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>>> SAFETY, SKIING, AND
POLITICS.
TODAY, GAMES ON IN RUSSIA.
>> WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF
SOCHI, WITHIN THE SO-CALLED RING
OF STEEL, THERE'S A LOT OF
SECURITY.
>> ON THE GROUND IN SOCHI, THE
FORMER SECRETARY OF HOMELAND
SECURITY AND HEAD OF THE U.S.
DELEGATION TO THE WINTER
OLYMPICS, JANET NAPOLITANO,
JOINS US.
>>> THEN --
>> I THINK IT WAS VERY RUSHED IS
WHAT YOU GET THE IMPRESSION OF,
THAT EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, ISN'T
QUITE DONE.
THEY COULD USE A LITTLE MORE
TIME.
>> IS IT SAFE ENOUGH?
IS IT NICE ENOUGH?
IS IT SPECTACULAR ENOUGH?
VLADIMIR PUTIN'S MOMENT.
WE TALK TO A TROIKA OF RUSSIAN
EXPERTS, FORMER DIRECTOR OF
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, JOHN NELG
ROW PONTE, NICK BURNS AND
FOREIGN POLICY ANALYST DMITRI
SIGNS.
PLUS RAND PAUL TAKES ANOTHER
SWING AT BILL CLINTON FOR THE
LEWINSKY AFFAIR AND HILLARY
CLINTON FOR THE BENGHAZI
DISASTER.
>> WE SHOULD NEVER, EVER HAVE A
COMMANDER IN CHIEF WHO WON'T
SEND REINFORCEMENTS.
>>> AND ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC
HOLDER ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF
EQUAL RIGHTS FOR MARRIED
SAME-SEX COUPLES.
>> OUR NATION HAS MADE GREAT
STRIDES ON THE ROAD TO LGBT
EQUALITY, A CAUSE THAT I BELIEVE
IS A DEFINING CIVIL RIGHTS
CHALLENGE OF OUR TIME.
>> OUR POLITICAL PANEL PARSES A
BUSY SUNDAY.
THIS IS "STATE OF THE UNION."
>>> GOOD MORNING THERE
WASHINGTON.
I'M CANDY CROWLEY.
THE GAMES ARE UNDER WAY.
SECURITY IS HEAVY THOUGH, SOME
OF IT IS DISCREET IN AND AROUND
SOCHI.
IVAN WATSON JOINS US LIVE.
CERTAINLY BACK HERE LOTS OF TALK
ABOUT SECURITY.
DOES IT AFFECT THE ATMOSPHERE
THERE?
>> WELL, THERE'S A MASSIVE
DEPLOYMENT, THERE'S NO QUESTION
ABOUT IT.
YOU SEE POLICE AND UNIFORMED
OFFICERS EVERYWHERE, AND LET ME
JUST GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS.
SOME OF THE RUSSIAN PUBLISHED
ESTIMATES OF THE NUMBER OF
SECURITY FORCES DEPLOYED GOES
INTO THE TENS OF THOUSANDS, AND
ACCORDING TO THE RUSSIAN
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE, THERE WERE
30,000 SPECTATORS IN THE OLYMPIC
VENUES ON SATURDAY.
SO YOU MIGHT HAVE NEARLY A ONE
SECURITY OFFICER FOR EVERY
SPECTATOR IF WE CAN TRUST SOME
OF THESE RUSSIAN FIGURES THAT
ARE COMING OUT, BUT IT IS NOT
OVERBEARING.
I HAVE SEEN THE LESS HOSPITABLE
SIDE OF THE RUSSIAN SECURITY
FORCES IN MY PAST ASSIGNMENTS IN
RUSSIA, AND HERE I'M REALLY
SURPRISED AND IMPRESSED BY HOW
THE RUSSIAN POLICE ARE QUITE
FRIENDLY AND THEY SMILE AND THEY
REALLY DO NOT HASSLE YOU AT THE
DIFFERENT VENUES.
HOWEVER, SECURITY BEHIND THE
SCENES IS UNDOUBTEDLY A MASSIVE
CONCERN.
I JUST SPOKE WITH THE U.S.
AMBASSADOR TO MOSCOW, MIKE
McFAUL, AND HE SAID THAT THIS IS
A MASSIVE EFFORT.
THE U.S. TEAM HERE, THE OLYMPIC
TEAM, IS THE BIGGEST OF ALL OF
THEM, OF COURSE, AND HE
DESCRIBED NOT ONLY A SOCHI-BASED
OPERATION, BUT A MUCH BIGGER
U.S. EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT NO
TRAGEDY, NOTHING TERRIBLE CAN
HAPPEN HERE, AND TO GIVE A SENSE
OF HOW THE ANXIETY IS BIG HERE.
