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Don Lemon Tonight

Cabinet Members Pledge To Serve Their Country; President Trump Brags About The Stock Market; President Trump May Pardon Mike Flynn; Health Experts Ask People To Be Patient; Joe Biden Wants To Repair U.S.' Image; GOP Member Not Good For Biden's Cabinet? Aired 10-11p ET

Aired November 24, 2020 - 22:00   ET

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

[22:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN HOST (on camera): Thank you for watching. Time for the big show with the big man, "CNN TONIGHT" with D. Lemon, right now.

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: You know what I appreciated about your show the most tonight, except for being informed on all issues. Is that, you're not saying anything. Why are you so quiet?

CUOMO: I'm waiting. I know something is coming. Go ahead.

LEMON: I -- no, I appreciate you highlighting the people who need a lot in our society. I hate to say the most, because when you're in need, right, you always feel like you're the most in need. But for highlighting those folks who are out there in the food lines, people who need it. And the guy said, I have no shame anymore. I think he's absolutely right.

Think about this, Chris. You send out a text to friends and family saying, hey, do you guys know anyone who is in need, that maybe we can spotlight on the show, and on the food line and needs help. And the answer comes back, me, do you know what that feels like? Unbelievable.

CUOMO: The need is extraordinary in the country right now. Usually around, you know, it's usually pretty embarrassing for us in the main, right? We're usually around 25, 30 million people having what they call food anxiety, which is a P.C. way of saying going hungry.

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: Now it's at 50 million people. And the reason I wanted to focus on Rifenstein (Ph), to your point about texting your friends. This isn't a homeless guy, this isn't a toothless guy, this isn't a bum, a guy -- you know, this isn't somebody on the street who quit on themselves. None of those stigmas. They don't really apply anyway.

But this was a guy who was making six figures, his wife was working as a dance teacher. They're like, you know, a majority of families that are doing well, but so many people, a few paychecks away from being in bad trouble. And there are so many there. The idea of celebrating the stock market when you got food lines that are miles long in America, how dare you?

LEMON: Yes. And that's why I always say, don't ever judge the person you see who is on the street, who is homeless, who is facing some sort of anxiety or mental issue. Because you don't -- there but for the grace of God. And I think if anything has come out of this sadly, obviously a lot of people have died, a lot of people have gotten sick but it's the great equalizer.

We know just how much our fellow man and even us can be teetering on the brink of losing everything, of being homeless, of not having enough food. And I think if anything can bring us together in this divisive time, Chris, that we're in, maybe it's not the politics of it all. I don't think it is. I think this is it. That we need each other at this moment more than any other time, I think, in recent history.

CUOMO: Absolutely. And I love your use of the word grace. I'm writing something about that right now. Even if you're not among the faithful, even if it's secular, the idea of grace doesn't have to just be from a higher power. There but for the grace can also translate into the collective will to take care of one another. We've lost that in the country.

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: Not on the individual level, I know how generous you guys are, I see it every time we ask. Every time. But we've been pushed into corners --

LEMON: Yes.

CUOMO: -- and we got to come not walking, not jogging, sprinting back towards one other with the common source of helping these people, our brothers and sisters all over the country. I'm hoping the need translates into a need to help.

LEMON: Well, I think we disappointed a lot of people, because I think they tune in because they like to see us fight. But tonight, you do not get the opportunity for that. there's all, it's all kumbaya and love because it's Thanksgiving. I love you, my brother, I'll talk to you soon.

CUOMO: There will be plenty of fighting soon enough. I love you, D. Lemon.

LEMON (on camera): Thank you, sir. This is CNN TONIGHT, I'm Don Lemon.

Thanks for joining us of course, breaking news. Breaking news, everyone thought, you heard what conservatives said, they won't be talking about the coronavirus as soon as the election is over. And if, you know, if Joe Biden becomes president, the media -- we're still talking about it because it's a real story. OK?

