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CNN: Source Says Grassley Will Offer To Interview Ford in California; North Korea Calls For "Corresponding Measures" From U.S.; Trump Touts "Tremendous Progress" With North Korea; Ford Calls For FBI Probe. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired September 19, 2018 - 12:30   ET

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

[12:30:00] JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: -- her legal team says no testimony until you have some sort of investigation.

SEUNG MIN KIM, WHITE HOUSE REPORTER, THE WASHINGTON POST: Also they're not willing to budge on the timing either because if you notice from Chairman Grassley's statement last night, he says, the invitation for Monday still stands. So Grassley is doing what he can to be as accommodating to the woman as possible, to Dr. Ford, but not on the timing as of yet.

And the midterm politics is just -- I mean, the president is right when he says the Supreme Court in a conservative energy over the courts in general is one of the reasons he did get elected. That Scalia seat was open for a year when -- or for almost a year when the president got elected in November 2016. I think it's still kind of early to see how this plays out but we see some of the major candidates in the big Senate battlegrounds siding with the Republican Party on how they handle this case so far.

Josh Hawley, the attorney general of Missouri, the Republican candidate there was talking this morning saying the Republicans are doing everything right. He's made the Supreme Court a major part of his candidacy. So I think you're starting to see, you know, Democrats feel Republicans have mistreated the process. Republicans feel Democrats have mistreated the process but what do independents feel. I think probably a little too early to see that.

KING: Probably a little too early but you mentioned Josh Hawley. Yes. I want to play some sound from him in a moment because he's the Republican candidate against Claire McCaskill, the key senator from Missouri, one of the 10 Trump state Democrats if you will. Senate -- Democratic senators up for re-election in states the president carried. There's the open Republican seat in Tennessee, Bob Corker's seat. Marsha -- Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn is the candidate there.

She wrote this in USA Today, she should be heard, about Professor Ford. She should come in before the vote on Thursday. I think she has from now until Thursday and then you call on the vote as schedule

So again, a Republican Senate candidate there saying, yes, you can be heard but let's go, move it along quickly. And you mentioned Josh Hawley. Let's listen.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

JOSH HAWLEY (R), MISSOURI ATTORNEY GENERAL: They're making a mockery of this process and that they should be ashamed. This is exactly the kind of thing that voters in my state at least say is wrong with Washington and that needs to change. It looks to just be an ambush. Sitting on this when they had the chance to bring it up in the hearings, had the chance -- after all it's not as if Judge Kavanaugh didn't sit for questioning, he sat for hour upon hour upon hour over days and witnesses were called in. I just -- people I think are bewildered and frustrated and now to have the Democrats moving the goal posts again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: An appeal there that will sink with Trump voters but again, my question is, yes the Democrats, Dianne Feinstein knew about the letter in July, she said she was respecting Professor Ford's request for confidentiality. Republicans have every right to complain about the timing but here's where we are now. Here's where are now, and can Republican candidates sell the idea that this is making a mockery of the process, that a woman who says she had a traumatic sexual assault experience and now as reliving some of that trauma in deciding whether to come public about it, is that, you know, an ambush, a mockery?

JACKIE KUCINICH, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, THE DAILY BEAST: You know, what they -- I have feeling a lot of the both parties have their eyes on suburban women, because they're the ones who are going to determine this election. A lot -- as many of them went to vote for President Trump, and if it seen that -- if there's a perception that Republicans are not treating this woman fairly, that's where you're going to see the backlash and that's where they may run into problems. But Democrats, on the other hand, you know, let's say Kavanaugh does withdraw, we see no -- there's no indication that he's going to do so but there's that. Republican voters tend traditionally to come out because of the Supreme Court.

Chris Van Hollen had a meeting with reporters this week that I attended and I asked him whether he's there seeing their voters really engaged in the Supreme Court? And he said it's starting, it's -- there's more than before, but he didn't say absolutely they're on board. That's a big difference.

