Return to Transcripts main page
Don Lemon Tonight
Trump's Defense Team Tries to Undercut Dems' Case; Recording Shows Trump Talking with Lev Parnas about Ukraine Ambassador; NPR Reporter: Pompeo Screamed Obscenities when Questioned About Ukraine Policy. Aired 11p-12a ET
Aired January 25, 2020 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: This is CNN TONIGHT. I'm Don Lemon.
[23:00:15]
It is a busy Saturday night, and we're going to catch you up on all the big headlines.
President Trump caught on a tape at a dinner in 2018, talking with indicted Giuliani associate Lev Parnas, a man the president claims that he doesn't know. Trump demands the firing of U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch and asks how long Ukraine can hold back Russia without U.S. military aid.
A new phase in the impeachment trial. President Trump's defense team begins opening arguments, trying to undermine evidence presented by House impeachment managers, evidence they say shows the president abused his office and obstructed Congress.
NPR standing by its reporter, who was subjected to a profanity-laced tirade by the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, after she repeatedly questioned him about the Trump administration's policy on Ukraine.
And the state of the race. With just over a week to go before the Iowa caucuses, Elizabeth Warren gets a big endorsement tonight, and there's also good news for Bernie Sanders.
But let's get to President Trump's impeachment trial. His defense team beginning their opening arguments, trying to undercut the House manager's case that the president abused his office and obstructed Congress.
CNN's Sara Murray has more now -- Sara.
SARA MURRAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don, look, the arguments were brief. I think they were more reserved than a lot of people thought that they would be. And at the end of the day, the president's defense team really pleased President Trump in the first day of arguments.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAT CIPOLLONE, WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL: The president did absolutely nothing wrong.
MURRAY (voice-over): President Trump's defense team took to the Senate floor arguing the Democrats have failed to make their case that Trump should be removed from office for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
CIPOLLONE: Today we're going to confront them on the merits of their argument. Now they have the burden of proof, and they have not come close to meeting it.
MURRAY: They accused Democrats of trying to overturn the last election and preempt the next one.
CIPOLLONE: They're here to perpetrate the most massive interference in an election in American history, and we can't allow that to happen.
MURRAY: Trump's team aimed to poke holes in the arguments House impeachment managers presented, claiming the Democrats didn't provide context around witness testimony, and using clips of witnesses from the House inquiry that bolstered Trump's defense.
CIPOLLONE: The fact that they came here for 24 hours and hid evidence from you is further evidence that they don't really believe in the facts of their case.
MURRAY: They insisted Trump never made a White House meeting and security aid for Ukraine contingent on Ukraine opening investigations into Joe Biden and the 2016 election, noting Trump never explicitly asked for such a quid pro quo in the call with the Ukrainian president.
MIKE PURPURA, DEPUTY WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL: The transcript shows that the president did not condition either security assistance or a meeting on anything. The paused security assistance funds aren't even mentioned on the call.
MURRAY: And they raised testimony from some administration officials who believed Trump's call for investigations was simply a request, rather than a demand.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you believe, in your opinion, that the president of the United States demanded that President Zelensky undertake these investigations?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, sir.
MURRAY: Trump's lawyers also made the claim that the president is legitimately invested in cracking down on corruption Ukraine and taking a tough stance toward Russia.
CIPOLLONE: You will hear that President Trump has a strong record on confronting Russia. You will hear that President Trump has a strong record of support for Ukraine.
MURRAY: But there's little effort of Trump's interest in corruption, save for the call of an investigation into the Bidens, which also directly involves the president's personal interests.
And while the administration has taken steps to crack down on Russia, Trump's public statements have undermined those efforts. Over the course of their brief two-hour arguments, Trump's lawyers took shots at Democrats' lengthy and often repetitive presentations.
JAY SEKULOW, DONALD TRUMP'S ATTORNEY: We're not going to play the clip seven times. He said it. You saw it.
MURRAY: As well as House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff.
CIPOLLONE: Do you know who didn't show up in the Judiciary Committee? Chairman Schiff.
MURRAY: They wrapped up just afternoon, leaving senators enough time to escape for a bit of the weekend.
CIPOLLONE: I thank you for your attention, and I look forward to seeing you on Monday.
MURRAY: Afterward, House Democratic managers argued the president's team did not refute the claim that Trump solicited foreign interference in a U.S. election.
[23:05:03]
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): What was most striking to me about the president's presentation today is they don't contest the basic architecture of the scheme. They do not contest that the president solicited a foreign nation to interfere in our election to help him cheat.
MURRAY: The president's team has 22 more hours to make its case but says it's not planning to use it all.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MURRAY: Now, Don, the president's team has the run of the floor on Monday when they get back. But you can bet the Democrats are still going to be making their case in press conferences, and they're going to be pushing any moderate senators they think they can get to swing in their direction that they need to hear from more witnesses; they need to see more documents.
LEMON: All right. Sara, stand by. I'm going to bring in Philip Bump, a national correspondent for "The Washington Post"; also Guy Smith, a former Clinton impeachment advisor.
