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What Trump's Win Means for A.I.; Democrats Struggle to Regroup After Loss; Jury Deliberations Resume in Delphi Case; N. Korean Troops Preparing for New Assault in Kursk; Kremlin Denies Reports of Putin and Trump Call; Biden to Urge Trump to Stand by Ukraine. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired November 11, 2024 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00]

SURESH VENKATASUBRAMANIAN, DIRECTOR, BROWN UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGICAL RESPONSIBILITY, REIMAGINATION AND REDESIGN: There are bills about A.I. use in government. There are bills about the procurement of A.I. systems. There are bills about data protection and privacy. There's a lot of understanding, I think, in Congress on this issue. Unfortunately, very little of that has come to pass in terms of actual legislation. But there is work going on, and it's bipartisan for the most part.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Suresh Venkatasubramanian, thank you so much for talking about this really important issue that is going to be a part of our lives, whether we like it or not. All right. Appreciate you. Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: The Kremlin this morning pushing back and denying reports that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone and about the war in Ukraine last week. Why the Kremlin is making a point to call this pure fiction right now.

And also, this morning, Democrats are still trying to work out what went so wrong for them last week as they now look ahead to 2028, who will be the next leader of the Democratic Party.

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[08:35:00]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. This morning. It is a complicated time to be a Democrat in Washington. And by come complicated, uncomfortable. Democrats are trying to figure out what they do now going forward. So, what is history tell us? With us now, CNN Senior Data Reporter Harry Enten.

Look, Democrats are like whinging in a lot of different ways right now, and they're trying to figure out what to do going forward. One of the things they don't have this time is an idea of who exactly they might follow.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: Yes, there's no heir apparent, you know, and we can see this perhaps best by let's taking a look at the early poll leader for 2028. There isn't one. There's no early favorite. There's no early clear favorite, and that is really unusual because the bottom line is, when you have no incumbent Democratic president following this year, we've looked back at similar situations.

Back in 2017, Joe Biden was the clearer apparent. In to -- heading into 2005 and then 2013, heading into the '16 campaign Hillary Clinton was way up in the national polls, it was pretty clear she was the heir apparent. How about Al Gore, going into the 2000 campaign, or '04, again, the clear heir apparent. You have to go all the way back, all the way back to the 1992 campaign with this giant question mark over here. Let's see if I can draw it in. There we go. Where there was no clear heir apparent.

This is going to be the first cycle, it seems, since going back all the way to the late '80s, early 1990s, in which there is no clear early front runner for the next Democratic nomination.

BERMAN: I will say, the Democrats won this one. And in this one where they did have an heir apparent, they ended up winning when it wasn't that person.

ENTEN: Yes, that's exactly right.

BERMAN: So, maybe they're better off?

ENTEN: Maybe they're better off. Because remember, Hillary Clinton, even though she was seemed to be the heir apparent going into the 2008 campaign of course it was Barack Obama who basically came out of nowhere after that '04 convention speech to go on to win the nomination. So, it might actually be good news for Democrats that there's no heir apparent. But the bottom line is there isn't one.

BERMAN: OK. In terms of being in the wilderness, sometimes in the past Democrats have been able to latch on to the outgoing president as someone who can give them guidance. Where does that sit this time?

ENTEN: Yes. So, you know, even after 2016, right, you go into 2017 and, you know, Democrats control no levers of the Congress, Democrats have no, you know, real heir apparent necessarily, except for Biden. But Barack Obama at least had an approval rating nationwide of 53 percent, right? Look at where Joe Biden's is, 40 percent at this point. 40 percent. You have to go all the way back to 1980, as I come to John's side of the screen, to find an incoming -- a departing incoming Democratic president to have an approval rating as low as Joe Biden's is right now. When you make the comparison to Jimmy Carter on popularity, you know that you're in bad shape.

BERMAN: And then when it comes to what power they actually have in Washington, historically speaking, you know, having no levers of power, they haven't been there that often.

ENTEN: They really haven't been. They've been a little bit more apparent this century, but a GOP plus a Congress in the last 90 years, you got one time, two times, three times, four times, and five times, just five times in the last 90 years in which the Democrats controlled neither House of Congress, which seems most likely at this point that we haven't projected the House, and not the presidency.

So, the bottom line is, anywhere you look, John, everywhere you look, the Democrats are in this deep, dark state because they have no heir apparent, the incumbent president's unpopular, and they hold no levers of power in Washington, most likely come January.

BERMAN: And a solace, though, again, at least in this century when they were in those positions, it did flip fairly quickly, at least here and here.

ENTEN: Yes So, look, the bottom line is we'll see where we are in two years. We're just getting over this election. We don't have to go all the way, jump into 2026 already. But the bottom line is this, for Democrats, there's no real light at the end of the tunnel. It's always darkest before it's pitch black as John McCain once said.

