Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

More E-mails Exist That Show Trump's Role In Ukraine Aid Freeze; U.S. Has Eight Confirmed Cases Of Coronavirus; Trump And Bloomberg To Run Dueling Super Bowl Ads; Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) Talks About Growing Divide Among Democrats. Aired on 4-5p ET

Aired February 01, 2020 - 16:00   ET

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

[16:00:09]

ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Ana Cabrera in New York. Thank you for being with us on this Saturday.

The president of the United States, his impeachment trial very likely to be over in a matter of days, that's after enough senators voted Friday to wrap up arguments without additional documents or witnesses.

So, starting again on Monday, the senators will hear closing arguments, complete some procedural stuff, and then the full Senate is scheduled to vote on Wednesday on whether to acquit or convict, where every expectation at this point is they will vote to acquit the president.

But with the end of the president's impeachment trial just days away, got a new bombshell admission by the Trump administration. The Department of Justice acknowledging in a late night court filing it has two dozen e-mails related to Trump's involvement in the withholding of millions of security aid to Ukraine. This is key as it's the first time the administration has admitted these e-mails involving Trump directly exist.

But it's likely unlikely anyone will see them. The administration is still blocking the e-mails from the public and has successfully kept them from Congress. And the disclosure came hours after the senators defeated Democrats' push to call witnesses and to bring new evidence into the impeachment trial. That paves the way for the president's acquittal when the final vote on the verdict happens this Wednesday.

CNN's Manu Raju joins us on Capitol Hill.

Manu, how frustrating is this for Democrats?

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Democrats have been making the case throughout this impeachment proceeding that a subpoena that would be issued by the Senate, signed off by the chief justice in presiding of the trial would be powerful and carry and is something forced the White House to provide documents such as this to Congress.

But this all fell on deaf ears among most Republicans who did not believe that any additional evidence would change their view, that nothing the president did amounted to impeachable conduct. Contending that even if the president did, in fact, withhold military aid to Ukraine and leveraged the power of his office to force an investigation into his political opponent, that still did not rise to the bar of high crimes and misdemeanors as set out under the Constitution.

Now, we are now moving forward to this acquittal vote that will happen on Wednesday. Senators are out of town today and tomorrow. They will come back on Monday, hear closing arguments from both sides and senators will deliver their own speeches that will set up the vote on Wednesday.

Now, there are some questions about how that ultimate vote will come down. While the president will be acquitted, will there be any who break ranks, including moderate Democrats like Joe Manchin and Republicans were signaling that they don't need to hear any more information while defending their decision to block witnesses.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: How hard of a decision?

SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): It's very hard decision. It's the most serious decision that any senator will make in their career and every senator wishes they didn't have to make this decision.

RAJU: Do you think the president acted appropriately in this in terms of Ukraine?

SEN. PAT TOOMEY (R-PA): I've said from the beginning I think it was not a perfect phone call. It was elements that were not entirely appropriate but it's not close to rising to the level of impeachable offenses.

RAJU: Why no witnesses though?

TOOMEY: Because they don't add anything that is necessary at this point.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: Now, the White House had wanted the president to be acquitted by Tuesday. That's when the president, of course, is going to give his State of the Union Address. He could use that as a forum to boast about his acquittal. They were hoping at least but Democrats pushed back to essentially delay things and the Republicans decide they didn't want to go to a weekend proceedings to push for a potential acquittal before Tuesday.

And so, that's why this final vote will happen Wednesday, a day after that national televised address -- Ana.

CABRERA: All right. Manu Raju on Capitol Hill for us -- thank you.

Joining us now is former Nixon White House counsel John Dean, CNN legal analyst and former federal prosecutor, Jennifer Rodgers, and Lynn Sweet, Washington bureau chief for "The Chicago Sun-Times".

John, after what we saw in this trial, no witness, no new documents. Just everybody being very partisan in all of it. No search for the truth, really. Do you believe that the impeachment process is permanently altered here in the U.S. and that perhaps a future president could be impeached but would never be removed from office?

JOHN DEAN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I certainly hope it isn't permanently affected by this. It is a precedent. It is probably going to be harshly criticized.

