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Trump Administration Targets Former CIA Director; Impeachment Stalemate; Interview With Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA); Trump Accepts Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Invitation To Deliver States Of The Union Address On February 4; Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) In Epic, Partisan Clash; Battle for Iowa Heats Up In Final Dem Debate of Year. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired December 20, 2019 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:07]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Happening now: impeachment run-through.

The top White House lawyer heads to the Senate to get the lay of the land, in preparation for the president to stand trial. Are Republicans and Democrats any closer to breaking an impasse over what happens next?

Clash of the titans. Two of the fiercest congressional leaders in U.S. history are locked in a post-impeachment power struggle right now. Will either Nancy Pelosi or Mitch McConnell blink?

Invitation accepted. In the midst of his impeachment anger, President Trump agrees to deliver his State of the Union address on Pelosi's timetable. will he face Congress while he still on trial?

And Rudy's rage. The president's personal lawyer offers a new over- the-top response to impeachment, claiming Democrats want him executed. Is anyone trying to rein in Giuliani?

We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

As this historic week comes to a close, we're following new planning for President Trump's Senate impeachment trial under a cloud of uncertainty. Two key White House figures visiting the Capitol today and getting a so-called run-through on the Senate floor.

We're told House Democrats also are preparing for a trial, with committee staffers expected to keep working through the holiday recess, this despite a high-powered standoff between Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over terms of the trial.

I will get reaction from Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. And our correspondents and analysts are also standing by.

First, let's go to our congressional correspondent, Phil Mattingly. Phil, Democrats and Republicans, they are clearly at an impasse right now over the impeachment trial. Still, there were preparations up on Capitol Hill today. What are you learning?

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf, that's exactly right.

Look, the impasse over what the trial is actually going to look like in the United States Senate is very real and very operative at this moment, as lawmakers have left town for the holiday recess.

However, that does not mean preparations for that trial have stopped or are stalled at all. In fact, House Democrats making clear, according to sources, their key committees with leadership will be working through the process of preparing for that trial over the course of the next couple of weeks.

There's also the idea -- or the idea of when and whether they will announce who the House impeachment managers are. That process is still being worked through as well. Remember, Speaker Pelosi made clear she didn't want to name the managers until she knew the exact structure of that Senate trial.

However, we do expect, according to sources, that Adam Schiff, the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, and Jerry Nadler, the chairman of Judiciary Committee, will likely be leading that group whenever it's named.

But, Wolf, it's worth noting, it's not just Democrats that are preparing for that trial. As you noted, White House officials were up on Capitol Hill today, at the invitation of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. That included White House counsel Pat Cipollone, Eric Ueland, the White House legislative affairs director, a couple of other individuals as well from the Counsel's Office.

And the reason why was actually pretty procedural and basic. They literally wanted a walk-through of the Senate facilities. They went onto the floor with key McConnell staffers, getting a sense of the lay of the land, where things actually are.

They also discussed the actual meeting rooms that they're going to have, how the White House officials will be staffed up and have offices in the Capitol when this trial actually gets under way.

Now, the big question of what the Senate trial is going to actually look like still very, very open, not expecting a resolution to that, Wolf, at any point over the course of the next couple of weeks. But it is very clear everybody still knows the trial is coming. And everybody's getting ready for it -- Wolf.

BLITZER: In the midst of all of this, the president has now accepted Speaker Pelosi's State of the Union invitation to address a joint session of Congress, what, on February 4.

MATTINGLY: Yes, that's exactly right, Wolf. Look, it's been one of the things a lot of us have been wondering over

the course of the last couple of weeks as the tensions flared and the divisiveness has been very clear on Capitol Hill. What was going to happen with the State of the Union?

And least at this moment, it looks like it's pretty much going to follow the norm. The speaker sending a letter inviting President Trump to come address a joint session of Congress on February 4 for that State of the Union.

Shortly afterwards, the White House saying that the president had accepted that offer. So, at least at this point in time -- and we don't know whether or not the impeachment hearings will still be going on by then. Most people expected it to end by the end of January.

