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Inside Politics

Trump Quickly Filing Key Posts Facing Narrow Window To Act; Trump Picks Outspoken Opponent Of COVID Mandates To Lead NH; House Republican Majority Could Be As Small As 220-215; U.N. Amb. Pick Elise Stefanik Reports Bomb Threat To Her Home; Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire In Effect And Holding; Biden Says Israel-Hezbollah Deal Shows "Peace Is Possible"; Harris Campaign Leaders Blame Abbreviated Campaign For Loss. Aired 12-12:30p ET

Aired November 27, 2024 - 12:00   ET

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

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JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: Happy Thanksgiving and thanks very much for joining me this morning. I might have a little cranberry sauce in my earpiece there. Did I hear Nicole correctly, I hope so. All right. Thanks very much for joining me.

Inside Politics with Manu Raju starts in a few moments from now. Have a great Thanksgiving everybody.

MANU RAJU, CNN ANCHOR: Today on Inside Politics, move fast and break things with 54 days until inauguration. That seems to be the Trump transition's unofficial motto. The president-elect has already filled out his cabinet. Now he's preparing an agenda to quickly push through a narrowly divided Congress.

Plus, what went wrong? Harris campaign brain trust is defending the decisions they made in the final weeks of the campaign. So why do they think Trump won? And citizen Musk. He's worth more than $350 billion has the ear of the president-elect. What Elon Musk wants to do with all that money and influence? We'll talk to the author of a new Time magazine cover story on him, coming up soon.

I' Manu Raju in for Dana Bash. Let's go behind the headlines at Inside Politics.

It's been three weeks since Donald Trump won the election. Since then, he's barely been seen in public. But behind the scenes, he and his team are racing to name loyalists at top positions and plotting their first moves when he takes office on January 20.

At this point in 2016 he had just four cabinet picks, and today, he's already chosen them all. We're told the president-elect is well aware that lame duck presidents, which of course, he'll be on day one, do not have a lot of time to waste.

CNN's Steve Contorno joins us now from West Palm Beach, Florida. So, Steve, you've been talking to your sources inside the transition team. What are they telling you? STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: Yeah. Aides and advisers to Donald Trump are saying that they have noticed, he is much more emboldened this time around by his electoral college victory and the size of it, as well as the confidence in his own understanding of executive power from his first four years in office.

But there's another element at play here, and that is the tight window for him to act, and not just because he is a one term president from the moment he gets into office, as you mentioned, but also because of the tight window with a majority in both the House and the Senate for him to act. And that is driving the speed at which Trump is putting together his cabinet and will also be driving the speed at which they operate from the moment he has sworn in on January 20.

I talked to one close Trump adviser, Brian Ballard. He is a lobbyist who is not only has the president's ear, but also many of his cabinet picks. He said, quote, everyone understands we have a two-year window with the majority in the House and Senate. Who knows what happens after that?

And if you are not running at breakneck speed, you shouldn't be part of this administration. And Trump continuing to call out names and announce names for his incoming administration, up until this Thanksgiving holiday.

In the last 24 hours, he named five more people to his administration, including Jamieson Greer, who was Trump's choice to be the U.S. trade Representative, obviously a very key role, given how much emphasis Trump has already put on trade and tariffs, even before his presidency has taken place.

And then Jay Bhattacharya, he is a doctor and professor at Stanford University. He actually holds degrees in both economics and medicine. He was a leading COVID skeptic of lockdowns, the lockdowns that Trump put in place. Well now he is Trump's choice to be the director of the National Institutes of Health, just showing how this unconventional, unorthodox cabinet continuing to be put together in very, very quick fashion. Manu?

RAJU: All right. Steve Contorno from West Palm Beach, Florida. Thank you so much for that. And let's bring in an excellent group of reporters to break this all down, Semafor's Shelby Talcott, Hans Nichols from Axios, Laura Barron-Lopez from the PBS NewsHour, and CNN's Jeff Zeleny. Nice to see you all. Thanks for coming in.

This is a lot different, obviously, since the last time. Remember just some of the headlines that we saw back in 20 -- 7-16 (Ph) really after the 2016 election, in the run up to 2017 as Donald Trump assumed power. There was a purge of Chris Christie loyalist. Chris Christie was on the top of the transition team. He was eventually pushed out. There were not that many cabinet nominees picked. Now you're seeing Trump one after another, methodically naming these cabinet picks.