KING: All right. We've raised throughout the hour lot of questions about the Republican strategy, can they pull this off, is there a risk in what they're trying to do? What is the Democrats bench?

I want you to listen here. This is Senator Mazie Hirono who said some very interesting colorful (INAUDIBLE) advice for men involved in this conversation. This is something a little different. You know, the Democrats say what's the rush, right, and she says, well, she gets why the Republicans are rushing to protect the president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. MAZIE HIRONO (D), HAWAII: This is yet another area where, you know, what can we expect him to say except to deny the whole thing, because for him to say anything else would totally deep-six his nomination. This is an administration that is totally intent, with the help of Mitch McConnell and others in the Senate to push this through. Why? Because the Supreme Court session is going to start in October, the president wants his guy there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL BENDER, WHITE HOUSE REPORTER, THE WALL STRETT JOURNAL: Well, part of the Democratic strategy has to be just to give Trump room to sort of step in it like he has in a number of these times in these races where similar issues have come up. But so far, Trump is staying relatively on message with Kavanaugh.

[12:35:02] His advisors think that's a good sign. They've shown him polling that shows his numbers have gone down after the McCain fight. He's not really in a position to pick this fight. They've reminded him of how he got through this in his own campaign, a similar issue in his own campaign. And trying to get him back on the economy which Republicans seem to think is -- seem to agree that is a winning issue.

So, you know, as long as Trump is where he is today, where he is defending Kavanaugh without attacking Dr. Ford, Trump's advisors think that's a good place to be.

KING: All right. And we'll watch as this plays out again. There's been a lot of moving parts over the last 24 hours. We'll keep track of it to see if negotiations actually exist. Whether they bear any fruit.

Up next, remember all that talk about Ted Cruz being in danger of losing his Senate seat? Well, some new numbers suggest that might just talk.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:40:19] KING: Topping our political radar, a Georgia judge today ordering election do-over. The judge says voters in Habersham County will have to go to the polls again for Georgia state House contest, that because some ballots were cast in the wrong district. Dan Gasaway filed suit after he lost the seat to challenger Chris Erwin back in May by just 67 votes.

A new poll showing Republican Senator Ted Cruz with a fairly comfortable lead over his Democratic challenger in Texas. The Quinnipiac survey has the incumbent up by nine points over Congressman Beto O'Rourke. That's among likely voters. Senator Cruz held a 15- point advantage among men in the poll, and a two-point edge among women. Minorities and independents however back O'Rourke.

Right now, President Trump in North Carolina getting a firsthand look at the devastation caused by Hurricane Florence. That storm killed 37 people there and the emergency is not over for some because of rising waters. Here you see the president just moments ago passing out meals to those in need. Before that, he promised the federal government is continuing full support.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: To the families who have lost loved ones, America grieves with you, and our hearts break for you. God bless you. We will never forget your loss. We will never leave your side. We're with you all the way.

And to all those impacted by this terrible storm, our entire American family is with you and ready to help and you will recover.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Up next, talk of a big breakthrough in North Korea, if you believe Kim Jong-un.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:46:04] KING: The leaders of North and South Korea had signed what they describe as a groundbreaking agreement toward denuclearization.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KIM JONG-UN, NORTH KOREAN LEADER (through translator): We're unafraid of backlashes and introversities. The world will witness how this long divided, long suffering people and nation pull forward together as one toward a better future despite enduring pain and misfortune through outside oppression.

PRES. MOON JAE-IN, SOUTH KOREA (through translator): Today, Chairman Kim Jong-Un clearly showed his determination of a denuclearized, no nuclear weapons, no wars and only peaceful Korean Peninsula.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Both nations agreed to end all military hostility between them and they planned to submit a joint bid to co-host the Olympics. And in a historic first, Kim Jong-un plans to travel to Seoul later this year.