It is a successful cover-up. We have seen the whole process where the White House has managed to block providing information. The Senate making no effort to really get that information, not even wanting that information. So, that -- that is a cover up.

The president is getting away with behavior that even some senators admit is inappropriate, is the word of choice right now.

[16:05:02]

CABRERA: So, is that now essentially creating the precedent that this kind of behavior is OK? Does it give the green light for this kind of behavior in either this president or others?

DEAN: I hope that can be prevented. I think there's a very easy way to do that. For the House to issue now a resolution of censure, spelling out this fact that this conduct is not acceptable, maybe even the Senate would join. Certainly, the Democrats would join and a few Republicans who, given the comments they might make this week, might be enticed to join in a resolution of censure, because it's a terrible precedent they're setting.

CABRERA: Jennifer, these new e-mails from OMB that we just learned about hours after the vote to not have new witnesses, not have new evidence submitted in this trial. What we know about these e-mails is they apparently involve communications that indicate the president wanted the Ukraine aid withheld and perhaps even provided his reasoning for that. We don't know exactly what they say. Only that the president was directly involved in this withholding of aid.

Does it change the case? It's certainly new information but does it rise to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors perhaps?

JENNIFER RODGERS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, it's so interesting because they also apparently talk about what the vice president knew and his involvement too which is something we haven't really dug into that much. It won't change anything for the senators because the senators, as John just said, you know, this wasn't about -- the vote yesterday wasn't about acquittal or conviction. It was just about whether they wanted more information. And the House managers have been clear all along that there's no question this information is out there.

We know John Bolton was saying there were the conversations. We all knew there were e-mails that were talking about this stuff. It's just the White House wouldn't hand them over pursuant to subpoenas. So, it's not a surprise these e-mails exist.

What's really surprising and very discouraging for me as a DOJ former person is the DOJ waits until just before midnight on the last day before they have to file this disclosure that these exist when the Senate impeachment trial is going on. That to me is in bad faith. You have the president's lawyer standing up and saying, there's no evidence that the president did anything wrong. There's no evidence of this quid pro quo. They know that evidence existed and DOJ held it until the last possible moment.

And that says a lot. You know, we've been talking about whether the Senate is broken, whether impeachment is broken. That says a lot about DOJ being broken and that's very sad.

CABRERA: And so, what is the fallout politically and let me come to you, Lynn, because just -- you know, as this trial is about to come to an end, the story is not. We are likely going to keep learning new information about the president's role in blocking aid to Ukraine. We could see more documents possibly through freedom of information request.

Plus, we have John Bolton's book that will coming out soon, right?

So, will this drip, drip, drip of information cast a shadow on the president's acquittal, and do you think Republicans are prepared for that?

LYNN SWEET, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: I think Republicans are not prepared for these new revelations. The political impact at the first thing that will happen is that the House Democrats have to decide if they want to subpoena John Bolton in the House Intelligence Committee or any other committee.

You don't have to wait necessarily for the book to come out. The criticism that the senators had and hid behind is the House sent them a flawed case because they did not pursue in court the witnesses they wanted, all the witnesses. So now that Bolton said he will testify with a subpoena, he's boxed himself in. It seems the political answer for the Democrats would be the decision whether or not to pursue this in the coming months or just use the Senate's refusal to hear witnesses as an adequate railing cry to try to take the Senate in 2020.

CABRERA: Susan Glasser wrote a piece for "The New Yorker" focusing on Republican Senator Lamar Alexander and his decision to vote no on witnesses even while conceding Democrats had proven their case.

And she ends on this note: Donald Trump's stonewalling will succeed where Nixon's failed. Perhaps Alexander has done us all a favor; the trial that wasn't a really a trial will be over, and we will no longer have to listen to it. The Senate can stop pretending.

John, do you agree?

DEAN: I do.

CABRERA: Yes?

DEAN: I think that the Senate has been pretending. They have been going through the motion offenses of trial. It looks like it was pre- baked before they even started. Mitch called -- the majority leader called the White House to get clearance as to how to land this flight, if you will.

CABRERA: Right.

DEAN: So, the whole thing is a sham. And I think Susan has nailed it.

