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No Charges in North Carolina Police Shooting; Interview With Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan; Trump Cabinet Picks. Aired 3-3:30p ET

Aired November 30, 2016 - 15:00   ET

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


[15:00:02]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PREET BHARARA, U.S. ATTORNEY, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK: We had a good meeting. I said I would absolutely consider staying on. I agreed to stay on. I have already spoken to Senator Sessions, who, as you know, was nominated to be the attorney general.

He also asked if I would stay on. And so I expect that I will be continuing to work with the Southern District of New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: So, as we are tracking all these phases and all the minutiae and the transition, this is all important, right, because this is building upon his Cabinet.

Let's go to Sunlen Serfaty with me on these different members potentially on his economic policy team. And we alluded to this moment ago, saying they're not hurting for cash. They're all quite successful and quite affluent in their own way.

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They sure are. Millionaires and billionaires.

BALDWIN: Millionaires and billionaires.

SERFATY: They are not pining away for this paycheck. And certainly it's notable here that Trump is pulling from the Wall Street, one that he of course railed so much against as he was a candidate on the campaign trail.

You have Steve Mnuchin for treasury secretary, Trump's pick there. He was a partner at Goldman Sachs for 17 years. He joined up with Trump's team as a national finance chair, also choosing Wilbur Ross for commerce secretary, a billionaire investor here, someone who over the course of his career was known for buying up companies that were failing and trying to resurrect them.

Also, Trump naming Todd Ricketts for deputy commerce secretary. Notable here, he's a member of a billionaire family, another B there, that owns the Chicago Cubs. Now, Ross and Mnuchin would both need Senate confirmation here and already on Capitol Hill some major grumblings among Democrats on what these picks mean, how it squares with Donald Trump's promise during the campaign, Brooke, to drain the swamp.

So, that would be interesting to watch going forward.

BALDWIN: I talked to so many different people about some of these names and they don't seem very drain the swampy. I don't know if -- I will just say that, drain the swampy.

As far as picks for secretary of state, there were so, so many potentials and now it's down to four?

SERFATY: Four is what transition officials are saying today. That's their public line. And we certainly saw this very high-profile dinner date here in New York City last night between Trump and Romney, the two dining. And afterwards we saw Romney really lavishing praise on Donald Trump, something we would not see him do just a short time ago. Very clear he's trying to smooth things over as he angles for this job.

BALDWIN: Wonder what changed?

SERFATY: Wonder what changed? The job is on the table.

But of course you still do have this very public divide behind the scenes within his team on who he's going to pick. We have Rudy Giuliani, of course, a Trump loyalist. So it's this tug-of-war right now that is still playing out in a very public way.

BALDWIN: Yes. A wait and see game. Sunlen, thank you so much for keeping all of that straight, all these faces and potential picks.

Also now another development here within Trump world. The president- elect making a big promise that indicates exactly how much appearances matter to him and potential appearances of conflict of interest. He just announced via Twitter that he will sever ties with his businesses.

This is one tweet from him -- quote -- "I feel it is visually important as president to in no way have a conflict of interest with my various businesses."

So, let's begin there.

With me now, CNN chief political analyst Gloria Borger, CNN political commentator Alice Stewart, who used to serve as communications director for Senator Ted Cruz, and A.B. Stoddard, associate editor and columnist for RealClearPolitics.

Gloria, first to you. It was the succession of tweets from Trump. Can we translate that? Do we know exactly -- when he has this big news conference where hopefully he will take questions on December 15, what this will mean for his businesses?

GLORIA BORGER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: We don't know exactly what he's doing to do.

The tweet was a little vague. It's clear that he understands that there are these conflict of interest issues that inevitably arise when you're the chief executive officer of the United States of America. And I think that he's gotten lots of advice on this.

"The Wall Street Journal" says you have to sell everything. You have just got to sell it and be done with it. That's the only way to have no conflict of interest. Some other people have suggested that if you do put your businesses into some kind of a trust, you have an independent arbiter who acts as the go-between and kind of the ethics officer between the people running your campaign, which would be his children, and the president himself.

I think, however, he understands that it's difficult when you run a real estate company with your name emblazoned on every single building how you remove that conflict.

(CROSSTALK)

BORGER: Do people not stay at your hotel in D.C., and wander into the Oval and say hey, I had a great night the Trump Post Office Hotel the other night? Or do your business associates still want to take pictures with you even though they're from foreign nations? It's tricky to navigate this.

[15:05:01]

And we're all curious about what he's going to do.

BALDWIN: We're curious.

And also, A.B., I'm curious because this was all dropped again over Twitter and this is how he's choosing to make news. His good friend Newt Gingrich has recently said something to the effect of, if I were Trump in the White House, I would just essentially bypass the White House press corps altogether.

