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Texas Suit to Invalidate Votes; Stimulus Negotiations on Brink of Collapse; Millions Desperate for Stimulus Deal; How 2020 Differs from 2000; Army-Navy Game Moved. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired December 11, 2020 - 06:30   ET

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

[06:30:00]

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Particularly if President Trump gets involved with one of them that Trumpism goes on.

JOHN HARRIS, FOUNDING EDITOR, "POLITICO": It's possible. You know, I'll take the bet, but I know I could lose it.

Another reason I'm not particularly sanguine about President Trump's prospects after January 20th is, look, his message hasn't really adapted at all. Remember, when he got elected in 2016, it wasn't just on the power of his personality. He did have an agenda at that time, trade, anti-globalization, immigration. Now he stands for Trump only and Trump's grievances only.

Are -- all of these people who are with him now, they're worked up, they're angry. He's helped make them so. Are they going to stay that way? What does this have to do with solving any problem in my person's life, whether they're a Republican, a Democrat, or they're not affiliated at all? How does what Trump's doing make the country better or make any individual citizen better? He can't answer that. I'm very skeptical that all his Twitter followers will help him.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And, Margaret, one of the thing that I think John points out, incredibly astutely, is that Trumpism, when it came to power in 2016, was about more than just Donald Trump. It was about some stuff. It was about immigration and building a wall and anti- Muslim stuff and trade. It's not about anything anymore. It's about Donald Trump. That's all he's talking about, himself and his election. And short of any policy thing, it may not have the fuel to continue.

And I talk about policy this morning, Margaret, because, I mean, there's some stuff going on in America this morning. Not -- not sure you've heard, but there's this pandemic, which is killing people at record levels, which the president, you know, isn't anywhere on.

And then there's stimulus talks on Capitol Hill. People need relief. I mean 12 million people are going to lose the relief they have right now in a few weeks and these talks appear to be stalled.

So what are you hearing? What's your reporting on any hope for progress?

MARGARET TALEV, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, good morning, John and Alisyn.

Look, I thought John's piece was brilliant and really thought provoking. And it's so important to look at history as you place all of this in context.

But to me the question is twofold, not just can President Trump himself totally survive, but can the kind of threads that have been enflamed and the trends that have begun survive. And, on the one hand, like, it's the end of the year. It's a fight over, is the government going to shut down? Wow, every year I've covered politics, that's been -- or at least many years that we've all covered politics, that's been the fight. Will they go home for Christmas? Can the spending bill get done? This is a little bit different because it combines these two things, these kind of last pushes of President Trump's, you know, fight for power with these more traditional threads.

When you look at it through a traditional lens, look, Congress has the ability to get a lot done in the final days of the year if they really want to, if voters want them to, if they really feel the pressure to do it. We're seeing jobless numbers creep up to the highest levels since September. It's a holiday season. Coronavirus is going to get worse before it gets better. There is a lot of reason for them to be able to come together and figure this out and deliver some cash relief if they are really motivated to do it.

But the -- to me, this underlying question, which is not just President Trump's action, but the fact that there are 18 attorneys general, supposed to be the top law enforcement officials of their state, willing to go along with something that they know has no merit and that the reason they're doing it is that they know the Supreme Court will say that it has no merit. The fact that a half of the Republicans in Congress are willing to be putting their time in this direction, when there are these other problems that are real and much bigger.

And the fact that so many Americans at home are watching this and they just are confused. They're not actually sure. Like, is there fraud in the election or is there not fraud in the election? Are they going to get stimulus relief or not? And they don't understand, necessarily, all the intrigue of Washington. They don't want to understand. These are the real challenges that I think will go on beyond Trump's presidency.

CAMEROTA: You're so right, Margaret. I mean they understand that they're waiting in food lines while all of these strange court cases keep cropping up. I think by one count Donald Trump is one to 55, winning of the court cases verse losing of the court cases.

And so, John, when you look at that list of Republicans that have signed on to this meritless, far-fetched court case, it's also interesting whose names are not on there. So why isn't Congressman Kevin McCarthy's name on there? Why isn't Doug Collins' name on there?

HARRIS: Well, because they've chosen not to surrender all kind -- all independent judgment or all principle, they've chosen. I wouldn't necessarily call it a profile in courage to not sign on. I do think the people who did sign on, it's a profile in cowardice. But it's a reflection of what Donald Trump has done really for five years, when he first started getting involved in presidential politics.

[06:35:01]

He asked one question, which side are you on, the establishments or mine, throughout his presidency, which side are you on? Now he's once again saying, which side are you on? In this case, it's a, are you on my side or are you on the side of precedent, law, custom, and the traditions of democracy. And a lot of people will say, well, if you're calling the question, I guess I better be on your side because I'm afraid of my voters and the -- and the voters that support you.

BERMAN: John Harris, Margaret Talev, everyone go read John's piece, it's got incredible history in there also. Joe McCarthy really not being able to get a lunch date ultimately before he passed away. And, Margaret, Axios has got some great stuff this morning as well. So thank you both so much for being with us.

HARRIS: Thanks a lot.

