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Democrats Ride Blue Wave To Regain Control Of The House; Dan Crenshaw, Target Of SNL Joke, Wins House Seat; Democrats To Use House Majority To Launch Trump Investigations; Record Number Of Women Headed To Congress. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired November 7, 2018 - 07:30   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:33:22] JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: More than a dozen races for seats in the House still too close to call. The Democrats have already picked up 28 seats. How many more could they gain?

Our Harry Enten has a new forecast. What do you see, Harry?

HARRY ENTEN, SENIOR WRITER AND ANALYST, CNN POLITICS: So essentially what we're seeing is Democrats will end up with 229 seats, so that's a net gain of 34. Now, obviously, they could end up at 230 or 228, but our best estimate right now is they'll end up with 229.

BERMAN: And that's a little bit of pad. You have a little bit of pad.

ENTEN: Yes, that's exactly right. And, you know, there's all this talk about the speakership with Nancy Pelosi and Democrats who might go against her, but they're at 229. She's pretty much guaranteed to be elected the next speaker.

BERMAN: And you are watching -- we're talking about the outstanding races. Where are they at this point?

ENTEN: Most of them are in California. And so, there's -- you know, there's still a few races that might go either way -- the 25th district, the 39th district -- so this can -- plus or minus a seat. But overall, we feel pretty confident about this estimate given there's so few races outstanding.

BERMAN: All right, 299, Harry Enten. You pretty much nailed the forecast that you've been making for the last several weeks on NEW DAY. Thanks so much for being with us again.

ENTEN: Thanks for always having me.

BERMAN: Alisyn.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: You should be a meteorologist.

Meanwhile, he got national attention days before the election because of an insensitive joke on "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE." Now, former Navy SEAL Dan Crenshaw is heading to Washington as a freshman Republican in a now-Democrat-controlled House.

Congressman-elect Dan Crenshaw joins us now. Congratulations, Congressman-elect.

DAN CRENSHAW (R), CONGRESSMAN-ELECT, TEXAS DISTRICT 2: Well, thank you very much. It's great to be with you here.

CAMEROTA: I guess the "SNL" joke did not hurt your outcome.

CRENSHAW: No, it didn't -- it didn't hurt. I don't think it helped.

But we've been working hard for about a year now connecting with voters all over the district, going from restaurant-to-restaurant, table-to-table, house-to-house, and it's really been an incredible journey and it paid off last night. We're pretty excited about it.

[07:35:11] CAMEROTA: I bet you are.

So what's the first thing you want to do when you get now to an even more divided Washington, given the Democrats controlling the House and the Republicans controlling the Senate?

CRENSHAW: Right. It's just one challenge after another, right?

Well, you know, we have issues in Houston that are pretty bipartisan.

One big one is flood mitigation infrastructure. I need to be able to work with the Army Corps of Engineers to ensure that our infrastructure can take another Hurricane Harvey-like event. Now, that's pretty unique to Houston, of course.

Now, I want to look for ways to reduce health care costs. In Houston, there are some great innovative companies on the pharmaceutical side, on the direct primary care side. I can't see why on earth Democrats wouldn't want to push to expand these kind of innovative, free-market solutions to reducing health care costs. So that will be a big one for me as well.

CAMEROTA: Congressman-elect, I want to read a portion of your victory speech last night. And I'm sorry, things have been happening here so quickly this morning and changing that we don't have video of it yet, so let me just read it.

You say, "This election and the next couple of years, and hopefully the next 50 to 100 years, is going to be about understanding what we all believe in together. Understanding the foundational values that keep us together. And that used to be comedy, it used to be sports.

Let's separate politics from these things. Let's enjoy life together as Americans. That's what I'd like to get back to."

I think that a lot of people would like your utopian vision for getting back as Americans to enjoying life together, but let's face it -- I mean, it's more divided and rhetorically more heated than ever.

So what's your suggestion? CRENSHAW: Well, you know, what I was referring to is comedy, sports. The political rhetoric will probably remain divisive. It will remain mean as ever.

