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Trump and Romney Will Have Meeting; Trump Continues High Profile Meetings; Pelosi and Pence News Conference; Trump Meets with Nikki Haley; Trump Holds First Meeting with Foreign Leader; Trump Eyes Rick Perry for Energy Secretary; Pelosi May Lose Leadership Role. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired November 17, 2016 - 14:00   ET

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

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[14:00:14] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: And here we go. Top of the hour. I'm Brooke Baldwin. You're watching CNN. Thank you for being with me.

We begin with just an absolutely remarkable day of contrast in the transition of American leadership. As the president-elect, Donald Trump, is meeting with his very first foreign minister, the prime minister of Japan here in New York, President Barack Obama holding a final news conference with his closest ally there, German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The president pointing out a common challenge these two share, balancing globalism with populism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The politics in all of our countries is going to require us to manage technology and global integration and all these demographic shifts in a way that makes people feel more control, that gives them more confidence in their future, but does not resort to simplistic answers or divisions of race or tribe or a crude nationalism.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: No doubt those final words were meant for President Obama's successor, Donald Trump, who has been huddled for yet another busy day at Trump Tower. A parade of potential picks for his cabinet and White House staff is descending upon what has really become transition central. Among those visiting President-elect Trump today, you have Henry Kissinger, also the mayor of Cincinnati and the governor of Florida. But the one individual getting the biggest amount of buzz today is South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who, according to a source, is up for secretary of state.

We should also mention, we are also waiting on Vice President-elect Mike Pence, who is meeting with the Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi. So we'll swing by Capitol Hill as soon as that happens.

But first here in New York, Sunlen Serfaty, let's go to you, outside Trump Tower. We'll get to Governor Haley in just a moment, but, my goodness, let's

talk about the news that just crossed about Mitt Romney of all people, who has never minced his words on the president-elect. They are meeting this weekend.

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Brooke. And this great reporting from my colleague Mark Preston, who, according to his source, a Republican - a senior Republican source, says that they are indeed meeting this weekend. Mitt Romney and Donald Trump in one room together. We know, according to this source, that they will discuss governing moving forward.

And here's the real headline, that they will be discussing the possibility of Romney potentially serving in Donald Trump's cabinet. No specifics about what role they are potentially discussing, but certainly notable as you said given the fact that Mitt Romney, throughout the duration of the campaign, was really one of the chief critics of Donald Trump. But I do think it's one more sign that the Trump transition team and Donald Trump himself is at least open to hearing some voices of opposition, at least within the transition period, and potentially broader throughout his administration.

Now, as you said, Brooke, here at Trump Tower, it has really been a hotbed of activity today. A lot of comings and goings of some key and potential high-profile players that could potentially claim some of the top seats in Donald Trump's cabinet. We saw Rudy Giuliani, notably, go in. He's been about an hour inside. He has been here a lot this week. We know according to transition advisor Kellyanne Conway, she said he is a leading contender for a number of positions.

Brooke.

BALDWIN: Sunlen, thank you.

From Trump Tower to the vice president-elect, Mike Pence, just having met with the leader of the Democrats there on Capitol Hill, Nancy Pelosi. Let's eavesdrop.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: Straightforward conversation about our - how we can work together on infrastructure, issues that relate to child care and the rest, following up a conversation that I had with the president-elect last week.

I was honored to show the vice president-elect a picture of the Bush family that we treasure, the president, George Herbert Walker Bush, participating in his points of light conference in Houston a year or so ago. I did that to make you feel at home in the office of Tip O'Neill, surrounded by Franklin Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy and George Herbert Walker Bush.

So, anyway, we had a respectful conversation. As you all know, those of us who respect the service that we have in Congress, respect the positions that our colleagues have and respect the people who have sent them here. And that applies, of course, to the vice president and the president-elect. [14:05:04] So, thank you, Mr. Vice President, for the opportunity to share some thoughts of my caucus, not just my own thought, but of my caucus with the vice president-elect.

