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Political Infighting and ObamaCare Changes; Concerns over Trump Foreign Policy; Third Day of Anti-Trump Protests; Kremlin Hopes "Lousy" Relations with U.S. May Improve; Trump Promises to Move U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem; Melania Trump as First Lady; American Muslims React to Presidential Election; Iraqis Make Gains against ISIS in Mosul; U.S. and Mexican Football Fans Unite. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired November 12, 2016 - 04:00   ET

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

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GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Burning flags, chanting through the streets, just a scene here of some of the protests across the United States. People up all night, angry with President-Elect Donald Trump.

NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Trump, meantime, is planning for the future. We're learning more about his potential cabinet members.

HOWELL (voice-over): And the big question, what about that wall?

We hear from experts on whether Donald Trump can fulfill that key campaign promise. Live from CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm George Howell.

ALLEN: And I'm Natalie Allen. CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.

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ALLEN: And thanks again for joining us. Three days since Donald Trump won the presidential election, large anti-Trump rallies continue to sweep through dozens of U.S. cities.

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HOWELL (voice-over): Here's some of the chaos there, playing out on the streets of Portland, Oregon. This night, things heated up as protesters faced off for police that were in riot gear, police ordering the protesters to disperse, after reports that some began throwing objects at the officers that were on the ground. Demonstrators also blocked some mass transit lines.

ALLEN: The widespread street demonstrations don't appear to be dampening the deal of the Trump team. On Friday, vice president-elect Mike Pence was put in charge of the transition team that will take over the reins of government of the Obama administration. HOWELL: Fair to say there have been several developments that played out Friday, among them, hints of compromise on ObamaCare.

CNN's Jim Acosta explains for us.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just days after the election, a shakeup inside the Trump transition team. Vice president-elect Mike Pence has taken over Trump's transition efforts, bumping New Jersey Governor Chris Christie down to vice chairman, along with Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, retired Lieutenant General Mike Flynn, Newt Gingrich and Dr. Ben Carson.

Sources say the move comes after infighting inside the transition over whether the team should hire previously anti-Trump Republicans, the so-called never-Trumpers, not to mention the still unfolding Bridgegate scandal in New Jersey.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT-ELECT: Mr. President, it was a great honor being with you.

ACOSTA: Another surprise for the new administration comes one day after Donald Trump met with President Obama. Following his conversation with the president, Trump is now open to keeping some portions of ObamaCare, something he vowed to repeal during the campaign.

Trump told "The Wall Street Journal": "Either ObamaCare will be amended or repealed and replaced."

But the incoming administration is facing a more pressing concern, continued protests against the president-elect flaring up across the country.

REINCE PRIEBUS, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: Look, I everyone needs to just take a deep breath.

ACOSTA: RNC Chair Reince Priebus urged calm after the president-elect himself ratcheted up the tension, returning to Twitter to complain: "Just had a very open and successful presidential election. Now professional protesters incited by the media are protesting. Very unfair;" a gripe he walked back, later tweeting: "Love the fact that the small group of protesters last night have passion for our great country. We will all come together and be proud."

But Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid says Trump must do more than just tweet. "If this going to be a time of healing," Reid says in a statement, "we must first put the responsibility for healing where it belongs, at the feet of Donald Trump, a sexual predator who lost the popular vote and fueled his campaign with bigotry and hate."

Priebus, who helped persuade Trump to stop tweeting at the end of the campaign and now a front-runner for White House chief of staff, agreed demonstrators have a right to protest.

PRIEBUS: I understand the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights, but this election's over now. And we have a president-elect who has done everything he can do over the last 48 hours to say, let's bring people together.

ACOSTA: CNN has learned Priebus and former campaign chairman Steven Bannon are the leading candidates for the powerful chief of staff position, with a source telling CNN that signs are pointing to Priebus.

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ALLEN: Joining us now to talk about this is Dr. Brian Klaas, a fellow at the London School of Economics. He is in London with us with more on what a Trump presidency can mean globally.

Thanks for joining us, Dr. Class.

BRIAN KLAAS, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: My pleasure.