But given the kind of the tumult of the moment, we don't know if it will still be ongoing, but at least for the State of the Union, it appears that things are going to stay rather on schedule.

And, Wolf, I would note, as an important caveat, it wasn't until January of this year that the State of the Union got postponed during the shutdown crisis that was occurring. So anything can happen over the next couple of weeks.

But at least at this moment, despite everything that's going on, on Capitol Hill, and between Democrats and the White House, the speaker's invited the president to give the State of the Union on February 4. The president's accepted.

BLITZER: All right. We will see what happens on that front. Phil Mattingly, thank you.

As the president accepts Speaker Pelosi's February 4 invitation, he is unleashing new attacks on her and fuming about being impeached.

[18:05:07]

Let's go to our chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta.

Jim, it's, what, been nearly 48 hours since the House impeachment votes, but the president's anger is still very fresh.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It has not subsided, Wolf.

The president is furious over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's move to hold back the articles of impeachment until she receives those assurances about a fair trial in the Senate. As Phil Mattingly was just saying a few moments ago, White House officials are still making plans for a trial, despite all of this friction going on back and forth between the president and the House speaker.

As for Mr. Trump, he appears to be in one hellacious mood on another front over a Christian publication calling for his removal from office. He's insisting no president has done more for Christianity or religion than himself. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA (voice-over): Demanding to be declared innocent in the Ukraine scandal, President Trump is slamming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's decision to hang on to the articles of impeachment while negotiations continue over the upcoming trial in the Senate.

The president tweeted: "Actually, they have zero proof of anything. They will never even show up. They want out. I want an immediate trial."

Mr. Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani told young conservatives at the Turning Point USA Summit Democrats are out for blood.

RUDY GIULIANI, ATTORNEY FOR PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: They want to put Barr in prison and they want to execute me. Good luck. I just get angrier, and I go after you more.

ACOSTA: The president's daughter Ivanka concedes her father is upset.

IVANKA TRUMP, ASSISTANT TO PRESIDENT TRUMP: Angry at the waste of time, angry at the collateral damage, angry, but it's still energizing and it focuses you on -- really, it draws into relief the stark contrast in priorities.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): The House will be in order.

ACOSTA: But Pelosi appears to be getting in some digs of her own, inviting the president to deliver the State of the Union around the time of Mr. Trump's trial, writing in a letter: "In the spirit of respecting our Constitution, I invite you to deliver your State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, February 4, 2020."

But an expert witness for the Democrats during the inquiry is warning Pelosi should get on with it, writing in an op-ed: "If the House does communicate its impeachment to the Senate, it hasn't actually impeached the president."

Democrats aren't buying that.

REP. NORMA TORRES (D-CA): Absolutely. After the vote that we took on the floor, and the majority of Congress voted to impeach the president, he has absolutely been impeached.

ACOSTA: As Christmas is approaching, the president is all been saying bah humbug to the religious publication "Christianity Today," which is calling for Mr. Trump's removal over his actions in Ukraine.

The president blasted the Web site as a far left magazine. But that's not true, according to its editor.

MARK GALLI, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "CHRISTIANITY TODAY": It's factually inaccurate that we're far left. We're pretty centrist. We rarely comment on politics, unless we feel it rises to the level of some national or concern that is really important. And this would be a case.

ACOSTA: Mr. Trump tweeted: "The fact is no president has ever done what I have done for evangelicals or religion itself."

But while the president is popular among Christian conservatives, he rarely attends church and has at times puzzled his own faithful, whether by signing Bibles or misquoting passages from the Scripture.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Two Corinthians, right, 2 Corinthians 3:17. That's the whole ball game.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: Now, the president is tweeting about the House speaker this evening, and we put this tweet up on screen about Nancy Pelosi from the president.

He's insisting she should be impeached for demanding a fair trial in the Senate, saying: "Nancy Pelosi is looking for a quid pro quo with the Senate. Why aren't we impeaching her?"