MIKE PENCE (R), VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT: Well -

PELOSI: Mike.

PENCE: Even better.

Well, Leader Pelosi, thank you for your hospitality. Thank you for what I trust will be the first of many conversations as we move forward toward inauguration and thereafter. I'm grateful for the time. You and I worked together when I served in this building. And as I said to you before, I've always found you to be a - a worthy opponent and leader of the loyal opposition, but I have great respect for you and for your service to the country. And I was pleased today to be able to convey the respect of the president-elect, Donald Trump, to you personally.

And we are working briskly in the transition, but part of the transition is also making plans for the first 100 days. And at the direction of the president-elect, I'm meeting today not only with Leader Pelosi, but with Leader Schumer, and with Speaker Ryan and Senator McConnell. And we're beginning to discuss areas that we might move forward on together. And that's what the American people want us to do is find ways to revive our economy, improve American lives, enhance the security of this nation and I'm grateful to begin those discussions on behalf of the president-elect with you today.

PELOSI: Thank you.

(CROSS TALK)

PELOSI: Let me just say that, as you can hear from - and as you know, the vice president-elect's leadership, I said to him when I spoke to him last week, you are - you are going to be a very valued player in all of this because you know the territory. And I know - with no disrespect for the sensitivity and knowledge of the president-elect, you know the territory. So in that territory we will try to find our common ground where we can and, of course, stand our ground when we can't.

Thank you all very much.

(CROSS TALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, guys. Thank you. Thank you.

QUESTION: Speaker Pelosi, Mr. Pence is running the transition. Did you talk to him about any of the people who are under consideration for a top role?

BALDWIN: OK. So it's really important to see these pictures, right? So we see that the incoming administration are reaching across the aisle. The fact that Vice President-elect Pence is meeting with, as he mentioned, not only Democratic leaders there on Capitol Hill, by the way, we don't know if Leader Pelosi will hold on to her job. We should find out about that later this month. You know, in these messages, the show of unity. You know, I think the word he used was "brisk." They're hoping to work and move briskly and all they have stacked up in terms of an agenda from the Trump administration. But it's important to see that the reaching over the aisle, even before inauguration and what he just said, finding areas where both parties can move forward together.

So, let me bring in my panel. With me, A.B. Stoddard, associate editor and columnist for Real Clear Politics, CNN commentator Bakari Sellers, a Democrat who used to serve as a South Carolina state representative, which is key in our chat today about Governor Haley, Joshua Green, senior national correspondent for Bloomberg BusinessWeek, and Barry Bennett, who used to be the campaign manager for Republican Ben Carson.

So thank you all so much for being with me. And, A. B., I want to jog back to this news about Mitt Romney. Just reminding everyone that speech he made, you know, in Utah, he called Mr. Trump a phony, a fraud, his promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University and we now have learned he is meeting with Mr. Trump this weekend. Are there icicles in hell or are we living in reality with this?

A.B. STODDARD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR & COLUMNIST, REALCLEARPOLITICS: It seems quite surreal, but it's actually very heartening news, Brooke. I think, you know, the Trump transition team has really turned around a narrative from just 24 hours ago that they were only looking at loyalists, banning people who had criticized them during the campaign, and they were focusing far more on how much people had supported the candidate than their credentials for the job.

I think, obviously, it's great for Donald Trump, the president-elect, to reach out to Mitt Romney and ask for his help. And it's great for Mitt Romney to give it. And I think, you know, every Republican, no matter what side of the aisle they were on in terms of supporting Mr. Trump or not needs to come together now, if the Trump team is reaching out, to put together the very best government that they can.

We're in a very fragile time. The transition is the time when we're the most vulnerable. And I think it's an all hands on deck effort. And I think it's really, really heartening to see them not only reaching out to the Democratic leader in the House and the Senate, but to every Republican of every stripe as well.

