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Fiona Hill's Testimony In The Impeachment Inquiry Won A Lot Of Praise From Women; China Is Furious With President Trump For Signing A Human Rights Bill That Supports Protesters In Hong Kong; Gabrielle Union Was Fired From Her Job As A Judge In "America's Got Talent". Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired November 28, 2019 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: Like, where is he most vulnerable?

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, I mean, generally speaking, the biggest move that we have seen in the electorate is Trump's emergence is 2016 or the white collar suburbs around the country with be Democrats. It was previewed in 2017 in Virginia when Democrats at a landslide and northern Virginia continued in 2018 (INAUDIBLE) noted Democrats have won suburban seats all over the country, not only in traditionally Democratic metro areas like Minneapolis or Chicago or Denver but also in places like Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, even Charleston that was not Democratic.

And again, in 2019 we saw this movement toward Democrats in the suburbs of Kentucky and Louisiana and Virginia again. And that is going to be a change for Trump in 2020. And there is no question about that.

Is it enough? Certainly, it seems enough to win the popular vote. Not guaranteed enough to win the electoral college. And there the reality is the same persons that are moving these white collar pulling suburbs away from Trump while helping with blue collar, non-urban, ex- urban voters, et cetera, are also causing him problems with other votes. Particularly young people and minority. So it's not just a question of the suburbs, the same things that are moving the suburbs are also threatening him with big turn out and big margins for Democrats among young people and minorities.

BALDWIN: What about women?

BROWNSTEIN: Yes. So women, you know, look, the gender gap is fascinating, right. I mean, the gender gap under Trump is very large. And it's true across racial groups. I mean, African-American women, he is facing almost unanimous disapproval. Among Hispanic women, again, much more disapproval than among men.

If you look at white women, there's a critical distinction. College educate the white women have become very negative on Trump. You see in the chart there. He has a disapproval rating of basically two- thirds.

He faces the prospect of the largest vote against him for any Republican ever among college white women in 2020. But the key to the whole election, maybe the other group, which is the white women without a college degree. These are blue collar white women. And by every data source we have, Brooke, Trump won by at least 20 points in 2016. They were critical to his victories in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin that tipped the elections.

Look where it is now. He is at essentially an even split. That may not be enough for him in the states on this side of the election, at least on a very narrow ledge, if in fact, he cant do better in 50/50 among those working class white women who preferred him by big margin just three years ago.

BALDWIN: I just think the gender gap story is fascinating. And I'm thinking, for the people who dare talk politics over Turkey can talk about that.

BROWNSTEIN: Yes.

BALDWIN: The other thing is, you know, the conversation about my God, all the Democratic candidates and who is going to get the nomination and, you know, I come back to the former vice president. Because, you know, despite, Ron, flaws (oh), gaps, you know, unfavorable moments in whatever debate. This is a man who is still at the top of the heat. And I'm wondering why do you think he's the guy?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, the one thing that happened so far two things, really that keep Biden afloat. Despite with a pretty negative reactions from the Democratic electorate through his performance at the debate. Understandably, where he has had a lot of, you know, kind of verbal gaps and kind of step on his arguments at time.

Two things. One, even no matter what else is going on, he holds a significant lead over any other Democrat when the party voters are asked who has the best chance of beating Trump. I mean, that has remained very consistent particularly among older voters and particularly among nonwhite voters. And that really is the second key which is that is his advantage among African-American voters has not really diminish. Whatever polls is going on in the polls and Iowa and New Hampshire.

And Brooke, I think if they reduce the Democratic primary, you can identify what is the single most important question in the primary. And that is if Biden underperforms and he turns himself far performances in Iowa and New Hampshire with their 90 percent plus white elect rates which certainly seem possible, is that or is that not going to dislodge his African-American support in South Carolina? If it does, he will essentially, I think, will be almost impossible to win the nomination. But if it doesn't, if he holds his black support in South Carolina and goes into the March states where the diversity of the Democratic Party is really represented, he can still tough out the nomination despite losing Iowa and New Hampshire which is by the way, something George McGovern in 1972 and Bill Clinton in 1992. They are the only Democratic nominees ever who didn't win either Iowa or New Hampshire.

BALDWIN: That's some good trivia. BROWNSTEIN: (INAUDIBLE)

BALDWIN: Trivia over the Turkey from Ron Brownstein.

BROWNSTEIN: A little trivia over the turkey.

BALDWIN: We'll have answers to those questions in just a matter of months.

Ron, thank you. You are the best.

BROWNSTEIN: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Thank you so much.

BROWNSTEIN: Yes.

BROWNSTEIN: Fiona Hill's testimony in the impeachment inquiry won a lot of praise from women because of how she stood up to men who quoted her. We will take to Maeve Reston who says that will her legacy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:39:25] BALDWIN: All right. On this thanksgiving, as you're there. You are breaking bread with your loved ones. You may be hoping that this month's impeachment hearing have faded from memories. But CNN's Maeve Reston is actually hoping one witness left an unforgettable legacy and it is not for the reasons you may think.