CABRERA: What's your reaction to that piece, Jennifer? The fact that Mitch McConnell apparently we're learning got Trump's blessing to have the acquittal vote on Wednesday when they knew he wanted it prior to the State of the Union.

[16:10:01]

RODGERS: Yes, it's just so different from what I'm used to and what we're used which are criminal trials, right, where the government has all of the evidence, the ability to get all of the evidence and so the protections to make sure both sides have a fair trial are really for more the defendant.

Here, it's really the opposite. You have the defendant who is withholding all the evidence from the government. The defendant who is essentially conspiring with the jurors and not just about, you know, how it's all going to go, what evidence is being withheld. I mean, it just turns the justice on its head.

So, it's not surprising given what we already knew about how involved Trump and the White House were and how the Senate was conducting its business. It's just another nail in the coffin of the Senate's integrity.

CABRERA: Lynn, quickly if you will, what do you think this means for Trump's State of the Union Address? The fact he's going out there and giving his speech before being acquitted?

SWEET: Well, I think the fact checkers better get a good night sleep and have a pot of coffee, as the speech starts because I'm just guessing he will say things that will be claims that need to be validated. I think this will embolden him. He knows he's going t to be -- he won't get the votes to convict him the next day. And he will act as if the vote had happened already.

So, my prediction is that's how he will handle it and will understand that this largest audience that you get usually on a TV night is one where he will present himself as a victim with Nancy Pelosi sitting behind him in the House of Representatives that impeached him. I wouldn't be surprised if somehow he makes a reference to the Democrats or his impeachment speaking to them from the rostrum. Again, just think of the picture with Nancy Pelosi over his shoulder.

CABRERA: Right.

Lynn Sweet, John Dean, Jennifer Rodgers, thank you all for that thoughtful discussion.

We are covering breaking news this afternoon on the coronavirus virus. Hundreds of medical beds being set aside in the U.S. as a new case is also diagnosed.

And U.S. airlines taking actions. More and more flights cancelled.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM. We'll have an update when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:16:15]

CABRERA: Breaking news right now on CNN.

The U.S. military preparing to handle up to 1,000 people who may need to be quarantined after arriving in States from other countries. This is all over the concerns of infection by the deadly coronavirus. This temporary housing would be on West Coast military bases in Texas, in Colorado, as well as California. And again, it's an agreement from the Pentagon to help in the event they are needed.

Meanwhile, today, the eighth case of the coronavirus has been confirmed here in the U.S., this time in Massachusetts. Health officials confirming it's a UMass Boston student. But they add the case poses no increased risk to other students on the university's campus. The student, a man in his 20s, is currently doing quite well and is being quarantined at his home. We're told and we are understanding he got this virus through traveling, not in infection that was transmitted here in the U.S.

Now, beginning tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. Eastern, U.S. citizens who have been in parts of China will be subject to up to 14 days of mandatory quarantine. And foreign nationals who have traveled to China in the last couple of weeks will be denied entry altogether.

Meanwhile, Chinese officials are now deploying talking drones to scolds people from walking outside without masks.

CNN's Polo Sandoval is joining us from Newark, New Jersey, one of the three major airports that serve the New York City area.

And, Polo, we hear that Delta Airlines is so concerned they have moved up the date that they will stop flights to and from China altogether. Tell us what you know.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Ana, some of what airlines are doing or in this case, not doing, they are suspending some of their service to various parts of China particularly those that have been directly affected. Yes, Delta Airlines have initially planned on implementing those kinds of policies next week. They moved it up joining American Airlines and also United. I look up the board, and there's still a couple of flights scheduled later tonight coming in from China. Passengers aboard those flights should not be surprised, Ana, if they are subjected to some of these health screenings. CDC officials have been looking out for some of those symptoms -- coughing, trouble breathing, fever.

The way this works is that they do see some of the symptoms in some of these passengers and they're able to recognize they have been to some of those affected areas in China, that they would potentially be referred over to seek medical attention. If they don't, they are given cards that would potentially, that would effectively give them all the information they need since many of these symptoms begin to present themselves later on.

