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Uma Thurman Breaks Silence on Harvey Weinstein; Flynn Attorneys Stop Communications with White House; Trump Not Responding to Steve Kerr Criticism; Trump Boast of Golf Outing with Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson. Aired 2:30-3p ET
Aired November 24, 2017 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[14:30:29] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Senator Al Franken is issuing another apology as he faces a second allegation of groping. In a statement, Senator Franken write, in part, quote, "I am a warm person. I hug people. And I learned from recent stories. I learned I crossed the line for some women. I feel terribly that I have made some women feel badly, and for that I'm so sorry. I want to make sure it never happens again." Senator Franken is facing an official investigation by the Senate Ethics Committee.
Meanwhile, Roy Moore, for Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate seat in Alabama, is taking to Facebook to respond to this sex abuse scandal. Moore thanked those who have stood by him, write, quote, "As you know, we are in the thick of the toughest spiritual and political battle of our lives. We cannot thank you enough for your constant outpouring of support and love." Moore is accused of molesting a 14- year-old and sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl when he was in his 30s.
Actress, Uma Thurman, who has partnered multiple times with Harvey Weinstein, has now broken her silence on Weinstein. After weeks of not wanting to discuss it, she posted an eerie Thanksgiving Instagram about him seeming to take pleasure in his downfall. Quoting her now, "I said I was angry recently and I have a few reasons, #MeToo. In case you can't tell by the look on my face, I think it's important to take your time, be fair, be exact. So, happy Thanksgiving everyone. Except you, Harvey, and all your conspirators. I'm glad it's going slowly. You don't deserve a bullet. Stay tuned."
And shortly thereafter, Actress Rose McGowen, one of the first and most vocal accusers of Weinstein, said, "Hello Uma. Welcome."
Jean Casarez is on this for us today.
Jean Casarez, let's walk back a couple of steps. There was a red- carpet interview where she talked about how she was angry.
JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. We have got that. This was last month. It was on access Hollywood. It is sort of a companion piece. I want you to listen to it but really look at her demeanor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UMA THURMAN, ACTRESS: I think it's commendable. I don't have a tidy sound bite for you because I have learned I am not a child. And when I have spoken in anger, I usually regret the way I express myself. So I've been waiting to feel less angry. And when I'm ready, I'll say what I have to say.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Wow.
CAZAREZ: So yesterday, she was almost ready to say all of that. Now, more than 60 women have come forward recently alleging rape, sexual assault over the last 30 years. This is after "The New York Times" and the "New Yorker" came out with the original allegations. Weinstein reported to all of this saying that any allegation of nonconsensual sex wrong. It is false. Brooke, as to Uma Thurman, we have contacted her representatives to find out what is the moral and we are not hearing back from them. I guess we have to wait.
BALDWIN: And so we don't even know if this is Harvey Weinstein or someone else. We don't know.
CASAREZ: Right. But she does have that #MeToo, and she does hone in on Harvey Weinstein.
[14:34:31] BALDWIN: Jean Casarez, thank you.
Coming up next, basketball great, Warriors coach, Steve Kerr, slamming the president over his comments on the NFL and the anthem protest. Why hasn't Trump hit back?
Also ahead, the president dropping names on how he is hitting the greens with today at his golf club. To Florida, we go, coming up.
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BALDWIN: The question, is former national security advisor, Michael Flynn, ready to flip on the Russia investigation. The question is being raised after Flynn's attorneys say they are no longer sharing information with Trump's legal team. Sources tell CNN this could indicate Flynn is preparing to plead guilty in the special counsel investigation. But the president's attorney Jay Sekulow says it's, quote, "not entirely unexpected and should not be seen as he is cooperating with Mueller."
With me on the phone to discuss, CNN senior political commentator and host of the "Ax Files," Mr. David Axelrod.
David Axelrod, thank you for calling in.
