Return to Transcripts main page

Don Lemon Tonight

President Donald Trump Gives Inauguration Speech; President Donald Trump and First Family Attend Armed Services Ball. Aired 11:00p-Midnight ET

Aired January 20, 2017 - 23:00   ET

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

[23:00:09] DON LEMON, CNN HOST: Thank you Erin. Appreciate that.

I'm Don Lemon. This is CNN TONIGHT.

We are watching live coverage now, the inauguration, the celebration for President Donald Trump. We are awaiting Donald Trump and Mike Pence at the armed services ball taking place there. I just left there. Very festive evening there with men and women, our men and women in uniform who serve overseas. And this is a date for the history books as we await the president and vice president from the oath of office making Donald Trump the 45th president of the United States to his inaugural address to the parade to tonight's inaugural balls. So we are paying attention to now with millions of people watching from coast-to-coast all around the world.

And I'm going to discuss with the panel who are here with me this evening.

Nia-Malika Henderson is here. David Axelrod, Emily Jane Fox, Mark Preston, Kirsten Powers, Rick Santorum and Kevin Madden.

And I want to tell you guys that we are waiting for this talk from the president and believe we are getting the music. The President is coming in now. They are playing "hail to the chief." And as soon as he comes in -- there we go. Let's listen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen, we welcome the president of the United States, Donald J. Trump.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, thank you very much. What a great honor. These events are going on all over the city. We are having a lot of fun tonight. And I want to tell you, what a day it's been. Our first lady has been working very, very hard. Very, very hard.

But I just want to thank you on behalf of Melania and myself and the family and really millions and millions of people all over the world. The job you have done is absolutely incredible. Absolutely incredible. Because this our military, this is our law enforcement, this is our first responders. You are amazing people. You are amazing people. And I like you for a lot of reasons. Also I like the fact that you all voted for me. You all voted for me.

I just met your joint chiefs of staff and they are incredible. And I'll tell you what, they know what to do and they know what to do and they know what to do fast. And we are going to see what happens, but we have a great country and we want to do what's appropriate. We have been pushed around by a lot of different people, lots of bad things are happening, but I think you're going to see a big improvement, really. And I just want to tell you that General Mattis was just approved by the Senate. First one. General Kelly was just approved by the Senate and isn't it something? Two generals were the first ones with all the people and all the politicians, the generals get approved first. Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be. Maybe that's the way.

Now, we have some folks right now in Afghanistan right? And think they hear me. There's about a six second delay but think they hear me. Do you guys hear me I think maybe? Let's see how good we are doing. Yes, they hear me. They hear me. How is it over there? How is it going? Good. Go ahead. What question do you have? Don't be like these people. Don't be too tough on me. Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi sir. I'm (INAUDIBLE). First Calvary division, United States army. On behalf of everybody here in Afghanistan, I would just like to say congratulations to your new position.

[23:05:10] TRUMP: Thank you very much. That's so nice. Thank you. Thank you. That's very nice. Thank you. We couldn't hear too clearly but I believe she just congratulated us -- not me -- us on this victory. And I want to thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On behalf of -- air base. Congratulations. (INAUDIBLE)

TRUMP: Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On behalf of the air base, we would like to congratulate on being elected as new president of the United States.

TRUMP: Thank you very much. So nice. Thank you.

By the way, I have to tell you, it's a ten second delay but I like them much better than I like the media right? These are much finer people, nicer people. That's great. Thank you. Thank you very much. Go ahead. Thank you.

PHILIP CAVIL, SERGEANT FIRST CLASS, U.S. ARMY: My name is sergeant first class Philip Cavil. I'm with the army, Illinois army National Guard out of Chicago. Congratulations on becoming the president of the United States, sir.

TRUMP: Thank you very much. That's really, really nice. Thank you. I will tell you I'm with you all the way. You have somebody that's going to be right alongside of you. We are going to do it together. We are going to do it together. And honestly, not only the support you have given me, the courage that you show is incredible. And it's going to be appreciated. It's appreciated now but it's going to be appreciated more than ever before. You're going to see. OK. Thank you very much. Go ahead. Go ahead. Take one more. I love these ten seconds delays.

So gives you plenty of time to think about an answer. Such nice questions though. Go ahead.

