trump: they're weak people led by weak people. >> laura: what does it mean

they're weak people? >> president trump: i look it at one company giving hundreds of millions. >> laura: when you say they are weak, what does it mean? >> that is an easy path. it's a dangerous path. black lives matter is marxist organization. remember pigs in the blanket, fry them like bacon. i heard black lives matter. i said that is a discriminatory name. it's bad for black people and everything. it becomes -- now if you look it's going way down. people are tired of what is going on to the black lives matter. if you look at what is going on with the bats and thugs. >> laura: run through d.c. last night. >> president trump: it'ser the what is going on. but black lives matter came to existence screaming "pigs in a blanket fry them like bacon." that was the police officers. represents the police. pigs in the blankage like sausages or the hot dogs. >> laura: they have said

worse. >> president trump: do you get worse? >> laura: but the d.o.j.'s role in tryk t trying to hit thw enforcement accelerator here against the groups. a lot of the individuals coming to wisconsin have been tracked out of the out-of-staters. ones arrested. >> president trump: we have them all. >> laura: can't d.o.j. do more? what could they the to put the fear of god in the violent -- not the peaceful protesters, but violent protesters? >> laura: they have under investigation -- >> president trump: they have under investigation. i had this because of an important interview with you. i will give it to you. kansas city, violence decreased by a third since initiative began. indianapolis, guns confiscated. more than 1,000 arrests made under the initiative. d.o.j. addressing the violence and the crime across the country. you don't read that. the f.b.i. and the a.t.f. assisting the portland police department be. you can't do much if you have

no cooperation. >> laura: if they don't think they will go to jail for ten years for doing what they are doing they will keep doing it. so how does a trump re-election calm things down in the united states? biden says he will calm things down. >> president trump: he won't calm things down. they will take over. they will have won. if biden gets in, they will have won. >> laura: he is a weak person. controlled like a puppet. it's not calming things down. it will be they will have won and taken over the cities. it's a revolution. you understand that. it's a revolution. the people of this country will not stand for that. they won't stand for that. the vast majority of the people feel like me. they feel like -- every time i put law and order up on social media. it gets such incredibly positive response. the people of this country will not stand for it. if you say calm things down, yeah. calm things down because they will have taken over. take a look at what is going on. biden, well, biden, i don't even like to mention biden. he is not controlling anything.

look at all the horal race riots you had in obama. ferguson is just one that comes to mind. you had them all the time. look at what happened with brown and this one and that one. look at all the problems you had under obama. it was a disaster. it was actually worse than anything. this is a much different situation. the anarchists are portland are different than what is going on in chicago. chicago can be solved. i think it's more difficult to solve. the anarchists in many ways are much more solvable. but for women, more than anything else, they want security. they want safety. they have to have safety. they talk about the suburban woman. what i did recently, i ended the regulation that provided low income housing that mandated low income -- >> laura: obama's rule. >> president trump: it was a disaster. >> laura: you seem to have a good working relationship with andrew cuomo in the height of the covid pandemic.

>> president trump: i gave him more than he asked for and all they are is nasty. >> laura: but now he is coming after you saying it's your mismanagement that got us in the mess. >> president trump: good news he hasn't gotten far with that. people understand. he killed 11,000 people with the bad decisions on nursing homes. he is the number one state in the country by far for death. probably in the world for the death. you take new york out of the equation, i think we have among the best numbers anywhere, if you take new york we have the best numbers in the world countrywide. andrew said i did an incredible job. andrew said everything that he asked for. as an example, they wanted the ship, i got them a ship. they wanted the jav javitz cent. i got them that. he was desperate for it. they wanted the four regional hospitals. we got them that. the beautiful temporary, the army corps of engineers did

incredible job. so did fema. we got them everything. then they -- the same thing with de blasio. i spoke to de blasio -- i never spoke to de blasio before. then i spoke to him ten times. he'd call could we have this? yes. could we have that? yes. could we have doctors? he wanted me to send doctors and nurses to a hospital. i got it. i did so much. then what happens? he does a black lives matter sign in front of trump tower. >> laura: does it bother you, the sign? >> president trump: no. people are vandalizing it. people are so angry. it's built such anger. you know what is happening. people are going buy and throwing paint on it. it was meant as a bad thing. what we have done for de blasio incredible. what we have done for cuomo. but it doesn't matter. >> laura: are you worried for the push for vaccine, the fast vaccine for covid you might be splitting a coalition of american, frankly in both parties, who aren't comfortable with the vaccine? >> president trump: once you