I'm going to try to be part of the solution there, not part of the problem. And by that, I mean don't attack someone's core. Don't attack someone's intent if you disagree with them.

And with people -- and especially on the conservative side. We feel as though every time we have a policy disagreement the left attacks who we are. They attack our intent as if we are bad people.

On the comedy side, on the sports sides -- you know, my message to Hollywood and my message to sports is just allow people to take a break from politics. Please don't politicize your comedy in a way that is just mean-spirited. And that's what happened this weekend, but it happens a lot more than just that.

You know, I think the American people could use a break.

CAMEROTA: And, Congressman-elect, do you have that message for the president? Do you think the president plays any role in that kind of heated rhetoric?

CRENSHAW: Yes. I would always call for him to tone down the rhetoric sometimes and lower the temperature. It would certainly help.

CAMEROTA: Yes, it would certainly help.

And so, Congressman -- I mean, what do you think will be able to be accomplished?

CRENSHAW: Well, like I said, I think there's a few things Democrats and Republicans can probably agree on.

Infrastructure development, especially here in Houston like I said before.

What about workforce training? We have seven million job openings right now. It's a good problem to have but we don't necessarily have the workers who have skillsets to enter into those jobs, all right?

We have maybe too many young people going into 4-year degrees, graduating, but not really having any skills to show for it. But they do have a lot of debt.

There's a lot of workforce training programs out there -- maybe apprenticeship programs that we can start to expand and look at, and look at ways to have public-private partnerships and get young people the skills they need to take on those jobs and earn higher wages and really make us a more productive nation.

CAMEROTA: OK, and last -- just to bring this full "SNL" circle. When we last spoke to you, you said that you were not demanding an apology from Pete Davidson. But you did have a suggestion for "SNL" and that was to kind of pool

their money and give -- I think you were calling for $1 million for veterans' causes.

Have you heard from "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE"?

CRENSHAW: The producer sent me an e-mail apologizing, but I didn't hear anything about that million dollars. We're still waiting on that.

CAMEROTA: All right.

Well, Congressman-elect Dan Crenshaw, thanks so much for joining us with your view of the country and what is next. Thanks so much.

CRENSHAW: Oh, thanks for having me.

CAMEROTA: John --

BERMAN: All right, Alisyn.

For the first time in his presidency, Donald Trump will have to be able to deal with a divided Congress and oversight from Democrats who will now control the House of Representatives. How do you think he'll approach that?

One reporter knows. Maggie Haberman joins us, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:43:25] BERMAN: Republicans losing control of the House of Representatives. So how will the president deal with that?

Joining us now to talk about the next few hours, the next few days, and the next few months, White House correspondent for "The New York Times" and CNN political analyst Maggie Haberman. Maggie, thanks for being here.

MAGGIE HABERMAN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Thanks for having me.

BERMAN: Jeff Zeleny is reporting that the president, who is doing a news conference today at 11:30 --

HABERMAN: Yes.

BERMAN: -- is going to come out and declare victory.

HABERMAN: Yes.

BERMAN: He's basically not going to focus at all on the change of power in the House of Representatives. Is that your understanding of it?

HABERMAN: Oh, absolutely and he's already been doing it. I mean, his first tweet last night was "tremendous victories." He

tweeted excitedly about his press conference at 11:30. It's consistent with everything we've seen from Donald Trump in his administration.

It is not consistent with what presidents do when power changes hands in midterms. We saw President Obama and George W. Bush acknowledge a thumping or a loss or a shellacking. You're not going to hear much of that.

He did call Nancy Pelosi, which I thought was striking and worth taking note of given that what we have been hearing out of the White House was why would he do something like that? That is a recognition of reality.

But I think his rhetoric today is going to be we expanded our Senate majority. And he's got a point in terms of getting --

BERMAN: Yes.

HABERMAN: -- people confirmed. In terms of especially, for cabinet secretary replacements. That is very good for him.

What's not good for him is the reality that there is now oversight of his administration from the opposing party.

