Return to Transcripts main page

New Day

Why is Trump Silent?; Mom's Perseverance Pays Off for NBA Prospect; Voters Sound Off on Trump Presidency. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired June 20, 2017 - 06:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:31:54] ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: An anti-terror investigation under way in Paris after a driver deliberately rammed a car into a police van on the Champs-Elysees. French officials say the man was on a radicalization watch list and that explosives and weapons were found in his car. The driver was pulled from the car after it burst into flames. He later died.

Meanwhile, the man suspected of driving his van into a crowd of worshippers near a mosque in north London is identified as Darren Osborne, a father of four. He was subdued by the bystanders and taken into custody at the scene.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: The Supreme Court agreeing to hear a landmark gerrymandering case that could change the way that the elections are conducted. The justices are going to be asked to decide whether Republicans in Wisconsin violated the Constitution by how they reconfigured the state electoral maps back in 2011. The allegation is that they did so to reduce the impact of minority voters. The case is going to be heard once the court's October session convenes.

CAMEROTA: Dramatic video out of New Mexico. A deadly multivehicle crash on Interstate 10, this is near the border of Arizona. Authorities say high winds kicked up and created a dust storm that led to this. Several people killed, many others seriously hurt. My goodness.

CUOMO: Why has President Trump not tweeted or commented on the London terror attack that and injured Muslims? We discuss the choices of what the president decides to comment on, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:37:21] CUOMO: All right. So, President Trump has yet to condemn Monday's terror attack against Muslims outside a London mosque. He hasn't even expressed sympathy for our ally in Britain yet. Why? What does that mean in terms of this window into what the president does and does not respond to?

Let's discuss with senior editor of "The Atlantic", David Frum, and CNN political commentator Jason Miller. He is, of course, the former senior communications adviser for the Trump campaign. Gentlemen, good to have you both.

David Frum, what do you see in this?

DAVID FRUM, SENIOR EDITOR, THE ATLANTIC: Well, one of the way that the president tweets in his own voice, he becomes responsible for everything he says and everything he does not say. In a universe of grief and woe, that he creates this imprint. You can see from his tweets and I'm sure foreign intelligence agencies have studied them, his rages, his fears, his moods. They know what time of the day he gets up and down, and you can see his real attitude toward friends and causes.

As you note, he gets a lot less exorcise about the deaths of Muslim than he does about the deaths of non-Muslims, a lot less exorcise but crimes against Muslims than by crimes by Muslims.

CUOMO: This is not the first time, Jason, that the president hadn't immediately responded to an attack on Muslims. We saw one a few months ago. And it's a fair argument to say, well, he doesn't comment on everything.

But the White House has made it pretty clear, as has the president, his tweets matter. They're to be seen as official statements of the president.

So, why isn't he out in front of what happened in London?

JASON MILLER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, Chris, I do find it ironic so much of the conch recently has been on the president tweeting too much and now, there's criticism that he's not tweeting enough.

CUOMO: Not for me, Jason. He can't tweet enough for me. So, on this show, it's a different context.

MILLER: Well, Chris, I said much of the coverage lately and that goes for all members of the media across the board as far as what we've seen.

But, look, I think one of the things we've got to keep in mind is this attack just happened yesterday. And I think some of the criticism of the president after the most recent London attacks is that he was out there too soon, that he was there commenting before all of the information is in.

Now, what we don't know is what additional things the president or the White House might have lined up today, and I do think we have to point out that the president did weigh in very strongly yesterday with regard to the seven sailors who were killed in the ship collision, as well as the tragic killing of Otto Warmbier, which, by the way, Chris, I have to commend you and this network for putting so much time behind that story this morning. I quite frankly found it rather shameful that some of the dailies today had it reduced to a postage stamp on their front pages.

[06:40:06] So, good for you for doing that.

But, look, I think it's so soon. I mean, this attack just happened yesterday. It might simply be that the president is waiting to get more information and that might be something we hear from him shortly.

CUOMO: Well, we haven't seen that reserve when it's not Muslims and other things that the president seems to care more about.

FRUM: Well, the president also very visibly internalized what other people think about him. How people feel about him is the most important element of psychology. He's rendered himself utterly toxic in the United Kingdom. His behavior after the London Bridge killings is an British observers say, an important factor in the loss of Theresa May's majority and nearly bringing to power a labor government, probably a labor government fairly soon and under an anti- American leader.

And all of this is super relevant, because right now, the Trump administration is driving, without much of a plan, toward confrontations in Syria and Northeast Asia and is doing so without allies and in a situation where even the British are going to be difficult to bring along because the president has made himself and therefore the United States so toxic in the British political environment.

CUOMO: So, even if you wanted to wait for more information, Jason, what would be wrong about getting out in front of just wishing the best to your ally Britain?

MILLER: Well, and again, that's -- we don't know. We don't know everything that's going on behind the scenes. We don't know what's coming in from intelligence reports.

CUOMO: There can't be any reason not to express condolence to the British, right? What could you find out that would make that inappropriate?

