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Partial Travel Ban Set to Begin Tonight 8 p.m. ET; Trump Attacks "Morning Joe" Hosts in Vicious Tweets; Trump, South Korean President Meet amid North Korea Nuke Concerns; U.S. Military updates Trump's options on Pyongyang. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired June 29, 2017 - 10:00   ET

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


[10:00:00]

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POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. I'm Poppy Harlow.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm John Berman. The president of the United States made statements moments ago that would very possibly get him fired from some companies, suspended from some schools, certainly in trouble with most parents. We'll get to that in a moment. But first, developments in major policy issues, hours from now, part of the president's controversial travel ban takes effect across the country.

HARLOW: Now, these new rules apply to these six Muslim-majority countries. They require people from those countries who want to travel to the United States to prove a close relationship with family here or a school here or a job in the U.S. Let's get straight to our Diane Gallagher who has all of the details. This is the implementation of the Supreme Court, basically, lifting part of that stay.

DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And you know, Poppy, John, President Trump once referred to this particular version of the travel ban as watered down, but portions of that which were upheld by the Supreme Court as you said, this week, are going to go into effect. Now, the big question is just who from those six Muslim-majority countries will be allowed to come into the United States. For the Supreme Court ruling, that means people with a bona fide relationship with a person or an entity here. So, green card holders, current visa card holders, if you are employed here or a student, you are good.

But the real question is what constitutes a bone fide personal relationship? The criteria hasn't been posted publicly yet. But CNN obtained a State Department document that was sent to the U.S. Embassies and consulates last night. According to the administration, a parent, a spouse, a child or stepchild, a son or daughter-in-law or sibling, those are considered bona fide relationships. Extended family members, they don't count. Notably, that includes grandparents and fiances.

Now, if someone from one of those six countries cannot prove that they qualify, they will be banned for 90 days. If that person is a refugee without a bona fide relationship, the ban is for 120 days. Now, we are not likely to see the chaos we did at the airports in January with people being detained because this is just likely going to be a legal issue.

Muddying the waters even more, Secretary Kelly of Department of Homeland Security announced yesterday, John and Poppy, that they are increasing aviation restrictions saying that new measures will include greater passenger scrutiny, additional explosive detecting canines and enhanced screening of electronic devices.

HARLOW: Diane Gallagher with the reporting, we'll be watching as it is implemented. Thank you very much.

We also have new developments this morning. The Senate where Republican leadership, Mitch McConnell is scrambling to get a new draft of the health care bill done by tomorrow and a draft that enough people are going to get on board with.

BERMAN: Right now, nine Republican senators publicly oppose parts or some of the bill. Today, we're expecting many more one-on-one conversations as well as a Republican lunch, all to try to hammer out some kind of compromise, get those no votes to yeses, of course. You have to wonder what the president's statements will do anything to sway any of the female senators he is trying to win over, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski. Are they more likely to vote for something that president supports, given his statements which we'll find out about in a second, which seem pretty sexist. But first, what's happening on Capitol Hill? Phil Mattingly is there. Phil, what are you learning?

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think the big question now is, obviously, Senate Republican leaders want to get something done, at least some type of compromise agreement hammered out before tomorrow, before everybody leaves for recess. And they're still pretty far away.

Now, there have been some developments. I'm told from several people involved that they are essentially there on adding more money to the bill for opioid rehab funding. That's a key issue for people like Senator Rob Portman, Senator Shelley Moore Capito, two individuals of those nine that have already come out as no votes. I'm told that they will get at least the $45 billion over ten years that they asked for.

I'm also told that there is likely going to be the inclusion of provision to make health savings accounts more flexible to allow people to use their HSA money to help pay down premiums. That's something conservatives want. But a key point here, those are not the silver bullets. Those are kind of tinkering at the edges. Those are things that Senators who are opposed to this want but that's not going to sway them entirely.