So, hi, Maeve Reston. Happy Thanksgiving.

MAEVE RESTON, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER: Happy thanksgiving, Brooke.

BALDWIN: You wrote this great piece about Fiona Hill, the President's former top advisor on Russia and Europe. So let's revisit that the standout moment you referenced in the piece where he will detail why she got irritated and angry with EU ambassador Gordon Sondland. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[15:40:00] FIONA HILL, FORMER TRUMP'S TOP ADVISOR: I was actually, to be honest, angry with him. You know, to be, you know, I hate to say it but often when women show anger, it's not fully appreciated. It's often, you know, pushed on to the emotional issues perhaps or deflected on to other people. And what I was angry about he wasn't coordinating with us.

I have actually realized having this deposition that he was obviously right. But he wasn't coordinating with us because we weren't doing the same thing that he was doing. So I was upset with him that he wasn't fully telling us about all of the meetings that he was having. And he said but I'm briefing the President, I'm briefing of chief of staff Mulvaney, I'm briefing secretary Pompeo and talked to ambassador Bolton. He was being involved in a domestic political errant. And we were being involved in national security foreign policy. And those two things have just diverged. I did say to him, ambassador Sondland Gordon, I think this is going to blow up. And here we are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[15:41:02] BALDWIN: And here we are.

So Maeve, it's when she says when women show anger, it's not fully appreciated. It's often pushed on to emotional issues. Do you think a woman of her caliber confronting such a ubiquitous problem may have made a difference?

RESTON: I do. I thought that moment was just so striking because it was this woman who has so much authority and credibility and she took that moment in front of this dais of powerful men to say, you know what, you are so quick when women are angry to just push that aside, whether it's, you know, saying that it's hormones or they are emotional or they are, you know, having a panic attack. Maybe you should pay attention and listen. Because what Fiona Hill was saying in that, her anger was about the fact that the U.S./Ukraine policy had gone off the rails. And perhaps if more people had been listening to her earlier on, this history could have been very different for President Trump, Brooke.

BALDWIN: So you think if perhaps someone had hadn't just waived her off for being angry and listened, that perhaps we wouldn't be having this conversation. That a lot of what we have been discussing over the last few weeks may not have been a thing.

RESTON: Well, totally possible. And I think this such a legacy, you know, not only of the Me Too movement, which got people to pay attention to women in a different way, but, also the 2016 campaign. Remember that famous moment when President Trump called Hillary Clinton a nasty woman and women around the country just rallied around that and embraced it. And we are seeing over and over again in the 2020 campaign now.

Where Elizabeth Warren, when Joe Biden suggested her rhetoric sounds angry, she's calling it out and saying, you know what, I am angry. And you should pay attention. And I just think it's this moment, this cultural shift that we are seeing that is exciting. And I do think that's what Fiona Hill's legacy will be. That very keen observation that maybe made all of them think a little differently, Brooke.

BALDWIN: I think it's totally exciting and good on you for highlighting it.

Maeve Reston, thank you.

RESTON: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Coming up next, a look at the forecast as two major storms hit the U.S. this thanksgiving.

Plus, the Chinese government is furious with President Trump after he signed a bill supporting the pro-democracy protest in Hong Kong. Details how that could impact ongoing trade talks.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:48:20] BALDWIN: Well, thank goodness, the winds cooperated. The show carried on here in New York city. The balloons in the Macy's thanksgiving day parade were flying after all though not quite as high as normal. That did not matter for the tens of thousands watching Snoopy kick off the annual holiday tradition. These balloons handlers were keeping at least seven giant balloons pretty closer to the ground making them more manageable in the high winds.

SO the wind cooperated. That doesn't mean weather woes have moved on in the northeast to other parts of the country.

CNN meteorologist Ivan Cabrera has an update for us.

And so Happy thanksgiving, Ivan. And what is the big story today, weather wise?

IVAN CABRERA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, happy thanksgiving to you.

I was going to say, we just squeezed in the parade over the balloons. The winds were 35 to 40 miles per hour. Can you imagine? You cannot cancel the balloons. It's like cancelling Santa Claus, which would never happen.

BALDWIN: Never ever.

CABRERA: Unless you have been naughty which, you know, that's all different story.

BALDWIN: We can keep going.

CABRERA: Yes, we could. We have one storm. Goodbye storm one. Let's focus on storm two because I think this one is going to be a mess for Sunday. It's already getting going. It's been snowing in New Mexico. It has been snowing in Arizona. It's been snowing in southern California. The snow levels have plummeted and this continues then to move to the north and east in that direction. We have winter storm warnings all over the place here. I think it will be a big deal. If you're traveling, the winter warnings, by the way, extend over 1650 miles.