Now, despite all of that friction, the president has accepted Pelosi's invitation to deliver that State of the Union in early February.

Next up for the president, he is going to be leaving the White House shortly heading off to Mar-a-Lago, his Florida resort, to spend the upcoming holidays. But before he leaves Washington, Wolf, he will be signing a defense spending bill that he will be signing before an overall domestic spending bill that will keep the government running.

Despite everything happening this week in impeachment and so on, there will not be a government shutdown, according to White House officials. Those bills will be signed -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Jim Acosta at the White House, thanks very much.

Joining us now, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat who serves on the House Judiciary Committee.

Congresswoman, thanks so much for joining us.

And let me get right to the news. House staffers, as you know, they're using the holiday recess over these next several days to prepare for a Senate trial.

Do you want the speaker to send the articles of impeachment over to the Senate as soon as you're back in session January 6, 7, along those lines, even if the Senate rules don't match Pelosi's expectations?

REP. PRAMILA JAYAPAL (D-WA): Well, I think it's really about, are the Senate rules going to be fair?

And I think it's entirely appropriate for the speaker to say that, in this unprecedented moment, where you have the foreman of the jury saying that he is coordinating with the defendant and that he's not going to be impartial -- I'm talking about Mitch McConnell here, of course, the guy that sets the rules for the trial -- I think it's entirely appropriate that the speaker wants to see exactly what this trial is going to look like before she names the impeachment managers, before she sends the articles over.

[18:10:18]

But let us be very, very clear about what has happened here. The president abused his power, coerced a foreign ally to interfere in our elections, and obstructed Congress by refusing to provide us with a single defendant or a single witness or a single document.

And so we have impeached the president of the United States because no man is above the law, not even the president. So Mitch McConnell should understand at this point that the responsibility and the gravity of the situation now rests with him, and, frankly, with the American people.

To see the edit -- the op-ed today from "Christianity Today," I was very moved by that, Wolf. The president likes to sometimes use religion whenever it's convenient. But here you have an evangelical publication saying that, not only did he abuse his power, but that his actions have -- he and his actions have been profoundly immoral.

That is very important for the Republican senators to now step up and have the courage to do what is right and remove this President Trump office.

BLITZER: Yes, that was a very strong editorial in "Christianity Today."

JAYAPAL: Yes.

BLITZER: What's your reaction to that tweet from the president when he said Nancy Pelosi, the speaker, seeking some sort of quid pro quo with the Senate, and then he says, why aren't we impeaching her?

JAYAPAL: Can you do anything other than shake your head to the things that the president says? He is absolutely outrageous. To suggest that the speaker of the House should be impeached is a ridiculous idea.

This speaker has led in such a dignified manner. She has more class than Donald Trump could ever hope to have. But, most importantly, she respects the Constitution and the checks and balances, something that this president does not do.

So, it's just not even worth looking at his tweets, because they are absurd, and they are so beneath the office of the president. But this is what he does, Wolf. Anybody who doesn't agree with him, he attacks. Any facts he doesn't like, he makes things up. Any witnesses that he doesn't want to testify, he bullies.

This is the kind of abuse of power that has led to this grave situation of betraying our national security, our Constitution, and our values, by inviting a foreign power to interfere in our elections.

That is untenable.

BLITZER: One of your key witnesses during the impeachment hearings in the House of Representatives, Professor Noah Feldman of Harvard Law School, says President Trump isn't actually impeached until the House transfers those articles of impeachment to the U.S. Senate.

What do you make of his analysis?

JAYAPAL: Well, I -- he was an excellent witness.

I'm sure he -- he has probably looked at something that I haven't seen. But, here, I think we again are talking about this unprecedented situation that comes down to the outrageous behavior of Mitch McConnell.

This really is unprecedented for the Senate. And, remember, Wolf, in other impeachment trials, we have not had different parties controlling the two chambers. So, this has never come up before. You have always had the same party controlling both chambers.

