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New Day

What To Expect From Trump's Foreign Policy In 2019; A Look At The New Laws Taking Effect In 2019; The Movies To Watch During Awards Season. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired January 01, 2019 - 07:30   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:30:35] (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome back to this special New Years Day edition of NEW DAY.

We have a lot to get to this half hour, including President Trump's foreign policy plans in 2019. He's faced a lot of bipartisan pushback for what he did in 2018. What can we expect this year?

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Also, more than 30 new laws will be hitting the books as we speak, so we'll talk about some of them. You need to know how they could impact you.

BERMAN: Yes, I want to make sure I don't break any of them.

CAMEROTA: Good thinking.

BERMAN: And it is awards season. The Golden Globes, the Oscars right around the corner. We take a look at some of the contenders that could win big.

First, let's get a check of your headlines at the news desk.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN NOBLES, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. I'm Ryan Nobles in New York.

In Nashville, a music note dropping and setting off fireworks at midnight to welcome in 2019. Keith Urban headlined the big show downtown.

And, the traditional drag queen drop and a supersized red high heel shoe highlighting the New Year's festivities in Key West, Florida.

President Trump plans to give the Pentagon about four months to pull 2,000 U.S. troops out of Syria. This, according to "The New York Times". The president offered the time line to the head of U.S. forces in the region. The White House is not commenting on the report.

President Trump taking on Elizabeth Warren after the Massachusetts senator announced that she is launching a presidential exploratory committee. This is what the president told Fox News last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Elizabeth Warren will be the first. She did very badly in proving that she was of Indian heritage. That didn't work out too well. I think you have more than she does and maybe I do too, and I have nothing.

So, you know, we'll see how she does. I wish her well. I hope she does well. I'd love to run against her.

PETE HEGSETH, HOST, "FOX & FRIENDS WEEKEND": She says she's in the fight all the way, Mr. President. Do you -- do you really think she believes she can win?

TRUMP: Well, that I don't know. You'd have to ask her psychiatrist.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBLES: President Trump went on to predict his own victory in 2020, saying he doesn't see how anybody else could win.

We'll have more headlines coming up in just 30 minutes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: All right.

President Trump's second year on the world stage was a rollercoaster, I think it's fair to say. It included historic summits with North Korea's Kim Jong Un and Russia's Vladimir Putin. So, what does 2019 hold?

Here to discuss is CNN chief international anchor, Christiane Amanpour. Happy New Year, Christiane.

CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR, "AMANPOUR AND COMPANY": And to you both, and to all the viewers.

CAMEROTA: All right. So, from your international perch, what are you expecting in 2019?

AMANPOUR: Well look, I think there are lots of things you just mentioned that will trail over into the new year and rightly so.

First and foremost, I covered those summits -- the one with President Trump and Kim Jong Un and the one with President Trump and Vladimir Putin in Helsinki -- and the thing is that it's really important stuff. But what did come out of it this past year and what must come out of it in the next year to actually make a doctrine happen, to make the world a better and more safe place.

First of all, from North Korea, we obviously need details from them. Yes, the atmosphere has gotten much better between the leadership of North Korea and the United States. And that is what that handshake accomplished and it's no small thing because on that -- on a sort of level of trust and personal raproshma, you could, if you put the diplomatic and disciplined strategy into it, build some kind of arms control, some kind of potential peace agreement between the two sides and move that onto a very, very more peaceful manner.

But so far, it hasn't happened. We have no details from North Korea. And, in fact, experts believe that they're still committed to their nuclear program. We'll see what happens and whether that ball can be pushed forward.

BERMAN: In terms of Russia, of course, there's the constant questions about the president and Vladimir Putin, and how much and how far will they go condemning the Russian attacks on the U.S. election in 2016. That's in the past.

As we look to the future there's also the question of will the United States and will President Trump work to be a check to various kinds of Russian aggression around the world?

AMANPOUR: Well look, it's such a complicated issue -- I mean, I guess that goes without saying -- but it's one that's been completely mixed up. Foreign policy with domestic policy. Presidents -- you know, the investigation into the president over what Russia did during the campaign, et cetera.

[07:35:05] I would say that the U.S. Congress has shown that it does still stand up and do its duty when it comes to Russia. We've had a lot of sanctions put on, a lot of fierce words from Congress towards Russian malfeasance whenever it does crop up.

