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Trump Elected 47th U.S. President; Bush Congratulates Trump. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired November 06, 2024 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:00]

KARA SWISHER, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Other places he complained. It's just at the behest of one person. If you're comfortable with one person with this much power, and Mark Cuban's power would have been much more diminished and has never been this much of a narcissist. I think actually what's going to happen is the two of them are going to fight quite a bit.

SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR AND FORMER SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Mark Cuban is a narcissist?

SWISHER: Not in the same way, not in the same way. And by the way, Scott, I would -- I'd be very careful. You know, there's a lot of fears. We're both narcissists, if we want to be fair. So, in any case -- that's besides the point, as usual. One of the things that I think is important to keep in mind is the two of them may not be able to coexist in the same place.

Elon is very petulant and so is Trump. And I don't think Trump's going to like the attention that Elon's going to grab for himself. He's an attention sponge like you cannot believe. Having interviewed them and known him for 30 years, I've interviewed more than anybody has, he really -- he and Trump will clash at some point, much in the same way that he clashed with the Biden administration. I absolutely agree with you that the Biden administration, by not inviting him to that particular event, which was a car event, Elon called me a lot and texted me a lot about that. He was very hurt by it. It was a big mistake.

So, much so that I called Biden people and said, what are you doing? And I thought it was a mistake because he does get credit for the cars. He does get credit for the space stuff. He does get credit for innovation as do many people. What he does not get credit for is his heinous comments and behavior and bringing people down that -- and that troubles me and you can separate it from the entrepreneurship if you have half a brain.

KASIE HUNT, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Kara Swisher, very grateful to have your perspective. I do think it's a fascinating point about --

SWISHER: Thank you. Thank you.

HUNT: -- the way that Donald Trump operates as a person and certainly as a politician and the way the two of these -- these two enormous personalities may interact over time. Really appreciate your time, Kara. Thank you for being here.

SWISHER: Badly. Badly in the end. Let me tell you, badly in the end. That's my prediction.

HUNT: All right. You heard it here first.

SWISHER: All right. Thank you.

HUNT: All right. Just in here at CNN, Former President George W. Bush responding to Trump's victory after remaining silent during the campaign. I'm going to read it for you. He says this, quote, "I congratulate President Trump on his election as 47th president of the United States of America, as well as Vice President-Elect J. D. Vance and their families. I also thank President Biden and Vice President Harris for their service to our country.

The strong turnout in this election is a sign of the health of our republic and the strength of our democratic institutions. Laura and I are grateful to the election officials, poll workers, and volunteers who oversaw a free and fair election. We join our fellow citizens in praying for the success of our new leaders at all levels of government. May God continue to bless our great country.

Scott, I know you worked with George W. Bush. He obviously sat on the sidelines during this campaign, which we saw obviously Former President Obama take a different tack on the Democratic side. He was not as sharp as Liz Cheney in that statement, but what he did do was praise our institutions and our elections.

JENNINGS: And he offered up heaps of praise for the candidates, the one who just won and the one that's outgoing. Look, I love George W. Bush and I hated it that he was being harangued during this election by all the people who said all the worst things about him when he was in office, begging him to like, enter into this election. It was terrible.

He's long been retired from politics. And this people were banging on him all throughout to come in and try to save Kamala Harris. It was wrong then. I think he should have the prerogative to do what he wants to do. And I think this statement is a beautiful statement from a guy who doesn't want to be plunged into partisan politics every day of his life or the rest of his life, but does have important things to say about how we should operate as Americans. So, great statement. I'm as proud today to have worked for him as I was at the time.

HUNT: It's a very good statement. I think -- you know, I would push back on this idea that he was being harangued to get in to save Kamala Harris. I think mistakes can be made --

KATE BEDINGFIELD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Listen, listen. There's -- I think there's like a -- I think there's a misconception here. I can obviously only speak for myself. I would love nothing more than for the fears about what a Donald Trump second term looks like to be wrong, to be misplaced. The concerns about democracy.

No one is -- I'm willing to say, I just said I speak for myself, but you know what, fine. I'm just going to -- nobody who wanted to see Kamala Harris elected president wants to see the Trump -- the second Trump term continue to tear away at the norms of our democracy or, you know, threaten our -- you know, our elective fidelity in this country.

