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Don Lemon Tonight

ESPN Suspends host Jemele Hill Over NFL Tweets; Deadly Wildfires In California; Senator Corker Questions Trump's Fitness For Office; President Trump Ex-Wife, Ivana, Calls Herself First Lady; Harvey Weinstein Sexual harassment Allegations; Clinton In California. Aired 11-Midnight ET

Aired October 09, 2017 - 23:00   ET

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

[23:00:30] DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: This is "CNN Tonight." I'm Don Lemon. It's top of the hour. 11:00 p.m. On the east coast, 8:00 p.m. On the west coast. And we are live with breaking news. We have some big stories for you tonight.

At least 10 people have been killed as wildfires spread across 57,000 acres in California. Tens of thousands have been force to evacuate plus, Senator Bob Corker questioning President Trump fitness for office. Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon responding tonight calling for the Senator to resign. Here to discuss with Senator Corker says about the President to CNN senior economic analyst Robert Reich, also the author of the state of capitalism for the many, not the few. And Steven Moore, former senior economic adviser to the Trump campaign. Gentlemen, thank you so much. This is very important conversation. Mr. Rice, I'm going to start with you. "The New York Times" asked Senator Bob Corker directly whether he thought President Trump was fit for office. He wouldn't answer directly, but here is what he said. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN BOB CORKER, (R) TENNESSEE: I don't think he is a warmonger, but I don't think he appreciates that when the President of the United States speaks it has impact that it has around the world especially in the region that he is addressing. So, yeah, that is a bit concerning to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So do you believe the President is fit for office?

ROBERT REICH, CNN SENIOR ECONOMICS ANALSYT: No, but, Don, I'm not a Senator. I don't have any say at all in this. I think the significant thing about Senator Corker's comments, not only is he a senior Republican but he also represents the views of many other senior Republicans. The President of the United States has gone after Republican leadership. He is gone not only after Corker but Jeff Blake, Mitch McConnell and John McCain and others. And this is a President that is gone after them not on policy grounds. This is not about a principle difference.

These are differences based upon the President's sense that he is been offended. It's kind of a mean, petty, vindictive out pouring of sentiment of our President that is not only politically stupid but also worry some. Because this is a man that has his finger on the nuclear button. I mean four and a half minutes after he says go the world or part of the world could be annihilated. And that is worrying. Worrying to Rex Tillerson. He don't deny calling the President a moron. Not literally a moron, obviously, but someone who is quite disturbed and unhinged. The atmosphere in Washington, and I know many of these people. I've worked with them across the aisle. Many Republicans are deeply worried about the mental competence of our President.

LEMON: Steven, I want to bring you into this. Before I let you speak, I want to play more of Corker from "The New York Times" so we'll have a better discussion. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CORKER: I do worry that he is -- sometimes I feel like he is on a reality show of some kind you know when he is talking about these big foreign policies issues. And he doesn't realize that, you know, that we could be heading towards World War III with the kind of comments that he is making.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: And Steven here's what Steve Bannon said tonight about Senator Corker. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE BANNON, CHIEF STRATEGIST TO THE WHITE HOUSE: If Bob Corker has any honor, any decency, he should resign immediately, he should not let those words stand in what he said about --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So reality show according to Corker and then Bannon saying Corker should resign. What do you think?

STEPHEN MOORE, SENIOR ECONOMIC ANALYST, CNN: I thought what Corker said was inappropriate about a United States Senator to say that about the President of the United States. I was shocked about those comments, Don. I mean you don't say that about the President. Even to say he is not fit for office, certainly the voters wouldn't have voted him in if they didn't think he was fit for office. Donald Trump is a disrupter for Washington. That is one of the reasons people elected him because they were sick of the way Washington was being run. Donald Trump has a way with Republican Senators. Republican Senators did not stand and deliver for him on Obamacare repeal, something virtually all Republicans were elected to deliver. And I think he is angry about that as I think all voters are. And now he is got this big tax cut, another big element of his economic agenda.

[23:05:20] LEMON: Can I ask you something?

MOORE: Yes. LEMON: Why can't a Senator question whether the President is fit for

office or not? Why not?

MOORE: Well, because obviously Donald Trump is fit for office. I mean the fact is he was -- if the American people didn't think he was fit for office they wouldn't have elected him.