The complaint about the Republican-held Congress was they weren't doing anything to fulfill their constitutional mandate as a check on executive power.

It's going to be very hard for Democrats to resist -- you know, as much pressure as there will be to have some olive branch with the White House, there are going to be a lot of investigations. The president is not, I think quite getting what that means.

[07:45:07] BERMAN: Well, I was going to ask that. Does he not --

HABERMAN: Yes.

BERMAN: -- understand or not care that this will happen?

HABERMAN: I just think he hasn't processed the reality. He is not of Washington and he doesn't tend to pay attention to history. I don't think that he has really absorbed the fact that when these investigations happen it is miserable for the White House staff.

I've heard from a bunch of veterans of previous administrations where there were these oversight investigations and subpoenas dropping, and it's very unpleasant for them. And I think that is what you have staff weighing today is -- and across at agencies -- everywhere -- do I stay or do I go?

BERMAN: OK, segue to turnover.

HABERMAN: Yes.

BERMAN: Do you think -- how much turnover will there be and when?

HABERMAN: So, in the West Wing staff it's a pretty depleted area already, but I do think you are going to see a lot of people leave.

The big question mark is John Kelly. Most White House advisers anticipate he will not be there for the long 2020 haul as we had heard earlier this year, although when and who replaces him is an open question.

Likewise with a lot of these cabinet secretary roles. There are a bunch of people who are probably going to be gone. Jeff Sessions, obviously, tops the list.

BERMAN: Well look, it's 7:46 a.m. Should I be surprised that --

HABERMAN: Right.

BERMAN: -- Jeff Sessions is still the attorney general?

HABERMAN: No. I actually think that Jeff Sessions is going to try to be there as long as he can. I think that everybody wants to leave in a way that isn't miserable and embarrassing and being fired by tweet. I think that Jeff Sessions, I think, recognizes that the time is running out for him. I think he will try to find a way where it can be amicable.

I think that you will see Wilbur Ross, potentially, pushed out the door.

I think that you will possibly see Ryan Zinke pushed out the door.

BERMAN: Those are two guys who could be under investigation --

HABERMAN: Correct.

BERMAN: -- by this new Democratic House.

HABERMAN: Correct. I think not could be, likely will be.

Betsy DeVos, Department of Education, another one who I think will be under investigation.

You are going to see a lot of turnover. It's just not all going to be this week or next week. I think you are going to see through the end of the year a lot of changes.

BERMAN: So, the Senate victory is absolutely an affirmation of the president's political reach in red states.

HABERMAN: Yes.

BERMAN: He campaigned in many of these states where Republicans have picked up seats.

However, the Democrats taking the House and where they did it --

HABERMAN: Yes.

BERMAN: -- in suburban districts --

HABERMAN: Yes.

BERMAN: -- that were traditionally Republican --

HABERMAN: Yes.

BERMAN: -- and now are more Democratic.

Again, does the president not appreciate his role in making this switch happen?

HABERMAN: He rejects the premise of the statement is how I would put it. The way -- his argument is going to be look at what I did.

And remember, immigration was his singular focus and call. This is what he told his campaign manager to focus on, his aides to focus on.

He is going to say -- and they held on to governorships in Ohio and Florida. Florida, in particular, was a campaign that essentially, Trump aides went in and ran.

BERMAN: Yes.

HABERMAN: And so they're going to say look at what we did.

However, what -- his message was incredibly racially divisive, it was incredibly explosive, it was incredibly inflammatory. Sure, it works, but it is not what we have typically seen a president do. He is going to say, however, look at what I was able to do.

And you are looking at a completely divided split, America.

BERMAN: And I'm trying to figure out what that means for the possibility -- perhaps the slim possibility of working with this new Democratic Congress.

I think one of the most unusual moments of the entire presidency to date was that brief Chuck and Nancy --

HABERMAN: I knew you were going to say that.

BERMAN: -- bump. Well, it was.

HABERMAN: Yes, I know. It's true.