This is different, where you have the president's party controlling one chamber, and essentially denying a fair trial from the get-go. So I think what we know is not the technicality of when impeachment actually occurs.

But what we know is that the majority of the House has voted out two articles of impeachment for the third time ever in the history of this country. This president has been impeached. And that is what it is important for the American people to focus on is, why? Because of his abuse of power and his obstruction of Congress.

BLITZER: I'm sure you saw the "Washington Post" report that President Trump told a former White House officials that he knew Ukraine was the real culprit behind the 2016 election interference here in the United States because, according to this article in "The Washington Post," he quoted -- he said this: "Putin told me."

How concerning is that to you?

JAYAPAL: It's really concerning.

And during the hearing, I kept making the point over and over again during our markup of the impeachment articles that this president has done this before, he is doing it now, and he will do it again.

And that is -- the president is the smoking gun. He keeps telling us exactly what he believes. So, we don't need to look anywhere else. Now the smoking gun is reloaded, and he's going to fire it again for the 2020 election, if we don't stop him.

So, that's what's very, very, deeply concerning. But, also, I would just say that all of their excuses for what the president has done are being torn down over and over again.

[18:15:08] The president still hasn't released the full military aid to the -- to the Ukraine, and refused to allow for a provision to be put into the spending bill that he would release it.

Now the Department of Justice has filed briefs in the Don McGahn subpoenas saying that this should be a matter that's left to the legislative branch and the executive branch, and the courts should not be involved.

They're essentially playing rope-a-dope with the judiciary and trying to delay things and stop us from even getting the courts to weigh in. But this is a -- it's a roundabout argument, because they spent a long time arguing we should wait for the courts. Now they're saying the courts have nothing to do with this, and this should be settled between the legislative branch and the executive branch.

So, no defenses that are at all based in any kind of fact, just process complaints and continued obstruction.

BLITZER: You guys are going to have a lot of work over the next several weeks.

JAYAPAL: We will.

BLITZER: Congresswoman, thanks so much for joining us.

JAYAPAL: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, just ahead, a stunning new twist in the criminal investigation of the origins of the Trump-Russia probe. Why is the former CIA Director John Brennan reportedly right now under scrutiny?

And two partisan powerhouses go head to head. It's Pelosi vs. McConnell, with the president's impeachment trial hanging in the balance.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:21:28]

BLITZER: Tonight, a federal prosecutor's ongoing criminal investigation of the FBI's Russia probe reportedly has taken an extraordinary turn.

"The New York Times" reports that former CIA Director John Brennan is now under scrutiny by the Attorney General Bill Barr's handpicked investigator.

Our senior justice correspondent, Evan Perez, is here with us.

Brennan's e-mails, call logs while at the CIA reportedly have been requested. What are they looking for, Evan?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, I mean, I think this is -- from the beginning, this is why John Durham was appointed. The attorney general, Bill Barr, believes and has suspicions that there were things that were not done properly in the beginnings of this investigation that go beyond the FBI.

And so that's one reason why John Durham, the Connecticut prosecutor, was brought in, to look at the actions of John Brennan and other leaders in the CIA, as well as the DNI, Jim Clapper, people who were involved in producing some of the initial intelligence that became part of the counterintelligence investigation that they believe, that the attorney general believes has put a cloud over the presidency of Donald Trump.

Again, we don't know what exactly he's looking for, Wolf, but certainly Brennan believes that nothing was done improperly. It's the same thing for Clapper. And they say they invite for Durham to come and talk to them if he wants.

BLITZER: It's not every day the former CIA director of the United States is under investigation in a criminal investigation. And we will see what happens on that front.

There's another significant development that's happening. The FISA secret surveillance court, we're now told, has gone back to the FBI and the Justice Department. They want to double-check other applications for FISA surveillance warrants that may have been done by those who didn't do an adequate or good job in connection with the...

PEREZ: Carter Page.