In fact, Shelley Moore Capito said explicitly yesterday, the opioid money wasn't enough. She needed more changes to the Medicaid piece of this. We talked to conservatives, they've made very clear, they like what they are hearing about HSA's but they need more on the regulatory front. And there in, guys, lies kind of essentially the point we have been discussing now for the last couple of weeks. Threading the needle, how do you do it? Give a little bit to this side and a little to that side isn't enough to actually bring everybody together, at this point no.

And guys, you look at kind of the surrounding circumstances here. You look at poll numbers that are in the low double digits.

[10:05:00] Look, the senators read the poll numbers, there's no question about it. You look at -- you mentioned some of the disagreements or maybe issues that they've had with the White House, whether or not the president actually knows the details of what's going on, whether or not he can have any kind of positive role in this process at all as they work through it. These are the outstanding questions that are surrounding, what is already a very, very difficult policy debate. You are going to see a lot more one-on-one meetings today, a lot more effort to try and get their legislatively, maybe some administrative promises as well from the administration. The big question remains, how do you get to 50 votes? Reality also remains. They are not there yet there, guys.

BERMAN: All right. Phil Mattingly with the reality check as it were on Capitol Hill. Thanks so much for that.

Now in a big day, right? A big day on Capitol Hill, a big day for the president.

HARLOW: A big day for policies, things that change people's lives, but -

BERMAN: Exactly. Was the president writing about that? No. Instead, he is making deeply personal, deep insulting statements. I want to read you what he is saying about cable news hosts, right now.

"I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don't watch anymore)." -- Which I don't believe, frankly -- "Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year's Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!"

HARLOW: Joining us now, Maria Cardona, CNN political commentator and Democratic strategist, CNN contributor Salena Zito, Joseph Borelli, Republican councilman for the 51st District of New York City and Brian Stelter, our senior media correspondent and host of "Reliable Sources."

This is objectively a statement from the highest office in the land, from the president, that objectifies women. This is a statement that is cruel, it attacks a woman's appearance. Councilman, you have been, for a long time, a big supporter of this president during the campaign, a defender of his. Can you defend this? What is your response to it?

JOSEPH BORELLI, COUNCILMAN, 51ST DISTRICT OF NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL: Well, I'm not going to defend the personal nature of it other than to say that this is certainly an indication that the war between the Trump administration and the media is certainly showing no signs of ending. I think he was telling the truth when he says he didn't watch the "Morning Joe" show because if he had, there's a little bit of irony today and that "Morning Joe" was discussing on his program how the media had basically used the term willfully mistaken when he meant lying, but how the media had been essentially lying about the Trump administration for the last 18 months.

HARLOW: Can we just get back -- my question about women. And I really want you to address it because this is someone who has run -- ran on being a powerful president, in his words, for women. His daughter, Ivanka Trump, said he will be great for women. She stands for him and just wrote a book about working women. Is it OK for the president to say this about women?

BORELLI: Look, like I said, I'm not going to go into the personal insults. Maybe there's an inside story that we don't know about. I think it certainly didn't help. I mean, we know that this segment was to talk about health care. And instead of talking about health care, we are talking about these tweets.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: But that's the president's fault.

BORELLI: Right. You are 100 percent right. Look, I'm not going to comment, again, on his particular insult nor am I going to comment on Mika's little response.

(CROSSTALK)

BERMAN: You know -

STELTER: How come? It's unpresidential.

BERMAN: Hang on one second, Brian. -

STELTER: Why can't you just say it's unpresidential? - Why can't you look at the president, he's probably watching right now and say, knock it off?

BORELLI: These are things that people said were unpresidential about the president when he was running for office and yet, here he is --

STELTER: I was told in grade school that two wrongs don't make a right. These are rivals. These are MSNBC hosts. Everyone in the media should be standing up today, saying, it's inappropriate --

BORELLI: I think everyone might want to take a bit of "Morning Joe's" perspective and actually acknowledge that the media has also been - what the Trump administration by not exactly telling the truth on many stories and going into Russian hysteria for 18 months. --

BERMAN: Hang on one second, guys. Salena Zito, I want to get your take on this. Because yesterday, there was a discussion about the president commenting on a woman's smile. You defended that. Is this qualitatively different today, Salena?