Because there are more coronavirus deaths reported today than any other day since early May. This is real news, it's not fake news. It's never been fake news. That, on the 15th consecutive day of record coronavirus hospitalizations across the country, nearly 260,000 Americans are dead. Try to wrap your head around that. Two hundred and sixty thousand Americans are dead, the virus raging out of control.

But President-elect Joe Biden says that he won't so far -- he won't be so far, excuse me, behind the curve as he first thought when it comes to getting vaccines to millions of Americans. Here he is.

[22:05:04]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We're already working out meeting with the COVID team in the White House, and how to not only distribute but get from a vaccine being distributed to a person being able to get vaccinated.

So, I think we're going to not so far behind the curve as we thought we might be in the past. And there's a lot of immediate discussion and I must say, the outreach has been sincere. It's not been begrudging so far. And I don't expect it to be. So, yes, it's already begun.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: That's the president-elect, who tonight, by the way, crossed 80 million votes, and now leads the current president by more than six million in a real landslide. The numbers don't lie. He's telling CNN's Lester Holt nothing is off the table, as he forms his administration. Even possibly selecting a Republican after one of the most divisive elections in years.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LESTER HOLT, ANCHOR, NBC: Have you considered for the sake of national unity selecting or nominating a Republican, someone who voted for President Trump?

BIDEN: Yes. And we still have a lot more appointments to make. I want this country to be united. The purpose of our administration is once again uniting. We can't keep this virulent political dialogue going. It has to end.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): I'm not sure if that's a good idea or bad idea, considering what happened with President Obama, should be a lesson the president-elect, that kumbaya stuff with Republicans did not work. As a matter of fact, there was someone who had to resign when they offered to join the transition team because Republicans would not have it.

And if the last four years shows you, as they show you, they're not interested in working with Democrats. Many of them are not even interested in reality. Didn't stand up to this outrageous, the outrageous actions and words of this president. Why would the current president-elect want to work with them? I don't know.

So, we are -- but what I can say, is that we are seeing today is a picture of two very different presidents, two very different cabinets. President-elect Joe Biden's cabinet nominees look like America, quite frankly. Diversity in thought, diversity in race, in gender, and everything. That is what America looks like.

A secretary of state nominee who comes from a family of refugees, telling the story of his stepfather's escape from the Holocaust as a child, rescued by an African-American G.I.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE NOMINEE: He ran to the tank. The hatch opened, an African-American G.I. looked down at him. He got down on his knees and said the only words that he knew in English that his mother had taught him before the war. God bless America. That's who we are. That's what America represents to the world, however imperfectly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: A nominee to head homeland security who is an immigrant himself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY NOMINEE: My father and mother brought me to this country to escape communism. They cherished our democracy and were intensely proud to become United States citizens. As was I. I've carried that pride throughout my nearly 20 years of government service, and throughout my life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: A nominee to be ambassador to the U.N., from my home state of Louisiana, by the way, who uses what she calls gumbo diplomacy to break down barriers between people.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS NOMINEE: In my 35 years in the foreign service across four continents, I put a Cajun spin on it. I called it gumbo diplomacy. Wherever I was posted around the world, I'd invite people of different backgrounds and beliefs to help me make a roux and chop onions for the Holy Trinity, and make homemade gumbo.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So that Holy Trinity that she's talking about, it's a Louisiana thing. It's bell peppers, it's onion, and it's celery. Different groups of things, added together, making the whole gumbo work when you're making the roux, which is the base of your gumbo. A DNI nominee, who would be the first woman to hold the post who says this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AVRIL HAINES, NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE DIRECTOR NOMINEE: You selected us not to serve you, but to serve on behalf of the American people. To help advance our security, our prosperity, our values. (END VIDEO CLIP)

[22:10:04]

LEMON: What a contrast with the current president's cabinet of dear leaders -- dear leader-spouting suck-ups.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The president and just the greatest privilege of my life, to serve as vice president to a president who is keeping his word to the American people.

