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Democrats Sweep Reagan County; Trump on Midterms; Michelle Obama Opens Up. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired November 19, 2018 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00] ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you both very much.

John.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Reagan country is going blue. So what role is President Trump playing in this bi shift in Orange County, California? We'll discuss, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: So, orange is the new blue. Democrats have achieved a total takeover of congressional seats in Orange County, California, which was once thought of as the capital of Reagan country.

Joining me now, CNN national political reporter Maeve Reston and California based Republican strategist Rob Stutzman.

And, Maeve, I want to start with you. Tell the kids who are watching this show, because we have a lot of kids watching, who say, look, California's a blue state. What are you talking about here? Orange County, California, was so red for so long, so Republican. You know, Ronald Reagan, in 1984, I think won it by 50 points.

MAEVE RESTON, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER: Yes, that's right. You know, even -- even -- I think all the way back to 1936, John, this was -- this was the heart of the modern conservative movement, Orange County. It was the place that launched Ronald Reagan's political career. It was the place where activists pushed forward Prop 13, anti- tax measures, anti-immigration measures Prop 187 in 1994. And so it's just a stunning transformation for a region that so long had been the place that Ronald Reagan used to joke was where good Republicans go to die.

[08:35:23] BERMAN: And we had that map up on the screen a second ago, the final bit of transformation really happened between 2016 and 2018 --

RESTON: Yes. Right.

BERMAN: Where you can see all those red districts were congressional districts up until the latest vote two weeks ago and now they are all blue. And, Rob, the question to you is, what happened? How much of this is

President Trump responsible for?

ROB STUTZMAN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, it's a change that's been decades in the making. Demographic changes, et cetera, as we've seen all of southern California and the suburbs change and, you know, slip away from the Republicans.

But the Trump era has seemed to accelerate that change. Going back to 2016, when he became the first Republican to lose Orange County, since Republicans lost it to FDR. So he did not have a strong base there even to start with. And 2018, the cataclysmic wave finally crested.

BERMAN: It's one thing to lose it yourself when you're on the ballot. It's another thing to drag down the rest of the ticket, which seems to be what happened, despite the president's claim, Maeve, that he wasn't on the ballot. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Get out and vote. I want you to vote. Pretend I'm on the ballot.

I didn't run. I wasn't running. My name wasn't on the ballot. There are many people that think I don't like Congress that like me a lot. I get it all the time, sir, we'll never vote unless you're on the ballot. I get it all the time. People are saying, sir, I will never vote unless you're on the ballot. I say, no, no, go and vote. Well, what do you mean? As much as I try and convince people to go vote, I'm not on the ballot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Seems, to an extent, at least there, Maeve, he was.

RESTON: He really was. I mean, it's so obvious after spending so much time in all of these districts this year that Trump was on the ballot for many Democrats, but also independents and some Republicans as we can see from the exit polls in some of these districts that, you know, that drifted over to the Democratic Party. And so many -- so often you would hear, especially from young people this year, and Latino voters, that this was the first time that they were turning out in a midterm. And it was to cast a ballot against what they perceived as Trump's agenda and the Republicans' inability to stop it in Congress.

He had a huge impact here across the state that really transformed the electorate. To Rob's point, certainly there were demographic changes that were going to shift eventually, but this happened much more quickly than anyone thought.

BERMAN: So, Rob, you advised candidates and certainly advised candidates who were going to try to run in districts, in precincts like this. How do you do it? If you're a Republican now running -- in the suburbs. Let's call it the suburbs, because that's largely where Orange County is. How do you win? STUTZMAN: You have to have your own brand. I mean I would counsel

people to stay distinct from the president. Some California Republicans, like Jeff Denham in northern California, tried to do that, and he still was taken out in this -- in this blue wave that happened. But that -- it's essential if you were going to survive in this midterm to create your own brand.

The problem for some of those Republicans in Orange County is, it's an expensive proposition. I mean for the first time ever there were congressional ads on broadcast TV in Los Angeles. And so some of these people, like Mimi Walters, aren't necessarily as well-known, established brands and then some, like Dana Rohrabacher, were, but they've been there through four decades and it was time for change in the minds of voters.