HE DID SAY THAT AFTER THE
OLYMPICS, AFTER THE FINAL
CEREMONY WHEN IT'S ALL OVER, IF
NOTHING TERRIBLE HAPPENS, ALL OF
THE SECURITY TEAMS WILL BREATHE
AN INCREDIBLE SIGH OF RELIEF.
CANDY?
>> AS WELL I'M SURE ALL OF THE
PARTICIPANTS.
IVAN, YOU TALK ABOUT SORT OF THE
WARMER, FUZZIER FACE OF RUSSIAN
SECURITY FORCES, BUT THEY'RE
STILL ACTIVELY ROOTING OUT
MILITANTS EVEN WHILE THE GAMES
ARE ONGOING.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
WE'VE HEARD FROM A RUSSIAN
SECURITY OFFICER DESCRIBING A
DEADLY OPERATION OCCURRING
HUNDREDS OF MILES TO THE EAST OF
HERE IN RUSSIA'S VERY RESTIVE
K
KAU KAY CUSS REPUBLIC WHERE IT
HAS BEEN BATTLING AN INSURGERY
FOR YEARS.
A SOURCE TELLING CNN THAT FIVE
SUSPECTED INSURGENTS WHO WERE
HOLED UP IN A HOUSE WERE KILLED
IN DAGESTAN'S CAPITAL IN A
SHOOTOUT.
ANOTHER ONE CAPTURED, AND JUST
LAST WEDNESDAY IN THAT SAME
REPUBLIC THE SUSPECTED
MASTERMIND OF THOSE DEADLY TWIN
SUICIDE BOMBINGS IN VOLGOGRAD AT
THE END OF THE DECEMBER, THE
RUSSIANS HAVE REPORTED THEY
KILLED THAT SUSPECTED MILITANT.
SO THE OPERATIONS ARE CLEARLY
ONGOING, AND THEY'RE CLEARLY
CLAIMING LIVES EVEN AS THE
SPORTS AND THE FESTIVITIES AND
THE ATHLETIC COMPETITIONS ARE
CONTINUING TO TAKE PLACE HERE IN
A VERY DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE
BEHIND ME HERE IN SOCHI.
>> CNN'S IVAN WATSON.
THANKS SO MUCH, IVAN.
EARLIER I SPOKE WITH JANET
NAPOLITANO.
SHE'S HEADING UP THE U.S.
DELEGATION IN SOCHI, AND SHE'S
ALSO, AS YOU KNOW, THE FORMER
SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY
UNDER PRESIDENT OBAMA.
JANET, WE APPRECIATE YOUR BEING
HERE TODAY.
IT HAS BEEN NOTED, I'M SURE IT'S
BEEN NOTED TO YOU, THAT IT'S
BEEN 14 YEARS SINCE A PRESIDENT
OR A VICE PRESIDENT OR A MEMBER
OF THEIR FAMILY HAS NOT GONE AND
ATTENDED AT LEAST AN EVENT AT
THE OLYMPICS.
CAN YOU TELL ME AS A
PRACTITIONER OF BOTH POLICY AND
POLITICS WHY SOCHI IS DIFFERENT
FOR THE U.S.?
>> I THINK THE PRESIDENT CHOSE
DELEGATIONS THAT REPRESENT
LEADERS FROM VARIOUS WALKS OF
LIFE, FORMER OLYMPIANS, LEADERS
IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE.
I LEAD THE NATION'S LARGEST
PUBLIC RESEARCH UNIVERSITY.
I AM A FORMER MEMBER OF HIS
CABINET, AS YOU KNOW, AND WAS
CO-LEAD OF OUR DELEGATION IN
VANCOUVER.
>> SO YOU THINK THERE WAS NO
SNUB OF PRESIDENT PUTIN
INTENDED.
>> NO, I DON'T THINK SO.
I THINK HE SENT A DELEGATION
THAT REPRESENTS THE BROAD VALUES
OF THE UNITED STATES.
WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT OUR TEAM.
WE'RE HERE TO REPRESENT OUR
COUNTRY, AND WE'RE PROUD TO BE
HERE.
>> WILL YOU OR HAVE YOU HAD ANY
KIND OF CONVERSATION OR GREETING
OR ANY SCENARIO IN WHICH YOU'LL
BE ABLE TO TALK TO PRESIDENT
PUTIN?
>> NO.
I AM NOT HERE AS A DIPLOMAT.
I'M HERE AS THE LEAD OF THE
DELEGATION TO THE OLYMPICS, SO
NO SUCH CONVERSATIONS ARE
CONTEMPLATED.
>> SO YOU'VE SPENT FOUR YEARS AS
A HOMELAND SECURITY DIRECTOR
HERE IN THE U.S.