MILLER: And, Chris, and there very well might be the possibility that that's something that's going to happen today. But I think the president had his focus clearly on the Americans who were killed yesterday, and that's where he was keeping most of his attention.

I think, look, this attack literally just happened yesterday. I think it's -- to go and say that the president hasn't done it yet, and therefore, he's not going to or that he's ignoring it, I don't think we can make that assumption.

CUOMO: Well, by definition, if you haven't said anything about something, you are ignoring it. And when you talk about North Korea, yes, the president did comment on it, but it was a very different type of measured comment than the muscularity that he suggested he would use with North Korea, certainly far more passive than he was about Cuba. He gave a speech that was 50-odd minutes long, strong and what he wanted there.

Cuba -- with North Korea, much more measured even though we have a potential homicide of an American at North Korean hands. Why?

MILLER: Well, the important thing I think some of this in our previous segment, what we also don't know is what other conversations are happening and what the administration is trying to do with bringing home additional American prisoners. Again, big credit to the administration for getting Otto Warmbier home. I wish we could have got him back in better shape and he was still alive and still with us. I think this killing is absolutely terrible.

But many of our options might be limited when it comes to North Korea.

FRUM: Also worth noting that since the intervention at Camp David when the president was isolated and prevented from tweeting about Robert Mueller anymore, he has been more restrained. Something happened at Camp David. Maybe they gave him a third scoop of ice cream, but since then, he's been on best behavior.

CUOMO: Jason Miller, unless you know anything about the third scoop, we'll leave it are for another time.

Mr. Frum, Mr. Miller, thank you both.

Alisyn?

CAMEROTA: That is persuasive as I can attest. Thank you, gentlemen.

So, a college star about to achieve his basketball dream with a big assist from his mom. Details in the "Bleacher Report", next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:47:17] CUOMO: Tiger Woods taking to social media to update his fans following his arrest three weeks ago.

Coy Wire has more in the "Bleacher Report".

What's the word?

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Chris.

Tiger says he's receiving help to manage his medications and how he deals with his back pain and sleeping disorder. Woods was charged with driving under the influence after he was found sleeping at the wheel of his Mercedes near his Florida home. He told officers his condition was, quote, an unexpected reaction to prescribed medication, unquote. No alcohol was found in Tiger's system.

My favorite story on BleacherReport.com this morning, top NBA draft prospect Jayson Tatum played at Duke, and his mom Brandy Cole had him when she was just 19. She raised him by herself in St. Louis. At times, their utilities were turned off. They had to sleep in the same bed. Tatum remembers being 11 years old and feeling helpless when his mom cried, when they found a pink foreclosure notice hanging on their door. But Jayson's mom never gave up.

She got a degree in communication and political science, and went to law school, taking her son to class at times. She used her struggles to teach Jayson that anything is possible. Her work ethic instilled in Jayson. He would go to high school at 5:30 for a 90-minute workout before class even started. Brandy Cole is now a lawyer and her son Jayson will likely be a top five pick in Thursday's draft -- Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: OK. They are role models in terms of work ethic. That is a great story, Coy. Thank you.

WIRE: You're welcome.

CAMEROTA: So, five months into President Trump's administration, how are his supporters feeling? What are his opponents doing? I sat down with a group of Republican, Democrat and independent voters for answers, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:52:41] CAMEROTA: Five months into the Trump administration, how are his strong supporters feeling and how about his opponents? What's their plan?

In our latest voter panel, we sat down with Republicans, Democrats and an independent to take their pulse and we start with a registered Democrat who voted for Gary Johnson for president but who says he's come around to supporting President Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AJ BRIGHT, VOTED FOR GARY JOHNSON: My feeling is very complicated. I voted for Johnson. So, I was that third party voter. However, I have been moving towards the president. There are people who are opposing him not on policy but just because they don't like him. And I just -- I don't like that. So, I provide some support because I think it's important that we support the president. We're all in this together.

MICHAEL MILISITS, VOTED FOR HILLARY CLINTON: I guess it's just the rhetoric. This -- it's like we're in perpetual campaign now and I think both parties need to take responsibility for the radicals on each side of the aisle and start to really influence the parties to make positive change for average people.

CHRISTIAN TAMTE, VOTED FOR HILLARY CLINTON: It's not just the rhetoric. It's not just his Twitter feed. It's the policies that he is enacting, the policies he's pulling out of. This is daily doing damage to our country and to our future generations and to the world.

LYNNE ANNE RANSOM, VOTED FOR DONALD TRUMP: I just think if we give him a little bit of time and we all work together, Democrats, Republicans, and we cut out the crazy, we'll be all right.

CAMEROTA: Cut out the crazy. That's a good national motto.

When you hear the folks on this side or other Trump supporters say you've got to give him a chance, hasn't been long enough, what do you say? TAMTE: It shouldn't take six months. It shouldn't take six weeks.

The office of presidency is not a place to cut your teeth on government.

BRIGHT: I don't think it's in our best interest to try to focus on the areas where we disagree. I think we should try to start where we agree, infrastructure, tax reform, getting more jobs, you know, taking care of America. Who is against that? Let's start there and then we can kind of work from there and you know, maybe turn off his Twitter, you know.