BERMAN: The Trump administration carrying out the first federal execution in a lame duck presidency in more than a century. And several more planned before he leaves office. What's going on here? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: Breaking this morning, the Trump administration carrying out its ninth federal execution since July. Forty-year-old Brandon Bernard was put to death by lethal injection in Indiana. [06:40:01]

Bernard was involved in the murder of two youth ministers from Iowa when he was 18 years old. He is the youngest offender to be executed by the U.S. government in 70 years.

A source tells CNN that President Trump approved this execution because of the violent nature of the crime, despite pleas for a stay from high-profile advocates, like Kim Kardashian. Bernard's execution was also the first in a presidential lame-duck period in 130 years. The Trump administration has scheduled four more executions before Joe Biden's inauguration. Three are black men, one is a woman.

And it's just interesting, John, this was -- there was a 17-year hiatus on federal executions and then Bill Barr and President Trump did away with that. And now there -- there is a bit of an execution spree.

BERMAN: Oh, there's definitely a rush to get it done before the end of the administration, which is unprecedented.

CAMEROTA: And I'd just like to know more about the thinking there.

BERMAN: Yes. CAMEROTA: I mean -- and also, of course, the juxtaposition of this spree of pardoning his convicted friends and then a spree of executing convicted non-friends, and those happening simultaneously. I just want to know more about why they feel the need to do all of these executions in a lame-duck period.

BERMAN: It is worth noting -- well, because Joe Biden does not support the same thing. And I will note that executive orders are one thing, they can be reversed. Executions cannot.

CAMEROTA: OK, good point.

BERMAN: Developing this morning, congressional negotiations over a critical economic relief package appear to be on the brink of collapse. Millions of unemployed Americans could lose their aid within days.

CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich joins us now with the very latest.

Vanessa.

VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: John, it must sound like a broken record that these stimulus talks have collapsed yet again for the millions of Americans who are going to be losing the unemployment at the end of this month and the millions more that are looking for some sort of federal relief.

We spoke to one woman who is unemployed and her family to find out how she's making ends meet this holiday season and beyond.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANGELA KEARNEY, FURLOUGHED FROM JOB DUE TO PANDEMIC: I would describe this as the last nice memory that I had.

YURKEVICH: Angela Kearny stands in front of her tree at home in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, reminiscing with her aunt and longing for last Christmas.

KEARNEY: This was when I received the new job. I was going to be able to buy a home for my family.

YURKEVICH: The new job was as a paralegal after she put herself through school in her 40s while recovering from surgeries to fix a disability, racking up $63,000 in student loans. With a new salary of $55,000, she was finally able to provide for her children.

KEARNEY: That is more money than I've ever seen in my life. I promised them we would get a house. I promised them that they would be normal children. And then the pandemic hit and I can't keep those promises anymore.

It looks like everybody's dancing.

YURKEVICH: Just four months after landing that job, Kearney was furloughed in March and her weekly unemployment of $300 does little to cover the bills for her and her three children living at home.

KEARNEY: I have to take the bills and throw them up and pick the ones and hope that they total the amount that I have.

YURKEVICH: Her unemployment is slated to run out in January, along with 12 million other Americans. And dozens of programs designed to protect them will, too.

AMY CASTRO BAKER, PHD, ASST. PROFESSOR OF SOCIAL POLICY, UPENN: First student loan, you know, payments have been halted. So once that expires, that's a new bill that's going to hit people quickly. You have local eviction bans that will expire. And then, of course, the expansion of unemployment insurance. As that's going away, we're seeing more people not -- not put back to work.

YURKEVICH: For years, Kearney and her family were on several government assistance programs, including disability and food stamps. Last year, she finally got off them.

KEARNEY: A lot of it was determination on my part to climb this mountain, and we got shoved off the mountain.

YURKEVICH: Which sent them right back on food stamps.

YURKEVICH (on camera): How much money do you get on that card?

KEARNEY: We get $400 a month.

YURKEVICH: Does that cover it?

KEARNEY: It has to, right?

YURKEVICH (voice over): Congress is negotiating a stimulus bill that could drastically shape the next few months for families like the Kearneys, but significant, long-term relief may not arrive until President-elect Biden is inaugurated in late January.

BAKER: For a lot of families, waiting until after the inauguration is just going to be too late.

YURKEVICH: Christmas will look different for many American families, including the Kearneys.

KEARNEY: What do you think of our lights this year, huh?

YURKEVICH: This year she's prioritizing paying the electric bill just to keep the lights and Christmas spirit alive.

KEARNEY: The bills won't be paid for December because Santa's coming to town. Santa will be here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[06:45:03]

YURKEVICH: And Angela's story is just one of many where families are having to decide between paying the rent and buying their children Christmas presents. And one of the things we've heard constantly is that many families have worked really hard to get out of doubt, and that is exactly where they're finding themselves again right now. A lot of people have wrecked their credit. That has repercussions on their future for people like Angela who wanted to buy that home.

And, John, Angela is trying plan a wonderful Christmas for her family, but she also has to appear in court next week because the credit card companies are coming, they're calling, they're wanting their money, but she says that she simply doesn't know, John, where she's going to come up with that money.

