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Actor in Broadway Play Address Mike Pence after Performance; Trump to Pick Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General; Mitt Romney Meets with Donald Trump; Increase in Hate Crime Since Presidential Election Reported. Aired 2-2:30p ET
Aired November 19, 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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[14:00:33] MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, everyone, thanks for joining me. I'm Martin Savidge in for Fredricka Whitfield.
Happening now, from throwing jabs to shaking hands after a bitter war of words on the campaign trail, president-elect Trump and former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney are meeting at Trump's Bedminster New Jersey golf club. One topic of discussion will likely be the secretary of state position in Trump's cabinet.
Meanwhile, GOP spokesman Sean Spicer is hinting we could hear a new cabinet appointment today.
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SEAN SPICER, CHIEF STRATEGIST AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, RNC: Yesterday obviously the focus was between the announcements and the landing teams arriving at the various agencies with national security. It is very possible that you will see an additional announcement today of an appointment in that same area. And in the president-elect's schedule, we may have an announcement this that area.
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SAVIDGE: We are told both Trump and Pence will be locked in "no stop meetings" this weekend as they continue to build the president-elect's cabinet. CNN's Phil Mattingly is following this story and joins me live from Bedminster, New Jersey. Phil, it seems that Trump really took the additional first step in trying to patch up their relationship.
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, no question about it. One holding the meeting at all, and what's interesting about it, Martin, I think is throughout the course of the last week and a half we've seen a lot of -- of messages come out about the importance of loyalty to Donald Trump. A lot of the people he's considered, his two appointments, two of the three appointments yesterday were extremely important from a loyalty perspective. Romney obviously doesn't fall into that category.
Yet Donald Trump willing to meet with Mitt Romney, Mitt Romney willing to come to New Jersey to meet with Donald Trump. And Donald Trump and Mike Pence willing to come out and actually greet Mitt Romney, as you're looking at it now, as he arrived here. They haven't done that at Trump Tower for any other potential job candidates or advisers, and they haven't done that for the two individuals that are supposed to be meeting with Donald Trump after Mitt Romney today that have arrived since. So a level of respect, a level of deference, if you will, for the 2012 nominee.
But again, the big question, as you laid out -- why is he here? Is he here to provide advice? Is he here to give counsel? Or is he here for a potential administration job? Trump transition advisers say they're absolutely considering him for a place in government. The big question now is, is there a right fit, as you noted, potentially for secretary of state? And, perhaps more importantly, is this a job or an administration that Mitt Romney would actually want to be a part of?
SAVIDGE: I can't tell if this is atmospherics and I'm reading too much into the video. It looks very, very intriguing. I guess we're going to have to wait and see and you will let us know. Phil Mattingly, thanks very much.
The meeting between president-elect Trump and Mitt Romney comes after a bitter war of words during the campaign. CNN's Tom Foreman takes a closer look at their sometimes contentious relationship.
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MITT ROMNEY, FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR: Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Every way, every day throughout the election, Mitt Romney showed contempt for Donald Trump, and the presidential candidate returned the favor.
DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT-ELECT: The last election should have been won except Romney choked like a dog. He choked. He went -- I can't breathe.
FOREMAN: At the convention to crown the new GOP nominee, the former pick was conspicuously absent, having repeatedly damned Trump's statements about Mexicans, Muslims, and women.
ROMNEY: Trickle down racism, trickle down bigotry, and trickle down misogyny, all these things are extraordinarily dangerous to the heart and character of America.
FOREMAN: The candidate always hit back, tweeting, "Mitt Romney had his chance to be the failed president. Now he calls me racist." And Romney always pressed on.
ROMNEY: This is not a matter of just policy. It's more a matter of character and integrity.
FOREMAN: However, policy is part of it, especially foreign policy.
BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The cold war has been over for 20 years.
FOREMAN: Critics ridiculed Romney in 2012 for his worries about Russia. But now even after Russia's land grab in Ukraine and accusations of Moscow hacking American computers --
ROMNEY: Donald Trump says he admires Vladimir Putin at the same time he's called George W. Bush a liar. That is a twisted example of evil trumping good.
FOREMAN: On immigration --
TRUMP: Build a wall!
FOREMAN: The candidate talked of building a wall. Romney talked of opening doors.
ROMNEY: Hey, guys, my -- my party is pro-legal immigration, massively.
[14:05:00] FOREMAN: And on remaking international trade deals, Romney said Trump's plans would lose jobs and spur a new recession.
ROMNEY: But you say, wait, wait. Isn't he a huge business success? Doesn't he doesn't he know what he's talking about? No, he isn't, and no, he doesn't.
FOREMAN: Trump clearly heard Romney's complaints and had it.
TRUMP: I backed him. You can see how loyal he is. He was begging for my endorsement. I could have said, Mitt, drop to your knees. He would have dropped to his knees.
FOREMAN: Apparently so had Romney.