JEFF SESSIONS, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Mr. President, I'm proud to be here and celebrate this group, and accept the exact right message and is being responded, the response is fabulous around the country.

UNKNOWN: Mr. President, honored to be on the team.

NIKKI HALEY, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: Thank you, Mr. President, it's a new day at the united nations.

UNKNOWN: I appreciate your support with (Inaudible). I can't thank you enough for the privilege that you've given me, and the leadership that you've thrown.

UNKNOWN: I'm thrilled to help give you the chance to live up to your campaign promises.

REINCE PRIEBUS, FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: On behalf of the entire senior staff around you, Mr. President, we thank you for the opportunity and the blessing that you've given us to serve your agenda and the American people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Some of those folks are long gone now. All that dear leader-ism didn't save their jobs, did it? That's the way it works with the current president. Throw people under the bus when things go bad. Take the credit when things go well. Like he did with today's hastily arranged one-minute appearance in the White House briefing room today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: But the stock market has just broken 30,000. Never been broken, that number. That's a sacred number, 30,000. Nobody thought they would ever see it. That's the ninth time since the beginning of 2020, and it's the 48th time that we've broken records in, during the Trump administration.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): OK. So, we're going to talk about that. But what a contrast, it's all about him. We've done this, we've, we've, we've. Did you notice the folks who, the appointees for the president-elect, it's all about working with the people? Making America a better place. The diversity of America. How do we help get along with our allies? Beyond just them. It was about the country, country over party.

So, let me just make a couple of points about the stock market thing. First, it's great that the market broke a record today, but it broke that record just hours after news that the current president is finally getting out of the way of the transition to the Biden administration.

So, by the president's standard, this is a Joe Biden rally. Not a Trump rally. Remember how many times he tried to take credit for the market's rise, beginning with election day, before he even took the oath of office, remember that? So, this would be, according to his logic, a Biden rally.

And let's remember, there's a lot more to the economy than just the stock market. Millions of Americans aren't in the market, millions and millions of Americans, not even in the market. Millions are unemployed, struggling to get by, you saw them at food line, waiting on increasingly long lines just to get food to feed their families.

But the president well, he doesn't have anything to say about them. Just that it's all about him, we, we, we, me, me, me, setting a record. Too busy grifting as fast as he can, still fund-raising even though the jig is up, sending out at least 17 e-mails since the GSA's decision to allow the transition to proceed. Telling supporters their donations will help quote, "protect the integrity of the election."

Except, here's the fact. Fact is 75 percent of donations to his election defense fund are going straight to his PAC. Money he could tap for his own political activity, including travel, staff, even events at Trump properties.

And for a president who has been hunkered down in the White House since he lost the election to Joe Biden, this is something, his second public appearance in one day. This time, a pardon, a Thanksgiving turkey named corn.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Corn, I hereby grant you a full pardon. Thank you, corn. That was great.

(APPLAUSE)

LEMON (on camera): Good for corn, but corn may not be the last one to get a pardon. There's Paul Manafort, and there is Michael Flynn as well. CNN can report there are discussions ongoing in the White House about the president pardoning Flynn.

But you got to wonder whether this president is also thinking about a pardon much closer to home, like pardoning one Donald J. Trump.

Kaitlan Collins is here, Jessica Dean as well.

Good evening to both of you. I appreciate it.

Kaitlan, we saw President Trump at the turkey pardon today and now questions are swirling about who he might pardon, potentially Michael Flynn. What are you learning?

[22:15:04]

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And I think the calculus before the election was, people weren't sure if the president won, how many people he would pardon. Because of course he's got a lot longer in office if that was the case.

But now that the president has lost this election, we are told by multiple sources, there are discussions under way at the White House with the president about potentially pardoning Mike Flynn, of course his first national security adviser, who did not last long on the job.

