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Elizabeth Warren Apologizes; Trump Calls for Unity; Trump Presses for Wall; Icy Mix in the North-Central U.S. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired February 06, 2019 - 06:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:34:39] POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Good morning.

Massachusetts senator and 2020 presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren is apologizing again this morning after her heritage claims come under scrutiny. Again "The Washington Post" uncovering a Texas bar registration card from 1986 where she lists her race as American Indian.

MJ Lee is with us for more.

Again.

MJ LEE, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. You know, Poppy, this is an issue that has dogged Elizabeth Warren for so long and now there is one more example. "The Washington Post," as you noted, reported last night on a Texas bar registration card that Warren filled now the 1986. And under the line you can see their, race, Warren wrote that she was American Indian.

Now, this would have been when she was working at the University of Texas Law School. And an aide to Senator Warren told CNN last night that they do not dispute the authenticity of this registration card and they do not dispute that this was, in fact, Warren's handwriting. But they did note that this was not a part of the application to the bar, but a card that was filled out after the senator was already admitted to the Texas bar.

[06:35:03] But, nevertheless, this is a new and previously unknown example of Warren having described herself as Native American and it's noteworthy because it wasn't just checking a box and it does appear to have definitively been written by Warren herself.

And we did get this statement from a Warren spokesperson last night as well. She said, as Senator Warren has said, she is not a citizen of any tribe and only tribes determine tribal citizenship. She is sorry that she was not more mindful of this earlier in her career.

Now, you'll remember that last week Warren also apologized to Cherokee leaders for using a DNA test so try to show her Native American ancestry and the timing of all of this is, of course, not great given the fact that she is expected to formally launch her presidential campaign on Saturday. John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, MJ Lee, thank you very much.

President Trump calling for unity. We're going to take a look at some of his speech and some of the facts. We're also going to speak to former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu to find out what he said -- says about the speech.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:40:11] HARLOW: All right, welcome back to a little bit of this, a little bit of that. The president's State of Union Address described by some as a hodgepodge of a carrot and a stick, outreach and insult. So what can we make of a speech that was, at parts, very conciliatory from a man who is usually anything but?

John Avlon joins us now with a "Reality Check."

Good morning, my friend.

JOHN AVLON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Poppy.

So, to listen to President Trump last night, he is all about bipartisan unity.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We must reject the politics of revenge, resistance, and retribution and embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise, and the common good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AVLON: Those are good words, but to believe them you'd have to suffer from amnesia because Trump's entire political brand is based on insults and us against them attack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today's Democrat Party is held hostage by left wing haters, angry mobs, deep-state radicals, establishment cronies, and their fake news allies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AVLON: For example. And even last night he couldn't resist announcing socialism and accusing Democrats of embracing open borders and allowing murderers by undocumented immigrants. But if the speech resonates, and according to a CNN flash poll, 59 percent of the audience approved, it's because there were brief flashes of policies that could and should get bipartisan support. Combating childhood cancer, funding to eliminate the HIV epidemic, reducing prescription drug prices and, yes, rebuilding infrastructure.

But the biggest question is whether the president would back up his talk of cooperation and compromise by accepting a balanced plan for border security in exchange for a path to citizenship for dreamers. And on that point, Trump was silent.

Look, putting up the bunting of bipartisanship doesn't distract from underlying facts, just like putting his most diverse cabinet members in the front row doesn't change his overwhelming completion of his administration. To have any legislative success over the next two years, Trump needs to deal with the fact of divided government and that means finding some common ground with Democrats and vice-versa.

And that's your "Reality Check."

Berman.

BERMAN: John, thank you very much.

So can the president find some common ground with Democrats?

Joining me now is Mitch Landrieu, former Democratic mayor of New Orleans.

Mayor, thank you so much for being with us.

MITCH LANDRIEU (D), FORMER MAYOR OF NEW ORLEANS: Good morning.

BERMAN: You watched the address last night. What's the nicest thing you can say about it?

LANDRIEU: I did. Well, give him credit for trying. First of all, it was a really long speech, but he started off with a call for bipartisanship. The problem is, nobody believes anything that he said. I mean you can't kick your dog all day and then at night pat him on the head and tell him you love him and expect him to believe it.

And I think people, while they want to call for unity, a call for bipartisanship, a call for getting things done, I think they want people not only to talk the talk, but they want them to walk the walk. So Americans always remain optimistic and hopeful that the president and Congress will find common ground. But with the government shutdown just a couple of days behind us, it's hard to believe that he's actually going to get there.

BERMAN: He didn't mention the shutdown at all.