get to a certain number. we use the word "herd" and once you get to a certain number it will go away. so it doesn't have to be. a lot of people are not going to want to do it. a lot of people don't do the flu vaccine. >> laura: should it be mandatory? >> president trump: i never had the flu. i never had a shot. never had vaccine. i come here, "sir you have to have a flu shot." i said why? what is the percentage? i wasn't thrilled. it's like 50%. >> laura: anthony fauci said it might not give "great protection" because it's the coronavirus. >> president trump: look, if i never had it, wouldn't it be good -- then i thought to have it to set an example. i had it. i had it now three times. i still haven't had the flu. maybe i'll give credit to the flu vaccine. i don't know. i can say this. i think we'll have a vaccine very soon. a lot of tremendous work has been done. you will have a vaccine like therapeutics which to me are more important.

you go to the hospital and make people better. to me that the most. we just did the convalescent plasma. i think you have other things, too. we'll have therapeutics and a vaccine very soon. whether or not people take it -- >> laura: 35% say they won't take the covid vaccine. shouldn't be mandatory should it? >> president trump: if you had 35% for people who haven't had it. in theory you can't get it. they found one person. making a big deal. one person got it twice. if you add it up, it gives you a good protection. >> laura: biden says he would shut down the economy again if the scientists said it was the right thing to do in the fight against covid. would you? >> president trump: that is a dangerous statement for him to make. we did the right thing. we shut it down and now we built it up and we are setting records on the job numbers and records on the retail numbers. this guy comes in, i heard it the other day. if they said so. so if some doctor said we have to shut it down, we'll shut it

down? we are setting records. >> laura: if you had to do it all again, that is a hard question, would you put fauci front and center every day in charge of the coronavirus task force? >> president trump: i get along with him very well. i disagree with a lot of what he said. he said keep it open for china. that was a big mistake. he admits it. i get along with him. but every once in a while he will come up with one and i'll say where did that come from? i inherited him. he was here. he was part of the huge piece of machinery. -didn't put anybody in charge. he has been here. here for 40 years. >> laura: 1984. >> president trump: he has been here for many years. you inherit a lot of people. it's part of the machinery. you have some you love. some you don't. i like him. i don't agree with him that often. but i like him. >> laura: when you look back on the last four years and the first three were impeachment, mueller, pandemic, investigations. what do you say to the

american people about what they don't see when they are doing the interviews like this? how you cope with this constant barrage from the hill? there is always back and forth. that is fine. but it's been different for you. >> president trump: it's been different because i have accomplished so much. on the military, i accomplished. i'm bringing most of the troops home. even cutting down germany, okay, because they have taken advantage of us like you wouldn't believe. it's different for a lot of different reasons. i think primarily because i have accomplished so much. >> laura: mr. president, are you still having fun? >> president trump: having a good time. we are doing a job that nobody else has ever done. i said it before and i'll say it again. nobody challenges me on it. i, this administration, despite all the fake russia, russia, russia and the hoaxes and the impeachments, we have done more in this administration than any president in the history of our country. if you look at the military

rebuilt, if you look at the choice for the vets and accountability for the vets and i protected the second amendment. by the way, if they got in, your second amendment is gone. your taxes are tripled. your second amendment is gone. your religious liberty, forget it. they are keeping the churches closed on purpose. you have churches that are still not open but you can go to a casino. terrible thing. >> laura: allowed to go to a riot. a lot of people don't know how funny you are. you are one of the funniest people i know but you are in a serious time. >> president trump: this isn't time for games. people say he comes across as a little rough or little direct. i don't have time not to be. i really don't have much time not to be. we have to get things done. we are getting them done like no president has ever. despite the obstruction, because they are obstructors. despite the tremendous obstruction, we are getting them done like nobody has done before. that makes me happy.