ON THE SURFACE OF IT, AS YOU
HAVE SEEN SOCHI AND THE AREA
THAT SURROUNDS IT, DOES ANYTHING
CONCERN YOU VIS-A-VIS THE
SECURITY THERE?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK A
LITTLE CONTEXT, ANYTIME YOU HAVE
ONE OF THESE BIG INTERNATIONAL
EVENTS, AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT
INCLUDES OLYMPICS, SECURITY IS
AN ISSUE.
IT WAS AN ISSUE LEADING UP INTO
THE LONDON GAMES, FOR EXAMPLE,
AND HERE BECAUSE OF ITS
GEOGRAPHIC PROXIMITY TO AN AREA
THAT'S ACTUALLY IN A WAR, THAT
CREATES SOME OTHER SPECIAL
SECURITY CONCERNS.
WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF SOCHI,
WITHIN THE SO-CALLED RING OF
STEEL, THERE'S A LOT OF
SECURITY, BUT, YOU KNOW, ONCE
YOU HAVE YOUR CREDENTIAL, ONCE
YOU HAVE YOUR I.D.s AND SO
FORTH, YOU CAN MOVE AROUND AND
GET INTO THE VENUES.
>> DOES FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE
FROM WHAT YOU SEE, WHAT FROM
YOU'VE HEARD, FROM WHAT WHAT'S
BEEN TOLD YOU, DOES THE CITY
SEEM TO BE AS PREPARED AS IT
NEEDS TO BE GIVEN IT'S CLOSE TO
SOME WAR ZONES AND THAT BIG
EVENTS, AS YOU KNOW, TEND TO
ATTRACT BAD PEOPLE?
>> YEAH, THEY DO, UNFORTUNATELY,
AND, AGAIN, ANYTIME YOU HAVE A
BIG EVENT, PARTICULARLY A BIG
SPORTING EVENT WHERE YOU HAVE
LOTS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, YOU
KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT
OF MEDIA THERE, THERE HAS TO BE
A LOT OF SECURITY, A LOT OF
SECURITY PREPARATION.
THERE'S A LOT OF PREPARATION,
FOR EXAMPLE, THAT GOES INTO A
SUPER BOWL AND SUPER BOWL
SECURITY PLANNING.
WITH RESPECT TO SOCHI, YOU KNOW,
WE'VE BEEN RECEIVED WELL.
WE HAVE A NICE HOTEL.
OUR ACCOMMODATIONS ARE JUST
FINE, BUT FROM WHAT I HEAR FROM
SOME OF THE ATHLETES WHO ARE
DOING SOME OF THEIR TRAINING,
THEY'RE QUITE SATISFIED.
>> AS YOU ARE EYEBALLING IT, IT
SEEMS -- THEY SEEM PREPARED.
I KNOW YOU CAN'T KNOW WHAT'S
GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES OR
ANY OF THAT, BUT IT SEEMS JUST
BY EYEBALLING IT THAT THE CITY
IS PREPARED.
>> YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS SO.
A LOT OF IT'S VERY NEW, AND, YOU
KNOW -- AND I HAVE SEEN THIS IN
OTHER EVENTS WHERE THE EVENT
ITSELF BECOMES THE REASON FOR A
LOT OF NEW CONSTRUCTION, A LOT
OF REVITALIZATION AND THE LIKE,
AND WE'VE CERTAINLY SEEN THAT
HERE IN SOCHI WHERE A NUMBER OF
THE HOTELS ARE NEW, THE SPORTING
VENUES OBVIOUSLY ARE NEW.
THE PRESS CENTER IS NEW.
SO THAT'S ALL HAD TO BE
CONSTRUCTED IN A FAIRLY SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME.
>> WE'RE HEARING, OF COURSE,
BACK HERE LOTS OF SCARY,
TROUBLESOME STORIES ABOUT
EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL IN TOOTHPASTE
TUBES, BLACK WIDOWS.
WHAT'S YOUR PERSONAL CONCERN
ABOUT SOCHI?
>> ABOUT SECURITY AT SOCHI?
>> YES.
>> LISTEN, AS THE LEADER OF THE
U.S. DELEGATION, ALL I CAN SAY
IS THAT WHAT WE'VE SEEN AND WHAT
WE'VE HEARD SEEMS THAT THE LEVEL
OF SECURITY IS QUITE
APPROPRIATE, IS VERY GOOD, AND I
HOPE THAT THE ATTENTION OF THE
MEDIA AND THE WORLD TURNS NOW
MORE TO WHAT THE ATHLETES ARE
GOING TO DO INSTEAD OF THE
THREATS THAT ARE BEING MADE.
>> SO THE GENERAL ATMOSPHERE
RIGHT NOW IN THE CITY AMONG THE
ATHLETES THAT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN,
WHAT DOES THE ATMOSPHERE FEEL
LIKE?