What is your takeaway of that? And the fact, look, we haven't even seen Trump in public. It's been a couple of days, a couple of times he's actually been out in public. That's unusual for Donald Trump. SHELBY TALCOTT, REPORTER, SEMAFOR: It really is. And I think the big thing this time around is his team is just simply more prepared, right? They went into 2016, not really expecting a win. They hadn't prepared. This time around, they felt like they had a solid chance to win. And we saw him tap Howard Lutnick and Linda McMahon to sort of head up this transition team before the election took place.

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Now, I also believe that Donald Trump this time around is extremely confident that he has the support. And so, he feels emboldened to not only pick these cabinet -- make these cabinet decisions quickly, but also make them with a focus on picking loyalists.

That is his key focus. As you've seen, everybody who he's picked so far has some sense of loyalty to Donald Trump, and there's some expectation that they're going to enact whatever he wants.

RAJU: And that was a loyalty part. Yes, there were a lot of loyalists in the first administration. But also, they're all people that were picked because they need to help -- shepherd him through Washington. They were recommended to him from people within the so-called establishment wing of the Republican Party.

This time is a little bit different. Just looking at the screen, the Rex Tillerson. He really didn't have much of a relationship with Rex Tillerson, the Secretary of State. Now, Marco Rubio, they've developed a bond despite their friction, of course, in the 2016 campaign.

Jeff Sessions, he was a loyalist of -- he was the first one to endorse Trump back in 2016. Pam Bondi, someone who has defended Trump through all of these criminal indictments. Differences, though, you know, Tom Price, he was a health and human services secretary, RFK Jr., a major difference. Someone like Jim Mattis -- General Jim Mattis coming in as defense secretary. Pete Hegseth, someone who said a lot of nice things about Trump on TV.

HANS NICHOLS, POLITICS REPORTER, AXIOS: I'm just looking at that list. And you know, my colleagues, Mike Allen, Jim Vande, I have written about this. But the ideological diversity in the Trump cabinet is not something I think we have fully reckoned with and fully processed.

Now, we'll see how it actually plays out. Generally, ideologically diverse cabinets. They sound nice. In theory, everyone likes to cheer ideological diversity for reporters' perspective. What does that mean? That means in fighting. That means stories and that means scoops. And that's going to mean when the process plays out, there's going to be a lot of black backbiting, and there's going to be a lot of shoulda woulda coulda.

And that's how I see the first few months -- if not the first couple years, the Trump administration playing out with this great this -- this very diverse group of cabinet members. If, and here's my caveat and throat clearing, if they all get confirmed.

RAJU: That is a bit of -- LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, PBS NEWSHOUR & CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: To your point, Manu. I mean, the ones that are nominated this time around have objectively less experience than the ones that were nominated the first time around to lead the agencies that they're tasked with nominating. Pete Hegseth being a very clear one. And they also another pattern across -- some is that they have in some way expressed a willingness to either shrink or gut or just fire people across the board.

I mean, Pete Hegseth has talked about firing the chairman of the Joint Chiefs. The first black chair -- black person to ever fill that role. So that's something that we see in terms of the pattern across them. And I think again, we don't know if Pete Hegseth is going to be confirmed. He very well may not be, because there is, I think, some hesitancy among Senate Republicans about a nominee like that, leading an agency where he has almost zero experience to lead.

RAJU: And perhaps one of the biggest changes that Americans will experience could be over public health. Public health policy -- just Donald Trump has filled out his picks for who will lead the health policy in his administration.

Of course, they have to get confirmed by Congress, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., still a big question about whether that will happen. But last night, Jay Bhattacharya, who is a -- who was a COVID skeptic, skeptic of some of the lockdown policies, skeptic of some of the vaccines as they were being rolled out

He is -- would lead the NIH assuming National Institutes of Health, the $48 billion budget. Such a massive agency, that would be a sea change from the Biden administration. This could be one of the most significant changes in, really all of the different cabinet appointees we're seeing, if you want to just compare it to Joe Biden. Joe Biden's picks,

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Without a doubt, I mean, we always knew there would be differences, obviously, but this is -- when you look at the health it's very specific. I mean, it's not that these potential nominees aren't experienced in their field. I mean those -- but they have a different kind of experience, and they come in with a deep skepticism of the vaccine program, like you said.

So, I think you know one question here that you hear Biden officials say a lot like. What if there is a pandemic? There are the early signs of a widening of the bird flu. For example, every administration deals with some type of crisis that right now we're not even thinking of. So that is why these positions matter, of course.