LEMON: No, no, no. Hold on, Stephen. We're not talking about what the American people -- Steven, we're not talking about the American people thing. We're talking about a sitting Senator who's questioning whether this President's actions are appropriate, whether it's fit for the office of presidency, whether he is conducting himself in a manner that is becoming of the office of presidency. This has nothing to do that the American people voted for him. Because people questioned Richard Nixon --

MOORE: Let me just say one last thing. I didn't think that Barack Obama was qualified to be President. I don't think he did a very good job as President. But I wouldn't have said that -- I would have never said he is not fit for office. I just think that is denigrating of the office of President.

LEMON: Hold on. And there was another point you were going to make, Stephen. I didn't mean to cut you off. But there are people who questioned President Obama's fitness for office and they also said they were going to make him a one-term President. Why is that appropriate for him not appropriate for this President?

MOORE: I don't think it's appropriate once someone is elected for President, to say they're not fit for office. And you're right. Barack Obama was re-elected President. I think there's a high probability that Donald Trump will be re-elected President if the economy continues to boom the way it has been over the last nine months.

REICH: I worked for a President, Bill Clinton, who most Republicans said was not fit for office. Also there are many other Presidents. Richard Nixon, Richard Nixon particularly after Watergate most of the Republicans in congress said Richard Nixon was not fit for office. It is a responsibility for congress regardless of your Party to put the nation ahead of Party. And if you find a Party who is as mean and petty and vindictive and narcissistic and pathologically narcissistic as we have right now, it seems to me the responsibility of every senior Republican to say this man is dangerous for this country, he is not fit for office and I am going to, if not contribute to an impeachment proceedings at least examine the 25th amendment.

MOORE: The difference between Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon and Donald Trump is that they were both accused of crimes, which are impeachable offenses. What impeachable offense has Donald Trump committed?

REICH: Obstruction of justice, abuse of power. How many do you want, Steve? I mean The emolument clause, Article 1, section 4 of the constitution? How many impeachable offenses should I talk about? How many criminal, an alleged impeachment is an allegation. All I'm saying it seems me particularly our President on foreign policy, and that is really what we're talking about, he is not listening to his Secretary of State, not listening to his defense Secretary. He is basically being a rogue President on something that could affect the entire world. He is talking about annihilating North Korea. He is escalating the conflict on the basis of no information, no advice.

MOORE: Wait a minute. You were a cabinet member yourself. The cabinet member works to reflect the opinions of the President, not the reverse. I mean --

REICH: The cabinet member advises. Advises.

MOORE: And if they don't agree with him, they should get out. Look, I respect Secretary of State Tillerson, but if he has fundamental disagreements on President Trump's policies, he should get out of that office. But Donald Trump is not guilty of any impeachable offense. You don't like his positions, Bob. And because you don't like his positions you think he should be impeached. And I think that is dangerous to our democracy and the people --

REICH: Let me be very clear, I think he has abuse of power and there is obstruction of justice. There is enough evidence with regards to obstruction. We could go through a whole list of things. I'm not saying that he has necessarily committed a crime. We don't know yet, but that is what an impeachment inquiry should get into. The same thing with the 25th amendment. That is an inquiry into the level of confidence of the president and there's a lot of evidence being accumulated that the mental competence of this President is at least questionable.

[23:10:23] LEMON: Robert, I want to get this in because I think this is important. You wrote a letter to Secretary Tillerson about calling the President a moron. And you wrote in part, the reason your moronic comment about Trump made the headlines is that Trump really is a moron. In the sense you probably mean it, he is impulsive, material, often cruel, psychological narcissistic some psychologist who have studied his base and concluded he is a psychopath, Washington is petty. A sociopath, I should say -- excuse me, Washington is petty, but it's not nonsensical. It latches onto gas only when they reveal something important. That is a very strong statement. What is so revealing to you about that gaff?

REICH: A gaff really means that somebody in politics has stated a truth that nobody otherwise wants to admit but they all believe. And that comment, I mean that is a silly comment. I mean the fact that Rex Tillerson did not deny that he called the President a moron I think is certainly indicative. But the fact it made the headlines -- it made the headlines because people are in Washington very concerned about the mental state of the President.

LEMON: Steven, what's your reaction?

