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Report: Trump Wins, Supporters Cheer and Others Are in Fear; Obama and Trump Meet for The First Time in The Oval Office; Trump Says Obama Is a Very Good Man; President-Elect Trump Could Testify in Trump U Lawsuit. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired November 10, 2016 - 15:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[15:30:00] PARIS DENNARD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think it's important to point out a few things as an African American Trump supporter I have had death threats, people have called me out of my name and things I couldn't repeat. My mother called me and said Paris, don't look at your Facebook page, the things they're putting on there makes me sad.

And my mom stopped watching some of the networks. Not Trump supporters but African American Clinton supporters because of me being a free person. On both sides that Muslim and African Americans that aren't afraid. Many are part of the national coalition for Mr. Trump but here's the point you wanted to make. Are the fears that others have justified? Yes, because you saw a lot of people on I think -- that supported secretary Clinton that were talking about and I think ratcheting up a lot of the fear and tactics and words and phrases that were pushed on them to talk about Mr. Trump in a way that I think did not accurately reflect his character and his record and so are the fears real?

Yes, they're real. But do I think they're valid? No, the opportunity for Mr. Trump is he's not candidate Trump, he's now president-elect Donald Trump so he's going to do that he's making America great again not just for the people who supported him but for everyone.

ANGELA RYE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: But Paris --

DENNARD: Hold on, one second. When I was at the White House I would tell my colleagues all the time when I was director of blackout reach, president George W. Bush is the president of all Americans, not just black Republicans that support him but every single one, so we had to have reverend Sharpton there, Jesse Jackson, people who were adamantly opposed to his agenda but we brought to them to the table because we have to find solutions.

RYE: Paris, here's the problem with what you're saying. These are Donald Trump's own words. People are afraid because of his rhetoric. Because of the ways he ratcheted up people at his rallies and events. Perhaps there will be a distinction between candidate Trump and commander-in-chief Trump but the biggest thing we can rely upon is his records, his decades of years in business and how he treated employees, contractors, the Central Park Five.

We don't just continue to talk about the Central Park Five because there were five black and brown boys who were a part of this, it's because it's representative of a larger issue. The fact the CCA, their stock went up yesterday when he was elected, right? Like we have real issues in this country and he has to say "everything I've said for decades and everything I said on the campaign trail I didn't mean." and that's the issue.

Steve Cortes, who is on this segment with us, shame on you for invalidating this young woman's feelings, real fears about what it means to be undocumented in this country. Shame on you for calling a human being illegal. Shame on you.

STEVE CORTES, TRUMP SUPPORTER: I did not invalidate her. If you are here illegally, you are illegal. If somebody breaks into my house I don't say they are an undocumented visitor, I say they are a burglar. Words matter and we have to use words properly and if you don't respect the immigration laws of the United States then you don't belong here. By the way that's most insulting to legal immigrants, people like my father like millions of Latinos and people from all over the world who went through the process to become Americans the right way.

And we love immigrations and because we love immigrants we demand that they must follow our process.

DENNARD: But at the end of the day we are a country of laws and even the current president of the United States has deported more --

BALDWIN: True.

DENNARD: They call him the deporter in chief.

BALDWIN: True. I think language matters.

DENNARD: I think it was ratcheted up by the Clinton --

RYE: No, it wasn't.

DENNARD: I want to go there, when Tim Kaine went to an HBCU and said Donald Trump represents KKK values --

RYE: He was endorsed by a KKK paper.

DENNARD: So, you're telling me there wasn't one --

RYE: David Duke celebrated his election. It's relevant to me.

DENNARD: He's irrelevant.

RYE: He got 55,000 votes in Louisiana, that's relevant to me.

DENNARD: He's irrelevant. Democrats who are KKK members who supported secretary Clinton, so to make blanket statements and assume there's no racists or people who don't ascribe to Republican values on the other side that I emphatically wrong.

