[captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] . Sharyl welcome to full measure. Im sharyl attkisson. The first presen tomorrow night. Americans have a lot of questions. Is clintons health up to it . Will trump keep his cool . The polls are growing tighter and so is the time until the election. With the debate looming, we asked both candidates for an interview. So far, clinton has declined. I caught up with donald trump on the campaign trail in ft. Myers, florida and began by asking him about the recent islamic extremist terrorist attacks in new york, new jersey, and minnesota. Some of the analysts and some people who are experts, as well into contortions to try not to say early on it was a possible terrorist event. Donald trump thats true. They want to go in and they just dont wanna say that, because that offends some people, including our president. They dont want to mention the term radical islamic terrorism under any circumstance, including Hillary Clinton. I laughed this morning when i see her on television saying how she she hasnt done anything. I mean, shes all talk and no action. But she was saying that shes gonna this and im the one thats been talking about this for a long time, as long as youve known me. And this is radical islamic terrorism. It has to be dealt with sharply. Its the only language that theyre gonna understand and this problem that we have now is only going to get worse with weak leadership. Sharyl on the economy, in a recent survey, a majority of business economists said that Hillary Clinton was the best choice for the economy. And libertarian gary johnson came in a distant second, and you came in third. Could you change their minds . Donald trump well, i think that the most respected economists are on my side, to be honest with you. I think that ive seen tremendous reviews of my tax plan, but they do know, you have to understand, they do know that im gonna stop these horrible trade deals. Were gonna have trade, were gonna have free trade, but were gonna have real free trade, not free trade, which is a oneway highway out of our country for our jobs and our money. Nafta is the worst trade deal ever signed in the history of the world, not only the country. You look at what its done to our states, and you look at what country, what its done to us. The jobs are gone, the moneys gone. I go upstate new york, i go to pennsylvania, i go to ohio, i go all over, especially for the primaries, ive never seen devastation like this. Were like a third world country. Those factories were vibrant 30 years ago, and today theyre empty, theyre falling down, theyre collapsing from the rain and the snow. So, no, i think that weve had tremendous reviews. I mean, look, im gonna lower taxes, Hillary Clinton is going to raise taxes. Thousands of people that work for me and have, ive created tens of thousands of jobs. But a lot of people are concerned when i say that im gonna renegotiate our trade deal, sharyl. And i understand that theyre concerned, but theres nothing to be concerned about. We lose right now, we have a deficit, in terms of, of all of the trading we do with other countries. We have a trade deficit almost 800 billion a year. Were losing more than 400 billion a year with china, in terms of a trade deficit. With mexico, with japan, i mean, what are we doing . What are we doing . I, i often say, who negotiates these deals . So, your establishment people are saying, oh, gee, you know, let things be the way. I dont think we can let them be the way they are, because our country is being devastated and our jobs are being taken. Sharyl i want to hit on a couple of personal controversies for you. Eric schneiderman, whos already suing you over trump university, which hes called a bait and switch fraud, now says hes opened an inquiry to the Trump Foundation. Are you confident that the Trump Foundation has followed all charitable rules and laws . Donald trump well, i hope so, i mean, my lawyers do it. We give away money, i dont make anything, i take no salaries, i take no costs, i have zero costs, and a lot of money goes through the Trump Foundation into charities. Goes to charities, it doesnt go to me, it goes to charities. Sharyl ill point out that mr. Schneiderman is a Hillary Clinton supporter and has apparently found nothing worthy of inquiry with the clinton foundation. Donald trump with the hundreds of millions of dollars of things, isnt it interesting, and he said hes not even gonna look at it. But i think my people do a very good job with it. Sharyl nearly every majorews organization has remarked during the Obama Administration years, that this has been a record for obstruction and lack of transparency. But considering your rocky relationship with the press, do they have reason to be concerned that things will continue along with could get banned, thing like that. Donald well, i think this, that the press has been very dishonest with me, to a large extent, not all of them, not you, by the way. But the press has been very, very dishonest and when i see it, im just amazed. At the same time, i will certainly be open to dealing with the press and reporters. Sharyl do you see yourself banning, banning reporters from certain events and things like that . Donald trump no, i dont see that, but a lot of people have done it, and a lot of people, a lot of differe the press has been very, very dishonest. I mean, even recently when i said