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Treasury Nominee Faces Congress; Clinton Nomination Held Up; Major Changes in Environmental Policy Under Obama
Aired January 21, 2009 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And here we go.
Consider, this day and every day during this hour, we're going to be cutting to the chase, or, in this case, cutting to the change, or maybe the lack thereof.
Number one, President Obama will sign executive orders to undo Bush policies, foremost among them, Gitmo -- bigger message, America no longer tortures. You tell us.
Number two, President Obama tells his top staffers: I'm freezing your pay. And, if you work for me, sorry, but you can't cash in later as a lobbyist. 'Nuff said.
Number three, President Obama promised to meet with military leaders to end the war in Iraq. Today, he's doing just that. But can he do it in 16 months? You told us you want to know.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ (voice-over): Cutting to the change -- Rush Limbaugh won't. He says he wants Obama to fail. And he's not apologizing for it.
Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas fights the Hillary Clinton nomination because of Bill Clinton's potential conflict of interests. Did Cornyn also question the Halliburton conflict of interests during the Bush/Cheney years? You told us you want to know. So, we will ask.
And this man, on the spot today, where he has to answer this question before becoming treasury secretary. Why are bank stocks tanking? They got a $350 billion bailout. Why are they not recovering? What you say you want to know.
Our national conversation about cutting to the change right now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: And hello again, everybody. I'm Rick Sanchez.
We welcome to you once again to the world headquarters of CNN.
As we start this newscast, let me ask you the question, the question a lot of Americans probably want to ask themselves. Is Obama -- in fact, I will ask it right here on the Twitter board. And we will put it this way. Is Obama rightfully or wrongfully undoing the Bush policies?
I'm going to go ahead and send that as we get started here. And I'm going to get your reaction to it. And, as I do that, I want to also bring in somebody who's going to be talking about this.
Patricia Murphy, CitizenJanePolitics, joining us now, she's watching these meetings and these hearings going on all day.
I understand -- first of all, I understand that you have got some news for us on the Eric Holder nomination. What's going on with that?
PATRICIA MURPHY, EDITOR, CITIZENJANEPOLITICS.COM: Well, we understand that the committee that should be voting on Eric Holder's nomination has decided to delay that until some time probably later next week.
We're still trying to figure out a little bit more about that, as to why they're doing that. But that's a very, very significant development. This is something that was considered really a done deal. We hadn't heard that there were going to be any major objections to this nomination. So, it's significant news. And we will find out more about it a little bit later.
SANCHEZ: Well, here's something else that is going on today, Obama signing some executive orders, some important executive orders, as a matter of fact.
Let's take a look at him actually doing the signing. We have got video of that, I believe, that we can show you. And then, after we look at that, you're going to hear him talking about what it is that he wants to do. The idea here seems to be to freeze the pay of some of his staff. But then he goes even a step further. Let's take a listen.
Go ahead. Hit that, Rog.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: During this period of economic emergency, families are tightening their belts, and so should Washington.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Now, what's he trying to do there, Patricia?
MURPHY: What he's trying to do is walk the walk, like he's been talking the talk. One of the key messages in his speech yesterday was responsibility.
He's calling for Americans to have more personal responsibility. And this is him saying that the government is going to have more responsibility with their tax dollars. So, what he's going to do, while he calls on companies not to have executive pay be too high, he's also going to freeze the salaries of his own top staff. That's very significant. We haven't seen a president do this in quite some time. So, this is his message to say, I'm asking you to make some sacrifices. I'm starting with my own staff.
SANCHEZ: Go to that question, because we asked this question of some of our viewers a little while ago. And the issue is, is he undoing some of the Bush policies? Everyone's going to remember what happened with Abramoff. Everybody's going to remember what happened with the fiasco of that scandal. Is he doing that?
We asked that question of our viewers. I ask you as well.
MURPHY: Well, of course, he's undoing the Bush policies. That is almost the entire reason that he ran for president. He said that he wanted change. He wanted change from the last eight years of George Bush. And, certainly, voters who voted for him said that they wanted that change, too.
These are changes that we have known were coming for a very long time. He made these promises almost at the very beginning of his candidacy. He said he would close Guantanamo Bay. He said he would end torture. He said he would bring more accountability to government. That's what he's doing. It shouldn't come as a surprise.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Let me stop you there.
MURPHY: OK.
SANCHEZ: Because it's not only change, but it's a quick and sudden change that seems to be taking place.
You mentioned Guantanamo. Let's talk about what George Bush (sic) is going to be doing on Gitmo. And, for that, we have our own correspondent, Susan Candiotti, who has been checking in with us from there.