BERMAN: It was so interesting.

HABERMAN: Probably true.

BERMAN: And you know what? He looked like he loved it.

HABERMAN: Well --

BERMAN: He sounded like he loved it for that --

HABERMAN: Sure.

BERMAN: -- brief moment.

HABERMAN: Sure, he did. He also likes making deals, as you know. I mean, this is his whole calling card and his whole narrative.

He also personally knows Chuck and Nancy --

BERMAN: Right.

HABERMAN: -- in a way that he has never had chemistry with Mitch and Paul. So it's not a huge surprise.

I think that his impulse is going to be to try to pivot toward working with Democrats to the extent that he can. I think that Pelosi and the Democrats in the House are going to be under some pressure to find something that is an actual issue where they can get something done because the risk for them is he's just going to paint them as obstructionist Democrats and that could help him in 2020.

BERMAN: Infrastructure?

HABERMAN: I mean, it's always infrastructure week, right?

BERMAN: I mean, it is.

HABERMAN: He had actually been telling people in the White House for a very long time that he preferred the Senate plan anyway to his own plan. I still don't think that's actually going to happen but I think you are going to hear the words infrastructure frequently.

BERMAN: Immigration.

HABERMAN: What's the question?

BERMAN: Well, the question is is that there is a deal to be made. I mean, there's been a deal to be made for several presidencies --

HABERMAN: Yes.

BERMAN: -- on immigration.

HABERMAN: Correct.

BERMAN: And in this case, there's a very easy deal to be made on Dreamers if he wants to and if the Democrats want to.

HABERMAN: If he wants to. I think -- I think that that would be the narrowest of deals.

But remember, DOJ just filed -- had the Supreme Court take up the DACA case. So I'm not sure how you pivot from that to let's make a deal. You could. I still think that the rhetoric of his campaign is going to make it

extremely unlikely because people are going to -- unless it is a really good deal, I think the Democratic base is not going to see it well.

BERMAN: So now that Election Day has come and gone, in theory it means that Robert Mueller could make some kind of public statement --

HABERMAN: Sure.

BERMAN: -- or have some kind of public --

HABERMAN: Report.

BERMAN: -- activity.

HABERMAN: Yes.

BERMAN: How does the White House think this will come down?

HABERMAN: What they're expecting is that there's going to be a report in the next couple of months that he will issue to Congress.

They believe, to be clear -- they're reading tea leaves just as much as everybody and Mueller's been very private about what he's doing. They're -- they believe/or are wishcasting that there will not be any indictments of his immediate circle, anyone in his family.

[07:50:18] A report comes out, they issue a counter-report. He most likely does not sit for an interview. They answer it in questions. And then, they see how far they can take that.

BERMAN: Interesting. Robert Mueller has a little more cover for the Democratic House, perhaps, than he would --

HABERMAN: Sure, I -- no question.

BERMAN: They can him in and others in for testimony.

Maggie Haberman, really great discussion. Thanks so much.

HABERMAN: Nice to see you.

BERMAN: Alisyn --

CAMEROTA: OK, John.

A record-breaking number of women ran in the midterms and won last night.

CNN's Jessica Dean has more on their historic night. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D), NEW YORK CONGRESSWOMAN-ELECT: Oh my gosh. JESSICA DEAN, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tuesday brought celebrations across the U.S. for the record-breaking number of women who made history with their victories. They ran and won in unprecedented numbers, adding over 30 seats in the House.

Many are Democrats inspired to run in response to President Trump.

JENNIFER WEXTON (D), VIRGINIA CONGRESSWOMAN-ELECT: We sent a message that we want a better nation. That we demand a better nation.

DEAN: Former Navy commander Elaine Luria turned Virginia's second congressional district blue. Like many of the women elected, she's a first-time candidate.

ELAINE LURIA (D), VIRGINIA CONGRESSWOMAN-ELECT: We've spent two years waiting for someone to stand up to the partisanship and the division in Washington.

DEAN: Twenty-nine-year-old New York Democrat and self-described socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will be the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.