ALLEN: Due to his rhetoric on the campaign trail, there is fear in this country among some people that his presidency could make the world a more dangerous place vis-a-vis nuclear weapons, torture he talked about and war.

How much power does a U.S. president have?

KLAAS: The U.S. president doesn't have as much power as you'd think on the domestic front but they have an enormous amount of power on foreign policy and shaping the diplomatic posture in the United States.

When you think about George W. Bush's shift towards torture, what he called euphemistically enhanced interrogation, it took years for the judiciary to address that situation and correct it.

So Donald Trump is going to have a fairly long leash when it comes to changing American foreign policy around the world.

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KLAAS: And I think that's reason to worry.

ALLEN: Yes. And how are people watching that?

It was interesting how different countries are reacting to Trump at this point. And we really don't know how much he's going to follow through on that he talked about in his campaign.

KLAAS: Well, most of the polling around the world about whether they -- the countries prefer -- the people under these countries would prefer a Trump or Clinton presidency, Russia and North Korea were the outliers that preferred Trump.

And I think there's a lot of allies around the world who are very worried about what Trump has said about backing out of NATO and potentially starting a trade war with China. On the domestic front, there's a lot of people who are going to be disappointed by Donald Trump's presidency, I think. And we're already seeing signs of that, even just three days or four days after the election, where the transition is showcasing that this rhetoric about draining the swamp was just rhetoric.

I mean, there are four people from Donald Trump's family in his transition team. Corporate lobbyists are being put in charge of key portfolios, the fox is guarding the henhouses where, in terms of energy policy, we have a corporate lobbyist for the gas companies who's going to be in charge of dictating who's in charge of regulating the oil and gas.

I mean, this is not exactly the populist rhetoric that was on the campaign trail.

ALLEN: That would be correct.

What about immigration and NAFTA, the Iran deal?

There are a lot of issues on the table here.

KLAAS: Yes, there are and I think that's one of the reasons why there's a huge amount of risk because this isn't just around the edges changes he's talking about. Things like NATO, backing out of Article V, which says the United States will come to the defense of any NATO ally, that's a transformation of the global order.

And Baltic States in -- and the states in Eastern Europe, states like Ukraine or Georgia, are really worried that Russian adventurism is going to be emboldened by a Trump presidency and that there will be a shift in the global power balance that ends up deteriorating Western interests around the world.

ALLEN: Well, what about our system of checks and balances?

KLAAS: Well, you know, we have basically a system now where the Republicans are in charge of everything and it's going to soon also be the Supreme Court. If we're going to be, you know, basing our checks and balance system on whether or not Republican establishment figures stand up to Trump and have a real spine, I think the campaign has shown that that's going to be a very, you know, empty hope because people like Paul Ryan did very little to stand up to Trump when it actually counted in the last few days of the presidency -- the last few days of the presidential election.

ALLEN: Definitely a fractured Washington, D.C., right now. We'll talk with you again as we push forward and hear more about Mr. Trump's team. Dr. Brian Klaas from London, thank you.

KLAAS: Thank you for having me.

HOWELL: And once he gets into the White House, the big question is, who will Donald Trump consider to be part of his team?

We are learning about some of the well-known names that you may have already heard, that includes the former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Republican National Committee chair Reince Priebus and the former mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani.

And here are some other names that we're hearing about.

ALLEN: Son-in-law Jared Kushner could become a deputy chief of staff. He married Trump's daughter, Ivanka, in 2009. He's a real estate developer and the publisher of the "New York Observer," about to become just "The Observer."

During the campaign, he was a trusted adviser to Trump and helped build the fundraising database and social media campaign.

HOWELL: And Senator Jeff Sessions from Alabama, he could become secretary of state. The 69-year-old has been a close adviser to Trump on national security and immigration. Sessions is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and served in the United States Army Reserve.

ALLEN: Michael Flynn is being considered for national security adviser or Secretary of Defense. The retired three-star Army general is a registered Democrat. He served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The 57- year old led the Defense Intelligence Agency under President Obama but he was forced out in 2014 and became a harsh critic of the administration.