Let's go ahead and roll that, Rog. This is a report filed by Susan just about an hour-and-a-half ago.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Over the objections of five alleged plotters in the 9/11 attacks, two military judges have now given President Barack Obama exactly what he has wanted, and that is to grind the process to a halt here at the Guantanamo Naval Base, the detention process in particular, until the cases of each and every one of the 245 detainees that are here can be thoroughly reviewed.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: So, if the order to freeze pay was a signal to the nation that, look, I'm serious about this, and we're going to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, as you said, is this also a signal, but not to the nation, but to the world, that he's serious about taking a different tack on the war on terrorism?
MURPHY: It is. It is so significant that he's doing this his very first day in office. This is saying to the world, to the international community, the United States does not torture. What has been happening at Guantanamo Bay is not a part of the administration that he's going to be running.
Now, it's important to know he is not immediately closing Guantanamo Bay. He is going to start looking at moving in that direction. There are some very, very sticky issues, questions about where those prisoners would go if Guantanamo was closed, questions about how to move some of these trials forward.
A lot of these questions have not been answered. Obama has admitted that. He has said that in past interviews. He said he doesn't know exactly when it will close, but he is signaling very, very clearly that it will close and it will happen under his watch.
SANCHEZ: We're getting a lot of responses on the very same question I asked you a little while ago on Twitter. A lot of people are joining us from around the country.
As a matter of fact, guys, let's take a shot at that Twitter board, if we possibly can.
This is the first one, jlh saying to us as she is watching the show, "The Bush policies that Obama is reversing are illegal and unconstitutional in the first place."
That certainly hasn't been decided by any court of law.
Look at this one right here. "Rightfully changing the policies," says almartinez. "They were criminal' -- again, a very harsh assessment.
There's something else I want you to look at here, Murph. And as you and I watch this, I want the viewers at home to take a look at it as well. This is one of those pictures that just resonates. Take a look at this. Look at Lincoln back there in the background. Look at Washington in between them.
This is Rahm Emanuel. This is his chief of staff. This is Obama sitting in the big chair, as they say, trying to hammer out policy and go to work. This is kind of an amazing picture, isn't it?
MURPHY: Yes, it's really striking.
And the fact that those two portraits are behind them is no mistake. This is the Oval Office that he wanted. And he's signaling to every visitor that comes in to that office that these are the heroes, these are the men, these are the values that he is going to be following.
So, to have Lincoln there, to have Washington there, he talks all the time about having an ongoing American revolution and going back to the values that we had when we founded our nation. These are -- these are very strong signals.
(CROSSTALK)
MURPHY: It's fascinating to see and see him there with Rahm Emanuel. It certainly sends quite a vote of confidence for Rahm Emanuel to be in the first picture with him as his closest adviser.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: That's his man. That's his chief of staff.
MURPHY: Yes.
SANCHEZ: You almost look at that picture, they look like wax figures, like you're in a museum and you're looking at a piece of history. We will certainly see -- and we're counting it down on this day -- how it turns out.
Patricia Murphy, we are going to have you back in just a little bit. My thanks to you for that segment.
MURPHY: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: Here's the guy nominated to run the nation's troubled Treasury Department, and he can't pay his own taxes on time.
More importantly, why are banks tanking on Wall Street, after already getting $350 billion. Well, that's the man who's going to need to answer that question, because he was instrumental in giving them, the banks, the money to begin with.
And more on that breaking news that we received moments ago -- confirmation of Eric Holder as attorney general is on hold until next week. We will be bringing you some more information on that.
Stay with us. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: And here's the breaking news.
I told you just a little while ago that, suddenly, and somewhat surprisingly, Eric Holder's nomination for A.G., attorney general, has been held back. Now we're told it may not happen until next week.
Something has happened between Senators Arlen Specter and Pat Leahy. And some of the reports that we're getting is that it was somewhat confrontational. We are going to try and turn that around for you in just a little bit, so hold on a minute, because I want you to hear that.
In the meantime, let's go to our own producer.
This is our senior justice producer, Terry Frieden. He's standing by to tell us what happened.
What's the lowdown? What happened, Terry?
TERRY FRIEDEN, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE PRODUCER: Well, you have got it right.
There was certainly some ill feeling between Senator Patrick Leahy, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who is a Democrat from Vermont, and the ranking Republican, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania.
And they have really been at each other's throat for several days now over this herring. And it's not so much even a matter of substance, as it is a matter of style and the amount of time that the Republicans are being given to consider the nomination.
Bottom line is that the Republicans have asked for a week. They have the right to do so. Leahy is furious about it. But he said -- and I think this is the quote -- "I'm extremely disappointed, but they have that right. And, so, this historic nomination is held over." He slammed down the gavel and walked out. He went his way. Specter went his way.