But, of course, the problem is the relationship between President Trump and President Putin, which never seems to get much further than kind of warm. And that actually does need to change if President Putin is going to be checked in his global ambitions.

What are his global ambitions? First and foremost, to be a player. To bring back, as he would see it, Russia as a superpower counterweight to the United States. I don't believe that's going to happen but that's what he wants.

But third, its big ambition is linked, which is to destabilize and, to an extent, destroy Western liberal democracy -- or just Western democracy and all its intended rule of law, its independent election campaigns, it's -- you know, press and all the rest of it.

Russia is interested in destabilizing that in order for it to be stronger and that has to be stopped. And Russia needs to know -- Putin needs to know that there will be a strong price paid for this continued interference into the West.

CAMEROTA: Well, on that note, there was an invitation extended to come visit the White House. I think that was back in October. And they said early, at the beginning of this year, that would happen.

And after Helsinki, Christiane -- as you said, that you covered -- I mean, that was such a jaw-dropping display --

AMANPOUR: It was.

CAMEROTA: -- where President Trump said that the U.S. has been foolish. I mean, people were waiting to see when he came out of his meeting what he would say about Vladimir Putin, and he said the U.S. had been foolish. That there'd been mistakes on both sides -- things like that.

So hard to know -- hard to predict what would happen if Vladimir Putin visits the White House.

AMANPOUR: Well look, you're absolutely right. I mean, it's going to be hard to see that happening. I'm not sure whether it will happen but it's a very big strategic question.

And here's the thing. It's a very simple equation. You can do business with countries like Russia or even Iran or others by separating what you like about them with real -- from real politics.

For instance, during the entire length of the Cold War, Russia was a major enemy bent on kind of trying to destroy the U.S. from all sorts of -- from within.

But because of mutually assured destruction and both sides having enormous nuclear capabilities and stockpiles, they did have arms control agreements. And they did -- they were able to continue being angry with them over the human rights and all sorts of other issues while also dealing with them on arms control issues.

BERMAN: So we talk about global upheaval. What about Europe? You have big change in upheaval in Britain with the Brexit questions, in France with the yellow vest movement.

In Germany, not upheaval but you have a transfer of power that's coming there. And then you have what's happening in Italy and Austria -- Hungary -- you go down the list.

To an extent -- to an extent, the U.S. is a bystander in all of this change. What do you think the president's posture to what's happening in Europe will and should be?

AMANPOUR: OK, so this is really interesting because it gets to the heart of the nationalistic and populist trend.

So, first and foremost, the United States is creating -- let's not say enemies, but adversaries of its allies. This has been the big foreign policy elite motif, if you like, that all people outside the United States -- all the U.S. allies -- the crucial NATO allies, European allies, et cetera are saying hang on a second. Why is this president making enemies of us and cozying up -- I mean, that's my word -- to the likes of Mohammed bin Salman or Vladimir Putin or -- you know, before the trade war, Xi Jinping, et cetera?

So that's one question.

But, a really interesting development over the years, since the election of Donald Trump and since the Brexit vote in 2016, is being observed now by columnists and writers in Europe saying that look, what we've seen over the last several months is potentially -- and it might sound counterintuitive, but stay with me -- a winding down of the supernationalistic populist trend and a ramping up of a countermovement which is the useful Global Greens movement.

So let's just take Germany when Angela Merkel did face sort of opposition -- a lot of opposition. But guess what? It wasn't actually from the neo-Nazi super right-wing nationalist populist AFD, it was from the Greens.

This is a big trend that we should be watching, and we should be empowering, and we should be covering. And we need to stick with it because they don't get the attention that the violent, hate-filled, xenophobes or the Gilets Jaunes -- the yellow jackets in France -- those violent ones get. This is very big.

[07:40:07] In Paris, at the same time the violence was happening in a corner of the Champs Elysees -- the last election -- if you looked at the overhead drone pictures, just a corner of the Champs Elysees. In another neighborhood was a much bigger, much more peaceful Green movement march.

This is a very important trend because young people are telling us that we need to focus on what matters to them and to the future of their world. So I think that's very important.

And also, Steve Bannon, who came gallivanting into Europe wanting to create what's called "The Movement" to bring all of this populism and nationalism to European capitals -- he's been told sorry mate, you can't interfere in foreign elections either. So he's had to sort of retrench and move away a little bit with his tail between his legs.

