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CO Supreme Court Disqualifies Trump From State's 2024 Ballot; Secretary Of State Blinken Gives End-Of-Year Media Briefing. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired December 20, 2023 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:30:00]

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KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Donald Trump's team is promising to appeal the Colorado State Supreme Court ruling taking him off of the state's primary election ballot. In the four to three ruling, they said that Donald Trump is not eligible to hold office because he "engaged in insurrection." The judge -- the judges -- the justices acknowledged that in their opinion -- they said this also in their opinion.

That we do not reach these conclusions lightly. We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us. And the weight of those questions and the weight of this ruling also is now landing on Colorado's Secretary of State.

And Secretary Jena Griswold joins us now to talk more about the next steps. The first -- the first I want to ask you about the ballot certification deadline coming up on January 5, that is a real question of what happens and what happens after. What -- have you considered yet, and do you have a conclusion on what happens if the Supreme Court does not issue a decision by then?

JENA GRISWOLD, SECRETARY OF STATE, COLORADO: Well, first off, thank you for having me on. This is a historic opinion from the Colorado Supreme Court, which affirmed a lower court's decision that Donald Trump did indeed engage in insurrection, and that is barring him from being on the Colorado ballot. Ballot certification is in a couple of weeks, on January 5. And we do hope that if the Supreme Court is going to take the case that they do so quickly because we need to make sure that the right people are on the ballots when Colorado votes in the presidential primary.

BOLDUAN: And what happens if they don't by January 5?

GRISWOLD: Well, there's a couple of paths that could happen. First off, the U.S. Supreme Court could decide that they don't want to take the case, in which case, the Colorado Supreme Court's decision that Trump is disqualified would hold. Now, if they do take the case, trump would be presumed to be on the ballot unless the U.S. Supreme Court would quickly bold otherwise either in a full decision or in a decision that's partway through the case. And we just have to see how this plays out. But as of today, if the U.S. Supreme Court does not take the case, if those appeals are not filed, Donald Trump is not qualified as a candidate in the state of Colorado.

[11:35:19]

BOLDUAN: Now, some legal scholars have been arguing over the section three of the 14th Amendment that this leans on. Some saying that it does not apply to the presidency. Others arguing that it does, and the law should apply universally to every citizen. You have said that your office determines candidate eligibility based on the Constitution every day. What is your interpretation of this bigger question?

GRISWOLD: Kate, I agree with the Colorado Supreme Court. Donald Trump tried to incite an insurrection to steal the presidency. Not only did he incite the insurrection, then he spent months trying to undermine the peaceful transfer of power.

And when it comes to the 14th Amendment, I do not think there should be a loophole for the presidency. That basically would say, if there was a loophole, that Donald Trump is above the law when it comes to rebellion or insurrection. I don't believe that that's appropriate in the United States of America.

Ultimately, though, I am not the decider in the case. The courts are. As of right now, the Colorado Supreme Court says that he is disqualified, and we'll see if the U.S. Supreme Court intervenes and holds otherwise.

BOLDUAN: Secretary, if you can stick with me, we need to jump over to the State Department right now. Secretary of State Tony Blinken is speaking. Let's listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. STATE SECRETARY: The international system more inclusive, more effective, more responsive to advancing these issues, from the World Bank to the G20, which will now have the African Union as a permanent member. On every one of these priorities, and on many others, delivering for the American people means improving the lives of people around the world. The reverse is also true. Leading on these global challenges is good for Americans.

When we help reduce the flow of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs, we're not only tackling the number one killer of Americans aged 18 to 49. We're addressing a scourge that hurts families around the world and rooting -- and rooting out the criminal organizations that profit from their suffering. When we rally democratic partners and allies to build clean energy infrastructure in countries that can't afford to build it on their own, we're preserving a shared planet and creating new opportunities for American workers, American businesses, American investors. When we team up with other countries to hold accountable and deter governments that arbitrarily detain foreign nationals as political pawns, we can apply more effective pressure to bring our fellow citizens home and we make people in all nations less vulnerable.

Fourth. In the conflict between Israel and Hamas, we will continue to focus intensely on our core priorities. Helping Israel ensure that what happened on October 7 can never happen again. Bringing the conflict to an end as quickly as possible while minimizing the loss of life and the suffering of civilians.

Getting the remaining hostages back home to their families. Preventing the conflict from spreading. And once and for all, breaking the devastating cycle of violence and moving toward durable lasting peace.

We continue to believe that Israel does not have to choose between removing the threat of Hamas and minimizing the toll on civilians in Gaza. It has an obligation to do both. And it has a strategic interest to do both.

We're more determined than ever to ensure that out of this horrific tragedy comes a moment of possibility for Israelis, for Palestinians, for the region, to live in lasting peace and lasting security. That out of this darkness comes light. Realizing that possibility will require all parties to make tough choices about the steps that they're willing to take, including the United States.

We will test this proposition with the urgency and the creativity that it deserves, and that America's interests demand. This is the spirit that has long animated President Biden in the face of seemingly intractable conflicts. As vice president, he helped oversee the end of the Iraq war.

As president, he ended the longest war in American history in Afghanistan. He helped secure and later extend a truce in the Yemen conflict. He's bringing that same focus to bear right now. Across every one of our priorities, America has been more effective because of the steps we've taken to build a stronger and more agile, and more diverse state department.

[11:40:10]

There are two. We continue the effort in 2023. In partnership with Congress. And I note, this department participated in 106 hearings this year, which by our count is a record.

We secure new authorities to rapidly show critical staffing gaps and crises. We established a new bureau to elevate and integrate work on global health security across our diplomacy. We added hundreds of positions to the department's training float.