>> WELL, I'M TAKING MY GUIDANCE
A LOT FROM THE FORMER ATHLETES
WHO ARE PART OF OUR DELEGATION
OR WHO ARE ALSO IN THE HOTEL,
AND THEY TELL ME THAT AS YOU GET
CLOSER TO THE GAMES AND THE
GAMES ACTUALLY BEGIN, THE
ATHLETES ENTER A ZONE, AND THEY
ARE FOCUSED ON THEIR EVENT,
THEIR TRAINING, THEIR TRAINING
SCHEDULE, MAKING SURE THAT THEY
HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEIR PEAK
PERFORMANCE REPRESENTING BOTH
THEMSELVES AS AN ATHLETE BUT
ALSO REPRESENTING THEIR COUNTRY.
AS WE'VE SEEN ATHLETES, AND WE
SAW A FEW AT A RECEPTION THEY
WERE AT, IT'S CLEAR WHERE THEIR
FOCUS IS.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU
HEARD IT OR ARE AWARE OF IT, BUT
THE U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL
ADDRESSED THE INTERNATIONAL
OLYMPIC COMMITTEE.
HE ADDRESSED THE ISSUE OF
PREJUDICE OF ANY KIND, SAID VERY
CLEARLY PREJUDICE OF ANY KIND
BASED ON GENDER, ORIENTATION IS
ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE BY THE
OLYMPIC CHARTER, FOR THE U.N.,
AND THERE WAS NO MENTION
SPECIFICALLY OF RUSSIA, BUT IT
CERTAINLY SEEMED AIMED AT THE
WHOLE GAY PROPAGANDA LAW IN
RUSSIA.
I WONDER IF YOU HAVE SEEN
ANYTHING THAT MAKES YOU BELIEVE
THAT GAYS, IN PARTICULAR GAY
ATHLETES, ARE NOT WELCOME.
IS THERE ANY SIGN OF THAT AT
ALL?
>> I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY SUCH
SIGN, BUT I THINK OUR PRESIDENT,
PRESIDENT OBAMA, HAS BEEN VERY
CLEAR OVER TIME ABOUT THE UNITED
STATES AND OUR POSITION WITH
RESPECT TO HUMAN VALUES AND
HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOM OF
EXPRESSION AND TOLERANCE AND
DIVERSITY.
THESE ARE THINGS WE HOLD DEAR IN
THE UNITED STATES, AND THIS IS
AN AREA WHERE WE HAVE SOME
DISAGREEMENTS WITH RUSSIA.
>> AND FINALLY, I HAVE TO ASK
YOU, IF YOU COULD BE GOOD AT AND
PARTICIPATE IN ANY SPORT THAT IS
AN EVENT AT THE SOCHI OLYMPICS,
WHAT WOULD THAT BE?
>> WELL, I JOKINGLY TOLD ANOTHER
REPORTER CURLING BECAUSE I GOT
INTO CURLING WHEN I WAS AT THE
GAMES IN VANCOUVER FOUR YEARS
AGO, BUT I HAVE TO SAY WHEN YOU
SEE THE FIGURE SKATERS AND THE
BEAUTY OF THEIR PERFORMANCES, IT
DOES MAKE ONE JEALOUS.
>> IT ABSOLUTELY DOES.
IT'S HARD TO BEAT THAT FOR A
REAL SHOW.
ALL OF IT WILL BE GREAT I'M
SURE.
STAY SAFE, AND I IMAGINE WE'LL
START TALKING ABOUT THE GAMES
THEMSELVES AND THOSE YOUNG
PEOPLE OVER THERE AND OBVIOUSLY
HOPE ALL OF THEM STAY SAFE AND
YOU ALL AS WELL, THE VIEWERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, JANET
NAPOLITANO, WHO IS HEADING UP
THE U.S. DELEGATION TO THE
OLYMPICS.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>> WHEN WE RETURN, GOOD OR BAD,
THESE ARE VLADIMIR PUTIN'S
GAMES, HIS REPUTATION, HIS
POLITICAL FORTUNES MAY BE ON THE
LINE OR AT LEAST ALTERED.
OUR PANEL OF EXPERTS IS NEXT.
>>> JOINING ME NOW, NICHOLAS
BURNS, FORMER UNDER CLINTON OF
STATE AND NATO AMBASSADOR, JOHN
NEGROPONTE, FORMER DIRECTOR OF
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, AND
CURRENTLY TEACHING A CLASS ON
RUSSIAN STUDIES AT YALE
UNIVERSITY DMITRI SIGNS
PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CENTER
FOR NATIONAL INTEREST.
THANK YOU FOR COMING.