Of course, we -- I would be thrilled for that to not bear out. So, there wasn't -- it wasn't about asking George W. Bush to insert himself into partisan politics as if we're trying to get him involved in a Senate race somewhere, it was recognizing the potential stakes based on Trump's own actions and his own rhetoric that was potentially on the line here, and I would love nothing more than for that to be wrong.

BRAD TODD, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: You know, I grew up Southern Baptist, and there's an old saying that says, when the preacher retires, he doesn't go to the back pew of the church. You don't look over the new guy's shoulder. I think ex-presidents should do that, too.

[10:35:00]

I lamented the fact that Barack Obama got in this race and that Bill Clinton got in this race and that Jimmy Carter was in every race. They all should be quiet. George Bush is the model ex-president in this regard. All of them should do it. You serve two terms, and like George Washington, you go back to your house. That's the way this should have been done. And I just don't understand why it's even controversial.

JENNINGS: Amen.

SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR AND REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I mean, look, I remember when George Bush was president. I remember when Mitt Romney ran, I worked for him and Democrats called him a sexist. Joe Biden said they're going to put you all back in chains when talking to a bunch of black people. And all of a sudden, Donald Trump runs and they say, oh, we need George W. Bush. Oh, we love Mitt Romney. We love all of these people who we say were the most abhorrent, worst people in the world when they weren't on our side.

HUNT: When you say Dick Cheney, who -- I mean, it's unclear to me whether it was George W. Bush or Dick Cheney who took most of the ire from progressives around the war in Iraq.

JENNINGS: It was Bush.

SINGLETON: It was Bush.

JENNINGS: Listen, I was -- when I was --

SINGLETON: It was Bush. Scott was there.

JENNINGS: When I was peering out my window from the White House complex, watching people marching around, with huge signs of George W. Bush with Hitler mustache, yes, I can assure you George W. Bush took -- you know, and effectively they were asking old Hitler to come in and stop new Hitler. It was the most ridiculous thing that Democrats were demanding that he do. And I just think he ought to be left alone. I think Brad's exactly right.

HUNT: All right. We have to take a break. Donald Trump headed back to the White House and with at least one chamber of Congress ready to support him. We're going to talk to one Harris supporter who will now be in the minority in the Senate. More CNN Special Coverage after this.

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[10:40:00]

HUNT: This morning, Democrats confronting the striking reality that they may find themselves without any check on Donald Trump's power in his second term. The GOP set to take control of both the White House and the Senate, and the House isn't looking much better for Democrats, with one Republican operative telling CNN, quote, "We feel very confident."

These results are forcing Democrats to acknowledge the voters sent a message. A senior campaign adviser telling CNN, quote, "If you're winning New Jersey by five, there's something bigger at play here." Joining us now to discuss Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware. He's a co-chair of the Harris campaign and was a co-chair of the Biden campaign before the president exited the race.

Senator, thank you very much for being with us this morning on what I know is a tough morning for the campaign and for your party. I have to ask you, how do you explain the sweeping victory for Donald Trump and for the Republican Party?

SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE), CO-CHAIR, HARRIS-WALZ CAMPAIGN: Well, Kasie, it's still too early to know in great detail exactly what led to this electoral outcome. But from what I was seeing and what I was hearing a big focus on the economy and inflation and frankly, a lot of folks not recognizing the real progress that was made by President Biden and Vice President Harris.

We've seen landmark bipartisan legislation signed into law in the last couple of years that does important things that average Americans say they want, reducing prescription drug prices, for example --

HUNT: Yes, but with all due respect, sir, I mean --

COONS: -- capping the price of insulin, investing in infrastructure.

HUNT: -- voters rejected that record.

COONS: But they didn't feel it and they didn't give us credit for it.

HUNT: Sir, a source familiar tells me that Kamala Harris, the vice president, is going to call Donald Trump today to concede the race. Have you spoken with the vice president? Have you spoken with President Biden? What can you tell us about her plans to concede, her plans to speak, and also anything about the president's reaction?

