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CNN: Zimbabwe's Mugabe Agrees To Terms Of Resignation; Top Nuke Commander Says He Would Resist "Illegal" Strike Order; Trump Voters One Year After Election. Aired 6:30-7a ET
Aired November 20, 2017 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you very much, Ron Brownstein, David Drucker.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right. We have breaking news out of Zimbabwe. A change in leadership after 37 years of President Mugabe's brutality. So, now what? We have a live report on the latest. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CAMEROTA: We're following breaking news. CNN has learned that Zimbabwe's embattled president, Robert Mugabe, has agreed to terms of a resignation. But the deadline has past and still no word from Mugabe.
CNN's David McKenzie is live in Zimbabwe with all of the breaking details. What's the latest, David?
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn. Those sources telling us that the president of Zimbabwe, the 93-year-old, Robert Mugabe, had agreed to some kind of deal to resign.
[06:35:09] That they drafted the letter even and he had agreed on immunity for himself and his wife with the generals that have taken power in this country. But still, as you say, the deadline has passed that his party gave to him to resign. Otherwise, they will move to impeach Robert Mugabe.
You had this bizarre moment on Sunday here in Zimbabwe. The entire nation watching the address that he did on state media expecting, hoping, I have to say, for him to resign, flanked but his generals. He went on a rambling, sometimes repetitive speech, where he did nothing of the sort.
Robert Mugabe not resigning, a collective groan through this country, I think. Now it seems like the pressure is even building more with the military on the streets, the party throwing him under the bus, and the activists and supporters in their thousands coming onto the streets this weekend in Harare. We were with them.
They were calling for the leader to step down. It seems like every time this story appears to be resolving itself, Robert Mugabe digs in his heels, but I have to say his options are really running out very rapidly indeed -- Chris. CUOMO: All right. There is an inherent contradiction he supposedly agreed to the terms of stepping away, but then in his speech didn't step away. David McKenzie, thank you for being on the ground. Be safe. Let us know what you learn.
All right. So, there is a multinational search under way to find an Argentine submarine. This vessel has gone missing since last week, according to Argentina's Navy. Ships and aircraft from at least seven countries are scouring the Southern Atlantic.
The "ARA San Juan" was last spotted Wednesday off the coast of Southern Argentina. Officials say the submarine may have tried unsuccessfully to contact naval bases seven times on Saturday.
CAMEROTA: An investigation is under way after a border patrol agent was killed Sunday while on patrol in Southwest Texas. The border patrol says Agent Rogelio Martinez and his partner were responding to unidentified activity along the U.S./Mexico border.
That's when his partner, who is still in the hospital at this hour, reported they were both injured. Border patrol has not provided details. Senator Ted Cruz and Governor Greg Abbott called it, quote, "an attack."
President Trump using the agent's death to renew his call for a wall, tweeting in part, "We will seek out and bring justice to those responsible. We will and must build the wall."
CUOMO: I was just down there with those men and women trying to secure the border. They have a very difficult job. It is very complex certainly more complex than just a wall. We will stay on that story, how that man is doing in the hospital.
All right. So, if President Trump ordered an illegal nuclear attack, what would happen? What would the military establishment do? Could they push back? How would that work? We have answers for you ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:42:16]
CUOMO: The top U.S. nuclear commander says he would not follow orders from President Trump to carry out a nuclear strike if those orders were illegal. Air Force General John Hyten making that statement at a security conference.
CNN's Barbara Starr live at the Pentagon with more. Now, Barbara, of course, this is always true that the chain of command does not have to affect an illegal order. It is really about the timing and the context that makes this a story.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Chris. It is not what General Hyten said, but the fact that he said it, and everybody knows it is all about President Trump's rhetoric raising a lot of concerns. What would an illegal nuclear order be? It would be something not proportional to the threat, killing millions of people when there might be another military option. The president has the sole authority. The military has the legal obligation not to follow illegal orders. Listen to this remarkable view from General Hyten in public.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GENERAL JOHN HYTEN, COMMANDER, U.S. STRATEGIC COMMAND: I provide advice to the president. He'll tell me what to do and if it's illegal, guess what is going to happen?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You say no?
HYTEN: I'm going to say, Mr. President, that is illegal. Guess what he is going to do? He's going say what would be legal and we will come up with options of a mix of capabilities to respond to whatever the situation is and that is the way it works. It's not that complicated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: Not that complicated. But you rarely find the military discussing the most sensitive matters like this in public. You usually get, I have every confidence in the system. They do have confidence in the system, but this time you see General Hyten, one of the most respected commanders in the military talking about it in front of everyone -- Alisyn.
CAMEROTA: Yes. Barbara, that was a remarkable headline when he said that. Thank you for giving us the story.
So, up next, one year after Trump's stunning election victory, his voters give him their grades and they express what is behind their undying loyalty.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK LEE, TRUMP VOTER: Let me tell you if Jesus Christ gets down off the cross and told me Trump is with Russia, I would tell him, hold on a second, I'm going to check with the president if it's true.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAMEROTA: We get the pulse of the people next.
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[06:48:50]
CUOMO: It's been a little more than one year since President Trump's historic win. So, we wanted to check in with some of his supporters to see how they feel about him today. I sat down with voters from Florida, Pennsylvania, Indiana, New York, Connecticut and Louisiana for our latest "Pulse of the People." (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAMEROTA: We're basically one year into the Trump presidency. So how would each of you grade the president today? So, one, two, three. OK. B, B, A, A, F, B. So, Sherri, let me start with you, an F? Why?
SHERRI UNDERWOOD, TRUMP VOTER: I did vote for him. I almost immediately regretted it. He has no credibility for me as a voter.
CAMEROTA: What turned you?