[14:10:05] BALDWIN: And also reaching out to the first Indian-American woman to become governor of South Carolina in Nikki Haley.

Josh, do you think - sort of similar question, are they giving her a good look or is this a total pump fake?

JOSHUA GREEN, SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, BLOOMBERG BUISNESSWEEK: Well, I - look, if you're Trump and you've been thrown into the presidency somewhat unexpectedly, yes, I think you're giving everything a good look. And I think that it speaks well of Trump that he's bringing in people like Nikki Haley, who was not a supporter, like Mitt Romney, who was not a supporter, and that he's broadening his administration beyond just that tight-knit circle of Steve Bannon and Reince Priebus and the regular cast of characters that have been around Trump for quite a while.

But I want to make a point. I think it really speaks to the patriotism of people like Mitt Romney and Nikki Haley, that even though this is a man who's not their first choice as president, they're willing to go in, they're willing to serve in his administration and serve the country because Trump, as we sometimes forget, is not someone who has any experiences governing and so it would be an enormous relief to a lot of my readers at "BusinessWeek," I think, and to a lot of Republicans generally to have someone as capable as Mitt Romney is in a position of power in a Trump administration.

BALDWIN: Barry, I'm curious, since you know a lot of these folks at the top in the Trump team, is this President-elect Trump who's saying, hey, I want to reach out to the Governor Haleys and the Governor Romneys of the world, or is this Reince Priebus whispering in his ear, you know, this really might be a good idea?

BARRY BENNETT, TRUMP SUPPORTER: You know, this is a - Donald Trump's M.O. all through the campaign. He likes to reach out to a lot of people. He loves to get input from a bunch of people and then he makes a decision. Now, the decision is going to be his, but he does - he's been very open through the campaign. I know, you know, 15 or 20 people that get a daily call from him about what they think and what they're seeing, that kind of thing. So he's very open to advise. And even advice that comes from different angles. But in the end it's going to be his decision.

You know, I applaud Mitt Romney for going. I mean, you know, I'm not a Mitt Romney fan and haven't been one for a long time, but, you know, I applaud him putting his country first and going to talk to President- elect Trump.

BALDWIN: Bakari, you know, you, from South Carolina, I really wanted to talk to you. You know Governor Haley personally. You, you know, witnessed how tremendous she was, both in the wake of the church shooting in Charleston, but in the bipartisan effort to remove the - that, you know, confederate flag from the state capital. But as far as, you know, foreign policy experience, again, we're talking secretary of state. Tell me what you think of her and if you think she would be up for the job.

BAKARI SELLERS, CNN COMMENTATOR: Well, I can say that eight years ago I was sitting at a desk that was side by side with Nikki Haley in the South Carolina General Assembly and we were working on issues that were very near and dear to our heart, although they weren't the magnitude of the issues you'll be dealing with as secretary of state. So I do think experience is a legitimate concern that people would have.

But what we've seen from Trump's transition team is that he has a cast of characters outside of Mitt Romney coming in this week that had very little experience for the jobs that they're trying out for. That's first. But, second, just to get back to Nikki Haley, she's very competent.

Nikki Haley's not trying to start World War III. She's very knowledgeable. She learns quickly. She keeps good people around her. She has a very young, but competent staff. And by comparison to people like Senator Jeffrey Beauregard Sessions, or Rudy Giuliani, or anybody else that's being vetted for this position, I think she stands up and she stacks up against any of them.

I disagree with Nikki Haley on policy and I will disagree with her on policy probably until we both leave this earth. However, I will tell you that she's a statesman. And so if, in fact, we have to choose of the -

BALDWIN: How about that, coming from a Democrat.

SELLERS: Yes, if we have to choose, I mean I think Nikki Haley stacks up way better than Rudy Giuliani or Senator Jeffrey Beauregard Sessions.

BALDWIN: OK. Nice middle name.