ROMNEY: These things are personal. I love this country. And seeing this is breaking my heart.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: While Mike Pence meets today with Donald Trump on the White House transition, the vice president-elect did take off some time last night to catch the Broadway hit "Hamilton." There was a little bit of an additional act which involved him. When he entered the theater, listen to the response --
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(BOOS)
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SAVIDGE: Later during the curtain call one of the "Hamilton" stars made a plea to Pence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BRANDON VICTOR DIXON: Vice president-elect Pence, we welcome you and we truly thank you for joining us here at "Hamilton, an American Musical," we really do. We, sir, we are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights, sir. But we truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us, all of us.
(APPLAUSE)
DIXON: It's a wonderful American story told by a diverse group of men, women, of different colors, creeds, origins.
(APPLAUSE)
DIXON: This represents all of us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: The president-elect reacted by responding on social media, tweeting, "Our wonderful future V.P. Mike Pence was harassed last night at the theater by the cast of "Hamilton," cameras blazing. This should not happen." He went on, "The theater must always be a safe and special place. The cast of "Hamilton" was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize."
The "Hamilton" star who spoke last evening tweeted back, saying "Conversation is not harassment, sir, and I appreciate Mike Pence for stopping to listen."
Coming up, Senator Jeff Sessions, Donald Trump's selection for attorney general, he may be facing some challenges ahead in his confirmation hearing, and that's putting it mildly.
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[14:11:29] SAVIDGE: Donald Trump and Mike Pence had holding multiple meetings today with potential cabinet candidates, including Mitt Romney. Trump's already made some choices, including Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions for attorney general. And that choice has sparked controversy because Sessions has previously fought against civil rights legislation protecting minorities. He was also denied a judgeship in the 1980s following accusations of racism.
So this is a good point to bring in our legal guys, Avery Friedman, a civil rights attorney and law professor in a town I really like, Cleveland, Ohio.
AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Yes.
SAVIDGE: And Richard Herman, a New York criminal defense attorney and law professor who joins us from Las Vegas, which is always a very nice place.
FRIEDMAN: Love Vegas. SAVIDGE: Let me start with you. Sessions -- you believe or do you
believe he just is not qualified to be attorney general? Avery, did you hear me? I was asking when you thought --
FRIEDMAN: Oh, me. Let me tell you something, you had mentioned, Marty, about the Republican-controlled Senate rejecting Jeff Sessions from position as a United States district judge. That was 30 years ago. And let me tell you something, it continues. He has opposed every major civil rights amendment. We talked about the rule of law, we have seen a consistent pattern, Marty, in opposing civil rights. I have to tell you, not only is he the wrong man at the wrong time in 2016, he'd be the wrong nominee in 1916. And let me tell you something, between the Democrats in the Senate and a handful of civil -- Republicans who care about civil rights, I think the confirmation is in serious jeopardy.
SAVIDGE: Would you agree with that, Richard? What do you think? It is very close, as far as Republicans and Democrats who are going to be voting on this.
RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Marty, the reality is president-elect Trump is tickling us with all his appointments. My dear friend Avery I think is suffering hangover from his Cleveland team losing the World Series. Sessions is 100 percent going to be approved as your attorney general. People have spoken --
FRIEDMAN: It's 100 percent?
HERMAN: They have vote for Trump. And this is what they're going to get. You reap what you sow, baby. And this guy is going to get approved. All they need is a simple majority in the Senate. It's an old boys club in the Senate there. When a senator runs for cabinet position, they all get behind that person. All they need is one more vote of Republican senators. He's approved. There's nothing that's going to stop him.
These accusations were 30 years ago. They really have no relevance today. What is relevant is how he's conducted himself as a senator the past 20 years. And that will be willing to certain things he's going to do in his administration as attorney general.
SAVIDGE: All right, well, that really hurt on the Cleveland dig, on the Indians.
(LAUGHTER)
SAVIDGE: Anyway, Sessions, Avery, was turned down, as you pointed out, after being nominated for a federal judgeship after an attorney said he made racist remarks to him. So you think they're going to bring up statements from that long ago and say this is why he should not have the job today? Is that really fair? A person could change --
FRIEDMAN: It is fair, but let me tell you something. There's enough anti-civil rigs mentality and behavior by Mr. Sessions not just in the 1980s but the '90s, the 2000s, and even up to the present time. Quick example -- there was a nominee for the Supreme Court who was the solicitor general, and by the way, the former Dean of the Harvard law school. And you know what, he didn't think Elena Kagan, who was the nominee, was good quite enough.
[14:15:10] However, he certainly confirms, the senator, men who are substantially less credentialed. That's a pretty good example of this nominee here.
SAVIDGE: Richard, I know you say it's a done deal. Would you be comfortable with Sessions as attorney general?
HERMAN: You know, Marty, this is what it is. I mean, if you were not comfortable with appointments like this, you should have vote. Half the American people decided not to vote.
SAVIDGE: That's not quite my question. My question was would you be comfortable with it?
FRIEDMAN: There you go.
HERMAN: Lots of people did not vote. President-elect Trump won on a platform.
FRIEDMAN: You're not answering it.
HERMAN: -- deporting people, that's what Sessions is going to do. He is anti-immigration. He is -- he is for the wall. He wants to prosecute Hillary. He's spewing everything that Trump said when he ran. And look, he was the first senator to support Trump. This is payback for his loyalty. And there's nothing anybody can do about it really. He is going to get appointed and approved by the Senate.
