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Obama Versus Trump Doctrine; Chicago Trades Chris Sale to Boston; CNN Explores "The Messy Truth" of 2016 Election. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired December 07, 2016 - 06:30   ET

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


[06:30:00] ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: For more on the five things to know, go to NewDayCNN.com for all of the latest.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: So, President Obama is preparing to hand off the war on terror to Donald Trump. He has a warning for his successor. What is it and will it be heeded? Next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: The war on terror is going to change, we are told. The question is, will it be for the better?

President Obama and President-elect Trump expressing different ideas in dueling speeches just yesterday. Take listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT-ELECT: We don't want to have a depleted military because we're all over the place fighting in areas that just, we shouldn't be fighting in.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I've also insisted that it is unwise and unsustainable to ask our military to build nations on the other side of the world or resolve their internal conflicts, particularly in places where our forces become a magnet for terrorists and insurgencies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: They sound fairly similar there, but what will happen going forward?

[06:35:02] Let's discuss with former State Department official and former U.S. ambassador to NATO, Nicholas Burns, and former George W. Bush political director, Matt Schlapp.

I guess looking at the macro, Matt, Trump's case is we should stay out of situations that we are now in and Obama hasn't done that. Make the case.

MATT SCHLAPP, FORMER GEORGE W. BUSH, POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes, first of all, you know, he's not the president yet. I'm not so sure we know what the Trump doctrine is going to be. But I do think it is a return to an idea of something President George W. Bush introduced at the beginning of his administration which was a more humble foreign policy. A foreign policy that, you know, uses the military, you know, in careful ways.

Now, of course, his administration was completely overtaken by events and we're all dealing with the kind of post-9/11 reality. And the post-Iraq invasion reality and I think it's, you know, it is an open question to see how Trump is going to handle these very serious questions.

CUOMO: Nick, it's interesting that that's exactly what defenders of the Obama strategy would say. I was with him in Cairo when he gave his speech to the Muslim world saying we're going to stay out of this, we're going to build alliances, but America and its military are not here to solve your problems. But just as Matt Schlapp said about Bush, the same was equally true about the Obama administration. Events abroad often dictate your actions.

Can you say early on in the presidency as Trump is doing right now, we're going to stay out?

NICHOLAS BURNS, FORMER STATE DEPT. OFFICIAL: I agree with Matt, you have to be humble. But events have a way of interfering with campaign promises. The fact is that President Obama has delivered, I think, in a way that President Bush did, a war on terrorism which is to use special forces, to use drone technology, not to try to engage hundreds of thousands of American troops in the desert and in the Middle East. He learned that lesson from President Bush from our problems in Iraq and to a lesser extent in Afghanistan.

But this war against terrorism, Chris, is going to continue most military experts believe for the next 10 to 15 years. And so, you have to have the capacity and the toughness to prosecute that war in the Horn of Africa and in the Middle East and West Africa. Local forces have to do most of the fighting as they are in places like Afghanistan or Mali, or Mauritania, but we have to be there.

And I hope President-elect Trump is going to reaffirm our determination to take the fight to the terrorist, but also to support our allies in NATO and East Asia because he spent most of the campaign denigrating them.

CUOMO: All right. Let's put up some graphics that we have, Matt, to show the two different philosophies at this point. You can read them at home. The highlight is here when it comes to strategy, which is, we don't really know, as you said, Matt, what Trump is going to do in terms of boots on the ground.

Not on the ground. It's early. When you look at interrogation, there's a philosophical difference there, that President Obama believes it's illegal and ineffective. Trump said he did not. He thought he should do even more than what was being done before.

And then, of course, there's a language difference on Islam. President Obama believes that you don't say it because you're giving the terrorists what they want as a legitimacy of co-opting their own election and President-elect Trump says that is weakness in action. What's your take?

