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Violent Clashes and Deaths as Venezuela Votes; John Kelly Takes Over as Trump's Chief of Staff; U.S. Bombers Fly Over Korean Peninsula; Connecticut Father Fights Deportation; Is Spicer and Priebus Going to Embrace Fake News?; Investors Eagerly Await Earnings Report; A Decade of Dramatic Global Change; Aired 6-7p ET

Aired July 30, 2017 - 18:00   ET

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


[18:00:00] ANA CABRERA, CNN ANCHOR: All this playing out as the White House struggles to find discipline and order and get on message with two top officials booted in just one week.

Can the president's new chief of staff, a retired four-star general jumpstart the stalled agency and the agenda there in the White House?

The Trump administration sending a harsh warning to Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro tonight, urging him to back up his power bid.

I want to read you this from U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, quote, "Maduro's sham election is another step toward dictatorship. We won't accept an illigit (ph) government. The Venezuelan people and democracy will prevail."

Now two senior administration officials are telling CNN the U.S. is considering financial sanctions against Venezuela's oil industry including a possible ban on sales of U.S. crude and refined product.

Let's get right to correspondent Leyla Santiago in Caracas.

And Leyla, give us the very latest there on the ground.

LEYLA SANTIAGO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, just in the last few minutes the government has announced that it will be extending the hours -- its hours for polling sites. I actually talked to one government official who told me they will keep those polls open as long as they need to, to make sure everyone who wants to vote has the opportunity to vote.

But let me also tell you what I heard in the last five minutes -- explosions in the distance. You can certainly feel the tension when you're on the streets of Caracas from the opposition. They are desperate. They are frustrated and they believe this is the way to express that, to take to the streets, to barricade the streets, to speak out against the government over not only this election, which is an election to elect a new constituent assembly that could re-write the constitution.

One thing that really stuck with me when I talked to one of the protesters, she told me, look, we are tired. This is months and months of violence, of protests. We're tired but we are not backing down. Doesn't matter if the government has an election, doesn't matter if they ban protest, which also happened this week. They do not plan to back down.

Now on the other side, the government, President Maduro recently took to social media to say that he's very pleased with what has come at the polls. That people are show up to vote. When we arrived at the polling sites this morning, I talked to one man who said this is about democracy, this is about establishing peace, and he certainly believes that this is the way to do that.

But the president still urging people to continue to go to the polls to vote and he specifically was speaking to the youth saying we need more support today in these polling sites for the constituents assembly -- Ana.

CABRERA: All right. Leyla Santiago in Caracas, thank you.

Tomorrow is a new day at the White House. John Kelly will take the helm in the West Wing as President Trump's new chief of staff. But what will the retired four-star general encounter in his first day on the job? Many expect him to bring a Marine's sense of order to the West Wing but General Kelly inherits a White House filled with tension as he replaces the sixth Trump staffer to resign or be fired in just six months.

Let's bring in Boris Sanchez in Washington.

Boris, different White House insiders have had quite a bit of influence on this president. Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, his top aide, Steve Bannon, now Anthony Scaramucci, the new communications director.

Will General Kelly try to rein in all these people so they report to him, not the president?

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is the million-dollar question, Ana. It is really unclear right now what kind of impact Secretary General John Kelly will be able to have on this White House. You'd have to think that if anyone could bring order to a White House that is apparently been dysfunctional since the inauguration, it would be a four-star general.

Of course the underlying issue here is that you have a president that is ultimately unpredictable. Look, we're in the middle of these themed weeks. Just a few weeks ago it was Made in America week. Last week American Heroes Week. This is supposed to be American Dreams Week. But the White House's agenda continues being overshadowed often by tweets or by explosive interviews with "The New York Times" in which the president attacks his attorney general.

If anyone can have that kind of impact on the president to bring discipline and focus, that is yet to be seen -- Ana.

CABRERA: Boris, General Kelly and President Trump's new communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, almost funny to say them in the same sentence because they are so different in their styles. Any sense of how they plan to work together? How they're going to mesh?

SANCHEZ: Yes. That should really be interesting because as you said, they have very distinct styles. Secretary General Kelly is someone who has spent more than 50 years of his life dedicated to military service. Again he's a four-star general.