Now, as what we can expect tomorrow, you just mentioned some of it, these foreign nationals would be essentially banned from visiting the United States in a temporary basis while authorities will try to get a fair grasp on this. And as for U.S. citizens who have travelled to affected areas and they would be potentially subjected to a mandatory quarantine, certainly something significant here, Ana, since we have not seen quarantine of this kind in the United States, the last five decades.

And finally, starting tomorrow, there will be at least six airports that will be established from LAX to Seattle, JFK also among those six, Atlanta as well. But these are airports where many of the government resources will be focused, health resources to try to keep the spread of this virus. But we heard time and time again from authorities, at this point, the risk of contracting this in the United States remains low -- Ana.

CABRERA: All right. Polo Sandoval reporting from Newark, New Jersey, in the airport there -- thank you very much, Polo. We know you'll give on top of it.

With just days until the Iowa caucus, two days to be exact, and the impeachment of Trump creating more divisiveness in this country, is there anything that can bring communities and families back together?

Deepak Chopra is going to join us next. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:24:24]

CABRERA: The impeachment trial of Donald Trump reveals not only the widening divide between Democrats and Republicans but also a growing distrust between voters who support the president and those who don't.

Listen to this first time Iowa caucus voter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think I just feel like I moved to a third world country. The last three years things are not the same. Nobody can openly talk to another person if they're a Trump supporter. I don't know. It's kind of scary the way things are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Can't you just hear that anxiety in her voice?

[16:25:00]

It doesn't help when the president repeatedly says things like this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: How stupid is our country.

We're so far behind the time. By the way, the world is laughing at us.

How stupid are the people of Iowa? How stupid are the people of the country?

I have a suggestion for the hate-filled extremists who are constantly trying to tear our country down. They never have anything good to say. That's why I say, hey, if they don't like it, let them leave. Let them leave.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: How did we get here? And how do we find our way out? Author and spiritual leader Deepak Chopra is here to help us find answers. And his new book is "Meet a Human: Unleashing Your Infinite Power".

Thank you so much for being here, Deepak.

DEEPAK CHOPRA, AUTHOR AND SPIRITUAL LEADER: Thank you so much, Ana.

CABRERA: Great to have you here with us.

This whole impeachment process, the proceedings that we've been watching playing out has really reinforced the divide in this country. It's a divide that just seems to be deepening.

How did we end up here?

CHOPRA: Well, I think politicians by nature are inclined to power mongering, influence peddling, cronyism, corruption and selfishness. It's nature of politics.

We've reached a place now where this couldn't get worse. So, I think the only way to move forward is go beyond the polarization, come up with creative solutions. And that's possible.

CABRERA: Right, I mean, you kind of get into that in your book. I mean, it's what you have been studying as you really have studied the human condition. What do you think is driving or fueling this divide? Is it fear amongst us? Is it a desire to be accepted? And so, we look for a different camp, you know, the camp where we feel like we belong and just dig in? What do you think? CHOPRA: It's the way we are conditioned. So, you know, and naturally

lean towards being liberal. There are other people who naturally lean towards the other end. But what we all want, a shared vision which we all want, even Trump would not disagree with that. We want a more peaceful, just, sustainable, healthier and joyful world

CABRERA: Uh-huh.

CHOPRA: And if we do want that, then opposing factions have to come and speak to each other with respect, not through insults. They have to recognize that there's a perception of injustice of both sides. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a conflict.

They have to be able to ask for forgiveness and give forgiveness. Not because the other person deserves forgiveness, because you deserve peace. You forgive.

You have to refrain from being belligerent, which is being synonymous with being a bully. And nobody likes a bully. You have to understand the principles of emotional and social intelligence. They are very well worked out. You have to understand a person's personal and social political values in order to have a conversation with them.

CABRERA: Uh-huh.

CHOPRA: You have to recognize that there's fear on all sides right now and ideological discussions never get anywhere.

CABRERA: Right.

CHOPRA: So, shared vision, some sense of emotional and spiritual connection, and complimenting each other's strength is the solution. We have the wrong metaphors. You know, we have the metaphor of violence on everything. War on poverty, war on drugs, war on cancer, war on terrorism --

CABRERA: Right.

