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Biden Meets with Bipartisan Senate Leaders to Discuss Supreme Court Nominee; NFL Quarterback Tom Brady Retires; Donald Trump Appears in David Perdue's First TV ad for GA Governor; Another Top Pence Aide Meets with Jan. 6 Committee. Aired 12:30-1 pm ET
Aired February 01, 2022 - 12:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER: -- if you speak to Republican members of Congress, for instance, which I have for years, and ask them about systemic racism, they don't believe it is real, right? Racism to them is an event that we have overcome. It isn't still part of reality in America today in terms of being ingrained within our institutions. So, this idea that a black woman should be elevated. I think you see this kind of this kind of snark in this kind of pushback, because this is how they view, race and racism as a whole. Why are we even still talking about this? It is actually white men that are being discriminated against. That is the position I have heard from many of them for years.
JOHN KING, CNN HOST: Well, that's -- it's a fascinating conversation as we go forward to see how many Republicans take that position. Senator Roger Wicker over the weekend said he thought this was a quota. Yesterday, he said, diversity is a great thing. Don't get me wrong, but he also said he stands by that interview.
But Laura Barron-Lopez, this at a time when many Republicans think you know what, we have the wind at our back in this election year, if the president picks somebody who's qualified, maybe we should just make this normal, make this quick and focus on all the other things we help us. Listen to Senator Chuck Grassley, he's the lead Republican on the committee, he's going to help determine with the Republican strategy in those confirmation hearings, he says he's just going to go to the White House and listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY, (R) RANKING MEMBER, JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: I think I'll be courteous to the president and try to answer his questions. I don't know what those questions are going to be, but I'm going to take the approach that we need somebody that's going to interpret the law and not make a law because that's Congress's job.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: It's always hilarious when the role switch it was the Democrats saying the same thing at the end there in the Trump presidency. Now, it's Chuck Grassley saying it in the Biden presidency, wants somebody to interpret the law, not make the law. But President Biden said he genuinely wants to seek advice from Republicans. He wants this to be an old school process. Can it be?
LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, I mean, the reality is, John, is that Democrats can confirm this judge without Republican votes. And so even though the White House is saying that they want to seek advice from Republicans that they want them to be engaged in this process, ultimately, they only need Democratic votes. You are hearing a few Republicans praise some of the potential names so far, including judge Michelle Childs of South Carolina. We heard Senator Lindsey Graham say that he thought that she would be immensely qualified. And also Judge Brown, Jackson Brown, she is someone who gained some Republican votes about three Republican votes when she was confirmed for to the District Court. So, there is the potential for some Republicans to support one of Biden's nominees here.
KING: So, Dana, the Republican who matters most here is the Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, who we all know from reporting sometimes had to sit in his office and figure out, you know, what is future president Cruz thinking, what his future president Hawley thinking? He has some Republicans in his ranks, who are going to try to gain stature, gain profile, appeal to the base through this pick but he controls it and listen to his words, because at the moment, he sounds normal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL, (R) KENTUCKY MINORITY LEADER: President Biden was elected on a specific promise to govern in the middle, steward our governing institutions, and unite a divided country. I suggested President Biden bear this in mind as he considers whom to nominate to our score.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: That's called, you know, the Sphinx as I like to call him and it's sometimes a compliment, playing it safe, right? Let's see what the President gives us. But if you're Mitch McConnell, in a midterm year, you think is trending in your favor? You don't want anything that messes that up?
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: No, absolutely. And, you know, it's always -- you said it, John, it's always almost comical, it would be actually funny if it wasn't so serious to see how different these different senators act and react when the shoe is on the other foot, meaning when they're in the minority or when they are facing a president of the other party who has a nominee in front of them. And just on that note, yes, Senator McConnell is going to kind of see how things go and let his senators who need to do what they need to do for their own politics and their own reelection, have those moments. But when it comes to the absolute hypocrisy, which again, we have seen time and time again, on Supreme Court nominees, the notion of -- never mind that argument and the understanding that Eva just talked about with regard to a black women in systemic racism, let's just even broaden it out to the idea that it's offensive, that a president or a candidate talks about the kind of justice they would not nominate. I mean, Donald Trump put out a list of specific people and he said that his -- that his absolute bottom line was that they have to overturn Roe v. Wade. I mean, where was the outrage on that if they wanted somebody who would just interpret the law and not make the law.
[21:35:04]
KING: Yeah, if you're asking for ideological intellectual consistency, you're in the wrong town. I hate to tell you that, right now at this moment. We'll continue the conversation up next for us. This is a big one. This one's personal Tom Brady hanging up his cleats 22 seasons, Seven Super Bowl wins, and a very curious farewell message.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:40:04]
KING: Today, it is official the goat is retiring after 22 NFL season seven Super Bowl championships. Tom Brady today begins a new chapter. In a lengthy social media post this morning Brady says in part, there are no shortcuts to success on the field or in life. I have loved my NFL career. And now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention.