JUST A TOSS UP QUESTION,
EVERYTHING THAT TALKS ABOUT
VLADIMIR PUTIN, THE PRESIDENT OF
RUSSIA, AND THESE GAMES SAY THIS
WAS GOING TO BE HIS BIG RE-ENTRY
TO THE WORLD STAGE.
THIS WILL MAKE HIM A WORLD
POWER, AND EVERY TIME I READ, IT
I THINK SERIOUSLY?
LIKE HAVING A SUCCESSFUL OLYMPIC
GAMES SUDDENLY MAKES HIM A MAJOR
POWER PLAYER SORT OF THE ILK OF
THE OLD SOVIET UNION?
YES?
>> NO.
I THINK WHAT PUTIN IS TRYING TO
DO OBVIOUSLY, HE'S TRYING TO
PORTRAY A RUSSIA THAT'S STILL
GREAT AND IF YOU WATCH THE
OPENING CEREMONIES, IT'S A GREAT
CULTURE, GREAT HISTORY,
LITERATURE, ART, DANCE, BUT
THERE'S A GLARING GAP I THINK
PUTIN WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CLOSE.
HE WANTS TO PORTRAY A KINDER,
GENTLER RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT, BUT
THE REALITY IS WHEN THE OPENING
CEREMONIES WERE BEING HELD, THE
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT DID NOT STOP
IT'S SYRIAN ALLIES FROM FIRING
AT A U.N. CONVOY TRYING TO
DELIVER HUMANITARIAN AID TO THE
REFUGEES THERE.
IT'S A CYNICAL GOVERNMENT IN MY
JUDGMENT UNDER PRESIDENT PUTIN'S
LEADERSHIP.
IT'S A BRUTAL GOVERNMENT, AND
YOU REALLY CAN'T MATCH THOSE TWO
GOALS.
>> WELL, I THINK THAT PUTIN IS
VERY SPORTS, VERY ATHLETIC AND
HE'S CONSTITUENCY IN RUSSIA
REALLY LOVES SPORTS.
SO SO FAR PUTIN GIVES GREAT
ENTERTAINMENT DURING THE OPENING
CEREMONY, BUT WHAT WILL BE
REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PUTIN IS
WHAT THE RUSSIAN TEAM WILL BE
ABLE TO DO.
SO FAR THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO WIN
A SINGLE MEDAL.
SO I'M SURE THAT MR. PUTIN IS A
LITTLE WORRIED.
>> SO THIS IS A NATIONAL -- THIS
IS NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THE WORLD
STAGE AS ABOUT HIS OWN STAGE IN
RUSSIA.
>> WELL, IT'S PROBABLY A BIT OF
BOTH BUT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD
BEGRUDGE HIM A SUCCESSFUL
OLYMPICS, AND I THINK WE ALL
HOPE THEY ARE, INDEED, VERY
SUCCESSFUL, BUT THAT DOESN'T
SPEAK TO THE ISSUE OF
U.S./RUSSIAN RELATIONS WHICH IS
A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT MATTER.
>> IT IS.
I WANT TO JUST PUT UP FOR OUR
AUDIENCE, YOU ALL KNOW THIS FULL
WELL, WHERE THE U.S. AND RUSSIA
HAVE ESCALATING TENSIONS AS WE
LIKE TO SAY.
SYRIA, IRAN, CHINA, UKRAINE,
CERTAINLY OVER MR. SNOWDEN WHO
IS NOW IN RESIDENCE IN RUSSIA.
HUMAN RIGHTS, AND, OF COURSE,
THEY'VE HAD OVER THE PAST COUPLE
WEEKS SOME BACK AND FORTH ABOUT
SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE
EXCHANGES.
AND IT STRUCK ME, THE PRESIDENT
PURPOSELY DID NOT SEND ANY
MEMBER OF THE FIRST FAMILY OR
THE SECOND FAMILY TO HEAD THE
DELEGATION.
WHAT WAS THE MESSAGE THERE?
AND WAS IT THE WRONG MESSAGE?
COULD YOU HAVE SENT A DELEGATION
THAT INCLUDED GAYS TO MAKE THE
POINT FOR GAY FREEDOMS AND GAY
RIGHTS AND STILL PUT A HIGHER
LEVEL THERE TO KIND OF GESTURE
TO PUTIN OR WAS IT THE RIGHT
THING TO DO?
>> I THINK THE UNITED STATES IS
IN A TRICKY POSITION BECAUSE WE
SHOULD WANT THESE GAMES TO
SUCCEED, WE SHOULD WANT RUSSIA
TO BE PORTRAYED CULTURALLY,
HISTORICALLY IN A POSITIVE
LIGHT.
WE SHOULDN'T BEGRUDGE THEM AS
JOHN SAYS, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND
THIS IS POLITICS AND THE OLYMPIC
GAMES HAVE BECOME POLITICAL.