CHOPRA: -- war on war. It's a silly metaphor. We need creative solutions.

CABRERA: But how do you breakthrough what exists out there right now. Because what you just describe takes works, right? And we live in a society right now where it seems like it's easy for people to just surround themselves with like-minded people to find sources of information that reinforces what they believe. You don't have to necessarily reach out. In fact, it's almost like the society currently is designed to reject other ways and other people who may think differently, look differently, hearing something differently.

CHOPRA: The society is unfortunately divisive, quarrelsome, frequently behaving in behaviors that only lead to more violence.

CABRERA: Right, like there's a mentality of --

CHOPRA: Yes. CABRERA: -- you're either with me or against me, right?

CHOPRA: Right. As I've said, we're reached a nadir, we can't get any worse, you know? We're now in the united, or I should say un-united kingdom of the United States. And we have seen this great disruption of the balance of powers.

But if you want a future then you have to envision that future together. I think in situations like this, both factions could come together and have a brainstorming session. What do people in the United States really want or in the world for that matter? You know, we cannot isolate ourselves either. We are living this extreme nationalism is isolating us from the rest of the world.

Now, you are showing all the news on the coronavirus.

[16:30:00]

The world is totally interconnected.

CABRERA: Yes, it's just have to show (ph) --

CHOPRA: What happens in one place affects everybody, everybody where.

CABRERA: Why are you so optimistic though that healing this nature can happen right now? I mean, it's an election year, right?

CHOPRA: Well, there's a saying, when there's chaos, there's the possibility of the birth of a dancing star. Chaos leads to creativity.

As I said, this is the time for us to have shared vision, and connect and come up with creative solutions. There's a creative solution to every problem and it's not violent.

CABRERA: There is a shared feeling right now among a lot of people and that is stress.

CHOPRA: And fear.

CABRERA: Stress and fear. What are some things people can do to help find that inner peace and that happiness?

CHOPRA: Be quiet, still your mind? Ask yourself, what do I want? What's my purpose? What am I grateful for? In fact, just feeling grateful opens the door to solutions. When you're grateful for what you already have, it's impossible to feel hostility.

CABRERA: Seems like a nice place to end. Thank you on that happy note, Deepak Chopra, it's so great to have you here.

CHOPRA: Thank you.

CABRERA: Thank you. Another battle will be front and center this Super Bowl Sunday. Here we go using metaphors again that aren't supposed to be used. We're talking battles, but we're talking about on the playing field. And there's also President Trump and Michael Bloomberg who will be

battling on air with their dueling commercials with their pitch to voters. The message behind them both, we will bring it to you next live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:35:44]

CABRERA: If you think tomorrow's Super Bowl will offer a diversion from divisive American politics, think again.

During commercial breaks, the big showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers will feature another battle taking place off the field in the form of those political ads being run by President Trump and a potential rival next fall, Democrat Michael Bloomberg.

Fox, which is broadcasting the game will also air an interview with President Trump before the game. CNN's Chief Media Correspondent and Anchor of "RELIABLE SOURCES," Brian Stelter joins us here.

And Brian, these ads will be played to an estimated 100 million people who will be watching the Super Bowl. We know commercials of the Super Bowl often gain as much attention as the game itself.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Right. Yes.

CABRERA: Let's just start with the minute long Bloomberg ad. Let's watch part of it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Lives are being lost every day. It is a national crisis. I heard Mike Bloomberg speak. He's been in this fight for so long. He heard mothers crying so he started fighting.

When I heard Mike was stepping into the ring, I thought now we have a dog in the fight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: And Brian, he is spending a lot of money on this 60-second spot, which we just played a very short portion of it.

STELTER: Yes, Fox is able to charge $5 million to $5.6 million for every 30 seconds during the game. Some of the ads right at kickoff and toward the end are worth more. But basically $5 million to $5.6 million.

So Bloomberg is spending roughly $11 million, according "The New York Times" and other outlets on this 60-second spot, and as we just saw, it focuses on gun control, a really interesting choice for the Bloomberg campaign.