RYE: You know me and I never said there aren't racists on the Democratic party and that's a different rabbit hole. The main thing we have to talk about now is how this commander is chief is going to be responsible for the rhetoric on the trail, he had to sit down in the oval office today with someone who he questioned their birth in this country and whether or not he went to Harvard. He asked for him to produce his Harvard transcripts.

BALDWIN: And you saw him there he called president Obama a good man. He rose above it. They both did. Let that be a symbol because it's a

symbol on what he says moving forward. Thank you both so much. This is such an important conversation and Steve and Amman, thank you as well.

[15:35:00] Many moving on, president-elect Trump will fill cabinet positions and make that transition to the White House. My next guest knows what that process is like. We'll pick the brain of George W. Bush's former press secretary Ari Fleischer. Ari joins me live next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Breaking news on CNN, Aaron Schock, former Illinois congressman, has been indicted for defrauding the government. A federal grand jury making the call.

[15:40:00] An ethics investigation revealed he used taxpayer money to fund lavish trips and events and, according to that indictment it happened as -- it is from 2008 actually, to last year. It's a long- held tradition to assure Americans that even the most bitter political rivals can peacefully transfer power from one administration to the next president-elect Trump met today with president Obama.

The very first time these two have ever met happened just today in the oval office. President Obama said the conversation in a word was "excellent." president-elect Trump said they talked about challenges and differences. Let's talk with someone who has seen, been part of a major transition of power at the White House from the inside, Ari, nice to see you, congratulations for you and your party.

ARI FLEISCHER, FORMER WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY FOR GEORGE W. BUSH: Thank you.

BALDWIN: You got it. Let's begin with the pictures from within the oval and seeing the president, a conversation that president-elect Trump said would have lasted 15 minutes, lasted a solid 90 minutes. What do you make of all of this?

FLEISCHER: Well, first and foremost it's awe inspiring. I don't know that Donald Trump has ever been inside the White House before. Maybe there was in the mansion for some type of ceremonial function but to go into the west wing, the Roosevelt room, the cabinet room, the oval office, I had never done that despite Capitol Hill for 17 years before I went to the White House with George Bush.

It's the most inspiring feeling because of what the White House represents for the entire country. When you step into those hallways and sit in those chairs and occupy those offices. BALDWIN: Probably humbling to anyone walking into that sort of sacred

space, in terms of behind the scenes at a meeting like this, Ari, do you think president Obama would have taken him on a tour? Or just a conversation

FLEISCHER: I would anticipate just a conversation although I have no insider information but if I was Barack Obama I would recognize this is a unique chance to get in the ear of the next president of the United States, and to say to him about a whole series of policies which get short shrift in the campaign, here are the substantive facts you have to look at.

For example, the debt limit, an issue that forced crisis upon crisis, here are the implications if we have another debt limit crisis in 2017, the Iran deal, I know you want to withdraw from the Iran deal but here's what will happen if you do, a, b, c. This is president Obama's unique opportunity to try to get a couple layers deep into the reality of policy, my hunch is probably spoke for three quarters of the meeting, Donald Trump was a good listener for 25% of the meeting, I think that what president Obama probably did on issue after issue important to him.

BALDWIN: What about cabinet picks, Ari? Our reporting is team Trump wants to fill the chief of staff as soon as possible. They want cabinet officials named as early as two weeks from now. If you were advising the president-elect, what would you say about the Chris Christies and the Rudy Giulianis of the world for cabinet positions?

FLEISCHER: Pick outsiders. Donald Trump won because he ran to change Washington and that is what he has to deliver on. You have to promise on the things you promised to deliver on and you need an outsider's perspective. Surround yourself with people who are outsiders.

BALDWIN: We know also he can start those classified briefings, Barbara Starr said he will be receiving daily intel briefings shortly. Do you remember when president-elect Bush had his first briefing and do you remember the look on his face when he walked out? Was he overwhelmed at all?

FLEISCHER: Well, I wouldn't say overwhelmed but I do remember and there's two levels two this. President-elect Trump right now is now receiving what they call a presidential daily brief, the written document given to the president of the United States and an extraordinarily small group of people around the president. But there's another briefing president Trump is not getting and won't get until shortly before the inauguration and that's an oral briefing which is a discussion about our covert activities around the world.