IT WAS A REAL MESSAGE FROM
PRESIDENT OBAMA WHEN HE DIDN'T
SEND MICHELLE OBAMA OR VICE
PRESIDENT BIDEN OR DIDN'T GO
HIMSELF BECAUSE HE'S GONE TO
OTHER SPORTING COMPETITIONS, AND
THE PROBLEM IS THAT WASHINGTON
IS REALLY FRUSTRATED WITH
MOSCOW.
BECAUSE ON ALL THE ISSUES YOU
MENTIONED, THESE ARE CRITICAL
ISSUES, THE RUSSIANS ARE
BLOCKING.
IT'S A GOVERNMENT UNDER PUTIN'S
LEADERSHIP THAT DOESN'T PROPOSE
VERY MUCH THAT'S POSITIVE.
IT'S A LONELY GOVERNMENT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE MANY FRIENDS.
I CAN'T FIND AN ALLY OUTSIDE OF
BELARUS THAT YOU CAN FIND.
THEY HAVE BEEN BLOCKING THE
UNITED STATES AND I THINK YOU'RE
SEEING A REFLECTION OF HOW
WASHINGTON REALLY THINKS ABOUT
THIS GOVERNMENT.
>> BUT AT SOME LEVEL -- THE
PRESIDENT DUD NOT SEND A HIGH
LEVEL DELEGATION HEAD.
THE NEXT THING WE KNOW THE
RUSSIAN WOMAN WHO LIT THE
CAULDRON IS SOMEONE WHO SENT OUT
AN INSULTING PICTURE OF THE
PRESIDENT AND THE FIRST LADY,
AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THE HIGH
SCHOOL KIND OF THINGS AND
THERE'S HUGE STAKES HERE.
>> I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT
PRESIDENT OBAMA DID NOT SEND
SOMEBODY MORE SENIOR TO MOSCOW.
THIS WOMAN INCIDENTALLY, SHE'S A
PERMANENT RESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES.
SHE HAS AN AMERICAN GREEN CARD.
SHE LIVED IN THE UNITED STATES
FOR YEARS.
I THINK THAT SHE WAS STUPID.
I DON'T THINK IT WAS
INTENTIONALLY RACIST.
BUT MORE TO THE POINT,
AMBASSADOR BURNS SAID QUITE
CORRECTLY THAT RUSSIA HAS FEW
FRIENDS.
THAT'S TRUE.
BUT RUSSIA HAS FEW ASPIRING
ALLIES, AND ONE MOST IMPORTANT
ALLY IS CHINA'S PRESIDENT WHO
WAS AND WHO GOT THE ROYAL
TREATMENT AND NOW RUSSIA IS
SUPPORTING CHINA FOR CHINA TO
GET NEXT 2022 WINTER OLYMPICS.
WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THERE IS
NOT JUST AMERICAN POLITICS AS
AMBASSADOR BURNS SAID CORRECTLY.
THERE ARE HUGE GEOPOLITICAL
STAKES, AND WHEN YOU ARE TRYING
TO ISOLATE RUSSIA, YOU MAY FEEL
WELL ABOUT THAT AND PUTIN MAY
DESERVE TO BE ISOLATED, BUT
THERE IS A VERY CONSIDERABLE
PRICE TO PAY.
THERE WERE NEVER FROM WHAT I
UNDERSTAND MORE WORLD LEADERS
COMING TO ANY WINTER OLYMPICS
THAN CAME TO MOSCOW, INCLUDING
ACTUALLY QUITE A FEW EUROPEAN
GOVERNMENTS.
>> SO WAS IT A MISTAKE DO YOU
THINK NOT TO -- FOR THE U.S. NOT
TO SEND SOMEONE SLIGHTLY HIGHER
LEVEL THAN JANET NAPOLITANO?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S PAST AND GONE.
I THINK CERTAINLY JANET
NAPOLITANO'S SELECTION -- SHE'S
AN EXCELLENT CHOICE GIVEN THE
PAST POSITIONS SHE HAD, BUT I
THINK THE IMPORTANT POINT IS WE
DON'T WANT TO LET SOME OF THESE
FRICTIONS THAT WE HAVE WITH
RUSSIA OBSCURE THE RATHER LONG
AGENDA OF ISSUES, NUCLEAR
NONPROLIFERATION, DEALING WITH A
LEGACY OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN THE
COLD WAR, HOW WE JOINTLY MIGHT
BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THE TURMOIL
CREATED BY THE ARAB SPRING.
I MEAN, THE LIST IS REALLY QUITE
LONG OF IMPORTANT ISSUES WHERE
IF WE CAN ESTABLISH SOME KIND OF
PARTNERSHIP WITH RUSSIA, IT
WOULD BE A VERY DESIRABLE THING
TO DO.
ADMITTEDLY, IT'S BEEN
FRUSTRATING AND DIFFICULT.
