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Interview With Michigan Congresswoman Debbie Dingell; Racist Chants, Vandalism Reported After Election; Pence and Trump Kids Now Leading Transition Team. Aired 3-3:30p ET

Aired November 11, 2016 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:03]

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Top of the hour. You are watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin here in beautiful Washington, D.C.

And on this Friday, and specifically on this Veterans Day, if I may just take a moment, yes, we live in a divided nation. And, yes, we have all just witnessed one of the darkest presidential races of our time.

And even though I know so many of your emotions are still so raw, no matter where you stand on the outcome, we are all Americans. We are grateful to the men and women who sacrificed for us.

And so just I wanted to say thank you, thank you for all that you do and for what everyone who came before you has done.

Now to politics of the day.

We have some news just into CNN, Chris Christie out, Mike Pence in. Sources tell CNN that Governor Christie has been relieved as head of Trump's transition team and that loyalty, or lack thereof, could be to blame.

He is now a vice chair, along with several other Trump insiders, including Trump's grown children.

So I have with me Dana Bash, our CNN chief political correspondent, and former RNC spokesman Kevin .

So, great to see both of you.

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Thank you.

BALDWIN: And first to you, walk me through a little bit more, as far as why we know it's vice president-elect Pence chairing that and also what we know about the chief of staff role.

BASH: OK. So, why is it vice president-elect Pence?

Lots of reasons, but primarily it is because Donald Trump knows now that he can trust Mike Pence. He is somebody who already has a job. We know what his role is. And as part of that role already going into this, part of the reason why Donald Trump was comfortable picking Mike Pence is because of his deep ties to the political establishment and to the Republican world in particular.

He was a former member of Congress. He knows the players there well. He knows sort of the players out in the country, because he's also a governor. So all of -- for all of those reasons, I'm told that they decided that Mike Pence should lead the effort.

And why not Chris Christie? Well, look, he did a lot of work for months and months and months quietly on the transition, came down to Washington at least once a week to try to prepare for a Trump administration, even when people sort of laughed at the concept that a Trump administration would even happen.

He's had a rough road, no pun intended, the past few weeks about the Bridgegate trial and the verdict, meaning that two of his former aides were found guilty. And so all of that combined with a little bit of tension, perhaps, over the "Access Hollywood" tape, we're told.

Having said all of that, Chris Christie was very much involved in debate prep, helped lead debate prep with Reince Priebus, and has still been involved. He was there on victory night and so forth.

BALDWIN: On Reince Priebus, let me look to you on this one. All signs pointing yes as president-elect's chief of staff. This is what sources are telling CNN, as the RNC chair. And you know Republicans in this town.

What does that indicate to you as far as perhaps what a Trump administration would look like and how he might govern?

KEVIN , FORMER ROMNEY ADVISER: Well, a lot like the campaign.

Reince Priebus worked his way into the campaign in a trusted role for himself. He came -- he comes from an establishment wing of the party. He's tight with members of the House and Senate and all the members of the RNC.

BALDWIN: Speaker Ryan, who you know very well.

: And Speaker Ryan. And he would be a good fit.

I don't think it's a done deal, by any stretch. I think there's a number of people that could serve in that role. He would be good for it. I think he is going to be able to serve in whatever kind of role Trump wants him to be in, because he has earned his trust. And that's what Trump is really looking for.

And Pence is an excellent person to lead the transition, because he knows the policy, he knows the players on the Hill, and he's very close with Paul Ryan. So it's a good start to hit the ground running.

BALDWIN: Chief of staff, yes, explain. People who aren't Washington insiders, why is that role so crucial for any president?

BASH: It's for so many reasons. And I want you to definitely add or correct me if I'm wrong on this, because he's been inside and so knows really well. But it's the gatekeeper to the president. It's the person who keeps the trains running on time. It's the person who puts the call into the president when there is that 3:00 a.m. phone call and something is happening. It's the person who helps shepherd legislation, helps shepherd priorities.