He's not yet getting that and there are reports I heard he was getting everything president Obama is getting. Not true. He won't get that until shortly before inauguration day.

BALDWIN: Was a quote. I think you retweeted it from September, Peter Teale in the Atlantic wrote -- it's relevant now, he wrote the press takes him literally but not seriously, his supporters take him seriously but not literally would you agree with that? FLEISCHER: Absolutely, Brooke. You put your finger on why the press

coverage was so flawed. The press many of them are writers, they're literalist. You said this, I will cover what you said. The American people aren't like that.

[15:45:00] When Donald Trumped talked about thousands of people on roof tops in New Jersey celebrating the 9/11 attacks, the press took him to task, there weren't thousands. But the American people heard the larger point was that some people in the United States celebrated the attack. Whether the number was 303 or 3,000. And this is a huge --

BALDWIN: But Ari, words matter. You gave that as an example but building a wall, banning Muslims, words matter.

FLEISCHER: Again, you're separating what the media does for a living from how the public interprets public events. The press is literalists and this is the job of the press but don't miss the bigger story at the same time, so Trump was wrong on certain facts but he was right around the bigger truths. And that's what the American people heard and this is why so many reporters have a cultural disdain for Donald Trump.

Why so many of American people have cultural disdain for the media and people have to figure this out. The media has figure it out because it's vital the media is accurate and relevant to people's lives and not dismissive of people's lives. Trump figured that out, the media needs to figure it out, too.

BALDWIN: I keep saying it and I'll say it again, we need to listen to Ari Fleischer, thank you very much.

A short time from now Donald Trump's lawyers are due in court for a hearing and lawsuit against Trump University, we will show you the CNN interview they are fighting to keep out of evidence.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Just a short while ago here in Washington, house speaker Paul Ryan refused to share a stage with Donald Trump after the comments revealed on the hot mike tape. This was a while ago. Today the two met as partners in a Republican-controlled government in a matter of weeks.

With me Doug Heye political commentator, Republican strategist, former RNC communications director, spent a decade on the hill with senate and house. And Ben Ferguson, CNN political commentator and CNN radio talk show host. With all your years on the hill, first talking about speaker Ryan. It was amazing looking at the pictures of him on his balcony showing president-elect Trump and Melania. What a difference days have made.

[15:50:00] DOUG HEYE, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Absolutely.

BALDWIN: Between him not even saying his name when he voted to this. HEYE: You used the perfect word. Partnership. If you look at what Paul Ryan said today and at his press conference yesterday, I would use also the word eager. He is eager to enact conservative legislation and has the opportunity to do so now, which in divided government we've seen six years of tough gridlock. Now Washington will be able to do big things. Not just Obamacare, which we know is a big issue. Also, tax reform, which wasn't going to happen in a divided government. The little things like an appropriations process that actually works. That's a big difference.

BALDWIN: Here is what I am wondering, Ben Ferguson. You have a speaker Ryan, who loves to crunch numbers and is this policy wonk. Then you have Donald Trump, who has never served a day in political office but he is a guy who closes a deal. What do you think that relationship will look like?

BEN FERGUSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think it will actually work really well for two reasons. One, Donald Trump is more of a big idea kind of guy. I think he will say, look, this is my big idea. This is what I want to do.

If you want to get into the nitty-gritty, knock yourself out and I'll come help you close it.

I think they have a lot of common denominators that bring them together automatically. They may not have agreed with each other during the campaign or even in their style. Right now, they both have things they can agree on. You have the debt ceiling coming up. They'll probably deal with that sooner than later.

Obviously, Obamacare. Then you have things like the Supreme Court. So. I think you'll see this be actually a really good marriage. Because Donald Trump is not going to want to micromanage everything on the hill. If he can find an ally in Paul Ryan, let him do those things, I think the American voters will be shocked how many things can actually get done in congress.