Look at the storm getting build up and crack up your Friday. Now heading into Saturday that's going to be a problem for the Midwest. And then, of course, along the busiest corridor here along I-95, we are going to be looking at a wintery mix for the big return home on Sunday from Boston. It could be some accumulating snowfall. Especially north and west of let's say 120 and 459 and then it showers and storms across the rest of the southeast. So just in time for the trek back home. It looks to be quite a mess.

We love to spend chat but the CNN diner (ph) line is going out of hand, I think. [15:50:14] BALDWIN: Go, go, go. I have already have my turkey here

at CNN. CABRERA: Happy Thanksgiving, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Ivan, thank you.

CABRERA: You bet.

BALDWIN: Other, other big news today. China is furious with President Trump for signing a human rights bill that supports protesters in Hong Kong. Activists gathered today in Hong Kong to thank President Trump, but China is threatening consequences for the U.S. amid already strained relations over trade.

CNN's Will Ripley has more reaction from Hong Kong.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The competing images that we saw within hours of each other here in Hong Kong illustrates the deep division that exists in the city. Between the vast majority of citizens and the Hong Kong government and of course the Beijing government as well.

You had thousands of people out in central Hong Kong waving American flags, thanking the United States and President Trump for passing the Hong Kong human rights and democracy act. Which could potentially result in not only sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials in human rights abuses, but it also crucially requires the state department to review Hong Kong's highly coveted and hugely important special trade status. If that would be revoke, it would be devastating for this territory's economy and for the mainland as well. And it would also hurt the United States, frankly.

And so some of the people who were out there thanking the U.S. for the bill could some day actually be hurt by it. And yet that doesn't stop them from thanking the United States for supporting the pro-democracy movement. It's the second time in less than a week that the pro- democracy movement has scored a victory. Because there was that landslide win in the district council elections where more than 90 percent of the votes and a record high turnout went to anti- establishment candidates.

But despite all that, despite the overwhelming public opinion. You have Carrie Lamb the chief executive and establishment lawmakers firmly in line with Beijing's view that the protesters are in fact rioters. And as proof of that, they offered up images from (INAUDIBLE). They allowed the press to join police where they went in to take away the weapons that they say protesters were storming at that university including 600 petro bombs thrown at the police, you know, that used in these confrontations.

The police claim that protesters that were incite the violence. The protesters claimed that police respond with disproportionate and excessive force against unarmed civilians. But Beijing asking the United States why would they support a movement that engages in regular violence. And that's the big debate. And the big divide here in Hong Kong. And for the moment, it really doesn't show any sign of bringing these two sides closer together.

And on top of all of it, of course, you have the highly sensitive trade talks happening between Washington and Beijing. And now the big question is will any deal be in jeopardy, potentially because of these new developments And because President Trump decided to sign this bill into law?

Will Ripley, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Will, thank you.

Coming up next, drama at "America's got talent" after Gabrielle Union was fired from her job as a judge. She is now speaking out about why she thinks it happened.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:58:07] BALDWIN: When the reality show "America's Got Talent" returns in January, two of the popular judges will not be there and that includes actress Gabrielle Union who has gone very public about her exit.

CNN entertainment reporter Lisa France has more.

First and foremost, happy thanksgiving my friend. Great to have you on.

LISA FRANCE, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Thank you.

BALDWIN: What happened here.

FRANCE: Well, Dwyane Wade says that -- he has tweeted he is still waiting to find out exactly why his wife got fired. As soon after as he tweeted in support of her, she tweeted to thank all of her fans for their support in the wake of what's happening.

There was a report from "Variety" which said she had gotten into some trouble because she spoke up following a racist joke on the show. She was asking the producers to take it to human resources. And also that she had gotten a lot of criticism from producers that her hair styles on the show were quote-unquote "too black nor the audience." And so she has not been invited back.

Now, NBC sent out a statement saying that they take diversity very seriously and that the rotation of judges and hosts on the show is part of what makes the show so successful. But lots of people are not buying that including organizations like Time's up which have come out in support of Gabrielle Union. Also 'Grays Anatomy" star Ellen Pompeo who sent out some scathing tweets saying, you know, that NBC is the home that had issues with Matt Lauer and that they basically need to do better.

BALDWIN: Ouch. FRANCE: Yes. Really. So she says she supports Gabrielle Union's

commitment to speaking up for injustice and talk about how courageous it was.

BALDWIN: Wow. So if she could have her -- so she's gone. So new judges, but it's interesting how, you know, her husband has jumped in also in her defense.

We will watch to see where it goes. But thanks for explaining a bit of it.

FRANCE: Absolutely.

BALDWIN: People were wondering what happened to her.

Lisa, thank you. Lisa France in Atlanta.

And that's it for me. It's been a blast the last two hours here in New York City. Thanks for being with me on your holiday. I hope it's happy and healthy and safe with all your loved ones.

Back-to-back episodes, by the way, coming up of our dear Anthony Bourdain.

"PARTS UNKNOWN" starts now.

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