CNN's Andy Scholes joins me now. Andy, it's just indisputable. I'm going to put the stats up on the screen, Tom Brady is the goat, the greatest of all time in the NFL and you could argue in competitive sports Seven Super Bowl wins, 10 appearances, five MVPs, 35 playoff wins, career regular season win record, touchdown pass records, passing yards record, that should be yards not years. He didn't play that many years, he played 22 years (inaudible). It does touch, this is a giant page turning event for Tom Brady and for professional sports.
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: It certainly is, John, there's never going to be another Tom Brady. You -- it's safe to say that he was drafted in the sixth round, 199th pick, you know those guys are usually people who are fringe guys even make a roster let alone become a superstar. But that's what Tom Brady did. And, you know, in his second season he led that come back in the super bowl and beat the Rams really that's when he became a legend. And it's not that Tom Brady, you know, won so much through, through for so many yards he delivered so many amazing moments for us football fans. I mentioned that first Super Bowl that amazing comeback against the Falcons when he was down 28 to three, you know, it wasn't just how he did it. Or how many times he won, John, it was how he did it and how, you know, he made us feel watching him play the game of football.
KING: Right. I'm a Boston kid. So, he is to Boston sports fans and football segment of it especially he is Moses, he led the Patriots, you know out of the wilderness to six of those Superbowl rates which gets -- that gets to this part here. We can show you his Instagram post. It's 900 and something words, he thanked his trainer, he thanked his coach Bruce Arians, he thanked the janitorial staff, the Tampa Bay arena. He didn't mention New England, Andy. He didn't mention Patriots. He didn't mention the place where he spent 20 of those years ago, six of those rings and I'm Boston sports radio at this hour. Some people didn't like that. They don't appreciate it.
SCHOLES: Yeah, there are some people not too happy right now about the way Tom Brady did this retirement and, you know, I can't -- I can't speak for Tom Brady. I don't know why he only think the box and everyone in Tampa maybe he thought that, you know, he -- when he left New England and he put that post up forever a patriot and thanked everyone at that time. And then kind of, John, how he relived it this season when he went back to New England, and he spoke so fondly about his time there and met with Bill Belichick. Maybe he thought that chapter was over, and he had already finished it. And now he was just ending this current chapter there in Tampa Bay. But as you mentioned, a lot of people in New England Patriots fans not very happy about that post.
KING: So, we've watched a lot of successful athletes when they retire. Some of them tend to fade away. Some of them try to have new careers. The Manning brothers have done it in the sports sphere. Without a doubt Peyton Manning is on every other advertisement on television if you're watching TV, Tom Brady has TV 12, he has the Brady brand. He also has a supermodel wife who has a successful business of her own. What is next? Is it a business career for Tom Brady? Or is it time to be a dad?
SCHOLES: Well, yeah, I think it's going to be a little of both, John, he's become such a showman since he went to Tampa, you know, he's got the TV show. He's always done these super produced video hype videos before games. And as you mentioned, he has the TV 12 brand, which he's always talking about. He has that Brady brand new line of clothing. He also has an autograph NFT website that he's very involved in. Now, he mentioned these things that, you know, these are become such a big part of his life. He can't feel at 44 years old. He can't give 100% to the game of football anymore and be the great player that he wants to be. So, John, he's now going to go into being a businessman, father and husband and he felt like at 44 years old, it was time for him to do that.
KING: Yeah, and I suspect we'll see him soon. Maybe it's some late- night TV where maybe you can remember to say thanks New England, maybe you can just work that in, just a little tiny, little tiny bit. Andy Scholes, grateful as always, thank you very much.
SCHOLES: All right.
KING: Up next for us, back to politics and the midterm money chase, George W. Bush is sending a message with his checks, but Donald Trump's cash on hand is eye popping.
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[12:48:58]
KING: One total jumps out most in our new review of early midterm year political fundraising, take a look. Former President Donald Trump's political organization has amassed $122 million. My panel of reporters back to discuss, that's a big chunk of money. I want to come back to that former President in a moment, and Dana Bash, start with another former president who doesn't like Donald Trump, George W. Bush putting his money where his mouth is if you will, look at these contributions to Liz Cheney and Senator Lisa Murkowski, probably the two Republicans Donald Trump has vowed to defeat almost the most, I guess, Brian Kemp, the governor of Georgia, we'll get to him in a minute. We have some others, but George W. Bush making a statement there. He's also held some held fundraisers and do sort of greenlighted all of his people to help these candidates. But Liz Cheney, Lisa Murkowski, what does that tell us about the message W ascending?
BASH: He's trying to make it clear where he thinks the Republican Party should be, which is where those two women are because remember, the donations that he is making to those two is not because they're running against formidable or any Democratic candidates this is inside Republican primaries in both of those cases.