BERMAN: All right, Rob Stutzman --

RESTON: And, John, you know, --

BERMAN: Go ahead, Maeve.

RESTON: It's partly the green wave that happened here in California. That was what Republicans in Washington were calling it. You are seeing, you know, in the third quarter --

BERMAN: Yes.

RESTON: Some of these candidates raising almost $4 million.

BERMAN: And that's money that's not often seen in the congressional district, as not often seen in this way in a congressional district.

Rob, Maeve, thanks very much for being with us. Appreciate it.

RESTON: Thanks, John.

STUTZMAN: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: OK, John, the family of a security guard gunned down by police getting help from a big name. How Kanye West is stepping up. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:43:21] BERMAN: Hundreds of protesters in Tijuana, Mexico, demanding the Central American migrants, who have converged on their city, leave. Demonstrator say they fear the migrants are a danger to the community and a burden on taxpayers. It's believed about 3,000 migrants from that so-called caravan have sought refuge in Tijuana, just south of California, as they await the chance to seek asylum via the city's main crossing into San Diego.

CAMEROTA: "The Florida Sun Sentinel is reporting that embattled supervisor of elections in Broward County, Florida, has resigned after 15 years. Brenda Snipes came under heavy criticism from Republicans and even some fellow Democrats after the county missed last week's recount deadline by two minutes. She reportedly resigned shortly after the manual vote recount was finished yesterday.

BERMAN: Kanye West has donated $150,000 to the family of a security guard shot by an officer near his hometown of Chicago. West gifted the cash through a Go Fund Me page set up to raise money for Jemel Roberson's funeral services. We've covered this story a lot here. The 26-year-old was shot by an officer while holding down a gunman. The unidentified officer has been placed on administrative leave. An investigation is underway.

CAMEROTA: OK, a surprise guest during Michelle Obama's book tour. Wait for it. Wait for it.

BERMAN: Was it really a surprise?

CAMEROTA: I don't know. Well, you know what. You know how I'm going to find out?

BERMAN: Yes.

CAMEROTA: We have somebody else who was on stage at that exact moment. Not those two. Valerie Jarrett there on the right.

BERMAN: I see half of her.

CAMEROTA: Yes, Valerie Jarrett was the moderator. She's going to join us next with what the Obamas are thinking at this time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:49:05] CAMEROTA: Former First Lady Michelle Obama getting a rock star reception as she promotes her memoir "Becoming." This week in Washington, a special guest made an appearance on stage.

(VIDEO TAPE)

CAMEROTA: All right, joining us now is former Obama Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett. She was also on stage there. She was the moderate Saturday night with the Obamas.

Valerie, great to see you.

VALERIE JARRETT, FORMER OBAMA SENIOR ADVISER: Thank you so much, Alisyn. What a fabulous night it was.

CAMEROTA: OK, so let's talk about that and let's talk about what's happened with Michelle Obama. So she's on this book tour, which, of course, involves having to open yourself up, having to explain what you put in the book. And she seems more comfortable now, certainly, after the midterms talking about all of these subjects.

[08:50:02] You know, the Obamas had been relatively quiet, I think, for the past two years of the Trump presidency. Lots of Democrats, at least, had clamored for them to speak out more.

So, where is Michelle Obama's head now? JARRETT: Well, she is very comfortable with herself. She's always been

grounded. She thinks this book gives her an opportunity to open up in a very revealing way about her life story, beginning and from a working class family, her marriage, falling in love, getting married, challenges of having children, challenges that you and I know of being working moms and then the pressures and then the triumph, of course, of being the first lady. So I think it's a very open story. Her hope is, is that people will see themselves in her story and it will empower them to be their best self. I think that's her mission.

CAMEROTA: And did -- did she make a conscious decision with President Obama to be less silent? I mean to step forward into the political arena now because of what they were seeing happen?

JARRETT: Well, I think she thought her book -- I mean her book was finished and it came out, the timing after the midterms, was just when it was ready to come forth. And I think that they -- they have always thought it's important to defer. That's been the tradition in this country. But I think both President Obama and Mrs. Obama said that if they thought that the core values of our country were at stake, then it would be important to speak out.

