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Inside Politics
Gillibrand On Calling For Franken's Ouster And Just Couldn't Stay Silent; Gillibrand Explains Reversal on 2020 Run and Feel Called to Take on Trump; Politico: Pelosi Blocks Outspoken Critic From Judiciary Seat; Some Senate Republicans Break with Party on Russian Sanctions'; May: The Government Is Not Willing To Stay In The E.U. Aired 12:30-1p ET
Aired January 16, 2019 - 12:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[12:30:01] JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: It's not completely a gender play but a gender play. But there is some grumbling because to many progressives Al Franken was a star.
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, look. And we need to put ourselves back in that moment.
KING: OK.
BASH: In that moment it was on fire. The people were falling left and right, people men, were falling left in Hollywood, in the business community. And, you know, it was the Democrats who were in large part liberals leading the charge, talking about it and then the Al Franken thing happened.
Was it the same as these allegations against, you know, the people I was just referring to? No, but it was -- there was this frenzy going on. And Kirsten Gillibrand, does consider herself a leading voice for women and to be blunt, she also considered herself a potential presidential candidate and understood the moment and got out in front of it. And if there are people who are mad and she's right, she's going to live with it but she's going to excite as many people I think which is -- as she is making other people angry.
KING: Right. For people who don't know were she's the feisty.
BASH: Yes.
KING: She mixes things up and we'll see how this plays out. One of the things she's going to have to deal with, I think with some people in this age where Democrats trying to pick somebody who go up against Trump who they say is not credible. Who doesn't have a relationship with the truth. Most Democrats would say he's a fraud, that's their case against him.
She promised in her campaign, she was just reelected, "I will serve my six-year term. Here's what she saiys about that today."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND (D), NEW YORK: I will continue to fight for New Yorkers as I've always done. But I believe the urgency of this moment now is we have to take on President Trump and what he is doing.
As I said then, I will solely focused on winning our midterms, creating transparency and accountability over this White House to have some level of oversight and to continue to serve New Yorkers. And I feel I will continue to do that. But this sense of urgency has only grown in me and I do feel so called to fight as hard as I can right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: It's promise matter?
CARL HULSE, CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW YORK TIMES: I don't think anyone took that promise seriously at the time. I'm not even sure why she made that promise. She didn't need to do it and she was already considering a presidential race.
She's hired good people. I agree with everything Dana said. I think it could on the me too -- I think it could hurt her with some fund raisers who are unhappy about it. But it's probably a bigger help than a hindrance. She's also talking more directly now what Trump did than Senator Warren -- than Trump and Senator Warren did in her announcement.
I just think this entry of all these women candidates is great, it's fascinating.
KING: It's record setting.
HULSE: 2020 is the centennial of women's right to vote. Suffrage, there's going to be a lot of things going on around that. I think this election's going to have a special oomph for women in America.
KING: Elizabeth Warren and Gillibrand and Kamala Harris about this --
(CROSSTALK)
BASH: Tulsi Gabbard.
KING: Of course you're looking at it Tulsi Gabbard. A record number which is going to make -- and again, anybody, we just showed you the clip of then Senator then late President Obama before. And anyone thinks they know how this is going to end up and forget about it. This is wide open.
MJ LEE, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: And can I make a point to about the going back to the Me Too movement, the split screen that we're seeing particularly today. We have Bernie Sanders meeting with women from the 2016 campaign who had issues with the sexism that they said they saw throughout the campaign.
That is a very backward moment that Bernie Sanders is having right now today as there are voters out there. And I saw this because I've traveled with Warren the first few weekends as she was out on the stump. People who are raising questions about the fact that he has already run and he didn't win last time and is wondering is this his moment to run again?
And in the meantime, the other split screen, the other side of it are the women who are jumping in. And by the way, yes, they're going to be asked questions about what it means to be a female candidate but they are not openly seeking that out themselves. They're not saying my candidacy is about being a woman. It is just a fact and they expect that people understand that 2016 is not the same as 2020 and in large part due to the Me Too movement and how much has changed in such a short span of time.
MICHAEL BENDER, WHITE HOUSE REPORTER, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Basically for this -- for any of these Democrats to stand out, the lesson from 2016 and for Trump Ii think is authenticity. And to you agree with your points is not whether you're women or not. It's what issues you'll going to find credibility on and authenticity and maybe for Gillibrand, it's some of the Me Too issues that voters pay attention to more probably and more so than whether or not you broke a pledge to serve out as senator.
KING: Not nicknames, authenticity.
BENDER: Sure.
KING: We'll see as those debates play out. I agree with the comment of a caveat.
Up next for us, the prominent news out that says, Nancy Pelosi just broke a promise to those rebellious House Democrats who opposed her as speaker.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:39:22] KING: Topping our political radar today, CNN has learned North Korea's top negotiator will be giving President Trump a new letter from Kim Jong-un when he arrives in Washington. Sources telling us the former North Korean spy Chief Kim Yong Chol expected to hold meetings with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and possibly the president himself that on Friday. The visit is top secret, details not even shared with North Korean Diplomats posted here in the United States.