HOWELL: Also we mentioned Reince Priebus earlier but also this person, Steve Bannon is being considered for Trump's chief of staff. He became Donald Trump's campaign CEO back in August. He was also the executive chairman of the conservative Breitbart news, a right-wing media outlet. The 62-year-old Bannon previously worked for Goldman Sachs as an investment banker. He's also a conservative filmmaker and a former U.S. Naval officer.

ALLEN: Well, we began by talking about the protests. At least 25 American cities have seen large groups of anti-Trump protests since Tuesday's election.

HOWELL: Even right here in Atlanta, where our Gary Tuchman went out on the streets to find out why people are so upset.

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GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A combination of anger and disbelief on the streets of Atlanta, Georgia, hundreds of people marching through the city, expressing their opposition to Donald Trump being president.

These people have been marching for about two miles right now. They're angry because he became president and also they can't believe he became president. Most people acknowledged to us they expected when they went to bed Tuesday night or stayed up early into Wednesday morning that Hillary Clinton would be president.

What's interesting is that a lot of people here didn't vote for Hillary Clinton. Some people didn't vote at all. But there are a lot of angry Hillary Clinton supporters here, feeling the system betrayed them. When we asked them how do you feel the system betrayed you, the one thing they continuously cite is that --

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TUCHMAN: -- it appears that Hillary Clinton won the popular vote.

And if she does, it's the second time in 16 years -- Al Gore in 2000 -- a Democrat won the popular vote but the Republican won the election. So it's been peaceful but the anger continues to simmer here in Atlanta, Georgia. This is Gary Tuchman, CNN, in Atlanta.

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ALLEN: Coming up, Vladimir Putin's top aide says relations between Russia and the Obama administration are "lousy." Will that change under a Trump White House?

We'll go live to Moscow.

HOWELL: Plus, from a successful model to the next U.S. first lady, we examine Melania Trump's path to the White House. Stay with us.

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ALLEN: And welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM.

Russian president Vladimir Putin was the first world leader to congratulate Donald Trump on his victory.

HOWELL: That's right. Top aides called the relations between the Kremlin and the Obama administration, quote, "lousy," but he said that Mr. Putin and Trump are ready to improve them. CNN senior international correspondent Matthew Chance is live in Moscow, following this story for us.

Matthew, both President Putin and President-Elect Trump --

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HOWELL: -- have indicated that they want to restore what they called those "lousy" bilateral relations. But the question, from the situation in Syria, to NATO to questions about Russian adventurism to Crimea, how difficult might it be for these two leaders to find common ground? MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, George, I think it's going to be very difficult indeed. The reason that relations -- one of the reasons that relations have become so damaged between the United States and Russia isn't just because of the personal frostiness between President Obama and President Putin.

It's because there really are clashes of national interest on a whole range of diplomatic issues around the world. Take Syria, for instance, Trump has indicated in his campaign that he was willing to join forces with Russia to eliminate Islamic State and other jihadist groups, but of course, that runs the risk of, first of all, alienating traditional allies like Turkey and the Gulf states.

Those are aligning the United States under Trump with Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, and with Iran, which, of course, is also fighting on behalf of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

And then Ukraine has also problems when it comes to the Trump promise to look again at recognizing the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. That would upset the Ukrainians, of course, but it would also upset the larger European Union, who were very concerned about Russian militarism and expansion in Eastern Europe.

And so, yes, in theory, this is a pivotal moment. It could be that the Trump presidency is able to draw a line under the problems of the past several years and look at these problems with a fresh eye.

But the problems are not going to go away overnight. And so it's going to be really interesting to see how the Trump presidency and the Putin administration here in Russia work with each other to resolve any of these big issues.

HOWELL: Before this election, before the results of the election, there was certainly heated rhetoric on, you know, both sides of the pond. Certainly, in Russia, there was the comment that the election of Hillary Clinton could lead to a World War III.

So now that Donald Trump is the president-elect, what is the response from just everyday Russians about this American election?

CHANCE: Well, I think there's a degree of relief because of all the state media has been putting out, because of the general tone of the rhetoric here in Russia about the possibility of a Clinton presidency.