BLITZER: ... investigate of Carter Page.

PEREZ: Right. Exactly.

And, again, this is the second time in just a few days that this court has spoken publicly. Almost never -- you never -- almost never hear from them. And in this case, the court is saying, Wolf, that they want to take a second look at any surveillance orders that were done by this lawyer Kevin Clinesmith, who is now under criminal investigation for allegedly altering some documents that were used in the Carter Page application.

As you remember, the inspector general found a number of problems, 17 instances of omissions and inaccuracies in that application, that surveillance application. And so the court says, let's take a look at this. The FBI Justice Department, we want you to come back and tell us whether you still believe those applications that this lawyer was involved in, whether that -- those are still accurate.

We reached out to Kevin Clinesmith's attorneys. We didn't hear back, Wolf. We know that he is still under investigation by John Durham, the prosecutor. And we will see whether or not that results in anything, but, obviously, this is a very serious issue here.

BLITZER: Yes, this is a significant development as well. We will see what happens.

Evan Perez, thanks very much for that reporting.

Just ahead, we're going to have more on the partisan standoff over the Senate impeachment trial, as both sides are now moving forward with preparations.

We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:29:18]

BLITZER: Tonight, the terms and the timing of President Trump's impeachment trial, they are in limbo, as the top Senate and House leaders engage in a partisan power struggle.

There is one thing we do know. The president has agreed to deliver a State of the Union address on February 4, possibly, possibly during or soon after the Senate impeachment trial.

Let's bring in our analysts to discuss.

Joining us right now, Ruth Marcus. She's a columnist for "The Washington Post," but she's also the author of a brand-new book, "Supreme Ambition."

We will talk about that, Ruth, a little bit later.

But let me get your thoughts.

You and I were both White House correspondents during the Bill Clinton impeachment trial. And I remember vividly -- I'm sure you do as well -- that, during the trial, he too had to deliver his State of the Union address.

[18:30:00]

This was in January 1999. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The State of our Union is strong.

America is working again. The promise of our future is limitless.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: He spoke for about 77 minutes, never mentioned impeachment at all.

RUTH MARCUS, AUTHOR, "SUPREME AMBITION": Well, what was that?

BLITZER: Yes.

MARCUS: Bill Clinton was the king of compartmentalizing, right? He was never going to let anybody see that he was rattled by being impeached and by the trial that was taking place. A little bit different today with President Trump. He doesn't compartmentalize, he just attacks. So it's going to be a really fascinating State of the Union.

BLITZER: There's still a trial underway on February 4th. Could you see him avoiding any mention of impeachment as Bill Clinton did?

MARCUS: I think his advisers would beg him to avoid any mention of impeachment and it's bit of a different setting than a rally where he might be incentivized to go off. But everybody is going to be waiting for that State of the Union.

And by the way, who would have thought back in the day that we would be looking back on that as a time when things were a little bit more bipartisan and kinder and gentler.

BLITZER: Yes, it was an amazing moment. We were both covering for that an entire year, 1998-1999. Pamela, right now, we're seeing the president and you doing a lot of reporting on this. He's brewing. He's very angry at what's going on, the articles of impeachment. And now he's off for, what, two weeks to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: And I can tell you, sources I'm speaking to are a little concerned about just how restless the president is going to be during this two-week window at Mar-a-Lago, because we have seen historically that's where he stews. He's surrounded by people who may sometimes reinforce his worst instincts, as you saw during the Mueller report and Jeff Sessions. Now, we have this looming Senate trial but the fact that Nancy Pelosi isn't handing over the articles of impeachment, everything kind of hangs in the balance right now, and that is really getting under the president's skin.

Now, we do know that several of his top aides are going to be there with him in Mar-a-Lago, including Stephanie Grisham and Jared Kushner, possibly Pat Cipollone, White House Counsel, though I'm told that it's not set in stone. And they're going to be doing a lot of game planning. They're going to be trying to keep the president busy, looking ahead in the Senate trial, mapping out who exactly is going to make up the defense team, who is going to be making the opening and closing arguments.