SALENA ZITO, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Absolutely. - The former President Barack Obama, in 2007 said something incredibly similar to me. I think we were in New Hampshire. I wasn't offended by that. Having said that and having -- as someone who is regularly attacked online for my looks or my hair or you know, and not on the content of what I report, I find that awful.

Brian is right. Two wrongs don't make a right. If you have a beef with someone, take it to that level as to what the beef is. But, don't make it -- you know the attacks are just repulsive. It's unpresidential. It's unfit for the office and, you know, have your problems, whatever they may be, whether it's with the media, whether it with a rival, have it stay on that course, on the policy or on the -- whatever the conflict may be, certainly not on what someone looks like.

HARLOW: Maria Cardona, my producer reminds me in my ear, importantly, about Ivanka Trump giving an interview just a few weeks ago to Fox and talking about what she called a level of viciousness. And the media said there's a level of viciousness that I was not expecting. This is a -- he's a father of daughters. You know, I'm the mother of a daughter, to all the parents out there, this attack on women and appearances, what is the country supposed to do with this?

[10:10:09] MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR AND DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: I think the country should take a hard look at who they have elected as their commander in chief, leader of the free world and president of the United States. I mean, the ironies are unending, Poppy, starting with Ivanka who, you know, prides herself in being a defender of women, but yet she backs her father and blames everybody else for vicious attacks against him. She needs to take a look at her own house before she says anything.

And then, I actually feel bad for the first lady, who supposedly wants to focus on an anti cyber bullying program. She also needs to look inside her own house before she tries to preach to anybody else about what that should be.

But here is the thing. Yes, we should all be outraged about what he said. But, what makes us think that the man who, in his life and in the campaign has acted like a misogynist, a sexist, a sexual predator, who has talked about women in an incredibly demeaning and objectifying way. Is this really all that surprising that he would do this now, even sitting in the Oval Office?

So, yes, we should not normalize this. I applaud Salena for saying it the way it is, it is unacceptable, unpresidential, he should cut it out. Joseph, I wish would get on that program, too. Because it is what decent human beings understand, is what a decent human being should act like in the Oval Office. At the end of the day, what he proves, yet again, is that he is just not a decent human being.

BERMAN: Brian, -- what is MSNBC saying about this so far?

STELTER: We do have a statement from the head of PR of the network, we can put on screen, quote, "It's a sad day for America when the president spends his time bullying, lying and spewing petty personal attacks instead of doing his job." It's worth noting. For the record, some of what Trump says also factually inaccurate. I've been covering more interviews for a long time. I wrote a book about it, Joe, Mika, they are not psychos. They don't have low IQs. They did meet with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago. The president said they did meet. There are photos of them together. I hate to even say this. But there are no bandages, there's no blood on Mika's face.

So, beyond how offensive it is, it is also not inaccurate. I wonder what Melania is going to say to the president tonight. I wonder what Ivanka is going to say. I'm glad, Poppy, you are making this about the gender part among other pieces because it does seem very gender -

BERMAN: He didn't say about Joe.

STELTER: Scarborough was the target, but it was only personal about Mika's appearance.

HARLOW: Meghan McCain, Senator John McCain's daughter also, you know, works for Fox News, a conservative, came out. Let's pull up what she said immediately after the president tweeted this.

"I do not think making fun of a woman's looks is acceptable. I get it every day of my life. I think that tweet is cruel and unpresidential." And then she went on to tweet additionally. "What does Ivanka think of this?"

Councilman, do the women around the president who have spoken so much about female empowerment and respect, like Ivanka Trump and the first lady. Should they say something?