ROBERT GALLUP, GUNNERY SERGEANT: Good evening Mr. President, I'm gunnery sergeant Robert Gallup with the liaison team advising and assisting coalition partners in Afghanistan. In behalf of all the marines here in Afghanistan, we just like to say congratulations. And good luck to you with the term.

TRUMP: Thank you very much. Really nice. Thank you. And we are going to have some people going over and seeing you soon. And you're doing an amazing job over there. How about taking one more. Go ahead. Take one more. Go ahead. Think he hear us right? Got it. Want to do one more? So far I love these questions because everybody is I want to congratulate you. Nicest questions. Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir, United States army. Satellite communications operator maintainer and would like to congratulate you on your inauguration sir.

TRUMP: You are the nicest people. But they are only nice right now to me. They are probably definitely not so nice in other ways. I want to thank you all, you are amazing people. We are with us 1,000, 1,000, 1,000 percent, and you are doing just an incredible job. So thank you all very much. We will see you and keep fighting. We are going to win. We are going to win. We are going to win. Keep fighting. Thank you. Thank you all. Thank you all.

So why can't all people be like that? Six questions and six congratulations. Right? So this is very special. So we have done two of these and we had big crowds, big, big, 10,000, 12,000, and I guess there is two more that I'm supposed to go to.

You know, at some point, I'm going to say, well, first of all, did you hear the speech today? And actually even the media said the crowd was massive. So finally. That was a big -- that was all the way back down to the Washington monument. That was what was supposed to be rain turned out not to be rain. It was beautiful. It was beautiful.

So let me just say this. You are special people. You are great, great people. I have your back. We are going to do great things for our country. You know, I ran -- the journey started 18 months ago and people said we don't have a big chance. We went to number one about would you say two weeks or three weeks into the polls? We went to number one in the primaries. And then we just stayed there and we did well. And it wasn't so much me. It was me. I did a good job as a messenger but I'm your messenger, just remember that. I'm your messenger. I'm your messenger.

But it all began with a theme. And the theme is make America great again. And I have gotten to know the people of our country so well. I have been all over. I have been all over. And we had tremendous victories. And I will tell you, we have the greatest people on earth. And we are not only going to make America great again. We are going to make America greater than ever before. So I want to thank all of you. You're very, very special people.

Honey. Thank you. Say something.

[23:11:50] MELANIA TRUMP, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you all for your service. I'm honor to be your first lady. We will fight. We will win. And we will make America great again. Thank you.

(PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY DANCING)

(AUDIENCE CHANTING)

[23:19:21] LEMON: Very nice moment there at salute to armed services ball that's happening at National Museum building here in Washington, D.C. A very nice scene over there, especially with the first family dancing with members of the military and also second family as well.

As we watch the celebration continue here, looks like there is going to be cake cutting ceremony. So it's a very festive scene. I should tell you after speaking with members of the military via satellite, the president and vice president and members of the family danced with certain members of the military. The president danced with Navy petty officer second class Kathryn Cartmel. He danced Mrs. Trump also danced with army staff sergeant Jose Medina.

As they cut into the cake here. And vice president Pence danced with air force master sergeant Tiffany Bradbury and Mrs. Pence danced with marine sergeant Angel Rodriguez. That's the first family and the second family members of the military leave the stage there at the armed services ball.

So a very touching moments happening there.

I want to get to some folks who are in the room. I was just there with them. CNN's Dana Bash at the salute to our armed forces ball with Erin as well and Kate Betts is there. She is the author of "Everyday Icon, Michelle Obama and the power of style."

Erin, a big, big day followed by a big night for the new president and first lady at the inaugural balls and the entire families, the first family and the second families, all of them. He must be going tremendous tonight. What was it like being in the room?

[23:21:07] ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST, OUTFRONT: I mean, you know, you were here, Don, as everybody was gathering. I know before you went over across town to where you are. But, you know, Dana and I were just saying there is this moment, and I felt it with Barack Obama four years ago, when he came to a ball. It felt it with Donald Trump tonight. Just the air changes. That's how Dana put it when he walked out and it was like that.

He came out with Melania. He spoke, some references to the media which were slightly better natured than the prior one. Someone came over to us and said don't worry, we have got your back.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. There is a lot of love in this room for the media, I have to say. They were defending us.

BURNETT: Melania coming up the podium and speaking. Got a big cheer here. And then just everyone, of course, watching them dance and it would very lovely to see them dance. I have to say.