And also aides are talking about maybe throwing in some events or trips in that two-week timeframe to continue to get the messaging out. Because what they don't want the president to do is just squander opportunities on messaging, as they felt like he did last year during this time.

BLITZER: Mark Mazzetti, Rudy Giuliani, the president's personal attorney, he's talking and talking, he's just back from Ukraine. Watch this clip, his reaction to the president's impeachment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GIULIANI: The whole impeachment process just trashed the Constitution, no right to counsel, no right to call witnesses, no right of confrontation, no right to even have your lawyer there and investigate all the lawyers. They want to put Barr in prison and they want to execute me. Good luck, by the way.

The mafia tried that and the FARC. The mafia, the FARC and the word you can't say, Islamic extremist terrorists, have all taken out contracts of one kind or another to kill me. And my answer is, good luck. I just get angrier and I go after you more.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: What do you think about that?

MARK MAZZETTI, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, I mean, Rudy Giuliani has been kind of like the background music of this entire impeachment, right? We recall it begins with him in part because Trump brings up the -- with Rudy Giuliani, with President Zelensky and the whistleblower complaint. If the president wanted Rudy Giuliani to stop, we probably would have stopped hearing from Rudy Giuliani.

But he provides this -- things that the president wants to hear. And maybe some Senate Republicans might want him to stop being a distraction because every time he opens his mouth, there is a new story, a distraction. But, again, I think this is something the president seems perfectly comfortable with. He is playing to the base. And Rudy Giuliani seems to be here to stay and I don't expect him to be silenced any time soon.

BLITZER: Shawn Turner, the president's lawyer says they want to put Bill Barr in prison and they want to execute me. I want to get your reaction to that.

SHAWN TURNER, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY AND COMMUNICATION ANALYST: Yes. Look, I mean, when it comes to extreme language, Rudy Giuliani kind of takes the cake here.

[18:35:00]

Look, the idea that there are people who would want to execute the president's personal attorney is just another way for Rudy Giuliani and for the president's defenders to send a message to the president's supporters that Democrats and that anyone who doesn't agree with the president is absolutely out of control.

But there are dangerous consequences to this kind of language. If we look at this kind of hyperbolic rhetoric that was used throughout the impeachment hearing on both sides of this issue, and the Intelligence Community, where I come from, we kind of follow that language and see what's happening out there in social media and other channels where people are communicating about it. And you see tensions rising. You see people getting upset and talking about things like revolution and taking up arms and things along those lines as a result of this kind of language.

So the president, Rudy Giuliani, his defenders, they don't really think about the secondary effects of this kind of language but it's an extremely dangerous thing, especially as we head into this impeachment, which as we know is going to be extremely divisive and partisan.

BLITZER: Ruth, let's talk a little bit about your excellent new book I've gone through. It really has a lot of information. One of the details is entitled Supreme Ambition, Brett Kavanaugh and the conservative takeover. As you know, the chief justice, John Roberts, he's going to preside over this Senate trial. You've done a lot of reporting on the conservative majority and specifically John Roberts. How do you think he's going to handle this trial?

MARCUS: He is going to try to be as low key and unobtrusive as possible. That's what Chief Justice Rehnquist tried to do during the Clinton trial. And if anything, the imperatives and the incentives that Chief Justice Roberts are even more to stay out of it, he is very worried about the role of this court, the increasing sense that this is partisan court, the polarization of the court. He has a five- justice majority but he does not want the country to think of the court as a bunch of Trump and Republican justices. So he will do as little as possible in terms of substantive rules in the impeachment trial when it happens.

BLITZER: Give us a little flavor about this book because there's a lot of new information that we all got from it.