And that would be notable, given the fact that Sidney Powell who the president recently distanced himself from is Mike Flynn's attorney. The woman who has at the press conference last week talking about the voting machines, making these baseless conspiracy theories about the governor of Georgia and what crimes -- crimes that she accused without evidence.

That's Mike Flynn's attorney. And the president is now apparently considering pardoning Flynn, but not just that, Don. You should be on the lookout I think for a string of pardons from Donald Trump over potentially the next two months. It's not clear if he would do them all at once or would spread them out over his remaining weeks in office.

But what we've heard from sources is that you should expect the president could potentially pardon not just Mike Flynn, but also multiple people in his orbit before he leaves office.

LEMON: Well, we'll be checking that out. So Kaitlan, the vice president-elect has now gotten more than 80 million already ahead by more than six million votes. Despite President Trump refusing to concede now, he said, you know, I will never, ever concede. Right?

The White House signed off on the President-elect Biden getting the president's daily brief. We're talking about the most classified intelligence. Is that correct?

COLLINS: Yes, that's right, this is the most classified intelligence, classified intelligence that Joe Biden so far has not been able to see even though he's been declared the winner of this race. Of course, the results are being certified in multiple states.

And so far, it had been blocked by the White House, but we are told that the White House has now signed off on it. But the thing is he hasn't received it yet. He said he believes that tomorrow could be the soonest that he receives this for the first time.

And it's notable given that this is something that Donald Trump started receiving very soon after the 2016 election. But Joe Biden of course had to wait several weeks as the president was really stonewalling this transition, and therefore creating this weird position inside the White House, where they weren't sure what to do. If they should allow him to get that briefing, if GSA could move forward with the transition which of course they started on Monday night.

So basically, what you're seeing though, is the president is insisting that he's going to push forward with these legal challenges that have been falling apart in court. But you're starting to see the rest of the administration, Don move on with this transition and letting it take place.

LEMON: Jessica, the president-elect introduced his national security and foreign policy team today. He's saying America is back.

JESSICA DEAN, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Yes. That was the message. America is back, diplomacy is back, Don. That's what we heard from these nominees and appointees today and from President- elect Biden. He was introducing key members of his foreign intelligent -- or his national security team, and in his foreign policy team as well.

These are the people that are going to play key roles. Biden has made very clear that part of what he really wants to focus on is repairing America's relationships all across the world.

Now he is going to have his hands full here at home of course with COVID and with the economy, so he really is relying on people he's known a long time. If you take a look at the biographies for all of these people who were named today, they are long biographies. Most of these people are former government officials that have spent decades working in their field of expertise. So, they've been at this a really long time.

And after Biden made this announcement, he sat for an interview later this afternoon and he talked a little bit about how the world has changed since President Obama was in office. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: This is not a third Obama term because there's -- we face a totally different world than we faced in the Obama/Biden administration. The president, President Trump has changed the landscape. It's become America first, which meant America alone.

We find ourselves in a position where our alliances are being frayed. It's a totally -- that's why I found people who joined the administration in key points that represent the spectrum of the American people as well as the spectrum of the Democratic Party.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN (on camera): And, Don, Biden has long said he wants to put together a cabinet that he says looks like America, and that is diversity across the spectrum. Ideologically, racially, gender diversity, he wants it all, geographic diversity. And so, we're seeing now these first announcements and we'll see more as he continues to fill out his cabinet, Don.

LEMON: Jessica, Kaitlan, thank you both. I appreciate it.

More coronavirus deaths reported today than in any day since early May. Millions unemployed. Food lines getting longer and longer. And the president-elect is promising action.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[22:20:01]

BIDEN: Think of all the people, all the people who are laying at night, awake at night, staring at the ceiling. Thinking God forbid what happens. We have to act. We have to act.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Another dark day in our fight against the coronavirus. Over 169,000 new cases reported today, more than 2,000 deaths, the most since May. Test positivity has been around the 8 to 10 percent range for the past several days with a record number of hospitalizations nationwide for the 15th day in a row.