BASH: And I'm not sure if they caught it on camera, Don, but the stars of the dance here were Karen Pence and -- the name of the serviceman who danced with her was?

LEMON: Mrs. Pence danced with Marine sergeant Anbel Rodriguez. Marine sergeant Anbel Rodriguez.

BASH: And so, Anbel Rodriguez has some serious courage, not just in the battlefield, but on the dance floor. He was twirling her around to the point where the vice president looked at him like dude, really?

LEMON: Well, it is funny because we were here watching the entire panel and we were saying that these young service members were doing a better job dancing with the spouses than the actual spouses did.

BASH: Yes.

(LAUGHTER)

BURNETT: It's true. And you know, when you actually see it and we have all been talking about the outfits all night. But when they all came out, it was beautifully choreographed. I mean, you know, they all tough women (INAUDIBLE). So you bet using the word, tableau. I'm not even saying it right but you are the fastest lane, but it was

beautifully done.

KATE BETTS, AUTHOR, EVERYDAY ICON, MICHELLE OBAMA AND THE POWER OF STYLE: It was beautifully done. And it is interesting because I kept looking at Ivanka's dress tonight. It is right there behind us on the stage. And I kept thinking it was very glittery and gold, recurring theme this evening. And I can't help but say this. That was the first lady dress in my mind because it was very shiny and beautiful and almost ethereal and romantic.

BASH: You think Melania would have been better off in the other --

BETTS: It's not her style. And she looks beautiful in the white dress which is very sleek and simple and beautifully made as we said earlier, but it's also quite sleek and sophisticated and perhaps not as romantic.

BASH: Very romantic. But for people who are interested in such things up close, as close as we -- not that far away.

BURNETT: Thirty feet away, Don. Thirty feet away.

BASH: Ivanka's dress, I mean, I don't think the cameras can do it justice. It is absolutely spectacular, just gorgeous, the sparkles, the design, the way that it --

BURNETT: That is the right word. Spectacular. BASH: Absolutely spectacular. I mean, I almost to thinking and I

mean this with respect, kind of the perfect almost Disney princess, the Disney character where you have the perfect dress. I mean, it was - it really, really remarkable. I mean, they all looked stunning, the Pences and the Trumps. But that was a very special dress.

BURNETT: And I will say, Don, you know, when you say what it's like to be in the room. I think the fact that it was so intimate, you know. As I said about 30 feet from where we are, and all of the people watching, all of the people that were here to see between us and Donald Trump.

LEMON: And Dana, you may have picked up giggling because Senator Rick Santorum is here and he said he didn't think you were capable of doing of these fashion analysis. He thought you just stood there on the hill and talked about Congress.

BURNETT: Very obsessed with this ball is rick.

BASH: He doesn't know how much reporting I do on his sweater vests.

(CROSSTALK)

[23:25:07] RICK SANTORUM (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You always have eye for fashion.

BASH: I will tell people what you said about -- anyway, you know your fashion senator. We will just leave it there. We have our little secret.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: We are going to get to all of that.

Listen. The dresses were beautiful. There are people that sit in this room who said everything was gorgeous, but they liked Ivanka but they thought of maybe could have been a little bit sleeker and sheeker (ph) and not so princess (ph). Not that it wasn't beautiful but we are used to seeing her being stunning sort of sleek. And we will talk about that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everybody can have an opinion.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was amazing.

LEMON: All right. So - thank you, guys. We will talk to you soon.

Here to discuss now all of this with David Gergen, Nia-Malika Henderson, David Axelrod, Emily Jane Fox, Mark Preston, Kirsten Powers, Rick Santorum and Kevin Madden.

We are going to talk about the day but let's talk about what just happened with the service members, David Axelrod.

DAVID AXELROD, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes.

LEMON: What did you think of it?

AXELROD: Well, first of all, let me just say when you talk about the military, one of the things that is so moving to me about this day is at stroke of noon, and when that oath is taken, "hail to the chief" is played for the man who takes that oath or the woman who takes the oath someday that may be the case, but the guy that took the oath today and power transfers is not by fiat, not by coup but by a vote of the people. And that is moving right. And we should all take pride in that. And the President has every right to be exultant because this is his day too.