And so all of those things are traits that some people, many people think that Reince Priebus has. But I think the other thing that Kevin really talked about which is really important is the bond. The president really has to have real trust in the chief of staff that things are not going to get leaked, that things are really in the cone, and...

BALDWIN: And if the chief of staff says, no, Mr. President, that may not be a great idea, you have got to listen.

(CROSSTALK)

[15:05:01]

BASH: Well, that's exactly what I was going to say.

And the other thing, especially with a President Trump, you have got to have people around who are going to be as willing to say no as they are to say yes and be able to convince him of that.

Now, is Reince Priebus that guy? We're not 100 percent sure.

BALDWIN: Right.

BASH: The other person who is out there who apparently raised his hand for the job is Steve Bannon, who I am told has a much -- has a real trust and has a real bond with Donald Trump, because, even though Reince Priebus, the RNC chair, and Trump became very close as the months went on, he was still the chair of the party and that was and his is first job, which meant being the go-between and also having to criticize him publicly, like he did with the "Access Hollywood" tape, because that was his job as party chair.

BALDWIN: Right.

Let me move off that and more, Kevin, to this list that I have. So, the Trump team has released this list of people who will be involved in the transition. And on this list, you have Jared Kushner, who is Trump's -- who was integral in this whole campaign behind the scenes. He was here at the White House just yesterday, the son-in-law.

But then you also have Don Jr., Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump. Is that a conflict of interests?

SHERIDAN: His closest advisers have always been his family. He's a one-man band, but he has...

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: None of them have government experience. SHERIDAN: True, but I assume they are relying on...

BASH: But they have Trump experience.

SHERIDAN: Yes. They have got Trump experience. And I assume they're relying on other people who do.

Look, he has got broad latitude to pick whoever he wants. He's beholden to no one. He ran his own race. He does not need to go in a traditional way and pick party elders and typical political operatives. He can -- they can choose from any group in Washington.

BALDWIN: He could pick you. He could pick me. I'm just trying to think of smart people.

SHERIDAN: He could go inside media. He could go anywhere.

He's beholden to no one.

BALDWIN: To no one.

SHERIDAN: So this is a really interesting time. And we could play the name game all day about different types of people that could possibly serve there. We will know soon enough.

When the chief of staff is announced, I think then we will get kind of a...

BALDWIN: An indication.

SHERIDAN: An indication of the direction he is going to take, whether it's a Steve Bannon or a Reince Priebus. And that will be the first indication I think we will have of which way he is going to go.

BALDWIN: What do you think about the kids being involved? I meant that jokingly about -- but someone who would actually have government experience would be a plus. And aren't they running the business and...

BASH: Well, yes, yes, exactly.

(CROSSTALK)

BASH: This is the transition, right? So this is to help get their father's administration up and running. And, no, they don't have government experience.

But I said it sort of half-kidding that they have Trump experience. They know their dad.

BALDWIN: Sure.

BASH: They know because they have the experience running his company. They know what will work and won't work for him.

And with regard to his son-in-law, he was incredibly involved. I mean, he was on the phone with the RNC working on budgets and things. He was so deep in the weeds in the campaign.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: He could go beyond the transition team. You know where I'm going with that.

BASH: But -- but there was a law passed in response to the -- or because of JFK putting his brother in as attorney general. There is a law -- there's a nepotism law, basically.

And what is unclear is how a son-in-law falls into that. I mean, our Abigail Crutchfield was looking at the law. And she thought that it does say in-laws as well, but we will see what that means for how he could possibly put them in more formal roles or whether it's even legally possible. We just don't know.

BALDWIN: OK. OK. Thank you both so much. So much happening. What a week it has been.

We have much more also on this transition and the process and the names. That's coming up.