BERMAN: Christiane Amanpour, great to have you with us. Twenty nineteen, it's going to be something to see.

CAMEROTA: Thank you, Christiane.

BERMAN: So, what are new laws taking effect in the new year? We'll talk about that with Jeffrey Toobin.

CAMEROTA: And also, we're going to take a look at the movies getting buzz as we head towards awards season. Who will take home the Golden Globe and the Oscar? All of that, ahead.

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BERMAN: New year, new laws, from marijuana to Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and more. A slew of new initiatives set to take effect this year.

[07:45:05] Let's discuss with CNN chief legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin. Happy New Year to you.

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN CHIEF LEGAL ANALYST, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: To you, as well, Berman.

BERMAN: So, how are we celebrating? With new laws. It's the best way to celebrate.

TOOBIN: You know, and no hangover with the new laws.

BERMAN: I'll take -- I'll take your word for that.

TOOBIN: Yes.

BERMAN: Look, in Florida -- this last election year in Florida was obviously huge. They had a huge governor's race, a huge Senate race.

But long-term, they passed one of the more interesting laws in the country which allows felons -- ex-felons to regain their voting rights.

Talk to me about this.

TOOBIN: Well, you know, Florida had one of the most restrictive laws in terms of people who had been convicted of felonies not being allowed to vote, essentially, for the rest of their lives. That was put up to the -- that policy was put up for a vote and it passed overwhelmingly. So, 1.4 million former felons will have the right to vote again in Florida.

Now, as we know, Florida has been an intensely competitive state. Obama won it twice, Trump won it narrowly. Very narrow Republican victories in the House and Senate.

This is widely believed to help Democrats, perhaps, push ahead but we don't know for sure how many of those people will actually register.

BERMAN: Right.

TOOBIN: But it's a -- but, you know, 1.4 million people -- even in a big state like Florida, that's a lot of people.

BERMAN: Oh, sure. When these elections are being decided by 12,000 votes or 30,000 votes it could make a big difference if they register.

TOOBIN: Sure.

BERMAN: Although it strikes me that convicted felons may not be a high propensity to register to vote group, necessarily.

TOOBIN: Even if a third of them register, that's hundreds of thousands of people.

BERMAN: All right.

There were some anti-abortion measures passed in what -- West Virginia and Alabama.

TOOBIN: Correct, and legally, they don't have all that much significance but I think they are a good sign of what's coming. Basically, what -- they're worded differently but they basically said we don't recognize a right to abortion in Alabama and in West Virginia. Now, as we know, under Supreme Court precedence starting with Roe v.

Wade, there is a constitutional right for a woman to choose abortion. However, Brett Kavanaugh has replaced Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court and we are going to see an increasing number of abortion restrictions. I don't know exactly when but soon, they will reach the Supreme Court.

And certainly, in my opinion, overruling Roe v. Wade is a matter of not if, but when now. And I think these are important --

BERMAN: Look, you've been very vocal --

TOOBIN: Yes, I have.

BERMAN: -- about that, including during the Kavanaugh hearings. You say it is inevitable that Roe versus Wade will be in some way struck down, which would push it back to the states.

TOOBIN: Right. Now, abortion is not under threat in New York, in California, in Illinois. However, in easily a dozen states, most in the south but also North and South Dakota, abortion is very likely to be restricted and then eliminated altogether. And then you will have many states that will be battlegrounds -- Ohio, Texas, Florida -- where abortion rights will be a huge fight.

BERMAN: Which is why these non-binding initiatives you're talking about may be a sign of what's to come.

Marijuana -- every year, it seems we have new states making marijuana more available for more reasons. This year, it's what? It's Utah, Missouri, and Michigan.

TOOBIN: And, Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, just announced that in this year he is going to move for full-scale legalization of marijuana in New York.

What makes this particularly interesting is the change in Washington.

Jeff Sessions, when he was attorney general, was very hostile to the idea of legalized marijuana. And it's important to remember marijuana is still illegal under federal law.

When Eric Holder was attorney general under President Obama, he made basically a deal with Washington and Colorado, the first two states to legalize it, that said we won't disturb your policy but you have to make sure kids don't have access and, you know, other conditions. Under Sessions, the Justice Department reluctantly followed that policy.

But there has to be some resolution soon because so many states are now legalizing it. You have to wonder when the federal government -- when Congress is going to say we are going to allow this to return to the states.

