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Dianne Feinstein Remembered As A Trailblazer, Iconic Senator; Biden Speaker At Farewell Tribute To Gen. Mark Milley. Aired 11-11:30a ET

Aired September 29, 2023 - 11:00   ET

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

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[11:01:11]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: We, of course, continue to follow the breaking news for you this morning. We've got so much going on, so much to share with you. The House will vote this hour on a stop yet spending bill to try to keep the government running. But also Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, the longest serving female senator in U.S. history, has died at the age of 90. A somber scene you see there in the halls of the Senate this morning. You see her desk there covered with draped with black with those beautiful flowers sitting on top. Senator Feinstein passed away last night at her Washington, D.C. home. She was 90 years old.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: She had a long history of being a trailblazer. The definition of the word breaking glass ceilings all over the place and over and over again. Some of the firsts for the senator include first woman elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the first woman to serve as the mayor of San Francisco, first woman to serve as a U.S. Senator for California, first woman to chair both the Senate rules and Intelligence Committees, and first woman member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

On the Senate floor, several of her colleagues talked about their friendships, her long career, and her legacy, and also her reputation behind closed doors. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), MINORITY LEADER: Those of us who were fortunate to call Dianne, our colleague, can say we served alongside the longest serving female senator in American history. Dianne was a trailblazer, and her beloved home state of California and our entire nation are better for her dogged advocacy and diligent service.

SEN. PATTY MURRAY (D-WA): To her constituents, you need to know we depended on her, just as you did. And she was here every day to fight for you, no matter what. She fought for women. She fought for those who are victims of gun violence. She fought foreign policy that was remote to most people, but she knew every detail. And when Dianne spoke, the rest of us stopped and we listened. SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (D-ME): Dianne was such a strong presence in the Senate. She was a determined and tenacious advocate. Many of us worked closely with her on the Intelligence Committee, where she was such an excellent chairman. She was always fair, respectful, informed, and strong. The Senate and the country has lost a model senator, elegant, graceful, kind, compassionate, strong, informed, intelligent.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: And you heard all of those words about Senator Dianne Feinstein. Let us bring in CNN's Manu Raju is on the Hill and Priscilla Alvarez, who is at the White House. I want to begin now, though, with Manu Raju. You heard all of those accolades. You heard all of -- they were actually quite emotional hearing from people today. Schumer in particular was extremely emotional, something you don't see from him very often. Give us some sense of what things are like there, and noted that her last vote had to do with the government shutdown and trying to avoid it.

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, look, this has been an emotional day, even as we are staring at the likelihood of a government shutdown by Sunday morning. But talking to members on both sides of the aisle, many of them remember those moments. She has been a giant in the Senate for the last 30 years, not just on the Senate, but just also in the California delegation. In fact, I was just talking to a Congressman Jim Costa from California. He was in tears talking about some of his recent interactions with the senator, even as she's grown frail in her older age, still was seen as someone that she was -- people were very loyal to and that had a lot of friendships across the aisle.

[11:05:16]

The speaker of the House just moments ago was recalling a time where they worked on water legislation dealing with the water issues in California. Parochial but important issue for California, how they cut a bipartisan deal. He noted that there was some opposition on the left to that, and that's what Senator Feinstein did. She did cut deals across the aisle, even though she did advocate for a number of the policies that she believed were important, such as pushing forward an assault weapons ban in 1994 and going after the Bush administration's harsh interrogation techniques that they authorized through the CIA when she was a chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

And just moments ago, on the Senate floor, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also remembered her and gave an emotional address recalling her time in the Senate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY), MAJORITY LEADER: So today we grieve. We look at that desk, and we know what we have lost. But we also give thanks to someone so rarefied, so brave, so graceful of presence served in this chamber that someone like that served in this chamber for so many years. In closing, let me just say this. The sign of a leader is someone who dedicates the whole of their spirit for a cause greater than themselves. The sign of a hero is someone who fights for others, who endures for others, no matter the cost, no matter the odds. And the sign of a friend is someone who stands by your side to fight the good fight on the good days and on the bad. Dianne Feinstein was all of this and more a friend, a hero for so many.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: So now the question is, what is next? That is in the hands of Governor Gavin Newsom. Who would appoint her replacement? He has already indicated that he would appoint someone, he said he would appoint a black woman to the seat. There is not the black woman who is now currently serving in the United States Senate. So that was something that he plans to do. But he also indicated it would be someone who essentially would only serve out through the rest of this Congress, the rest of her Feinstein's current term, in other words, someone who would not be running for the Senate right now.

There's already a race to succeed Dianne Feinstein happening in the primary in California that has been pretty intensely fought at the moment. So that is -- those are the political dynamics. But today, most people remembering her time in office, her service, and a long legacy as a trailblazer on Capitol Hill. Sara?