yesterday, the bombing, and she said, the bombing, and they criticized my use of the word bombing, but not hers and they cut it out, and, i mean, many other things, even over the last couple of days. So, the relationship with the press, its not a question of good, all i want is honesty. And if theres something wrong or something bad, i can handle great, and they try to make it as negative as possible, constantly, its really not a fair situation. Sharyl you and i first spoke about a year ago, when there was Something Like 16 other republicans in the race and you had a long haul. Going back to a year ago, did you really think you had a good chance at being here today . Donald trump well, i dont think i wouldve been doing it if i didnt. You know, my question is, is do you really think this was going to happen . And i guess the answer is, i wouldnt have done it if i didnt, you know, im not looking to lose. And traditionally, i do well, and i win, and i, i, you know, i do a nice job. This has become a very big situation, its amazing. You see outside, you see the kind of crowds we have. And you just said something, you ought to show pictures of whats outside, because its true, the press is an example. They never show the size of the crowd, ever. The only time they show it is, is a little bit of protest someplace within the crowd, then all of a sudden they show, and then people say, wow, what a big crowd that is. I think the answer is, i would assume that i thought this was going to happen, because i wouldnt have done it if i changed you . From the time you started this race to where you are today, with all youve learned, the turns that youve taken, and the criticism that youve had, and the success that youve had. Donald trump well, i think its probably changed me, but i havent had a lot of time to think about it, because every day im campaigning, ill make three or four major speeches, sometimes in one day, where you have massive crowds and you know that, you see it. Its been an amazing experience. What has been, is that the people of this country are incredible. Theyre looking for hope, theyre looking for change, theyre looking for victory. We dont win anymore, our country doesnt win anymore. We dont win our trade, we cant beat isis, we dont win with the military. We have the greatest people in the world in our military, but its depleted. We dont take care of our vets, it looks like the Second Amendments in big trouble. Certain if i, if i dont win, the Second Amendment is in big, big trouble. Healthcare is a disaster. We dont win anymore, and i will tell you that i think the reason gonna win again, were gonna start winning again. And people understand that and people see it. Sharyl a bit later in the program, ill ask trump a few questons posed by some of our viewers. Next, tomorrow nights debate could be a history making event. Scott thuman takes a look the history of president ial debates to see how they could make or break a candidate. Whatcha doin . Just checking my free credit score at credit karma. What the . . . Youre welcome. I just helped you dodge a bullet. But i was just checking my. Shhh. Dont you know that checking your credit score are you sure . Positive. So i guess i can just check my credit score then . Oooh check out credit karma today. Credit karma. Give yourself some credit. Sorry about that. Sharyl 73 of all registered voters in the u. S. Say they plan and that doesnt include a big number of nonvoters who will watch in fascination from the sidelines. Of debates, george w. Bush once said, i dont think you ever win them, but you darn sure can lose them. This time who wins and who loses may prove pivotal. Scott thuman reports on the history of mustsee political tv. Good evening. Scott on september 26, 1960, more than 70 million americans tuned in to see senator john kennedy go toetotoe with Vice President richard nixon. This is a great country. Scott the optics were everything, kennedy was tanned and rested, while nixon was pale, underweight, and sweaty. Prof. Lichtman while i dont think the debates moved the needle very much, they ended the narrative that kennedy wasnt prepared. Scott Allan Lichtman is a political historian and professor at American University in washington, d. C. Prof. Lichtman he was so factual. He was so on point. He was so knowledgeable. Scott kennedys knockout the role of tv in making or breaking the candidates. And its the mistakes. Pres. Ford there is no soviet domination of eastern europe. Scott the gaffes. Pres. Bush before we go to deployment on the midgetman missile or on the minuteman, whatever it is were going to have to the mx mx were going to have to do that. [laughter] pres. Bush its christmas. Its christmas. [laughter] scott and the one liners. Mr. Perot there will be a giant sucking sound going south. Scott that have come to define the debates. Pres. Reagan i am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponents youth and inxperience. [laughter] scott while reagans zinger negative narrative about his age, he says al gores performance in 2000 only enhanced his. Prof. Lichtman youre too overwrought, youre too overblown, you exaggerate things, and with all his incredibly deep sighing in a debate. [heavy sighing] prof. Lichtman with his standing up and trying to intimidate george w. Bush. But can you get things done . Prof. Lichtman all he did was advance the negative narrative that was already in place. Scott