Anthony Scaramucci comes from a very different background. He comes from that Wall Street culture. He's an extremely successful entrepreneur. And as we've seen, he's boisterous. He has a lot of character, not exactly someone with the discipline of General Kelly especially when it comes to public relations you could say.

[18:05:09] The question now is whether or not Scaramucci is going to report directly to the new chief of staff. You'll remember that when Scaramucci was put into place he -- the White House announced that he would be reporting directly to the president. Not the former chief of staff Reince Priebus. Whether or not that changes now is unknown. We've asked the White House for clarity on that. We have yet to get a real, clear response -- Ana.

CABRERA: All right. Boris Sanchez, thank you, in Washington.

I want to bring in our panel now. Betsy Woodruff, politics reporter for the "Daily Beast." Also with us, CNN political analyst Julian Zelizer. He is also a historian and professor at Princeton University. And Chris Whipple, the author of "The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency."

Julian, you wrote a piece for CNN.com in which you argue Kelly might be limited in the impact he can have. I want to read a portion here. It says, "Since he is a person who by vocation believes in the chain of command, he probably won't be willing to stand up to his superior. The person with whom the problem lies."

And that's an interesting perspective to have. And yet it does seem President Trump has a greater respect for generals.

JULIAN ZELIZER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, he does. He does like military officials, he likes business officials and he likes his family. So there already is the problem. And that they're all surrounding him and I'm not convinced that Kelly can overcome the other two factions. Kelly would have to rein the president.

The president is the source of many of the problems in the White House. He is the chaos. And so it's unclear if he's willing or really able to take that step, to bring his superior into a more controlled kind of political style. I don't think that's going to happen and then you have all the problems on the hill which you will have to deal with without much legislative experience.

CABRERA: Betsy, you also have a piece in the "Daily Beast." You called Kelly the new White House alpha dog. Do you know if Kelly had any conditions before accepting the chief of staff position?

BETSY WOODRUFF, POLITICS REPORTER, THE DAILY BEAST: My understanding is that Secretary Kelly or General Kelly expects to be chief of staff in the traditional way that chiefs of staff want to be in charge. Of course he's a four-star general. He's been managing enormous institutions, enormous bureaucracies for most of his time in public life. He understands that chains of command matter. I'm extremely skeptical he would have taken this job if he hadn't had those type of conditions.

My understanding also from speaking with folks at DHS, from speaking with folks familiar with his thinking, in the day before and the hours after he was named the chief of staff is that this is not a position he was jonesing for. My understanding is he was very happy being DHS secretary. It played to his strengths. Remember he ran South Com which is the central of the United States Military organization for South America and Central America.

So running DHS made sense because he spent so much time dealing with Central and South American leaders. For him to go -- from having a Cabinet secretary level position to being a chief of staff, based on my conversations, was a big of a demotion. My sense is that the reason he took this gig is because the president wanted him to and because as someone who understands authority and hierarchy, he wasn't going to buck the will of the president.

Of course that means in the same way he respects the president, he's going to expect his subordinates to respect him. So it goes both ways for him in terms of expectation and that could lead us to some fireworks at the White House in the coming weeks.

CABRERA: Wow, fireworks at the White House. We haven't seen that yet.

(LAUGHTER)

WOODRUFF: No, not at all.

CABRERA: Trump's director of the Office of Management and Budget, Mick Mulvaney, he had this to say about the staff shakeup. Let's watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICK MULVANEY, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET: The president wants to go a different direction. Wants a little bit more discipline, a little more structure in there. You know that he enjoys working with generals.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: So, Chris, you're an expert in all things chief of staff. What does General Kelly need to do on day one to set the tone in terms of his tenure as chief of staff?

CHRIS WHIPPLE, AUTHOR, "THE GATEKEEPER": Well, I mean, the key question is, will he be empowered in a way that Priebus wasn't? You know, the definition of insanity would be for John Kelly to take this job with the same authority that Reince Priebus had. You know, we've seen how that ended. Look, the precedents here are not encouraging. I mean, the last

general who had the job was Al Haig. Al Haig lasted a little bit more than one month as --

CABRERA: That's in the Nixon administration, right?