Welcome to the program, guys. And speaking of the guys, Guy, you're going to go first. President Trump's defense team argued the president did nothing wrong when it comes to Ukraine. Since when is asking a foreign power to investigate a political rival OK? Since when is that right?
GUY SMITH, FORMER CLINTON IMPEACHMENT ADVISOR: Well, it's more of -- interestingly, it's more of the gaslighting that they do all the time, and it's staggering to do it on the floor of the United States Senate.
And if you or I solicited a foreign -- a foreign person, not just a foreign government, it would be a violation of law. And -- and they are completely ignoring that that.
They -- they were lawyerly. Notice they didn't even wear flags on their lapels, and -- and they were brief. That's nice. And then you saw the White House counsel on the floor of the United States Senate propagating a Russian spy service propaganda that Ukraine was involved in the election. Unbelievable.
LEMON: But even -- even President Clinton admitted that he did something wrong, but, I mean, it's not something Americans will ever hear from President Trump or even from anyone who is associated with him or your attorneys.
SMITH: You're right. Well, President Clinton did. He apologized repeatedly, but not at the beginning, but then he did. And he did it repeatedly. And he was genuinely contrite.
And think about if we were at that point in the trial now to where President Clinton was at this point in his trial, if President Trump had said, you know, I really -- I really screwed up here, and I shouldn't have said that, and let me tell you what I really was trying to do. You're right, you'll never hear anything like that.
LEMON: Yes. Philip, Trump's defense team is trying to assert that the Democrats are trying to steal the 2020 election. Will that resonate with -- with Republican voters?
PHILIP BUMP, NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, "THE WASHINGTON POST": Frankly, I'm surprised --
LEMON: With the senators, I should say.
BUMP: Well, that's a whole different issue. But I think you really hit the nail on the head in who he's actually trying to appeal to, right. So to first answer to your question, I'm sort of fascinated by the extent to which this -- they're trying to reverse the 2016 election narrative has taken hold. It's obviously not that. And this is a constitutional procedure for addressing things which can be addressed immediately through election.
This argument about 2020, I think they see as obviously part of what has compelled Donald Trump to a lot of his base, is this fact that he's constantly being embattled. And so they think that they are going to be able to rise to his defense, stand with him, and say, no, he deserves to be on the ballot. We want to vote for him again. This is a way of getting them engaged and riled up about this.
But at the same time, that's who everyone is talking to. The only people that Republicans -- that Trump's legal team knows to keep those Republicans in line, they just need to keep Republicans happy with Trump. And so they are making a case.
Donald Trump needs you to stand with him. So Democrats are trying to keep him off the ballot in 2020. And those people are going to stand with Donald Trump, and therefore, the senators are going to stand with Trump.
LEMON: But it's interesting how they always say he's embattled. He's always being attacked. He's always attacking other people, or he's always counter-punching. He's always attacking and punching other people. It's just -- it's fascinating to hear the Republican senators, especially the ones who are supposed to be, you know, on the fence, right, who are saying they're so offended. And like, oh, my God, I have the vapors. Somebody said a bad word on the Senate floor.
Have they ever heard this president? Do they -- have they met Donald Trump before?
SMITH: Well, they are all having a case of the vapors. And for your viewers, the vapors are, Oh, my God, this is really happening to me, for those of you who aren't from the South.
But -- but what's happening, think about this when they were all upset, this fake being upset about talking about head on a pike. Yet, when Marsha Blackburn, the senator from Tennessee, attacks the patriotism of Colonel Vindman, not one of them said a word. I mean, this is an example of this -- this dichotomy of -- it's just hard to describe.
[23:10:04]
LEMON: It's just -- it's really -- it's outrageous. I can't -- I can't believe it.
Listen, Democrats are saying, Guy, that -- that the Trump folks, the lawyers helped their case for witnesses today.
SMITH: Yes.
LEMON: Did they?
SMITH: I think they did. And the reason was they created more questions. And the only way to answer those questions is to hear from Mulvaney and Pompeo and Bolton, for sure, and the whistle-blower.
LEMON: What are we going to hear Monday?
BUMP: Well, I just want to say on that point, they specifically said that no one has tied Donald Trump directly to these actions, except that Mick Mulvaney did in a press conference, and it just really made the case. OK, let's get Mick Mulvaney in here.
What are we going to hear Monday? We're going to hear a lot of misdirection. We're going to hear Jay Sekulow continuing this culture war fight that he's been pushing --
LEMON: Yes.
BUMP: -- for days and days now. And frankly, I think we're not going to hear a lot that's -- really undercuts the evidence of the hard facts (ph).
SMITH: And we are going to have witnesses.
LEMON: Yes.
BUMP: Is that right?
LEMON: OK. We shall see.
SMITH: You heard it here.
LEMON: Thank you, Guy.
Philip, you're going to hang around.
The new recording that shows President Trump talking at length with Lev Parnas, the indicted Giuliani associate the president claims that he doesn't know. The tape made public tonight by an attorney for Parnas.
