Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Donald Trump will Meet with Mitt Romney; Trump's Meeting with Japan's Prime Minister; Ohio Congressman Challenging for House Minority Leader. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired November 18, 2016 - 09:30   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:33:16] CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thanks so much for joining me.

This weekend, Donald Trump is putting aside an old rivalry, meeting at one of his golf courses with outspoken critic Mitt Romney. Sources tell CNN that the two men could discuss Romney joining Trump's cabinet. But for the pair to move forward, they're going to have to get past a lot of bad blood, like this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump is a phony. A fraud.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT-ELECT: Mitt was disaster as a candidate.

ROMNEY: He's playing the members of the American public for suckers.

TRUMP: Romney let us all down. He was a very poor campaigner.

ROMNEY: He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat.

TRUMP: Romney choked like a dog. He choked. He wept -

ROMNEY: His promises are as worthless as a agree from Trump University.

TRUMP: Have a lot of friends. No, I have a lot of friends. By the way, Mitt Romney is not one of them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: So let's talk about this. I'm joined by CNN political commentator and former Mitt Romney policy adviser Lanhee Chen and David Eagles. David also worked with Mitt Romney during his 2012 campaign. He is now director of the Center for Presidential Transition.

Welcome to both of you.

DAVID EAGLES, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION: Thank you.

COSTELLO: So, Lanhee, is it possible that Mitt Romney would agree to take some sort of position in - in a Trump administration?

LANHEE CHEN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, look, I think it's difficult to say right now. There's a lot of speculation out there. What I will say is, clearly after the election was over, you saw Governor Romney, with a very supportive tweet of the president-elect, and then calling him to congratulate him. I think Mitt Romney is focused on the future of the country. And he's always been a patriot. And I think that whatever we see in this meeting this weekend, we see Mitt Romney and Donald Trump getting together in an effort to move the country and the party forward.

[09:35:01] COSTELLO: But - but, David, it's difficult to believe Romney would accept a position because his views on foreign policy differ so much from Mr. Trump's, especially on Russia, right? Because Mitt Romney is - is really concerned about Russian aggression. Donald Trump and Mike Flynn, by the way, are all about working with Russia.

EAGLES: So take a step back here and just think about the enormity of this task that President-elect Trump has to do though, right? This is - he has to do 4,000 political appointments, 1,100 of them will run through the Senate. You've got to cast a wide net here, right, and campaigning is completely different than governing this country. The Trump team's been focused on this for months. They've been slating options for these type of positions. And so now you're seeing that net being cast very wide and it's the right thing to do to govern this country. You've got to look at diverse opinions. So all signs to me point to actually I'm glad he's doing this.

COSTELLO: But, well, Lanhee, David Axelrod, who, of course, very close to President Obama, he was his former top aide, he's been tweeting all morning about the picks that Donald Trump has made. And he says they add a volcanic mix to the national security stew. Is that fair?

CHEN: Well, I think we have to wait and see a little bit. I mean, obviously, you - you know, people have pasts, they have things that they've said, that those things don't go away. But the president-elect is entitled to put together his own team, particularly in the case of the national security adviser, which is not a Senate confirmed position.

I think going forward, obviously, we're going to be watching these picks very carefully because that's the best way we can divine what a Trump administration is going to be like. So we'll have to wait and see. But I think most people at this point, even those who are critical of Trump, are willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

COSTELLO: OK. So, David, Donald Trump met with the Japanese prime minister yesterday, right?

EAGLES: Right.

COSTELLO: In that meeting - at least there's a picture. In a picture of that meeting, Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner are - are also there. I don't know what role they played in the meeting at all, but they are pictured with the Japanese prime minister. Is that normal?

EAGLES: You know, this is a little bit unprecedented. But I'll say, this is a bit of a gray area as well. The transition teams themselves are nonprofit entities, right, so they're not federal government employees at this point and so there's a lot of optics here. But once the President-elect Trump assumes the office, that's when anti- nepotism laws kick in and there's a lot more rules and regulations with how this should take place.

Again, I go back though. I mean this effort's been going on for several months. This is an enormous task. I'll be focusing on the next few weeks with the equantity (ph) and quantity of these folks coming through. My goal here, and I hope the goal of the Trump team as well, is we'll see greater numbers of folks and greater quality of folks coming through. They can get their top 100 confirmed in place and prepared by the first day. We'll be watching that closely.