And I think what's important about her book is she speaks out about everything in a very open way. And so if it pertains to current events, well then so be it. But she's -- her point is, is that we have to be willing to tell our whole stories, our truths. And through that, we grow.

CAMEROTA: That moment on stage that we just played, was that really a surprise moment? Did she expect President Obama to come out with flowers?

JARRETT: She didn't expect the flowers. We both knew that he was coming out. And it was certainly a shock to the audience. He'd been there for the entire show, but nobody saw him. And so when she started talking about him, I thought, well, what a perfect time to say, speaking of your husband, here he is.

CAMEROTA: Well played.

OK, so back to the things that she --

JARRETT: It was good.

CAMEROTA: They -- they looked very happy and she seems, you know, very pleased to have gotten the flowers.

But back to all the top that she's willing to talk about. First the infertility. I mean I can't tell you how grateful the infertility community is. I'm on the board of Resolve, which is the National Infertility Association. How grateful they are to have somebody as high profile as Michelle Obama to talk about her own struggle with infertility.

JARRETT: Well, part of her --

CAMEROTA: Why didn't she want to do that when she was first lady?

JARRETT: Well, as I said, the memoir gives her a chance to tell her whole story. And I think she thought it was important to put it in the context of her life. And not only did she have challenges with it, with fertility, and had to use IVF, she talks about having a miscarriage. And she also makes a very important point that when this happens to women, sometimes we feel alone and we feel as though somehow we failed at the most basic core of being a woman and that we shouldn't feel that way. And she thought if she shared this story, that it would help so many people share theirs and realize that you're not alone and that there are solutions with our new medical technology. There are ways, if you're willing to go through it -- and she talks about her husband being in Springfield and having to give herself the shots that you do as a part of the IVF treatment. And it's hard. It's hard. But, on the other hand, she ended up with these two amazing daughters.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

JARRETT: And so it's both a story of challenges, but triumph and resilience and fortitude and kind of grit and joy.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

JARRETT: And Joy and love and that you can have all of that in the course of a life and that you're never done. And I think she selected the title "Becoming," Alisyn, because here she is, you know, the pinnacle in many people's eyes, but she still says she's becoming.

CAMEROTA: I want to also talk about another issue that she has now talked about that for a long time they didn't, and that was all the birtherism, the conspiracies theories that Donald Trump raised for years. So here she is on what she told Oprah last week. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE OBAMA, FORMER FIRST LADY: I don't think he knew what he was doing. That for him it was a game. And for the commander in chief, which he now is, the threats and security risks that you face as the commander in chief -- not even within your home country but around the world -- are real. And your children are at risk. And the difference, when you -- when you're now in that position you understand that while you live in a bubble, your children have to live outside of the bubble. And in order for my children to have a normal life, even though they had security, they were in the world in a way that we weren't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[08:55:04] CAMEROTA: It was interesting to hear her open up about that.

And so, Valerie, that leads us to, of course, the $64,000 question. You know lots of people are wondering if Michelle Obama herself is considering some public service, if she would run for president ever, or office. Where is she on that?

JARRETT: Let me be very clear, it will never happen. She has committed her life to public service and she's going to use her incredible platform to be a force for good, but not in politics. You can bank on that.

CAMEROTA: So you're saying there's a chance? No.

JARRETT: No. Let me be very -- let me just be abundantly clear with you or else I have to go back home and face her. No, it will not happen.

CAMEROTA: No, I mean, seriously, Valerie, that -- I've rarely heard something as unequivocal as your response to that.

So, anyway --

JARRETT: She's been very clear on that subject. But there are lots of ways that you can serve besides running for office. And I think that's absolutely what she's devoted to doing.

CAMEROTA: Valerie Jarrett, thank you very much for giving us a window into the thinking of the Obamas.

JARRETT: You're welcome.

CAMEROTA: Great to talk to you, as always.

JARRETT: You're welcome.

CAMEROTA: OK.

JARRETT: Nice to talk to you, too.

CAMEROTA: Thank you.

So the president says he is set to submit written questions -- written answers from the special counsel. All of that is next, John Berman.

BERMAN: Looking forward to it.

That was great.

CAMEROTA: Thank you.

BERMAN: I just --

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)