SANCHEZ: So, it sounds like it's more of a personal nature. Or is this about the issue with Eric Holder and the Clinton decision that he made toward the end of that administration, the Marc Rich pardon?
FRIEDEN: Right.
Well, I guess it's really both. There certainly is personal bad feeling on this committee. There has been for some time. It's one of the most polarized committees on Capitol Hill. And they don't really get along very well in the best of circumstances.
But, in this case, clearly one of the most important factors for the Republicans was that they have lingering questions and doubts in their own mind about the role that Eric Holder played when he was the deputy attorney general, including the pardon of Marc Rich. And there were some other issues as well.
SANCHEZ: Well, but -- but given the mess that the A.G.'s office has been over the last seven years, you can't help but wonder where the questions are coming from.
Do me a favor, Terry. Stand by, because we have got a couple of other guests on another nomination that we're also talking about. But I want to get your reaction as soon as we turn this tape around of this confrontation between these two men.
Let's bring Patricia Murphy back in. Ali Velshi is joining us as well.
By the way, Ali, it's called -- "Gimme My Money Back" is the name of the book, great read. Read it in just two days the other day. And it really spells this out for us pretty well. And the reason we're talking about this is because bank stocks are suddenly tanking. And one of the guys who put the whole TARP idea together, the $350 billion for the banks, is now answering questions about possibly becoming our next treasury secretary.
ALI VELSHI, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Right.
SANCHEZ: And that's not the only issue he's got, by the way, but that's a big one. Ali, take off on that.
VELSHI: Well, OK.
The other issue, of course, is that he missed some taxes when he used to file his own taxes, about $35,000 worth. He has since paid those. But it depends how you want to look at this. Do you want the guy who was in the room when the decision to let Bear Stearns be bought out was made, when the decision to let Lehman Brothers fail was made, because he understands every last detail about the credit crisis that we're in? Or do you think he was in the room when decisions were made that maybe weren't made very well? And that's the same guy.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Well, it depends on whether those decisions bear fruit, whether the stuff is working.
VELSHI: Right.
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: And what do you think? From your perspective today, there are a lot of Americans who say, they're not. They haven't -- they don't seem to have worked, because we thought we were bailing banks out so that they would have money to lend to businesses and individuals and get the whole system going.
And we know, Rick, for a fact that so many banks have said that's not what they're using the money for. And, frankly, we have tried to phone many of these banks and the Treasury and the Federal Reserve and cannot get clear information on where they're planning on spending this money.
And the stipulations aren't there that this is taxpayer money. You have to use it to fix the problem. So, I think there are some tough questions to be asked of Tim Geithner right now.
SANCHEZ: Wow. And, yes, maybe it's too soon.
VELSHI: Maybe it is too soon. Hard to know.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Maybe it's too soon for whatever it is that they did a couple of months ago to actually be bearing that fruit.
Patricia, let me bring you into this. On the question whether he didn't pay his taxes, or whether he was trying to get away with something, is this the kind of thing Americans do? Look, we all want to pay as little taxes as possible. Or was this guy doing something a little more nefarious? What's your take and what's the take of the committee thus far?
MURPHY: Well, the question is, is this somebody who was sloppy with his taxes? Was this an innocent mistake? Or was this tax evasion?
He has had several questions asked of him during his hearing today, and he's been extremely contrite. He has directly apologized to the committee. And he has described these -- he's gone into actually pretty exhaustive detail how he managed to bungle his taxes for four years in a row. He's handed over quite a few documents.
The problem here is the way that it's being portrayed. Some Republican senators have said to him the questions they're getting from their constituents is, why are you putting somebody in charge of the IRS, which the Treasury certainly is in charge of the IRS, why can he be in charge of the IRS? If he doesn't even pay his taxes, why should I pay my taxes?
This is also the committee that looks at something called the tax gap, the difference between the incoming taxes and the taxes that are owed by Americans. They are trying to crack down on people not paying their taxes.
And the chairman of the committee said, by the way, you are one of those people. So, it's an awkward situation. But it's not really going to pay the bills for Americans. They want this economy to get back on its feet.
And Chuck Schumer has said, we don't want the second-best person; we want the best person. So, the Democrats believe this is the best person for the job.
SANCHEZ: So, Geithner's on hold right now. At least we don't know when that's going to happen. It looks like Eric Holder's on hold as A.G. That could be another week.
So, the things that we thought would be a lot more smooth are taking a little longer.
My thanks to you two. I have got breaking news coming in.
What are we hearing right now? This is -- go ahead. Let's go to the picture, if we can. New Jersey State Police are saying, and we're learning that divers working off the state police boat have just located that U.S. Airways engine in the Hudson River.