BORELLI: I think there will be some conversations based on these tweets in the White House and in the residence. And I think this is one of those times where probably the tweet would have been better served if he cut it off at a certain point. There's something to be said about the way the media treats the Trump administration behind closed-doors.

I've seen that first-hand how people discuss Sean Spicer in the green room and then come on camera. And when the cameras are on, he's the devil incarnate. - So, there is some fairness to what he said. Again, he should have cut it off.

BERMAN: Whether - we'll take your last part of that statement, he should have cut it off right there as speaking volumes. Joseph Borelli, Brian Stelter, Maria Cardona, Salena Zito, thank you all so much.

Again, we booked you to talk about health care. We booked you to talk about health care that ended up it spells, speaks volumes, because the Republicans are trying to get this bill through -

HARLOW: By tomorrow.

BERMAN: By tomorrow.

HARLOW: They are trying to get it done at least.

BERMAN: We are going to talk to one Republican Congressman coming up. We are going to ask him, you know, are the president's tweets helping get this health care bill through?

Plus, South Korea's new president heading to the White House for two days of crucial talks with the president, the nuclear threat with North Korea casting a big shadow over that.

HARLOW: The first face-to-face encounter. President Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin set to meet on the sidelines of G20 summit next week. What will President Trump say to him about the election hack?

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[10:18:37] BERMAN: All right. Senate leaders are working this morning to try to reach a compromise on their version of a bill to replace Obamacare.

HARLOW: Can they get to 50 yeses by tomorrow? That's their hope before they go on recess. At least that's McConnell's hope. We will see.

Joining us now is Republican Congressman Tom Reed of New York. Thank you for joining us, Congressman.

REP. TOM REED (R-NY), CO-CHAIR, PROBLEM SOLVERS CAUCUS: Thank you for having me on.

HARLOW: Before we get to health care, which was our intent to talk completely to you about today. We have to ask you for your reaction to what the president has chosen to discuss this morning. Let me put it up for you, his statement.

"I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don't watch anymore). Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year's Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!"

Is that appropriate language from the president of the United States?

REED: Well, obviously, I was just made aware of that tweet. And I don't know the context or the exchange, but obviously, concerned about that type of language and maybe the intent is to distract from the health care debate. But I want to be part of the debate that's impacting the American people. When it comes to health care, tax reform, that's where our conversation should be and that's where I try to lend my voice each and every day.

BERMAN: I'm not sure the context of the tweet matters in this case. I mean, the White House likes to say the tweet speaks for itself there. The language is what it is there.

[10:20:02] You do say you are concerned about that. We will accept, you know, that statement from you. Does it help pass the health care bill hearing the president say things like that?

REED: Well, you know, obviously, I think the more we can focus and have a debate with the White House and the American people and the Senate and House about how we are going to fix the failing Obamacare system. How are we going to go forward as a country united? I think that is more helpful to the dialogue than this exchange in regards to this tweet and talking about those types of issues.

BERMAN: OK.

HARLOW: All right. Let's move on to health care. You have been very supportive of the House GOP health care bill. But you came out this week and you said that the Senate version, under that 100,000 of your constituents would lose their health insurance. That's about a seventh of your entire constituency. Why?

REED: Yes. You know, because -- all these wild reports out there from different --think tanks that are pushing an agenda. They use that extreme number, that type of data to try to scare folks. And it is just not the truth. The truth is we are trying to fix the system. We're trying to fix the problem. And we're trying to stand with working people -

(CROSSTALK)

HARLOW: No, no, no. Congressman, just to be clear, what I read was that you said that under the Senate version, 100,000 of your constituents would lose their health insurance? Is that not true?

REED: No, I was asked what reports have I seen about what would happen to people in our district. I have seen reports that are wildly exaggerated that support numbers like that supposedly. And that's just false. And that's what I was articulating in that exchange with that reporter.

BERMAN: Do you think there will be people in your district who'll lose their health insurance, if the Senate version of this bill passes?