>> laura: mr. president, it's always great to see you. thank you for joining us tonight. trump administrations thank >> president trump: thank you, laura. >> laura: coming up, what is it like to spend the day with president trump on the campaign trail? i did that as he held three rallies in three different states in the midwest. it was an unforgettable ride. plus more of the big interviews from 2020. including the candid discussion with attorney general bill barr. stay there. is

>> laura: today was a three-state sprint across the upper midwest. and i was lucky enough to tag along for each leg of the ride. almost didn't make it to the studio tonight. it was wild. the whirlwind tour started in waterford township, 40 miles north of detroit.

in michigan. this is a heavily democrat county that hillary clinton won by more than eight points in 2016. but today you would have sworn this was the heart of m.a.g.a. country. >> president trump: for years you had a president who apologized for america. now you have a president who is standing up for america. standing up for the great people of michigan. [applause] >> laura: here we are in michigan. this is a hearty crowd. they are still up there. they have been here since 6:00 a.m. it's 10 degrees with the wind chill. nobody is leaving. the president is still speaking. see him in the background there. >> we didn't care about elections before trump. now we care. we care a lot. we have to have trump. we love trump. >> we love him! we love him! >> president trump: when we win, michigan wins. when we win, america wins. that is what i want.

that is all i want. >> why are you supporting trump? >> he is a candidate for life and he supports christian. we love you, president trump. >> he is the candidate for america. >> my parents came here 40 years ago from iraq. legally. we support donald j. trump. >> why do you like trump? >> he follows through on his promises. >> does it mean he is a real politician? >> we love that he is not. >> laura: now everyone in near freezing temperatures, you couldn't sense that anything but excitement and energy was in the air. but joe biden was on the trail at the same time as trump's michigan rally. he, too, was making the final plea to the voters. though, i'm not sure his closing message made a lot of sense. >> i'm mobilizing the true international effort to stop china abuses. >> laura: yikes!

okay. well, back to president trump. after the first rally ended, we packed up, boarded air force two. on our way to -- well, air force one, smaller plane. on the way to green bay, wisconsin. off the flight, i caught up with the commander-in-chief for a quick temperature check. >> in green bay, wisconsin. look at the crowd. it's massive. what does it make you feel like? >> president trump: it's very exciting. a lot of love. we look forward to it, laura. it's great to have you. >> laura: we look forward to it. that message of confidence and trust in the people of wisconsin echoed by the chief of staff, mark meadows. what do you think? are you going to take wisconsin again? >> we are going to take wisconsin. if the people of wisconsin vote their values, vote their prosperity, they will vote for trump. unbelievable crowd. unbelievable day. here is what we also know.

this this crowd, they are hardworking americans. they do the majority of the living and the dying in the country. they are the ones that matter most. we are here. ask them for their vote. ultimately hopefully bring it home on november 3. >> laura: now the iconic football city of green bay nestled in a county that trump won by nearly 11 points in 2016. trump's appearance here was clearly a call to action. he even got a boost from a packers legend. >> president trump: i want to thank a legendary champion, green bay packer personified and the hall of famer brett favre for his endorsement. he is a tough guy. he is great. two days ago i saw that he endorsed me. i just want to thank him. he is a hell of a champion. >> laura: but it wasn't just the famous people, the faces, the folks in wisconsin are clear eyed about what they

want. a second trump term. >> getting back to normal lives after covid. and the jobs. jobs in this country. people i think here in wisconsin it's all about the economy. >> all right girls. why are you here? >> president trump. >> laura: why? why not biden? >> slopepsleepy joe. i can't vote for a president who doesn't know what he is talking about. we want a president to get things done. >> why not biden? >> i believe in democracy and democracy and freedom. >> who is going to win wisconsin? >> trump, trump, trump! >> laura: if you can believe it, after his second marathon rally of the day, president made his way to rochester, minnesota. the story at that evented was

the disgusting and the transparent effort by the democratic leaders in the state to limit trump's fans from coming out to see him. they cappedded the event at 250 -- capped the event at 250. this is outdoors at an airport. okay? the governor tim walls and attorney general did their best to blunt the president's momentum. guess what? it didn't work. >> these are the people who are not allowed by the governor wall to actually enter the rally. look at how long it goes. [applause] the president came out to see them. >> 25,000 people. dis enfranchised. get out and vote, okay? [applause] >> thank you very much. [applause] >> four more years. four more years. four more years.