Remember, the engines had fallen off. It's important to have the engine, because that way they can confirm that in fact it was some kind of bird or something from the aves phylum that had actually gone into that engine, had been sucked in by the engine and thereby got the engine to stop working.
That had been the theory. That had been what the pilot had said going down. But it hasn't actually been confirmed by inspectors. We're expecting they might be able to do that now that the engine has been found. In fact, these are live pictures you're looking at now. We expect that they will either pull it out of there or have pulled it out of there at this point.
Let me go back to my -- let me go back to the information we're getting from the CNN wires. They're telling CNN that they're viewing the engine report, that it is one piece. New Jersey Police wrapping its operation. Removal of the engine will be conducted in a matter of days.
So, we're not quite sure if they're saying they're actually going to get it out of the water or else.
By the way, we told you moments ago that there was this confrontation between two senators on the holding of the nomination of Eric Holder for possibly another week. We're going to try and turn that around for you in just a little bit.
And our thanks to senior justice producer Terry Frieden for making himself available to us during that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D-NY), SECRETARY OF STATE NOMINEE: I remain an optimist.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: She is an optimist, almost certain to be the next U.S. secretary of state. But is her confirmation process all smooth sailing? Oh, no. There is a loud voice of dissent on the committee that is deciding her future as well. What is the real motivation here?
We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back, boy, a lot going on, a lot happening just as we were getting ready to go on the air here.
First of all, this confrontation between a couple of senators on the decision about Eric Holder. This is the Senate Judiciary Committee, right? Yes, Senate Judiciary Committee. This is Arlen Specter and Patrick Leahy, one of Pennsylvania, the other of Vermont, respectively.
Here we go. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. ARLEN SPECTER (R-PA), JUDICIARY COMMITTEE RANKING MEMBER: I have been asked -- I make the sharp distinction between my personal request and the request of the other Republican members of this committee. But they have asked me to articulate their request that the nomination be held over for one week.
SEN. PATRICK LEAHY (D-VT), JUDICIARY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: A request has been made by the Republicans to hold the nomination over for one week.
I am extremely disappointed. But they have that right. And this historic, historic nomination is held over.
We will stand in recess. Such is the call of the chair.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Just seemed to come out of nowhere. Obviously, some folks were surprised by that.
And there's -- we were told by our own producer there, justice producer a little while ago, Terry Frieden, that this maybe is something that had been coming for some time between these two gentlemen.
We will stay on that for you.
Meanwhile, something else we want you to take note of here. Is this about acceptance and about maturity and about sour grapes? In a minute, you're going to see a live conversation right here about a Republican senator who is not yet fully on board with the notion of Hillary Clinton becoming the secretary of state. He's got some concerns, some questions and some legitimate issues.
And that's how grownups and professionals object to political developments. They follow civilized rules. They use civilized language spoken in measured tones, when possible.
So, what's Rush Limbaugh got to do with this? Rush Limbaugh said on his radio program yesterday that he hopes Barack Obama fails. He said that. He said that on Inauguration Day, not out of context. No, he said it -- quote -- "I hope he fails."
I want to be fair. So, here's the context, all right?
He asks himself -- quote -- "What is unfair about my saying I hope liberalism fails? Liberalism is our problem. Liberalism is what's gotten us dangerously close to the precipice here."
And then he goes on to say this. This is a quote. "I would be honored if a drive-by media headlined me all day long: 'Limbaugh: I Hope Obama Fails.' Somebody's got to say it," he goes on to say.
The words in and of themselves obviously do seem shallow, maybe oversimplified, a little pouty, wounded, and wounding, too. But I want you to hear them for yourself. So, when we come back, you're going to hear his entire rant. Is he a lone wolf? Or is he trying to signal the beginning of an obstructionist movement among Republicans? Or has that already begun?
We are going to be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: I welcome you back to the world headquarters of CNN. I'm Rick Sanchez.
Promised that you would listen or be able to listen to the entire Rush Limbaugh commentary. Here it is.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP, "THE RUSH LIMBAUGH SHOW")
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: If I wanted Obama to succeed, I would be happy the Republicans have laid down. And I would be encouraging Republicans to lay down and support him.
I don't want -- look, what he's talking about is the absorption of as much of the private sector by the U.S. government as possible, from the banking business, to the mortgage industry, to the automobile business, to health care. I do not want the government in charge of all of these things.
I don't want this to work. So, I'm thinking of replying to the guy, say, OK, I will send you a response, but I don't need 400 words. I need four: I hope he fails.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: "I hope he fails."
Wayne Slater is with "The Dallas Morning News." He's good enough to join us now.
I guess it's OK to say, look, I want liberalism to fail because I'm anti-liberalism. But saying, I want Obama to fail is saying essentially saying at what is one of the most precarious times in our nation's history you want the country to fail, isn't it? Or am I reading this wrong?