They are not putting out an ad that's about Mike Bloomberg face all over the ad. They're not putting on an ad that's anti-Trump in nature. They're putting an ad promoting Bloomberg's record on promoting gun safety and gun control.

And that there's a Texas mom we just saw on that commercial whose life you know was ripped apart by guns. So the idea is to put front and center Bloomberg's positions.

I spoke with a representative of the campaign who said gun control is not a divisive -- this is not supposed to be a divisive ad. Yes, gun control is a topic that is with its passions, but they say they're trying not to be political, per se with this ad.

CABRERA: Right, because I heard one of his surrogates or maybe this campaign managers talking about how 90 percent of Americans agree with background checks and other gun violence solutions. That just happened --

STELTER: And that's the point they want to make. That's what they want to make and they're also going to launch a bunch of videos starting on Monday on this issue, basically using the Super Bowl as a launch pad.

CABRERA: Now, let's take a look or talk about Trump's ad. What do we know about it?

STELTER: Yes, there's two ads. This is what's different from the Bloomberg campaign. Trump is running two different commercials. So 30 seconds each, about $5 million to $5.5 million each.

They've released one of the ads, they're holding the other one until Sunday. This is a campaign ad promoting the President's accomplishments, arguing for a second term, a lot like we've seen from the campaign thus far, but we don't know what the other surprise that'll be.

And that's a common tactic for all sorts of marketers during the Super Bowl holding back some information until game time.

You know, there has been a question about whether other advertisers want to be anywhere near these political ads, but we don't know what order they'll be and where exactly during the game they will run.

CABRERA: We do know that the President will be sitting down with Fox News host, Sean Hannity, it is typical that Presidents have interviews at the Super Bowl. President Obama did it. But the interesting thing here is, is the relationship that this President has with Fox, right?

STELTER: Yes. I mean, look, some people think of Sean Hannity as the shadow Vice President. It is striking to see him of all people sitting down with the President for what is usually a journalistic interview.

You know, this is like one of the only traditions that President Trump has kept alive from the Obama years. So Obama was the one that made this a Super Bowl tradition, a Super Bowl Sunday sit-down.

And in the past, it was Bill O'Reilly of Fox who had the interview. Here's a little bit of O'Reilly in 2017 interviewing Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's better to get along with Russia than not and if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS, which is a major fight and Islamic terrorism all over the world.

BILL O'REILLY, JOURNALIST: Right.

TRUMP: Major fight. That's a good thing. Will I get along with them? I have no idea. He is a killer.

O'REILLY: Putin's a killer.

TRUMP: There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. Why? You think our country is so innocent?

[16:40:03]

O'REILLY: Are you actually going to watch the game? Are you going to --

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Of course, I'll watch the game.

O'REILLY: You're going to sit down and you're going to watch.

OBAMA: I am not --

O'REILLY: You know football, you know, like blitzes and coverage and all of that.

OBAMA: Oh, you know, I know football, man.

O'REILLY: You do?

OBAMA: Absolutely.

O'REILLY: Because I know you're a basketball guy.

OBAMA: I know -- I know football.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STELTER: You know, O'Reilly when it comes to Trump, he was like three quarters in. He did show some independence and he challenged Trump on the subject of Russia three years ago.

It was shocking to hear the President three years ago saying yes, you know, our country is so innocent, you know, kind of implying an equivalency between Putin and the United States.

So we'll see if Hannity holds the President's feet to the fire at all. This is being taped at Mar-a-Lago. Historically, Trump and Hannity are like this. They are so close. But it should be a newsworthy interview, because this is going to be the President's first big interview since we found out there would be no additional witnesses in the Senate, and he's on a fast track to acquittal.

So let's see if Hannity makes some news in this interview or not.

CABRERA: Yes, if impeachment even comes up.

STELTER: Yes. I hope it comes up.

CABRERA: Brian Stelter, we will see. You will be watching, so do I. Thank you very much.

STELTER: Thanks.

CABRERA: Don't forget to catch Brian on "RELIABLE SOURCES" tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. Eastern here on CNN.