BOLDUAN: Manu, thank you so much.

SIDNER: Joining us now is former California Congresswoman Jane Harman. Jane, in 1992, we've been talking about this. It was called "The Year of the Woman" when Feinstein came into office, because there were a handful of women that came into office alongside her. I understand that you spoke to her yesterday. What was your conversation like?

JANE HARMAN (D-CA), FORMER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE: Well, first of all, I was one of the women who came in with her in 1992 in "The Year of the Woman" elected in California in a seat from Los Angeles. And I knew her when she was mayor. So just lucky me in this sad day, I probably had the last meeting with her. At late afternoon yesterday, I went to her home, her study. We spent an hour together looking at old pictures and talking about the future.

And as were leaving, her housekeeper took this beautiful picture. I want everyone to remember Dianne this way, strong, elegant. Susan Collins was riffing on the Senate floor. My good friend, Susan Collins, about how she remembers Dianne. And it was wonderful to see Bipartisan tributes to a true leader, can't we get that back at this horrible time in American politics, someone who worked across the aisle and cared about the country first.

Oh, my God. So, another little thing to remember, I was ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee when she became chairman of Senate Intel. And we had lunch, and we talked about things she might do, and she began to do them. And after I left Congress, she issued this hugely courageous report on detention and interrogation. I just have it here. I took it out of my study, and here is the inscription. To Jane, with love and thanks for having my back, never again.

And that's Dianne. That's what she wanted to accomplish in the Senate. And sadly, I hate to think that never again will we have a woman, a person of her statue -- statute -- stature in Congress. No one is like her. I loved her very much, and I'm so glad I got the last hug and kiss.

[11:10:20]

BOLDUAN: Congresswoman, that's so touching that you're able to share that with us. And so everyone knows, just to put a point on this, the picture that you shared with us that we just shared, that is a photo that was just taken yesterday with you and Senator Feinstein. What a special moment to have, not only for someone who's a friend of yours, but for a legend, I mean, a trailblazer. You when -- I've had the pleasure of covering you for a long time, and you have always made a point to talk about women lifting up women and in all of our conversations.

And in hearing Chuck Schumer say, all of these women in the Senate stand on the shoulders, on Dianne's shoulders, I'm sure you feel very much the same way right now.

HARMAN: I do. And let me just -- I mean, it's just so extraordinary being elected with her and Barbara Boxer. Remember, they were the two senators from California starting in 1992, the so called "Year of the Woman." And being there for so much of her career, making the assault weapons ban in my lean Republican district when I barely won reelection, my first reelection, because I had made that vote.

But following her leadership was so inspiring. And I look back on my career there, and I look forward to a world which she helped prepare, where women leaders hopefully can continue to stand on her shoulders and learn the legend of Dianne Feinstein. And there's someone in this studio who said to me as I was going on air just now, I grew up with her. I grew up with her. Well, guess what? I grew up with her, too. And I was so lucky to have her as my dear friend and mentor.

SIDNER: Most of the women in this country, and men grew up with her because she's been in office since 1992 and watching her moves and watching how she was able to gain power and get policy put in place. You had mentioned Barbara Boxer, and we did talk to Ms. Boxer last hour, and she said something really interesting. I'm curious if you heard any of this kind of language from Dianne Feinstein yesterday.

She said, I talked to Diane Feinstein when I retired, and I announced my retirement. She knew, and she was mad at her. She's like, what are you doing? These are the best years of your life. Did she still have that fighting spirit yesterday when you spoke with her?

HARMAN: Absolutely. First of all, she asked me, when are you coming back to Congress? And I said, Dianne that was a great chapter. She really did it. She also said, let's co-sponsor a series of dinners in Washington for women. And I said, let's do it. And now I am going to organize the DiFi Dinners in Washington for women. Of course I'm going to do that. She also said, I'm worried about the future of the country. What can we do?

And that was Dianne, always bringing questions about how to make the country better, never about herself and her place and her this and her that, always. And she, I just can't think of anybody who brought all the gifts that she did to the Senate. And I hope that this young woman who just said, I grew up with her will remember that and remember this day and that we'll all not just mourn her, but celebrate an incredible legacy.

BOLDUAN: And Congresswoman, you are generally speaking I mean, you're a hard nut. You are unflappable often, and I am touched to see how emotional you are.

HARMAN: Well, they said that about her, too. They say that about a lot of women, how tough we are. Well, I hope they also say how much we care not just about each other, but how much we care about the country and what service we provided. And it's so obvious to see what service she provided and how many hearts she touched.

I mean, just look at what Schumer said, but also look at what Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy said. Thank goodness Kevin McCarthy is focused on this for a few minutes today, a future for America. And I would like to think that time they spent working on the Water legislation that he mentioned will remind him about the value of bipartisanship and the importance of stewardship for the country, not just for one little part of one's political party.