WAYNE SLATER, AUTHOR, "THE ARCHITECT: KARL ROVE AND THE MASTER PLAN FOR ABSOLUTE POWER": No, you're not reading it wrong.
There is this sense across the globe and across America that we ought to get together, the new Obama compromise spirit. Let's get rid of the partisanship and the polarization. But within the Republican Party, a party that's lost two elections badly in a row, there is a debate.
And that is, do we go to the right? Do we resume the status of the party of opposition, of clear, distinct and sharp differences against our opponents? Or do we move to the left, to the center, and try to accommodate?
And, right now, that debate's going on. Limbaugh, and John Cornyn in the case of the Kay Bailey Hutchison nomination, I think, are part of that expression.
SANCHEZ: Well, yes, it could also be seen, by some, as obstructionism. And some would argue that, in John Cornyn's case, who's trying to hold up the nomination of Hillary Clinton -- as a matter of fact, let's listen to what John Cornyn says.
We have got some sound. Let's listen to this together and we will talk about it on the backside.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R), TEXAS: My concern is not whether our colleague, Senator Clinton, is qualified to be secretary of state of state or not. She is. And I intend to vote for her confirmation.
But I also believe it's very important to flesh out some of the concerns that have been raised legitimately by Senator Kerry and Senator Lugar and others that I think bear some public discussion and some debate here in the Senate.
I argued to Senator Clinton yesterday -- or I didn't argue to her, but I explained to her my position, that I thought that greater transparency would make it better for her as she enters this new job as secretary of state, because any cloud or question that remains because of the lack of transparency, a lack of disclosure, really, I think, hurts her and hurts the Obama administration, at a time when we want to see it succeed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Transparency. What he's talking about is whether there's a potential conflicts of interest in her husband's dealings in his foundation.
But, you know, you can't help but wonder, did he raise the same points when it came to Dick Cheney's association with Halliburton, and then executing the war, and then getting no-bid contracts for Halliburton? If he did, then he has a right to ask. If not, you have got to wonder, don't you?
SLATER: Absolutely.
And so I actually went back on LexisNexis and did a search. And doing that entire debate over a potential conflict of interests involving Dick Cheney and Halliburton, John Cornyn's name appears nowhere. He was not a major figure anywhere in this.
And, so, this really raises the question, although he's raising a significant issue, something that's serious, the context of it is purely partisan. Cornyn is head of the Senate -- the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He is part of this Republican party who wants to push the idea, the subset of the base, the hard base that says we've got to fight these guys. Now, the danger of that is you look obstructionist at every turn.
But what Cornyn did yesterday, in basically putting a hold at least for a day on Senator Clinton, was to kind of throw dust in the air and to raise questions. And I think it's the mark of something that's going to come again and again.
SANCHEZ: Let me ask you something else. Barack Obama is doing what he apparently said he was going to do. He said on day one, I'm going to go in there. I'm going to get all my commanders together. I'm going to talk to these guys, like I think he's talking now. In fact, in the next half hour, he's going to be meeting with Petraeus, Odierno and Gates. He's going to be dealing with his chief of -- with Admiral Mullen.
He had said, I want to end the war in Iraq in 16 months. Can he do this? What's going to come out of this meeting?
SLATER: Good question. My indication is, talking to some folks in Washington, yes, it's going to get close to that. He basically is going to have the commanders on the ground guide him. It's going to be what they call a responsible or a serious withdrawal.
But he campaigned for two years on this idea. Whatever the exact months are, we're going to see troops removed from Iraq. We're going to see Guantanamo Bay closed. We're going to see these things he campaigned on, maybe not quite as quickly as he had hoped. But we're going to see movement in that direction. That's what voters voted for.
SANCHEZ: Wayne Slater, my thanks, sir, for being with us as usual. Good stuff.
Say so long to the Bush administration and its environmental legacy. Now, what is left? And what can be changed? We're going to ask possibly the best person that can be asked this question. He's the environmental activist Bobby Kennedy. There he is. He's going to be joining us in just a moment. And he has not been a happy camper over the last seven and a half years. I can guarantee you that. But what now? We'll talk to him. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: This is a MySpace quote that's coming in from one of our viewers right now. She's watching. Let's go over to MySpace, Johnny, the other monitor. This is a viewer who says, "Rush," referring to Rush Limbaugh and that segment we just did moments ago -- "Rush is just jealous because he only makes news when he's controversial." That may not be too far from the truth. "He has no substance. He doesn't hold a candle to Obama."
Let's leave it there. Interesting comment. It's pretty much in keeping with most of the comments that we've been getting on that.