MOORE: I just heard about that. This is the first I've heard about it. And if it's true, I think it doesn't add to the public debate at all for anyone to call the President a moron and say he is mentally unfit for office. I mean the voters knew what they were getting. And your girl lost, and your guy one. And to see, gee, he is not really fit to serve the presidency, I mean the American people wanted a disrupter. They voted for someone who would shake-up Washington. I'm on the road all the time, and now I'm talking to a lot of the Trump supporters. I know you've got segments whether Trump is losing his base, but I've got to tell you he is not losing his base. His people are saying keep it up, he is doing a great job.

REICH: Saying that the voters voted for a disrupter and therefore have no right to object and question what is going on right now is like saying the voters voted for Richard Nixon and therefore had no right to hold him accountable for being something that was not just a direct disrupter but actually committed high crimes --

LEMON: Got to run. But I think the voters also -- I think the voters also want someone that is competent. And it is fair game to question whether this President is doing the job as it should be done. I don't know about calling names or all of that.

REICH: It's not about calling names. Let me make this clear, there is too much name-calling. There's too much name-calling in Washington. Too much pettiness and vindictiveness. And too much of it is coming from the oval office.

LEMON: Thank you all. We will have you back.

MOORE: You just said the name calling yourself, Robert in your notes.

LEMON: Robert?

REICH: I did not. Wait a minute, wait a minute -- Steve, Steve, I have quoting Rex Tillerson. I was trying to make a very serious point. And that serious point was beyond what Rex Tillerson did not admit saying, that President of calling him a moron is something that a lot of people in the country are reflecting.

LEMON: Ok, I've got to end this. Thank you both.

Breaking news tonight out of California, deadly wildfires raging across 57,000 acres and eight counties. At least ten people had been killed. An estimated 1,500 buildings destroyed. The fire spreading with danger speed tonight, because of extremely dry conditions. Tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes. Much more when we come back. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:17:58] LEMON: White supremacist returned to Charlottesville over the weekend, scene of the racist rally that shocked America this summer leaving one woman dead. I want to bring in America's top taskers to talk about that. Joining me now is Bishop T.D. Jakes, author of Soar, build your vision from the ground up. Welcome it is always a pleasure to see you. Can I ask you about some things in the news right now? His supporters held another rally holding tiki torches in Charlottesville, Virginia. Did you ever think you'd be seeing something like this in 2017? BISHOP T.D. JAKES, AUTHOR SOAR! BUILD YOUR VISION FROM THE GROUND UP:

I certainly did not. My parents are from Mississippi and Alabama. I grew up in the '60s at a time we were terrorized. And I thought I would never see that again. It's very disturbing.

LEMON: What's happening? What's giving rise to that?

T.D. JAKES: I don't know. I think people are feeling validated, that they can say whatever they want to say in this climate. And certainly people of power are reluctant to speak out against it as forcefully and rapidly as they should. I'm certainly grateful for the ones that do, of all colors of all stripes.

LEMON: So after the first one back in August in Charlottesville which resulted in Heather Heyer's death, sadly, along with other evangelical pastors you wrote a letter to President Trump asking him to expand his resolution, condemning white supremacy and you along with others wrote this, you say, respectfully call upon you to respond to the resolution by speaking out against the alt-right movement. This movement has escaped your disproval. We believe it is important for this movement to be addressed. For at its core it is a white identity movement, and the majority of its members are white nationalist or white supremacists. This movement gained prominence during your candidacy for President of the United States. Supporters of the movement have claimed that you share their vision of our country. What do you think the White House doesn't take - you are saying it doesn't take a hard stance against white supremacy, what is your fear?

[23:20:05] T.D. JAKES: My concern is we have a tremendous opportunity right now for the leadership of this nation to lead and to father this country and to bring divisions together. I'm not saying he is god or any other President is. But a clear, definitive statement helps the rest of America to know clearly where we stand as a people. And I would encourage him to do that. I still encourage him to do that. I also thought Puerto Rico was a great opportunity to rise up in valor and speak and help -- we have real enemies outside of these borders to be concerned about. And I'm concerned the domestic turbulence is going to be a distraction from the threats we're getting outside the U.S.

LEMON: In the letter it mentioned three members of the alt right were given positions in the cabinet. Steve Bannon, Sebastian Gorka, among them they are gone. Does it make a difference or do you think the damage has already been done here?