And there was real concern, I think that the relationship between Russia and the United States was deteriorating to a very dangerous level. Remember, they are nuclear superpowers. There was talk in the Hillary camp of imposing, for instance, no-fly zones in Syria which would -- to protect civilian areas. That would have potentially brought, according to U.S. military officials, the United States into direct military confrontation not just with the Syrian government but with the Russians as well, who have their air force carrying out airstrikes in Syria.

So there was that potential for catastrophic confrontation between these nuclear superpowers. And that was something that was, I think, quite acutely felt by the Kremlin and felt by the people of Russia.

So to answer your question, look, I think people are very relieved in Russia in general that Hillary did not get elected as President of the United States because they saw her as dangerous and anti-Russian.

But the jury's still out, even though they support Trump, the jury's still out on what he's going to do. He's such an unknown quantity and unpredictable that the jury is still out on what the relationship is going to be like between Trump and Putin.

HOWELL: Trump always saying that being unpredictable is part of his advantage. As you said, we'll see how it plays out in the months ahead. Senior international correspondent Matthew Chance, live in Moscow, Matthew, thank you for your reporting today.

ALLEN: During his campaign, Trump promised to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. But that would be an extremely controversial move. We learned why from CNN's Oren Liebermann.

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OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This has been Matewan Samera's (ph) spot for 50 years.

"This is the most beautiful city in the world," he says, "our city. For me, these old stairs at Damascus gate are better than all the castles in the world."

He sells fresh juice on some of the most contested land in Jerusalem, perhaps even the world.

Here, just outside the Old City of Jerusalem, the light rail line at this point very nearly follows the green line. For decades, this has been the line between largely Palestinian East Jerusalem and largely Israeli West Jerusalem.

If President-Elect Donald Trump follows through on his campaign promise to recognize an undivided Jerusalem, this line, maybe no more than a light rail line.

Jerusalem has always been the most difficult question in the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. Even after the world recognized the State of Israel in 1948, it left the final status of Jerusalem open to future negotiations. Israelis see it as their united capital. Palestinians see East Jerusalem as their capital of a future Palestinian state. The city's mayor, Nir Barkat (ph) --

[04:20:00]

LIEBERMANN: -- says Trump's election means once and for all Jerusalem will always be Israel.

NIR BARKAT, JERUSALEM MAYOR: The role of the city of Jerusalem will never change. It has to be under the sovereignty of the Jewish people. It has to play an inclusive role. It can never function as a divided city.

LIEBERMANN: There are already two American consulates in Jerusalem, one west and one east. Trump has promised to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, recognizing the holy city as the capital of Israel.

There's even a plot of land picked out. Israel has leased this open field for the United States for $1 a year ever since 1989. This lease runs 99 years, waiting for an American embassy to be built here.

But every president for more than 20 years has refused to move it. To do so would break decades of U.S. and U.N. policy.

Mahdi Abdul Hadi, Palestinian political analyst, says the field will stay empty.

MAHDI ABDUL HADI, PALESTINIAN POLITICAL ANALYST: So what's new?

It's only slogans. Although it's very much symbolic to tell us you Palestinians will not have a capital in Jerusalem, nobody can dismiss our presence in Jerusalem. We are deep rooted here.

LIEBERMANN: The morning after the elections, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro was asked about the promise to move the embassy to Jerusalem. It was a question he didn't want to touch.

DAN SHAPIRO, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL: You know, I serve on the policy of my government. Every government, every U.S. administration that has looked at the question has determined that the embassy is where it should be. And I can't speculate beyond that.

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LIEBERMANN (voice-over): After President-Elect Donald Trump takes office, Shapiro may be out as ambassador. Uncertain future in more ways than one -- Oren Liebermann, CNN, Jerusalem.

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HOWELL: The gentleman in that report said that it's just rhetoric. But interesting to know that that land is leased for $1. Whether the president-elect fulfills, that campaign promise, we'll have to see in the coming months.

ALLEN: Rhetoric versus policy.

HOWELL: Yes, indeed.

ALLEN: We'll all find out pretty soon.

HOWELL: Well, Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, are preparing for a new life. On Thursday, they visited the White House.

ALLEN: Melania chatted with first lady, Michelle Obama, and Trump, as you know, met with President Obama.

CNN's Randi Kaye now has more on Melania's path to the U.S. first lady.