LANDRIEU: No, he didn't. Isn't that amazing?

BERMAN: Stacey Abrams mentioned the shutdown.

LANDRIEU: She did.

BERMAN: Do you think there is a path forward, something you would like to see Democrats work for in the next -- I think we're down to nine days that the Democratic and Republican negotiators are working out to hammer out a deal? What do you want to see them propose that the Dem -- the president might support to prevent another government shutdown? LANDRIEU: Well, not just the Democrats. I think the American public

want government to work and they want it to work well for things that matter to them. I think most Americans saw themselves in the words of Stacey Abrams last night than they did in the words of President Trump. However, there's a deal there to be made.

Infrastructure, you know, the crumbling roads, bridges, sewer systems, water systems in the country are in desperate need of repair. Anybody in America will tell you that. And if Congress wants to build some muscle memory around compromise, they can do it around that.

Opioid -- opioid --

BERMAN: Do they? Do they?

LANDRIEU: Well, who knows? I mean, we'll see. But they've got to get something done. And it would be important. Other than facing another shutdown, which would be catastrophic, they have to stop shutting the government down and holding people hostage for some ideological feeling that either the Democrats or the Republicans have. But the president, again, continues to speak one way and act another. He's -- he's the leader of free world. He's got to help make it happen.

BERMAN: The president said if there's going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation. I wanted to read that to make sure I got it right. Is that, in fact, a choice?

LANDRIEU: Well, I think it's a false choice. All the investigations that have been done right now are people appointed by him in the Justice Department about him. It wasn't the Democrats that started these investigations. And so I understand what it is that he's saying, but those things are separate and distinct. Let the law take it where it's supposed to, but Congress can still do their job. You don't have to put aside every investigation to deal with opioid addiction or prescription drugs or family and medical care leave or infrastructure, the kind of things that Americans need.

And, by the way, on the issue of safety, making our kids safe in their schools so that they don't have to worry about whether they're going to get shot and they can actually pay attention to learning.

BERMAN: A year after Parkland there was no mention about that.

LANDRIEU: Well, there was no mention at all on the carnage of the streets of America from the huge level of violence. And the president talks about safety and security and scapegoats immigrants for crime while ignoring crime on the streets in America and the safety in our kids in schools. That's not really a good way to do it. Most Americans think past that and say, look, let's get to the real issues in real time that matter to most Americans.

[06:45:09] BERMAN: I don't know if you had a chance to see it, but in the last segment we talked about Senator Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts, on how she told "The Washington Post" and CNN, she didn't dispute that in the 1980s she identified herself on a registration form for the Texas bar as an American Indian. Do you feel that she has adequately explained this situation in her

life?

LANDRIEU: I didn't see that. I was traveling last night and didn't pay much attention to it. That -- those issues that she's involved in now, the issue in Virginia, speaks to this notion in America that we have a huge problem with race and ethnicity and class and how we treat each other. I'm working on an initiative dealing with race right now. We have to continue to talk about that in America. It's a fault line that we are really terrible about talking about. All of these candidates are going to have to address that issue. And when you think about it rite large over time, whether it's the wall, that's a symbol of hatred, whether it's misidentifying yourself, whether it's, you know, painting yourself in blackface, whatever that might be, the issue of race in America and class and ethnicity are really critically important that we have to get through.

BERMAN: I get that. But as someone who has been in Democratic politics for a long time, and a player that cares deeply, I think, about -- and we'll talk about your own personal role in this going forward --

LANDRIEU: Sure.

BERMAN: But who the next nominee for the Democratic Party is. The old saying goes, if you're explaining, you're losing. She's having to explain an awful lot.

LANDRIEU: I think -- I mean just as in the hard core politics, I think you're right, when you're explaining you're losing. And every candidate wants to put their best foot forward. And if you're playing defense, you're not on offense. And I think it hurts rather than helps.

BERMAN: Are you going to put your best foot forward?

LANDRIEU: I don't think so. You know, a lot of people have asked me that. I never say never. But at this point in time, I don't think I'm going to do it.

BERMAN: OK, I don't think so and I don't think I'm going to do it, to my ears, is further than you've gone before on this subject. Why?

LANDRIEU: Well -- well, I -- well, first of all, there are a lot of candidates in the race. The field's getting filled up. I think the Democrats have a lot of great candidates. You never say never because you don't know how things are going to work out. I feel very comfortable that there are people that are going to get in this race. Each and every one of them, by the way, are better than what President Trump is offering us for the country right now. So we'll see how it plays out.