MARCUS: Well, the book is called Supreme Ambition for two reasons. It's about Justice Kavanaugh's ambition but it's also about the broader ambition of the conservative movement to finally, after 30- plus year of judicial nominations, to cement this conservative majority and the lengths they were willing to go in order to do that with Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

And as much as we are consumed right now with impeachment, as much we'll be consumed next year with the election, the reality is that long after we're done with those two things, the real legacy of President Trump is going to be on the federal courts and in particular his ability to do what Republican presidents have been trying to do for years, which is to get this conservative majority. So I wanted to tell both stories.

And if you think you knew a lot of what was going on at the Kavanaugh hearings and you were glued to it, there's a lot of really juicy behind the scenes in there too.

BLITZER: There certainly are and I recommend it highly. A Supreme Ambition, Brett Kavanaugh and the conservative takeover, Ruth Marcus, excellent journalist. You went to law school too so you know a little bit about all of this. Thanks very much for coming in.

All right, guys, everybody stand by. Just ahead, two towering figures in the history of the U.S. Congress in a monumental clash over the Senate impeachment trial.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:40:00] BLITZER: The impeachment of President Trump has been a partisan brawl From day one, but tonight, it's a whole new kind of slug fest as the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, are going head-to-head over terms of the Senate trial.

CNN's Tom Foreman is joining me here in The Situation Room. It's being called, Tom, clash of the titans.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it should be. Look, if you set aside all the angry speeches from Donald Trump, all the the shouting of partisan and focus on the center of this fight, you will find two of the best two political boxers you'll ever see.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): Frankly, I don't care what the Republicans say.

FOREMAN: She is the master of the House. He is ruler of the Senate.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): The speaker of the House continues to hem and haw.

FOREMAN: And together, Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell are in the heavyweight political fight of their lives with Donald Trump's raging fate at stake.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Americans will show up by the tens of millions next year to vote Pelosi the hell out of office.

FOREMAN: For months, Pelosi has been whipping her Democrats into shape for impeachment, at times, urging caution, at times, confronting Trump herself.

PELOSI: All roads lead to Putin.

FOREMAN: No one gets under his skin more, even when she commented --

PELOSI: And I still pray for the president.

FOREMAN: Trump hit back fast. You know this statement is not true unless it is meant in a negative sense.

MCCONNELL: The Senate must put this right.

FOREMAN: And McConnell is the perfect counterpuncher, a dauntless Trump defender dismissing all accusations, all evidence of wrongdoing and in a body blow aimed at the Democrats promising more of the same when the Senate trial begins.

[18:45:02]

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): I'm not an impartial juror. This is a political process.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Their back-and-forth has been jaw dropping. Pelosi holding up the articles of impeachment, insisting McConnell outlines rules for the trial that the framers of the Constitution would approve.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): They suspected there could be a rogue president. I don't think they suspected we could have a rogue president and leader in the Senate at the same time.

FOREMAN: McConnell, even with the president demanding quick action, insisting her tactics don't bother him.

MCCONNELL: I'm not sure what leverage there is in refraining from sending us something we do not want.

FOREMAN: All the faints and dodging make it unclear which of them is winning.

Almost certainly, Trump will be acquitted when and if the fight officially moves to McConnell's Republican controlled Senate.

MCCONNELL: We remain at an impasse.

FOREMAN: But for now, McConnell and Pelosi are each largely keeping their parties in line, landing big punches and the championship rounds are still ahead.

PELOSI: We'll see what they have and be ready for whatever it is.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOREMAN: To be sure, both of them could come out winners. "The Wall Street Journal" says early this week, Democrats in a closed door session gave Pelosi a standing ovation for carrying the impeachment case forward the way she has. And once it is all done, McConnell could get something he prizes, too -- a pat on the back from Donald Trump -- Wolf.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: We'll watch it closely, very closely, in detail. Tom Foreman, thank you.

Just ahead, after their fiery final debate of the year, the Democratic White House hopefuls sprint to the first votes of the 2020 campaign, now just six weeks away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:51:16]

BLITZER: Tonight, the 2020 Democrats are more focused than ever on Iowa with the caucuses just around the corner and their latest presidential debate behind them.

