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New Day
Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R-GA) is Interviewed about the Voting Law; Alisyn Camerota's Farewell. Aired 8:30-9a ET
Aired April 07, 2021 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:30:00]
JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: "New Yorker" reported McConnell's team knows that Democratic-backed election reforms making it easier to vote are broadly popular, even with Republicans. That's not the only shot. A lot of business leaders are backing Joe Biden's call for a massive infrastructure bill, even though he's proposed paying for it largely by raising the corporate tax rate from 21 percent to 28 percent, which, by the way, would still be far lower than it's been since the end of World War II.
Now, few corporations actually pay the official rate because of a combination of deductions, losses and loopholes, which brings me to an eye-popping stat from President Biden.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You have 51 or 52 corporations of Fortune 500 who haven't paid a single penny in tax for three years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: Can that be right? Let's do a quick fact check.
Well, as it turns out, mostly yes. In fact, there were at least 55 profitable companies among the Fortune 500 and S&P 500 that paid no federal tax in 2020. That's according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. The number of businesses that paid no income tax for the past three years, though, is half that, 26, according to the report.
But big business is saying they're OK with a higher tax rate? What's next?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL MURRAY, ACTOR, "GHOSTBUSTERS": Dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AVLON: No, it's not as bad as all that. It's just some businesses see Biden's infrastructure investment as an overdue boast for America's long-term competitiveness.
These fights are not over. Not by a longshot. But the political fault lines are shifting, particularly as Republicans confront the contradictions of Trump's conservative populism.
And that's your "Reality Check."
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Dogs and cats living together. That was awesome (ph).
AVLON: I knew you would love that little Easter egg.
Look, Ali, you know, one of the things that shines through the camera is your authentic love of pop culture, but what folks might thoughtfully appreciate is your authentic love of punk rock. And you add those two things together and you really get to your heart and soul, which we will miss. We love you. We will see you. It is not good-bye, it's just see you later in the afternoon and enjoy a good night's sleep.
CAMEROTA: Thank you, John. I really appreciate that. I've loved bonding with you about music. I love our "name that tune" games and we will be able to do much more of that really starting on Monday.
AVLON: Two words --
CAMEROTA: So I -- this isn't a very long good-bye right here.
AVLON: Two words, Billy Squire.
CAMEROTA: I love Billy Squire.
Thank you for that.
All right, back to the news.
Up next, we will speak with Georgia's lieutenant governor as the state's largest city rolls out its own rules to fight back against the new election law.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:36:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOUGLAS BLACKMON, AUTHOR, "SLAVERY BY ANOTHER NAME": If then you had gotten to the November election and you had some of the same kinds of -- of, mostly, spurious complaints that were being raised by President Trump and others back in November, so that would have been a basis for the elections board to have then gone in and suspended the local elections officials, all the way down to poll workers and people managing precincts. They could have gone in and ordered that all of those people were out of their jobs and then been replaced by partisans selected by the board.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: That was journalist Douglas Blackmon speaking to us earlier this morning, explaining how Georgia's new election law in his mind could have completely derailed the 2020 general election in that state, an election with no widespread fraud or irregularities as was proven by multiple recounts.
Joining me now is Georgia's Republican Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan.
Lieutenant Governor, as always, thanks for being with us this morning. You're one of our favorite guests here on NEW DAY. Always willing to talk and mix it up.
What about the point he's making? And he's not the only one. There has been a lot of focus on things like water, a lot of focus on, you know, ballot drop boxes, but there's a major change in the law here and there are some people who think that change alone could have changed the outcome of the November election.
What do you say to that?
LT. GOV. GEOFF DUNCAN (R-GA): Well, I certainly hope to never see that level -- that part of the law have to be implemented and hopefully never see what we watched play out for ten unfortunate weeks here in Georgia because, you know, at the end of the day, the election process that played out was difficult for us here in Georgia. But it was fair and it was legal, and unfortunately, as a Republican, the outcomes didn't happen the way I wanted them to.
But the secretary of state did a great job. I think that was one of the parts too that concerned me about the final passage of the law, which ultimately was a culmination of Democratic and Republican ideas. But some of the punitive, you know, responses to taking Brad Raffensperger off that elections board, I thought, was just trying to tip their hat to Donald Trump and I just didn't think that was a necessary step.
BERMAN: So it isn't just Brad Raffensperger, right, it's the idea of the secretary of state having a voting role on that board. Now that role will be filled by someone appointed by the legislature. You know, so, basically, Republicans will control the state election board and this law gives them some power to go into counties and, if they decide to, completely take over those counties.