BERMAN: As John McCain. Harry Enten, thank you very much.

ENTEN: Thank you.

BERMAN: Kate.

BOLDUAN: Thank you, sir. Joining us right now is former Biden White House director of message planning, Meghan Hays, and CNN political commentator and Republican strategist Brad Todd.

One person who is already, Meghan, looking ahead to 2026, even though Harry says he's not ready to, it was Debbie Wasserman Schultz. She was just on and she says that that is exactly where her focus is coming off of the election last week. I mean, who do you think is the next leader of the Democratic Party?

MEGHAN HAYS, FORMER BIDEN WHITE HOUSE DIRECTOR OF MESSAGE PLANNING AND DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: That is a great question, and I wish I knew the answer. I think we have a bench, though, with -- we have some Midwestern governors, that would be great. We have Gretchen Whitmer, we have Andy Beshear in Kentucky. So, I do think that there are some people that are willing to step up. I mean, Secretary Pete has also talked about, you know, wanting to be more involved in the rebuild of the party.

But I do think, you know, it's going to take some time to figure out where we're going to go as a party. Are we going to move towards the middle and be more centrist or are we going to move more to the left to our progressive friends over on the left side? So, I think, you know, it'll be interesting to see. And I think the leader of the party will really determine where we're going.

[08:40:00]

BOLDUAN: Yes, absolutely. I mean, real quick, Meghan, before I get to Brad, we had Bernie Sanders, who was on Sunday saying like voters have a right to be angry because the Democrats basically have given up and have abandoned the working class. I mean, that's the message coming from one -- you know, one part of the party. What direction do you think what the message from this election is, what to Democrats do you think, and what direction they should be headed when -- in what you were just describing?

HAYS: So, I think that where the electorate is more towards the middle. And I think that Democrats, if you want to win elections, you need to move towards the middle. That doesn't mean you abandon your progressive base or your -- the left of the party. But to get elected, you need to move towards the middle. And you can't do some of the policies that the progressives want you to do without being in power. So, I think they're going to have to move towards the center if they want to win elections.

BOLDUAN: Yes. Brad, Republicans don't get a say in who the next Democrat -- the next leader of the Democratic Party is. But what they do have a say in is who is the next leader of the Republican majority in the Senate. The three leading contenders right now are Senators Rick Scott, John Thune, and John Cornyn. And Politico is writing today that at least when it comes to Rick Scott's position, his campaign, if you will, and the public push by his allies for him to get the job, that that may be hurting him some.

Here is what Politico writes in part. The bulk of the Republican rank- and-file, they're talking about the Senate, is not pleased at all. We spoke with one senator who was aghast at the effort, as well as a GOP aide who said the campaign is pissing off senators whose votes Rick needs to win.

And, Brad, you have worked with Rick Scott and his campaigns. Do you think this backfires for him?

BRAD TODD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR AND FORMER SENIOR CAMPAIGN ADVISER FOR SENATOR RICK SCOTT: By the way, if you needed any more confirmation that Rick Scott is the disruptor that Republican Party voters would like, then all you need to see is anonymous U.S. senators complaining that they're getting too much pressure from their bosses, the people who work -- they work for back at home.

And, you know, part of the problem with this process is it's a secret ballot. It's one of the three most important positions in Washington. It's elected by the smallest number of people, and yet, we don't even have any accountability for how they vote. I think that's an issue you're going to see contested here in the next day or two.

But if you are a Republican senator and you're not happy with the fact that maybe people from the outside -- now think about what the outside means, that means outside the Capitol, you know, where the bosses live. If you're upset with your bosses weighing in on how you vote for majority leader, then perhaps you're thinking about voting for the wrong person.

BOLDUAN: I think some of the people that they're, if you will, pissed off at are not necessarily the, you know, American voters. What they're speaking to is some of the pressure campaign from the likes of Tucker Carlson and those allies who have been speaking out so strongly in favor for Rick Scott.

Regardless, Meghan, what does a Rick -- no, but that's what Politico is reporting. That's what I'm saying. TODD: Yes, but there's an attitude in leadership elections, it says, just trust us, right? Just trust us. This is not the first one. We've seen that in previous leadership elections where it's like, you know, the voters are not smart enough to help us figure out who we should vote for. This is a really important job at the top of the Republican Party. And so, it's only natural that other people outside the little club of 49 members might have an opinion. And it's their job as senators to factor those opinions and decide what's the mass of the Republican Party. What would the voters want us to do in regard to this election? That's how you handle the leadership race.

BOLDUAN: Meghan, of the three men that seem to be the leading contenders for the job, I mean, what does -- what do those three men represent in terms of what Democrats will be, I mean, fighting against working with, however you want to describe what's going to be happening in the Senate, over the next years?