Joining me now is, Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and the former Baltimore City health commissioner. Also, Andy Slavitt is here, the former acting administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

So good to have both of you on. We just keep breaking records in the wrong way, Andy and doctor. Doctor, I'm going to start with you. The virus is ravaging the country. More than 2,000 people died today, more than any day since early May. Fifteen days of record hospitalizations. What is America facing in the weeks to come? I know everyone is excited about there's vaccines are on the horizon, but we still have to get through this, doctor. What are we looking at in the coming weeks?

[22:25:09]

LEANA WEN, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Well, that's exactly right. I'm so hopeful that we do have vaccines that look like they are safe and very effective on the horizon, but we have to get through this winter. And right now, it looks like we are in for a really terrible winter. Really, this is our worst-case scenario that we have.

We already have hospitalizations that are on the brink of being totally overwhelmed. And unlike what happened before in the spring in the summer where it was just one or two regions in the country that were hard-hit, it's hard-hit everywhere. And that means we don't have extra capacity. We don't have healthcare workers that can fly in from one part of the country to another one. Everyone is overwhelmed.

And so, I just hope everyone keeps in mind that hope is on the horizon here, but we need to bear with it a bit longer. And so, this is the time to really hunker down, not gather indoors with people, including with our loved ones over Thanksgiving.

LEMON: Yes. Andy, you know, it's Thanksgiving. And I'm supposed to be off this week. I didn't go. I was supposed to travel, didn't after the CDC advisory. And I just thought it would be the wise thing to do. Plus, I can't be traveling and then telling people every night, follow the guidelines, and here I am on an airplane going to see family and friends.

But listen, in the coming days Thanksgiving just -- with just days away we're seeing huge numbers of people passing through airports around the country, many of them they're wearing masks, but I mean, when I look at this this is a scary sight. What do you say to people who are ignoring the advice of the CDC and they're not staying at home?

ANDY SLAVITT, FORMER ACTING ADMINISTRATOR, CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES: Don, you're a true role model here, so thanks for doing that. It's a test for everybody not to see their family and their friends through the holidays. You know, we live for those celebrations.

But I ask people to think about Memorial Day, I ask people to think about Fourth of July. We have a real opportunity, in fact I think a very strong likelihood that we will be having barbecues with our friends and our families, that we will have lots of vaccines moving into people's arms in the middle of December.

So now is not the time to quit. Now is not the time for impatience. It is, we're at that darkest before the dawn time. But it's an unusual situation, because usually you can't see the dawn coming. Here, we can. And I hope that gives people the strength to be very, very careful.

As Dr. Wen said, the nurses and doctors in our country are very strained right now. They're overwhelmed. And I know we all have medical professionals in our family, we should listen to them and do our best not to overwhelm them.

LEMON (on camera): Well, I'm just worried that, doctor, you know, when you say that there is, you know, we're getting close to, Andy said we're getting close to darkness before the dawn. Many times you can't see it. But it's a -- I remember there's studies and I'm not sure what the recent study say but it used to say that most accidents like car accidents would happen when people got closer to home because they got more lax, and they were sort of let their guard down.

And now that we're getting closer to this, to possibly three vaccines that are in the wings, the president-elect talked tonight -- about it tonight about who will be in line to get them first. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: I think we should be focusing on obviously the docs, the nurses, those people who are the first responders. I think we should also be focusing on being able to open schools as rapidly as we can. The hope is, we can actually begin to distribute it, this administration can begin to distribute it before we are sworn in and take office.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): So, I don't think these vaccines can come fast enough. I don't want people to let their foot off the gas, I'm making a lot of comparisons to now metaphors, but, you know, they couldn't come fast enough, thinking considering the hospitalization, the cases, they're all rising.