I want to bring it back to us. CNN political correspondent Sara Murray, who is working all the big stories tonight. Sara, thanks for rejoining us here.
President Trump and Giuliani associate Lev Parnas, they're talking Ukraine, and they're talking about firing Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, right?
MURRAY: That's right. I mean, this is a very curious conversation for the president to be having with somebody he says he doesn't know. It lasted, the tape, around 90 minutes. And there's a portion about it where they talk about Ukraine and Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch.
Listen to the president talking to Lev Parnas about her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEV PARNAS, RUDY GIULIANI ASSOCIATE: The biggest problem there, I think, where we -- we need to start is we've got to get rid of the ambassador. It's -- she's still left over from the Clinton administration.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Where -- the ambassador? Where, Ukraine?
PARNAS: Yes. And she's basically walking around telling everybody, Wait, he's going to get impeached. Just wait. I mean -- It's incredible.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She'll be gone tomorrow.
PARNAS: Yes, well --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't remember the name.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So one of the things that will be -- now that we have a secretary of state that's been sworn in --
TRUMP: Get rid of her. Get her out tomorrow. I don't care. Get her out tomorrow. Take her out, OK? Do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: So you hear him say, "Get her out. Take her out." This is in the spring of 2018. So it's long before she's actually removed from her position as the ambassador to Ukraine.
But it's telling, Don, that you see President Trump there. You hear President Trump there, essentially taking the word of Lev Parnas that Marie Yovanovitch is saying these things about him.
Remember, Marie Yovanovitch testified that she never said these things about the president, but he seems all too willing there to take Lev Parnas's word on this issue.
LEMON: Let's bring Philip back, as well. Also Matthew Rosenberg joins us, investigative correspondent for "The New York Times."
So Matt, a donor at the dinner can apparently manipulate the president into dismissing an ambassador on the spot. Really?
MATTHEW ROSENBERG, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": Apparently so. I mean, this has got to be great if you're, like, foreign intelligence service, or like, a businessman in the U.S. who wants to get some deal done got some regulatory issue, just get in with the dinner with the Trump -- with the president. Get a donor who's -- maybe you know. Tell him to, you know, tell the president what you want him to hear, and hey, maybe he'll get rid of an ambassador for you.
It's amazing how casual. The president just kind of dismisses an ambassador on the word of a guy whose business, you know, was known as fraud guarantee. You know, it really is something. It really is.
LEMON: Philip, I want you to listen to President Trump and Parnas talking about Ukraine at this dinner. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PARNAS: They have everything there. They're just right now waiting for your support a little bit to make sure, because obviously, if they go on their own, Russia won't let them do it; because they'll cut off a lot of their revenue.
TRUMP: How long would they last in a fight with Russia?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not very long.
PARNAS: I don't think very long. Without us, not very long. But Russia, also keep in mind, talks a big game, but they're not ready to play -- he's not -- they're not ready to play.
(END VIDEO CLIP) LEMON: Wow. You hear President Trump, he asks how long Ukraine would
ask without aid a full year before he withheld aid. This is outrageous.
BUMP: I mean, it's -- it is something. There's a lot in there.
There's another point in which Donald Trump, they're talking about oil exploration in Ukraine. Donald Trump says Ukraine has oil? I mean, then he asks this random guy, this donor. It's not even like this is a GOP meeting. This is at a separate PAC called America First Action that Parnas bought his way into.
And Parnas essentially just makes these cases. And he's asking for, you know, foreign policy advice from this random guy who he may have met or has met a couple of times before.
But I think there's also an interesting subtext here that's really going unnoticed, which is that the next month Parnas and his associate, Fruman, go, and they talk to this Texas congressman, Pete Sessions.
[23:15:09]
Sessions then calls for Yovanovitch's ouster. Then he gets in with Rudy Giuliani. And then Giuliani starts his push. It's possible that Parnas is the through line of all of this, and it's why Yovanovitch got ousted. Why? Who knows at this point?
We know at the time she actually got pushed out. It was in part because this Ukrainian prosecutor, who was mad at her, was really advocating for it. But it really goes back a lot farther than we realize.
LEMON: This is where the -- our foreign policy is possibly coming from?
BUMP: The back room of the Trump national hotel from random donors, I guess so.
LEMON: Wow. OK. So -- this is crazy. Matt, the fact that Parnas associate Igor Fruman was able to tape this entire conversation, remember, this is the president of the United States. At the beginning, you can see video of what appears to be President Trump. I mean, you can see it, right? There it is right there. Aren't there security risks there? Matt?
ROSENBERG: Yes. You know, of course there are. Look, I think that any kind of ordinary presidency, you know, who gets to bring electronic devices into these dinners is limited.
This is a casual dinner. Also, the president is not talking about affairs of state, you know, with random donors and previous presidencies. Now it's kind of a free-for-all. And I think that's one of the issue here, is the president doesn't get to have to behave like the rest of us do. I can go to dinner with friends or some random people and complain about work or talk about things that are on my mind. That's fine.