I'd like to introduce somebody to our newscast now who obviously has taken a lot of his own time to try and fix things as far as environmental policy goes. He's one of the most well-known environmental activists. He's Bobby Kennedy Jr. My thank you, sir, for being with us today.
BOBBY KENNEDY JR., ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST: Rick, thanks for having me on the show.
SANCHEZ: It's a pleasure. By the way, scary situation yesterday with your uncle. We hope everything's OK. We've got our fingers crossed over here, OK?
KENNEDY: Thank you so much. He's doing very well. He's actually -- I think he left the hospital -- I got word that he was going to leave this morning and that he was going back to Florida. But he was in high spirits. He was talking last night and joking. And so we're all very grateful.
SANCHEZ: That's good. I know it was kind of dicey there at the beginning. But everything seems like it's going to turn out OK. Have you spoken to President Obama, not as a president, but just in the past about environmental policy?
KENNEDY: Yes. Yes, I have. And I've been very impressed not only by what he said to me personally. I had written an article in "Vanity Fair" called "Manifesto," and it was basically a blueprint of what the next president, be it McCain or Obama, ought to be doing with our energy policy to get us off of foreign oil, and to get us off of carbon, decarbonize our society.
He told me that he read that article twice. He's consistently made statements that show a high level of sophistication about the environment. The appointments that he's made, Lisa Jackson at EPA, and Carol Browner as kind of the environmental energy czar, have been both applauded widely by the environmental community.
So I think we're going to see a real sea change from what we saw over the past eight years.
SANCHEZ: Let me ask you about that. Some people speculate that there would be -- during an economic downturn is not a good time to make these changes. George Bush would argue that these types of changes, which he fought tooth and nail, I think everybody recognized that, stifle business. And he was in large measure there to protect business. Can they live together? Can they work together these two principles?
KENNEDY: Let me say this. Good environment policy, 100 percent of the time, is identical to good economic policy, if you want to measure the economy -- this is how we ought to be measuring it -- based upon how it produces jobs and the dignity of jobs over the generation, over the long term. and how it preserves the value of the assets of our community, how it promotes long-term prosperity and sustainability in our country.
If, on the other hand, you want to do what the Bush administration was preaching, which is to treat the planet as if it were a business in liquidation, convert our natural resources to cash as quickly as possible, have a few years of pollution-based prosperity, you can generate an instantaneous cash flow and the illusion of a prosperous economy.
But our children are going to play for our joy riding. They're going to pay for it with the denuded landscapes and poor health and huge clean up costs that will amplify over time and that they'll never be able to pay.
Environmental injury, Rick, is deficit spending. It's a way of loading the cost of our generation's prosperity onto the backs of our children. One of the things that I've done over the past 25 years as an environmental advocate is to constantly go around and confront this argument, this kind of right-wing argument that investment in our environment is a diminishment of our nation's wealth.
It doesn't diminish our wealth. It's an investment in infrastructure, the same as investing in telecommunications, road construction. It's an investment we have to make if we're going to ensure the economic vitality of our generation and next generations.
SANCHEZ: I'll tell you, you make a hell of an argument. You sound like a guy who could be an EPA administrator. Is that something you would be interested in in the future?
KENNEDY: I am very, very happy with the -- with President Obama's pick. Lisa Jackson, who was the EPA commissioner in New Jersey, did a wonderful job there, worked very closely with the river keepers in New Jersey, and has a long record of success. I'm very happy with what I'm doing. And I think right now I can probably be most effective continuing to do --
The administration's going to need a lot of help outside the government as well. I'm working with a lot of green tech companies, which is an industry that's exploding in this country right now. And we're going to -- we hope, and Barack Obama's administration has indicated, that this is an industry that's really going to find a lot of support with this administration.
SANCHEZ: It's great talking to you. I know we've been trying to get this conversation set up for some time. I'm glad we had a chance to do so. Take care.
KENNEDY: Thank you, Rick.
SANCHEZ: I appreciate it.
Now that the fanfare and the parties have ended, will those people you see right there care about what happens next? Or do they only show up for the parties? Is that how a democracy is supposed to work? Serious questions for serious times.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: It is important stuff to talk about. As a matter of fact, some people are responding to -- you love Wayne Slater. You loved Bobby Kennedy. In fact, look at this one coming in right now. "Great interview with Kennedy," it says right there. Way to go. "Thank you." You're welcome.
Here's something else I want you to take note of on this day: the response yesterday was impressive, right? Incredible pictures and unbelievable response from the American people. I'm sure we'll get the ratings later today and they'll be huge, because everybody was tuned in.
The problem is, too many people, too many Americans will now tune out. Why? Because we've become an "American Idol" society. We love events, Super bowl, the Oscars, the "American Idol" finalist. Don't bother us, though, heaven forbid, with what's actually going on in our government day-to-day.