[12:50:09]
Liz Cheney, as you said, he held a fundraiser for her and he's donating as well. Lisa Murkowski is really interesting. There's no evidence that he's given to her before. But she also has just like Liz Cheney, a Republican primary opponent that is aggressively backed by former President Donald Trump, because she voted for impeachment. She has been outwardly and openly critical of the former president when she sees fit. So, the fact that George W. Bush, who when we covered him, we knew he was and still is an institutionalist is making this donation but more importantly, making the statement of where he wants the Republican Party to be, is very noteworthy.
KING: Right, which reminds us one of the big questions in the midterm election year before we get to November is what happens in the primaries, especially some of those interesting Republican primaries. But let's come back to Trump for a minute now $122 million we just show that number again, $122 million. You would think if you're Donald Trump, you could do a lot of business with that. The question is when, Laura Barron-Lopez, we do see Donald Trump in this new ad, but he didn't pay for it.
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DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Brian Kemp, let us down. We can't let it happen again. David Perdue is an outstanding man. He's tough. He's smart. He has my complete and total endorsement. Vote for David Perdue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Let me quickly translate there, Donald Trump says Brian Kemp let us down. Brian Kemp didn't help Donald Trump cheat. That's what he meant to say. But the issue for me is we played that out because that's paid for by the Purdue campaign. Trump has all this money. But the big question is, does he use it to support people he likes to spend a lot of it? Or he's just spend a little of it? Or does he save it for him in 2024? I'm betting on the latter. BARRON-LOPEZ: Yeah, I'm betting on the latter too, John, because the past is prologue. Trump is known to spend little on campaigns like this, on other Republicans down ballot. And so, I think that, you know, he's amassing this war chest for a potential 2024 run. I mean, look, Trump is making clear that that unless something dramatically changes, unless he's prosecuted, he plans to run again. And so that will ultimately be for his attempt to subvert the election, for his attempt to potentially cheat in 2024. Because, again, as we talked about earlier this hour, he's not hiding any of that. He's not trying to say that, you know, he isn't running and he's not, you know, all the indications are that he's asking Republicans to help him subvert the election.
KING: And one question is, if he's raising so much money and holding it for himself, does that eventually take money away from other Republicans? If there's, you know, money out there, Republican, especially the small donors, people have 25 $50 to give, they decided to give it to him, may keep it up.
So, Eva, look, the Democrats know they have the win in the face this year. And so, one thing you do in a tough climate to try to outrage your opponents. Let's look at some of these key Senate races. In Arizona, Mark Kelly, raising a ton more money right now, you're seeing with nearly $9 million. In Georgia, Herschel Walker, that's pretty good for a new Republican candidate. He's obvious celebrity from football. But you see Senator Raphael Warnock with nearly $10 million in the bank. In Nevada, the Democratic candidate, way ahead, Maggie Hassan just got a Republican opponent. But she's ahead. That's one strategy for the Democrats. And it looks like in these key races, we'll be watching a big deal. Get as much money as you can, always helps in a tough environment.
MCKEND: Yeah, that certainly seems to be the strategy. It doesn't hurt. But we are still several months away. So, we'll have to see what actual impact all this money has. What it does do though, is alleviate some pressure on the committee's and the Democratic Party as a whole, right. They don't have to worry about these candidates. They can raise their own funds for their re-election and that eases a little bit of pressure and allow some breathing room for that party money to be allocated in other maybe vulnerable places.
KING: All right, midterm election year. So, I always say. Good timing on a local TV station. I wish we did in one of these battleground states. That's the place to do it.
Some breaking news for us, another top aide to the former Vice President Pence meeting right now, right now with the January 6 committee. The latest on that, next.
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[12:58:42]
KING: We've another big breaking news development related to the January 6 Committee, a former top aide to Vice President Mike Pence, Greg Jacob meeting with the panel today. Let's get straight up to Ryan Nobles on Capitol. Ryan, tell us who is Jacob and why is this matter?
RYAN NOBLES, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Greg Jacob is a very important player in all of this, John. He was the former Chief Counsel to the Vice President Mike Pence around the time where Pence was getting this certificate -- this pressure to try and deny the certification of the electoral votes on January 6, and afterwards, Jacob was also vocally critical of this group of conservative lawyers that had former President Donald Trump's ear. And we're trying to convince him that Pence had this mythical power that no credible legal scholar believed that he had in fact, Jacob even drafted an op-ed where he attack these legal theories and the motivations behind some of these lawyers in their attempts to pressure Pence to do so. He ultimately didn't publish that op-ed but the Washington Post, obtained it and then published it. So, we got to see Jacob's thoughts on all of this.
John, this is yet another close age of the former vice president someone who is aligned with him and has his ear that is going before the committee to talk to them about what he knows about the time leading up to and January 6. It's another significant development and it shows that even though Pence himself has not come in, the committee is getting a great deal of cooperation from his orbit, John.
KING: Committee is getting pretty high up on the Trump inner circle put totem pole if you want to put it that way. Ryan Nobles, I appreciate the hustle on the breaking news. I appreciate your time today, Inside Politics. We'll see it tomorrow. Ana Cabrera picks up our coverage right now.
