(tense music)
- [Jenna] Tonight.
- I would never say anyone's too old.
- [Jenna] The president claps back
targeting Joe Biden.
- I am a young, vibrant man.
I look at Joe, I don't knowabout him, I don't know.
- [Jenna] After the former
vice president's 2020 announcement.
- If he looks young andvibrant compared to me
I should probably go home.
- [John] And we talked to the president
of the National Rifle Association.
- I mean, the Bible is full of heroes.
- [John] His work exploring how faith
is a driving force behind heroes.
- [Jenna] And the WhiteHouse Correspondents' Dinner,
why the president won't be in attendance.
- [John] All this and more,tonight on Faith Nation.
(perky music)
- The economy gives President Trump
a chance to take a victory lap.
Welcome to Faith Nation, I'm John Jessup.
- And I'm Jenna Browder.
Well, a busy day in Washington,
the economy soared and the quarter,
is President Trump,he's trying to hash out
a trade deal with Japan.
- That's right, bottom line,
President Trump had a lot to talk about
before heading into the weekend.
CBN's White HouseCorrespondent Ben Kennedy
joins us to break it all down.
Ben?
- Well, John, Jenna, atrade deal with Japan
could actually be in the works
after the president met
with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today,
here behind me at the White House.
A deal could give American farmers
more access to Japan's markets
and even avert tariffs on Japanese cars.
This as Japan, China andRussia work with the US
to remove nuclearweapons from North Korea.
- I appreciate that Russiaand China is helping us.
And China's helping usbecause, I think they want to.
The don't need nuclear weaponsright next to their country.
But I also think they're helping us
because of the fact thatwe're in a trade deal,
which by the way is going very well.
- Now, the president wastalking about the world's
two largest economies, that could be close
to striking a trade deal.
On Sunday, US negotiators head to China
for another round of trade talks.
The commander in chiefsays President Xi of China
will visit the White House soon.
If that happens, it will most likely be
for a signing ceremony.
John, Jenna?
- Ben, Trump also pushed back today
on reports that he toldformer White House Counsel
Don McGahn to fire Robert Mueller.
What can you tell us about that?
- Jenna, you're right, President Trump
doubled down, sayingthat is just not true,
insisting his team cooperatedfully with the investigation,
which did find no collusionbetween his campaign and Russia.
- I never told Don McGahn to fire Mueller.
If I wanted to fire Mueller,I would have done it myself.
It's very simple, I had the right to.
- Lawmakers will getanother chance next week
to ask questions about the final report
when Attorney General William Barr is back
on Capitol Hill to testify to the Senate.
John, Jenna?
- And Ben, wrapping upwith some good news,
as we learned thismorning, the economy is off
to its best start since 2015.
- Yeah John, you're right, the US economy
grew 3.2% this quarter alone,exceeding expectations.
Trump got the numbers justbefore boarding Air Force One.
Take a listen.
- We have great growth andalso very, very low inflation.
Our economy is doing great,number one in the world.
- Now, with the fastestgains in three years,
conservatives are nowstepping up their support
for Stephen More, thatis President Trump's pick
for the Federal Reserve Board.
John, Jenna?
- Alright, Ben Kennedyfor us at the White House.
Thank you, Ben.
Well, more on those new numbers out today
that show the economy surgingand smashing expectations.
Despite concerns of a slowdown,
today's Commerce Department's report
shows economic expansion grewat 3.2% in the first quarter.
Increased exports and inventory investment
helped offset slower spendingby consumers and businesses
in the first three months of the year.
- Well, he's only officiallybeen in the 2020 race
for the White House for one day,
but already, formerVice President Joe Biden
and President Trump are eachother's favorite targets.
At 76 years old, formerPresident Obama's VP
would be the oldest personelected to the Oval Office.
Currently, right now, that record is held
by the current occupant of theWhite House, at 72 years old.
Today, the twoseptuagenarians sparred over
just how spry the other is.
- I just feel like a young man.
I'm so young.
I can't believe it, I'mthe youngest person.
I am a young, vibrant man.
I look at Joe, I don't knowabout him, I don't know.
- [Reporter] He's too old.
- I would never say anyone's too old
but I know they're allmaking me look very young,
both in terms of age and, Ithink, in terms of energy.
I think you people knowthat better than anybody.
- If he looks young andvibrant compared to me,
I should probably go home.
(laughing)
Look, everybody knows who Donald Trump is.
And the best way to judge me is to watch,
see if I have the energy and the capacity,
I mean, it's a just, youknow, it's a show me business.