T.D. JAKES: It's too early to really tell. I certainly think that people are using it as a cloak to say whatever they want to say, do whatever they want to do. I think it's not too late to make a definitive statement in this country. I'm so grateful for the people that are. We need more people in this country to clearly differentiate the voices of the extremes.

LEMON: It's not happening.

T.D. JAKES: Not like it needs to. LEMON: I want to ask you about this football controversy because it

happened this weekend, you know Colin Kaepernick started taking -- well, he started sitting during the Obama, when President Obama was in office. And then he asked a service member on the team or a service member approached him saying it would be more respectful if you take a knee if you want to protest racial injustice, that would feel more respected. Yesterday again, he wanted to bring attention to social injustice, racial inequality. Yesterday the vice President left a game between the Colts and 49ers after the 49ers took a knee. And here's what Pence tweeted. We were proud to stand for all our Colts, for our soldiers where our flag and our national anthem. And then President Trump later tweeted about it saying he asked the Vice President to leave if players took a knee, disrespecting the country as he said. Do you think that the White House has taken this silent protest and hijacked the message completely so it can appeal to its base?

T.D. JAKES: Well, I don't know what their intended motive is. But I think one of the things that makes America great, that makes the flag have meaning is we have freedom of speech and the rights to protest. History has proven to us those people that protested physically were very controversial at the time they did. I remember when Mohamed Ali took a stance against the Vietnam war, he ended up a hero. It was quite controversial. We have to have patience to let time has its perfect work. Sometimes the people we castigate today we later memorialized and honor in a great way.

LEMON: You mentioned Dr. King. That happened -- you know I wasn't around. You know, I was around, but I was a wee little one. But Dr. King was not loved in his time for what he did.

T.D. JAKES: Absolutely not. And that is why it takes great courage. It's so easy today to say those things that are familiar and quite popular. But in the midst of those masses who go with the flow, there's always people who speak out against it sometimes rightly or wrongly. But we must defend their right to say what they want to say even when we don't agree.

LEMON: That is what ware all about. And the controversy had died down. Some people called it a stunt and then him and the President meeting and agreeing to do this beforehand.

T.D. JAKES: It's a distraction in many ways from the present problem that are far more important to welfare of this country. And I think we really needed at this hour to protect and defend.

LEMON: From your book, soar, build your vision from the ground up, you write people are scared because, you're scared people are waiting for jobs to come back.

T.D. JAKES: Yes.

LEMON: So explain, what do you mean?

T.D. JAKES: Well there is so many people in this country that are waiting for jobs to come back. The vast majority of Americans work for small businesses. And so I wrote this book about entrepreneurship so that I could encourage people to take their fate and destiny into their own hands, not to wait on anybody to secure your destiny, your future and well-being. I think this is a time that really what makes America great is the birthing of entrepreneurship, business and creativity. And I wanted to take a pause to really speak to this issue. So that the disenfranchised, the marginalized would really consider waiting for something to coming. I think we can't afford to wait any longer. We have to do it from house to house and not just from the White House.

[23:25:10] LEMON: And these are dark times. Our country is more divided than in my lifetime. We've got the worse mass shooting in modern history. You know I look to you for guidance and advice. What's your message tonight for people?

T.D. JAKES: First of all, my heart is broken. It's one thing to talk about numbers but these are mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters of real Americans that ought to be able to move freely throughout the streets without this type of danger, and yet it happens. And I think we really have to take a serious look not only on gun control which is an issue that needs to be discussed and even to the discomfort of both sides, but also to the hearts of the people behind the guns. We have mental health issues, if it was necessarily in this case we're not sure. But we have mental health issues, hate, and people that have access to power. I am concerned about who pulls the trigger and who doesn't.

LEMON: Amen, brother. I feel the same way. I'm so angry anytime I hear the barrage of bullets that we give someone without a badge or authority or in uniform that much power to control that many lives and take that many lives. We need to discuss.

T.D. JAKES: And discuss without politicizing.

LEMON: Absolutely. The book is called Soar, build your vision from the ground up. Bishop T.D. Jakes, always a pleasure. Thank you, sir.

T.D. JAKES: Thank you. God bless.