BERMAN: Do we have any idea what William Barr, the perhaps next -- old attorney general, perhaps next attorney general -- what he thinks about marijuana?

TOOBIN: I have -- I have no idea --

BERMAN: Neither do I.

TOOBIN: -- to be honest. But I assume in his confirmation hearings, which will be soon, in January, that's one of the questions he'll be asked.

BERMAN: All right.

Jeffrey Toobin, it's been a great new year already --

TOOBIN: It is.

BERMAN: -- just getting to spend this time with you.

TOOBIN: It is. Happy New Year, Berman --

BERMAN: Thanks so much for being with us.

TOOBIN: -- to you and yours.

BERMAN: All right -- Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: Thanks, John.

The Golden Globes are less than a week away and Oscar nominations will be out in three weeks. So what are the movies to watch this awards season and who will most likely take home an award?

[07:50:05] Joining us are CNN chief media correspondent and anchor of "RELIABLE SOURCES," Brian Stelter. And, "ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT" host and CNN contributor, Nischelle Turner. Great to see you guys. Happy New Year.

NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN CONTRIBUTOR, HOST, "ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT": Good morning.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA CORRESPONDENT, ANCHOR, "RELIABLE SOURCES": You, too.

TURNER: Happy New Year.

CAMEROTA: OK, so let's talk favorite movies of 2018.

Nischelle, you go first. What do you --

TURNER: Oh, gosh.

CAMEROTA: What do you expect to be recognized and what were your favorites?

TURNER: Well, it's interesting because so many people ask me this question all the time and usually, I'm definitive on movies that I just love, that I think were standouts for the year. This year, those have been a little different for me. I think there

were a lot of really good movies. It's been really tough to say I just loved this, I was so connected to this.

There were a couple. For me, "Black Panther" was a movie that I was connected to. Opened early in the year, in February, but it has sustained.

One of the best movies of the year. So if you can go revisit that, get that on DVD, I encourage people to see that.

"A Star Is Born" -- believe the hype. That's what I will say about this movie -- believe the hype. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper are electric together. Their chemistry on screen is bananas.

And as great as Lady Gaga was and she deserves all these accolades, to know that Bradley Cooper did what he did on screen and also directed this film was crazy.

I think the Globes made a big error, though, in excluding Sam Elliott from the Best Supporting Actor category for this movie because he was the glue that held this whole thing together.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

TURNER: I also loved the movie "The Favourite." It hasn't gotten a lot of talk but it is delicious. It's so good.

Olivia Colman, in it, is fantastic. Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone are crazy good.

The movie is quirky, it's funny, it's -- I mean, intoxicating. I just loved every single second of it so if I had to pick, those.

And I also can't rule out "Crazy Rich Asians," another movie that was early in the season. I think besides being a romantic comedy that was just so well-done, it sent a message. I love a message movie. They're already going to make the sequels to that.

It was just fantastic and it introduced us all to Henry Golding, who is a bona fide leading man and I think one of those attractive men that I've ever seen in my life, in person and on screen.

CAMEROTA: Wow, that's saying a lot.

TURNER: Those movies did it for me.

CAMEROTA: Nischelle, you have sold it. I mean, people will be racing out today to see those movies -- all of them.

So, Brian, who do you think will -- who are the frontrunners who will take home the Golden Globes?

STELTER: Yes, I think -- I think Nischelle's right about "A Star Is Born." "A Star Is Born" is the film to beat at the Golden Globes, but it's going to be challenged by films in different categories -- by films like "Green Book" and "Vice."

You know, "Vice" just came out in theaters recently. Christian Bale, Amy Adams -- the whole gang coming together with this Dick Cheney biopic.

You either love it or hate it, but I think a lot of voters, both from the Golden Globes and the Oscars, are going to love it. Liberal- leaning voters looking back at the Cheney years in an ugly way. So I think that's a likely candidate -- contender.

I was disappointed that "First Man" didn't get more love from the Golden Globes nominations. I hope it gets more love at the Oscar nominations. You know, this is, of course, an incredible look at Neil Armstrong going to the moon. Ryan Gosling playing Neil Armstrong.

To me, that was my personal favorite of the year and it was kind of snubbed --

TURNER: Oh, great.

STELTER: -- by the awards voters.

CAMEROTA: Go ahead, Nischelle.