COSTELLO: But - but, Lanhee, the other odd thing about that meeting with the Japanese prime minister is Donald Trump's people, I don't know if it was Donald Trump himself, but they wouldn't allow the national media in for a photo-op. Why do you suppose that was?

CHEN: Well, you know, perhaps it was just because they wanted to keep the meeting as private as possible. As much as you can keep a meeting between the leader of Japan and the president-elect of the U.S. a secret.

COSTELLO: Well, they took their own pictures and made them public.

CHEN: Right.

COSTELLO: No, no, they made their -

CHEN: Yes.

COSTELLO: So that's not it.

CHEN: Yes. Well you know, again, I can't profess to know what is - what is the thinking behind that. But, obviously, the reason they're doing all of these meetings is to demonstrate that this is someone who's preparing to govern, preparing to assume the role of president- elect, and then eventually president. So - but I have no idea why - why that would have happened that way.

COSTELLO: Well, David, perhaps was it to control the message, because there was some criticism before the meeting took place. In fact, several diplomats told CNN that when they called Trump Tower to talk with the president-elect, they were not asked to confirm their identities, and that concerned them for security reasons.

EAGLES: You know this is - and I remember this actually four years ago on the Romney team, right? There's the protocol with calling of leaders around the country, right? There is some and often you find out about this very late. Again, I think what you're seeing here, this is the first time in

history - you've got to realize, this transition is completely different than even eight years ago. There are several new pieces of legislation. It's started much earlier. And so what that means is you have a formal campaign apparatus merging with a formal pre-election transition apparatus. You're seeing some settlement up top as the campaign folks inherit the leadership positions. These things are quite normal. And so finding that protocol on the first day is very difficult, but I'm encouraged here in the last 24 to 48 hours that we're seeing the pace pick up. We're seeing these names being put forth. And actually, historically, we're actually ahead of the curve in terms of announcing a lot of these things. So I think we're in a good place and I just hope the next few weeks look like the last 24 hours.

COSTELLO: We'll see. Lanhee Chen, David Eagles, thanks to both of you.

[09:39:32] Still to come in the NEWSROOM, while the GOP settles in, House Democrats face turmoil. Meet the man looking to unseat Nancy Pelosi.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Nancy Pelosi has some competition. Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan is challenging Pelosi for House minority leader. The congressman is confident he is the one to lead a Democratic comeback after that stunning defeat on November 8th.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. TIM RYAN (D), OHIO: We just elected Donald Trump president of the United States. We're doing something terribly wrong. And I think we need to move in other direction. And I'm offering myself up to our caucus to say, hey, let's try to do something different.

I don't want to hang this around Nancy Pelosi's neck. I love her. She's great. She's a mentor. She was amazing as speaker when she was in. But we've got to ask ourselves, who can get us back into the majority.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: CNN's Manu Raju on Capitol Hill with more on this.

Good morning.

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: Good morning, Carol.

This is a stage where the leadership contest goes behind closed doors, where the members start to get flooded with phone calls asking them to commit to one candidate or another. Now Pelosi said yesterday confidently that she has enough support to remain Democratic leader. Two-thirds support of her caucus, she said. But Tim Ryan told me that he does not believe to be the case.

And the one reason why, Carol, is because this voting is done by secret ballot. Meaning, voters can vote their conscience and the Democratic members will not have any fear of repercussion. And also there's considerable angst about whether Pelosi has the right plan to get back into the majority. One of her allies, G.K. Butterfield, saying that Nancy Pelosi has to specifically lay out her plans.

[09:45:22] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. G.K. BUTTERFIELD (D), NORTH CAROLINA: Well, we've lost 60 seats over the last few years and we've got to get creative and strategic in reversing that trend. We cannot continue to lose seats here in the House. We've got to have a plan to regain control of the House of Representatives at least by 2020. And she's got to help us construct a model to make that happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: Now, Pelosi allies are starting to close ranks, including Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, saying on "New Day" this morning that she is backing Pelosi.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (D), FORMER CHAIRWOMAN, DNC: But the reality that we're facing here is that we are going to be dealing with a - a legislative train wreck coming at us at warp speed. And there is nobody in my mind that is more battle tested and prepared or, frankly, savvy enough to be able to go toe to toe with Paul Ryan, the Republican leadership, and this really troubling and disturbing administration than Nancy Pelosi.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: Now, Carol, the vote will be on November 30th. It was pushed back at the request of House Democrats to give them more time to assess their way forward. Pelosi said that House Democrats can't be blamed for the bad showing in last week's elections and says - she said that she has proven that she can get the party back to the majority as she did in 2006 when George w. Bush was president. But the question, Carol, is, if her colleagues believe her.