Let's move on, though, to also just watching the visuals today, halfway around the world in Berlin we saw on the dais, you know, President Obama with his closest ally, Angela Merkel. And then all the way back over here on Fifth Avenue at Trump Tower, you have the very first, you know, foreign leader meeting with President-elect Trump, being the prime minister of Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

And, A.B., he's my question. You know, he - he's on the phone with Trump one day, hops in a plane soon after. Is this a signal that he is eager to work with - he being Abe - work with the Trump administration or is he - you think this is a signal of worry?

STODDARD: I think it's both. Look, Donald Trump assured President Obama enough in their one on one meeting that President Obama has run to our allies on the phone and in person around the world to assure them that he heard from him that he is committed to our NATO alliances.

Now, if you're - if you are running Japan and you're the prime minister and you heard a candidate say that they're really going to have to sort of go it alone, we're going to have to pull troops out of the region, it's America first, we're going broke and they're probably going to have to get nukes to protect themselves from North Korea, you'd be a little nervous, too. So when you hear him saying, I'm coming to, quote, "build trust" with the president-elect, he's coming to find out what the "h" is going on. And then he wants to build some trust.

[14:15:15] BALDWIN: Well, we know that apparently one of the aides to the Japanese prime minister was talking to the Trump team because, you know, they have said things like, well, Japan should arm itself with nukes to protect itself from North Korea and apparently this Trump aide essentially said, hey, don't take everything Mr. Trump said on the campaign trail literally, Barry. So if he were to take that thought and apply it to many other things he said on the trail, do you think that applies? Are we being too literal with Mr. Trump?

BENNETT: Well, I think that you've got to give him a chance, right? I mean in the campaign you say all kinds of things. It doesn't mean he didn't mean what he said, but he was just talking in generalities. Now he's got a team of experts and all these issues around him and they're going to formulate policy. But there's a big difference between the campaign rhetoric at a rally and a policy. And, you know, we can't - we shouldn't jump to conclusions.

You know, he's talked to now, what, 34 world leaders. People are anxious to talk to him. He's anxious to talk to them. And soon he'll have a foreign policy team around him and will start implementing and seeing policies for the first time. But I think it's a mistake to interpret campaign rally speak into policy.

BALDWIN: Final question, Josh, I'm going to throw this one to you. Rick Perry. We know that he wanted to be president. We also remember the sort of infamous moment at a debate some years ago. Roll it.

GREEN: Oops.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. RICK PERRY (R), TEXAS: The EPA needs to be rebuilt. There's no doubt about that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you can't - but you can't name the third one?

PERRY: The third agency of government -

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

PERRY: I would - I would do away with the education - the - um -

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Commerce.

PERRY: I - I - commerce and, let's see - I can't, the third one I can't. I'm Sorry. Oops.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: You know where I'm going with this. This is the sort of oops that's going to be replayed all through the day because this is a job apparently that the Trump team, they've been in conversations with him and the very, you know, agency that he couldn't think of is the very agency apparently they are considering -

GREEN: The Energy Department, yes.

BALDWIN: The Energy Department. Thoughts?

GREEN: Yes. Yes. And, boy, that clip still makes you wince all these years later.

BALDWIN: Yes. GREEN: But, look, it does make a certain sort of sense. I mean Texas is a big, big energy state, not just for oil, as we think of traditionally, but it is now ground zero for wind power and solar power and all sorts of things. Perry is a well-known experienced politician. It would make a lot of sense to have somebody like that in a Trump administration.

BALDWIN: I'm sure after that every day he's been like energy, energy, energy. I know. I know what the answer is.

Thank you all so much.

GREEN: Maybe they'd have to write it on his palm or something. But I'll bet he could learn it if he had to.

BALDWIN: He's got it. He's got it. He's got it now.

Thank you all so much.