COONS: I can't speak to what vice president do. I don't want to get ahead of any announcements that she may make. I think it's appropriate that those who win and those who lose have respectful conversations and that we pursue an orderly transfer of power in our electoral system.

I did talk to the president, I think it was just yesterday, and he was in a positive place. He was looking forward. He was optimistic about the election outcome. I haven't spoken to him yet today. There's a lot to do in his remaining weeks, and I know that he is hopeful that the legacy of the progress he's made overseas and strengthening our alliances here at home and investing in the middle class have some chance of continuing and moving forward.

And I'm going to continue to both defend his record and advocate for his style of part of politics, his belief in the middle class, in rebuilding our country and our economy from the bottom up in the middle out, and in fighting for a bipartisan vision of how we can come together and make a difference for the country in the world.

HUNT: Sir, there is already some anger bubbling, some recriminations out there as happens in any situation where a candidate loses. But I'm wondering, does President Biden regret his decision to run for re- election? Do you, now knowing the result, regret that decision? Would Democrats have been better off with a competitive primary?

COONS: Look, I think it's hard to look back and talk about what could've or might've or should've been. President Biden has a very strong legislative record of bipartisan accomplishments. Our economy is the strongest of any coming out of the pandemic. And the American people felt sharply the loss -- the economic damage that was resulted -- the result of inflation.

Around the world incumbents have lost re-election in a dozen other democracies and countries. And I think there is a populist and an anti-incumbent wave because of the impact of both the pandemic and the recovery from it. And I think President Biden did a strong and capable, even a masterful job of pulling us out of the economic depths of the pandemic. And I frankly think that he did a great job of healing our democracy after January 6th and putting on the boards a lot of accomplishments, investments in our veterans and strengthening our economy and investing in research and bringing manufacturing jobs back to our country.

[10:45:00]

But we are going to have to sit down as a Democratic Party and look hard at why that didn't compel more folks to come out and vote for Democratic candidates, both in the Senate and in our presidential candidate, Vice President Harris.

HUNT: Senator Coons, we're unfortunately out of time now, but I do hope you'll come back. We have so much to talk about, especially Ukraine, all of the other issues facing our nation for -- in terms of foreign policy in an upcoming Trump administration. So, I do very much appreciate your willingness. I know it's a tough day for you and others. Thank you very much for being here.

COONS: It is.

HUNT: All right.

COONS: Thanks, Kasie. Look forward to being on again.

HUNT: Of course. Sounds good. John Berman.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Thanks so much, Kasie. I want to bring back my panel of political experts here. Kasie and Senator Coons talking about what happened. Let's turn the page and talk about what happens now.

Vice President Harris. First, in the short-term and a long-term, we have to hear from her. We will hear from her in the next few hours. How do you think she handles it today? And what do you think the future is for her?

MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, I think, first and foremost, you know, we're waiting for her to come out and make these remarks. And I think Bakari Sellers said it earlier in the program, where this is probably her last really big speech that she's going to give. So, I'm sure they're pouring over it. It's really legacy for her at this point and how she graciously gets out of this, at this point.

As far as what happens long-term, you can't count anybody out in politics anymore. I mean, we've counted so many people out in politics and they've all come back, including the president elect of the United States, right? But in addition to that, though, I do think that Democrats have really got to start thinking to themselves right now. Do they try to use every lever and power of government that they can pull right now, which is probably executive orders, across a host of issues and have Biden try to do those very quickly before he gets -- you know, knocked out of office and Donald Trump comes in? Because it does look bleak for the next at least two years for Democrats.

BERMAN: Professor?

LEAH WRIGHT RIGUEUR, CNN CONTRIBUTOR AND POLITICAL ANALYST AND HISTORIAN: Yes. So, I think this is the point about executive orders is really important. We also have to remember that the Supreme Court has essentially said that anything that the president does, you know, while they are in office is, you know, gets granted presidential immunity. You know, people have been saying for a while that Joe Biden should take advantage of that. He has not. Now, is the time to take advantage of that.

The other thing, though, that I think is really important is that Kamala Harris needs to give the kind of speech that I think acknowledges just how historic and important her campaign was. And I think it's the kind of statement that you make when on the -- you know, essentially on the -- in the aftermath of the election, you can point and say, even as the country is changing and radically different, here is an option, here is what so many people in this country also chose.