It's great he's holding a news conference mid-December and hopefully he will take questions. But do you think this is the new world order with Trump and the media?

A.B. STODDARD, REALCLEARPOLITICS: Well, I think it's interesting that the former speaker recommended he bypass the media, but at the same time said he didn't think it was appropriate for the president to tweet, that someone should be reviewing them or editing them.

I think it's so far kind of a mixed bag. I think the Trump team has made it clear that the media is the enemy. He no longer has a foil in President Obama or Hillary Clinton. It's all "The New York Times"' fault.

But give Trump credit for going there last week and doing it on the record, which was really eye-popping, with "The New York Times." Maybe at this press conference, he actually will make it a real press conference with a give and take and not just an announcement about his separation between business and his job and he actually really goes at it with the press and answers tons of questions on everything from domestic policy to national security policy to this so-called Chinese wall he needs to build with his kids and the business.

I'm going to give him a chance, but I do think so far the lack of press conference, the way he uses Twitter, as you have mentioned in your show already today, one minute, it's real news, the next minute, it's lies, is really bewildering and it makes it hard for us to sort of let the public know what's real and what's valuable.

BALDWIN: Yes. Yes. I said it last hour that it can be dangerous if part of it is truth and part is just totally baseless.

Alice, I want to move off of this and move on to not as much the Governor Romney, Reince Priebus, Donald Trump dinner, but more on Romney's note. His inner circle, we know, and you know Mike Huckabee well, Mike Huckabee wanted this essentially full-throated apology from Governor Romney because of what he had said about Trump in the past, and to see Romney, and he spoke to the media praising Trump, he came as close as an apology as he could.

What changed, is my question?

ALICE STEWART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I clearly think their relationship has evolved, if you want to say. They didn't know each other very well. And after having a couple meetings, they have gotten to understand each other, where they're coming from and what they plan to do in the future.

We're never going to get an apology out of Mitt Romney, I don't believe, but him acknowledging Donald Trump won I think was difficult for him because he fought so vehemently against it. Look, I think Romney would do a good job as secretary of state. I think he would have the relationships needed and the experience to build on these relationships and he would also bring in some of the Republican establishment to the fold.

But also at the same time people like Governor Huckabee and Speaker Gingrich and even Kellyanne, there are concerns by the Trump loyalists that he was so aggressive against Donald Trump that he might not be loyal. But clearly with these meetings, they have put bygones are bygones, and Trump is a little more accepting of it.

I think it will be clear that he is -- as they indicated today, he is one of the top two considered for secretary of state. So I think these meetings have been good and it's important to bring all sides of the Republican Party together. But it will certainly not be an easy decision for Donald Trump with regard to the selection.

BALDWIN: Gloria, I want to get your voice on all this, too, because clearly a Governor Romney pick, to Alice's point, would add to the tent, but when you look at these final choices, you have Romney, General Petraeus, Senator Corker and former Mayor Giuliani.

When you especially look at General Petraeus and Mitt Romney, for all that Governor Romney could bring, he really lacks experience when you line him up with General Petraeus.

BORGER: Right. He does. The problem that General Petraeus has is the question of confirmation and the problem that Donald Trump would have with Petraeus is the issue of classified information and trading on that, which he accused Hillary Clinton of doing throughout the campaign. And General Petraeus was involved in that controversy with his former girlfriend.

So I think that would be a big problem. I think the issue that's really being discussed kind of -- I have to be honest with you. My Romney sources have gone totally dark on me since that meeting last night.

BALDWIN: Really? Why do you think that is?

BORGER: Well, I think some of them might have been upset that crow was served at dinner. And I think the other ones were a little bit -- the other ones are just a little nervous that they don't want to get in the way of this pas de deux that is going on.

They just want to kind of stay away from it. I think inside the transition, there is support for Mitt Romney. I think the questions that are being raised about Romney are the ones that were raised about Hillary Clinton when she went in to become secretary of state and you formed the team of rivals.

[15:10:08]

The Clinton people did not want another power center over at the State Department going rogue, operating independently. And we know that Mitt Romney and Donald Trump have disagreed on foreign policy, most notably Russia.

So I think there is concern about that. And what Romney was trying to do last night, artfully or inartfully, was to show that he can be loyal, that he can be trusted. And I think that's what Donald Trump is trying to figure out right now, if I make you secretary of state, I don't want to hear that you have got a separate organization going its own way over there at Foggy Bottom.

And what happened with Hillary Clinton was, she was such a team player, that never, ever became an issue.

BALDWIN: Nor was it tweeted about over and over and over.

Last question to you, A.B., on this -- we know Mr. Trump is going to Indianapolis. We know it's great for those thousand families with the Carrier company keeping those jobs here, but he's also doing a thank you tour. I think he's starting in Cincinnati. What's that about?