WHIPPLE: Well, actually that's Gerald Ford's chief after Nixon resigned.

CABRERA: Oh, right.

WHIPPLE: He lasted about a month. One of the reasons is because Gerald -- is because Gerald Ford had a model very much like Donald Trump's. All of his senior advisers were coming and going willy- nilly. Haig was unable to control the chaos. It was absolute chaos. Ford wound up begging Don Rumsfeld to come in and take over and enforce discipline which Rumsfeld was able to do, but only after Ford empowered him.

So, you know, you have to wonder why would -- why would anybody, especially John Kelly, take this job unless he knows something that we don't know? If he didn't set conditions, if he's not going to be empowered, and if Scaramucci is not reporting to Kelly, then this cannot work.

[18:10:03] CABRERA: Interesting.

Julian, we did hear from our CNN White House producer, Elizabeth Landers, sources close to Kelly were telling her he was actually offering advice to Reince Priebus all along the way. Do you think that -- I know, I'm about to say she didn't think Kelly wanted this job but do you think that he may have been interested in it?

ZELIZER: Look, I can't read his mind. He might see this as a form of service to try to create order within the White House. Not simply for himself wanting the job but to repair some of the damage we might see and some of the threats that exists that you have a chaotic White House and throughout overseas. But it's going to be very, very difficult for him to do this.

Look, the weekend of this announcement the president is continuing to tweet. All sorts of provocative statement. And let's remember, the president surrounded himself with generals at the start of his administration. Everyone said that would rein him in and it hasn't. So I don't know what the condition is that Kelly might have received that would deal, not with the other advisers, but with the president himself.

WHIPPLE: Can I just add to that?

CABRERA: Please.

WHIPPLE: I mean, I think not only does he need to set conditions but he needs to make it clear to Trump that he's ready to resign.

ZELIZER: Right. WHIPPLE: He's prepared to resign if the president crosses red lines

that are unacceptable to Kelly. For example, suppose -- I mean, if I were Kelly, I'd be saying to Donald Trump, if you send out a tweet that is demonstrably false, without running it by me first, I'm gone. I will resign. You will have to find your third White House chief.

CABRERA: And that ultimately gives him a lot more power if he's going to walk away.

WHIPPLE: Every successful chief of staff has been prepared to resign and he should start grooming his successor on day one.

CABRERA: Gentlemen, thank you for being here.

Betsy, I owe you a question next time. Thank you for joining us as well.

Coming up, as tensions mount between North Korea and the U.S., Pyongyang is promising firm action if Washington cracks down further. So how is the U.S. now responding? That story next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:16:05] CABRERA: North Korea is promising to take firm actions over new U.S. sanctions. The latest warning from the regime comes just days after it launched an intercontinental ballistic missile. Experts say the launch shows North Korea is capable of striking U.S. major cities including Los Angeles and even Chicago.

While, still unclear whether North Korea could place a nuclear warhead on these missiles, the U.S. is wasting no time in responding. The Air Force flew two B-1 bombers on a 10-hour roundtrip across the Korean Peninsula today, a direct response to this latest test.

And in Alaska, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency says it carried out a successful test of the missile defense system also known as THAAD, a system that's able to intercept missiles over the Pacific Ocean.

CNN is live on the Korean Peninsula and in Washington. International correspondent Alexandra Field is live in Seoul, South Korea, but first to Dianne Gallagher in nation's capital tonight.

Dianne, in addition to that flyover, that missile defense test, what else are we hearing from U.S. officials?

DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so, look, Ana, obviously the most visible aspect is the military show of force when it comes to response. The THAAD system test, the bomber flyover. But, look, there are sanctions. The current sanctions, the sanctions that are being pushed forward and then of course there's the route of diplomacy which of course means China.

The president tweeted accusing China of doing nothing to solve the North Korea threat and essentially implying that there could be consequences when it comes to trade as a result of that. United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley expanding on the U.S.

frustration with international reaction to North Korea, releasing a statement this after basically saying there really isn't even a point in calling an emergency Security Council session. She said, quote, "An additional Security Council resolution that does not significantly increase the international pressure on North Korea is of no value.