WEN: Right. So, I think we need to keep in mind that, yes, the vaccines are on the horizon. There is hope, and I totally agree with everything that Andy said to keep in mind that we need to go through this really difficult winter. But things are going to be much better by the spring, and certainly by the summer.

But that doesn't mean that we can't let down our guard right now. We know the CDC came out with guidance last week that nearly 60 percent of the spread is by asymptomatic individuals. And that means someone that you're having dinner with, someone who you love. They don't know they have COVID-19, but they could very well spread it to you. And I'm sure none of us would inadvertently want to hold a celebration that sickens people and lands our loved ones in the ICU or worse by Christmas or New Year's.

And so, this is again the time for us to really hunker down, wear masks any time that we're in public spaces. If we have people coming over make sure that we see them outdoors only. Household spaced at least six feet apart. Just do not gather indoors with anyone who is not in your immediate household right now.

[22:30:06]

LEMON: Hey, Andy, listen, I've got to run because I've got to get to another segment here. But I just want to -- it's important, because people -- I've heard people say, well, it's OK, I'm going to see grandma, I want to see this because everybody is being tested. What do you say to that?

SLAVITT: Yes, I'd say -- I'd say, you know, we're not there yet. I'd say having a test is something. But it's not everything. They're not perfectly reliable. Do your best to stay safe. Don't take that risk for your family. And we will be here to see each other next year, and the news will be better.

LEMON: Yes. I mean, because between the time that you got the test and you get the results, you could have become infected, and you don't know. So, this is not -- it's not foolproof, right? Thank you both. I appreciate it.

Fifty-seven days left of Donald Trump's presidency. Will they all be spent on revenge? Well, his niece, Mary Trump, she is going to tell us. That's next.

[22:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: Joe Biden's cabinet picks saying they'll bring America back to the world stage, with the president-elect saying his team will tell him what he needs to know, not what he wants to know. Compare that to what we saw from the White House just today.

President Trump trying to brag about the Dow in a bizarre one-minute speech in the briefing room. A Dow that is surging because the Biden transition team is now officially underway. As usual, the president trying to take all of the credit but none of the responsibility.

Joining me now is Mary Trump, President Trump's niece, and the author of "Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man." It's a pleasure to see you. Happy Thanksgiving week in advance, before we end.

And I'm so glad -- and I know it's a busy week and you want to spend it with family so I'm glad you're here and you're taking the moment to do it with us.

So, President Trump has 57 days left. Still trying to undermine democracy, attacking Republicans like the Georgia secretary of state, he's fired truth tellers, stonewalled Biden. What else is he going to try to do in his waning weeks of his presidency?

MARY TRUMP, PRESIDENT TRUMP'S NIECE: I think we're seeing hints of that. We've heard about pardons he's thinking of making, I have no doubt in my mind he's going to toy with the idea of pre-pardoning people in his inner circle, even himself.

We see what he's doing with the Open Skies treaty, which is not petty revenge, it's putting us -- it's putting Americans in danger by doing such things. We see what Steve Mnuchin is doing, by taking an excess of $440 billion that were earmarked to help small businesses and municipalities during COVID-19, and he is asking that money to be returned, essentially putting it out of reach of his successor, Janet Yellin.

So, these aren't just petty acts of a petty man. These are things that are demoralizing, these are things that, as you said, are continuing to attack our democracy, and these are things that are going to make it even harder for the incoming administration to do the work that needs to be done to fix the mistakes of Donald's administration.

LEMON: You don't think it would be beneath him to, I can't believe I'm saying this, to pardon himself? I mean, isn't that some sort of tacit admission that he did something wrong or he expects to be found guilty of something?

M. TRUMP: Well, if he were a normal person, I suppose, but first of all, he probably doesn't understand that a pardon is essentially an admission of guilt. And Donald is somebody for whom winning is the only thing that matters. It doesn't mean you have to win fairly. You just have to win by any means necessary.