We created dozens of new courses and professional development opportunities. We established a global pay baseline for locally employed staff. We boosted access to student loan repayment programs, expanded positions for eligible family members, among many other steps we've taken to invest in the department's greatest resort, its people.

So, you've heard the president say, we are at an inflection point for our country, and for the world. What we do, what we fail to do in this moment, will have profound consequences for decades to come. The stakes could not be clearer.

If we want to deliver on the issues that affect the lives of the American people, we have to keep investing in ourselves, in our network of allies and partners, in our ability to solve global challenges. And to do that, we need Congress to pass the president's additional National Security funding request. Here's the benefits if Congress passes the supplemental, our fellow citizens, our businesses, our workers, our allies and partners, people around the world who are looking to the United States to lead. Here's who cheers if we fail, Moscow, Tehran, Beijing.

If we come up short, it won't be our adversaries and competitors who stopped us. It will be ourselves. Before turning to you for some questions, let me just say this. I want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you, to thank our press corps, those present in the room, and those outside who may be listening in.

This has been an extraordinarily dangerous year for the press around the world. Many killed, many more wounded, hundreds detained, attacked, threatened, injured, simply for doing their jobs. And yet, you've persisted. You stayed at it. And I am immensely grateful for that.

To all the reporters here today, with whom I've clocked a few miles this past year, your relentless efforts to ask tough questions often multipart and get accurate timely information to people around the globe is a true public service. It's vital that we continue -- you continue to do that because it's so important to everything that all of us care about. Inform, engage citizens, truth, accountability, democracy.

And you do it in a way that humanizes people in an ever more dehumanized world. So, I'm profoundly grateful to you for the work that you do, even if I don't always show it. With that, I'm happy to take some questions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Matt. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Happy holidays.

BLINKEN: Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know that this is intended to be a kind of 30,000-foot view year-end.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BOLDUAN: All right, we're listening in to the Secretary of State Tony Blinken. His year-end press conference just starting to take questions from reporters. We'll be right back after this.

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[11:48:29]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to take you back to the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. He is speaking to reporters taking their questions on his year-end wrap of the state of the United States' position in the world. He is talking about the UN Security Council resolution when it comes to Israel and its war on Hamas. Let's listen. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLINKEN: To the last part of your question, let me say this. Look. What I have seen from day one is that countries throughout the region, as well as countries around the world, want to work with us and are looking for American leadership in this crisis, even countries that may disagree with us on certain issues that have come to the fore. That's been a common refrain.

I've been not only in the region multiple times and traveled to not just Israel but to virtually all of our other partners, and others including Turkey. We've been on the phones constantly, including this week with all of our partners. And the common refrain is they are looking for American leadership. And we're working to provide that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michele Kelemen, I'll bring you back.

MICHELE KELEMEN, CORRESPONDENT, NPR: I am bringing back.

BLINKEN: Hi, Michele.

KELEMEN: What -- just real quickly on the Gaza. How would you characterize the talks on a new hostage deal for a pause? Is that imminent?

Are you making progress on that? And then more broadly, you know, we end this year with much of the world blaming the U.S. and Israel for --or seeing it as America's war also. It's hurting America's image in the world.

[11:50:11]

There's a stalemate in Ukraine and no new aid package. The fighting goes on in Sudan. I wonder if there's anywhere that you're rethinking strategy or have some ideas on how to change the dynamics of any of those conflicts? Thank you.

BLINKEN: Thanks, Michele. On the question of hostages on a pause. This is something we'd very much like to see happen.

As you know, we were instrumental in getting the first humanitarian pause that facilitated the release of 110 hostages. Israel has been very clear, including as recently as today, that it would welcome returning to a pause in the further release of hostages. The problem was and has been remained is Hamas.

They reneged on commitments that they made during the first pause for hostage releases. And the question is whether they are in fact willing to resume this effort. But certainly, it's something that we would welcome.

I know that Israel would welcome it. And I think the world we want them. So, we'll see what they choose to do. We remain very actively engaged in seeing if we can get a pause back on and hostages moving out again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SIDNER: All right. You heard there that Israel says it's welcome to return to a pause. But for the release of hostages, those talks are ongoing -- continuing today. You just heard that from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. And we will be right back after this pause.

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[11:56:04]

BOLDUAN: Back to the State Department. Secretary of State Tony Blinken taking reporters' questions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLINKEN: And having the capacity and the stated intent to repeat October 7 again and again and again, that's not the interest of Israel. It's not the interest of the region. It's not in the interest of the world.

And what is striking to me is that even as again, we hear many countries urging the end to this conflict which we would all like to see, I hear virtually no one's saying -- demanding of Hamas that it stop hiding behind civilians. That it lay down its arms. That it surrenders. This is over tomorrow if Hamas does that. This would have been over a month ago, six weeks ago, if Hamas had done that.

And how could it be -- how can it be that there are no demands made of the aggressor and only demands made of the victim? So, it would be good if there was a strong international voice pressing Hamas to do what's necessary to end this. And again, that could be tomorrow.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Leon (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a follow-up, sir.

BLINKEN: Oh, very early as you look at me right there. Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. I'm sorry to insist on this a little bit. I mean, I know you've just given the answers. But I mean, you -- you've -- you're very careful, obviously publicly as to what you say on the Israel --

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BOLDUAN: All right. We have all been listening in to the Secretary of State Tony Blinken speaking to reporters. It's his year-end news conference, and what an end of the year for him to be facing questions with so many problems in the world that he is -- that is facing the United States, and the international community. Facing some tough questions from reporters this morning.

SIDNER: Yes. But thank you for hanging with us as we all face our tough questions. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL. "INSIDE POLITICS" is up next.

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