"In fact, it is worse than nothing because it sends the message to the North Korean dictator that the international community is unwilling to seriously challenge him. China must decide whether it is finally willing to take this vital step. The time for talk is over. The danger the North Korea regime poses to international peace is now clear to all."

And of course, Ana, those are some pretty strong words from Ambassador Haley. The Vice President Mike Pence, Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein also saying today that it really is up to China to step it up when it comes to North Korea that that is the only diplomatic vessel that the international community has.

CABRERA: Thanks, Dianne Gallagher. Stand by.

Alexandra, is there a sense there in South Korea that this latest launch is more concerning that launches in the past?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We are seeing a change in tone when it comes to the response to these latest launch because while you see that the U.S. is constantly turning to the U.S. sanctions, we have China to enforce those sanctions and flexing military muscle, we are seeing the South Korean government look at what additional steps they could take to try and either deter the regime from continuing on this dangerous course or protect the people who live right here in South Korea, right here on this peninsula.

After the first test launch of an ICBM that happened back on July 4th, the president of South Korea spoke a few days later at the G-20 saying that he'll be open to talking to Kim Jong-un whenever circumstances allowed. The South Korean government then extended the invitation to the North Korean government to open up dialogue. That invitation never got any kind of response from North Korea. Then they went ahead and launched another ICBM.

That's the one that the South Korean government was quick to identify as a more advance missile. A missile with an even greater range than the previously tested missile. And now you've seen this new response from the South Korean government where they're speaking with the U.S. government talking about continuing the rollout, the deployment of a very controversial missile defense system called THAAD.

They are also now talking to the U.S. about how to upgrade their own arsenal of missiles right here in South Korea. You've got local media reports citing officials within the South Korean government saying that South Korea is making every effort to increase the payload and its own set of missile and also extend their range to the greatest extent possible under terms of a U.S. a agreement there -- Ana.

[18:20:10] CABRERA: Alexandra Field, Dianne Gallagher, thank you both.

Let's talk more about this escalating situation in North Korea. Robin Wright is a fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace in the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars.

Robin, thank you so much for being with us. The president slammed China on Twitter writing, "I'm very disappointed in China. Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade. Yet they do nothing for us with North Korea. Just talk. We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem."

Now remember back in April after a meeting with China's president, President Trump said it's not so easy. They have this blossoming relationship. He was going to give them a little slack. What do you make of this apparent 180-degree turn in this 140-character diplomacy?

ROBIN WRIGHT, FELLOW, WOODROW WILSON INSTITUTE CENTER FOR SCHOLARS: Well, it's electrifying in many ways because the president really doesn't seem to have much of a strategy when it comes to dealing with North Korea. He's relied almost completely on China to be the one to pressure Kim Jong-un to do something about it. Limit his capabilities or go to the negotiating table or respond to what the West and the outside world is most worried about.

And I think this is really counterproductive to tweet something that is humiliating and demeaning to the president of the world's most populous country. The one that we rely on so heavily. In many ways the president is treating the president of China the way he's treating his own attorney general, in a bullying cyber attack that is not going to be conducive to the kind of diplomacy, or to go into the United Nations getting more sanctions on North Korea because China, of course, has a veto. So whether it's pressuring Pyongyang or going to the United Nations, the Chinese don't have much incentive to cooperate.

And remember, the Chinese have very different goals than the United States when it comes to how they envision resolving this crisis.

CABRERA: Is there something the U.S. could be doing differently in dealing with China in order to give it incentive to take action on North Korea?

WRIGHT: Well, at the end of the day this is not going to be resolved militarily. This is probably most effective in dealing with diplomatically. And you don't have a sense that the Trump administration has completed its policy review on many front line issues. And that they really have to come up with something that is more imaginative than simply flying B-1 bombers over the Korean Peninsula or testing their own missile defense system. This is going to take more than kind of tit-for-that military action.

CABRERA: When it comes to sanctions, we saw the U.S. Congress just passed this new sanctions bill. The president said he will sign it. And then of course we know now Kim Jong-un doesn't like this. Could these sanctions pressure the regime more effectively compared to other sanctions that we've already tried?

WRIGHT: Not really. It's going to take the international community. Remember that North Korea does about 90 percent of its trade with China. And so it's really depending on what China does far more. We don't have trade relationships with North Korea. And it's more kind of a token action to be seen to be doing something. It's really relies at the end of the day on Beijing.