- [View Panelist] Soyou aren't Sleepy Joe?
- [View Panelist] Sleepy?
- That's the first time I'veever been referenced that way
by anyone else.
It's usually at the other end, Hyper Joe.
- Well, age is not the only factor
the former vice presidenthas to contend with.
For more on the challenges thatlie ahead on the 2020 trail,
we're joined by Hanna Trudo,
political reporter forthe National Journal,
and CBN News Chief PoliticalAnalyst David Brody.
Thank you both for being with us.
Hanna, first to you, let'stalk about the age factor.
How big of a deal is this?
- Well, it can be a bigdeal if you look at,
if you consider his stumbling a little bit
in that View appearance we just saw
as a factor of his age.
We kind of, are used to seeing Joe Biden
come out quite confidently, and he really
kind of fumbled a lot of those things.
And while I'm not entirely positive
that that was was because of his age
it could be a factor in his recall or
maybe stumbling over his words a bit.
- The real challengercould be the actual party.
David, this question for you,
you know the party'smoved so far to the left
and you see someone like Bernie Sanders,
who, by the way, is a yearolder than Donald Trump.
How do you see this playing out?
- Well Bernie might be a year older
but he's already in with the base.
He's been progressive for a very ling time
and I think that's a big part of it.
Yeah, I think it's funny.
We have a 72 year old,76 year old, 77 year old.
What next, a 93 year old?
Everybody, who's vibrant,who's the most vibrant?
That's how it's gonna be,
we're gonna elect the nextpresident of the United States.
I have to, I agree with Hanna.
When she was talking aboutBiden's appearance today,
I thought it was rusty.
I thought he looked robotic.
It didn't look like the Joe Biden
that a lot of folks havecome to know over time.
I thought it was a real problem for him.
He wasn't ready with answers
to questions that he knew were coming.
And so I just thought he was off his game.
So, it'll take some time.
- David, maybe for both ofyou, but certainly, David,
speaking of being ready, theaccusations against Joe Biden,
the uncomfortable touching and kissing.
He can't seem to shake them off
but neither can he seem to offer a real
or acceptable apology.
Why is that?
- Because he doesn't believe it.
It's just that simple.
He doesn't really want to apologize.
And he doesn't think he should and I think
that was pretty clear on The View today.
Joy Behar kept telling him
all you need to say is this.
It's like they gavehim a fill in the blank
and he couldn't do it.
He just said, he evenshrugged his shoulders
at one point and said, alright, look,
I'll apologize, you know, if that's--
Literally, it's like he'sdragged kicking and screaming
to it, so I think it'sgonna be a problem for him.
- Go ahead, Hanna.
- Yeah, and just mentioning Joy Behar,
she was a huge Biden fan.
Just last year she mentionedthe exact phrase was
who doesn't love Joe Biden?
So he was walking into avery friendly territory.
Anna Navarro had just pennedan op-ed in his favor.
So a lot of these panelistswere kind of ready
to give him the benefit of the doubt
if he were ready to apologize
sort of, in earnest.
And like David said, Idon't think we saw that.
- Of course, President Trump, he likes
to nickname all of his opponents.
He's nicknamed Joe Biden, Sleepy Joe.
We saw him kind of address that there.
Is there a strategy there, Hanna?
- Well, with President Trump, I'm not sure
there's ever necessarily a strategy,
although, the strategy is,he loves to nickname people.
- [Jenna] But it sticks, right?
- It sticks and like VicePresident Biden said,
I think that was the firsttime he was ever called that.
So maybe, maybe he mightmix it up on the trail.
He might call him a few different names
that maybe he's heard in the past.
But I think Sleepy, did,he did sort of embody that
a little bit on the appearance today,
and even in his campaign launch video.
- And David, you know a lot of people
are kind of laughing aboutPresident Trump's comment
about being young and spry and vibrant,
but does that actuallykind of work for him?
Will that kind of become the narrative?
- Well, he was doing that in jest today.
He's having fun, he's Trump being Trump.
The media takes him way too seriously,
which I guess, he'spresident, I guess they should
take him seriously.
But he's just havin' fun with that.
I didn't quite understandthe Sleep Joe thing.
I guess because he's 77and he's older than Trump?
But, you're 72 so I mean, gimme a break.
(laughing)
But why not go with,and I'm not suggesting,
to the Trump administration,I'm not suggesting this,
but look, crazy, healready has Crazy Bernie.
He could do Crazy Joe verse Crazy Bernie.