So, in an extreme circumstance, people who have looked at this say, you could have, you know, a board backed by the Republican legislature going into Fulton County, a largely Democratic county, and upending things.
What's to keep that from happening?
DUNCAN: Well, certainly we hope that doesn't happen. And you mentioned it as an extreme circumstance. And, you know, the flip side of that is, look, at some point in, you know, the next, you know, 50 years, 20 years, 10 years, whatever the story is, it could flip and be a Democratically controlled state, too. So we hope that it never gets to that stage.
But here -- here's the problem with that.
BERMAN: Is hope -- can I say -- can I just ask, though, is hope enough in this case? I mean, look, we saw some pretty crazy stuff happen at the end of the 2020 election into 2021. Crazy stuff with elected officials calling for crazy things, including, you know, large groups of Republican legislators in the state of Georgia. So it isn't so outlandish to think that they would have tried to go in.
DUNCAN: Yes, this is really the fallout from the ten weeks of misinformation that flew in from former President Donald Trump. And really, you know, I went back over the weekend to really look at where this really started to gain momentum in the legislature. And it was when Rudy Giuliani showed up in a couple of committee rooms and spent hours spreading misinformation and sowing doubt across, you know, hours of testimony.
And, you know, the problem with this right now is the conversation has really been driven by the outside fringes on both the right and the left. You know, you've got the left screaming at, you know, massive voter suppression and you've got the right, including former President Donald Trump, who now seems to be wanting to send out a statement every day in response to this and fanning the flames and continuing to fan the flames on misinformation and claiming this to be some sort of -- you know, not enough steps in the right direction.
[08:40:05]
And then all this to be said, you know, we've lost two U.S. Senate seats as a Republican. We've lost the White House. We've lost the all- star game. Look, we need to -- we need to pick up the pieces here and move on. We need to turn the page. You've heard me talk about GOP 2.0 as a Republican. It's time to do it. And I think Donald Trump now speaks more and more for the outside right fringes than he does for mainstream Republicans.
BERMAN: Very quickly, on coronavirus, on vaccinations in your state, CNN's done an analysis -- a state-by-state analysis of -- of where people are fully vaccinated at this point. And Georgia ranks near the bottom with just 13 percent of Georgians fully vaccinated. It's one of the five lowest states at this point.
Why do you think that is?
DUNCAN: Well, certainly, you know, it's a difficult riddle to solve for every state, trying to figure out how to get access to the vaccinations and get distribution and get folks to show up.
Governor Kemp has done a really good job of really trying to build deep roots into all the communities across the state to try to get them to show up and to get vaccinated. Super encouraged at what the infection rates continue to be. I look at them daily. Our numbers are very, very low. Fatalities and hospitalizations continue to fall.
We're headed in the right direction. We've got work to do. It's certainly a process that we're going to continue to work on here, but very encouraged at where we're headed.
BERMAN: Lieutenant Governor, as always, thanks for being with us. We appreciate you being on NEW DAY.
DUNCAN: Absolutely. Thank you.
BERMAN: All right, don't go anywhere. The moment I, you know, was dreading. Alisyn Camerota with a final good-bye.
CAMEROTA: Will there be cake?
BERMAN: I don't know if there's cake. I mean there's going to be liquor.
CAMEROTA: Stick around. There will be something.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:45:49]
BERMAN: So, this is the final segment of the final NEW DAY show of the Alisyn Camerota era. An era that has been going on for well over six years.
CAMEROTA: Be honest.
BERMAN: Longer than many of us have been alive, right?
CAMEROTA: Yes.
BERMAN: I mean you've been the anchor of this show -- I remember watching you when I was in seventh grade on NEW DAY.
CAMEROTA: Stone age. Yes.
BERMAN: Saying, I --
CAMEROTA: Some day.
BERMAN: She's amazing. Some day --
CAMEROTA: Some day I want to sit next to her.
BERMAN: Here's a little look back at the last six decades.
CAMEROTA: Oh, my God.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAMEROTA: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY.
We do begin with big, breaking news. The coronavirus pandemic is affecting everyday life for people around the world.
The city of Charleston is reeling, of course, from this cold-blooded massacre. Nine people killed while in Bible study at one of the nation's most historic African-American churches.
Do you have a message for Congress, for the president?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, please, take action.
CAMEROTA: Are you scared when you see this building? Do you --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I'm not scared. I'm -- I'm angry. How dare you defile our holy space.