The president, you know, he chose this job. He ran for it. And one of the responsibilities that comes with it is, you know, discretion. You know, minding who your audience is, remembering who they are, and what they might be. And then moderating yourself and not just kind of pawing off, asking for advice or deciding you're going to fire an ambassador because some donor who you don't really know that well told you it was a good idea.
LEMON: This is unbelievable. Really, I just -- I've got to play more, because this is really, really unbelievable that this is happening. I just -- and it's unbelievable that this is not part of what's happening now in Washington, this trial.
I want to play another big chunk from the recording where they talk about everything from Ukraine to the Bidens. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PARNAS: We're in the process of purchasing an energy company in Ukraine right now. That should help cut off Russia's --
TRUMP: And how's Ukraine doing? Don't answer.
PARNAS: They love you, though. I can tell you that much. They love you. Great.
TRUMP: I tell you, they're great fighters.
PARNAS: They're great fighters. They love you.
TRUMP: They're great fighters. They've been fighting for so long, they don't know what to do without fighting.
PARNAS: Russia's had them on their -- on their -- under their wing for so long. They need directions. They're waiting for direction, I can tell you that much. They're ready. I think there's a definitely good opportunity for --
TRUMP: But it's a problem, though.
PARNAS: A big problem.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you just sent an order of javelin missiles over there, right? They're the anti-tank missiles.
PARNAS: Yes. Yes.
TRUMP: Today?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I saw -- I read about it today. I don't know what happened, but it must have happened within the last couple days.
PARNAS: They're getting it, but --
TRUMP: Do you think Russia ever goes in and gets Ukraine? PARNAS: I -- They would love to. They would love to, but they're
scared of you.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But they got what they wanted. They wanted access to the sea.
PARNAS: Not really. No, they want Ukraine. Ukraine is a vast -- Ukraine, not even Crimea, the resources in Ukraine are tremendous.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like West Texas.
PARNAS: Exactly. And right now, not only that, but Ukraine is a sore thumb in their throat because of supplying the pipeline, because all of the pipeline goes through Ukraine to Poland.
TRUMP: Ukraine has oil?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
TRUMP: Ukraine?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
TRUMP: How come they --
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: -- they don't have any money?
PARNAS: Exactly.
TRUMP: Why aren't the companies going in? Too risky?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot.
PARNAS: Exactly. Right. They were supporting the Clintons for all these years and hoping that, you know, they won. Obviously, you won. Biden. Biden, yes, that was a big thing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: OK. Listen, I don't know that that -- I believe that one of the sons, Don Jr., was part -- was at this meeting. It sounds like -- I can't -- listen, I'm not sure if it was him. It sounds like him.
But they're discussing javelins. They're discussing, like, foreign policy. And he doesn't know him: I take some pictures. I take pictures with a lot of people.
Why is this not part of the -- why is this not part of the trial? He's talking about the Bidens. He's talking about the -- Why is this not part of it?
BUMP: Well, the reason it's not part of the trial, because it just came out. But this is the risk for those Republican senators. Who knows what recordings is out there? Who knows what could emerge in a month, or in two months, or tomorrow, or you know, in six hours that impugns Donald Trump more directly than that?
[23:20:12]
I will say, though, one of the defenses that his attorneys raised today, was Donald Trump was so strong on Ukraine. He gave them this military aid, yada, yada, yada. You hear him in that recording. Donald Trump didn't know the javelins had gone to the Ukraine. He said, "Today?"
He said, Well, I guess I just read about it.
LEMON: How are they doing?
BUMP: The first time Donald Trump hears about military aid is in a June 18 message from the Department of Defense last year. He sees it in the news. And that's the point at which he decides he's halting aid to Ukraine. There's no indication the state undercuts severely his argument that he was on board with Ukraine from the start.
LEMON: Matthew.
ROSENBERG: I mean, look, we know from other officials, previous reporting, that they really had to really push and kind of sneak this Ukraine aid in. That this wasn't something Trump wanted to do. I think to Philip's point there, he seems totally oblivious to it. He's like, They got the missiles today?
LEMON: But aren't you flabbergasted by this? What's happening in this --
ROSENBERG: Completely. I mean, he's going from javelin missiles. Then there's the oil --
LEMON: He's talking to guys who have no -- why are they -- why is he talking about this to these people who don't have clearance? They're just two schmoes who just showed up at the White House?
ROSENBERG: On top of that, the way his mind is working in this situation is, like, Wait, they've had oil, coal, whatever. Why aren't there companies going in? Why aren't they rich?
LEMON: Oh, my gosh.
ROSENBERG: This is the secret to wealth. You know, just get some oil, some coal, you're all good.
LEMON: I've got to go. This is nuts. Thank you both. Thank you.
A reporter asks the secretary of state a question about Ukraine, and he screams obscenities and demands she proves she can find Ukraine on an unmarked map. It's conduct unbecoming of the secretary of the United States, but is it the new normal for the Trump administration?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Tonight, a reporter for NPR saying that the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, screamed obscenities at her after she tried to get him to answer questions about the Trump administration's policy on Ukraine.