TURNER: It was. Yes, it was, and Brian, that's a good point to point out because there was so much buzz leading up to nominations for this film --

STELTER: Yes.

TURNER: -- and it just kind of fizzled out.

I think Ryan Gosling was masterful in this film so I'm surprised by that as well.

But it's interesting you mention "Vice" and the Golden Globes. It leads the nominations with six, which is a bit of a surprise because most people didn't even have the screeners yet. They got out so late.

STELTER: Oh.

TURNER: So I'm turning to figure out how all the people saw this movie.

CAMEROTA: All right, so how does that work? I mean --

TURNER: Exactly.

Well, when voting closed, the screeners -- you know, they hadn't really gotten out yet, so I -- so it was very interesting.

But I will tell you the Hollywood Foreign Press loves Christian Bale and the Hollywood Foreign Press loves Amy Adams. So it doesn't surprise me that the films were recognized because they do love those stars.

STELTER: Yes.

TURNER: But it was interesting when I saw that because I'm like hold on a second. Where were these screeners when the voting was going on?

STELTER: Right.

CAMEROTA: I think we have a scandal brewing.

Brian, are the Golden Globes a precursor -- meaning are they -- do they inform the Oscars or are they completely decided on different sets of --

STELTER: Yes, they ideally -- they inform the Oscars. It's only about 90 journalists from around the world --

TURNER: Yes.

STELTER: -- critics that are making those picks. It's a little bit of a kind of a silliness that 90 people have that much power.

But it is the kick-off to awards season because after the Golden Globes --

TURNER: True.

STELTER: -- we're going to have the nominations for the Oscars on January 23rd. And I'm curious to see what kind of big movies get nominated for the Oscars. You know, will "Black Panther" be in the mix? Will "Mary Poppins Returns" be in the mix?

This is a huge year, 2018, at the box office. Despite --

TURNER: Yes.

STELTER: -- predictions about the death of the box office, people went out and saw these blockbuster, big-time movies. So will they be awarded or not is the question?

CAMEROTA: And, Nischelle, my boyfriend --

TURNER: That's a good -- that's a good --

[07:55:00] CAMEROTA: -- Andy Samberg is hosting the Golden Globes. He doesn't know he's my boyfriend.

STELTER: Nice way to sneak that in.

CAMEROTA: He doesn't know yet.

TURNER: I'm glad --

CAMEROTA: But I love him. He's so funny. And, Sandra Oh, she's fantastic.

So how's that going to go? TURNER: Well, that's a good question, Alisyn. I'm glad to know that your boyfriend is solidified now. And I'll let him know that the next time --

CAMEROTA: Please.

TURNER: -- I see him that he's your boyfriend --

CAMEROTA: Thank you.

TURNER: -- and you're his girlfriend --

CAMEROTA: Yes.

TURNER: -- even though he didn't know it.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

TURNER: But it was -- actually, when this was announced, this pairing of these two, it was interesting. It raised a lot of eyebrows because people said, hmm, I don't necessarily put those two together. I wonder how this is going to go?

Because usually when they have hosts -- double hosts of awards shows -- they usually have some sort of association, whether it's Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who are best friends and do tons of movies together, or if it's the Emmy's with Michael Che and Colin Jost, who do "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE WEEKEND UPDATE" together. They usually have something in common and go way back.

These two, I'm not sure what we're going to get. I do love Andy Samberg though, so I think it's going to be a very interesting show.

And listen, the Golden Globes is a party so it's -- the room is filled with celebrities having a couple of cocktails like a lot of folks did last night, and just having a good time. So --

And don't forget about television because the Globes also has T.V. thrown in there. So it's -- you know, it's a bit of a party.

The cast of "THIS IS US" was snubbed out of there, which I was bummed about. The cast of "BLACKISH" snubbed out of there. I was bummed about that. So I'm interested to see what we're going to get this year.

CAMEROTA: They are usually more fun, let's face it. Watching the Golden Globes is fun.

STELTER: Definitely -- yes, definitely. That's always the case.

CAMEROTA: Yes. All right, Nischelle, Brian, thank you very much.

STELTER: Thanks.

CAMEROTA: Great to talk to you. Happy New Year -- John.

STELTER: You, too.

TURNER: Happy New Year, guys.

BERMAN: Boyfriend, hmm? All right.

So, as President Trump heads into his third year in office he faces a new Congress. What will we see happen this year in Washington? That's coming up.

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