And he says, either way, you get Crazy.
I mean, that could be the way they do it.
I'm surprised he went with Sleepy Joe.
It's like the sevendwarves, or the 20 dwarves,
I guess, with all of thecandidates that are running.
He's got name Sneezy, Jazzy,I don't know, all that stuff.
(laughing)
- Hanna, last questionhere on the money game,
Biden said what would be telling is
his fundraising abilitywithin the first 24 hours.
So, what have we learned?
- Well, he did top the listof all 20 candidates now,
but just narrowly.
He raked in something like 6.1 million,
I believe it was.
And that's just a couple 100,000 more
than Bernie Sanders, whois up there in the polls,
leading the polls with him.
And Beto O'Rourke, whois just a couple 100,000
below that when you includehis general election funds
that Biden and Bernie did not raise for.
So, you know, they're neckand neck in terms of that.
But he gets the bragging rights
of that high six figure.
- Yeah, it seems liketoday it's more stylish
to have more of agrassroots fund raising game
where you bring in $25donations and $27 donations,
not these big donors.
Is this going to hurt Joe Biden?
It just seems like that's not the way
the culture is heading.
- Yeah, well that's oneof the biggest things
that's gonna distinguish himfrom the rest of the pack
and it might be a good thingand it might be a bad thing.
And certainly with the moreactivist, progressive base
it's a bad thing.
His average donation sizeso far is in the $40 range
instead of the 10 or $20 range so I think
right off the bat, we'reseeing some of those people
who donated to him, maxedout at that $2800 limit
that they're allowed to givefor the presidential election.
So, that means a lot ofbig checks coming in,
sort of, fewer small donors.
With the people who support him already,
it might not be a problem.
But it might be a problemexpanding that base.
- David, your thoughts,with the small donors,
especially within the Democratic base,
how does this portend for Biden?
- Yeah, first of all,I think it's important
just macro here, he passedthe first 24 hour test.
It was really important that he at least
rival Bernie Sanders inthe figure and he did.
He actually surpassed him by a few,
what a 100,000 or so?
So, that's good and I thinkthat's what the Biden camp
wanted to see in it.
Honestly, it's really what the media
had wanted to see as well.
So the narrative, at least, begins to say,
hey, Joe is here, he's around to stay.
I just wonder if this base has just moved
too far left for him.
I just think this could,they're gonna eat their own.
I really figure, I think Biden'sgonna have a real hard time
at some point here.
- And with the economy, it's tough,
it's tough to runagainst a strong economy,
no matter who the candidate is.
Hanna Trudo, David Brody,thank you very much.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Well, it is not just theeconomy that's surging.
A potential surge in the number of troops
at the US-Mexico borderappears to be in the works.
The Pentagon is consideringsending around 300 more
military service membersto support the government's
ongoing response tothe influx of migrants.
They would help drivebuses and serve meals
to support the 2,900 active duty
and National Guard troops already there.
Defense Departmentlawyers would also assist
to process the migrants.
The move requires a policy waiver
that prohibits the military
from coming into contact with immigrants.
- Well, a setback forthe pro-life movement.
Today, the Kansas SupremeCourt ruled that a ban
on dismemberment abortion violates
the state's Bill of Rights.
The court taking the positionthat the Kansas state
Bill of Rights includesthe right to abortion.
Pro-life groups are outraged.
The National Right to Lifereleasing this statement,
saying quote, "dismemberment abortion
"kills a living unbornbaby by tearing her apart
"limb from limb... it is unconscionable
"that the Kansas Supreme Court would allow
"living unborn babies to be killed
"in such a gruesome manner."
- Well, the president is denying a report
that the US paid North Korea $2 million
for Otto Warmbier's medical care.
- Warmbier was an American college student
detained by North Korea and died six days
after he was freed in June, 2017.
CBN News National SecurityCorrespondent Eric Philips
has more on the latest withthe North Korean regime.
- Eric, yesterday reports began to surface
that North Korea had senta $2 million hospital bill
to the US for Warmbier's care.
What can you tell us about those reports?
What are you hearing?
- Well, Jenna, accordingto the Washington Post,
when an US envoy wentto North Korea in 2017
to check on Otto Warmbierand ultimately to try
to bring him home,before they were allowed
to leave the country with Warmbier,
they were told they hadto sign a promissory note
saying the US would pay$2 million to North Korea
for Warmbier's medical care.
And the Post says, sourcesclose to the situation
say the direction for USofficials to sign that note,
came from President Trump himself.