BALDWIN: I love to hear that. I think that's so positive. Doug, let me ask you. Not only is this country not feeling kumbaya between Dems and Republicans. There are a lot of Republicans down the street here who did not support Donald Trump. What potential fights could break out even just within the Republican party on capitol hill?

HEYE: Well, look, obviously, capitol hill has been divided. I lived through some of those wars, have a lot of scars still from that. This is an opportunity for Republicans to come together. Paul Ryan crisscrossed the country campaigning for Republican members and promoted a legislative agenda called a better way. That's a blue print for what the house and senate could do well.

BALDWIN: What could be the biggest difference?

HEYE: One, turf wars. If you look at the first two years of the Obama presidency, the house often fought with the senate, the house and senate often fight with the white house. Those are inevitable. But this is why we talked about earlier in the show the chief of staff and secretary of defense and those positions. One of the problems that the Obama white house had, not just was its

attitude towards congress, but a legislative shop that really wasn't interested or known on capitol hill. That's going to be one of the real important places for Trump is to appoint a legislative director who is going to work hand and glove with house and senate Republicans.

BALDWIN: We have to point out, someone else said it on the show, that Mike Pence could be the most powerful vice president. He served as governor and in house leadership and now will be the vice president of this country. Doug and Ben, thank you so much.

I'm out of time. I have to go. As president-elect Trump and his budding administration focus on plotting out the transition into power here, there is one glaring distraction for the president-elect. On the Monday after Thanksgiving, a trial is set to begin in San Diego in a class-action lawsuit against Trump University. Trump could be called as a witness by both sides. The suit alleges Trump misled and defrauded students enrolled in his real estate program. And today there was a hearing to decide what type of evidence each side can present. So, to Drew Griffin we go, our investigative correspondent. What can we expect from that?

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: We can expect the president-elect trying to defend himself in not one but three lawsuits coming up here. There have been big developments in advance of the hearing which takes place in half an hour. The judge seems poised to eliminate one of the biggest defenses of Trump's University, one that we have heard so many times, especially on the student evaluations in which Trump claims 98% of students were happy with the seminars they were attending, judge ruling earlier today that is irrelevant to the case.

He is planning not to allow it. The judge may allow everything else Trump said on the campaign trail including tweets, statements and, Brooke, maybe even the flare-up in which he criticized the very judge himself for being of Mexican heritage. Judge Gonzalo Curiel says in a preliminary hearing he's inclined to allow that evidence into trial.

[15:55:00] But he's also allowing Trump's attorneys to continue to fight.

BALDWIN: One of your stories -- your actual story here on CNN. Part of the evidence in this case.

GRIFFIN: the plaintiffs wanted to get in -- it's a candid and honest interview we did with one of Trump University's top instructors, James Harris. The plaintiffs say they can't find him to drag him into court, so they wanted to play our story instead. Here it is, James Harris trying to answer questions about his real estate expertise.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Do you remember when you said I am a former licensed agent broker, at 29 I became the top 1% broker in the country, I build homes in Atlanta, Georgia, and I used to live in Beverly Hills. JAMES HARRIS, FORMER TRUMP UNIVERSITY INSTRUCTOR: Yes. I -- if I

said those things, they are true. I did live in Beverly Hills, and I --

GRIFFIN: We have no record of you ever living in Beverly Hills.

HARRIS: OK. Well --

GRIFFIN: We can't find your broker's license anywhere.

HARRIS: OK.

GRIFFIN: And I have no idea what homes you have built in Atlanta, Georgia. You build homes in Georgia?

HARRIS: I am not prepared to answer those questions today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Brooke, you can see why the plaintiffs wanted to use that, and especially wanted to get that guy into court and perhaps why nobody can find him. The judge says, you know, that -- playing that tape is basically hearsay. I think he is correct on this and plans to deny the motion to play the tape, says he wants to know more about where James Harris is and why the attorneys cannot get him into court so they can question him themselves.

BALDWIN: All right, Drew. Thank you, on the three cases. You'll be following it. You're watching CNN's special live coverage mere in Washington. I Brooke Baldwin. Back in a minute.