A house suppression from New York nursing which you might say some burn marks inflected by the new House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Politico says during a tense meeting last night Pelosi blocked Congresswoman Kathleen Rice from securing a seat on the judiciary committee, despite promising no retribution against those lawmakers who campaigned against her as speaker.
Politico says, Pelosi argued New York is already well represented on the committee. But quote the source in the room is saying, "Scores being settled is the first priority."
[12:40:14] Today little heard from acting attorney general vouches for his potential successor. Matthew Whitaker this hour speaking to a heritage foundation event her in Washington says William Barr the President's choice to be AG is in Whitaker's view the right man for the job.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATTHEW WHITAKER, ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL: I've always believed it that he is the right person to take over the Department of Justice and lead us into the next chapter in the Department of Justice's history. He comes from the perfect place where he is raising his hand, willing to serve, but doesn't need the job and that's always a good place to be.
And so I will be happy to hand him the keys to a well-oiled machine at the Department of Justice and allow him to move forward with his agenda and especially the president's agenda.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: As Whitaker himself notes there he's expected to leave the Justice Department soon before he goes, Democrats want to question him on Capitol Hill. And they said they now have an agreement for Whitaker to testify sometime early next month.
Let's go back to Kathleen Rice, one of the speaker's most outspoken critics wanting to get a seat on the judiciary committee and the speaker using her power to deny it. Hard ball. Old school, hard ball, politics. Shouldn't (ph) we surprised?
HULSE: I mean, totally expected. I mean, somebody is going to pay a price for this for telling her, that was someone that they picked out. And she's going to take retribution against everyone? No.
KING: Doesn't have to, right.
HULSE: Right.
KING: As you said as an example.
HULSE: And this is every speaker since I've been here has used these kind of tactics. And I think that Speaker Pelosi they will treat differently some of the other people who had district issues, newcomers who needed to vote against her. But, yes, this one -- this is just saying, hey, you know, don't mess with me.
LEE: And this was, I think, what was on the back of minds of everybody who thought about opposing her speakership before her leadership was determined. They know that there are consequences, political consequences with not backing Pelosi when she had enough support and then made sure that she got the support that she needed to get her over this threshold that if you were the person who went out on the limb. And said look, I think we need new leadership. Pelosi is not the person I'm willing to support this time around. Yes, there are going to be consequences if in the end, Pelosi does end up winning that political battle. BASH: Jane Harman was in line to be the chairman of the intelligence committee when the Democrats took over for the first time in 2006. And she didn't get it. The two of them had clashed on some things and this is less consequential than the chairmanship but it's not that different.
And look, I mean, the fact of the matter is when you have a powerful position like this, they used to be the earmarks where one of the things that you can kind of give and take to sort of show your power and keep your power. And committee assignments are about the only thing left other than, you know, handing out money for reelection campaigns.
BENDER: You'll get to see how this spins forward too looking back there because close enough the person to do this reminded of a time. Then Speaker Boehner wanted to send a message to a fire brand rebel named Michele Bachmann kind of keeper of Intel Committee. And he said how about this freshman guy by the name of Mike Pompeo?
KING: Watch, watch. Take a list, check it twice and then check in the year or two.
Up next, the Senate taking a key vote right now on the big showdown with the White House over Russia.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:48:02] KING: Live look at the United States Senate voting right now on what is a big showdown, a battle with the Trump White House over its effort to ease sanctions on a big ally of Vladimir Putin. The measure cleared its first hurdle yesterday on a vote of 57 to 42.
Most significant there, and what we're watching for right now is yesterday 11 Republican Senators broke ranks to join the Democratic led effort. Those Republicans ignoring direct lobbying from the Treasury Steven Mnuchin. The administration wants to ease sanctions on three Russian firms tied to Putin ally, Oleg Deripaska.
The Russian oligarch also has a long relationship with the former Trump campaign chairman, Paul Manafort. The GOP defections so far are a big deal, but it takes 60 votes for final passage. That's why we're going to watch this count as the vote plays out. Earlier today, the Democratic leader Chuck Schumer sounding hopeful.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D), MINORITY LEADER: We're only two votes away from telling Vladimir Putin he can't run the show here in the United States no matter what the Trump administration does.
Leader McConnell said Putin is a thug. Well, I believe that but if you believe that, if our Republican friends believe that would they should be voting with us and not just the 11 but more McConnell himself.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KING: We know of many of the Republicans disagree with the Russia policy.
BASH: Yes.
KING: They think that they have questions about the president's personal conduct and meetings with Putin. They have questions about why would you ease these sanctions especially now with the Mueller investigation still going on and this particular oligarch and a piece of it, will enough Republicans defect?