But two words in the agreement are raising questions about Kim's intentions and just how serious he really might be about denuclearization. North Korea agreed, if the United States takes corresponding measures to take additional actions including permanent destruction of the Pyongbyon nuclear facility.

CNN's International Correspondent Will Ripley joins us live from Hong Kong. Will, what exactly are corresponding measures?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They have not been revealed and that is probably very deliberate, John. It could be perhaps the North Korea wants the lifting of sanctions as part of a step by step denuclearization process, drawn out perhaps long after President Trump leaves office. Or, they could want something that the U.S. may not be prepared to give, like a reduction in the number of American troops in South Korea, 28,000 currently. The North could claim, hey, they in the South just signed essentially what sounds and looks a lot like a bilateral peace treaty saying that the era of war has ended, why does the United States still need a military presence? Of course a lot of military advisors in Washington would tell President Trump that that would be a catastrophic mistake potentially, certainly strategically for the United States.

But could it be an ask by the North Korean that derails this whole thing or do things move forward. Either way, North Korea will be a lot better off economically once they re-open the joint industrial complex, a tourism center at Kumgang. They're going to get healthcare cooperation and assistance from South Korea, and then of course that potential Olympic bid.

North Korea has always wanted to host the Olympics. They have 100,000 person seating capacity stadium in Pyongyang. They use it for the May games or the Mass Games and they're ready to do it for the Olympics as well, John.

And so, a very interesting developments but we have to see what happens next. Trump-Kim round two at some point later this year we believe.

KING: Trump-Kim round two later this year. Will Ripley, appreciate the reporting for us.

Before leaving for North Carolina early this morning, President Trump weighed in on this big development.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We're making tremendous progress with respect to North Korea. Prior to becoming president, it looked like we were going to war with North Korea, and now we have a lot of progress. In the meantime, we're talking, it's very calm, he's calm, I'm calm, so we'll see what happens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: I love that part, he's calm, I'm calm. The question is, you know, Kim is great at the shows, he's great at the promises, the question is, do you get inspections, do you get verification, and what will happen if not? Because we are months after the Singapore summit and by all accounts they continue to produce some materials of nuclear weapons?

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And I think skeptics are worried about the president's confidence about this, instead of him being skeptical himself over these big promises that he doesn't get into that they also want concessions from the United States here too. And that they did include a list of step by step how they're going to do this, or a list of all their nuclear sites. Those are the things that people here want to see but President Trump is really quick to get on that and to tout this big progress that they've seen, even when there actually isn't any progress beyond words and then wanting the requirements of the United States. So those are the concerns that are still there, whether it's actually progress is still to be determined. Of course, everyone would like to see that. Nobody wants to get bombed but --

KING: And the definition of progress is the hard part in the sense that the president is adamant there has to be full and verifiable denuclearization.

[12:50:02] He can make the case rightly so, there aren't missile test, there aren't nuclear test, there aren't, you know, the tensions are way down from where they were in the early months of the administration.

But, will you really get verifiable denuclearization?

BENDER: And even the North Korean state run media point out that Trump is much more positive about these talks and about these developments than his own staff. Trump and Moon will be in -- at the United Nations meetings next week, there's some thought that there might be some of those specifics discussed there, so that will be the next step to watch in this story.

KING: All right, we'll keep an eye on that.

Up next for us here, Christine Blasey Ford has asked for an FBI investigation. If there were such an investigation, how might that play out?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:55:17] KING: The woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault wants an FBI investigation before she testifies on Capitol Hill. Christine Blasey Ford says the fed should look into for a 36-year-old allegation against Kavanaugh. President Trump though shutting down that idea saying the FBI has no place in discussions about the claim.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Well, it would seem that the FBI really doesn't do that. They have investigated about six times before and it seems that they don't do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Let's talk that over. CNN Senior Law Enforcement Analyst Tom Fuentes joins me. Tom, you're a former senior official at the FBI. When the president says that the FBI doesn't do that, is that fair?