But the president is saying no way.
- We did not pay money for our great Otto.
There was no money paid.
There was a fake newsreport that money was paid.
I haven't paid money for any hostage
and I've gotten approximately,I think it's 20 or 21 out.
We don't pay money for hostages.
The Otto case was a very unusual case
but I just wanna let you know,no money was paid for Otto.
- So the president isdismissing this report
as fake news.
What's interesting, though, to me
is that the presidentdenies ever paying anything
to North Korea for ahostage to be released,
but I've not seen where he denies
that the US officials actuallysigned an agreement to do so.
- Eric, this news of the possible payment
is like ripping a scab off an old wound,
especially for theparents of Otto Warmbier.
- Yeah, it really is,because, think about it,
Warmbier's father has says such payment
feels like ransom thecountry may have paid
to get his son back.
And you've gotta look at the history here.
Otto Warmbier was in a comatose state
for about a year and ahalf before his family
and those in the US weremade aware of his status.
Then when the US envoy gotthere to see about him,
they received no realexplanation of how he wound up
in that coma.
And to this day, they've still not gotten
any conclusive information.
Then on top of all ofthat, President Trump says
although he believessomething very bad happened
to Otto Warmbier, hedoesn't believe North Korean
and President Kim Jong-unknew about it at the time
it was happening and that's something
that the Warmbier family rebukes.
So to think that the US paid one thin dime
to North Korea, tobring Warmbier back home
is an insulting and hurtful to the family
as well as many others.
- Eric, why does President Trump not think
Kim Jong-un knew about whatmay have happened to Warmbier?
- Well, Jenna, first of all, he says
that the two of them havea very good relationship.
And he said that Kim flatlydenied knowing anything
about what was going on there.
And well, he believes him.
And plus, the presidentsays that he doesn't believe
Kim would have anythingin his best interest
to actually have knownthat this was going on.
And that's why he kind of doubts it.
- Eric, does it looklike this latest report
will have any impacton the denuclearization
of the North Korea peninsula?
We know that talks havebeen ongoing for some time.
- Right, they have beenand talks broke down
just a couple of months ago between Kim
and the president.
But now, we're not reallyseeing that the talks
or that this report isgonna have a negative effect
or a positive effect,
mainly because Trump says, it's fake news.
But, think about it,the timing of this all
is very interesting.
It broke out yesterday, on the day
that Kim Jong-un was having a summit
with Russian President Vladimir Putin
and the main item on theagenda was denuclearization.
So while the potentialcould have been there
for this to derail any ongoing talks,
it doesn't look like that's the case.
Now, what could derail the talks, though,
is if the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
continues to be a part of the process.
North Korea has asked that Pompeo
not be involved in denuclearization talks
because Kim says Pompeotends to misrepresent
North Korea's position.
Kim would like to seesomeone involved who quote,
"more carefully and naturallyis a better communicator."
- Eric, just a few seconds left here,
but what about the summit yesterday
between Kim and Putin?
How much of an impact dowe think they'll have?
- Well, long-term it's yet to be seen.
But we know that PresidentPutin communicated
with the White Houseeverything that was discussed.
And we know that Putin tried
to nudge Kim toward denuclearization.
We're all standing by to see if the talks
lead to any positive change.
- Alright, Eric Philips reporting,thank you so much, Eric.
When we come back, thepresident of the NRA
explores faith's role in making heroes.
Stay tuned.
(tense music)
- Well, we often talk ofand dream about heroes.
But, what does it take to actually be one?
And what role does a person's faith play?
- Oliver North attemptsto answer those questions
in a new television series.
CBN's Jennifer Wishon explains.
- As a Marine and son of war veterans,
Colonel Oliver North sayshe spent most of his life
in the company of heroes.
Now, as president of theNational Rifle Association,
he's taking his passion fortelling their stories to NRATV.
And so far, each episode of Oliver North's
American Heroes, highlightsmen and women of faith,
facing risk to help others.
- I mean, the Bible is full of heroes.
And you see the purpose ofthat being related to us
is to inspire us to be betterthan we otherwise might be.
- [Jennifer] He's shining light on people
like Jason Brown, a profootball player turned farmer.
- Jason Brown was the highest paid center
that ever played in the NFL.
And he looked at himselfin the mirror one morning
and he said, you know,I'm makin' all this money,
I've got the fame, I've got the fortune.
He's got the size, as you can tell.
And said, I need to dosomething to give back.