>> laura: i have been in politics for 30 years. i have never seen anything like. this never. not for obama. not clinton. not bush. not even president reagan. just never seen anything like it. now, you felt this way before, too. i know some of you did four years ago. i can tell you again, based on what i'm seeing, if you had to ask me, i had a gun to my head i'd have to say it felt like 2016 all over again. ♪ >> laura: when we were on the ground today, the trump supporters led governor walls and keith ellison the attorney general what they thought about the blatantly political act of the voter suppression. >> you guys were not allowed in this rally tonight. what do you say to the governor? >> the guy does not represent the people.

free people. >> it was awful. we are so mad. >> recall him! recall wall! recall wall! recall wall! recall wall! recall wall! >> laura: our own raymond aroyo spoke to reporters to get the thought on being split -- supporters being held back four days from the election. >> you can see, laura, the minnesota rally is not going exactly as planned for president trump. the governor here, governor wall restricted attendees to 250. everyone though there are thousands behind barricades here, outside the rallies. we spoke to some attendees. your reaction to the governor and the attorney general limiting the number of people here. there are thousands stuck outside. only 250 people allowed inside. >> well, it's classic. the governor trying to shut down trump. he is trying to shut down

america. he shut down minnesota. so let something be successful and let half the people have freedom. >> he never complained about the protests or stopped those. he let minneapolis burn. the weather won't drive me out of the state. the politics might. >> president trump: i want to thank the thousands of people outside barred for the entry by the radical democrats. you are american patriots. thank you very much. >> what do you make of the governor restricting the people who can get in the rally. >> fire him. >> get rid of him. >> we want our state back. >> they are scared. they don't care. we are here for the freedom. here to make america great again. >> disgrace. we have the american freedom and the right to assemble. we are here to do it peacefully. >> hands down you won't stop us from coming out. we will continue to believe in the freedom. we will still do what we want to do. we are americans. minnesotans.

we are free. [cheers & applause] dr. fauci, call for a mask mandate last week. this isn't a political statement like the ugly folks over there beeping the horns. >> he said they're ugly folks. your reaction? >> shocking. and a lie. lying joe biden. lie. >> i'm a little ugly. but i would say that he is out of his mind. he is not in touch with reality of americans. >> i tell him to look around here. there are a lot of beautiful here and here to support the president. >> why did you come down to make it true. >> we drove from minneapolis. we knew he wouldn't get in. we said let's go to be part of the crowd and see what is happening. >> so my kids can see a great man. >> my president trump. he is true to his word. he is all about america. he is all about the people. >> what is it that makes you

stand out in the cold to support him? >> freedom. >> he loves america. we love freedom. exactly right. freedom. >> you? >> freedom. >> we love and support our president. >> he is pro-life. the first president who spoke at a pro-life rally. >> what is the issue for you? >> pro-life. call me a one issue voter. that is it. >> at the end of the day, we live in a free country. we have rights. we want to see the president talk about what he has been doing. what he is going to do for the country. >> laura: ahead, one of the most unheralded priorities of the trump administration. it was how they fought for your religious freedom. attorney general bill barr tells us how the d.o.j. carried that torch. plus who does the attorney general think a bigger threat. russia or china? stay tuned.

live from the america's news headquarters, i'm ashley strohmier. house peeker nancy pelosi will try again monday to get the full house to back the president demand for the $2,000 stimulus checks. house republicans block the president demand in a rare christmas eve session. house democrats want a roll call vote that would put all members on the record. as supporting or rejecting the additional aid. even if the effort passes in house it will likely die in the g.o.p.-controlled senate. columbus, ohio, officer faces dismissal in connection with a deadly shooting of the unarmed black man tuesday night. cell phone video shows that the victim came out of a garage, holding a cell phone in the left hand. gunned down in the seconds. he had not turned on his body cam the shooting was recorded without audio. i'm ashley strohmier. back to "the ingraham angle" special. for the headlines, go to foxnews.com. ♪ >> laura: mr. attorney general, great to see you. thank you for being with us. >> thank you for having me.