SCHLAPP: You know, I think we should call the enemy by its accurate description and that this is a war with radicalized Islamists. And to say anything other kind of demonstrate, certainly to the American electorate, but I think to those moderate Muslims who are fighting these radicalized elements that we somehow don't get it. And I think we should get --

CUOMO: Hold on, Matt, I think we both know moderate Muslims do not like you using the term anything attached to Islam because they say it's not Islam. Don't take people who are perverting and bastardizing my faith and give them ownership of it. They don't like it. Just to correct that.

SCHLAPP: I understand the theological conversation. But I think they also understand that America needs to understand that there is a radicalized element that they're dealing with in their own communities and in their own homes and in their own countries. They are the ones who are persecuted, much more even than Americans are. And we have to connect to them.

So, I don't want to be disrespectful of folks who are fighting this in their own countries. But by the same token, it is what it is. When it comes to enhanced interrogations, which I do think there's a distinction on, the law is the law and the law was changed by Congress. And these techniques are no longer legal.

I do think it's smart for a president to simply not discuss in great detail what he or she would either do or not do in these circumstances. I think less is more. All options are always on the table when it comes to defending America and I like the fact that Donald Trump is simply, you know, from this point forward, shouldn't comment too much on these questions.

CUOMO: Nick, final word from you.

[06:40:01] What is the guidance going forward?

BURNS: Well, as President Obama said yesterday, this is not a war against Islam. We've got to be very careful in our rhetoric, not to make it so, against 1.6 billion Muslims.

On torture, Senator John McCain's against torture. The great majority of our military officers are against torture. It's illegal, it's un- American and General Mattis, Donald Trump's defense secretary nominee has spoken out against torture and apparently has convinced Donald Trump to reconsider I think Donald Trump's ill-advised comments on torture during the campaign. So, maybe there's progress there through General Mattis who's a very impressive man.

CUOMO: Nicholas Burns, Matt Schlapp, thank you for the perspective, as always.

Note for you at home, join us tonight for a CNN special, "The legacy of Barack Obama." Fareed Zakaria sits down with the president to discuss it all. You can see their conversation tonight, 9:00 p.m. Eastern, only on CNN.

CAMEROTA: I'm about to read something that I have no idea what it means. Who knew that changing one's socks could be such a big deal in baseball? Details on the trade that rocked the hot stove in this morning's "Bleacher Report". Chris understands it.

CUOMO: It actually all makes sense.

CAMEROTA: It all makes sense.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: The Sox, the Boston Red Sox have won the most prized free agent in professional baseball.

Coy Wire has this in this morning's "Bleacher Report".

[06:45:01] This is a big headline, my friend.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it is, Chris.

With one swift move, a team becomes a juggernaut. You have Chris Sale easily the most sought after changing his socks from white to red. Chicago is going to get some big-time prospects from Boston, but now the Red Sox starting pitching rotation is absurd. They have Rick Porcello, this year's Sy Young winner, David Price who is a five-time all-star and now Sale.

They're so loaded that the Yankees GM Brian Cashman has called them the Golden State Warriors of baseball. They're loaded. Vegas agrees. They went from 10-1 to 5-1 favorites to win the World Series after making that trade for Sale.

Perhaps the NFL's game of the week is tomorrow night. Raiders and Chiefs in Kansas City for a pivotal AFC West matchup. Oakland has been the surprise team of the season. They're 10-2, but they haven't been able to beat the Chiefs the last four times they played. The Raiders know that this is going to be a big one.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEREK CARR, RAIDERS QUARTERBACK: Everyone asks, you know, they've beaten you these many times, and you know, these things and all that. Like when I'm preparing for these guys, it never goes through my head.

LATAVIUS MURRAY, RAIDERS RUNNING BACK: We know what's at stake for one this season. And again, they just stand in the way of our goals of winning the division. And so, we need to take care of them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Alisyn, years ago, this used to be one of the most heated feuds in all of the NFL. There was screaming, there was punching and with all that's on the line in this one, tomorrow night's game is going to be fun to watch.

CAMEROTA: Ooh, very exciting. Thank you for that tease, Coy.

WIRE: You're welcome.