STODDARD: Well, there was a piece immediately following the election about how Donald Trump needs the adulation of the crowds and the energy of his supporters and wants to go back to holding rallies throughout his presidency.

They're calling it a thank you tour instead of a victory tour. Apparently, the campaign is paying for it. We will see what he does once he is president. But I think this is the kind of thing that really galvanizes and sort of animates him. And he wants to I think take a bit of a victory lap as well, which is his right. And, of course, we're going to hear a lot about that Carrier deal.

So I think it's not a big surprise. The question will be how much the taxpayer is paying for, kind of a permanent campaign that Republicans so heavily criticized President Obama for when he was president.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Go ahead, just quickly. Go ahead, Alice.

STEWART: One quick thing, the point about him loving the adoration of the crowd and wanting that.

It could be that, but it could also be that the campaign really just wants to say thank you to those who supported him, so give him a little credit for actually taking time to show--

(CROSSTALK)

STODDARD: Well, it was own aides who said he like the adulation of the crowd.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Well, he does like a good crowd size. We heard that.

BORGER: Who doesn't?

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: He's grateful. He wants to say thank you.

Ladies, Gloria, Alice, and, A.B., I truly appreciate every single one of you. Thank you so much.

Coming up next here: the district attorney in Charlotte, North Carolina, announcing today he will not charge that police officer who killed this man, Keith Lamont Scott. Hear how the family's attorney reacted to that news and why businesses in Charlotte are being urged to take precaution in the case of potential protests in the wake of it today.

Also ahead, President Obama sitting down with "Rolling Stone." Look at the cover, the cover of the "Rolling Stone," after the election, yes, the day after. His extraordinarily candid thoughts on why Donald Trump won the White House.

And this is the congressman who lost his challenge today to Nancy Pelosi running against her as House minority leader. Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio joins me in near minutes to talk about the vote and the path forward for Democrats.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:17:20] BALDWIN: Welcome back. You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

Thank you for being with me.

There have been calls for calm and peace today in Charlotte, North Carolina, after the district attorney announced he will not charge that police officer who killed Keith Lamont Scott. Scott was a 43- year-old father of seven who was shot multiple times after he climbed out of his SUV. This is outside of his apartment building.

His death set up days of angry protests after his widow released this graphic video of his killing. We will play you a portion of it, but it is just really tough to watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAKEYIA SCOTT, WIFE OF KEITH LAMONT SCOTT: Drop the gun.

SCOTT: Keith, don't do it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Drop the gun!

SCOTT: Keith, get out the car. Keith! Keith! Don't you do it! Don't you do it! Keith!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Drop the gun.

SCOTT: Keith! Keith! Keith! Don't you do it!

(GUNSHOTS)

SCOTT: Did you shoot him? Did you shoot him? Did you shoot him? He better not be (EXPLETIVE DELETED) dead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: According to this DA here, it was this officer, this man, officer Brentley Vinson, who followed procedure and grabbed his gun and shot and killed Scott. He said Scott was armed, he had a gun and refused multiple orders to drop it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW MURRAY, DISTRICT ATTORNEY: After a thorough review and given the totality of the circumstances and credible evidence in this case, it is my opinion that officer Vinson acted lawfully when he shot Mr. Scott. He acted lawfully.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Brian Todd is there in Charlotte for us.

Brian, so the headline, no charges for this police officer, but what about Scott's family? Have we gotten reaction?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We have, Brooke. The district attorney said he met with Keith Lamont Scott's family shortly before this news conference today and said they were very gracious toward him. The family is, of course, disappointed in this finding. But they are calling for calm and they say they are moving forward with their own pursuit of justice in this case.

Here is what one of the attorneys for the Scott family, Justin Bamberg, had to say a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUSTIN BAMBERG, ATTORNEY FOR SCOTT FAMILY: I think it was safe to say that, yes, he did have a gun on his person during the course of this.

It's a matter of where the firearm was. And at the end of the day, whether he had a firearm in his hand or not, that's not the key question in terms of determining whether or not Keith Scott should have lost his life. It's whether or not that officer should have pulled the trigger and extinguished his life based on everything as a whole that occurred during those moments.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[15:20:08]

TODD: Now, I asked the district attorney, Andrew Murray, if their evidence ever showed that Keith Lamont Scott actually raised his hand, raised his gun toward officer Brentley Vinson.

And the DA said, as far as all the evidence they have is concerned that they have seen, he did not raise his hand. But the DA stressed multiple times, Brooke, that the officer felt he was in imminent danger of being shot because Keith Scott refused at least 10 commands to drop his gun, that he did not run away, he did not drop his gun, and that he assessed the officer -- the DA -- this is an important detail.