TOM FUENTES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, it depends on what he means by that. They don't investigate 36-year-old allegations of local crime. That would be under the jurisdiction of the local police like the possible sexual assault in this case. But the FBI does do the background investigation to support judicial nominees at the orders of the president. So -- KING: And so if the president heard this allegation which was, whoa,

should I pull this nominee, he could pick up the phone and say look into this for me?

FUENTES: Absolutely. And they would basically re-open the background. The background investigations are done for the president, they're not done as a matter of a criminal investigation unless the allegation was that they committed a bank fraud, or corrupt, took money or something that would be a federal violation. But for something like this where the allegation is of a state crime, that would be up to the local police to open that as the state crime. But in terms of the background and his character and other issues like that, yes, absolutely, if the president thought that the complaint was in any way credible, he could immediately say, OK, FBI, you know, do this and, you know, report back to me. And then he could decide -- it's done for the purpose of the president to decide whether to keep the nomination going forward or just withdraw it. And we've seen many a case where a nomination was just withdrawn.

KING: And if the president picked up the phone and asked the FBI to do this and they gave the president a report, is he free to share that with the Senate? That's up to him right?

FUENTES: It's up to him.

KING: He can give to the committee though --

FUENTES: Yes, he might not share it. He might just withdraw the nomination. It depends on the -- you know, if it's favorable, you know, he'd be very interested in trying to share it or, you know, make use of it that way. But again, it's his decision, for his benefit in a sense of whether to keep a nomination alive.

KING: It's 36 years ago, Professor Ford says she was 15, Brett Kavanaugh was 17. She said they're in a house, she says -- she's named Mark Judge as the other person who's in the room. She says the two of them were in the room when what she describes as a horrible assault happens. She says there were couple other people, few other people at the house.

How would you go about that?

FUENTES: Well, you want to verify who was at the house, talk to all the other people. Have her -- and she's going to have to be interviewed and provide these names. The FBI is not going to be able to pull them out of thin air. And if Kavanaugh, his excuse was that he wasn't there or his defense is, he wasn't at this party or didn't do it. Then really she's going have to say, OK, here's where it took place, the date, the time, the location, what he did, and who can verify her story.

Now, you know, we've seen this public reporting of another person who since has said, I wasn't even there. So right off the bat you have a discrepancy concerning her credibility. So her credibility in this is a key factor. And it's going to have to be. KING: He is a sitting federal appeals court judge. So if this information comes into the FBI -- Senator Feinstein has now forwarded the letter, if he's not up for anything else or if the president doesn't ask, is there no obligation at all if an allegation like this comes in against a sitting federal judge, never mind the fact he's a nominee for the Supreme Court. Is it nobody's job to investigate this?

FUENTES: That's right, nobody. It goes back to whether the local police will take the case. It's not the FBI's place to take a local investigation if it's not a federal crime, or it's not a joint investigation or an allegation of organized crime or terrorism or corruption or something like that.

So if you're talking like what's been said about this event, if it took place, it's not under the FBI's jurisdiction. Now, to determine his character, for the benefit of the president deciding whether to keep the nomination going forward, or withdraw the nomination, that's a different story, that's part of the background investigation which the FBI is authorized to do the background.

KING: And so if the president won't pick up the phone and asks, it won't happen, right?

FUENTES: Probably not.

KING: And what do you read into the president saying, I don't think that's what they do. That he doesn't want to pick up the phone and ask.

FUENTES: I think -- but he's also said he wants to hear what she has to say. So, I think that, you know, knowing how the president has made decisions in the past, I could see him, if she came in and publicly testified and had a great deal of credibility, looked very, you know, believable in her story and in her testimony, he could easily -- he could decide right then.

KING: Tom, appreciate the insights there (INAUDIBLE).

Thanks for joining (INAUDIBLE). (INAUDIBLE) the breaking news coverage. Jim Acosta is in for Wolf, he starts right now. Have a great day.