But I think the bigger picture here is, one thing I'm struck by just thinking back to this period of 2016, Donald Trump was spending his time going to victory rallies. I remember going to one after another after another in November and December. He was not picking his cabinet. This is an extension of the most professional of his three presidential campaigns. The transition has been professional as well. Of course, you know, they had a bit of a hiccup with the Gaetz's thing. But I mean, most administrations have a hiccup like this or sort of like this. But look, it's a whole different ball game here in terms of how they are announcing these are picks, but he knows what he wants to do. But to your point, he's not been in public. That's been the most actual part of all of this.

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RAJU: He has a lot of been posting these, oftentimes rants late at night. That's been really not. We've not seen that. We'll see if it comes back, especially as he assumes the office. But one thing that he will have to deal with is an incredibly tight margin in the United States House. This will be complication for his agenda, no question about it.

Right now, if the current map margins hold, there are a couple of races that are still -- three races that have not been called yet. There's one the Republicans are leading in Iowa. There are two that the Democrats are leading in California. If 220 to 215 margin that is so tight -- that is less than what they have now.

And because, given the fact that Trump has chosen three people from the House GOP conference to serve in his administration, this is how tight he would get to 217 to 215. That means a single Republican defection on any bill until they fill out those seats, which could take a few months, could stymie the legislation. That's going to be a problem for the 100-day agenda.

TALCOTT: Yeah, it absolutely is. And when I talk to Donald Trump's aides about this, their argument is, well, they're essentially -- I wouldn't say, threatening, but they're saying Donald Trump won the election. He has this mandate that the American people wants him -- want him to implement. So, lawmakers who want to push back on that agenda should try and see what happens in 2026.

Now, whether or not that actually ends up happening. We've seen time and time again, Republicans are not afraid to voice their concerns and push back. And so, I do think that there's going to be situations, whether it's getting some of these people actually appointed or passing certain agendas that Donald Trump wants passed in his first 100 days, it's going to be difficult for them, and they're aware of that.

ZELENY: And not just affections. What about death? I mean, a lot of House members are old. I hate to be crass about this here, but that happens.

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ZELENY: So, the fact is, it's a -- I think defections are very -- not very likely on the Republican side. But look, I mean, that is zero room for error here for anyone, just like not being absent or not being present or not being able to serve. RAJU: And Mike Johnson had told me right before the election, he expected to grow the House Republican majority. That does not seem to have happened here. We'll see how those final races turn out. All right. Up next, all quiet for the moment. We're live in northern Israel, where a newly negotiated cease fire appears to be holding.

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RAJU: Breaking news coming into CNN. The Trump transition team says several cabinet nominees and other administration appointees faced violent threats overnight. Let's go back to CNN's Steve Contorno, who has the details. So, Steve, what are you learning?

CONTORNO: Yeah. Trump's campaign and transition team, I should say, putting out a statement saying that several members of his cabinet and administration, the people he has named so far, were targeted in a quote, swatting and also bomb threats. Swatting is, of course, when you call in a false crime in hopes to get a police response to someone's home or a specific location.

And at this point, we don't know all the administration officials who were involved, though Elise Stefanik, the Congresswoman from New York who is Trump's pick to be the U.N ambassador, put out a statement that said that she and her residence was one of the targeted homes.

We have also reached out to the campaign for more details, as well as law enforcement officials and the FBI now telling us that they are, quote, aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees. And they're working with their law enforcement partners, and they're taking all of these threats seriously.

So, this is something that has been happening more and more recently with public officials and politicians where these swatting threats and bomb threats are being called in, and we are learning that this is now targeting the Trump administration. And we are waiting for more details from both the transition team and from law enforcement. Manu?

RAJU: Yeah. The swatting incidents happening across the country incredibly dangerous, of course, and sapping resources from law enforcement and putting people lives at risk as well. Steve, we'll come back to you if you learn any more information. Thank you for that report.

Shifting gears now to the Middle East. It's been 15 hours since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect, and it's holding at least for now. Some displaced residents are beginning to return to their homes, as the Israeli Defense Minister says the next 60 days are crucial to determining if Israel's goals are realized.

CNN international correspondent Jeremy Diamond is live in northern Israel. So, Jeremy, what's the latest?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, listen, this tenuous ceasefire appears to be taking hold, despite some incidents that we have heard of today, of gunfire and also some outgoing artillery fire that we appear to have heard as we were traveling along Israel's border with Lebanon earlier today.

But the implementation phase of this agreement is now beginning a 60 day cease fire, during which time we expect to see the Israeli military withdraw from its positions in southern Lebanon, while at the same time, Hezbollah is expected to move north, some 25 miles north of the Israel Lebanon border.