[23:25:06]
Let's discuss now. CNN political commentator Alice Stewart and senior political analyst Ryan Lizza. Good evening.
ALICE STEWART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Hi, Don.
LEMON: Happy Saturday.
RYAN LIZZA, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Hi, Don.
LEMON: Ryan, let's start what happened when NPR's Mary Louise Kelly was asking the secretary of state if he owed an apology to Ambassador Yovanovitch. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARY LOUISE KELLY, NPR: Sir, respectfully, where have you defended Marie Yovanovitch?
MIKE POMPEO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: I've defended every single person on this team. I've done what's right for every single person on this team.
KELLY: Can you point me towards your remarks where you have defended Marie Yovanovitch?
POMPEO: I've said all I'm going to say today. Thank you. Thanks for the repeated opportunity to do so. I appreciate that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: So this is a no apology administration, right?
LIZZA: Yes, well, he does -- Pompeo certainly didn't seem apologetic. We know what happened after that exchange. He called this -- I mean, I should say highly-respected reporter into his office and basically berated her and made her take a pop quiz, which to me, is a form of kind of, like, trying to degrade someone, trying to humiliate them.
And changed the subject. You know, we're talking about this now. We're not talking about the fact, as much that -- about the way, as secretary of state, he did not defend this ambassador.
So I think the questioning was sort of a model of how to be polite and respectful but firm when government officials obfuscate. So it is nice that this is getting a little more attention, but the reasons for it are very disappointing. The way that he treated her is really, really crude and awful. And, you know, as a lot of people have said today, it's -- it's people mirroring the boss. You know? If --
LEMON: Clearly, she got under his skin. This is what the secretary said to Kelly in his office after the interview. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KELLY: He shouted at me for about the same amount of time as the interview itself had lasted. He was not happy to have been questioned about Ukraine. He asked, "Do you think Americans care about Ukraine?" He used the "F" word in that sentence and many others.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, Alice, listen, she is a respected journalist. She's doing her job. NPR is standing by her reporting. Is this how a cabinet member should comport themselves when asked a tough question?
STEWART; No. I mean, Mary Louise has -- has tremendous credentials. She's someone of great integrity and character. And a couple things come to mind with regard to this story.
First of all, from a communications standpoint, if you're setting up an interview with your boss who is secretary of state, there are certain ground rules that you have. But taking an issue like Ukraine off the table with the secretary of state is pretty unheard of. And he should have gone into that knowing there might be certain ground rules but be prepared to answer that question. That's a pretty easy question for him to just answer straight out.
Second of all, there's no reason and no need for him to go off on her and to call her names. He could have very easily answered the question and moved on. Said something nice about Yovanovitch and moved on.
And the other point to what Ryan said, the whole thing about giving her a pop quiz, pointing off -- pointing out where is Ukraine on the map. I mean, I've heard of Doctors Without Borders, but maps without countries is ridiculous. Why he even has one of these is beyond me.
LEMON: Where did he get it?
STEWART: But -- but to quiz her in such a way, I think, is really disrespectful. But it goes to show she certainly knew what she was talking about, and this doesn't need to happen.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: He said his staff failed him, and they should have prepped him better. But I mean, he's a grown man. He should have -- he should have -- he can do better. Right?
STEWART: Given his position and what his responsibilities are, he should have been, certainly, prepared to answer the question. And it could have very easily been handled with a one-sentence answer and moved on. And there was no need.
The very first time she asked that question, you could tell he got on edge, and he got riled up just at the very first mentioning of it. He could have dissolved the situation very quickly and, unfortunately, he is mirroring his boss. And he has animosity to the press.
LEMON: Ryan, attacking the press, is this an example that comes right from the boss?
LIZZA: Yes, of course. And we all know this is becoming more and more of something that we deal with in the media, especially in Washington, especially with Trump officials.
We saw it recently with -- with our colleague, Manu Raju. I'm currently being sued by a U.S. congressman who's, you know, suing a number of other people. So we are just in an environment right now where the press has always been a punching bag. They've always been able to score points by beating up on the press. But people seem to be -- politicians seem to be getting a little bit more political mileage out of it.
And, you know, you just have to -- you just have to do your job, call it out when it sort of crosses a line the way it did with Pompeo. We never talked about what he did next, with the statement that he released.
[23:30:19]
LEMON: I didn't get to it, because you guys, you guys are talking. But I've got to -- I've got to go.
LIZZA: Sorry.
LEMON: I'm out of time. Because you -- you guys are long-winded. I love you, but you're long winded. I've got to run. Thank you both. I appreciate your time.
LIZZA: Thank, Don.
LEMON: Senators running for president spent the week stuck in impeachment hearings in Washington with only days to go until the Iowa caucuses. We're going to take you to Iowa to hear how Senators Sanders, Warren, Klobuchar are trying to make the most of this weekend.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Now to the state of the race. Many of the top Democratic presidential contenders are back in Iowa today after the first week of the impeachment trial came to a close. So how are they making up for lost time?