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MELANIA TRUMP, WIFE OF PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP: It will be my honor and privilege to serve this country. I will be an advocate for women and for children.

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Melania Trump, just days before learning she would be the next first lady of the United States. At this speech in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, she spoke of her love for this country as a little girl growing up under communist rule in Slovenia.

MELANIA TRUMP: We also knew about the incredible place called America. America was the word for freedom and opportunity. America meant if you could dream it, you could become it.

KAYE: Throughout the race Melania was somewhat of a reluctant campaigner, often staying home with the couple's young son, Barron. The Trumps, reportedly, have a cook, but no nanny. Early on in the campaign she was more often seen than heard. In fact, it wasn't until the Wisconsin primary in April that Melania officially stumped for her husband.

MELANIA TRUMP: I'm very proud of him. He's hard worker, he's kind, he has a great heart. He's tough, he's smart.

KAYE: In March, during an interview with Anderson Cooper, Melania shared how she feels about being compared to Jackie Kennedy.

MELANIA TRUMP: I see around that they compare me to Jackie Kennedy. It's an honor but, of course, we are in 21st century and I will be different. And she had the great style and she did a lot of good stuff, but this is different time now.

KAYE: As a Slovenian immigrant, Melania will be only the second foreign-born first lady and the first in modern times. President John Quincy Adams' wife, Louisa Adams, was also born outside the United States in London. She was the first lady nearly 200 years ago.

Melanija Knavs, as she was formerly known, became a naturalized citizen in 2006. At five foot, eleven, she was once a successful model, meeting Donald Trump at New York Fashion Week party back in 1998. She told "People" magazine she thought he had "sparkle" and later became his third wife. Melania once graced the covers of glamour magazines and sold her own line of jewelry on "QVC". She also appeared in this AFLAC commercial.

As first lady, Melania, who is 46, plans to focus on women and children. She hopes to end cyber bullying and teach children to treat others with compassion.

MELANIA TRUMP: We have to find a better way to talk to each other, to disagree with each other, to respect each other.

KAYE: From Fifth Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue, Melania Trump --

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KAYE: -- will soon be first lady -- Randi Kaye, CNN, Orlando, Florida.

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ALLEN: I wonder if she really grasps that or if she's saying, wow, what a ride I'm having in the United States.

HOWELL: Yes, it's a big title. It's a new life for the Trumps.

ALLEN: Absolutely.

HOWELL: Still ahead here on NEWSROOM, how realistic is that border wall between the United States and Mexico, the one that Donald Trump promised?

He said the border will be a top priority in his first days of office -- in fact, day one. Reaction from Mexico is still ahead.

ALLEN: Plus, what some anti-Trump protesters are doing instead of taking to the streets.

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ALLEN: Welcome back to our viewers here in the U.S. and around the world. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM, live from Atlanta. I'm Natalie Allen.

HOWELL: And I'm George Howell with the headlines we're following for you this hour.

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NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, back to the U.S. election, a core part of Donald Trump's campaign was his promise to build a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico. And isn't backing down on that.

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: In fact, he said the security of that border will be a top priority during his first days in office, in fact, by day one. Ed Lavandera has more now on the reaction from Mexico.

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TRUMP: We're going to build a great wall.

The wall just got 10 feet higher.

Maybe someday they're going to call it the Trump Wall.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The border between the United States and Mexico stretches nearly 2,000 miles; nearly 700 miles of it is already covered with some form of border wall or steel fencing. But Donald Trump wants more.

TRUMP: On day one, we will begin working on an impenetrable, physical, tall, powerful, beautiful, southern border wall.

MICHAEL DEAR, CITY AND REGIONAL PLANNER: Well, of course it can be done --

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Professor Michael Dear is an expert in city and regional planning and the author of the book, "Why Walls don't Work."

DEAR: A large concrete structure which might be 25 feet high would be very intensive in terms of resources and money.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): In fact, CNN has surveyed a number of civil engineers, architects and academics about what may be most feasible. The wall would mostly likely need to be made of precast cement wall panels, 25 feet tall, 10 feet wide, eight inches thick, requiring 339 million cubic feet of concrete.

The panels would be held together by 5 billion pounds of reinforced steel with an estimated cost of at least $10.5 billion and possibly much more.