CAMEROTA: Great to see you.

Up next, how are people feeling about Donald Trump and the 2016 election one month later? Well, three people featured in last night's primetime special "The Messy Truth" will be here with their thoughts.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:51:00] CAMEROTA: We hope you got a chance to see Van Jones' primetime special last night called "The Messy Truth". It was about the 2016 election.

If you missed it, there were many memorable moments, but one in particular between an undocumented woman originally from Mexico and former Republican Senator Rick Santorum. People continue to talk about it this morning. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIZABETH VILCHIS, UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT, LIVES IN NY: I actually earned a degree in mechanical engineering. I have a career in the technology sector. I stand to lose all the work that I've done, if the new administration decides to end DACA, which is the program that allows undocumented individuals, like myself, to have the ability to work. I'm going to be removed from the communities that I've contributed to so much.

How would you advise somebody like me for planning my future and what lays ahead?

RICK SANTORUM (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Most people in America feel that you've been given a tremendous benefit by being here in this country. You have the ability to go to any other country right now, and apply those wares and be successful and reapply to come back to America if you so choose.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: All right. Joining us now is that young woman, a so-called DREAMer brought to the United States by her parents when she was 7. We also have Elizabeth Vilchis is her name.

We also have Scott Seitz, a two-time Obama voter who voted for Trump this time around and his wife, Derinda Seitz, also a Democrat but who did not vote for Hillary Clinton.

So, we'll get into all of that. Great to have you all here. You guys were terrific in the special. All of you. I know this isn't easy stuff to talk about and we appreciate you talking about it so publicly.

Elizabeth, what happened after that moment with Senator Santorum? What happened during the commercial break?

VILCHIS: I think I needed to take some pause and step away for a moment. It was definitely an emotional moment. I think one of the things that stuck within me is him saying I was given an opportunity to receive a lot from this country.

But the thought that came to mind is that I have given so much and this country has much from me and it is something that, I think, was not acknowledged at all. So I took time to really take a moment and not let that get to me, but really, just spoke to something --

CAMEROTA: You were having an emotional reaction after he said that. He also said, well, go, to any other country. What did you think of that? I don't know if that's practical advice or even possible advice. But what did you think when you heard that?

VILCHIS: I was very disappointed. I've built a reputation in my community. I have strong ties to my community and just get up and go, it shows a lack of consideration. And for me, it's like, yes, I can go up and build a career anywhere else at this point. I think I've learned a lot. I struggled a lot and I've learned to make do and contribute wherever I go.

But I think that just shows just like no appreciation for what I've contributed.

CAMEROTA: I mean, also, just to be clear, you were 7 years old. You were brought here through no choice of your own. You didn't know you were undocumented until years later. You have always believed that you are as American as anyone else. But it was really interesting to see all of that play out.

Did you take away anything that you will change moving forward from this conversation? What can you do since you didn't feel that you got your question answered?

VILCHIS: Well, no, I just feel like he didn't acknowledge what I've contributed. It was something that was an oversight and the response that I got. But, I enjoy taking part of the conversation. I had a conversation with a supporter the other aisle who in the beginning wasn't as comfortable with my case but was supportive afterwards.

And so, I think just presenting the story and hearing people how about they feel is something that was really valuable I took away.

CAMEROTA: OK. Scott and Derinda, you guys are life-long Democrats. But this time around, you, Scott, voted for Donald Trump and you, Derinda, sat it out. How did Hillary Clinton lose you, Derinda?

[06:55:01] DERINDA SEITZ, DEMOCRAT, DIDN'T CAST A VOTE FOR PRESIDENT: I -- she didn't clear give me the reasons to vote for her. I think, actually, both of their negativity against each other just made it to where I could not consciously vote for either one of them.

CAMEROTA: It turned you off?

D. SEITZ: It turned me off.

So much a commercial would come on and I just left the room. I couldn't listen to it any more. Too negative.

CAMEROTA: Scott, understood, a lot of people felt it was too negative. Scott, what was it, how did the Democrats fail you?