>> laura: we have no freedom of public worship to go and gather. no real freedom of assembly and not everyone the freedom of movement given what some states are doing. what can you tell the viewers tonight about what the justice department will do after the limited period to ensure that our civil liberties are balanced properly against the need to proct the public? >> generally speaking, there are occasions where liberties have to be restricted in certain emergencies; such as, war. or in this case, potentially devastating pandemic. they have to be balanced. whatever steps you take have to be balanced against the civil liberties of the american people. it cannot be used as an excuse for broad depravation of the liberty. so as things proceed, we will be interested in both what the

federal government is imposing and also making sure that that is justified. but also what the states do. the states have broad, as you know, what we call the police powers. very proud powers to that the federal government doesn't have to regulate the lives of the citizens if they don't violate the constitution. so we will keep a careful eye on that. >> laura: i tweeted out something earlier today. these are inalienable rights. there are a lot of americans today who are mourning those who lost their lives in the horrible virus. they say the government doesn't have the right to take, this right to take our rights away. everyone when the experts saying this is a horrible time for us health wise. they are very worried. increasingly worried as time goes on. they have been patient as well. >> i think they have been patient. i think we have to be careful to make sure that this is, you know, that the draconian measures being adopted are fully justified and they are

not alternative ways of protecting people. i think that, you know, when this period of time, at the end of april expires. i think we have to allow people to adapt more than we have. not just tell people to go home and hide under the bed. but allow them to use other ways, social distancing and the other means to protect themselves. >> we have seen situations up to now where some jurisdictions have special burdens on religion, they were applying to other gatherings and the events. we jawboned the local government at that point saying they really could don't that. whatever they were doing to churches they had to do to everybody. they changed the rules to be neutral in that respect. we will keep an eye on the actions that restrict people's liberty. >> given what you know today about the panoply of abuses internationally against the united states, who is the bigger threat to america's

election security? russia or china? >> in my opinion it's china. not just to the election process. but across the board. they are threat geopolitically, economically, militarily. and a threat to integrity of the institutions given ability to influence things. >> laura: premier academic institutions, harvard university and the top schools welcomed the chinese students in to learn and to take part in the research. and here, we have had the documented abuses, ongoing fram investigation now. indictments in boston. against harvard university professor against conspiring with the chinese allegedly. any thought on the ongoing

federal grants to the institution, where it's all out blitz. why are we allowing chinese researchers in the united states? >> well, i think we are trying to tighten up on the programs. a lot of universities working closely to understand what the nature of threat is. not just universities. a lot of the businesses for what they see as a short-term process. they know it's not long-term benefit to business but for a short-term gain they are perhaps not doing what is necessary long-term interest of the united states. >> laura: coming up, more highlights of the big interviews of 2020 from vice president pence and secretary of state mike pompeo to don jr. and christie nome. stay there.

>> laura: it was a year unlike any other. we had some huge interviews along the way. we spoke to don jr. and south dakota governor on the final night of a wildly successful r.n.c. and we got the first look at the administration's early efforts against covid from vice president pence. before the pandemic gribbed the globe, mike pompeo stressed the administration's unwavering commitment to the america first principles. president trump has been successful and was successful running for president on the america first campaign. does what happened over the last week or so change that? is he now taking a step back and maybe closer to the old bush days of look, we got to stay in middle east, we got to stay engaged? with regoing to make the final

pivot to hay sh asia time soon? >> i'm confident what he is delivering is to the american people. he said we would protect america. we would do so in a way we didn't end up in the endless wars and require commitment of enormous troops for endless period of time. we took this on and we'll do everything we can to make sure it's dash that comes to get us, isis or al-qaeda. we'll continue to protect and defend. we are working in afghanistan, throughout the middle east to make sure that not only do we have the fewer americans there. but we will perform what president trump will never let happen. i don't think it's moved at all in that direction. >> laura: okay. governor, we are seeing the two different visions of america play out tonight. one you just heard from president trump, forward looking, optimistic. we can do anything together. regardless what you come from. and let's burn a church. your reaction?

you are in washington, you are not in south dakota where it's more peaceful. >> first, president trump gave fantastic speech. it's inspiring and it cast a clear vision from where he continued to want to take the country. we are seeing outside the gates the vision that the democrats have for the country. i felt like we are in the middle of america on the ground. people were happy. they were excited. they were looking forward to the future. then you get right outside the gates. you see the people who want to destroy everything that the country was founded on. >> laura: there are a lot of americans, i think stuff they read online. the government is going to track me. the government is not going to let me work unless i'm tracked and tested. and so forth. what can you tell the american people about that given what they have heard about some of solutions to reopen? >> we will always protect the privacy and the liberty of the american people. the testing recommendations