CAMEROTA: But you're going to get better?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
CAMEROTA: Thank you for sharing your story. It means a lot to everyone to hear from the survivors.
I don't know anybody in the media who likes mass shootings. You're wrong on every single level.
What do you want to hear Bill Cosby say?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I -- I think an apology would be a joke, frankly.
CAMEROTA: How many of you are still nervous or reluctant to speak out and tell your full story today?
All 12 boys, every child from that soccer team, has been rescued from that flooded cave in Thailand.
She said that she believes that you becoming a grandmother is a driving force behind your campaign. How so?
HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: Well, she's right.
CAMEROTA: We have some stunning news for you, if you are just waking up. Donald Trump will head from Fifth Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue.
The car is right behind us there now. That is carrying the 45th president of the United States.
The acting secretary of Homeland Security says, quote, this is a good news story, what's happening in Puerto Rico in terms of ability to reach people.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Damn it, this is not a good news story. This is a people are dying story.
CAMEROTA: Can you say unequivocally the president will never pardon him?
RUDY GIULIANI, PRESIDENT TRUMP'S PERSONAL ATTORNEY: I can't say -- I can't take away the president's -- if I said it, it wouldn't matter.
CAMEROTA: Right, but why would the president pardon a pathological liar?
GIULIANI: I don't know why he would. I would -- I mean you ask me?
CAMEROTA: The third presidential impeachment trial in U.S. history begins in just hours.
It's 6:00 in New York as we count down to the inauguration of President Joe Biden.
Here's our "Pulse of the People."
How many people on election day plan to vote for Donald Trump? OK. B, B, A, A, F, B.
How many do you, show of hands, are optimistic that a Democrat will win in 2020?
Lightning round, one word to describe how you see the 2020 race.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Polarizing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Confusing.
CAMEROTA: Now you know just because you raised two hands doesn't mean you can vote twice. I just want to be clear.
Ain't got no crystal ball. But I had a million dollars but I, I spent it all.
What is your secret?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My secret is that I know that within you there is a limitless divine beauty.
CAMEROTA: What do you want to say to Donald Trump here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Save me.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Your latest baby.
CAMEROTA: A long gestation period of five years from my baby that has been birthed today.
CUOMO: Yes.
CAMEROTA: Thank you so much for loaning me the hat that you did. I mean, obviously, it's your fascinator.
CUOMO: Family heirloom.
[08:50:00]
CAMEROTA: Welcome to Camerota's kitchen. This is where the culinary magic happens.
Have you had any sleep since last night? KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Not really. None
of us have. This is the life we've chosen.
CAMEROTA: That's correct.
"Saturday Night Live" is back this weekend.
Which actor would you want to play you, Ben Stiller, Brad Pitt? Which one?
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Oh, Brad Pitt, of course.
CAMEROTA: If anybody out there doesn't know that you won "Jeopardy," they have been sleeping late.
BERMAN: So, Alisyn, who'd you pick to win the whole tournament? And you would have said --
CAMEROTA: The Orlando Blooms.
BERMAN: Right. Exactly.
BERMAN & CAMEROTA: Scene.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Congratulations on your new job, mom. We are so excited for you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And so excited to go out to dinner on Sundays and watch movies.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you'll finally be able to sleep in.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I know you're most looking forward to this, you'll finally be able to wait on me hand and foot in the morning before school.
So, we love you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we're very happy for you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CAMEROTA: Oh, my gosh, that's beautiful. That was beautiful. What a tribute, you guys, thank you so much. I mean, when I look back at all of the things that we've accomplished over these years, it is just -- it is the crowning moment of my career. I mean this has been a true career highlight.
BERMAN: Well, look, you are so good at what you do. You are so good at what you do. You're also just good, period, I mean. But you are so good at what you do and seeing it all right there. And, you know, this has been great. Who says this is the crowning achievement. You're not -- you're going to 2:00. It's not like -- there's still a lot of people. There's still a lot for you to do.
CAMEROTA: There is. There is a lot. And I'm really excited about the next chapter. And I'm excited that I get the opportunity for another chapter.
But when I look back at this, I just think it would be hard, John, to have so much news again in a six-year period. I mean, all of that, the spectrum of everything that I've covered, the international stories, the domestic stories, the political stories. It's just -- it was my dream. I mean, just so everybody knows, my dream, when I used to watch the "Today" show every morning of my life, was to be a morning anchor, and I got the chance to realize that dream.
BERMAN: Well, look, you handled it all so well and news follows you. It's clearly happening because of you, because you're here to cover it.
CAMEROTA: Seems obvious. It does seem obvious.