SCOTT SEITZ, LIFELONG DEMOCRAT, VOTED FOR TRUMP: I believe they concentrated more on the special interests and the working class, the blue collar worker. The United Auto Workers, the United Steel Workers. We feel we are the ones who put Democrats in office and for her to come through and completely forget about us, it was very hurtful.

CAMEROTA: When you say completely forgot about you. What could she have done?

S. SEITZ: Not only come to the valley, but see what we have as far as our infrastructure goes. We have a lot of areas that were very mill- oriented, United Auto Workers. In my area, United Auto Workers and United Steel Workers are a big part of our area and everything trickles down from that.

She was more concentrating on special interest groups and she completely forgot about the blue collar worker.

CAMEROTA: You mean like -- there were more cultural issues that she about and not just manufacturing and --

S. SEITZ: Exactly.

CAMEROTA: What do you think Donald Trump will do for you?

S. SEITZ: I believe his speech on creating more jobs, the lower taxes, the higher tariffs. That actually helps small businesses, which is me. I'm certainly hoping so anyways.

CAMEROTA: Do you think that factories will reopen and manufacturing in your area will come back?

S. SEITZ: Well, that's the problem. A lot of the places in my area have not only closed, but completely been torn down. So, we have a lot of empty land.

CAMEROTA: So where does that leave you?

S. SEITZ: That's why we're here. We're trying to get some help for the Rust Belt area. We had about 70 major companies in the entire Rust Belt area that have completely closed and we need to stop the bleeding.

CAMEROTA: Derinda, what did you want Hillary Clinton to say? What were you looking for?

D. SEITZ: I was looking for, clearly, her, what she was -- her policies. It wasn't clear tame. As a special ed teacher I like things to be given, straight forward. She was too busy battling with Trump and letting me know what she is going to do for us.

CAMEROTA: You guys were in the audience last night. You saw the exchange between Elizabeth and Senator Santorum. What do you think of that? What do you think of his position versus hers?

D. SEITZ: I didn't like his position versus hers. I said each person should be looked at individually and each case, you know. It should not be a blanket, you know. Everybody's here. They can contribute to our society.

They should not be -- if you're a criminal, yes. I think they should be treated different than someone who is being a productive person in society.

CAMEROTA: What did you think, Scott?

S. SEITZ: I think it would be horrible for this young lady to have to leave our country. She came over here at 7 years old. Grew up with family and friends. Made a very productive position for herself.

She's a fantastic young woman. I can't imagine her having to leave the states. I would like her to stay.

VILCHIS: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: That must make you feel good.

We really appreciate all of you sharing your lives and your personal stories with us. We know that it was emotional and not easy, but thank you for coming forward and talking about all this. We will check in with you all throughout the course of this coming year. Thanks so much for being here.

S. SEITZ: Thanks.

D. SEITZ: Thanks.

VILCHIS: Thanks.

CAMEROTA: What's your take on all of this? You can tweet us @NewDay, or you can post your comment on Facebook.com/NewDay.

We're following a lot of news this morning. So, let's get right to it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT-ELECT: Buy American and hire American.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Donald Trump taking aim at corporate America.

TRUMP: He's going to put $50 billion into the United States because of our victory.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael Flynn Jr. has repeatedly dabbled in conspiracy theories. MIKE PENCE (R), VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT: His son was helping him, but

that's no longer the case.

TRUMP: Mad Dog plays no games.

GEN. JAMES MATTIS, U.S. ARMY (RET): I look forward to being a civilian leader.

TRUMP: He'll get that waiver, right?

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Terrorists can kill innocent people, but they don't pose an existential threat to our nation.

TRUMP: Our brave men and women are the first in line against radical Islamic terrorism. Words that some people don't like to say.

OBAMA: They are thugs and they are murderers and they should be treated that way.

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo and Alisyn Camerota.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to your NEW DAY.

Up first, President-elect Trump promising to put America first by creating jobs, cutting taxes and repealing Obamacare.