And so, there is a way to do it that is both magnanimous, but also that sets the blueprint for what Democrats can do in the future, particularly because if you are a member of the Democratic Party, there are dark times ahead, but it is also a time for rebirth and for rethinking what the Democratic Party stands for and how to actually reach and touch people and to use Kamala Harris perhaps as a linchpin to do that is a really powerful thing that should happen in her speech.

TODD (on camera): Mark Preston, Professor. Harry Enten, thanks for walking over just to look pretty.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: I -- look, you know, I think I look pretty gosh darn good given now I've now been awake for around 75 consecutive days.

TODD (on camera): Thank you very much for all that. So, who will Donald Trump hire to serve in his next term? A man who had a brief stint, very brief, in the first Trump administration joins us ahead. This is CNN's special live coverage. Stay with us.

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[10:50:00]

BERMAN: All right. Donald Trump's win today having a powerful effect on the stock market. The Dow surging by more than 1,300 points. Let's get right to someone in the business of business, Anthony Scaramucci. He was Trump's White House communications director for a very short time. He is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge Capital.

Anthony, thanks so much for being with us. I know it's been a long night for you. What do you think the Trump victory means? If you could boil it down to 20 seconds, what does it mean? What does it mean the most quickly for the American people?

ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, AUTHOR, "FROM WALL STREET TO THE WHITE HOUSE AND BACK" AND FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER, SKYBRIDGE: It's great. Great for my portfolio, but I'm sort of sad for the country. John, it's a good thing I don't drink, I would have emptied the liquor cabinet behind me. And I just think it's a sad day for a lot of people. You know, they talk about nonwhite immigrants to the United States in a very us versus them dehumanizing sort of a way.

And so, hopefully, when he takes that mantle of leadership again, I hope that he takes a pause and thinks about that, that the country needs to unite and there needs to be a healing process in the country. I congratulate the president and Elon Musk. It was a well-executed campaign. He won the popular vote, John. It's a democracy. And so, he's my president. He's your president and I do wish him well.

But I'm worried because the rhetoric that he was using in the campaign, if he executes on that rhetoric, it'll be good for some people, but it won't be good for all of America. And that's something that worries me.

BERMAN: So, you did work in the administration for a brief time and you were around during the transition a little bit too. What do people who may end up working in this next Trump administration, and he'll be staffing up soon, what do they need to know based on your experience?

SCARAMUCCI: So, just to be clear, you know, I'm not proud of all this, but I just state all this, I was the first person on Wall Street to move towards Donald Trump back in 2016, helped him raise a lot of money, spent nine months on the campaign providing media advocacy, and then worked on that transition for the 12 weeks of the transition as an executive committee person. So, it wasn't just 11 days in the White House, I worked with him.

But what happens to many people that work with him, if not all the people that work with him, you know, he starts to do things that you are questioning. You're taking an oath to the constitution. You're taking an oath to serve the American people in the American process. The system, John, not the person.

[10:55:00]

And when that starts to get into an aggressive combative position with Donald Trump, you either get fired, you resign or you end up like the 40 of us that tried to warn the American people of what he was like inside the administration.

But he's there now, he's going to have a whole new set of people, because that's what happens in Trump world. There's a carousel, you come in, you wear the MAGA hat, you smile, you get a knife plunge in your bag on the way out, and that's what happened to a good many people. The people that are there now think it's not going to happen to them. But you know -- and they do say this on Wall Street, past performance is not indicative of the future. But I think it is in this case.

And I would just caution those people and I would remind those people that there are rules and a system in place in the United States. And you're taking an oath to the constitution and the office, not to the person.

BERMAN: Anthony Scaramucci, appreciate you taking this short period of time to talk to us. We will speak with you again soon. Got a lot of time to digest what happened.

SCARAMUCCI: There's some tequila here for you. John, there's some tequila here for you in this mini bar in the hotel if you need it. All right?

BERMAN: I got hours left to go, my friend, before I do any drinking. TV. No mercy there. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

So, Donald Trump is the president-elect and the Republican Party will have control of the Senate. The House is still in play with a lot of races left to call. CNN's Special Live Coverage continues next.

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