But I do want to say something to the viewers because I remember how disorienting it is when your morning show anchors leave and do something else. And so I want you to know that I didn't make this decision lightly and that it has been my pleasure and privilege to be with you at breakfast and on the treadmill, Wolf Blitzer, and, OK, in your bedrooms every morning of the six and a half very tumultuous news year -- years. And I have felt your support every day. And that means the world to me.
As to why I am leaving and making this decision -- and, again, John, you don't know this because I never complain, but I'm not a morning person. And so if you like me in the morning, you're going to love me from 2:00 to 4:00 in the afternoon. Wait until you see how great I am in the afternoon.
And I also do really want to thank our boss, Jeff Zucker, for whom I am forever indebted for giving me this incredible career highlight of NEW DAY and for now giving me this next new adventure of this new exciting show.
And to the crew here with me who show up early every single morning and they play us this killer soundtrack, John, every morning. I mean every song is relevant and they play songs we love and, OK, sometimes rush, and they play us music that mostly they mean well.
BERMAN: If you want to piss off Alisyn, play Rush in the morning.
CAMEROTA: And that has been wonderful. I could -- literally could not have done all of this without you guys.
And to my executive producers, Javy Margado (ph) and Jim Murphy (ph), thank you for all that you do and your enthusiasm and your enthusiasm for the news. It is infectious.
To all of the writers and producers and bookers, thank you for everything that you do around the clock.
I will miss you all.
And, John, for you, I had to write it down because I was trying to take stock of everything that we have lived through together in these past three years. We've been together for three years, OK. Here some are of the highlights that you and I have lived through.
An evacuation after mail bombs were sent, OK. Also the 2020 election, as you saw there. The Trump presidency, which had its own energy every morning. Two Trump impeachments. An insurrection. More, as you saw, mass shootings than I ever can bear to count. A global pandemic. And somehow, despite all of that, you have made me laugh every morning. You have made it all worthwhile every morning. I mean it's not easy to tackle all of that. But somehow when I would see you in the morning, I would feel better. And that is saying something.
And, John, you -- I can't think of a better partner to live through all of that with and to sit next to.
[08:55:02]
And I'm not alone, obviously, in feeling that you're such a wonderful partner. You can ask Poppy Harlow. You can ask Christine Romans. You can ask Erica Hill. You can ask Michaela Pereira. I don't know why you can't hold on to a good woman. I don't know why everybody leaves you, but -- but it's true.
And just, thank you. I mean from the bottom of my heart, John, this has been a wonderful partnership. And it -- I know it will continue and our friendship will never end, but this has been really, really special.
BERMAN: I mean, despite the fact of some of the things we've seen in the last six and a half years, I would do it all again in a heartbeat. I mean I would do it all again in a heartbeat.
Look, I know how lucky I am and have been. And I know how lucky the next guy is going to be. So I want to hear from him, your next co- anchor, Victor Blackwell.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Dear Alisyn. A-l-l -- are there two ls? No. Not two l's.
Dear Alisyn. A-l-y -- wait, no. No, there's an "i" first.
Dear Alisyn. A-l-i-s-o -- I think I was -- no, there's no "o." There's no --
Hi friend. This is just a note to say I am looking forward to working with you Monday through Friday, 2:00 to 4:00. Yours truly, Victor. P.S., won't it be great to not be awake at 3:00 a.m.?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAMEROTA: Yes, it will. Yes, it will. That is -- that's hilarious. That is beautiful.
BERMAN: That's going to work out well.
CAMEROTA: I really appreciate that. And I'm excited for Brianna. I'm excited for Brianna to be here and to have the experience.
I forgot to mention Kate Bolduan. There's so many women -- there's so many women that you have worked with.
BERMAN: The irony is, I've been -- I mean I've been married for 20 years and with my wife for like 35 years.
CAMEROTA: Right. But in terms of your work spouses, you're really playing the field. That's all I can say.
That was wonderful from Victor. We had a meeting via Zoom and the first thing that the new team asked was, how do you spell your name? And I had to spell it for them and tell them there's a "y" in it. And I also said that starting from now I am going to be using a dollar sign for the s so I hope they get used to that.
BERMAN: Listen, congratulations. Thank you for everything.
CAMEROTA: Thank you, John. It has been really wonderful. Thank all of you. I really appreciate all of you and I hope that you will join me in the afternoons, 2:00 to 4:00.
Thank you, guys. I love all you guys. Love you.
For one last time, on NEW DAY, CNN's coverage continues after this.
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[11:00:00]