Trump supporters say they can't wait to see the beginning of the border wall construction.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That wall will get built and Mexico's going to pay for that wall.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he will try to build a wall and I think he will try to secure our borders.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If people want to come into the country, they should do it legally.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): But in Mexico, the idea of a wall is often shrugged off as a bump in the road north.

Jose Torres Hernandez says he has illegally crossed into the U.S. many times to find work picking fruits and vegetables. He says a wall might make crossing over a little harder but immigrants like him would always find a way to find work to feed their families.

And Armando Flores Gutierrez says he has crossed the border 25 times, starting when he was just 16, to work farm fields all over the U.S. He says keeping people like him out of the country will only hurt the U.S.

He says if he tries to remove all of the Mexicans in the United States, Donald Trump will realize what a huge mistake that is and how much the U.S. economy depends on Mexican immigrants -- Ed Lavandera, CNN, Mexico City.

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ALLEN: From the Mexican issue we turn to the Muslim issue, among U.S. Muslims, the reaction to Trump's win has been mixed. Some were afraid that the man who wanted to ban Muslims from entering the country.

HOWELL: But there are others who say the president-elect will do great things for the American dream. Jessica Schneider has more for us.

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JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In Hamtramck, Michigan, where Muslims make up a large portion of the population, there is widespread uncertainty about a Trump presidency.

SCHNEIDER: Are you angry at the things he said throughout this election?

HASAN ALTAII, MICHIGAN VOTER: Definitely. I mean, you got to be kind to people.

TRUMP: Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shut down of Muslims entering the United States.

SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Trump made that promise last December, but dialed it back by the time his party's convention convened in Cleveland.

TRUMP: We must immediately suspend immigration from any nation that has been compromised by terrorism until such time as proven vetting mechanisms have been put in place.

The Muslim ban is something that in some form has morphed into an extreme vetting.

SCHNEIDER: But tonight, his statement calling for a total and complete shut down of Muslims entering the United States is still on his official website. For some Muslims and many others, the rhetoric crossing the line.

FAYROUZ SAAD, MICHIGAN VOTER: I don't know how he got elected, I'll be honest.

SCHNEIDER: Fayrouz Saad's parents immigrated to Dearborn, Michigan, from Lebanon. She works on immigration issues at Detroit's mayor's office and says Trump's divisive rhetoric has made Muslim lives more difficult.

SAAD: I'm definitely angry. I don't want to say I'm fearful because I still have faith in the democratic process.

TANIA SHATILA, MICHIGAN VOTER: It is inexcusable the things that he said. It was shocking to hear, it is very scary as well.

[04:35:00]

SCHNEIDER: Tania Shatila runs this Middle Eastern bakery. She is still hopeful.

SHATILA: We can't stand against him, you know?

We have to support him and wish for the best. So, hopefully, he will instill that unity that he's been saying in his speeches ever since he won.

SCHNEIDER: Nedal Tamir has a much different view.

NEDAL TAMER, MICHIGAN VOTER: And Mr. Trump should be held as an image of the American dream.

SCHNEIDER: Tamer voted for Trump and convinced his family to vote for him, too. As a small business owner, he sees Trump as a role model and believes he speaks from strength. He wants his fellow Muslims to see it the same way.

What do you say when they have shock or anger?

TAMER: I say to them the country is going to be great.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: That was CNN's Jessica Schneider, reporting for us in Michigan.

Since the election, we having getting reports of racist graffiti and hate crimes, targeting several groups from Jews to African Americans and Muslims.

So some people are using safety pins to show solidarity for Muslims and anyone else who feels threatened by a Trump presidency. A similar movement happened in the U.K. after the Brexit vote.

HOWELL: CNN NEWSROOM press is on. The battle for Mosul continues in Iraq and the U.N. says ISIS is once again targeting civilians. Details (INAUDIBLE).

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HOWELL: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM.

The battle for Mosul continues in Iraq and we're now getting reports that ISIS has executed more civilians.

ALLEN: The U.N. says the terror group killed at least 60 civilians this week. Some of the victims' bodies were hung at intersections, with notes alleging they collaborated with Iraqi forces. Witnesses tell CNN some were killed just for having cellphones.