Joining me now from the campaign trail, CNN's M.J. Lee and Hyung Lah. They're braving the elements out there.
Good evening to both of you. Good to see you. M.J., let's start with you.
Nine days to go until the Iowa caucuses. I can't believe I'm saying that. It's getting pretty close here. "The Des Moines Register" editorial board has announced that it is endorsing Senator Elizabeth Warren.
So I want you to take a look at her reaction when she found out. How significant -- look at her. She's excited about that. This is a significant endorsement, right?
M.J. LEE, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, it is. And I think the clip that you just played was the moment that her communications director told her the news about this endorsement, and judging by the little dance that you saw her do there, obviously, this is happy news for Elizabeth Warren tonight. And, you know, this is not to say that "The Des Moines Register" Ed Board endorsement predicts who the winner of the caucuses will be. It doesn't really tell the future. It doesn't really crown someone the winner.
[23:35:26]
But I think the significance of this for the campaign is that it comes at a moment when I think the campaign was eager to have this kind of good news, right? There's no question that Senator Warren's campaign has seen a dip in poll numbers in some of these early states, including Iowa.
And we are so close to the Iowa caucuses, as you said, Don, and so I think this kind of news is going to energize the campaign and the candidate. And we saw that tonight in Muscatine.
LEMON: Yes, you were at her town hall events this evening. What did she talk about? And what have voters been telling you, M.J.?
LEE: You know, you really can tell that we are just days away from the Iowa caucuses. Senator Warren, at her events today in Iowa, ended her remarks with a new sort of closing message, focused on fighting and fighting back.
She said, It is patriotic to want to fight back, and this is not the time to go for small things.
Clearly, the fact that she is switching up how she is ending her remarks sort of signals that she wants this to sort of be her closing message as we get closer and closer to the Iowa caucuses.
And just talking to voters here in Iowa, both this weekend and last weekend, I am just so struck by how many of the voters we speak to still say they are so undecided, and they are weighing several candidates. You know, we have voters who, on one day, will go to multiple events for different candidates. There are candidates who will say this is my third time seeing Elizabeth Warren.
So it's just another reminder that things are incredibly fluid, and there are going to be voters who do not make up their mind until literally the day of the Iowa caucuses.
LEMON: All right. Now to Kyung in Bettendorf, Iowa. Before she spoke to -- at the -- KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Don.
LEMON: -- the Scott County -- hi -- at the Scott County Democrats event this evening, you spoke with Senator Amy Klobuchar about how difficult it was for her to juggle campaigning so close to the Iowa caucuses while the impeachment trial is happening. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Did I ever think those last few weeks I wouldn't really be able to be here on the road? And, you know, I'm not a competitive person at all. Just kidding.
You know, you read about your opponents out there doing what you want to be doing, but then you have to step back and think two things. One, it's our constitutional duty, and it's the right thing to do. And, secondly, the people are going to get it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: So having a tough schedule, what's going on in Washington with this trial, is she concerned about the lack of face time she's getting in Iowa?
LAH: Well, in a word, yes. I mean, this is a state, and every candidate here knows that every voter who they talk to knows it. Iowa is a caucus state that is won face to face. It is handshake by handshake.
Just heard M.J. talking about how there's so many undecided people here. You have to persuade them individually, one by one, to come to your side. That's what Iowa politics is.
And so absolutely, it's frustrating. We just heard Senator Klobuchar here at this event that I'm at, talk about how she's trying to cram in two weeks of campaigning in two days.
So that's an incredible amount of pressure. But what she's trying to do is step back and say, look, she believes that people are going to understand she has a day job, a very important one. She's trying to focus on the good news that, yes, Senator Warren may have "The Des Moines Register" endorsement, but she just got "The New Hampshire Union-Leader" endorsement. So she's trying to focus on that, while she's not able to campaign here in person in the state, Don, that she absolutely has to do well in.
LEMON: Nina Turner is standing by. Really quickly, how's the turnout for Amy Klobuchar -- Kyung.
LAH: The turnout -- Sorry. I just lost you for a second. You just asked about whether -- how -- what she needs to turn out here?
LEMON: How was the turnout at the event? How was the turnout at her event?
LAH: So at this one, this was a number of Democrats who are here for a couple of different reasons. So this was more of a group gathering.
But at her individual town hall, Don, I have to tell you, I was surprised at how packed it was. It was packed beyond just the small side room that they had. People were spilling into the larger restaurant. And that's something I've seen as I've been out with her on the trail here in Iowa. That the places, the rooms that the campaign has been booked have been continuously and completely packed where they've had to have overflow.
LEMON: All right. Kyung, thank you very much. M.J., as well. Appreciate it. Have fun out there on the campaign trail.
[23:40:04]
Now I want to bring in Nina Turner. She is the co-chair of the Bernie Sanders campaign.
So good to see you, Nina. How are you doing?