I was disappointed about what I just saw however. When I was working for President Obama I had a chance to go to Afghanistan and to go to Iraq and to meet these splendid young people who have put their lives on the line to protect us and protect our freedoms. And I wish he would have spent more time talking about them and less time talking about himself. He is no longer just a candidate. It's not about polls. It is not about crowds. He is the commander in-chief. He is their commander in-chief. And it seems to me that he should have used that opportunity to thank them. And Melania Trump did. And I think she deserves credit for that. He said I'm glad to be here because you voted for me. How about I'm glad to be here because you are the best of the best and we are proud of you. And that's what should have been said and he missed the opportunity.

LEMON: He even brought up - he said the crowd stretched all the way back, you know, back to the monument. And so, I mean, I know I kind of wanted to give him his day today and did not want to discuss that. The crowds were not the same as they were in 2009 and 2013.

DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: And we are not supposed to discuss it.

LEMON: But he brought it up so we are bringing it up. They didn't stretch that far and there were big holes in the crowd. So those are the comparisons right there, but go on.

GERGEN: It should have been better off leaving it. But you know, I think President Obama's first inauguration was one of a kind. I don't think anybody should be compared to that.

AXELROD: That's exactly what I said.

GERGEN: Donald Trump had a sizeable crowd and he had people who very charged up.

I want to make one of the point about the military. From President Truman on through George H.W. Bush senior, every single president served in uniform. And since then we have had a string of presidents that didn't serve and had deferments or one thing or other. And the question is always been what kind of relationship can they build with the military? It is important to have a warm working relationship in which there is mutual trust. Bill Clinton got off to rocky start with the military on don't ask don't tell but he moved around. And by the end of his term, he was in very good shape, you know. Barack Obama had a lot of distrust as we know. Some of the generals,

they thought they were trying to pin -- got ahead. He had great respect for them. But I do think with Donald Trump has shown a lot of respect for the military. Given his background, that show a lot of respect. And I think that's positive thing. I hope for the country's sake he continues to deepen that relationship.

LEMON: And Rick Santorum, as we were sitting here, watching him, we were saying, you know, we think he know - we know what he means. And he is not a politician. And so, maybe, you know, we should just cut him some slack because he at least brought the military into the inauguration at inaugural ball and tried to speak to them.

SANTORUM: Special has special military ball. He had folk from Afghanistan, he talks continually about rebuilding the military and how proud he is of military, how great the military is. I think, David, I think were picking a little bit by saying, well, you know, he talked about himself. This is his day, OK. I mean, I understand be more magnanimous and focus more --

AXELROD: I'm magnanimous. It is being appreciative.

SANTORUM: Well. And I understand, he does - I mean, he thanked the military repeatedly.

AXELROD: He reveled in the congratulations they were giving him but he should have returned that in kind. These kids are wonderful kids and deserve our thanks.

[23:30:12] LEMON: But you do, you wish that he would move on from the election.

SANTORUM: Here is what I would say. This is his day. Let him have his day. Let him congratulate himself and talk about, you know, how he won. This is his day to celebrate that he won. And the fact that you are saying, well, you know, he talks about how he won throughout the night, that's right. But this is his day to celebrate that he won.

Now, if he keeps doing it for - if a month from now we are still talking about how Donald Trump saying, hey, you voted for me and I like you, then maybe we should, you know, have intervention. But at this point I think we are pretty good.

LEMON: No. The day to celebrate the selection, I have to disagree with you is November, the night he won or day after or the thank you tours that he gave around the country. Again, this is his day. I have to give him that. As I said I was on the parade route today and I did not talk about the sizes because this is the third or fourth inauguration that I have been to. The crowd were not nearly as big as any of the three other inauguration that I attended. But the people were enthusiastic to see him. They were happy to see him. And so we give them due. So I didn't discuss it. But he brings it up and it just simply not true.

But go on, Mark Preston. What do you want to say? MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Yes. I just think that,

you know, to David's point, when he talks to these soldiers overseas and says you know, ask me any question you want, ask me any question. Well, first of all, no soldier in his right mind is going to ask a difficult question, right. I mean, we know that's true. It should have been scripted better.

To David's point, he should have said, you know, this is a celebration about you all, not about me. And then he says things like you are the nicest people. They are really nice to me. Insinuating that the folks who didn't support him are not nice to him. And as the president now and as commander in-chief he's got to move on. He just can't seem to move on.

LEMON: OK. We have to move on. And then we are going to talk about - we are going to discuss the speech. We are going to break the speech and the entire day so stick around.