Before we get to the "Ax Files" and your special interview, first, on this Flynn story, we know there have been concerns regarding his son. Do the indications to you, are the indications perhaps that he is cooperating? How are you reading this?
[14:40:06] DAVID AXELROD, HOST, THE AX FILES (via telephone): I think Sekulow was right. It isn't entirely unexpected. Flynn has been unexpected. We know there are many different avenues of investigation about him and his son of a special prosecutor is pursuing. He is under an enormous amount of pressure. This latest development though is a signal it may be coming to a head and it may be indicative of something -- of some conclusion. You can see where if he felt, not only he, but his son was in jeopardy that that would be --
BALDWIN: Reason to cooperate.
AXELROD: -- for General Flynn.
BALDWIN: Let me ask you about your interview with Steve Kerr here. We know the president has had no problem attacking professional athletes. Today, he tweeted, quote, "Can you believe the disrespect for country, our flag, our anthem continues without penalty to the players? The commissioner has lost control of the hemorrhaging league. Players are the boss."
So you talk today to Golden State Warriors Coach Steve Kerr on a new episode of the "Ax Files," which premieres on CNN. Let's take a quick listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AXELROD (on camera): It was kind of shocking. Kaepernick has been out of the league for a while, and then the president kind of brought it up out of the blue.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Wouldn't you love to see when of these NFL owners when someone disrespects our flag, and say get that son of a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) off the field? Right now. Out.
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: He is fired.
(CHEERING)
STEVE KERR, HEAD COACH, OLDEN STATE WARRIORS: Instead of unifying and trying to calm the storm, he is creating it over and over again. We see it with his tweets every day. So that was -- you know he used the words sons of (EXPLETIVE DELETED) to make it clear they are protesting police brutality. Those are sons of (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Really? You're going to call them sons of (EXPLETIVE DELETED)? You'll call Kaepernick out? That's really hard to deal with and that was -- for me that was probably the hardest one to deal with. You know, the personal slights we have seen, you sort of get numb to it after a while. That one really stung because it was so divisive, and it was so angry, and it just didn't make sense.
AXELROD: But in certain ways, it had the desired effect that he sort of dominated the news. And also, you have seen the NFL took a hit around it and the owners were scrambling around that issue. So it was, you know, maybe diabolically clever. KERR: But think about it, it was clever. But is that the president's
job though?
(CROSSTALK)
AXELROD: No. I understand.
KERR: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: So I'm curious, David, and Steve Kerr has been so highly critical of the president, how the president, you know, punched at athletes, these UCLA basketball players. Does he have any idea why the president hasn't really touched the likes of him?
AXELROD (via telephone): I haven't asked him. It is interesting because the president does -- he does seem to go after athletes, and particularly it should be noted, African-American athletes and perhaps that has something to do with it. I don't know.
But I'll tell you what's interesting about Steve Kerr. He was very thoughtful. He didn't give Kaepernick a pass in the way he handled things in the beginning. He said he understood why general managers would be reluctant to sign Kaepernick because of all of the pressure -- marketing pressure that would surround that. He feels deeply about the denigration of people and denigration of democracy that he sees the president engaging in. Brooke, he has some credentials in this area, a platform to speak, not just an athlete. He is the son of a former president of the American University in Beirut and was assassinated overseas in the '80s, really a defining event in Steve Kerr's life. Steve Kerr spent some of his childhood growing up in the Middle East.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: No kidding.
AXELROD: -- Middle East scholar. So he thinks about American democracy from the perspective of someone who lived overseas, someone who really appreciates the freedoms we have and takes them seriously. He is a very, very interesting guy. It was a wonderful conversation. I hope people tune in.
[14:45:21] BALDWIN: What a rich perspective. We will be tuning into all things David Axelrod and "Ax Files." The interview with basketball great Steve Kerr.
The "Ax Files" with David Axelrod airs tomorrow night, at 7:00, only here on CNN.
David, thank you very much.