that will accompany new guidelines for reopening america will make it possible for us to do two things, laura. number one quickly diagnose people with symptoms that may be from the coronavirus. when you hear about "surveillance testing" that means to test a sufficient number of the people to determine those that may have the coronavirus but not be aware of it. it's simply two models of the testing and making sure we deployed the resources and the activate resources around the country to do both things will be important part to reopen america and keep america open. >> laura: will you take in to account the other fallout, social isolation, depression, suicide, drug abuse. spousal abuse, child abuse, despondency? we saw that after the 2008 collapse. now the i.m.f. is saying this

downturn could be the worse since the great depression. are you taking that in account while you look at the medical data underlying the virus itself? >> vice president pence: president trump said this will clearly be the biggest decision of his life. it's because he is looking at every aspect of this. when he speaks about his unique responsibility as president, it is because he understands it's not just looking at the health data. it's a matter of what is looking in the interest of the economy, what is in the interest as you rightly apprehend the emotional and the psychological impacts on americans? he has brought advisers together to bring a full range of counsel to him to make that decision. >> laura: don, your father laid out a clear vision for this country. which is we are moving forward. we have gotten past a lot of the difficult part of the

covid with the tragedy it is. he laid out a vision of the optimism and the hope which i just get the sense people are craving in america. >> i do, too. i felt proud to be an american watching this. honestly, watching the last four days of the r.n.c. when you compare and contrast that to what was last week, this like never ending i hate america zoom call, i mean the stories, you know, it could only happen in america. the american dream happening over and over to so many people of diverse backgrounds. it's been an amazing week. tonight topped it off like nothing else could. >> laura: how about you personally? is it an emotional moment for you? it's been a long -- this was an amazing four years for your family but a difficult time personally for your family as well through all the ups and the downs and the investigations. personally how are you feeling? >> listen, i feel great. it's all worth it as an american. it wasn't easy at times. you know that. we have seen what the worst of

government can try to do. if you think of the beginning of the four years it was the first time we had a not peaceful transition of power. that is one of the great american traditions. something that went on for 240-plus years until now. until trump. what is amazing about it, though, and what is amazing about my father to me is that despite all of that adversity. trying to throw his family in jail. unmasking his children. russia hoax that they are still talking about today as though it's real. impeachment. he still delivered for the american people. he still put his head down and pushed through everything and got it done and delivered for the american people. that is an anomaly. that doesn't happen. that is once in a generation at best for american politician to fight through that adversity and still deliver. and still get it done. that is what trump is all about. >> laura: coming up, christmas message to remember. - hi, i'm steve. - i'm lea.

and we live in north pole, alaska. - i'm a retired school counselor. [lea] i'm a retired art teacher. [steve] we met online about 10 years ago. as i got older, my hearing was not so good so i got hearing aids. my vision was not as good as it used to be, got a change in prescription. but the this missing was my memory. i saw a prevagen commercial and i thought, "that makes sense." i just didn't have to work so hard to remember things. prevagen. healthier brain. better life.

>> laura: for all of you amazing and loyal viewers i want to wish you all merry christmas and happy new year. christmas starts now and goes through january 6th, those are the 12 days of christmas. so spend time with your family and friends no matter what cuomo and dr. fauci tell you to do. if 2020 taught us anything, it's that we need to keep those important people close to us, don't lose touch. we have to stand out for our way of life, our freedom, and what we believe in. family, god and america. it's a sentiment beautifully expressed by president reagan yearly for for decades ago. >> the christmas spirit of peace, hope and love is the spirit americans carry with them all year round everywhere we go. as long as we do we need never be afraid because trusting in god is the one sure answer to all the problems we face.

>> laura: with god, all things are possible. i couldn't have said what reagan said better myself so everybody, just have a merry christmas, a happy new year. shannon bream and it does for 25 team take it from here. >> the fate of the coronavirus relief package is in jeopardy tonight after house republicans or object to increasing direct payments. plus extreme weather blows into the east as americans prepare to celebrate christmas. and speaking of christmas, how some are spreading christmas cheer and an atypical year. this is "special report." good evening and welcome to washington and merry christmas eve. i mike emanuel in for bret baier. thee president trump is spending christmas eve at malaga in florida as the next status for covert relief remains in limbo. stimulus checks for millions of er