LEMON: And when we come back Ivanka Trump says she is the first lady not Melania. Now Melania is firing back we are going to tell you what she is saying, that is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:31:09] LEMON: President Trump's ex-wife Ivana Trump causing a bit of a stir by calling herself first lady.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IVANA TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP FIRST WIFE: I have direct number to White House, but I don't want to really call him there because Melania is there and I don't want to cause any (inaudible) because I'm basically first Trump wife.

(LAUGHTER) (END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: First Lady Melania Trump firing back today calling the remark attention seeking and self-serving noise. Let's discuss now CNN political contributor Maria Cardona, Carrie Lucas the president of Independent Women's and political commentators Ben Ferguson and Symone Sanders. Wow, Maria. All right, now. This is statement of the first lady's communications Director and it reads. Mrs. Trump has made the White House a home for Barren and the President. She loves living in Washington, D.C. There's clearly no distance to this statement from ex. This is unfortunately only attention seeking and self-serving noise. Seems like Ivana struck a nerve.

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Clearly she struck a nerve. And what I find interesting -- and I don't think the best communications strategy at hand -- is that the real first lady that currently lives in the White House actually responded. She is giving fuel to this noise as she calls it. Here we are talking about it. I think if she had maintained silence, which she does on most everything else going on in the country, I don't think we would be talking about it and this wouldn't be such an issue. But to your point, I think she really did strike a nerve. Maybe there is some real jealousy there. I actually feel bad for Melania because I don't think this is a role, the first lady, that she is really enjoying. And this is something that is not adding to what she should be doing, which is showing the country, focusing on what --

LEMON: I've got to get everybody in for time purposes. Ben Melania Trump doesn't weigh in on much, why would she even weigh in on this?

BEN FERGUSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think it's obviously something very personal. There's obviously a lot in this relationship behind the scenes that we probably don't know. And she probably wanted to set the record straight this is totally out of line, grandstanding and she wanted to sell books. And she wanted to protect her family and what she is doing right now. Yeah, the simple answer is don't respond. But when you've been growing up with the Trump family and you see something like this come out, I think there's a lot of people that have had divorces that would probably say they want to make it very clear how they feel about it this. And not only that, how dare you put something so trashy out there just to sell a book? This is very clear this is trash to sell a book and it worked.

LEMON: She should have just responded a girl, bye. I don't know how you guys took it, I just thought it was like, you know I was the first wife and I am the first lady and she kind of smile, I mean I don't know, do you think --

SYMONE SANDERS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: That is how I took it. Melania lives in the freaking White House for god sakes, why is she concerned about this? The only reason we're talking about it is because Melania Trump used the taxpayer resources, she used paper, ink and the internet and resources today.

[23:35:00] LEMON: Let her finish. SANDERS: There's so many other things that we should be talking

about, that Melania Trump should be weighing in on. I just find it disturbing this is what he decides to use her very important platform for.

LEMON: Carrie, every once in a while I'll see Ivana somewhere. People don't realize she is a very funny lady. They divorced in 1992. She is the mother of Don Jr., Ivanka and Eric I mean, yes, she is the first wife, but did you see this as a funny comment or is this serious to you?

CARRIE LUCAS, INDEPENDENT WOMEN'S FORUM MANAGING DIRECTOR: I think she clearly meant to that as a funny comment but there must be bad blood, but I do think there is something, the press is giving a lot of air to it, I think it is a little bit that the first lady is bothered to respond, but the press really loves this. It shows you know what they think of Trump at its worst. I think the White House just needs to move on and not let this become a distraction.

LEMON: I think the response is what really took it to the next level because otherwise it would be just --

LUCAS: Yeah, I don't think we would be talking about this if she hadn't respond it.

LEMON: All right thank you all. I appreciate it. When we come back, some of Hollywood's biggest stars speaking out tonight about the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault scandal. The movie mogul fired by his own company but he is reportedly convinced his brother was the one who kicked him out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:40:45] LEMON: Tonight some of Hollywood's top stars speaking out about the sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein. He is been fired by the Weinstein company, the production company he co- founded. Joining me now, to discuss all of this Amy Ziering, Amy is the producer the hunting ground and Janice Min is a strategist at Eldridge industries. I'm so glad to have you on. It's a very important conversation. Let's discuss. Amy, I'm going to start with you because Harvey Weinstein funded the hunting ground. Which was a movie you produce about rape and sexual assault on college campuses. What was your reaction when you first heard the allegations against him t?