>> BUT DOES THE POLITICS OF THE
OLYMPICS THAT HAVE OCCURRED SO
FAR HELP THE U.S. AND RUSSIA GET
CLOSER TOGETHER?
>> I THINK THERE'S NO
ALTERNATIVE THAT THE TWO
COUNTRIES, AS JOHN SAYS, WITH HE
HAVE TO DEAL WITH EACH OTHER,
AND THE COMPLICATED ASPECT OF
THIS IS WE'RE COMPETITORS WITH
RUSSIA, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO BE A
PARTNER.
COUNTERTERRORISM, RESUPPLYING
AMERICAN TROOPS INTO
AFGHANISTAN, RUSSIA HELPS US
WITH THAT.
SO WE CAN'T AFFORD TO WALK AWAY
FROM THE RELATIONSHIP BUT THE
PRESIDENT SENT A BIG MESSAGE, A
LACK OF RESPECT BECAUSE RUSSIA
HAS BEEN SO MUCH IN OUR FACE ON
SNOWDEN, ON SYRIA, IRAN.
>> SO WHERE DOES THIS LEAD FOR
PUTIN?
LET'S SAY THAT THESE ARE, AS WE
ALL HOPE, SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL
OLYMPICS.
THE ATHLETES GO HOME, YOU KNOW,
FEELING GOOD ABOUT WHAT TOOK
PLACE.
WHAT DOES THAT DO FOR PUTIN?
DOES IT DO ANYTHING?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT THE GAIN,
AS I SAID, A LOT OF -- THE
PERFORMANCE OF THE RUSSIAN
OLYMPIC TEAM.
OTHERWISE IF EVERYTHING GOES
OKAY AT THE GAMES, I THINK HE
WILL INCREASE HIS STANDING AT
HOME.
HE WILL INCREASE HIS STANDING
ABROAD.
BUT AS AMBASSADOR BURNS SAID,
NOT BY MUCH.
BECAUSE OTHER ISSUES, OTHER
PROBLEMS REMAIN, AND AT THE END
OF THE DAY, IT'S A VERY
IMPRESSIVE SHOW, BUT IT'S STILL
JUST A SHOW.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> IF YOU THINK -- IN TERMS OF
PROMOTING THE COUNTRY, IF THEY
COME OFF SUCCESSFULLY WITHOUT
SECURITY INCIDENT, THINK OF WHAT
HAPPENED IN 2008 WITH CHINA.
THEY WERE A GREAT SUCCESS AND I
THINK PEOPLE WERE COMMENTING FOR
QUITE A WHILE AFTERWARDS.
SO I THINK IT'S A POSITIVE IN
THE AREA OF PROMOTING THE
COUNTRY.
>> I WANT TO READ YOU SOMETHING
FROM -- THIS CAME FROM "THE WALL
STREET JOURNAL."
IT WAS QUOTING THE DEPUTY PRIME
MINISTER IN RUSSIA WHO WAS IN
CHARGE OF THE OLYMPICS, AND HE
WAS COMPLAINING THAT THE WEST
WAS BUILDING UP THESE SORT OF
PETTY ISSUES AROUND THE
OLYMPICS, WESTERN JOURNALISTS
WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT TOILETS
THAT DIDN'T WORK FOR BATHTUBS
THAT CAME UP OUT OF THE FLOOR.
AND HE SAID WE HAVE SURVEILLANCE
VIDEO FROM THE HOTELS THAT SHOWS
PEOPLE TURN ON THE SHOWER,
DIRECT THE NOZZLE AT THE WALL,
AND LEAVE THE ROOM FOR THE WHOLE
DAY.
NOW, SETTING ASIDE WHETHER
THEY'RE DOING THAT, THEY HAVE
SINCE SAID THIS WAS A
MISTRANSLATION OF WHAT HE
ACTUALLY SAID.
BUT TALK TO ME ABOUT THE
SURVEILLANCE INSIDE SOCHI.
CAN EVERYONE WHO IS THERE JUST
ASSUME IT IS COMPLETE IN THE
SENSE THAT IN YOUR HOTEL ROOM,
WHEREVER YOU ARE ON THE STREET.
WHAT IS THE LEVEL?
>> AS A DIPLOMAT WHEN I USED TO
GO TO THE SOVIET UNION AND THEN
TO RUSSIA AFTER 1991, YOU ALWAYS
ASSUMED THAT YOU WERE BEING
MONITORED, AND GIVEN THE
AUTHORITARIAN NATURE OF THAT
COUNTRY UNDER A STRONG
AUTHORITARIAN LEADER PUTIN, YOU
HAVE TO ASSUME THE RUSSIANS ARE
LOOKING AT EVERYTHING YOU DO.