CABRERA: All these new missile tests, do you think Beijing wants to deal with North Korea given that the situation continues to escalate? We know China doesn't want it to have an all-out war on the peninsula because they would have a rush of refugees coming into their country.

WRIGHT: They don't want a war but they also don't want to see the Korean Peninsula reunified. Remember they look at North Korea as an ally, an important trading partner, and they don't want to see the Korean Peninsula become pro-West or a bastion for an American military base. Remember that there's a lot of stake for China as well as for the United States and its allies in Asia.

CABRERA: Very quickly, Robin. Do you think that these threats from Kim Jong-un should be taken with greater seriousness given they've now test-fired to ICBM?

WRIGHT: Absolutely. The pace of the tests has escalated. Their capable has gone -- has reached a place that most people didn't think they could reach this quickly. So this is a -- this is something we have to take very seriously. This is the third generation of regime that's with each more generation become more isolated, more paranoid, and more ambitious.

CABRERA: Robin Wright, thank you.

WRIGHT: Thank you.

CABRERA: We'll see you back here later to talk the "NINETIES."

Coming up, the father of two young children and husband of an American citizen forced to choose between buying a one-way ticket to Guatemala or face deportation.

[18:25:04] His story is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: The deportation of immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally has become a lightning rod for debate since President Trump took office. Even before as a candidate.

Now consider the case of Joel Colindres, an undocumented dad with an American wife and two kids. He pays his taxes. He had no criminal record. And he's been ordered to leave the U.S. and his family behind.

Alexander Marquardt has his story -- Alex. ALEXANDER MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there,

Ana. This is a story we're really seeing play out all across the country. Here we have a man, a father of two young American children who has been told that he has now fewer than 28 days to leave the country, ordered to buy a one-way ticket back to his native Guatemala. He did come to the U.S. illegally but since then has never committed a crime, he married an American but last week was told that his stay of deportation was denied.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[18:30:10] MARQUARDT (voice-over): Joel Colindres is putting the finishing touches on a playhouse. But he doesn't know whether he'll be around to see his kids use it. After 13 years in the U.S., Colindres was told last week to buy a one-way ticket back to Guatemala.

JOEL COLINDRES, FACING DEPORTATION: I was about to cry but I keep myself strong for my wife. United States she had a hard time. She almost dropped herself on the ground and he started screaming, crying.

MARQUARDT: At 20 years old, he'd crossed from Mexico illegally, but told he could stay provisionally. His mistake, missing a critical court date.

SAMANTHA COLINDRES, HUSBAND FACES DEPORTATION: He had the dream to leave where he was because it was really dangerous over there and he wanted to come over here.

MARQUARDT: Joel fell in love with Samantha, who's American. They had Preston and Lila, living a quiet life in suburban Connecticut. Until now.

S. COLINDRES: I took that risk. It's kind of what you do for love. I didn't know he had a deportation order. None of us did.

MARQUARDT: For years, Colindres has worked as a carpenter, paying his taxes and never breaking the law.

J. COLINDRES: I'm trying to make a life better for my family. That's all I'm trying to do. Working hard every day, you know, working six days a week and being here, trying to, you know, fix up the house at the same time. It's very hard. But, you know, I have so many dreams. And now there's no hope for it.

MARQUARDT: The Colindres' story is far from unique. Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal has been trying to help them and others in similar situations.

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D), CONNECTICUT: It's unfair and unwise. We are losing great talents and energy and we're ripping apart families. We're tearing apart communities. And that is a tragedy for our nation. It's traumatic for them and we need to do something better in accordance with American values.

MARQUARDT: President Trump has long vowed to be tougher on illegal immigration.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We are going to get the bad ones out, the criminals, and the drug dealers and gangs and gang members, and cartel leaders.

MARQUARDT: Arrests nationwide of undocumented immigrants have spiked over 20,000 in the first few weeks of the Trump presidency. Overall up by 33 percent. Arrests of noncriminals, more than doubling.

BLUMENTHAL: There are hundreds and maybe thousands in Connecticut and many, many more around the country that find themselves in this trauma and tragedy. The fundamental unfairness of it ought to strike the hearts of Americans. The trauma and tragedy can be avoided.