The DA said that when he came out of his vehicle carrying his gun, that Scott looked at officer Vinson, then he looked at the other officers, and then looked back at officer Vinson, meaning, according to the DA, that he was assessing the officers and that's what led officer Vinson to believe he was in imminent danger of being shot -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: All right, Brian, thank you.

We know the DA and the family have been calling for calm, but there is a rally in Charlotte later this evening. Thank you.

Next, what President Barack Obama was thinking one day after Hillary Clinton lost the presidential election. We will discuss this fascinating wide-ranging interview with "Rolling Stone" that blames FOX News in part for the outcome.

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[15:25:45]

BALDWIN: It was November 9. This is the day after the decisive election made Donald Trump President Obama's successor, the day President Obama would sit with "Rolling Stone" publisher Jann Wenner for their fourth interview, an exit interview of sorts that would become the president's first public reaction to Trump's historic win.

The piece is entitled "The Day After: Obama on His Legacy, Trump's Win and the Path Forward." You see the cover right here.

In part, Wenner writes: "The last time I interviewed the president in 2012, it was a lazy afternoon. I had gone over our time limit by a half-hour. And on leaving the Oval Office, I ran into Hillary Clinton, the secretary of state, sitting by the desk with the president's assistant waiting to come in. This time, it was her ghost."

Here with me, "Rolling Stone" contributing editor Anthony DeCurtis. And with us, CNN political commentator Bill Press, a Democrat.

Welcome to both of you.

And, wow, incredible interview. Just totally fascinating interview. Kudos to Jann for doing this. And the way he describes -- I just want to begin with tone, because it almost feels like -- the description is like it's a funeral, a funeral and ambience in the White House.

ANTHONY DECURTIS, "ROLLING STONE": Yes.

Well, it's a very interesting situation. Jann called him that morning, called President Obama that morning, and just said, look, obviously, we're in a situation we didn't anticipate. And do you need to cancel this and we will do it another time? That's perfectly fine.

And Obama said, no, I want to do it.

BALDWIN: Wow.

DECURTIS: And so it has that feel of right after a cataclysm, really, and it's fascinating.

I think Jann has been doing interviews for a long time and you see a lot of his strengths as an interviewer there.

BALDWIN: He's very comfortable with the president.

DECURTIS: Yes, completely.

BALDWIN: He trusts him.

DECURTIS: And also he has certain kinds of -- I think the "Rolling Stone" interview, whether it's Mick Jagger or President Obama, always has a kind of feeling, I think, for readers of as if a representative of the readership is there.

And Jann had that feel. As informed as he is about politics, you definitely had his sense of, OK, but what happens now? What are we going to do now? That sense that I think a lot of Hillary supporters had the day after the election. You could feel that in his questions very ardently.

BALDWIN: Let me just read another piece of this.

The president spoke of why Trump's win shouldn't come as a surprise" -- this is what he told Jann -- citing his own massive rallies in '08.

He said -- the president said this to "Rolling Stone": "That's the thing about voting. It doesn't mean polls are irrelevant, but there's always a human variable involved in this. So I think the odds of Donald Trump winning were always around 20 percent. Doesn't seem like a lot, but one out of five is not that unusual. It's not a miracle."

And, Bill, he chalked up Trump's appeal to voters. He had talked about -- you know he said FOX News is in every bar, in every restaurant in major chunks of the country. Whether that's entirely true or not, would you agree with sort of what the president was saying and what was so missed?

BILL PRESS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, first of all, kudos to "Rolling Stone" and Jann Wenner again for keeping our journalistic standards high, Brooke.

BALDWIN: No kidding.

PRESS: They make us all proud, of course.

BALDWIN: Yes.

PRESS: I thought I was reading a Shakespearian tragedy reading this article. It's a fascinating interview.

And I think the president was in denial on a couple of issues. I think he's in denial about how much of his legacy is going to be wiped out by this new administration across the board. The president sort of was saying, oh, we will keep this, we will keep this. Some things are in place.

I think it is going to be a wipeout. And, secondly, I think he's in denial -- now, this gets to your point -- about what a shambles the Democratic Party is in. Under his presidency, the Democratic Party now has lost the White House, the House, the Senate, 900 and some state legislature seats, and over I think 12 or 15 governorships.

So, I'm sorry, you can't blame all of that on FOX News. Some of it, you have got to blame on the Democrats not doing their job.

BALDWIN: Anthony, just back over to you. One the question that Wenner had asked was, what advice do you have for Trump? What did he share?

And what, of this entire wide-ranging interview, just surprised you the most?

DECURTIS: Well, I was really struck.

You know, the situation was pretty dramatic, obviously, the day after the election. But, you know, this is no-drama Obama.