When we come right back, everyone, President Donald Trump's inaugural address, what it tells us about the country and what's going to happen in the next four years.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:36:09] LEMON: We are back now live from Washington, D.C.

It is almost been 12 hours since Donald Trump became president of the United States officially. Sworn in. And there is his motorcade now streaming through Washington, D.C. You see all the flashing lights there. He just left the armed services ball where he had touching moment with members of the military overseas and also there in the room dancing with the first family, the second family, members of the military.

And so, again, there is the motorcade making way back to - well, the vice president is going not to the White House but president will be staying in the White House. It will be the Trumps' first night in the White House. So there you go. Wait a minute. Is that -- that's not White House. Is that Trump hotel?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. I think --

LEMON: Trump hotel. Probably a late dinner, maybe more dancing. Who knows? But part of the motorcade is pulling into the hotel. So we will get some official guidance on that to see exactly what is going on and we will get back to you.

In the meantime, we are going to continue all with our conversation. I'm back now with my panel.

So listen. Everyone was wondering what Donald Trump would say in his speech. So let's listen to this and then we will discuss.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their families, and good jobs for themselves. These are just and reasonable demands of righteous people and a righteous public. But for too many of your citizens a different reality exists. Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities, rusted out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation. And education system flush with cash but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge. And the crime and the gangs and the drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential. This is American carnage stops right here and stops right now.

We are one nation, and their pain is our pain. Their dreams are our dreams. And their success will be our success. We share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: David Gergen, American carnage, very strong words and tones. Your thoughts as you heard it?

GERGEN: Well, it was scathing indictment of America's political elites and in effect a decree that under his leadership the country will throw them all out and then transform things. I think for his supporters it was energizing speech for his supporters. The good news was he hasn't changed since the campaign.

For his critics, the bad news was, he hasn't changed since the campaign, you. That's about where we leave him. We left at. I think it was very polarizing speech. I was surprised with four former presidents on the stage, with so many leading political figures in the country on the stage, he was as critical, as tough, as insulting as he was to people who have been leading the country.

LEMON: I have heard that from a number of people that they thought it was insulting to the people, the surviving living presidents who were there watching.

Nia, did you think it was offensive?

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Yes, I mean, it was because I mean, if there's a situation of American carnage than Obama and Clinton and Bush, I mean, they were presidents. I mean, it was indictment of what they didn't do while they were in office, I think. And obviously, the echoes of his campaign speeches, his RNC speech. It was very dark in tone. It was very simple and easy to understand. It was very much his story of America which is dark and different from morning in America, the kinds of uplifting tones I think we have heard from other presidents Ronald Reagan, Obama's rising sun, that whole imagery.

But, you know, I think for his supporters, they will rally around him. I think it was very emotional. And his supporters are like Obama supporters I think in that they are attached to his message. They are attached to him as well. I think it's going to be hard for him to build bridges and reach out to folks and expand his coalition. But for now, he has got a coalition that won him the White House and I think is bound together in some ways by race and in some ways by religion, and these notes that he sounds I think very much resonate with that audience and will continue to.

[23:41:07] LEMON: David Axelrod, I mean, not only to the presidents but there are Democrats and Republicans and libertarians and independents who are sitting on the stage with him, right behind him.

AXELROD: Yes. Look, I think that if Donald Trump's people were here, the president's people were here, they would say they don't care, because their basic message is the political establishment has failed. And I got elected to challenge the political establishment and I will. So I don't - I think if they took umbrage he would say all the best, that's, you know, fine with him. But, you know, I'm sure President Obama was sitting this thinking, when I stood her eight years ago, the economy was shrinking by 8.9 percent. We were losing 800,000 jobs a month. You want to talk about carnage, that was carnage, and we did a lot to turn that around.

LEMON: Can I ask you something? In the documentary, I saw that - there was something that was unprecedented, they called each of the candidates from the Republican side John McCain and the former President Barack Obama to the White House for a meeting because things were so bad?

AXELROD: Yes. During the crisis when Lehman brothers collapsed during the campaign.

LEMON: And they weren't --

AXELROD: No. They were representing each party with the legislative leaders to try and chart a course to save the country and the economy from collapse.

LEMON: That's carnage.

AXELROD: Yes. Well, there is no doubt. And I think, you know, we don't sometimes remember pain. But that was a crisis that we haven't seen since the great depression. So I'm sure it was confusing to someone who remembered that and heard this description now.