BERMAN: Look, she needs someone she can count on, and right now she cannot count on the U.S. government at all.

Vanessa Yurkevich, thanks so much for being with us this morning.

Now, more than ever, the world needs some positive news. So join Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa for "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern only on CNN.

So, the public effort to overturn the results of the election. How historic is it? How do you feel about unprecedented? A "Reality Check," next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:50:11]

CAMEROTA: It's been 20 years since the U.S. Supreme Court ended the Florida recount and George W. Bush became president-elect. Now President Trump's supporters would like you to believe that the same scenario is playing out somehow.

John Avlon explains all of this in our "Reality Check."

JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: The Florida recount's hitting its Sergeant Peppers milestone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was 20 years ago today.

AVLON: Because it was 20 years ago tomorrow, December 12, 2000, that the long fight over Florida's votes was decided by the Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision with conservatives handing the presidency to George W. Bush.

But there is a world of difference between Florida 2000 and election 2020. That race was razor thin with an ultimate margin of 537 votes in a single state, where Bush's brother was governor. This time, Biden's won the Electoral College by a margin of 306 to 232 and the popular vote by more than 7 million. So there's just no comparison, as the Bush team's lawyers, James Baker and Ben Ginsberg, have attested.

But the legacy of the Florida recount casts a long shadow. And some of the characters are still on the national stage. President-elect Joe Biden's chief of staff, Ron Klain, ran the recount for Gore in Florida. Three Supreme Court justices, John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett all worked on the Bush Florida recount effort. Roger Stone, the convicted Trump adviser, orchestrated something called the Brooks Brothers Riot, which intimidated an end to hand recounting in Miami. And amid talk about divisions inside the current Democratic coalition, it's worth remembering that green party nominee Ralph Nader got some 98,000 votes in Florida, among folks who certainly didn't think Al Gore was strong enough on the environment.

But what's really clarifying is to contrast the calls for concession from congressional Republicans at the time with what they're saying today.

Here's a fresh-faced Lindsey Graham.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): Well, if it becomes something that lingers forever in the air that it wasn't fair to one side or the other, there would be problems.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AVLON: And here's Mitch McConnell.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): There are a number of Democrats who are privately very concerned that this is continuing now well into a month. Al Gore, at this rate, is going to become the Tonya Harding of American presidential history.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AVLON: Reminding us that principle has got nothing to do with their current position. It's all about partisanship and power. In the end, that's what drove the Supreme Court decision as well. Of course the swing vote, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor questions to this day. And despite desperate appeals to the Supreme Court by Trump's legal team and 17 red state attorney generals, the court seems unlikely to weigh in again, especially after team Trump has lost in court cases to date by a margin of 40-1.

At the end of the hard-fought almost too close to call contest, Al Gore conceded on December 13th, saying this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AL GORE: I say to President-elect Bush that what remains of partisan rancor must now be put aside and may God bless his stewardship of this country.

I call on all Americans, I particularly urge all who stood with us, to unite behind our next president.

This is America. Just as we fight hard when the stakes are high, we close ranks and come together when the contest is done. (END VIDEO CLIP)

AVLON: That's the way it should be done.

And that's your "Reality Check."

BERMAN: Night and day from 2000.

Meanwhile, this happened overnight.

The New England Patriots on the brink of missing the playoffs for the first time ever. It's not actually the first time ever. It's just the first time in a long time. I mean, I'll have more free time in January. We'll find out much more about this in the "Bleacher Report," next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:58:16]

BERMAN: For the first time since World War II, the Army/Navy football game will be played on campus at West Point.

Coy Wire there with more in the "Bleacher Report."

Hey, Coy.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.

Army/Navy game, one of the greatest sports rivalries in the world. We will have more on that in a minute.

First, Thursday night football. Patriots at Rams in one of the most impressive streaks in NFL history is over. New England losing to L.A. 24-3 last night for their seventh loss of the season. And that snaps the Pats' steak of 17 consecutive seasons winning at least 10 games. Cam Newton throwing for just 119 yards and an interception before he was pulled in the fourth quarter. Coach Bill Belichick, though, squashing any talk a permanent QB change after the game, simply saying Cam's our quarterback. New England now two and a half games out of the final playoff spot with three games to go. They haven't missed the playoffs since 2009.

Now, to the Army/Navy game. A rivalry dating back 130 years. Traditionally played in Philadelphia, a neutral site. But this season, due to the pandemic, it's being played here at West Point for the first time since 1943.

We asked the players and coaches from both sides what it means to be playing on Army's home turf.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Being in our own backyard, it's going to be an incredible feeling. And just knowing you're being a part of history.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm most looking forward to beating Army in their home stadium in a year that's like no other.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Beating Army at West Point is all the bragging rights of the world.

MYLES FELLS, NAVY RUNNING BACK: Beat them at their house, it would be awesome.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It would mean a lot for us to beat Navy, whether it was at West Point in Annapolis, or out on the interstate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Yes, the very first Army/Navy game, John, in 1890 wasn't played on the interstate. It was played here, on post, at West Point, on this plain behind me.

[07:00:00]