CAMEROTA: Show of hands, wish that he would stop the Twitter?

Why are you half and half on stopping the Twitter?

TAMTE: I'll be honest, it's like watching a train wreck. But at the same time, I mean, he's telling us things that he shouldn't be telling us that are going to get him in trouble.

[06:55:02] And really he's kind of helping speed that process I believe of getting him out of office just because he can't shut up.

BRIGHT: Trump hasn't actually done anything to anybody. He's tweeted. He hasn't really passed any major legislation. Where's the travel ban right now? It's been struck down at every turn.

So, there are mechanisms that we have to deal with a personality as big as Trump and we have to just give him a chance to -- I hate to use his vernacular -- but drain the swamp. We have so many people at the trough.

MARY REAMAN, VOTED FOR HILLARY CLINTON: I don't think he's draining the swamp. He's filling the swamp with more of the same. How many people are from Goldman Sachs that he's working for? How many people is he bringing in there because they billionaires? And they're going to make money from it. I think that's part of the problem.

BRIGHT: Every other administration has done the same thing. So, he may not be draining the swamp in that aspect. But when he's trying to shrink the size of government, I think that we should give him a chance.

MILISITS: Let's start bringing jobs home by making his ties here. Why can't he bring his companies here to America to create jobs? You got to lead by example. You're the leader of the free world.

JOHN ROGERS, VOTED FOR DONALD TRUMP: I somewhat agree with that but I do think he's made some changes that are positive. The Paris accord, rattling NATO in my mind was a good thing. You know, that is another deal that I considered to be a raw deal as far as America is concerned.

REAMAN: I mean, I think Putin is getting exactly what he wants out of all of this. You shake up NATO and then it shakes up our leadership, it shakes up our relationships and Russia has had a clear, clear impact globally. I mean, Putin is not stupid. I mean, I think that he's got his claws

in globally. And it feels to me that, that the shaking up of NATO to me is not a good thing.

I don't disagree that we're paying more than our fair share. I don't disagree with that. But I think there's a way to negotiate that. And this is the guy who says he can make the best deals ever and I haven't seen that yet.

ROGERS: Back to the giving him a little time concept, I think that what he did with NATO is step one, and that's to bring everybody to the table.

TAMTE: I disagree. I disagree. I don't think he's bringing people to the table. I think he's alienating the United States from the rest of the world. And pulling out of the Paris agreement was horrible. A bad decision.

We're alienating our allies even at this point. So, we are -- our international diplomacy is horrible.

ROGERS: Well, I kind of disagree because I think he has achieved great success over the years with that posture and that approach and I think he's using the same approach.

TAMTE: In business.

ROGERS: They all have to start somewhere.

TAMTE: But that's in business. The way you conduct business is not the way you run a country.

CAMEROTA: He is our president. What is it like for you as non- supporters to have to function?

TAMTE: I'm really struggling. I'm struggling to not stay in my echo chamber on social media. I started a company called Rise Travel and we take people to -- we do travel logistic to get people to and from marches and rallies and things like that. It's lit a fire for me.

CAMEROTA: Michael?

MILISITS: I have decided at my level that I am running for Congress. I'm going to run for the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Ohio's tenth district.

CAMEROTA: Is that right?

MILISITS: Yes. I plan to do what Democrats never do, which is to go out into all parts of my district, including the rural Republican parts and give them my message, saying let's open a dialogue. I don't think I would have considered this had Hillary Clinton won.

CAMEROTA: OK. Last question, Hillary Clinton is sort of dancing around the edges of public stage. Is she still a leader in the Democratic Party? REAMAN: I think it's past Hillary. I think we need a new vision. I

think we need people who are not the common politician and let's -- let's really create a future that is viable for all of us. All of us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: So, one of the things that I heard from them and that I've heard from a lot of voters and I think this is interesting that this has taken root. The two-party system, Republican/Democrat is not cutting it for them anymore. They want other options. They don't want to be put in those boxes.

A lot of them said that they feel fiscally conservative but socially moderate, and they don't know where to go for those feelings, which party of that.

CUOMO: I mean, in truth, I've been hearing that since I was eight.

CAMEROTA: Right. So, maybe it's time to do something about that.

CUOMO: Third parties never get any purchase, whether it's because of the money or the dominant personalities that wind up populating the major parties. It doesn't happen.

CAMEROTA: I hear you. But it feels like there's maybe a tipping point. Maybe something is changing. If enough people say we want to break out of this mold, then maybe something happens.

CUOMO: Maybe, maybe. We will see. The three most loaded words in rational thought.

CAMEROTA: Thanks so our international viewers for watching, for you, "CNN NEWSROOM" is next.

For our U.S. voters, polls are about to open in Georgia special election.

So, NEW DAY continues right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: All eyes on Georgia today.

JON OSSOFF (D-GA), CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: The intensity is high. It's a neck in neck race.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's obviously a test of the Trump brand now that he is president.