Our senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny is joining us from Los Angeles right now.

Jeff, the debate was in L.A. but the focus wasn't on the heartland and there were, clearly, plenty of fireworks. JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, no question

about it. At a campaign event earlier today, Pete Buttigieg summed it up like this. He said: I'll throw an elbow when I have to. I don't mind defending myself.

That is precisely what he had to do at the final debate of the year here last night in Los Angeles. Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders all taking aim at the South Bend, Indiana, mayor, trying to slow his rise, of course.

But it was Joe Biden standing at center stage. You know, really emerging from this debate in a strong position, as he makes the case, he is the best candidate to take on President Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZELENY (voice-over): The six-week sprint to the first votes of the 2020 campaign is on tonight with Joe Biden all smiles after emerging unscathed from the final debate of the year.

JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I do worry about this notion that the Democratic candidates spend a lot of time attacking one another. I've tried not to do that.

ZELENY: The field of Democratic candidates fanning out for one last burst of campaigning before the holidays with Amy Klobuchar opening a 27-county bus tour of Iowa where Pete Buttigieg is heading this weekend.

Today, their debate clash still reverberating, after Klobuchar aggressively challenges the qualifications of the 37-year-old South Bend mayor.

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have not denigrated your experience as a local official. I have been one.

MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You actually did denigrate my experience, Senator, and it was before the break, and I was going to let it go because we got bigger fish to fry here. But --

KLOBUCHAR: Oh, I don't think we have bigger fish to fry than picking a president of the United States.

ZELENY: Buttigieg also facing withering criticism from Elizabeth Warren who repeatedly questioned his fundraising practices, including a recent Napa Valley event.

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Billionaires in wine caves should not pick the next president of the United States.

ZELENY: Buttigieg said Democrats should welcome all help to win back the White House. He said he accepts most donations because --

BUTTIGIEG: According to "Forbes" magazine, I'm the literally only person on this stage who's not a millionaire or a billionaire.

WARREN: I do not sell access to my time. I don't do call time with millionaires and billionaires.

BUTTIGIEG: Sorry. These purity tests shrink the state of the most important election.

ZELENY: A night of fireworks on stage did little to settle one of the biggest questions weighing on Democratic voters: does a moderate or progressive stand the best chance of defeating President Trump? That divide is front and center on health care.

BIDEN: I've added to the Obamacare plan the Biden initiative, which is a public option, Medicare, if you want to have Medicare -- put your hand down for a second, Bernie, OK?

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm just waving to you, Joe. Saying hello.

BIDEN: I know.

ZELENY: It was the smallest debate lineup of the year, just seven candidates, offering a far different view of the field that was once the most diverse.

ANDREW YANG (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's both an honor and disappointment to be the lone candidate of color on the stage tonight. I miss Kamala. I miss Cory. Though I think Cory will be back.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZELENY: And speaking of Senator Cory Booker, he spent the day in Iowa. He is pledging to stay in this race whether or not he is on the debate stage.

But, Wolf, it is not only the candidates on the debate stage who are making waves. Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg announced the hiring today of key staffers in 20 states across the country, some 200 staffers or so. He is hiring several of them -- some of them are key Obama alumni, as well.

Wolf, he is planning for a big push here in California when Super Tuesday comes. But, of course, Iowa now just 45 days away, starts it off -- Wolf.

BLITZER: It's going to be intense. Jeff Zeleny, thank you.

[18:55:01]

Just ahead, a wildfire crisis explodes as a historic heat wave strikes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We're following a state of emergency in Australia where dozens of wildfires are raging in a record-breaking heat wave with temperatures well above 100 degrees. Right now, the fire threat is considered catastrophic in and around Sydney. More than 2,000 firefighters are on the front lines, two of them were

killed yesterday, prompting Australia's prime minister to cut short a widely-criticized vacation in Hawaii.

Thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer. You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram @WolfBlitzer. Tweet the show @CNNsitroom.

"ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now.