By the same token there are in the inner cities and in inner factory towns around this country. There is a lot of pain and the recovery hasn't caught up with those areas. And so, you know, and that's one of the reasons why Donald Trump is president today. So he was speaking to the people who sent him here.

I want to point out one other thing, though, because we just saw the military ball and he announced that General Mattis was confirmed. I think the other stunning part of the speech was the degree to which he sort of announced to the world that America was turning inward and that American was going to play the leadership role that it had in the past. And --.

LEMON: Could we play it, David?

AXELROD: Yes, go ahead.

LEMON: Let's play that. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We assembled here today are issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital and in every hall of power, from this day forward, a new vision will govern our land. From this day forward, it is going to be only America first, America first.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs will be made to benefit American workers and American families. We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies and destroying our jobs.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength. I will fight for you with every breath in my body, and I will never ever let you down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: David go on.

AXELROD: Yes. Well, he also said we will no longer subsidize the armies of other countries while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military. This is consistent with what he has said about NATO and other international institutions. His view is -- and I think there's support out there again among his supporters for this. He wants to turn inward, focus on our country, but -- and you know, General Mattis who got almost unanimously confirmed today was unanimously confirmed because he stood before the United States Senator, sat before the United States Senate and said yes, NATO is vital, yes, Russia is adversary, yes America has to play a leadership role in the world. So how to reconcile his defense secretary's views with his views is going to be an interesting thing moving forward.

[23:45:31] SANTORUM: I would say how you reconcile -- you haven't talked about what he didn't say. I mean, yes, he talked about borders, he talked about, you know, terrorists and trade and immigration and you mentioned, you know, he did talk about NATO. But he didn't talk about anything else. So you say well, he is turning inward. A lot he didn't mention. And I think to just suggest, well, he is going to turn inward on everything, I just don't think it is accurate.

LEMON: Kevin, what do you think our allies were thinking as they were watching this?

KEVIN MADDEN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I think that I think there's a lot of pause but I think to what Senator Santorum is saying, that there are still a lot of policy making to be done. And that there is too much - I mean, I know our job is to analyze these speeches but we shouldn't overanalyze this. And the policy making that is going to go on, it is going to be much more about just the executive, it will also involve the legislative. And I think that is something that is going to be a very immediate challenge, which is balancing some of what he said today, which was a direct defense of economic nationalism and national security nationalism with some of the folks up on Capitol Hill that are much more hawkish about our standing around the globe and what we ought to be doing. So I think that is going to be something that we are going to see in his first 100 days.

LEMON: Kirsten, Emily, Mark, we are going to hear from you on the other side of the break as we will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:50:42] LEMON: And we are back now live from Washington. A beautiful shot of Washington. A little drizzly, a little chilly tonight and today. Donald Trump spending his first night in the White House tonight as America's 45th president.

Back with me now my political - my political dream team.

The president using some very strong language, a different language today on the campaign trail and today. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action, constantly complaining, but never doing anything about it.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: The time for empty talk is over. Now arrives the hour of action.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Do not allow anyone to tell you that it cannot be done. No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of America. We will not fail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Kirsten, he said that the time for empty talk is over, but I mean, throughout nobody thought he could get elected. A lot of people didn't. So maybe with the help of Republicans now, he has a Republican house, he has got a Republican Senate and he is in the White House. Maybe he can get some of the stuff done?

KIRSTEN POWERS, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes, I think so. Look, I think the person who showed up today is Donald Trump. He is the person that ran for president and won. And I don't know why people expected him to be different today than he has been the rest of the time. This was a very workman-like speech. I think a lot of people thought it was dark, but you know, if you look at the - (INAUDIBLE) of the "Washington Examiner" went out and interviewed all these people in the audience and they loved it. They thought it was an amazing speech. They didn't find anything about to be dark or they, in fact, they found it to be unifying.

So I think that this was a speech that was directed to the people in the audience and the people who elected him. Now, we can quibble about whether that was right or wrong, but that's clearly what he wanted to do. And I don't - I think that he -- the things that he just said about Washington, I mean, that's something that Bernie Sanders could have said. And that is something that a lot of people agree with.

So I think that he got here his way. And he is, you know, going to continue to do things his way and maybe he will be able to fix Washington. I mean, it's what people want to see.