HAYS: Look, I think that the Democrats and Republicans are going to have to figure out a way to work together. There is a majority in the Senate with the Republican Party, but it's not that strong of a majority, especially when you factor in some of the more, you know, Susan Collins and Murkowski, those people. So, I think they're going to need to find someone that's going to want to work with Democrats and try to get stuff done.

These people, as you know, Brad was saying, they set the agenda and how they vote. And so, they should be held accountable to the voters because that determines what comes up for to be voted on. And I think it's important to have someone that Democrats and Republicans can work together with.

BOLDUAN: And one thing, Brad, that is always important is the message sent with the first legislation that hits the floor, right? That's always a big moment of messaging and priority for when we see it in the House and also in the Senate. What do you think -- what are you hearing what will be the first thing that comes before them?

TODD: Well, you know, I think, you know, the first thing will happen be some executive orders that come from the White House. You know, and last term, when Joe Biden became president, the first thing that happened was a bunch of executive orders on the first day that rolled back Donald Trump's immigration policies and some executive orders that put a freeze on domestic natural gas production.

[08:45:00]

I think you saw on that first day, the seeds of the defeat that Democrats just had. Both the voters didn't trust him on immigration. They didn't trust him on prices. And of course, fuel prices drive all prices. So, on energy and immigration, that very first day, they did things wrong. I think Republicans will actually probably address those same things. I think you'll see very early on in this administration, both the White House and the Congress address immigration and address energy prices and try to make sure that America's energy production is as large as it possibly can be on all fronts. We need affordable energy. We need abundant energy. That's how you bring prices down. I think you'll see those two subjects and I think the White House and the Congress will be on the same page.

BOLDUAN: Meghan Hays, Brad Todd, thanks guys. Sara.

SIDNER: All right. Ahead this morning, reports that thousands of North Korean troops are preparing to launch a new assault against Ukrainian forces who have taken Russian territory.

And jury deliberations set to resume this morning and the murder of two girls known as the Delphi double murder trial. If found guilty, the accused face up to 130 years in prison.

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[08:50:00]

BOLDUAN: Jury deliberations continue this morning in the Delphi Indiana double murder trial. Richard Allen is accused of killing 14- year-old Liberty German and 13-year-old Abigail Williams back in 2017. Abby and Libby, they went for a hike. They were later reported missing. And the next day, their bodies were found, both with cuts to their throats. The case attracted tons of attention, in part because of a photo and audio recording of a suspect taken from Libby's smartphone. The case ran cold for more than five years until Allen was arrested in 2022. Pleaded not guilty to the murder charges. He could face up to 130 years in prison if convicted.

Drought conditions are fueling wildfires not out west we're talking about, but rather in the northeast. Nearly 12 million people are under a red flag warning in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island today. And this weekend was filled with hazy, smoky skies in New York and New Jersey from several wildfires burning there. There's also fires at the heart of the -- in the heart of New York City as well. Windy conditions ignited one in an iconic green space in New York, Brooklyn's Prospect Park. New York City, clearly not an area known for wildfires, has been under a drought watch after the driest October on record.

Firefighters in North Texas pulled off a heroic rescue this weekend, saving a two-year-old child trapped in a massive apartment fire. When they arrived on scene, they were alerted that the child was trapped on the second floor of the apartment building, and we see through here how that rescue played out thanks to body worn camera footage. They managed to pull the child through a window and then transferred him quickly to a medevac helicopter for immediate care at a nearby hospital. No word right now on how that child's recovery is going. Sara.

SIDNER: All right. Now, on to some international news. Thousands of Russian soldiers along with North Korean troops are preparing for a large-scale assault against Ukrainian positions in Russia's Kursk region. The offensive is expected to begin within days, and it comes after Ukraine launched its largest drone attack on Moscow since the war began. This says President Biden will meet with President-Elect Donald Trump on Wednesday and is expected to urge Trump not to abandon Ukraine when he takes office.

CNN Chief National Security Correspondent Alex Marquardt joining me now. What can you tell us about this offensive that is expected to take place and how it's being planned to take back some of the Kursk region?

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Sara, Ukraine is desperately trying to hold on to this large part of Russia that they took over in a stunning incursion back in August, in the Kursk part of Western Russia. And I'm told by a U.S. official that Russia is indeed planning an operation to take place in the coming days with tens of thousands of troops to try to take it back, not just Russian troops, but some of those recently arrived North Korean troops as well.

Now, a Ukrainian commander tells CNN that those -- there are around 11,000 of these North Korean troops that form about three full brigades. So, it's a significant amount of support for the Russians. They include some North Korean specialist troops like artillerymen and snipers. And it is very important for Ukraine to hold on to this territory because it could become a valuable bargaining chip in future negotiations.