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Already, we have started to see the Lebanese military beginning to move into southern Lebanon. They are expected to play a more rigorous role in supervising Hezbollah's movements over this period of time. And after those 60 days, if all goes well, a more permanent truce between these two sides is the hope, and certainly is the hope and the expectation.

But of course, what we are watching today in northern Israel as we traveled along the border is that residents here are really waiting to see the extent to which this ceasefire will actually be enduring. We spoke with several residents in northern Israeli communities, some of whom have not yet returned, some of whom have already -- had already returned prior to this ceasefire.

And all of them, by and large, are concerned and very distrustful of whether or not Hezbollah will actually abide by the ceasefire, and whether or not this agreement will actually make their communities safer.

And so, the areas that we visited today, really very few people had started to return in the hours following the ceasefire. In southern Lebanon, it was a quite different picture. As you started to see Lebanese civilians moving along the highways, driving down to their homes in southern Lebanon, some of them actually entering areas where the Israeli military was already positioned.

And in the wake of that, what we saw is the Israeli military calling on civilians of Lebanon not to return south of the Litani River until the Israeli military says it can -- that is possible, even as the ceasefire agreement now appears to be taking hold. Manu?

RAJU: Yeah. Jeremy Diamond from northern Israel, where that ceasefire is holding for now. Thank you for your report. And my panel is now back. I do want to play what part of what President Biden said yesterday in the aftermath of this announcement about the ceasefire.

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JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Hamas has a choice to make. Their only way out is to release hostages, including American citizens, which they hold. In the process, bring an end to the fighting, which would make possible a surge of humanitarian relief. Over the coming days, the United States will make another push, peace is possible. Say that again. Peace is possible. As long as that is the case, I will not for a single moment stop working to achieve it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: Saying, peace is possible in Gaza, but is that achievable? Is that realistic to say before he leaves office?

BARRON-LOPEZ: I mean, most of the experts that we spoke to at NewsHour don't believe that it's necessarily possible. In the time that President Biden has left, because there are, you know, dueling incentives on either side. I mean, Hamas still has about hundred hostages, which they're using and leveraging.

And then on Benjamin Netanyahu side, he isn't necessarily incentivized to compromise with Hamas because of the fact that it could very well jeopardize his ruling coalition, his far-right ruling coalition, and he doesn't want to see a forced election on him. So, those are things that are not working in President Biden's favor, despite the fact that he desperately wants to get this done before he leaves office.

RAJU: Yeah. We'll see what happens. And if Trump inherits, and then how he deals with this. All right. Coming up. Kamala Harris's campaign, leaders are speaking out. They say there is a price to pay for a short campaign.

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DAVID PLOUFFE, HARRIS CAMPAIGN SENIOR ADVISER: That can sound like making excuses. This political environment sucked, OK. We were dealing with ferocious headwinds. And I think people's instinct was to give the Republicans and even Donald Trump another chance. So, we had a complicated puzzle to put together here in terms of the voters.

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KAMALA HARRIS (D), U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: I know this is an uncertain time. I'm clear eyed about that. I know you're clear eyed about it and it feels heavy. And I just have to remind you, don't you ever let anybody take your power from you. You have the same power that you did before November 5.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: That was Kamala Harris yesterday, speaking publicly for the first time since her concession speech, her campaign brain trust, also broke their silence yesterday on Pod Save America. A liberal podcast hosted by ex-Obama aides. For the most part, they defended their decisions and blamed their defeat on an abbreviated campaign.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In 107 days, you know what typically takes us a year and a half, two years in a presidential campaign.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was a price to be paid for the short campaign.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In a 107-day race, it is very difficult to do all the things you would normally do in a year and a half, two years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And It's honestly a lot shorter than 107 days.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We had a candidate -- a Democratic candidate, get in 107 days out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This isn't the problem of 107-day campaign to solve.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: I mean, it's a blaming. It doesn't seem like they're blaming themselves for any decisions they made there -- they're not blaming Biden directly, but there's a subtle blame provided.

NICHOLS: Yeah. This wasn't a confessional. You weren't going to get a bunch of Mea Culpa from them. They did take a clinical look at what went right and what went wrong with the fact pattern that they were given in the campaign.

And when you listen to what they say, the kind of admit to some tactical mistakes, which we could probably all kind of agree at this table. But the big strategic direction or questions of the campaign were out of their control. And that's the decision about two years ago when Joe Biden decided.

Thanksgiving 2022, and that sort of set things into motion, and that was the hand they were dealt with. And they're explaining how they played the hand they were dealt with.

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