But, first, as anti-Trump protests and these demonstrations enter now day number three, there have also been more isolated reports of divisive and hateful behavior and some of them in schools. In Pennsylvania, for example, three students were suspended for chanting "white power" while parading the halls with Trump signs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: White power. White power.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: A wall in Durham, North Carolina, vandalized with the words "Black lives don't matter and neither does your votes."

Some Trump supporters have also reported instances of harassment themselves. This has all put teachers and counselors and school administrators in some pretty tough positions of navigating all these young people and their emotions.

So, joining me now, Chad Velde-Cabrera. He's the principal of the International Community School in Atlanta, whose school has a massive immigration and refugee problem -- or program.

So, Chad, thank you so much for joining me. I'm from Atlanta. I'm very well-acquainted with your school. It's excellent.

CHAD VELDE-CABRERA, PRINCIPAL, INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL: Thanks, Brooke.

BALDWIN: So, here's my question. When you heard of the election results, I know that you sent off a letter to your teachers. What did you tell them? VELDE-CABRERA: I told my teachers that the students are going to be

experiencing a lot of different feelings on Wednesday. And I told them what they need to do is just create space for students to talk with each other, let students share one at a time. Let students sit down and write what they're feeling.

[15:10:00]

So they have got express what is going on. And they have to know that we, as a school, as their teachers, their administrators, we care for them and we will keep them safe through everything that is happening right now, because the students are afraid.

BALDWIN: What have you -- I mean, talk a little bit more about the fear.

VELDE-CABRERA: Yes.

BALDWIN: Have you seen, though, also, any elation? Or walk me through the spectrum of emotions for these young people.

VELDE-CABRERA: Right.

So, Wednesday morning -- I greet my students outside the school every day. And kids came off the bus crying. They came off the bus crying. They came up to hug me. One student said, "Mr. Velde-Cabrera, am I going to be sent back to my country? I don't want to go back to my country."

And so there was just a lot of crying, a lot of fear.

But I really want to commend my teachers, because they created that space. And all of my teachers were assuring the students that they're safe in our school, that they're not going to be sent back.

And I have seen so many examples of students stepping up. I remember I saw one student telling another student, like, I know you're afraid right now, but we're here. We're together. You're not going anywhere. You're staying here with us.

BALDWIN: Kudos to those teachers, if I may take a moment.

VELDE-CABRERA: Yes. Yes.

BALDWIN: My own mother was a teacher. And we need them and they're amazing and especially at times of transitions like these.

Last question.

VELDE-CABRERA: Yes.

BALDWIN: Are your young people, Chad, are they finding a way forward? Is there a sense of hope in your hallways?

VELDE-CABRERA: There is a sense of hope. Our students are incredibly resilient. Fifty percent of our students are immigrants and refugees; 50 percent of our students are born in the U.S. And when you have a school that -- where there's over 30 countries represented, over 25 languages spoken among the student population, you learn to get along with each other, and you realize that we're in the struggle together.

Whatever you're going through, I'm going through it with you. Even though we don't look alike, we believe different things, we're together because we're trying to create a better world. And that's what we do at International Community School. And it's a great place. And I'm really glad that our students have the support of our staff and each other during this time.

BALDWIN: Chad, thank you for all that you're doing in Atlanta. Chad Velde-Cabrera, I appreciate your voice and your role here.

Coming up next, we will discuss this -- he just alluded to it, some the fear across the country and new reflections from the Clinton campaign about why she lost. Hear who is actually getting a big part of that blame.

I'm Brooke Baldwin. And you're watching CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:16:10]

BALDWIN: We are live here on this Friday afternoon in Washington, D.C.

Thousands of demonstrators have flooded the streets of New York since election night. And now barricades protecting Trump Tower have turned the president-elect's home into more of a fortress. This is sort of protocol, though, as he has been elected president.

The FAA also imposing a two mile no-fly zone over his home, his workplace. President-elect Trump took to Twitter last night to complain about some of these demonstrations.

He tweeted -- quote -- "Just had a very open and successful presidential election. Now professional protesters incited by the media are protesting. Very unfair."