We're also learning about a Super Bowl tribute to Kobe Bryant in the works. During the Miami press conference, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira talked about what would be a heartfelt moment that's supposed to take place during tomorrow's halftime show.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENNIFER LOPEZ, SINGER: I think about Vanessa as a mom and losing her best friend and partner and losing her child, and I think, you know, how awful that must be for her right now.

SHAKIRA, SINGER: I think we will be all remembering Kobe on Sunday, and we'll be celebrating life and celebrating diversity in this country. I'm sure he will be very proud to see the message that we're going to be trying to convey on stage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna and seven others were killed last Sunday when the helicopter they were in crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, California.

Still ahead, the divide between progressive and moderate Democrats now on full display on the campaign trail. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib booed the mention of Hillary Clinton's name during a campaign event for Senator Bernie Sanders. We will talk about it with 2020 presidential candidates, Senator Michael Bennet, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:47:06]

CABRERA: Two days out from the Iowa caucuses and an interesting moment out on the campaign trail. Watch as the last Democratic nominee and Iowa caucus winner is mentioned during an event for Senator Bernie Sanders, in particular, check out the reaction from Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib who is a surrogate for the Sanders campaign.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Iowa, we have three days. I don't remember if you guys remember last week when someone by the name of Hillary Clinton said that nobody -- we're not going to boo, we're not going to boo. We're classy here.

REP. RASHIDA TLAIB (D-MI): Oh, no, I'll boo. Boo.

[LAUGHTER]

TLAIB: You all know I can't be quiet. No, we're going to boo. That's all right. The haters -- the haters will shut up on Monday when we win.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: That moment follows an interview Hillary Clinton gave to "The Hollywood Reporter" last week where she said of Bernie Sanders, "Nobody likes him. Nobody wants to work with him. He got nothing done."

Well, today Congresswoman Tlaib appears to be having some regrets. She wrote this on Twitter regarding her booing, "I allowed my disappointment with Secretary Clinton's latest comments about Senator Sanders and his supporters get the best of me. You all, my sisters in service on stage and our movement deserve better."

Joining us now to discuss the state of the 2020 race, Democratic presidential candidate and Senator Michael Bennet. Senator Bennet, thank you for taking the time.

SEN. MICHAEL BENNET (D-CO), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thanks, Ana for having me.

CABRERA: Right now, there really does seem to be a sharp divide in your party between progressives and moderates. Does that worry you?

BENNET: We've got to get ourselves -- we've got to get it together if we're going to be Donald Trump. We lost him in 2016, something nobody thought was possible was that Donald Trump won the White House; even Donald Trump didn't think he did, and yet he won -- and we can't allow it to happen again.

And it's going to mean, not only that, progressives and moderates in the Democratic Party are going to have to come together, but we're going to have to find a way to inspire some of the nine million people who voted twice for Barack Obama and went to Donald Trump to vote for the Democratic nominee.

I know something about that, because I'm the only candidate in this race who represents a swing state, who represents a purple state. I was winning counties Trump was winning the same year that he won and that's what we're going to have to do.

CABRERA: You represent Colorado. You're coming to us from New Hampshire today, though. You've been in D.C. all week, and the Iowa caucuses are just two days away. Why aren't you in Iowa?

BENNET: I'm in New Hampshire, because we've got a great team in Iowa that's doing some hard work there. But to be honest with you, I'm behind there and I've been spending most of my time in New Hampshire. I've been in New Hampshire more than any other candidate. And I'm in the midst of doing another round of 50 Town Halls. So that's why I'm here.

CABRERA: But are you signaling to your supporters in Iowa that it's a lost cause?

[16:50:03]

BENNET: Not well, not at all. We've tried to stick with them, but they know that a caucus state is a hard place to compete in if you don't have the resources that some of the other candidates have or the same name recognition. It's a little easier to do it in New Hampshire and I think people understand that.

CABRERA: One more quick question now about Iowa, assuming you don't get the 15 percent support needed to sort of make it to the next round of the caucus. It's a little tricky how the caucus system works, but you know it well. Do you recommend your supporters throw their support behind another candidate of some sort?

BENNET: I recommend my supporters throw their support behind whichever candidate they believe is the one that is most likely to be able to beat Donald Trump. I think that's what's at stake.