And because he thinks that he always deserves to win, cheating, lying, stealing are all perfectly legitimate means towards that end. We also saw by that, as you pointed out, a truly bizarre 64 seconds that he's delusional. So, it makes perfect sense. If he's willing to take credit for a stock market gain that was literally caused by the fact that Biden won, and he's finally being allowed to start his administration, he's perfectly capable of pardoning himself. Or trying to.

LEMON: Yes. It was the Biden, yes, trying to pardon himself. It was the Biden bump, the stock market, not a Trump bump. So, Mary, listen, the Trump campaign has sent out some 350, 350 fund-raising e-mails asking to help pay for the president's flailing legal challenges.

But people have to read the fine print. It says 75 percent of contributions go to his leadership PAC, which can essentially act as a slush fund and boost his post-White House coffers. What is he going to use all this money for, and why are people giving him money to pay, you know, for his campaign debts and instead of what he's telling them it's for?

M. TRUMP: Well, I'll answer the second question first. Because they don't -- either they don't know, or they don't care. They have gone all-in on this person. And they will continue to support him as long as he's asking them to, which may potentially be a problem for the rest of us going forward. But that's a different conversation.

[22:40:01]

As for what he's going to use the money for, possibly he's looking at lots of legal bills. He will be engaged in several lawsuits. I know that there are states looking very closely into potential financial crimes that he may well be indicted for.

He's also looking at almost or over, I should say, a billion dollars in debt that will likely be called, because he's no longer of use to the banks to which he owes those vast sums of money.

LEMON: It's interesting. Other people paying off his debts, wow. Thank you, Mary. I appreciate it.

M. TRUMP: Thanks.

LEMON: Hey, happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, OK?

M. TRUMP: You, too. Stay safe.

LEMON: Yes.

Joe Biden laying out his priorities for his first 100 days, and announcing his cabinet picks. We're going to dig into his plans and his team, next.

[22:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON (on camera): The President-elect, Joe Biden, introducing the top members of his national security and foreign policy team, all with extensive backgrounds and experience. Biden says his team is ready for America to lead the world once again.

I want to bring in now Jim Messina, the former Obama campaign manager, Stuart Stevens, the former chief strategist for the Romney presidential campaign.

Gentlemen, it's so good to see you. I hope you're having a great Thanksgiving week. Jim, you're first. The president-elect, here's his message tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: America is back. We're at the head of the table once again. I've spoken with over 20 world leaders, and they all are literally really pleased and somewhat excited that America is going to reassert its role in the world, and be a coalition builder.

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LEMON (on camera): He is making it clear that it's not the Trump show anymore. Do they feel like a total 180 from team Trump, the drama that we have been seeing, when you see all the diversity, the breadth of experience, and even in tone?

JIM MESSINA, FORMER OBAMA CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Absolutely. And I think you saw two things today. You saw absolute experience, competence, real competent people who know what they're doing, and you saw kind of the no drama, you know, Biden way.

I've worked with every single one of the people that he picked today. And the thing that they all have in common, is no big egos. And they're just kind of become middle of the road, America first, how do we figure this out and how do we help the president on his agenda?

I think you could not have gotten better picks. When you even have Republican Senators like Ben Sasse saying that his picks are good, you know that Biden has done exactly what he promised he was going to do which his just give competence the top billing here, and pick people who can move forward with his agenda and help America actually engage on the world stage again.

LEMON: Before I bring Stuart in here, Jim, I just have to, I was surprised that, because I didn't even realize it when I was, as I was watching this morning, I was like watching, and you know, doing some things around the house. And I stopped to pay attention. And I said, when was the last time I actually paid attention to, you know, just cabinet appointees.

Usually, you know, you look up, you go, who is William Johnson? He served, yes, yes, yes. But this like, you're actually paid attention to, and people got emotional about it. What is going on?