MARQUARDT: For Colindres, it's these moments with his children that make his legal limbo all the more real and painful.

J. COLINDRES: I have no idea, you know. At this point, it's very, very hard to hide it, you know. But try my best.

MARQUARDT (on camera): This is the hardest part? It's them?

J. COLINDRES: Yes. It is them, of course. You know, how you can leave those, you know, behind?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUARDT: Still grappling with how they would tell the children.

Now many have asked why can't Colindres simply get U.S. citizenship from his American wife. Well, it's not automatic. It's a very lengthy process which is even more complicated by the fact that he has an order of deportation.

This past week there was another very similar case also a Guatemalan in Connecticut. A mother of four who has been here for 24 years. She too was going to be deported but instead fled to a church for refuge. Then a judge granted Nury Chavarria a stay as her case is reviewed.

Samantha Colindres, Joel's wife, tells us that makes them a bit more optimistic but they don't want to get their hopes up -- Ana.

CABRERA: Alexander Marquardt, thank you for that report.

Coming up, with former White House chief of staff and outgoing press secretary Sean Spicer looking for new gigs, will they now embrace the mainstream media they once criticized? We'll discuss next in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[18:38:10] MELISSA MCCARTHY, ACTRESS: I'd just like to announce that I'm calm now. As long as you sons of -- our of -- out of -- boom, Guantanamo Bay. Radical moose lambs. Spicey finally made a mistake. You don't have a chance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: We will not soon forget Melissa McCarthy and her role as Spicey on "SNL."

But the man she was portraying meantime still trying to figure out his next gig. Outgoing White House press secretary Sean Spicer has reportedly been in meetings with the heads of a number of media organizations all week.

Here's the big question. Is he about to embrace the so-called fake news he once railed against?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN SPICER, FORMER WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: This kind of dishonesty in the media that challenging that bringing out our nation together is making it more difficult. I appreciate your agenda here. But the reality is -- no, no, hold on. No, at some point report the facts. You're shaking your head. I appreciate it. But -- OK, but understand this, that at some point the facts are what they are.

He is frustrated like I am and like so many others to see stories come out that are patently false, to see narratives that are wrong, to see, quote-unquote, fake news. When you see stories get perpetrated that are absolutely false, that are -- did not based in fact, that is troubling.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Joining us now CNN senior media correspondent and host of "RELIABLE SOURCES," Brian Stelter.

So, Brian, we have seen a lot of high-profile people go from the West Wing into the media, like George Stephanopoulos, Karl Rove, Newt Gingrich for a while, David Axelrod. But this is a little bit different. And we just showed all those clips of Sean Spicer going after the mainstream media. Could he make the leap and still have credibility?

[18:40:06] BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: I think he will make the leap. But you're right, this time it is different from all those past administrations because of this administration's anti- media attacks. It adds a layer of intrigue to what Spicer and to what Reince Priebus might do next. Heck, any high profile Trump administration official that leaves the White House, leaves the government is going to consider or be pursued for a television job but because of all those so-called fake news attacks it makes it more curious.

Spicer was in New York in the past few days, having meetings with most of the major networks. Our viewers might be interested to know CNN management pointedly said we're not interested in hiring Spicer as a contributor. The network didn't say why but I think you can probably connect the dots between those anti-media attacks, the criticism of CNN and other outlets.

All of the sort of inaccurate and false statements from the podium. Between that and not wanting to hire him. But he was meeting with FOX and NBC and other networks. And I think it's likely we'll see Spicer in one of those jobs as kind of high-paid, six-figure salary talking head in the weeks to come.

CABRERA: Meantime, we just saw Reince Priebus also be shown the door or leave on his own --

STELTER: Right.

CABRERA: On his freedom.

STELTER: Still quite unclear what happened.

CABRERA: Yes. We don't know.

STELTER: Love to see him talk more about it. We'll see.

CABRERA: But there's speculation about where he lands following this. Newt Gingrich tweeted this. "Priebus will go on to a great future either in winning office in Wisconsin or in becoming a national analyst and adviser. He knows a lot."