Look, I have to apologize for harping on this, because I know I do it a lot. But I have cousins in Cuba right now who don't know what's going on in their own country, because they're not allowed to know what's going on in their own country.
So here's my point to you, all of you, if you're lucky, lucky enough to be born or live in a country that is a democracy, like ours, perhaps the best, it's not your right to be informed. It's not your right. It's your responsibility.
I've got another immigrant that's coming your way to comment on this in just a little bit. There he is. He's got cousins in another country, too, he talks to you from time to time. Carlos Mencia on deck. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Oh, yes, don't forget, CNN.com/RickSanchez. That's where you'll see some of the show and some of the commentaries you may have missed. By the way, people have been reaching out to us on MySpace today, and on Twitter. Here's one on Facebook. Johnny is in Tampa, Florida. He says, "regardless of party, isn't everyone, especially in Rush's position," talking about Limbaugh, "supposed to be an American first and then a party loyalist? It is anti-American and frankly ignorant to make a statement like he did today. No matter how far right or left you are, you and your neighbors will be affected by Obama."
Now let's flip it around. Look what John said. John Bird didn't even get to watch it. "I forgot you were on 3:00 p.m. Darn. I hope you didn't show the Rush thing yet."
We did. You missed it. We'll try to put it on our blog for you. That's CNN.com/RickSanchez. Carlos Mencia joins us now. There he is. It's always good to see you.
CARLOS MENCIA, "MIND OF MENCIA": Good to see you, buddy.
SANCHEZ: You beaner, you.
MENCIA: That's me. And I'm proud.
SANCHEZ: "Mind of Mencia" is the show on comedy central. I want to show you something everybody's been talking about. This happened yesterday. This is Barack Obama, he's taking the Oath of Office. On the one side of the screen, I'm going to show you what was supposed to be said. This is what the Supreme Court justice was supposed to say. And on the other side you'll see what he actually says. He kind of screwed it up. But let's watch it together. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN ROBERTS, CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT: I, Barack Hussein Obama do solemnly swear --
OBAMA: I Barack Hussein Obama do solemnly swear --
ROBERTS: -- that I will execute the office of president to the United States faithfully --
OBAMA: That I will execute --
ROBERTS: -- faithfully the office of president of the United States --
OBAMA: --- the office of the president of the United States faithfully --
ROBERTS: -- and will to the best of my ability --
OBAMA: -- and will to the best of my ability --
ROBERTS: -- preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
OBAMA: -- preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
ROBERTS: So help you god?
OBAMA: So help me god.
ROBERTS: Congratulations, Mr. President.
(END VIDEO CLIP) SANCHEZ: Carlos, look, anybody could make a mistake. But this guy had one gig. John Roberts, he had one gig in this thing.
MENCIA: Thirty five words, just 35 words, 35 words. And like he's the smartest guy -- he's this guy that prides himself on being intelligent. He's just -- at first, he kind of cut off the president to be. Then he mixed up the words. And the weird awkward moment is when Barack's looking at him like, did you just mess up the words? Kind of giving him a chance like, just say it right. Slow yourself down.
It looked like he almost wanted to go, hold on, everybody, he just messed up. It's OK. Relax. I got this. It was so weird to watch.
But for me, it's like, look, we all know this is historic. We all know this is the first African-American president of our time. Have a cheat sheet. How do you mess this up? I mean, this is his one -- like, Obama's got to be a really nice guy not to be like, are you kidding me? Did you just seriously mess that up? I am black, first ever. What are you doing to me?
SANCHEZ: Obama voted against this guy, by the way. You don't think there's anything there that could be -- nah.
MENCIA: You think? Maybe you think --
SANCHEZ: I'm going to mess this guy up?
MENCIA: You think the smartest guy who knows the Constitution backwards and forwards, every single amendment, laws, case laws, everything, really didn't know that you're supposed to put faithfully before that part? Hmm. I think in his head, he was going, "and I will defend -- you didn't vote for me, did you?"
SANCHEZ: It was an unbelievable moment. Listen, anybody makes a mistake. I'll tell you what's interesting, and you get this. It's what I was just saying moments ago. A zillion people probably watched yesterday all over the world and here in the United States. But you know what's going to happen now -- we talked about the rating. We're going to check the ratings, and all of a sudden, for the real work, what happened now? It's going to be a half. It's going to be a third. It's going to be a tenth. Right?
MENCIA: Look, a lot of things are great about America. And one of them is that we rely on our government in many ways to make things better for us and not have to worry about it. I think what Barack is telling us now is like -- which is kind of annoying to me because most presidents say I'm going to fix things. I'm going to make things better. Barack is like, we've got to fix things. I need your help.