REED: You know, obviously, I'm concerned about that. Is that a reality I have to face? Yes. But can I look at the other 700,000 people, 710,000 people that are going to be adversely impacted if we stay with the status quo? You know, I got to make these hard decisions and represent all the people we represent.

We got to work towards getting toward zero. And if we can achieve zero, I'm all in. That's why I want to work with the other side to come up with solutions that are going to get to zero but we obviously have to recognize the reality of the situation of health care.

HARLOW: Here is what your fellow New York Republican Congressman Peter King said last night. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. PETER KING (R), NEW YORK: I want to do it in a way that we are not hurting anyone. And if it takes us two, three, four, five years, to do it, fine. If we don't repeal all of it, that's democracy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: He says, wait, slow down, this could take years. And if it doesn't happen, well, that's democracy. Is he right?

REED: I think his point is very well taken. And we have always said, this is the first step. Taking care of this bill is not going to remove the health care problems of America or in our districts. We have to go to the second, third step and get into the health care conversation.

We are primarily focused on health insurance right now. And we have to have that total conversation up here and that could take years. But we got to fix this and get it right for the American people.

HARLOW: All right. It could take years. Mitch McConnell wants an agreement by tomorrow. -

BERMAN: Tomorrow.

HARLOW: I think you guys are on a little, little bit of an off steep page on that one. But thank you.

REED: The first step could be taken immediately. That's what we are talking about right now with the bill before the House and Senate.

BERMAN: Sure. All right, Congressman Tom Reed, thank you so much for being with us. Thank you for answering all of our questions, even the ones I think you did not anticipate or plan for today. You can thank the White House for that, sir. Thank you.

REED: Always appreciate that. Thank you.

HARLOW: Moments ago, the president of South Korea sat down with House Speaker Paul Ryan. Soon, he will meet with President Trump. Their focus, of course, North Korea and its increased aggression. A report on that, next.

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[10:27:32] BERMAN: All right. Moments ago, House Speaker Paul Ryan sat down with South Korea's new president, this video just in to CNN. The South Korean leader will visit the White House later. He has two days of crucial talks with President Trump to focus the deepening new nuclear threat from North Korea.

HARLOW: And this, as CNN has learned that the Pentagon is preparing new options against the communist regime and it includes military action. Let's go to the Pentagon. That's where we find our Barbara Starr. And Barbara, General McMaster now says, quote, "The threat is much more immediate now." Do we know what specific intelligence he's pointing to?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's interesting. We are hearing this hardening of language. President Trump, himself, just a couple of days ago said that North Korea might have to be dealt with rapidly. That was President Trump's wording of this.

So, why are they saying this? Intelligence is indicating that the North Koreans are continuing to make progress, of course, in their ballistic missile and nuclear weapons program. But also, you know, hiding their activities better, their launch activities, their preparation activities, making it much more difficult for the U.S. to anticipate North Korea's next step. That, now leading to this updating of options, including a potential military option to be ready for the president if it was to come to the point he had to make a decision about doing something. General McMaster laying some of this out in public.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

H.R. MCMASTER, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: The threat is much more immediate now. And so, it's clear that we can't repeat the same approach, failed approach of the past. The president has directed us to not do that and to prepare a range of options, including a military option, which nobody wants to take.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: A military option. And again, what you are talking about is something that the president could potentially act on very quickly if they saw a real step forward in North Korea's program. But I think it needs to always be said, this administration, like every administration, clearly hoping diplomacy, clearly hoping China pressuring North Korea will work to ratchet back their program. But, it hasn't worked yet. Back to you guys.

BERMAN: All right. Barbara Starr, at the Pentagon, thanks so much.

Earlier this morning, we learned that President Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This will be their first meeting. The first time these two men meet, we believe. It's going to happen on the sidelines of the G20 summit. That is according to the Kremlin.

All right, joining us to talk about this now, former U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs, former U.S. ambassador to both NATO and Greece, Nicholas Burns. Also with us, former CIA operative, Mike Baker. Gentlemen, thanks so much for being with us.