BOLDUAN: What's the lesson that you -- what's the lesson what would you say the lesson you've learned from your friend that you think people should remember today?

[11:15:04]

HARMAN: It's good, yes. Be fearless. Be fearless. Do your homework. Hug your family and your friends, and think about a better future for America.

SIDNER: You talked about bipartisanship. We're not seeing a whole heck of a lot of that, to be honest, especially right now. How was she handling? I mean, her last vote, and I don't know why this strikes me so strongly, but her last vote was yesterday, just yesterday, and it was about trying to deal with the impending government shutdown. Was she working when you were talking to her? Was she, you know, because sometimes you're doing a whole bunch of things, but to hear that to the very last moment, she was working her butt off for her constituents and for the country.

HARMAN: Just what I'm saying, she was looking at her schedule for later yesterday and today. She was excited because her daughter, Katherine, was coming into town, which Katherine did last night. Sadly, Katherine did not make it in time to see her mother, but she was coming to spend the weekend with her mother, Dianne's beloved Katherine. And that's another heartbreaking thing that just contemplate for that -- for her and for all of us.

BOLDUAN: Wow.

HARMAN: And we were talking about the future. Of course, she has continued to mourn the death a year ago of Dick Blum, her husband of so many years. They, by the way, were married the same year Sidney Harman and I were married in 1980. And our families were close, too. So I just -- I can't think of enough things to say without bursting into tears that would give people who didn't know her an idea of the enormity of her contribution to our country.

One more thing maybe, Fred Malek, somebody that Dianne knew and loved, too, was the chairman of the Republican Governors Association, he worked in the Nixon White House. He later chaired the board of the Wilson Center, which I headed for a decade when I left Congress. Fred Malek supported two Democrats only, and everybody knows because I outed him at his funeral, Dianne and me. And I was so honored that he did that he, you know, Dianne led the duo, you know.

He recognized what she contributed. And Mitch McConnell recognized what she contributed. And hello, people in Congress, please recognize what each other contributes. Maybe make this just a moment to hug a bit, as the former members of Congress do, and salute our agreements, not our disagreements, and try to keep this government open and try to keep this country or help this country get on a stable course for the future.

The threats are grave. I surely know this. I head the Commission on National Defense Strategy. And I see it. Bipartisan, four Democrats, four Republicans. I see it. And Dianne saw it. And may this just be a moment, a moment, a wake up moment in a dismal two days from now when we have to contemplate that our government could close.

SIDNER: Yes. We saw the rare moments, as you put it, of kindness, actually, from those across the aisle today when it comes to the passing of a trailblazing senator, Senator Dianne Feinstein, who has died at the age of 90. Jane Harmon, thank you so much for sharing.

BOLDUAN: Thank you, Congresswoman.

SIDNER: Such great stories, really, really great stories to help us remember the work of your friend and colleague, Dianne Feinstein.

BOLDUAN: Thank you.

HARMAN: Thank you.

BOLDUAN: We have some breaking news. Full show of breaking news today, guys. More breaking news coming into CNN now. We have an update on the UAW strike against the Big Three. The United Auto Workers Union, we have now learned, says that it is expanding its strike against General Motors, GM, and Ford. That begins -- is set to begin at noon, really minutes away now.

The strike is now going to include two additional plants, Ford's assembly plant in Chicago and GM's Lansing Delta Township assembly plant, that's, of course, in Michigan. In a statement, the UAW says that not enough progress has been made in their talks with those two automakers. And right now, additional members at Stellantis, they're not being called to join the strike. We're going to have an update on that. We're going to continue to follow that. We're also going to jump back over to Washington. President Biden is about to speak at the farewell ceremony for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to say a brief word about Senator Dianne Feinstein, who passed away this morning.

She was a historic figure, a trailblazer for women, and a great friend. Dianne made her mark in everything from national security to the environment to gun safety to protecting civil liberties. The country is going to miss her dearly, and so will Jill and I. I'll have more to say about her later today.

[11:20:12]

Vice President Harris, our Second Gentleman, Secretary Austin, members of Congress, leaders of the Department of Defense, both current and former, friends and officials from around the world, thank you for being here today to mark the change of responsibility and to celebrate the service of General Mark Milley.

A combat infantryman. A master parachutist. A Green Beret. A warrior who served a total of five years in warzones, from Panama to Haiti to Bosnia to Afghanistan to Iraq, with a chest full of medals to show for it. A leader who once ran across a bridge booby-trapped with mines to stop two battle tanks evacuating wounded troops from driving across it. A patriot, uncompromising in his duty, unflinching in the face of danger, and unwavering in the service to the country.

And Hollyanne, none of us can say as enough about you. You served right alongside him, every step of the way. And that's not hyperbole. You served alongside him, every step of the way.

