Transcript for Did Trump's border wall speech convince skeptics?

So, the guy in the white house hit primetime last night to make his pitch for the border wall, and here's what he says is at stake. There is a growing humanitarian and security crises at our southern border. Among those hardest hit are African-Americans and hispanic Americans. As part of an overall approach to border security, law enforcement officials have requested $5.7 billion for a physical barrier. At the request of Democrats, it will be a steel barrier rather than a concrete wall. This barrier is absolutely critical to border security. So, the fact checkers had a field day with some of these. But what are your takeaways from it? First of all, the Democrats never gave him any kind of a wall, no steel, no concrete, no straw, nothing. No beaded wall, nothing. What did you call it, curtain beading, yeah, so that's a lie right there. Chuck Schumer for example did vote for this barrier back under the bush years. This is the quote. The progress includes construction of 630 miles of border fence that created a significant barrier to illegal immigration. That's from 2009, chuck Schumer. The Democrats agreed to an actual wall in exchange for the dreamers. Why didn't they give it to him? They pulled out. Now here we are. I'm upset about last night because I was watching "Dirty John" which is a great show on bravo. And I can't get this time back. I thought it was pathetic. I thought we go nowhere from what we heard last night. We're still now in a government shutdown. I really don't likehe president in this type of setting because I think he comes across -- What setting do you like him in? Whether you like what he says at the rallies, I think he's far more himself and comfortable around people that he knows like him back. I know but then he really goes off the wall when he talks off the cuff. Watching this last night it was really uncomfortable and he didn't want to do that last night. Nancy and chuck looked like they were being held hostage also. I know. I will say when he started out with said it strains public resources and drives down jobs and wages. Among those hardest hit are African-Americans and hispanic Americans. As an African-American and hispanic American, that for me was really a dog whistle because what it meant was straining public resources is oftentimes dog whistle for welfare. For the 100th time, there are more white Americans on welfare than there are black Americans and hispanic Americans. True. So racial trope thrown in there right at the beginning was very offensive to me, and the sort of -- you know, it drives these undocumented immigrants, drives down jobs and wages, for the 100th time, African-American women are the most educated in the United States of America and so we aren't taking those jobs. We're taking much higher earning jobs. So I think when he started out this speech with these dog whistle politics, I just thought, so here you go again as the divider-in-chief. Here's the thing that continues to be a source of slight irritation for me. He said Americans, the tax payers, all Americans, that we were not going to be paying for this wall. Because who's going to pay for the wall? He said Mexico was going to pay for the wall. Now that's what his promise was. Over 200 times. Over 200 times he said it. And, well, you know -- That's the point of it. For me, whether the Democrats were going to give him money, I don't understand why, on top of everything else now, America has to pay for this wall. I don't get it. I don't like it. It's B.S. You said we wouldn't have to. Keep that promise. Right. Keep that promise. Steve Smith, did you see -- Border security, yes. Did you see Steve Schmitt on -- I try not to look at Steve Schmitt doing anything. He's so fabulous. I know you have a -- Political people will get that joke. Can I just say -- Let me say something. We could be chanting this now. He said yesterday on Nicolle Wallace, where are the pesos? I thought that's a good way to chant against what you're saying, where are the pesos? Where are they? The Mexican currency. I think that's a cheap talking point on his part but whatever. The crises at the border, according to a poll conducted January 4th through 6th found 79% of all voters in the country think that there is a crises or problem with illegal immigration on the southern border. Ben Shapiro had the best tweet I think. All Democrats have to do is not be crazy to win 2020 because we have so much crazy right now. When I see people like Alexandria ocasio-cortez doing her own rebuttal which by the way was far more concise than chuck and Nancy on Rachel Maddow last night and she was basically demonizing border agents and I.C.E., the problem is whether liberals like it or not, border security is a big issue for Americans. It's one of the reasons why trump got elected. I don't think anyone has any problem with the border security. I don't think that's the issue. It is the wall that I think the Democrats -- When you talk about getting rid of I.C.E. Which is what she was referencing, it's now become one of the trends on the far left that is coming towards the middle. There's no victory lap -- I don't think it's coming towards the middle. I'm glad you think that. I believe most Democrats believe in border security. This crises is perhaps a humanitarian crises but it's a crises start by this president because this president is the one that separated families. There are still children who are kept in cages a border. Two children have died. To me that is a humanitarian crises. That he started. He started that. That actually, that policy was started under Obama which we said that numerous times. Obama did not separate children from their parents. He started the policy that was put in place -- who's yelling tell it. I don't know if you're yeckling me or supporting me but I hope you're supporting me. It was a policy put in place under president Obama that president trump decided to unact. That policy was put in place -- Separating children was not under Obama. He didn't separate families. What I'm trying to tell you is if Democrats want to win I 2020, don't demonize people that want border security and alexandriacasio-cortez I a hugeoice in the party. She'sot a huge -- plse stop there. She'not a hugeoice in the party and we have to go, I'm

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.