AMY ZIERING, PRODUCER INVISIBLE WAR: I wasn't surprised. Doing the work we did on the hunting ground and the invisible war, you know we found men in positions of power often can exhibit behavior that is predatory. So I wasn't terribly surprised, and I was super grateful it was coming out and coming out "The New York Times." It was really great to see.

LEMON: Not surprised in the sense of a larger culture of men or because you have heard these whispers before?

ZIERING: For both. When we finished the hunting ground about a year after when we were off doing the district -- the release of it, people did come out to me and tell me privately they had had these experiences with him. So I had started hearing stories after having made that film. So I wasn't surprised on that level, but doing the work I do, this is what you see in institutions. In institutions that are insular and support predatory men of power.

LEMON: You obtained an e-mail that Weinstein wrote an Hollywood executive hours before his firing saying in part "my board is thinking of firing me. All I'm asking is let me take a leave of absence and let me get into heavy therapy or counseling. Whether it be at a facility or somewhere else, allow me to resurrect myself with a second chance." he says, "I am desperate for your help, just give me the time and therapy. Do not let me be fired. If the industry supports me, that is all I need." so explain that, Janice. What's going on here?

JANICE MIN, STRATEGIST ELDRIDGE INDUSTRIES: Well, he is cornered. This is someone who has lived a life of incredible power for decades in Hollywood. And he is seen it evaporate in just a span of few days. We saw him abuse his position of power both with women and sort of infamously with men in town. His pension for fist fights, for throwing things, for screaming, for raging is well-known. Part of it is the lore of Hollywood that there's an expectation that this is sort of the mythic character of the movie mogul. But in reality it's, you know, crazy behavior that would probably not get tolerated in many other professional situations. So what we see now is that power eroded. And I think and I'm sure Amy would agree with this, once you lose power in Hollywood you become persona grata very quickly, the other thing with people in these positions that he was writing, these are many people who oversee companies that are publicly traded that have made great strides in trying to hire more women with limited with various degree in Hollywood.

LEMON: I'm glad you said that, Janice, because it is pervasive the people say in Hollywood. And this is the industry that you know. But not many executives would do that. And you have been speaking to executives, many power players who refused to write this letter.

MIN: As far as I know, everybody refused. I took some notes here. I have first-hand knowledge of one of the most senior executives basically letting Harvey Weinstein know in his response what you've done is horrible. And there's one person who confirmed to me on the record that he did receive the e-mail and responded negatively. And that is Jeffrey Katzenberg.

[23:45:00] I think one of the reasons he is confirmed this to me is he is made a lot of strides in hiring senior female executives in Hollywood, sometimes exclusively female executives. But separately he is sort of a Democratic kingpin of Hollywood and has been able to help Obama get elected and successfully Hillary Clinton fund raise here.

LEMON: I think Katzenberg and David Hasselhoff did not respond to the letter and they work within their companies to hire women and make sure practices happen in their company. Amy, I want to ask you this. These accusations span over a very long career. A lot of people are asking why it went unreported for such a long time. And in my e-mail to Vanity Fair you wrote, for the first time in our lifetimes blame is finally shifting from victims to perpetrators. Explain that, Amy.

ZIERING: None of us had seen that in our lifetime, a perpetrator is outed and fired from his job. It is a result of confluence on influences. In 2006 when we were making a film called the invisible war, it was extremely hard for us to get it funded. When that film came out, it took sun dance by storm. And then students came up to us and said please make a film what's going on campuses. And so we made "The hunting grounds." and that coupled with incredible student movement, the credible work on the grounds for the last two decades, the credible letter of that woman that went viral on BuzzFeed and got 27 million hits, I think being founded at the academy award, cash is coming out. Despite certain cut backs you know we are moving forward on this.

LEMON: We're making strides on this issue.

ZIERING: And we're blaming perpetrators instead of victims.

LEMON: OK I have to run, but if you can just quickly, I don't have much time. Janice, do you think it's the tip of the iceberg? I know you don't want to speculate, but do you think so when it comes to this?