- [Jennifer] CBN Newsalso caught up with Brown
at his First FruitsFarm, where he grows food
for people in need.
- His faith is palpable.
Doesn't wear it on hissleeve but what he does
with his faith, is showthe kind of response
you get to the opportunities the Good Lord
puts in front of you.
- You know, one of thethings that strikes me
about Jason Brown is theclarity and commitment
he has to what he's been called to do.
Are those common traits among heroes?
- Commitment is somethingthat's absolutely essential
to carrying out thepurpose that the Good Lord
put for us here on this earth.
- [Jennifer] In his most recent episode,
North highlights the heroicduty of Tanner Primmer.
- The video you have of Tanner Primmer
is difficult to watch.
- It is, if you knowwhat's about to happen,
and this is a maritime deputy sheriff,
and down at Cape Canaveral,this is where he's based,
there's a very narrow ship channel
to get those enormouscruise ships in and out.
And you can see it on the video.
(horn blasting)
The pilot sounds thehorn that there's danger.
Two girls have fallen off a jet ski.
And he takes his boat right in front
of the cruise ship, which can't stop,
and you see that shadow coming up,
an extraordinary act of heroism.
- There's a moving part of that episode
where you get emotional.
- Do you pray?
- I do, every day.
- I asked her if she prayed.
And I told her a story aboutwhat a wife had told me
when we were in the armor business.
I made armor, my patents are in armor.
And we both got choked up about it.
But, it's another common characteristics
of all these, these arepeople of great faith.
- [Jennifer] But North fears these days
the word hero doesn't mean as much.
- You know, you say the word hero
and somebody has visions
of somebody wearin' aspandex suit and a cape.
And my heroes wear flackjackets and combat boots
and flight suits and theycarry guns and badges
and they go to work in danger every day.
- [Jennifer] And he considerskeeping company with them
one of the great blessings of his life.
Jennifer Wishon, CBN News.
- [Jenna] The White HouseCorrespondents' Dinner
is an event nearly 100years in the making.
Up next, why PresidentTrump is sitting it out.
(tense music).
(hopeful music)
- [Announcer] Young people, Millennials
are flocking to church.
- [Woman] It's not an exaggeration to say
that we love to meet them
and that we love to know their stories.
- Well, this weekend,America's top journalists
descend on Washington
for the Annual White HouseCorrespondents' Dinner.
- That's right, it's one of the Capital's
most glamorous events.
But over the years, it'sgotten a bit of a bad rap.
Here once again, is SeniorWashington Correspondent
Jennifer Wishon to explainhow all of these journalists
are in charge of it, are working to repair
some of that damage.
(stylish music)
- [Jennifer] It had become a mishmash
of Washington and Hollywood, a platform
for aspiring comedians,the chance for presidents
to let loose.
- I was gonna start offtonight, telling some
self-deprecating jokes.
(laughing)
But then I couldn't thinkof any mistakes I had made
to be self-deprecating about.
- [Jennifer] But lately,just about everyone
who attends the dinnerhas been asking themselves
the same question.
- I mean really, what is this dinner?
- [Jennifer] It's supposedto be a celebration
of the First Amendment.
But morphed into Hollywood types
complaining about having tohaving to hobnob with reporters.
And it all hit a fever-pitch last year
when clever comediczingers turned personal.
- And I'm never really sure what
to call Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
You know, is it Sarah Sanders,is it Sarah Huckabee Sanders?
Is it Cousin Huckabee?
Is it Auntie Huckabee Sanders?
Like, what's Uncle Tom but for white women
who disappoint other white women?
- [Jennifer] And an abortion joke
made even staunch advocates cringe.
- Mike Pence is also very anti-choice.
He thinks abortion is murder,
which first of all, don'tknock it till you try it.
I mean you do try it, really knock it.
You know, you gotta getthat baby out of there.
- [Jennifer] So the Association hit reset
and invited a new type ofentertainer, a historian.
(crickets chirping)
No, no, a really cool, esteemed one.
Neither President Trump norhis staff are attending,
do it feels like a low-key year.
And ironically, by Monday, the Association
hopes headlines about this year's dinner
will be much more positive.
- Obama out.
(clapping and laughing)
- [Jennifer] JenniferWishon, CBN News, Washington.
- Maybe it's a good thing
they don't have a comedian this year.
- Yeah, some might say,there's nowhere to go
but up from last year.
- (laughing) Yeah, we'll hope.
- Well, that's gonna do itfor tonight's Faith Nation.
- Have a great weekend.
(friendly music)