I'm kind of going, what? I thought I could just go about my life after I voted and just do my thing. Like, I've got to help you now? What is that all about.
But he's being honest. Like you said, people that come from other countries that don't have freedom, we really want to vote. We really want to go out there and do things. I think that most people are going to go back to their lives and they're going to be OK as long as everything's perfect. But as soon as they get fired, or as soon as their friends get fired, or as soon as "American Idol" goes --
(CROSS TALK)
SANCHEZ: Carlos Mencia, good to see you. You're on tour, right?
MENCIA: Always, baby.
SANCHEZ: Where you going to be next?
MENCIA: I'm taking some time off, but this Sunday I'm going to be performing in Houston. I'm having a good time. You know what? Our relationship should get better. And now that I have time, I want to come on more often with you, man. We have a lot of fun doing this.
SANCHEZ: That's great. We'd love to have you. You're the best. Carlos Mencia, "Mind of Mencia," thanks for being with us.
Well, the fix is in and we're going to hear from a few other late night comedians about George Bush, about Dick Cheney and about Barack Obama. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) SANCHEZ: I'm reading some of your comments. Unbelievable the stuff that you guys are sending in to us. We'll get to that in just a little bit. First now, the fix on the day after the day.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVEN COLBERT, "THE COLBERT REPORT": Of course, I've got to address the one question that's been on every newsman's mind. Jim?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Black man is going to be sworn in as president of the United States. Did you ever think that you would see this in your lifetime.
BILL O'REILLY, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Did you ever think you were going to see this day?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you ever think you'd see this day?
COLBERT: As an African-American, did you ever think you'd live to see this day?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stephen, white people ask black people that all the time. That's why I'm proud to present these limited edition, "Yes, I thought I'd Live to See This Day" t-shirts.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Barack Obama was sworn in earlier today as the 44the president of the United States of America and the first president who is half white. Pretty exciting day for all of us. I'm assuming it was for you too.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very. I just think it's funny having Bush there, because it's like awkward, you know, because like -- they're celebrating Barack, but really they're really celebrating he's gone. Ding dong, the witch is dead. Hey, witch, sorry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's even weirder to see Dick Cheney rolled out in a wheel -- he looked like Steven Hawking. Then they said he hurt his back moving. No, he didn't. Do you think we're that stupid? He hurt his back moving? Like he's really moving his own things.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You run out of friends eventually. You want to help me move? You're not going to shoot me, right?
JON STEWART, "THE DAILY SHOW": No minor controversy is going to quell the enthusiasm of this crowd for this the most highly anticipated inaugural address of our lifetimes.
OBAMA: Our nation is at war against a far reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened. Homes have been lost, jobs shed, businesses shuddered. Our health care is too costly, our schools fail too many.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: That's great stuff. Wolf Blitzer standing by now to bring us up to date on what's going on. What a day yesterday. Good job, my friend.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks very much, Rick. This the first full day of Barack Obama's presidency. What a day it is. In his first few hours, sweeping changes in the way Washington does business. A new way of dealing with the crisis in the Middle East. Even a he difference in the style of working in the Oval Office. It's not over yet. There seems to be breaking news every couple hours or so. We're going to bring it to you live as it happens. That's coming up.
Also, a big day for two of Barack Obama's key appointments, including Hillary Clinton. The Senate about to vote on her nomination.
And billions of people around the world saw it. We have the details on the Beast, the new presidential limousine, like no other car in the world. What it's like inside and outside. How it protects the new president of the United States.
All that and Don Lemon and Soledad O'Brien, the best political team on television, right here in "THE SITUATION ROOM." Rick?
SANCHEZ: Just say the Best again for me. Will you?
BLITZER: The Beast.
SANCHEZ: I love -- It just sounds special coming from you. Thanks so much, Wolf Blitzer, in just a little bit. Your comments, by the way, when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: We welcome you back. Let's get you to some of the comments. Many of you have been watching this newscast and thousands of you have been sending comments them throughout the day. Let's get to them if we possibly can.
Otto Rodriguez says, "I don't have a problem with Rush Limbaugh's comments. It's purely a first amendment right." You know what, Otto is right.
"Obama is promising too much. It will take him years to dig us out of the mess Bush placed us in." Promising too much?
Jessica says "if the government cleared everyone's bad credit and put us all back to where we started from, we all would be better off."
And "we need to head in a new direction. Undoing some of the Bush policies is necessary to move our country forward."
One more. "Obama is awesome."
With that, we end this newscast. We'll look for you again tomorrow right here at 3:00. I'm Rick Sanchez. Thanks so much for being with us. Let me take you now to Washington and Wolf Blitzer in "THE SITUATION ROOM."