NINA TURNER, CO-CHAIR, BERNIE SANDERS CAMPAIGN: Good to hear you, Don. I'm fine. How are you?
LEMON: I bet you are after those polls in Iowa.
TURNER: Yes.
LEMON: So Senator Sanders is, of course, one of the presidential candidates who has to be in Washington serving as a juror during the impeachment trial. He's addressing that tonight. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Wonderful to be here, especially when I woke up this morning, I wasn't sure I was going to be here. We learned this morning that the Senate would adjourn before 1 p.m. We got on a plane, and here we are. Though we have had to radically change our schedule in the last week. Kind of toss it into the garbage can and begin anew. But we are going to be back here in Iowa the next week every moment that we possibly can.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: So how is he coping with the impeachment schedule?
TURNER: While upholding his constitutional duty, Don, but if as you heard from the Senate, he really enjoys being out among the people. But the beautiful thing about our campaign is that it has always been not me but us. And so the structure of our campaign, whether it's me or other national co-chairs, national surrogates from grassroots leaders to national leaders, out there complementing and being in the ready position on behalf of the senator as he is a juror in the trial.
LEMON: Yes. You just heard "The Des Moines Register," the editorial board is endorsing Senator Warren. Have you got a reaction to that?
TURNER: Well, you know, Don, I can tell you, as a former elected official, it's always a beautiful thing. You really feel good when you get those endorsements. But the ultimate endorsement will come on election day.
And as the CNN polls show, "The New York Times" polls show and the synergy, energy and enthusiasm on the ground shows that Senator Bernard Sanders is surging and surging strong.
And so ultimately, Iowa voters will have the last say.
Don, I mean, look, we are knocking two doors a second in Iowa right now. That's a whole lot of folks knocking on a whole lot of doors.
LEMON: Yes. You just -- That was my next question. I mean, if you look at this "New York Times" and the Siena College poll of likely caucus- goers, listen, he is clearly ahead of the pack. I mean, he has a big surge right now.
TURNER: Clearly.
LEMON: What's behind -- what do you think is behind this? Because you think he's -- Are you worried that he's hitting the mark too soon? Or are you just -- are you just happy?
TURNER: No, we're just right. We're just right. Not too hot, not too cold, baby. Just right. Right on time, Don.
No, you know, the senator has been holding steady, as you know, throughout this entire campaign, and he is surging right at the right time. And what it really shows is that his message is resonating with people.
LEMON: OK. I know you're happy. I've got to ask you this, because I'm running out of time. Because you know there's been controversy about this --
TURNER: I was on a roll.
LEMON: -- especially as a member of the LGBTQ community, I've got to ask you. This Joe Rogan endorsement. Give me some words on that. What do you say to that?
TURNER: You know, Joe Rogan is not running. Senator Bernie Sanders is running. And, you know, to have people endorse you, support you, hopefully win over hearts and hopefully change minds. This is what this race is about.
I certainly, as a state senator, had people support me who -- who probably I didn't always agree with. But this is about how do we defeat the worst president in modern history? And the way that we do that is by having a big tent.
The senator doesn't change his values. You know, he has always been an ally, even before it was popular.
LEMON: Yes.
TURNER: So he hasn't changed. Fierce ally.
LEMON: I wish I -- I wish I had more time to talk to you about it. And we will talk soon more about it, but I've got to run. Thank you very much.
TURNER: OK. Thank you.
LEMON: We'll be right back. Thank you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[23:46:37]
LEMON: Just over a week to go to the Iowa caucuses. Many of the top candidates are spending most of their time sitting silently at the Senate impeachment trial. Is this shaking up the race? And which candidates are poised to snag the first victory 2020 -- of the 2020 primary?
Mike McKinnon is here, executive producer of "The Circus." It's good to see you, sir. So you talked to some of the candidates. I want to play -- this is Senator Amy Klobuchar as she is conducting a tele-town hall. Let's watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, everybody. And welcome to tonight's tele-town hall with Senator Amy Klobuchar. We're calling you in Iowa from Washington, D.C., where the Senate just wrapped up impeachment hearings for the night.
KLOBUCHAR: Sorry, this is a little later than we planned, but I think you all understand I have my job and to fulfill my constitutional duty. I'm going to be there tomorrow and the next day and the next day, which is why we're doing this tele-town hall. And you have honored me, all of you on the call, that you understand that I can't be there in person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: So how tough is this to do an impeachment --
MIKE MCKINNON, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "THE CIRCUS": Well, so that's how she's trying to pick the lock. How do you maintain a presence in Iowa when you have to be fulfilling your obligation in the Senate? So she has this tele-town hall conference. She talked to 12,000 people that night. So that's a pretty effective way, if you can't be there, to do it. She also did a lot of satellite television interviews.
So it's tough for her, because she had just gotten some endorsements from "The Quad City Times" and "The New York Times" co-endorsement and had to go back to Washington. This is -- this is just an example of how some of these candidates who are in the Senate are trying to maintain it.
LEMON: So it's important for them to have good ground games in Iowa and good surrogates, right?