MESSINA: It really is crazy. I had people calling me today too saying the same thing, which is, my gosh, these people are actually qualified. They didn't get them out of the want ads. These people actually know what they're doing. I had a leader of a large country text me tonight and just say, it's great to see America back. And, you know, that's what we're seeing. Normal people, Don. It's totally crazy.

LEMON: I know. People were like, I shed tears, I'm like, over a cabinet appointee announcement? But you know, that's the strange world we live in. Stuart, I want to -- I want to -- first of all, I want to know did you have a similar reaction before I ask you the other question, I want to ask you?

STUART STEVENS, FORMER CHIEF STRATEGIST, ROMNEY PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN: Yes, you know, as someone who worked for a lot of Republican candidates, it's sort of an extraordinary sensation to feel a great sense of relief, as a lot of the Democratic picks comes in to take control of the country.

I felt a tremendous sense of -- of relief. These are professionals. Somehow, it's become a negative thing to call people careerists. Like, I don't get that. When I go to a doctor, I want someone who like made a career out of medicine. I think it's a good thing that these people are people serious people doing serious work.

LEMON: Yes. It's funny. I was having a conversation with a friend tonight, and he said, yes, I want my doctor to know more than me. I want my president to know more than me. I want the secretary of defense to know more than me. Not that, you know, some of those folks didn't in the other thing.

But you want people who are running the country to be smart. Stuart, I have to ask you this. Because it's been a big question I've seen in other places and I've heard people discussing it, but the president- elect is saying that he would consider nominating a Republican, maybe someone who voted for President Trump.

OK. He's making it clear that he's willing and ready to work across the aisle. But do you think this would be good? Do we need this goodwill right now, especially when, you know, members of the Republican Party, most of the ones who were in office now, have just allowed this president to just trample over the republic and trample on democracy?

[22:49:54]

Why on earth would Joe Biden appoint someone who doesn't possibly believe in science, or may have an affinity for QAnon, or hasn't called this president out? Why would -- why would he do that and considering it didn't work under the president he served with?

STEVENS: Yes. Look, I think it ought to draft to (Inaudible) first out of beaver -- the role here. Whoever can do the best job. I don't think appointing a Republican for a cabinet position is going to do anything to heal the country, to bring people together. That's going to be a long process that goes with changing a tone, by making government boring again.

Which, you know, one of the benefits of living in a civil society is not having to think about what the president is doing, what mood the president's in. And we're going to go back to that. And that's what's going to heal the country, not a Republican being appointed here or that.

LEMON: That's why I love having both of you on. You're both so smart and I agree with all of your assessment, both of your assessments. Thank you, Jim. Thank you, Stuart. Happy Thanksgiving to both of you.

STEVENS: Thank you.

LEMON: And we'll be right back.

MESSINA: Thank you.

[22:55:00]

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LEMON: So, take this, everyone. At Biden's event today introducing some of his cabinet picks, expertise and leadership were front and center. Biden is sending a clear message that Trump's isolationist policies are over and America is going to lead again.

So, what did we hear from one of the president's supports? I want you to check this out. This is Senator Marco Rubio tweeting this. Biden's picks went to Ivy League schools, have strong resumes, attend all the right conferences and will be polite and orderly caretakers of America's decline. I support American greatness and I have no interest in returning to the normal that left us dependent on China.

All right. Great schools and good resumes and experience. I don't know. What a sycophant. And to think he is a sitting U.S. senator. If anyone is responsible for America's so-called decline, it is the Trump administration and people like Marco Rubio who are afraid to call him out. No backbone.

And about Biden's Ivy League schooling? Rubio might want to do his homework. Trump is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. The Treasure Secretary, Steve Mnuchin, Yale. Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State, Harvard Law School.

And the list goes on. Do your homework, Marco Rubio. And that other line, I support American greatness. Look at the diversity on that stage. Diversey in race, gender, like experience and circumstance. Senator Rubio, that's what I call American greatness.

Joe Biden is making his message clear. America is back. Stay with us.

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