The White House never admits this, but the president telling us himself he is playing golf today with Tiger Woods. We will take you there, next. And a possible rift between the secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, and
the White House as officials are saying he is now snubbing Ivanka Trump. Hear how, coming up.
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[14:50:26] BALDWIN: President Trump is spending time in his Palm Beach estate this Thanksgiving weekend. While the president has gotten all kinds of criticism from the amount of time he spends playing golf, today, he is tweeting all about it, saying after a call with the Turkish president, he will, quote, "Be heading over to Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter to play golf quickly with Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson, and then back on bringing more jobs back to the USA."
Mar-a-Lago visitor captured this video of the trio out and about on the golf course.
With me to talk more about this, George Bennett, political reporter for the "Palm Beach Post.
George, nice to have you on. Welcome.
GEORGE BENNETT, POLITICAL REPORTER, PALM BEACH POST: Glad to be here.
BALDWIN: The president and golfing, we know he is a fan. We don't always here about it but today we have thanks to this tweet we were talking, and I wonder if you sort of notice we only about it, do you notice that?
BENNETT: Yes. And he normally doesn't say much about whether he is going to golf or not, at least down here, when he will go to his golf club for four hours, but they won't actually say he was playing golf. Sometimes, you find out after the fact. You know, somebody will post a picture of him playing. He has golfed with a few other famous folks that it comes out later. This was a little different with him saying ahead of time he was going to golf with Tiger Woods today.
BALDWIN: I am also curious about changes at the club since he has been president. You know, I know the initiation fee doubled. We also reported on a number of charities. How has business been this year at Mar-a-Lago?
BENNETT: One of our others said they are all booked up for this coming season. It will be a different mix of clients than it was before. A lot of the A-list charities and society events pulled out after the president's reaction to Charlottesville. According to the club's manager, they booked a lot of other groups and they say they will have a good season. It will definitely be a different kind of mix this season from last season.
BALDWIN: Who goes, George? Who is there? Who are the names maybe we recognize?
BENNETT: The owner of the New England Patriots is there a lot. I haven't been into the club itself to have dinner and mingle with folks. A lot of wealthy folks are members and, you know, they say they still can mingle a little bit although not nearly as much as before he was president. He likes to say hi to folks. Chris Ruddy, the CEO of "News Max," is often there, and he is, you know, kind of talks sometimes about what President Trump is thinking.
BALDWIN: People may not be able to mingle with him necessarily. But I'm reminded, as I'm talking to you, of all of the pictures with couples that are still married. Occasionally, the president will kind of wedding crash for fun.
BENNETT: I think that's one of the attractions is the chance that the president is going to pop in and you'll get a photo op. I know last year talking to some of the groups that were there people would say that was part of the attraction. You never knew he would be there but there were some groups that was part of the attraction of having an event was that the chance that the president would drop in, and he often did.
BALDWIN: Potential for a photo bomb, as we've seen on more than one occasion.
George Bennett, with the "Palm Beach Post, thank you so much for coming on.
BENNETT: Thank you.
[14:54:45] BALDWIN: Thank you.
To breaking news here out of Egypt. Hundreds have been killed after a terror attack at a mosque. Horrific details, including on how the gunman set up ambush locations to open fire on ambulances that were responding to this attack.
Also ahead, lawyers for former national security advisor, Michael Flynn, revealing they are no longer sharing information with President Trump's legal team. Might this be Flynn making a move to work with, to cooperate with the special counsel, Robert Mueller. We'll discuss that coming up on CNN.
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BALDWIN: We continue on. Hour two. You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Thank you for being with me.
We begin with a significant sign that former national security advisor, Michael Flynn, could be cooperating with Robert Mueller, the special counsel, leading this Russia investigation. A source says that Flynn's lawyers have told the president's legal team that they can no longer share information. It's not clear yet why Flynn's lawyers made the move, but one of the last --