Then, fast forward to this morning, tweeted this: "Love the fact that the small groups of protesters last night have passion for our great country. We will all come together and be proud."

Let's talk more with Matt Schlapp. He's a former political director for George W. Bush, and supported Mr. Trump. Also with us today, he is back, the Grammy- and Oscar-award winning hip-hop artist Che Rhymefest Smith, also a Chicago activist, and CNN political commentator and Democratic strategist Maria Cardona.

So, wonderful to see you all today. And, Mr. Schlapp, to you on this about-face on Twitter from that initial tweet I read which sounded a bit more like candidate Trump to a president-elect Trump-toned tweet. Why didn't he just stick with the second one initially?

MATT SCHLAPP, FORMER WHITE HOUSE DIRECTOR OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS: You didn't get my policy? I'm not going to comment on any Donald Trump tweet.

BALDWIN: Oh, yes, you are. Oh, yes, you are.

(LAUGHTER)

BALDWIN: He is still on Twitter.

SCHLAPP: Isn't that a smart policy?

BALDWIN: He is still on Twitter. And the rules have changed. The rules have changed.

SCHLAPP: Look, I think this was a very emotional and raw campaign. We all lived through it. The voters did as well.

A lot of things were said. People are protesting because they're upset. I think these people are mostly protesting because they really thought it was in the bag. Everything they watched said this thing is done. I bet that has got to be very, very disheartening.

(CROSSTALK)

MARIA CARDONA, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: That's not why.

BALDWIN: But on Trump, the question was, you know, why didn't -- this was an opportunity where the president-elect could have said, you know what? First Amendment right to protest, good on you, you're allowed to do this, speak, share your voice.

SCHLAPP: I liked the second tweet.

BALDWIN: You liked the second tweet.

SCHLAPP: I liked the second tweet.

BALDWIN: Maria?

CARDONA: He should have started with the second tweet, especially after those magnanimous and what were very gracious words the night that he won.

The problem, though, Brooke, is that five minutes of nice words are not going to erase 15 months of what has been bigoted, racist, insulting speech to all of these communities of color and communities of different religious faiths that believe that Donald Trump was not just insulting them, but that he would go after them if he became president.

That's why people are on the streets. That is the fear that really is gripping them.

SCHLAPP: We all know this. It went both ways. And when we felt like we were called deplorable, which was terrible, I actually think it had a big impact on the race.

When we saw in those e-mails when they called people of faith -- I'm a Catholic -- backwards, that was -- those were out of line as well. There were things that were said I think on both sides. It was one of the most acrimonious races I have ever seen. We have got to get beyond this as a country.

CARDONA: I agree.

SCHLAPP: And we have got to move on to the next step.

BALDWIN: Let me move away from Washington.

Chicago, Che, so wonderful to have you on and your voice. Let's cut through some of this.

And I just wanted to ask you, since the last time we talked, I understand you did vote for Hillary Clinton, but you are considering now registering as a Republican. Tell me why.

CHE "RHYMEFEST" SMITH, MUSICIAN: Well, you know, we have to start thinking about the system more than just being kind of monolith vote as black voters.

[15:20:00]

When you look and see that Donald Trump received 13 percent of the black male vote, we have to ask ourselves, what is it that -- how can we leverage power in our communities between both parties?

In terms of Donald Trump, his tweets, both of those tweets you saw, I think what you're seeing is a 70-year-old man who has lived a charmed life, and now he is in prison. Now someone is going to take his phone. They're going to take his Twitter. And he has to adjust to being locked up.

Donald Trump has essentially locked himself up. And he has to adjust to it.

In terms of the protesters, he should be overjoyed that the American democracy is still healthy. Protest is a sign that people are expressing themselves, that the Constitution is in place.

And what I love about the protesters, especially here in Chicago, is that you see them protesting on other people's behalf. This is not people just saying just black lives. This is not people saying just, you know, the weather climate issue. This is people worried about one another. And that is a sign of a healthy America.