LEMON: Yes. It's just not what people are used to seeing when it comes to an inaugural address. But he is a different kind of candidate. The only reason that -- I didn't think he would be different, but the only reason I asked is because every single surrogate and pundit who is on the Donald Trump support page said he is going to pivot and change. Once he becomes president. He became president at 12 noon and gave that speech and it was exactly the same. Am I wrong? Where is the pivot?

EMILY JANE FOX, STAFF WRITER, VANITY FAIR: We have been waiting for the pivot since he got the nomination, maybe even before then and that every turn, everyone says it's going to happen. It is going to happen.

At some point, you have to think why he is not pivoting. And to me Donald is a man who is deeply concerned with his own success and doing well. And he has been successful with this message. And I think broadening up is something that is unknown territory to him and he doesn't know if he will succeed in doing that. And whether or not he will succeed in actually governing the country. So he is sticking close to a message that he knows wins inning for him. And I think that's why he stuck to it.

AXELROD: And authenticity is really one of the things that has worked very well for him. This is clearly his message. And you know, it's true. Every time people say, well now, he is going to pivot, he doesn't want to say what he doesn't want to say. And I think his supporters very much appreciate that.

LEMON: Mark, listen. And Mark, we sat here for the last almost two years talking about this. I think that's right. It is what the people in the crowd, as Kirsten said, they wanted to hear. But even when I love someone or I admire them, I want them to lift me up and make me better and smarter because you shouldn't be the same thing for everyone all the time. You have to evolve. You can be authentic and be yourself. But you have to evolve and you have to bring people up and bring them along with you. And at some point educate them and move on because the world doesn't stay the same. People don't stay the same.

[23:55:00] PRESTON: Yes. I think the most frustrating thing for me with Donald Trump is that he has so much ability to enact change. He has so much ability to pull people together. He obviously knows how to do business deals which is something we haven't necessarily seen here in Washington as a whole. Whether it's in the building behind us or down the street. However, he can't seem to get out the rut he dug that he has followed along this campaign trail.

And you know, in the speech, you know, again the speech didn't play well for me. It probably played well for folks that in little America that to be left behind, right. There is no question about that. But you know, when he says things like don't ever let anyone say it can't be done. I agree. That is, you know, that is something that we all should agree on. He goes on and says the time for empty talk is over. I agree with that. I think that that in some ways could be an uplifting message.

The problem is, though, is that he takes that, he weaves that together with inflammatory incendiary other comments and it doesn't lift it up. And when he says something like this, and Senator, I would be interesting to hear in what your thought is, when he says we will no longer took politicians who are all talk and no action, costly complaining but never doing anything about.

He is the president of the United States. He is saying we will no longer accept. Who is he, as an elected official --?

LEMON: He is talking to you, Rick Santorum.

(CROSSTALK)

AXELROD: Before the senator answers, he has only been an elected politician at that moment for about two minutes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it is 120 seconds longer than I have.

PRESTON: So who is he to say who should be in Congress and who shouldn't be in Congress?

SANTORUM: Well, look. I thought what he did out there taking them on was a very brave thing to do. I mean, he had to turn around and shake Barack Obama's hand after just hitting him.

LEMON: Listen. I agree. I heard it. I said, you know, this guy has got --.

SANTORUM: I mean, he gave to them and he gave it to everybody there.

GERGEN: But that's not where politician succeed in this town. You know that.

MADDEN: But we made some mistake of judging him against every traditional politician.

SANTORUM: You saw him afterwards. And he was yucking (ph) up with Chuck Schumer and he was kissing Nancy Pelosi's hand and he was doing all the things that make him (INAUDIBLE).

GERGEN: Yes. He comes in with the lowest approval rating of any president in modern times. And tomorrow morning, we are going to start seeing in the streets people that terribly disagree with him. There are tons of women coming as it is say they are here now. Well, you can shake your head and say they are irrelevant, but they are relevant.

SANTORUM: It never affected Barack Obama.

MADDEN: David, you make some good points, but whoever took that oath of office today would come in with the lowest approval ratings of any president just on the pure nature of the politics.

LEMON: I got to wrap it up. But I say those people who you say are traditional politicians are also saying today is Donald Trump's day so they are being nice. Tomorrow they are not going to be so nice and you know that.

PRESTON: I was defending you, by the way, as a former politician.

LEMON: We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)