There are real concerns in Ukraine that incoming President Trump is going to pressure Ukraine to essentially settle and give up territory. There are concerns about his relationship with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. In fact, Sara, there was a report over the weekend that Putin and Trump had spoken. We have not confirmed that, and the Kremlin did deny it. But there was a call that we do know that that took place last week between presidents Trump and Zelenskyy and on that call was also Elon Musk.

And Musk is one of the people in the Trump orbit who really concerns president Zelenskyy and Ukraine because he along with others have pushed so-called peace plans that would include compromises for Ukraine, giving up their territory to Russia in exchange for an end to the war.

Musk talked about giving up Crimea, J. D. Vance has talked about giving up parts of Eastern Ukraine. That, of course, is something that President Zelenskyy has no desire to do, but fears that the U.S. may pressure him to do when President Trump comes into office. And that is why it is so vitally important for Ukraine to try to fend off whatever is coming in the coming days from these Russian troops, from these North Korean troops in that Kursk region of Russia. Sara.

[08:55:00]

SIDNER: Alex Marquardt, thank you so much for all your reporting on this. Appreciate it. John.

BERMAN: Right. With us now, CNN Global Affairs Analyst Kim Dozier and staff writer for the New Yorker Susan Glasser. Kim, I just want to start with President Zelenskyy and what he fears more, this Russian counteroffensive in Kursk or the incoming Trump administration with Elon Musk on the phone? KIMBERLY DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Look, he's stuck in the worst possible place and has put a brave face on it trying to welcome the Trump administration in, but he knows that if Trump decides to pull support for Ukraine, that Europe can't make up for it. European officials that I've spoken to have said the real problem is the military, the weapons manufacturing base, the U.S. has been able to give so much to Ukraine because they've got the manufacturing base to make up for that and resupply U.S. troops. Europe doesn't have that capability.

So, while financially might -- they might be able to send money Ukraine's way, Ukraine really needs the U.S. support to keep prosecuting this war.

BERMAN: And, Susan, insofar as you can tell so far how is that Vladimir Putin playing this?

SUSAN GLASSER, STAFF WRITER, THE NEW YORKER: Well, look what Putin is preparing to do, it appears, with this possible offensive in the Kursk region is to create as many new facts on the ground as possible before Trump takes office, before there is a major effort to pressure Zelenskyy to settle the war. So, I think both sides are going to take this, but certainly, the Russians who have the advantage are going to press that advantage because they have the very real possibility of an American president who's effectively going to take their side in negotiations and pressure Zelenskyy to give up territory that Russians already hold.

So, of course, it's in Putin's interest to hold as much territory as possible right now, and I think that's what we're going to see.

BERMAN: In terms of facts on the ground, so to just expand on that a little bit, because Kursk is actually in Russia. What he's trying to do is kick the Ukrainians out before there's actual talk about land, right? Because if there were a negotiation with both sides of the table, Ukraine could say, oh, well, we're here. We're in Kursk. As long as we're trading land, let's keep this.

GLASSER: Exactly. I think that's an important point, John. And remember, that Russia also is elsewhere, have been pressuring Ukraine all of the last summer and fall in parts of the east and west. They're also launching a series of drone attacks, escalating drone attacks on Ukrainian cities. It's electric infrastructure is something they could target even more with winter coming.

So, you know, when I say facts on the ground, I mean, not only in Kursk but elsewhere along the frontlines with Ukraine, I think you can expect to see Russian activity in the days leading up to Donald Trump's inauguration. And I think, again, the lack of transparency is important. But remember, Donald Trump is already signaling pretty hard that he does not want the sort of old Republican establishment in his new administration. I think it was notable that he said already that both Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo, who are seen as strong supporters of Ukraine, will not be welcomed back into a second Trump administration.

Donald Trump Jr. meanwhile, literally was sending out a social media post the other day saying essentially ha, ha Zelenskyy, your allowance from the United States is about to end. And I think that signals what direction, very strongly, the Trump administration is planning to go in terms of cutting off support for Ukraine.

BERMAN: Kim, what's the timeline here? Is it as simple as the transition that Putin, Zelenskyy, everyone right now is planning for these 70 days because that's all that's left?

DOZIER: Well, look, Trump has said he could solve it in 24 hours, and he's also said that he could solve it before Inauguration Day. But with such claims in the past, it's been sort of bravado, putting a marker down, and then he takes as long as it needs to take.

The fact of the matter is, though, he does have the diplomatic advantage with Putin willing to talk to him and Putin willing to play ball, in part because Trump administration former officials are already making noise about raising the cost of the price of oil, which would damage Russia financially. So, that's the sort of blackmail they're holding over Moscow's head or likely will to come.

BERMAN: Kim Dozier, Susan Glasser, great to see both of you this morning. Thanks so much for coming on. Appreciate your time.

Brand-new hour of CNN News Central starts now.

SIDNER: President-Elect Trump's transition team is in full throttle as allies jockey for jobs they have --

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