lichtman says with polls showing clinton and trump neck and neck, tomorrows debates are more high stakes than usual. Prof. Lichtman both candidates have such high negatives and so much to prove. Scott how important is it that prof. Lichtman it shouldnt be important at all that they just avoid a gaffe, i think one of the big problems with Media Coverage is that they cover it like nascar, theyre looking for the accident. Everyone makes mistakes, but thats not critically what on is their knowledge, their vision, their values, their experience, their truthfulness. Scott but in a campaign where truthfulness has been a constant casualty mrs. Clinton i did not receive or send any material that was marked or designated classified. Scott lichtman says that standard seems unlikely. Mr. Trump Hillary Clinton and her campaign of 2008 started the birther controversy. Donald trump a completely unprecedented candidate, who has become known for making things up, for playing hard and fast with the truth. And then, of course, you have Hillary Clinton. People wonder what she stands for and people wonder if shes too secretive, and not being honest enough with the american people. So youve got some pretty negative narratives going for both candidates, that theyve gotta make sure dont become a tidal wave after the debates. Scott weve seen a lot of show business in the election so far, havent we . Is this going to be a continuation of that . Prof. Lichtman donald trump is debates . Everyone that you interview says, we are looking for substance, we dont care about the flash, thats what the voters tell you. Well, these debates will be the test of how much they really mean that. Sharyl we set about three quarters of registered voters, more people who are not registered to vote, but we set about three quarters. Scott 146,311,000 registered voters so that would be 106 million. Thats approaching super bowl status. Some on the conservative side are talking about at least 80 Million People watching. Sharyl thanks, scott. Appreciate it. Still ahead on full measure wildfires burning out west are an ongoing Natural Disaster. Both the fires and cost of fighting them are spinning out of control. Some claim congress is fiddling burning for more than two months on californias coastline known as big sur has just become the single costliest fire the u. S. Forest service has ever battled. Over 200 million tax dollars have been spent fighting it so far and its only twothirds contained. Full measure contributor Lisa Fletcher reports on the Natural Disaster thats burning a hole in the federal budget. Lisa the picture postcard views around big sur vanished this summer. Record wildfires closed the highways and hotels, keeping tourists away from one of the central coasts crown jewels. Everyone but the firefighters. This actually crossed the creek the night before last. Lisa bob baird is the supervisor of the Los Padres National forest, his job is to put the fires out. Bob the terrain is incredibly complex. Its rugged california with some of the steepest terrain in the lisa summer wildfires in the west have been burning bigger, hotter, and faster over the last several years, consuming not only the landscape, but the budget of the Agency Charged with fighting the fires. Robert we need congress to act and we need them to act now. Lisa Robert Bonnie is the head of he has spent the last four years trying to get congress to treat fires more like Natural Disasters. That would shift the cost off the Forest Service ledgers and over to funds used for emergencies like hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. Robert if you look back about 20 years, the Forest Service spent about one sixth of its budget on fire and fire fighting. Last year, in a bad year, we spent north of 60 on firerelated expenses. Lisa what is that in dollars and cents . Robert it was close to 3 billion last year, out of an Agency Budget thats about 5 billion, so you can see that the agency is being more and more less a Forest Service and more a lisa the Los Padres National forest is ground zero for one of the summers worst fires, now surpassing 120,000 acres. So, this is a drip torch. We intentionally put fire on the ground, so that way we can create a buffer from the main fire and something that were trying to protect. Lisa thousands of firefighters are using fire to fight fire, not to mention the helicopters, bulldozers, and fleets of water trucks at a cost of 210 million and counting. With extreme fires consuming so much of the Forest Services budget, programs designed to prevent fires are in jeopardy. In fact, in 2015, the Forest Service had to take 700 million from prevention programs and put it into firefighting. These flammable landscapes become far more volatile when the money isnt there to manage pests like the tree killing bark beetle. Capt. Lindberry they will burrow around the tree in the lisa fire captain Mike Lindbery works on some of the biggest fires across the country. Capt. Lindberry theyre estimating 60 Million Trees are dead standing right now all over the state. Lisa and what is the translation for a firefighter . Capt. Lindberry the translation for a firefighter is, one, faster moving more deadly fires and the fact even while theyre fighting these fires, theres the danger of the trees dropping on them at any point. Lisa and you already had one firefighter killed with a tree dropping on them. Capt. Lindberry there