Donald Trump is inheriting a healthy economy. He should be overjoyed, and we have to help him make America great as it is.

BALDWIN: Make America great as it is.

And on that, would you consider, as perhaps newly labeled as a Republican, would you consider helping in an official capacity? Are you considering holding an office yourself?

SMITH: We have to redefine how the Republican platform hit communities of color.

We need new Republicans. We need Republicans that can speak to the average person in the community. I think one of the problems we have had, especially with black Republicans, you know, one of the problems is that we don't really see them in the community. They speak on big platforms. They're involved in the party, but they're not doing any organizing for conservative issues within the black community.

And the black community has shown itself to be very conservative, if given the right candidate. I believe that at some point I could be the right candidate.

BALDWIN: OK, there was the answer, at some point perhaps.

SCHLAPP: He is good. Get rid of me. He's good.

BALDWIN: He's really good.

SCHLAPP: Much better. That's fantastic to hear.

CARDONA: You know, he's -- actually, I agree. He's very good.

And I what it speaks to is that Donald Trump not only has a tremendous challenge here, but he could view this as a huge opportunity, Brooke, because this not only -- this election was not only insulting to so many communities of color because of what was said, but the policies that Trump put forward really scare people, banning Muslims, getting rid of DACA, which, as you know, protects the undocumented kids who were brought here through no fault of their own.

He said he wants to get rid of all that. That scares people.

BALDWIN: Yes, were you encouraged by the meeting in the Oval Office?

CARDONA: Yes.

BALDWIN: Were you encouraged by the message, the words, the tone?

CARDONA: Yes. I absolutely was.

And I actually have written about this. I am willing to give Trump the benefit -- frankly, the benefit that Republicans never gave President Obama when he came into office. He has an opportunity, though, Brooke, and he has got to step up.

What if he invites Black Lives Matter leaders to the White House? What if he invites leaders of the immigrant advocacy movement? That would speak volumes about how he really does want to be the president of everybody, and not just the supporters that brought him into the office.

BALDWIN: Bring some never-Trump folks in, in the administration. We were just talking about that a moment ago.

CARDONA: Absolutely.

BALDWIN: Things to ponder as we move forward and give folks the benefit of the doubt.

Maria and Matt and Che, thank you. Thank you so much.

CARDONA: Thank you.

SMITH: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Coming up next, she went for a walk in the woods to mourn the loss of Hillary Clinton, and you know what she did? She bumped into Hillary Clinton herself. We will talk live to the woman in this photo with her little girl that has now been shared millions of times on social media. We will get a window into what that conversation was like.

You, first, a sneak peek of Sunday's all new episode of "PARTS UNKNOWN" this week. Anthony Bourdain takes us all to Japan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:28:56]

BALDWIN: We're back here live in our nation's capital. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Thank you for being with me.

Just days after Hillary Clinton's crushing defeat, her team is effectively pointing the finger at FBI Director James Comey, for one, for a helping hand in ultimately the country electing Donald Trump.

In a statement out today Clinton's campaign admits they made plenty of mistakes, but says ultimately they couldn't overcome Jim Comey and that letter he sent to Congress just days before the election.

So, others, including my next guest, Michigan Democratic Congresswoman Debbie , says that's not solely where the blame should lie.

Congresswoman, welcome back.

REP. DEBBIE (D), MICHIGAN: Thanks, Brooke. Good to be with you.

BALDWIN: I know you raised the red flag to Democrats. And we will get to your constituents here in just a moment. But what do you make of the Clinton campaign pointing the finger at if FBI director?

: You know, I haven't seen what their statement is, because I have been at veterans events most of the day.

That letter did not help. They're absolutely correct about that. This wasn't one factor. The fact of the matter is, she won the popular vote. Michigan, it's razor-thin as to who is ahead. It was a combination of a lot of factors.

But the op-ed that I wrote today talks about we as Americans and we as Democrats have to worry