UNDERWOOD: There has been a long laundry list of reversals.
CAMEROTA: Such as.
UNDERWOOD: China is a currency manipulator. Now he says he's not. China is not a currency manipulator. That is just one recent example.
CAMEROTA: OK, who were the A's? Kim, Tommy, tell me what you like so much about what you've seen.
KIM CARSON, TRUMP VOTER: Well, I think he is going after what he said he would do. I think he is meeting with a lot of resistance.
[06:50:03] But I also do like the fact that the stock market has hit something like 27 historic highs. It keeps going higher and higher and higher. Unemployment is down. The furthest down it has been in about 16 years. I think jobs are coming in. These are all things that he talked about. I think right away he tried to secure the borders.
CAMEROTA: How? I mean, the wall didn't happen.
CARSON: Well, the wall is -- you know, they have the prototypes up.
CAMEROTA: Mark, you're nodding.
LEE: I love that he is America first. I love that he is not a politician. You know, for so long we have had politicians promise us stuff. The swamp is horrible and Trump is there. He's there for the small guy. He's there for people like myself.
CAMEROTA: Though his cabinet is filled with multimillionaires.
LEE: I love that. They're not politicians.
CAMEROTA: And you don't see them as part of the swamp that capitalized on the system?
LEE: In a capitalist system, you're allowed to make money. Being rich is good.
CAMEROTA: Yes. So, then what is the swamp?
LEE: The swamp for me --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mainstream.
LEE: Yes, you almost nailed it. It's the mainstream. It's the elites that look down on a small guy like myself.
RUBEN ESTRADA, TRUMP VOTER: I think the swamp is also no doubt Congress, Senate. To be able to clean that up somehow.
CAMEROTA: How do you get rid of the House and the Senate?
ESTRADA: You make it more accountable and more accountable to the people.
LEE: I own a pest control company. It's not much, but it's mine, and I work hard for it. I never went to college. Just your typical guy who is trying to make a living. And for years they have been just kicking us to the side, and here comes the president.
Let me tell you. If Jesus Christ gets down off the cross and told me Trump is with Russia, I would tell him, hold on a second, I need to check with the president if it's true.
CAMEROTA: Why do you believe Donald Trump over everybody else? Why?
LEE: I believe in him. He's a good man. He has taken so much shots for us. It's based on everything he's been doing. He's been winning. Listen, I go to Mar-a-Lago.
CAMEROTA: What does your sign say?
LEE: Blacks for Trump.
UNDERWOOD: It is too early for him to claim credit for those numbers.
CAMEROTA: The unemployment rate?
UNDERWOOD: Yes. The stock market is volatile. He has not passed a single legislative piece of anything.
STACY BIGELOW, TRUMP VOTER: I think it's interesting, though, we're going to blame him for the bad things we think have happened but no credit for the good. Neil Gorsuch, the defunding of planned parenthood and the steps is in that right direction.
CAMEROTA: Anthony, what is it like for you to hear the two different sides of how people are feeling today?
ANTHONY MILES, TRUMP VOTER: My disappointment is when he hit the ground, he didn't have a game plan. It seems he's firing in many different directions. I honestly believe that drain the swamp should have been the primary. He's got 535 Congressmen that have anywhere between 15 and 30 lobbyists that are funneling money to them and trying to manipulate them. He has an incredible battlefield in front of him.
UNDERWOOD: The whole election, post-election experience has caused me to reexamine. It's been a painful process. I can no longer identify with the Republican Party.
CAMEROTA: Why?
UNDERWOOD: They seem out of touch with mainstream America. They don't seem that interested in working to bridge the divisions between us, which is a major concern that I have. Health care is another one. And I know of many, many people who are not able to get treatment they need. Maybe it's time we stop viewing health care as a commodity in this country.
CAMEROTA: Did you think the president could make a better deal with the insurance company? Did you expect something --
CARSON: I expected -- I guess I expected the insurance company to be way on the back burner and the American people to be on the front burner.
MILES: Single payer.
CAMEROTA: You like the idea of single payer?
MILES: Absolutely. Every other country that is civilized and educated has made the choice to turn it into just like your highways, your bridges, and all of your other necessities.
CAMEROTA: That's not what Donald Trump is saying?
CARSON: No.
CAMEROTA: He is not going toward single payer.
MILES: But that's the only way you will eliminate the additional expense that comes with insurance companies.
CAMEROTA: Why didn't you vote for Bernie Sanders?
MILES: I would have considered it if I've had the choice, but we already the game was rigged. That is one of the things that I like about Trump. He was always talking about the system is rigged.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CUOMO: Where do you get this time? Where do you see it in terms of, you know, holding steady for obviously it's a small group? You never know what you're going to get. How was this different for you or the same than what you had in the past?
[06:50:03] CAMEROTA: Well, the same themes of drain the swamp and the system is rigged. We hear it time and again and we have for the past two years that I have been doing this. I think that it is interesting to see some of the erosion of support.
CUOMO: Very little.
CAMEROTA: Well, but -- let's say you start as an A. So now you see two who are B's because they are waiting. They don't think they have enough time or information and then you see one who is a real regreter, who is an F, who immediately sort of heard the hypocrisy almost the day after.
CUOMO: One of the rules in politics is that a record winds up being a reflection of your time. That is something Trump will have to deal with. He is still doing very well on the politics with his base. Better than Jesus.
CAMEROTA: More trustworthy.
CUOMO: That one Jamaican man who said that. But the record over time is what elections are about. Can he deliver? That's going to be the test.
All right. So, after helping to win the release of three UCLA basketball players from China, the president said something that we have never heard an American president say before. He is in a feud with one of the fathers who is a provocateur in his own right. What is going on? What is the state of play? Why would the president engage next?
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