FOX "Hannity" - Transcript: GOP Agenda for Congress

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SEAN HANNITY, HOST: Before we bring in our next guests, I have a message for the GOP tonight. Now, today's vote for speaker did disappoint me for a number of reasons. Now, for starters, the elected representatives -- guess what? They didn't listen to you, the American people, because according to a brand-new poll, only 25 percent of Republican voters wanted lawmakers to reelect John Boehner as their House speaker. Guess what? Sixty percent wanted someone else.

Now, during his time as speaker, John Boehner, in my view, too often has been timid and weak to stand up to the Democrats and the president. He seems scared, almost paranoid of being blamed for the government shutdowns, and he's not willing to use -- and this is a key point -- his constitutional power and authority of the purse in battling the president's radical agenda. And unfortunately now, we've seen devastating results.

Now, the day that John Boehner became the speaker of the House, on January 5th, 2011, guess what? The national debt was more than $14 trillion. Well, now that debt is a whopping $18 trillion. That's more than a 29 percent increase.

That, to me, is not leadership. I want a conservative leader who will stand on principle, who's willing to fight. For example, Republicans, if you're smart, you'll push forward, stop robbing our kids blind, stop robbing future generations blind. We need to balance the budget. We need a leader who's going to repeal and replace ObamaCare. By the way, in the CRomnibus bill John Boehner -- well, he just funded ObamaCare for another entire fiscal year.

We also need -- as a national security concern -- we need somebody who will secure the borders first. That would dramatically help the country. Also, I want a fire and brimstone message coming from every Republican! Look at North Dakota. Look at all the jobs they created. Look at the economic development. America needs to be energy-independent. You know what? That creates jobs. That helps national security.

And lastly, I'd like to see someone offer kids that are in failing or mediocre schools a way out. Failing schools -- give them school choice.

Now, unfortunately, up to this point I don't think John Boehner has been up to the job. I hope I'm wrong. I hope with a new Senate majority, this gives him an opportunity. The American people have given him the blessing of power. It is a gift. I hope he uses it well and I wish him the best.

Joining me now with reaction, two men who challenged the speaker for his speakership, Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert, Florida Congressman Ted Yoho is with us. Guys, good to see you. Thanks for being with us.

REP. TED YOHO, R-FLA.: Great to see and hear you, Sean.

HANNITY: All right, you guys came pretty close, I think closer than some people thought. Louie, I told you when we first talked about this behind the scenes that I thought this was an uphill battle. What's your reaction to what happened today?

REP. LOUIE GOHMERT, R-TEXAS: Well, it was an uphill battle. And you know, originally, we were just trying to get people to vote for anybody but the speaker so that we could get this thrown to a conference and then have somebody we could all agree on to get some new blood into the position so that it would help us keep our promises, exactly like you've talked about.

And the idea was pitched by Jim Bridenstein, Thomas Massie. "Look, we think somebody needs to be up there declared as a candidate so people can't say nobody was a candidate, so we had to vote for the current speaker." And they said, "Why don't you get out there?" And I said, "Then it becomes, you know, Boehner versus Gohmert." And this isn't about Boehner. It's about -- and so I want to say this is a real hero here. Ted came in and announced...

HANNITY: I don't think John Boehner's thinking that right now. I think he probably doesn't like either of you, or me.

GOHMERT: Well, let me tell you, Daniel Webster came in today. He's a real hero. And I'm trying to get it confirmed, but I heard that he may have just gotten kicked off...

HANNITY: All right, Ted, let me -- let me...

YOHO: ... Rules with Nugent...

HANNITY: Let me talk...

YOHO: ... and that (INAUDIBLE) got to stop.

HANNITY: ... strategy, Louie. Louie, I got to -- we're running out of time. Let me go to Ted. My -- what I think -- I love what Reagan said, bold-colored differences. There's an opportunity here with the new Senate to put bill after bill after bill on Obama's desk -- energy independence, Keystone pipeline, if you like your plan, you can keep your plan, secure America's borders first. There's your solution. I'd like to see Republicans lay out that agenda, challenge the president. Do you think that's a good strategy? Do you think John Boehner is up to that job?

YOHO: I think it's a great strategy. In fact, our goal is to work with the Senate to bring out health care -- not just repeal but replacement, put health care back into the hands of the doctors and the patient, where it needs to be, challenge the president on overstepping the Constitution and let him know we're going to hold him accountable.

He was elected and hired to faithfully execute the laws of the land, national energy security, Sean, like you just brought up, and it starts with the Keystone pipelines. Gas prices are down now because of the private sector. We need to work to keep those down. And then we need tax reform so that businesses come back to America, creating jobs for Americans here on our soil, to increase...

HANNITY: You know...

YOHO: ... the living standards of those people, and then bring up policies and bills based on merit, not on politics.

HANNITY: You know, Louie, I'll go back to you. I think in spite of the vote that you guys wanted to be different today, there is a huge opportunity here for -- for...

YOHO: Huge.

HANNITY: And that is to lay out an agenda. I think if I were to ask the average American where Republicans stand on issues, how they're going to solve 50 million Americans in poverty, on food stamps, 92 million Americans not working, they can't give an answer. Isn't part of the job now to explain that there's another way to govern besides the $7.5 trillion of new debt that Obama's given the country?

GOHMERT: Yes. There absolutely is, and that is part of the job and it needs to be explained, but it doesn't need to just be explained, it needs to be done.

HANNITY: Yes.

GOHMERT: We need to be passing those bills to do that. But if -- if Webster and Nugent are being punished, then we're going to have another fight real quick, and it's going to be pretty nasty. We can't let that stand if they're going to be punished.

YOHO: You know, I'd like the weigh in on that, Sean, because the American people sent us up here to do a job. They wanted new leadership. We stood up and we voted for that. We brought forth the movement. Twenty-five members of Congress voted the way their representative -- they voted the way their districts wanted to.

And to be held in jeopardy for that or retribution is wrong because that would be something you would expect in China, Cuba, Russia or in a communist country to, when you have a voice of dissension, you'd be punished.

HANNITY: All right, that...

YOHO: But in America, where we honor free speech and a Constitution that protects that, we should not have to go through that.

HANNITY: Both of you, yes or no. Has Boehner reached out to you guys? Do you think he will reach out to you? Because I think that would be a smart thing for him to do.

YOHO: Louie, you go first.

GOHMERT: Well, actually, when he came into the chamber, there wasn't enough seats because of so many people were in the chamber, and so yes, he -- I reached out my hand to him and he reached out his hand to me.

HANNITY: All right, Ted?

GOHMERT: And he went by. That was all the reaching out...

(CROSSTALK)

YOHO: Sean, I looked at -- I looked at him in the eye after the vote. I said, Mr. Speaker, congratulations. You won. I look forward to working with you to make this the best Congress America's ever seen.

HANNITY: All right. And he said. Real quick.

YOHO: He said, I look -- I look forward to working with you.

HANNITY: All right. That's healthy. He's meeting with Obama. At least he can meet with the conservatives, too. All right, guys. Good to see you. Appreciate it.

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