And that last sentence, he knows a lot. I mean, that is the real reason a lot of people are interested in bringing these people on board is to have a little bit more insight. What are the chances Priebus would actually give us more of a glimpse than he did in his exit interview with Wolf Blitzer?

STELTER: Right. Exactly. He was still talking at the White House at that point. He was, you know. still in the building literally. Be interesting to see what he would say weeks or months down the line.

Normally the options here are, you know, book deal, a television contributor deal, speeches. In the case of Reince Priebus, maybe we're going to see him run for office at some point in the future or return to the RNC, the Republican National Committee, which he was running before joining the White House administration. So he has a number of options. I think he's also going to take his time to figure out what is next.

August might be a nice time to have a job change so he can relax for a little bit. Spicer seems a little bit more of a hurry to find the next gig. But it's going be interesting to see where both of those men go and how open they are about both the perils as well as the positives of working at the White House.

I do think in both cases it shows how the anti-media rhetoric sort of rings hallow. It exposes this sort of emptiness of all the fake news bashing. And the president for example, he has a fundraising e-mail out this week, a bunch of end-of-month fundraising e-mails, decrying the fake news. So shtick it to CNN by donating to my re-election campaign.

All of that kind of -- seems empty when you see folks like Spicer go out looking for a television gig.

CABRERA: Isn't that interesting? The irony of all of that.

STELTER: And by the way, what's draining the swamp? You know, there's something about the revolving door in Washington which you were describing for decades. George Stephanopoulos in the '90s being an example. Going from the White House to a top job at ABC.

This is normal in Washington. But one of the president's promises is to drain the so-called swamp. Maybe decrease some of the coziness, some of the insider nature in Washington. To some extent if Reince Priebus, for example, goes out and gets a million-dollar book deal, doesn't that contradict a little bit of a drain the swamp message?

CABRERA: I actually really wonder what the president would think if Sean Spicer ends up on NBC or Reince Priebus gets some kind of a media gig after these attacks that they were a part of.

STELTER: Exactly.

CABRERA: Now real quick. Page Six throwing out this idea Sean Spicer on "Dancing with the Stars." It sounds maybe a little farfetched like this is just a joke but don't forget, Rick Perry, he's another member of Trump's Cabinet, and he was on "Dancing with the Stars."

STELTER: And I'll never forget this video. There he is. Now the secretary of Energy. He has a lot of energy in these clips from a little while back.

CABRERA: He actually had some pretty good moves there.

STELTER: So I'll go ahead and rule it out. We're not going to see Sean Spicer and Reince Priebus on "Dancing with the Stars."

CABRERA: All right.

STELTER: I'm more likely to go on "Dancing with the Stars" --

CABRERA: Hey, I think he just let it out there.

STELTER: And I don't have dancing shoes.

CABRERA: I love to see you, Brian. Thanks for coming on.

STELTER: Thanks.

CABRERA: And coming up, some more outrage at an airport. The traveling stories. A man this time holding a baby is attacked by an employee from an airline. What happened, next. Live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:48:54] CABRERA: Here is what to look for on Wall Street this week.

CNN chief business correspondent Christine Romans has "Before the Bell" -- Christine.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Ana. This most valuable company in the world delivers its quarterly report card to Wall Street this week.

Apple reports its third quarter results Tuesday. Look for how many iPhones Apple sold and any hints about the launch of iPhone 8. Apple shares are up more than 30 percent this year and because it's in the Dow, the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 any move in Apple affects the broader market. So far this year Apple accounts for more than 9 percent of the S&P 500 total return. And for the record, all the major averages scored record highs again this week.

Another potential market mover ahead, the July jobs report due Friday morning. In June the U.S. economy added 222,000 jobs. The unemployment rate ticked slightly higher to 4.4 percent as more Americans enter the labor force. This Friday we'll find out whether continued adding workers at that strong phase -- Ana.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:54:19] CABRERA: We're back with the shocking moment when an airport worker in France punches a passenger complaining in line. You see the man there in white who appears to reach over and whack the passenger in the face while he's holding a baby in his arms. Apparently, the man had been waiting for 11 hours to board an EasyJet flight from Nice to London. EasyJet, however, says the apparent employee doesn't actually work for the airline.