SAVIDGE: And while I have you both, before I run out of time, Richard, you can start. Should he prosecute Hillary if he were attorney general?
HERMAN: I think President Obama should grant her a full pardon and end any chance of Hillary being prosecuted for her service to this country.
SAVIDGE: Avery, what do you think?
FRIEDMAN: No prosecution, never happen.
SAVIDGE: Yes. The former secretary of state, of course, I'm talking about Hillary Clinton and candidate. Avery Friedman, Richard Herman, wonderful to see you. Thank you.
FRIEDMAN: Wonderful to see you too.
SAVIDGE: And a reminder, Trump's White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, will speak with Jake Tapper. That will be tomorrow right here on CNN. You don't want to miss the interview. It's live, 9:00 a.m. eastern and pacific. In the meantime, I'm coming back after this.
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ZACH ANNER, COMEDIAN: Dealing with cerebral palsy growing up, having a sense of humor about it was really the key.
Hi, I'm Zach Anner, and I'm a used underwear model.
I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy like a year after I was born. When I was a baby, I didn't get eye surgery, and you could see how well that worked out.
So back in 2010, my mom, she said, Oprah is launching this new network, and she's going to give away a TV show and you should totally audition for it. My audition video got me on the reality show. And then I won the reality show, and from that I won a travel show. And then it was canceled, and now I'm a You Tuber.
I think Oprah was definitely a huge turning point in my life because that was the first time I recognized I could do it as a career. Workout Wednesday is a comedy fitness series.
All of my friends are pitching to help make these things. My life is a collaborative effort.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's good.
ANNER: I hope to make people laugh and maybe make them think a little bit. If they're inspired by what I do, then that's great.
I got it. I'm fine. Whoa! Whoa!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: That's wonderful.
As president-elect Trump continues to build his administration, there are still many Americans who are very, very concerned and upset. Dozens of protesters scheduled across the country today. Right now a rally is underway in Austin, Texas. It's been peaceful so far, but you can tell by the police presence in case it turns in another direction. They want to be ready. Those are officers on horseback.
Across the nation there's also been reports of an increase of reported hate crimes since the election. CNN's Polo Sandoval has more on that.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I felt fear. I did feel fear inside.
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Solanika (ph) Nicki (ph) Poncho (ph) Lee (ph) has experienced heightened prejudices after recent elections. Poncho Lee (ph) She was hiking when someone thinking her head scarf was a hijab smashed the windows of her car, stole her purse, and left a nasty note on the windshield.
LORETTA LYNCH, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: I know that mean Americans are concerned by a spate of recent news reports about alleged hate crimes and harassment. Some of these incidents have happened in schools. Others have targeted houses of worship. And some have singled out individuals for attacks and intimidation.
SANDOVAL: Like attacks against a transgender woman in Denver.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The first thought is shock. You just the -- you can't believe it.
SANDOVAL: Amber Timmons was on her way to work when she noticed a Swastika symbol and the words "Trump" and "Die" spray painted on her car. At Baylor University, a student pushed student Natasha Nkhama, using racially offensive language and telling her to get off the sidewalk. When other students defended Nkhama, the guy replied, "I'm just trying to make America great again." Nkhama says --
NATASHA NKHAMA, BAYLOR UNIVERSITY STUDENT: Racism is not something that Donald Trump caused, but I feel like people feel like they have an open door to be that way now.
SANDOVAL: Days later, hundreds of students walked Nkhama to her class to support her and against racism.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Violence is never the answer no matter what side it's one.
SANDOVAL: Trump supporter Cory (ph) Cataldo (ph) wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat says he was assaulted riding the New York City subway.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Next thing I know I have hands around my neck. I'm being choked. And another gentleman comes over. He shoves me up against the wall.
SANDOVAL: The Southern Poverty Law Center has counted more than 700 cases of hateful harassment and intimidation since Election Day. When president-elect Trump was asked about the harassment on CBS's "60 Minutes," Trump had one request.
[14:25:00] TRUMP: I am so saddened to hear that. And I say stop it. If it -- if it helps, I will say this -- and I'll say it right to the cameras. Stop it.
SANDOVAL: Polo Sandoval, CNN, Atlanta.
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SAVIDGE: Moments ago Mitt Romney just left his meeting with Donald Trump. And he made a brief statement. Let's listen to it. Here it is. We'll switch quickly. You see that this meeting was highly anticipated because there's the question of when is just political fence mending or whether there is going to be some kind of position on offer. And again, there is a statement that I believe Mitt Romney makes. Let's listen for it here.
MITT ROMNEY, FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR: A far-reaching conversation with regards to the various theaters in the world where there are interests of the United States of real significance. We discuss those areas and exchanged our views on those topics, a very thorough and in-depth discussion in the time we had. And I appreciate the chance to speak with the president-elect and look forward to the coming administration.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: We didn't get a real answer. But they talked about issues of international relations, so maybe a tip. We'll take a break, be back in a minute.
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