You pulled double and triple-duty to make sure you and Mark were always doing right by your family, supporting the military community while maintaining your own career as a nurse. It's incredible what you've achieved, Hollyanne. The work you've done to increase support for military spouse employment is going to keep improving the lives of military families for a long time.

And, Peter and Mary, thank you for sharing your dad with us. I know it wasn't easy, all those moves, all those schools, all those months when your dad was deployed and you couldn't be together. Thank you for all, all you've given to our country.

And, Mark, I know one of the best parts of retirement for you, as has been already mentioned by our Secretary, is you're going to spend more time with your kids. That's going to be fun, man. I tell you what, I love my kids. I'm crazy about my grandkids.

Now, everyone who has spent time with Mark knows three things about him, several were already mentioned. One, he's from Boston. He parks his car in car garages. He likes maps. And he loves the Constitution. But each of these three things points to something deeper about Mark's character. His Boston heritage isn't just about pride of place. It's pride in what shaped him, the values that have guided his whole life. It's about the father and mother, both veterans of World War II, who set the example of nobility, of the nobility of serving your country.

It's about knowing that his dad was among those who landed at Iwo Jima. And that if those young men his father served alongside could raise the flag on Mount Suribachi, then there's nothing, nothing, nothing America cannot accomplish when we work together.

It's about how his parents strived and sacrificed so their children would have every opportunity to chart their own future. It's knowing that everyone who served under his command had their own story in his view, just as important as his.

And this, to this day, whenever Mark has attended events, I've watched him, we've attended many events together, I've watched him, he'll talk to every young person, every veteran, every Gold Star family who wants to speak to him, no matter how long it takes, so he can hear their story as well and show his respect.

The Boston pride is about knowing where you come from. The maps are about knowing where you are and where you're going. Mark wants to make sure he has the necessary facts to inform his decisions as a leader and his advice to others.

As Commander-in-Chief, I've relied on Mark's counsel because I know he always gives it to me straight no matter what. He always gives it to me straight. He's working with the best information possible, and he doesn't hold anything back.

During his tenure as Chairman, Mark has been a steady hand, guiding our military as we navigate what, I would argue, is one of the most complex security environments our world has faced in a long time.

[11:25:13]

He's been critical to strengthening America's existing alliances, from NATO to the Indo-Pacific to building the new strategic partnerships like AUKUS, and keeping our force on the cutting-edge of the fields of cyber and space, ending America's longest war and continuing to take terrorists off the battlefield, standing with the brave people of Ukraine and making sure they have the equipment, the support they need, when they need it, to defend their freedom, letting them know and letting them know how much he respects them.

Mark, your partnership has been invaluable to me. And I give you my word to that. And I think it's been invaluable to Secretary Austin as well. I want to thank you for always seeing, always sharing the whole map with me, the whole map. Thanks, pal.

When it comes to the Constitution, that is and has always been Mark's North Star. I'm so damn proud to serve with him. I -- he's made, he's made it the central image on his challenge coin, those three little words that mean so much to every American, but especially to those who stand in the service of our nation. The middle of his challenge coin says, "We the People." "We the People."

It's a reminder to all of us what makes us a strong nation, who we are as a democracy, and how the United States for more than two centuries has always managed to keep moving forward. Not fealty to any one person or to a political party, but to the idea of America, idea unlike any other in human history, the idea that we're are all created equal.

That is what the Constitution safeguards. That's what we swear an oath to. And that is why generations of young women and men, Americans of every background and creed, have stepped forward to be part of the greatest fighting force in the history of the world. And that's not hyperbole. You're the greatest fighting force in the history of the world.

I've seen you in Afghanistan, Iraq, and -- but I don't want to get started. And our military is going to keep growing stronger, keep growing stronger with General C.Q. Brown, Charles Q. Brown, Jr., as our 24th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Congratulations, old buddy.

As Mark will tell you, I'll be meeting a lot with you. I said when I nominated General Brown as a seasoned warrior with deep combat experience, an experienced commander of the joint force, a top-flight strategist, a leader known throughout the force for his unmatched judgment and unflappable demeanor.

Like General Milley, General Brown is a patriot through and through, sworn to uphold and defend the Constitution. He and his wife, Sharene, have dedicated themselves to keeping our military and their families healthy and vibrant. I thank you both and your sons, Sean and Ross, for everything you've given to our country over the years.

And I look forward to working even more closely with you, C.Q., as we take on all the challenges ahead to ensure that our force can continue to deter and defeat any potential threat to the American people.

As Secretary Austin noted, I am glad that General Brown was confirmed by the Senate, along with the new Commandant of the Marine Corps and Army Chief of Staff, but I must be careful here how I say this but it's thoroughly, totally unacceptable that more than 300 other highly qualified officers are still in limbo. I've been here a long time. I've never seen anything like this. It's outrageous, and it must stop.

[11:30:09]