OCASIO-CORTEZ: -- that all our actions, no matter how small or how large, are powerful, worthwhile, and capable of lasting change.

DEAN: Diversity extended beyond their gender.

ILHAN OMAR (D), MINNESOTA CONGRESSWOMAN-ELECT: (INAUDIBLE).

DEAN: Twenty eighteen also saw the first Muslim women elected to serve in the House. Democrats Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.

OMAR: The first woman to wear a hijab to represent us in Congress.

DEAN: Democrat Sharice Davids from Kansas and Deb Haaland of New Mexico earned their place in history, becoming the first Native American women in Congress.

DEBRA HAALAND (D), NEW MEXICO CONGRESSWOMAN-ELECT: And I think representation is important. I think diversity is important. Every voice deserves a seat at the table.

DEAN: Democrats made it a priority to get more women to that table in 2018, but Republican women made their mark Tuesday night, too.

Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn supports President Trump, who returned the favor, stumping for her multiple times. Blackburn will become the first female senator from Tennessee.

MARSHA BLACKBURN (R), TENNESSEE SENATOR-ELECT: Now you don't have to worry if you're going to call me congressman or congresswoman or congress lady. Now, senator will do.

DEAN: Republican Congresswoman Kristi Noem will now answer to governor, becoming the first woman in South Dakota to do so. DEAN (on camera): It wasn't all good news for women. Incumbent Democratic senators Claire McCaskill and Heidi Heitkamp lost their seats in high-profile races.

But, Tuesday marked a turning point as the congressional representation of women got a little closer to matching the percentage of women in America -- John and Alisyn.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: Closer.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

BERMAN: There's still a long way to go.

CAMEROTA: Well, sure, but more women are engaged as well. I mean, more women, even for 2020, are in the mix at lower levels.

I mean, I've just gone -- I've gone to some of these campaign schools where they have a record number of women signing up to learn how to become candidates and get involved in the political --

BERMAN: And one of the things we heard overnight is that's the difference this time around -- is that women are volunteering. Women are going to seek races as opposed to having to be found and dragged into it.

CAMEROTA: Yes, just really fascinating. Just one of the many historic things that we saw last night.

So, President Trump will hold a press conference just hours from now. He faces a new reality this morning. It is a divided Congress.

We'll have White House counselor Kellyanne Conway with us live, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:58:29] ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

CAMEROTA: And good morning to our viewers in the U.S. and around the world. This is NEW DAY. It is Wednesday, November seventh, 8:00 here in Washington.

The 2018 midterm elections have delivered President Trump a new challenge. As of this morning, Democrats have seized control of the House, breaking the Republican monopoly in Washington.

They have, at last check, picked up 28 seats. These things keep changing.

Above a dozen races are still too close to call. Those races will decide the margins the Democrats will have in the near year.

But the big headline as of this morning is that the game of checks and balances has changed. BERMAN: That there is now a game of checks and balances --

CAMEROTA: That's right. That's a fact.

BERMAN: -- that hasn't existed in two years.

In the Senate, though, a different story. The Republicans not only held their majority, they added to it. And many of the winners in states that President Trump visit -- President Trump visited in the final days of the campaign.

Some key races in the Senate are still too close to call. Razor-thin margins in Florida and Arizona.

And especially, in Montana where the incumbent senator Jon Tester, the Democrat, has closed this deficit since we came on this morning. Some Democrats are optimistic he will be able to take the lead there eventually. We have not seen it yet.

One thing is certain. Americans, they got out and voted in big numbers. An estimated 113 million people voted in these midterms. That's nearly 49 percent of all registered voters. Not enough, but more than we saw in 2014 and 2010.

CAMEROTA: Much more, much more. I mean, I remember --

BERMAN: Much more, but still it's half.

CAMEROTA: Sure -- baby steps.

BERMAN: Baby steps, OK.

In about three hours, the president's going to hold a White House press conference to talk about the election results.

So let's go to Jeff Zeleny --