HOWELL: The news of these killings as Iraqi government forces continue to push in two neighborhoods in Eastern Mosul. The images -- [04:35:00]

HOWELL: -- that you see here from the Iraqi defense ministry appear to show civilians cheering Iraqi forces as they advance on.

People in Mosul say that ISIS commanders have started to flee that city but they've left teenage combatants to fight in their place.

For more what's happening on the ground, let's go to CNN's Phil Black, who is live in Erbil, Iraq, following developments.

Phil, good to have you with us. Let's talk more about what we're hearing: about 60 civilians who were killed in Mosul.

What more can you tell us about this?

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, George, this has been reported by the U.N. It's been backed up by people we've spoken to in Mosul as well. They all talk about what appears to be a campaign of terror against people who are suspected of collaborating with the operation to take back the city.

By all accounts, dozens of people have been executed in Mosul over the last week or so. In some cases, the U.N. says children have been used as the executioners, as the people who pulled the triggers. Some of the bodies of those killed have been strung up at electrical poles across the city at major intersections, dressed in orange, branded with words like "traitor." It is a brutal, terrifying message to the population of Mosul -- George.

HOWELL: Also, as these Iraqi troops continue to push into Mosul, we're hearing these reports of ISIS commanders fleeing and leaving teenage combatants to fight in their place.

Explain that situation and how difficult it is for these Iraqi forces to make their advances.

BLACK: Yes. So what we're seeing from Mosul for the last three weeks or so has been an advance in operation, not to retake Mosul but the territory around it. Over that time, fairly significant rapid progress has been made.

But now as Iraqi forces enter the eastern built-up outskirts of the city, the fighters become so much more difficult. The progress much slower by the Iraqi forces' own admission. That's because they're going up against an enemy that is so strongly motivated and so prepared, motivated to the point where they're prepared to fight to the death, yes, but also prepared to sacrifice themselves.

As we're told they're doing every day in waves of suicide bomb attacks. On top of that, you have the network of tunnels that the ISIS fighters have been working on clearly for a long time, booby traps, sniper positions, all of these things being used.

It's something of an endless onslaught against those who are trying to move into the city itself. So it's a slow, difficult, brutal example of urban warfare. That's what we're being told.

And on top of it, you have the added complexity of the civilians who were there. Many people, families, huddled in their homes as the fighting wages around it. And in the words of an Iraqi officer, who said to me yesterday, retaking the city will not be considered a success if it comes at the cost of many civilian lives.

So the Iraqi forces say that they have determined to try and minimize that as much as they possibly can -- George.

HOWELL: Phil, so we're talking about the situation as it relates to troops going into Mosul.

But what about those families that have been able to flee, families that are looking for places to stay, to live until this operation reaches it conclusion?

What is the humanitarian situation?

And are people able to get the medicine, the food that they need?

BLACK: The latest figure from the International Organization for Migration puts the number of people displaced as a result of the latest fighting in Mosul somewhere around 50,000 now, which is clearly a very significant number.

They're moving into camps, which are filling up and where those resources, as you say, food, medicine, shelter, they are all being tested. But so far what we've seen is not as great as the warnings had been from the humanitarian organizations at the outset. Some of the predictions were in the order of 800,000, closer to 1 million potentially, displaced as a result of the fighting.

But I guess what that shows is that this operation is still very much in its early stages. For all the progress, there is still so much work to do. Those Iraqi forces are now only in that eastern sliver of the city. They're talking about moving into the center and west of the city, where the bulk of the population is believed to be living.

And obviously the humanitarian impact there will be far more significant -- George.

HOWELL: It is a desperate situation for the many families that are fleeing. And certainly a bloody ordeal, this operation that continues to press into Mosul. International reporter, Phil Black, live for us in Erbil, Iraq.

Phil, thank you for the reporting. We wish you and our teams there continued safety and we'll be in touch with you.

The Taliban are claiming responsibility for an attack on the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan. At least four people dead there, 14 more wounded.

ALLEN: NATO says --

[04:45:00]

ALLEN: -- an explosive device was detonated at Bagram airfield early in the morning. A local Afghan official says the people killed were foreign citizens but their nationalities are not yet known.