was a firefighter killed last week thats correct. Lisa forest fires produce a double jeopardy. After crews extinguish the flames, the barren landscape creates a threat for mudslides and poisoning local water. Robert we dont have the resources we need to invest in reforestation and we have a substantial backlog. I think it might be as much as 5 million acres of areas where wed like to plant trees postfire and we essentially cant. Lisa like here, high above big sur, where mark gerwes been on is this a disaster . Mark absolutely its a disaster. And for congress and washington not to recognize that and start giving us what we need to do our job, i think they need to take a hard look at that and understand that this is, this is whats going on. Lisa for years, the house and senate have been at an impasse over how to pay for putting out the biggest wildfires. People out there are tired of hearing about so many committees and so many people involved that cant come to an agreement. Robert thats exactly right. This is an issue where there is broad agreement and we need to fix it. Its absolutely clear. I think this is becoming more and more an issue that Many Americans see every day and think the anger is for not getting on top of this faster, for congress not acting, is growing. Lisa and so are the fires. More than 14 million acres have burned in the last two years. Lisa fletcher, big sur, sharyl still ahead, a few of your questions that we posed to credit karma, why are you checking your credit score you dont want to drive old blue forever, do you . Turn it off. I did. Credit karma huh . Yea, its free. That was easy. Credit karma. Give yourself some credit. Sharyl earlier, donald trump responded to a few of my questions. Now, its your turn. We asked the republican president ial nominee some of questions you suggested. What does it mean to be an donald trump to me, being an american is the ultimate, you have to be so lucky to be born into this country. Its the ultimate jackpot. If youre born in america, boy, what an advantage. Sharyl will you keep tweeting, yourself, if you become president . Donald trump probably not, although it is a great way of communicating. Sharyl it can be. This is a more complex question, what would you do if russia were to invade estonia . Donald trump well, i dont want to say, because i dont like saying, i dont like telling people what im going to do. One of the biggest problems we have is, every politician gets upset. Were gonna this, were gonna send troops here, were gonna send troops there, theyre gonna arrive at a certain time of the day. I dont like saying that. I, i think its a very bad policy to be discussing. Sharyl is your tax philosophy more that it takes a certain amount of money to run the government and you get it however you need to get it . Or that we should only take a limited amnt from the people and you want to take care of your people and we end up getting it, but taxes are too high in this country. Im giving a massive tax reduction and im also getting rid of regulation, we have so much regulation. The tax reduction im giving is, is tremendous, but you know what, people are more excited about the regulation cutting. We have regulations on regulations, and honestly, its gotten out of control, and its really killing our businesses, that i can tell you. Sharyl and if you could go back a year and tell yourself, a year ago, something that youve learned today, h change, how to act, would there be something . Donald trump well, i think the main thing, and i wouldve known this, maybe without having to go back, never ever quit, never give up. Sharyl a program note you can see tomorrow nights big debate right here on this sinclair station. A followup to many of our follow the money stories on wasted tax money the Afghanistan Reconstruction project. The Inspector General released a scathing report saying that the country actually contributed to corruption in afghanistan by injecting tens of billions of dollars into the economy. The money was actually going to insurgents by the way of corrupt officials. To date, congress has appropriated 115 billion for reconstruction in afghanistan. Coming up next week on full measure almost a decade ago, the mortgage crisis nearly collapsed the economy and sent many families into bankruptcy. Well hear from a group of businesswomen who tell the incredible story of how they saw it coming and tried to stop it. Greed is what happened. It is the almighty dollar. Once that comes into play, people lose all consciousness and sense of right. Sharyl some say it could happen again. That is next week on full measure. Thats all for this week. Thanks for watching. Im sharyl attkisson. Until next time, we will be searching for more stories that is recorded in front of a live studio audience. Mike hey, babe. Hey. Whats the matter . Oh, nothing. Im just im just right on that lateafternoon fence. Do i have another cup of coffee or just say screw it and pour my first glass of wine . Tough one. Well, which way do you love me more a little jittery and chatty or passed out and drooling by 8 30 . I love you both ways. [ chuckles ] how was work . Busting our hump. Seasonal changeover. Boogie boards to snowboards. Hmm. Thank god for the yearround appeal of rifles and ammunition. So, what do we got going on over here . Oh, im just heating up some spaghettios. My grandsons here . [ chuckles ] what am i doing talking to you