And I think Iowa and New Hampshire is having a hard time making up their mind about that. People are not here as committed as they were even six weeks ago or six months ago because they're worried about whether the leading candidates can actually beat Donald Trump.

And I think that's what people should be asking. I've just spent the last -- I don't know how many days on the floor of the Senate contending with a President who doesn't even believe in our democracy.

The stakes in this election are so high that we've really got to pick the right person, and then we've got to fight, you know, with everything that we have to make sure we win in November.

CABRERA: Do you believe Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren could win in November? The progressive candidates in the race?

BENNET: I think that any candidate could win in November -- any Democratic candidate can win and I will do absolutely I can, anything I can to support our nominee, if it's not me, no matter who it is, because I think Trump is such a danger to our democracy and to our society. And that's what I believe.

CABRERA: I have to get your take on the new rules announced by the D.N.C., the debate rules, that there will be no donor threshold for its upcoming Nevada debate, just a polling threshold, which now opens the door for former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to qualify. What's your reaction to this news?

BENNET: You know, I never thought there should be a donor threshold. I thought it was really self-defeating for the party to be lopping people off just because they couldn't successfully money launder on Facebook, as well as some other people were able to do it.

So I'm glad they've gotten rid of the donor threshold. But I still think that it's important that we're not weeding people out prematurely in this race. This race still has a long way to go.

CABRERA: Let's talk about what has kept you in Washington for so much of the last couple of weeks, the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump. It will resume again on Monday.

You told CNN last night you will return to D.C. instead of staying on the trail. Do you think the impeachment trial has negatively impacted your 2020 campaign?

BENNET: It certainly hasn't helped but that's not important. I think we've got those of us that are running for President and also have a constitutional obligation in Washington and need to fulfill that constitutional obligation.

And I think we need -- we need it now more than ever. We've got a President who persuaded the Republicans in the Senate to help him cover up his misdeeds, and that is a travesty. And it is -- he has utter contempt, I think, for the Members of Congress, utter contempt for the American people who deserve to know the truth here.

Remember, whether you're for convicting Donald Trump or whether you're not, I mean, we ought to have facts and witnesses if we're going to call it a fair trial and in Donald Trump's America, as long as he's the defendant, the only fair trial is one where there aren't facts and witnesses, even when there are willing people that worked for him, were his appointees who want to come testify in the Senate about what he made them do.

CABRERA: More broadly, not just your candidacy, but how do you think Trump's impeachment and expected acquittal in the Senate will affect the 2020 election? Because that's part of the argument House Democrats made for the urgency of impeaching him when they did without having all the evidence, without having the subpoenaed witnesses, you know, go through the court system.

BENNET: Well, actually, the reason they weren't able to get those witnesses is the White House stonewalled the Congress in a way that no other President has ever done.

Richard Nixon never did what Donald Trump has done. Donald Trump has behaved in a in a dangerous and unconstitutional manner here, and we're going to have to make that case now going into the General Election and I believe strongly --

CABRERA: But do you worry about the integrity of the election being affected if you do believe that the President has been asking foreign powers to interfere in the upcoming election?

BENNET: Of course, of course. You know, I'm on the Intelligence Committee and I can't talk about what I've learned on the committee, you know, but I can tell you this, Russia interfered seriously in the 2016 election in ways that benefited Donald Trump mightily. [16:55:10]

BENNET: And they're trying to do it again in the 2020 election. Every single Western democracy is freaked out about what Russia might do in the upcoming elections, and we need to worry about it as well.

CABRERA: Yes.

BENNET: We need a president who will actually stand up for the country.

CABRERA: Senator Michael Bennet, thank you very much for talking with us.

BENNET: Thank you.

CABRERA: Good luck on the campaign trail.

BENNET: Thanks for having me. Thank you.

CABRERA: And with only 48 hours before the Iowa caucuses, the final CNN Des Moines Register poll numbers will be revealed live here on CNN during a special event tonight at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

Our coverage of today's big headlines continues with my colleague Brianna Keilar in "THE SITUATION ROOM" right after this. I'll see you back here two hours from now at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:00:00]