Now the end of the Cold War, the beginning of the new world order. That's tonight's brand-new episode of "THE NINETIES." We explore a decade of dramatic global change. Here is a sneak peek.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WRIGHT: Hardliners did not like the tone of reforms introduced by Gorbachev.

[18:55:03] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Gorbachev's reforms were meant to restore and refresh communism and save the Soviet Union and actually it had exactly the opposite effect.

TIM NAFTALI, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: You couldn't reform this economic system. You had to throw it out. Gorbachev wasn't able or willing to do that so it was a matter of time before the bold establishment were going to try to get rid of him.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. Gorbachev's message calling for national unity has fallen on deaf ears.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's difficult for outsiders to capture the maelstrom that Gorbachev was in. I remember being with him when I was traveling with President Bush. He was depleted by just what he had had to deal with on every level.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: It was a parade that was intended to celebrate a united and successful Soviet military machine, but this day comes as the army is losing its role abroad and its prestige at home and tending to blame Mr. Gorbachev.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I had a call from the mayor of Moscow and while we talked about local politics, he wrote on a sheet of paper that a coup was being organized against Gorbachev, and I told Gorbachev that we have information that President Bush wanted him to know. A coup is being organized and could happen at almost any time.

First, he sort of laughed and said President Bush has said that we are friends now, he's proved it, you did exactly what we should do, but don't worry, it's not going to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Robin Wright is back with us. She's a veteran foreign correspondent, contributing writer for the "New Yorker" and fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center.

Robin, Gorbachev's fall, end of the Soviet Union. Give us an idea of the parallels between then and now with Vladimir Putin and his relationship with President Trump?

WRIGHT: Well, remember, in the early '90s we were all celebrating what was the end of the Cold War, the demise of communism in Eastern Europe, the fall of the Soviet Union, the breakup of the Empire into 15 separate states, and we thought this was a moment that would herald a kind of democratic opening around the world. You also saw the end of Apartheid in South Africa, the end of military dictatorships in Latin America and so there is a sense of great optimism that perhaps we could do business with Russia,.

It would not define whether it was the threats of war or the patterns of trade and governance around the world. Of course, what we didn't realize was that Russian nationalism back then was very strong and it is as strong today as it was back then and as a result, you see the emergence of a former communist, a former KGB operative, Vladimir Putin, as president of Russia who could be there as long as 2024.

So we celebrated that era, but there was -- it was certainly not the opening of -- or the end of history as Francis Fukuyama called it.

CABRERA: I want to ask you about the Gulf War in just a second, but just real quick, a follow up to this parallel, the time then compared to now and how it laid the groundwork for where we are in the world today. Is there a lesson that you think the current administration should take away from that time we were just speaking of, the Cold War days?

WRIGHT: Well, clearly, there are important lessons about Russia. There are important lessons about American power. I think that in some ways the early '90s also produced the threats that we face today. Remember, the Gulf War, as you mentioned, led to the withdrawal of Iraq after it invaded Kuwait, but it also produced Osama bin Laden as an enemy. He was so angered by the presence of American troops in Saudi Arabia that he turned on his own government and formed al Qaeda, was forced into exile first to Sudan and then Afghanistan and that was the period we tend to forget that while we celebrated a victory in the Gulf War, it also produced what became the greatest threat and the greatest loss of U.S. military or U.S. personnel on September 11th since any time since Pearl Harbor.

CABRERA: Do you think there was an impact in the fact that the Gulf War was televised?

WRIGHT: Well, television clearly has played a major role in shaping American public opinion. It did during the Vietnam War and I think it did during the Gulf War, as well. We could see those American bombers as they were hitting Baghdad, and I think that it also had an impact at that point in time improving American power and effectiveness militarily, but as we all know that very brief war that was so victorious so quickly and forcing Saddam Hussein out of little Kuwait, out of oil-rich Kuwait.

CABRERA: OK.

WRIGHT: And away from Saudi Arabia, that it produced some long-term consequences, as well.

CABRERA: Robin Wright, thank you so much. Tune in for the brand-new episode of "THE NINETIES" tonight at 9:00 p.m. Eastern here on CNN.

That's going to do it for me. I'm Ana Cabrera in New York. Have a great week.