MCKINNON: Absolutely. I mean, the key here, Don, is that in the last week of a campaign, momentum is key, especially when you have six out of ten voters undecided, because they're looking for signals of momentum. That's the key we're looking at. So who's getting the hot hand? Sanders has got a hot hand; obviously, doing well in all the polling.
Warren gets "The Des Moines Register" endorsement. That's a big deal. Klobuchar has lots of legislative surrogates. So that's key. So all of these things add up. But the big factor in Iowa -- I don't want to overcomplicate this -- but the caucus system is, if you don't get 15 percent, those other people that don't get a second vote, and go to other voters. So the key is who's the best second choice?
LEMON: Well, let's talk about the folks who are there, because the conventional wisdom would be that, like, that Buttigieg and Biden --
MCKINNON: Sure.
LEMON: -- would have an advantage, because they're there. But -- because they're not sitting in the Senate. But it doesn't seem to be paying off for them. What is it?
MCKINNON: Well, the interesting thing is just take Klobuchar, for example. She's getting all these satellite interviews from stations who are taking her from the Senate but might not otherwise cover her in Iowa. So in a weird way, she's getting the best of both worlds.
LEMON: Because of electronic media?
MCKINNON: Because of electronic media. So she's getting these satellite feeds and electronic ways of bouncing into this --
LEMON: But Biden is going to be talked about in the impeachment trial a lot. So is that going to be positive or negative for him?
MCKINNON: Well, listen, every attack on Biden so far during this campaign has backfired. It's backfired on every Democrat, this tactic. And so Biden's just saying he's attacking me, because he's afraid of me. So -- but the fact is, long-term, I didn't -- you know, I don't think he wants to be talking about Hunter Biden. But right now, what he's saying, he's been resilient throughout.
So I think people still think Biden is a formidable opponent for Donald Trump.
LEMON: I was close. What do you think is going to happen? And Warren just got this endorsement. Is that going to help?
MCKINNON: Listen, I think there's a case to be made for any of the top five that could win this thing, and that's what's going to be key. But again, that second-choice vote is key.
So Sanders is really hot right now, but you ask all those people who's their second choice, you only get 6 percent of those voters who say he's their second choice.
LEMON: Wow.
[23:50:04]
MCKINNON: That's a problem.
LEMON: Thank you, sir. A new season of Mark McKinnon's show, "The Circus," premieres tomorrow at 8 on Showtime.
You say I'm in it, right?
MCKINNON: We're going to kick it.
LEMON: Well, right now I'm in it. You never know.
MCKINNON: Yes.
LEMON: You could be -- be editing.
MCKINNON: The voice of God.
LEMON: I don't think so.
Congressman Adam Schiff is in the spotlight after leading the Democrats' opening arguments against the president, even drawing praise from some Republicans. And his background tells you a lot about him. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: President Trump's impeachment defense team wrapping up day one of their opening arguments today. Their goal is: undermine the case made against the president by House Democrats, who were led by Congressman Adam Schiff.
His three days of presentations and arguments drawing lots of praise, including from some Republican senators. More tonight from CNN's Jason Carroll.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does anybody really question whether the president is capable of what he's charged with?
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It has often been said, when it comes to politics, much of it is about the performance. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff showed why it is also about substance.
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): If right doesn't matter, we're lost. If the truth doesn't matter, we're lost.
CARROLL: Democrats calling his closing argument for removing President Trump from office a speech for the history books. SCHIFF: You can't trust this president to do what's right for this
country. You can trust he will do what's right for Donald Trump. He'll do it now. He's done it before. He'll do it for the next several months. He'll do it in the election if he's allowed to.
This is why, if you find him guilty, you must find that he should be removed. Because right matters. Because right matters and the truth matters. Otherwise, we are lost.
[23:55:12]
CARROLL: Soon after delivering those remarks, the hashtag #rightmatters trending on Twitter.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had named Schiff to lead the team of seven House impeachment managers prosecuting Trump's trial.
SCHIFF: You will learn of further evidence that has been revealed in the days since the House voted to impeach President Trump. Even as the president and his agency have persisted in their efforts to cover up their wrongdoing from Congress and the public.
CARROLL: Schiff spoke for much of the trial and got to the heart of their case by evoking one of the Founding Fathers, Alexander Hamilton.
SCHIFF: The framers of the Constitution worried then, as we worry today, that a leader might come to power not to carry out the will of the people that he was elected to represent, but to pursue his own interests.
CARROLL: And while Republicans criticized Schiff, saying he was wrong when he said last night their heads would be on pikes if they broke with the president, one of the president's staunchest supporters, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, congratulated Schiff earlier in the week for his presentation.
Those who know Schiff not surprised he rose to the occasion, given his background. The father of two is a former assistant U.S. attorney from California, noted for his prosecution of an FBI agent who sold secrets to the Soviet Union.
SCHIFF: Well, it does feel at times like my life has come full circle.
CARROLL: Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Thanks for watching. Our coverage continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening. At the end of a working Saturday --
[00:00:00]