BERMAN: Who's filling the lane that you would have been interested in or what types of candidates --

LANDRIEU: Well, there are a lot of people who are talking about it that haven't yet gotten in. You know, Mayor Bloomberg's talking about it. Joe Biden's talking about it. The congressman from Texas is talking about it.

BERMAN: Beto O'Rourke.

LANDRIEU: Yes, Beto O'Rourke. A lot of folks are.

I thought Stacey Abrams, by the way, did a spectacular job last night of speaking about faith, family, opportunity, responsibility in a really clear and concise way that was short (ph), that was clear, and that was really compelling from a personal story. And, you know, nobody's talked about her, but I think she'd be a really good candidate as well.

BERMAN: She may be considering a Senate run down in Georgia.

Mayor Mitch Landrieu, thanks for being with us. I really appreciate it.

LANDRIEU: Great. Nice to be here. Thank you.

BERMAN: Poppy.

Oh, I should say, coming up in just minutes, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer will join us to tell us what he thought about the speech and some choice words the president had for him before the speech.

HARLOW: You'll hear those in a moment.

A fascinating interview, Mayor Landrieu.

So the late night comics, of course, had to weigh in on the State of the Union. You'll hear the late night laughs ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:52:45] HARLOW: All right, we are in for two waves of ice and snow going to cause a mess for a lot of travelers today. Our meteorologist Allison Chinchar has your forecast.

Good morning.

And what are we -- what are we looking at?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, we're looking at a lot. Now, the biggest issues for today are mainly going to be focused over the Midwest. You've got a little bit of an icy mix for places like Detroit and areas of Michigan.

It's going to be heavy rain that's the focus along the Ohio Valley, places like Cincinnati, Louisville, Kentucky. You've got several inches in the forecast here, widespread about two to four inches. Over 15 million people under flood watches there.

But the concern up north is going to be the mix of ice, freezing rain, you've got a little bit of snow to go along with it. Most of the accumulations will remain below half of an inch. But keep in mind, that is enough to still accumulate on trees, if you've got some weak ones, bring some of those down. Not to mention the issues along the roadways.

That first wave pushes into the northeast later today, but then the second wave, John, pushes in behind it. So for really cities like Chicago, you're going to have issues today and tomorrow. But places like D.C. and New York, it's going to be issues all the way through Friday.

BERMAN: All right.

HARLOW: Thanks.

BERMAN: Thanks for that, Allison. Something to look forward to, right?

HARLOW: Let's get back to New York before that.

BERMAN: Exactly.

HARLOW: All right.

BERMAN: Here are your late night laughs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE": Trump said we must step boldly and bravely into the next chapter of this great America adventure. And that chapter is 11. That's right.

It's a long speech. It was a really long speech. His speech was longer than his tie. He spoke for so long, Robert Mueller handed down another five indictments.

JIMMY FALLON, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON": At one point Trump criticized the Russia investigation. He even used a rhyme. Listen to this.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation.

FALLON: And it was like, if you want a president with orange color, we must get rid of Robert Mueller. I do not like green eggs and ham, I do not like the Mexicans.

STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT": He presented a stark choice.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We must choose between greatness or gridlock, results or resistance, vision or vengeance, incredible progress or pointless destruction.

[06:55:00] COLBERT: Soup or salad. Paper or plastic. Ross and Rachel. Alien versus Predator. Whoever wins, we lose.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Fantastic. Those shows were live after the State of Union.

HARLOW: Yes, they had to watch, right? Go on.

BERMAN: Just like the rest of us.

All right, the president's State of the Union Address calling for bipartisanship and unity, while at the same time threatening Democrats? We've got the House minority leader and -- we've got the House minority whip and the Senator minority leader Chuck Schumer coming up.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Large, organized caravans are on the march. The lawless state of our southern border is a threat.

STACEY ABRAMS (ph): American is made stronger by the presence of immigrants, not walls.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: He did talk about, let's work together toward compromise.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D), MINORITY LEADER: Blatant hypocrisy if calling for unity is that he is one of the chief reasons Americans feel so divided.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I give him a B plus, A minus.

ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI, FORMER WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: A lot of things in there are universally American.

DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: There was plenty of red meat for the base. This is a pathway to 2020.

RICK SANTORUM, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: This was the worst delivered speech I've heard Donald Trump give.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stacey Abrams proposed 40 things. Donald Trump proposed eight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.

BERMAN: All right, good morning, everyone. Welcome to your NEW DAY. Alisyn is off. Poppy Harlow joins me here in Washington, D.C.

[07:00:03] HARLOW: Good morning. A big morning.

BERMAN: Yes, a big morning. Not much sleep.

END