Coming up here on CNN, we just saw Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi on The Hill meeting with the vice president-elect. Also preparing, though, to put up a fight for her own job, her own leadership position in the House. What she just told our Manu Raju today on Capitol Hill as fellow Democrats are considering whether it's time for a new face.

Also moments ago, Senator Bernie Sanders rallying in Washington, D.C. His message today for Trump.

We'll be right back.

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[14:22:05] BALDWIN: Welcome back. You're watching CNN, I'm Brooke Baldwin.

We just saw Vice President-elect Mike Pence on Capitol Hill meeting with Leader Nancy Pelosi. He is there. He's meeting with congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle. Soon Pence will be meeting with newly elected Senate Minority Leader Democrat Chuck Schumer.

He just wrapped up, as I mentioned, that joint appearance with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Both talked about their mutual respect for one another, formidable opponents, want to work together. Their meeting comes as Nancy Pelosi herself faces a possible challenge to her leadership post from within her own party ranks.

So, Manu Raju's been chasing all this down for us on Capitol Hill. He joins me now.

And, first, let's just - let's underscore that picture we just saw with the vice president-elect and Leader Pelosi. What more do you know about the meeting and this message of, we want to work together?

MANU RAJU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's exactly the message they wanted to send Wolf - Wolf, sorry, Brooke - that they actually wanted - both of them want to work together, figure out, are there any areas of commonality. It's a real Kumbaya moment post-election, Brooke, that, you know, we often see from members of Congress and from a new incoming administration. The real test will be when we get into the nuts and bolts of legislating in January. That's when it's going to really - the rubber will hit the road and we'll see whether the two sides can work together.

But, Brooke, this comes at a real critical time for the Democratic Party as tries to figure out a new way forward, whether or not to work with the new Trump administration or whether or not to fight the new Trump administration, and whether or not they need new leaders atop their caucus that could actually present a compelling case to voters about why they deserve to be in power.

That is a debate that is happening right now behind closed doors among the House Democratic caucus, whether or not to replace Nancy Pelosi. Now, one man who's considering a challenge is Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio, who believes his message could present well with that rust belt - with rust belt voters who went to Donald Trump in this past election cycle. And he's told me earlier today that reelecting Nancy Pelosi could be the wrong way to go.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. TIM RYAN (D), OHIO: I've been in this caucus 14 years and I think people have been talking about this since 2010. And, you know, I think we've had this conversation in '10, '12, '14, '16. You know, we're at the - the lowest number of state and federal officials since reconstruction. We have the lowest number in our caucus since 1929. And we've lost over 60 seats since 2010. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and you keep, you know, you keep getting the same results. So time to move on, I think.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: Now the question for Mr. Ryan is whether or not he'll pull the trigger. He decided that he - he said today is the day he's going to make the decision. One name to look out for, Brooke, is Joe Crowley of New York. He's a congressman, a number five member of the House Democratic leadership. He's weighing the challenge also to Nancy Pelosi. And if he runs, I don't think that Tim Ryan will run as well.

[14:25:07] This comes as the House Democrats actually delayed having their leadership elections, which were originally scheduled for today, until next week, until after the Thanksgiving holiday. One reason why is to determine whether or not there should be a new leader for their caucus. Nancy Pelosi believes she has the support, but a lot of the members want to hear more from her about why she should be re-elected leader of her caucus, Brooke.

BALDWIN: OK. Manu, it's the first time I've been mistaken as Wolf Blitzer. I thought shaving the beard would give me away. Manu, got love for you. Thank you so much.

RAJU: Thanks, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Coming up next here, Hillary Clinton in her first post- election appearance since conceding said there have be times in the last week when all she wanted to do was curl up on her sofa with her dogs and never leave her house again. We'll play this emotional moment from her speech last night. It was pretty stunning.

Also ahead, Senator Bernie Sanders. He's not curling up. He's speaking out. he's working hard, saying he is ready to work with the president- elect. But is there a catch?

Stay with me.

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