HULSE: I don't know. I'm going to guess right now, I don't know. But I don't think so.
I think this is message sending. This is the Republicans telling the president, you know, we are not with you on this. We're going to -- we want to continue this tougher policy on Russia even though we're dismissing this idea that you were a Russian agent or operative we're still have an eye on this.
KING: And 11 Republicans yesterday, you need more. Is 11 enough to get the President's attention if he in the end wins?
[12:50:02] BASH: No. It's not and I agree with you. It could be in part message sending, but with this president on this issue. You know, you need a hammer over the head, not just a message.
I mean, you do. You need to make it so and this is why there are checks and balances for this exact reason. And when people say to me, I'm sure all of us sitting here, when are the Republicans going to stand up to the president?
Well, the answer is on most issues they agree with the president. On this issue they don't. So this is -- this is the come to you know what moment. And if Republicans don't stand up to the president on an issue that they very much disagree with him on, on the notion of going easy on a guy who is, you know, done according to our Justice Department a lot of bad things with regard to American elections and other things, then what's the point?
KING: And just like before you speak, I just jump in, I just want to your point is what he have done. This is the Senator John Kennedy Republican of Louisiana, always colorful, here's his take on the oligarchy question and his mystery saying, why in the world would the administration want to go soft?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN JOHN KENNEDY (R), LOUISIANA: I think Secretary Mnuchin honestly believes and he may be right that he has negotiated a deal where the oligarch has to give up control of the company. But, you know, this is a close case and the tie goes to the runner, if you will, and I just out of an abundance of caution, I said I'm just -- this guy is bad news.
He's a tyrant, he's a pirate, he's a gangster and he's hurting the Russian people every day and he's trying to hurt the American. I'm not -- we've got them down and suddenly (ph) choking. I'm not going to let him up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Well played.
LEE: And just such a sign that there's such a gap between President Trump's foreign policy and especially his handling and views of Russia and then what the party -- how the party has long viewed Russia and how it needs to be tough on Russia. But there is such a gap there and all the more notable when we think about the fact that Mnuchin has actually physically spent time on the Hill trying to make this happen and enough Republicans are going against not just him, but also leader McConnell.
KING: Right. And Republicans who gave Mnuchin credit for imposing these sanctions and other sanctions at a time, the White House was talking very soft now thinking it's the boss who sent him up there to try to do this.
BASH: You think?
KING: We'll follow the vote -- you think, I do you think, yes.
We'll follow the vote. We'll bring the results as soon as we can. Up next, the record-breaking Brexit defeat turns the British government into chaos and puts the Prime Minister's on the line.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:57:15] KING: British Prime Minister is fighting to save Brexit and to save her job. Theresa May faces a no confidence vote a bit later today just one day after suffering a historic defeat before Brexit plan. Look at these headlines, all unflattering from around the U.K. all reacting to her Brexit defeat.
The Prime Minister's next step uncertain, but she faced British lawmakers earlier today in the House of Commons and said, no deal is not an option.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: There are actually two ways of avoiding no deal. The first is to agree a deal and the second would be to revoke Article 50.
CROWD: Yes.
MAY: Now that would mean staying in the European Union, failing to respect the results of the referendum and that is -- and that is something that this government will not do.
CROWD: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KING: Nic Robertson with us live from London. Nic, a horrible day for the Prime Minister yesterday and a big test today. Will she survive this no confidence vote?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: I think she will. That's the assessment. The reason for that, John, is that of that massive loss that she had yesterday, more than a hundred of her own MPs voted against that, even the most hardliner of those MPs now who won the hard Brexit leaving the European Union without a deal, those real hardliners. They've said that they're going to support her because they don't want to get into an election battle with the labor party who are calling this state of no confidence in the government.
And for the obvious reasons that there's a potential, they might lose. So she's going to have the support, it seems of all of her MPs plus those 10 Northern Irish MPs that give her the slender majority. They also don't want to see a labor government that would be antithetical to them, if you will, so they are going to support Theresa May. So she'll survive but she'll still has a lot on her plate.
European Union leaders are saying that she needs the put forward a new set of red lines. He said that Britain believe the custom's union and the single market. She said that two years ago. They're suggesting now perhaps she needs to compromise and maybe stay in the customs union.
Today she said that wasn't an option. She was also asked the question whether she would extend the deadline for leaving the European Union. She fudged her answer on that.
So potential room for maneuver on that, but at the moment big challenge is, how does she move forward? And what we heard from her speaking just now as you ran that clip is indicative that she plans to continue as she has gone along so far. Her plan stands. She's going to try to push forward with it.
KING: Sounds like that she's feisty, but destination unknown. Nic Robertson tracking the breaking news for us in the U.K. Nic thanks very much and thank for joining us in INSIDE POLITICS today. Have a great afternoon, don't go anywhere where Brianna Keilar continues our coverage right now.