COSTELLO: All right, Manu Raju reporting live from Washington. Thank you.

President Obama sending a not so subtle message to Donald Trump and his supporters. Obama is on his final overseas trip as president. And during comments in an appearance with the German chancellor in Berlin, he warned about what can happen when peaceful cooperation is challenged.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If that voice is absent or if that voice is divided, we will be living in a meaner, harsher, more troubled world. And we have to remember that.

(END VIDEO CLIP) COSTELLO: It is a message that President Obama is sending on multiple fronts. Overnight, a new video was posted on the White House FaceBook page. It's of Mr. Obama meeting with a 16-year-old - or a six-year-old boy, rather, name Alex. A few months ago, Alex wrote a letter to the White House asking if his family could adopt a young Syrian refugee. That little boy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dear President Obama. Remember the boy who was picked up by the ambulance in Syria. Can you please go get him and bring him to our home?

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's so nice to meet you. How have you been?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good.

OBAMA: You look very nice in your it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

OBAMA: Is that a new suit?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Uh-huh.

OBAMA: I thought so.

You being so - so nice and kind, hopefully makes other people think the same way. So I was very proud of you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

OBAMA: You're welcome.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The original video was shared on the White House FaceBook page, where it's been viewed nearly 30 million times.

I'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:52:48] COSTELLO: The college football playoff picture gets a little clearer this morning, or messy if you're a Louisville fan. Coy Wire has more in this morning's "Bleacher Report." He's live in Knoxville, home of the Volunteers.

Hi, Coy.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

University of Tennessee, S.E.C. clash tomorrow with Missouri. They really know how to have fun, how to tailgate here. We will get to that in a bit. But we've got to get you caught up on that big shocker in college

football action last night. We had Louisville, number five, going down to Houston. Quarterback Lamar Jackson, a rough night. May not be a front-runner after this one for that Heisman. Everything going Houston's way. Look at that, catching a touchdown pass off a tip.

But how about Houston's defense? (INAUDIBLE) making Louisville's offensive line look like a revolving door, 11 sacks on that day. Cougars win this one, a big one, big shocker, 36-10 over Louisville.

Next, Thursday night football action. Did you see the Panthers in that must-win situation against the Saints? And how about Cam Newton? He may have lost his mind, wearing pre-game cleats with a mullet on them, or a fox tail or something. But maybe it gave him good luck because Cam had a gorgeous throw at the end of the first half to Ted Ginn Jr. His first touchdown reception of the season. The Panthers, though, on this one, guys, did have some bad news. Linebacker Luke Kuechly carted off the field. He would end up crying in the fourth quarter because he was devastated by this. Remember, he missed a lot of time already with a concussion. That's the diagnosis here as well. Panthers hang on for a 23-20 win.

All right, before hitting the set for "Inside the NBA" on TNT last night, Shaq was busy playing Shaq-a-claus. Shaq going on a shopping spree in Atlanta, buying toys for Marines' Toys for Tots program.

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL, SHAQ-A-CLAUS: 15.5 million kids will wake up without one single toy. So we urge people to just come and donate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: All right, Carol, the University of Tennessee, we have a special cheer here for you. Can I get a c?

CROWD: C.

WIRE: Can I get an a?

CROWD: A.

WIRE: Can I get an r?

CROWD: R.

WIRE: Get an O?

CROWD: O.

WIRE: L?

CROWD: L.

[09:55:01] WIRE: What's that spell?

CROWD: Carol!

WIRE: And it's a great day. It's great to be a Tennessee Volunteer!

CROWD: It's great to be a Tennessee Volunteer.

COSTELLO: Oh, I love this.

CROWD: It's great to be a Tennessee Volunteer.

COSTELLO: Oh, Coy, you just made my day. Thanks to all those wonderful people you're with. Thank you, Coy Wire.

The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: And good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.

[09:59:55] The Donald Trump White House taking shape this morning at breakneck speed. Just within the last couple hours, we've learned of several key leadership posts being accepted. Sources now tell us that Trump has chosen Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions to be U.S. attorney general. Critics are sure to bring up claims that Sessions made racially charged comments decades ago.