MIN: Sure, I do think it's the tip of the iceberg in Hollywood. I don't know how quickly or when others will come out. But there are many people in Hollywood who don't have great reputations. And people still in high positions of power. I think you see with Roger Ailes, Bill Crosby, Harvey Weinstein, these things can take decades to make their way into the public realm.

LEMON: Fascinating conversation, very important conversation I really appreciate you two for joining us this evening. Thank you so much.

MIN: Thank you so much.

ZIERING: Thanks for having us.

LEMON: And when we come back Democrats announcing to donate money. They receive from Harvey Weinstein that Republicans calling them out saying it's not enough. Hillary Clinton right now at a book tour event in California tonight. We're waiting to see if she is going to make some comments about this, about Harvey Weinstein. So we'll keep you posted if she does. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:52:16] LEMON: Allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein making some Democrats uncomfortable. Over the years he has donated a lot of money to Democratic candidates. Back with me now Maria Cardona, Carrie Lucas, Ben Ferguson and Symone Sanders. Maria you say Harvey Weinstein deserves everything that is coming to him, but it's laughable for Republican to criticize Democrats, since Weinstein has been elected president of the country? Explain that.

CARDONA: Well, we were not the ones who a year ago elected a self- professed sexual predator, pussy grabber in chief. It was Republicans who did that. If they're going to give back the millions of dollars that the sexual predator who is now in the oval office has raised for them, then we'll have this conversation. They hold no candle to any Democrat, many of whom have disavowed what Harvey Weinstein has done. They think it is appalling, which it is. They are giving back some of that money and it is hypocrisy is taller than any Trump tower --

LEMON: Let Carrie respond.

LUCAS: I think a big part of that story is going to be for decades now a lot of people who have been playing a lot of lip service have been standing with Weinstein and helping protect him. "The New York Times" has been killing this story for more than a decade. This apparently was an open secret. You have liberal icons who are standing up trying to protect this man for years and a lot of women were hurt in the process of it. So there is a lot more that needs to be discussed and a lot of explaining to do.

LEMON: Carrie I do have to ask you, though, because a lot -- it took decades for Ailes, O'Reilly.

LUCAS: Thank you.

LEMON: On and on to happen.

LUCAS: Absolutely. Absolutely.

LEMON: I have to say I've heard people criticize. This happened on Thursday and basically Democrats have come out tonight --

LUCAS: But Don, that is ridiculous.

LEMON: To the general public. I understand your point. I understand your bigger point.

LUCAS: "The New York Times" was killing this story for a decade. Absolutely. You're right. This does happen. It's by partisan. President Clinton who is able to walk around and really have never paid much of the price and you have women who has clearly --

LEMON: He was impeached.

LUCAS: He was impeached. Ok. But you still celebrate him.

CARDONA: You should retune my goodness.

SANDERS: Oh, my goodness. Elected Donald Trump. He is a self --

LEMON: You still celebrate him but this President was elected after the tape. Go ahead.

FERGUSON: I don't care about Bill Clinton tonight. If you've ever known.

CARDONA: Of course you don't.

FERGUSON: That have been sexually assaulted, especially a woman, you know how much this really doesn't matter about politics. This is an individual that was protected by Hollywood's elite because he was so powerful that he could make them even more famous or ruin their career. And it's sad that this individual was not called out a long time ago. I also think it's incredibly shocking that Hillary Clinton is still not coming out --

[23:55:06] LEMON: I'm out of time and I got to get Symone in.

FERGUSON: Millions of dollars --

LEMON: Symone, listen, the guy who just said that, Symone, defends a President who said he is going to grab women by the you know what. Go ahead, Symone.

FERGUSON: Let's be clear. I never defended the President when he said that --

SANDERS: But you still defend his policies and for him to be the President.

(CROSSTALK)

FERGUSON: Don, this is sad for the victims of Harvey Weinstein that you want to turn this into a political --

SANDERS: Sexual predator from any other - sexual predator --

LEMON: Let her measure -- I've got to go, Ben. I've got to get her --

SANDERS: Thank the lord today. I have to ask for permission. Sweet Jesus. What Harvey Weinstein is horrible, but we shall not comply the issue that is not elected officials. Democrats had denounce him and Donald Trump is still in the White House.

LEMON: OK. That is got to be the last word. Thank you all. That is it for us tonight. Thanks for watching. I'll see you back here tomorrow.

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