HOWELL: Also now to South Korea, thousands of protesters are demanding again that the president of that nation resign. This is one of the largest anti-government protests there. Just about three -- in about three decades. We see these images of the protest. President Park Geun-hye has apologized for sharing state documents with a long- time friend.

ALLEN: That confidante has been arrested and is accused of using her connection with the president for personal gain. Two aides have also been accused in the influence peddling scandal. Park has reshuffled her cabinet but her approval rating remains at an all-time low and we'll have a live report from Seoul in our next hour.

HOWELL: Let's switch over to weather now. La Nina has finally arrived and its effects are being felt right here and everywhere.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HOWELL: So sports can either divide or unite, especially if it's a match between the United States and Mexico. We show you what the fans of each group had to say about the U.S. president-elect, Donald Trump. Stay with us.

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[04:50:00]

(SPORTS)

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HOWELL: The new president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, will lead a divided nation but sports have always had the potential to bring people together.

ALLEN: Hope so right now. Our Martin Savidge has more from a soccer match or football, between the U.S. and Mexico in Columbus, Ohio.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is the fifth time that these two teams have faced off here in Columbus, Ohio, dating back to 2001. And they are known to have a very spirited rivalry here at times.

And the concern was that, given the political events of the past week, that maybe the election might cast some kind of cloud over this international gathering. It was the farthest thing from the truth. What we found out in the parking lot was one just big tailgate party. It was music of all kinds, fans of all kinds. And we found when you talked to those fans, politics wasn't about to interfere.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have a lot of heart for our Mexican team of soccer or football is very, very in our hearts. And nothing matters right now. As you see, as you say, people are just so happy. Tomorrow, they'll be worried about paying the rent or buying groceries.

(LAUGHTER)

SAVIDGE: You haven't, in any way, had anybody treat you badly or...?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, yes, yes, we have, but I don't think it's new. It happens. (INAUDIBLE) people do profile and (INAUDIBLE) we're going to hear, especially somebody has either has alcohol in their system or (INAUDIBLE) inappropriate. But in a way, we're used to it. I mean, it's -- all we can do is just ignore it and keep watching.

SAVIDGE: Does politics in any way --

[04:55:00]

SAVIDGE: -- change this game?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I think the Mexican team actually is (INAUDIBLE) on TV until (INAUDIBLE) we're going to try to get you guys to be happy today. So we're going to win today.

SAVIDGE: So you think this actually inspired the Mexican team?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, big time. Big time. Yes.

SAVIDGE: Have you been to this game, this particular matchup before?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have. I have. I came here three years ago, September 10th, (INAUDIBLE).

SAVIDGE: What's it like, if somebody hasn't been here, what's it like?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The atmosphere is absolutely amazing. The football or soccer, how -- whatever you want to call it, it's the sport that we all love. And that's all we're all here. I don't think politics should play a part in this game. That's not what it's about. It's just about the rivalries and the passion of the sport.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, we're all here to support the USA, it's soccer, let's bring the country together. (INAUDIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want to treat them well. (INAUDIBLE) we go to Mexico City (INAUDIBLE).

SAVIDGE: There were a couple of ways that you very evidently saw how sport can unify people. As the fans all went into the stadium, you saw that it was the American fans that were giving high fives and welcoming Mexican fans and vice versa. Both were wishing each other good luck.

At one point, an American fan smacked the hand of a Mexican man and said, "Sorry about that Trump thing."

And finally then, inside the stadium, it's a tradition before every game, they take the team photos. Usually the teams are by themselves. In this case, they took one large mass team photo, a clear message of unity. It was a good game that came at a very good time -- Martin Savidge, CNN, Columbus, Ohio.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: Mexico won but who cares?

How utterly refreshing the attitudes of those sports fans.

HOWELL: Yes, just given there's been a lot of racist graffiti things that have played out. So it is nice to see something that's heartening happen.

ALLEN: On the soccer field.

Thanks for watching this hour, I'm Natalie Allen.

HOWELL: And I'm George Howell. We'll have more news just right after the break. This is CNN, the world's news leader. Stay with us.