I'M SURE OUR ATHLETES ARE AWARE
OF THAT.
>> THE ONLY SAFE ASSUMPTION FOR
NOT ONLY DIPLOMATS BUT FOR
ANYONE IN RUSSIA AND I DON'T
KNOW WITH -- I WOULD SAY THE
TECHNIQUES OF THE SURVEILLANCE
BECAME MORE SOPHISTICATED.
>> GOT BETTER.
>> BECAUSE WE'VE LEARNED.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW IS
THAT DOCTOR OR ONE OF THE THINGS
THE U.S. SUSPECTS IS THAT A
TAPED CONVERSATION BETWEEN TWO
U.S. DIPLOMATS THAT HAPPENED TO
BE IN THE UKRAINE AT THE TIME
AND WERE NOT COMPLIMENTARY TO
THE EU SOMEHOW APPEARED ON THE
WEB AND WERE BEING PUSHED BY THE
SOVIETS.
IS THE SOVIET UNION CAPABLE KIND
OF AS A FINAL QUESTION, ARE THEY
CAPABLE -- I'M SORRY, THE
RUSSIANS, YOU CAN TELL, RIGHT?
ARE THE RUSSIANS CAPABLE OF
PROTECTING THESE OLYMPICS AND
KEEPING THEM SAFE?
DO THEY HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE
CAPABILITY AND DO THEY HAVE THE
MANPOWER CAPABILITY TO MAKE
THESE SAFE?
>> I'M GOING TO HAZARD THE
ESTIMATION THAT YES, THEY DO.
THEY HAVE PUT AN AWFUL LOT OF
EFFORT INTO THIS.
THEY'VE COLLABORATED WITH OUR
SECURITY PEOPLE.
I THINK YOU CAN ASSUME THEY'VE
DONE JUST EVERYTHING THEY COULD
POSSIBLY DO TO KEEP THE OLYMPICS
SAFE.
AND THAT'S NOT A GUARANTEE.
>> SOCHI IS A FAIRLY SMALL
PLACE.
IT IS A CONTAINED PLACE.
SO I AGREE WITH AMBASSADOR
NEGROPONTE, THEY PROBABLY CAN
PROTECT SOCHI.
WHETHER THEY CAN PROTECT THE
WHOLE COUNTRY, WHETHER SOMETHING
ELSE CAN HAPPEN DURING THE
OLYMPICS IN ANOTHER RUSSIAN
CITY, IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT
QUESTION.
>> NICK?
>> THE ONE THING PUTIN IS GOOD
AT, IT'S CRACKING DOWN ON HIS
OWN COUNTRY.
I THINK SOCHI WILL BE SAFE.
>> NICK BURNS, JOHN NEGROPONTE,
DMITRI SIMES, THANK YOU FOR
COMING.
>>> THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO
RUSSIA MICHAEL McFAUL JOINS
FAREED ZAKARIA AT THE TOP OF THE
HOUR.
>>> NEXT, ERIC HOLDER ANNOUNCES
A LAND MARK CHANGE INVOLVING THE
COUNTRY'S SAME-SEX MARRIED
COUPLES.
OUR PANEL ON THE POLICY AND THE
POLITICS WHEN WE COME BACK.
>>> JOINING ME AROUND THE TABLE
ON THE OUTSIDE, CNN COMMENTATORS
CORNELL BELCHER AND ANNA KNOW
VAR ROW AND AMY STODDARD.
HAPPY SUNDAY.
THANKS FOR COMING.
LET ME SHORTHAND WHAT ERIC
HOLDER TALKED ABOUT LAST NIGHT
AND WILL ILLINMPLEMENT TOMORROW.
THAT IS HE'S GOING TO EXTEND
FEDERAL RECOGNITION AND FEDERAL
BENEFITS TO SAME-SEX MARRIED
COUPLES WHEN A FEDERAL COURT IS
INVOLVED, WHEN A FEDERAL PRISON
IS INVOLVED, IN BANKRUPTCY
COURTS, WHICH ARE FEDERAL.
HERE IS PART OF WHAT HE SAID.
>> AS NOW NOTHING LESS THAN OUR
COUNTRY'S FOUNDING COMMITMENT TO
THE NOTION OF EQUAL PROTECTION
UNDER THE LAW WAS AT STAKE, AND
SO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S ROLE
IN CONFRONTING DISCRIMINATION
MUST BE AS AGGRESSIVE TODAY AS
IT WAS IN ROBERT KENNEDY'S TIME.
AS ATTORNEY GENERAL, I WILL
NEVER LET THIS DEPARTMENT BE
SIMPLY A BYSTANDER DURING THIS
IMPORTANT MOMENT IN HISTORY.
WE WILL ACT.
>> SO WHAT HE'S DONE HERE IS
COMPARE THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT TO THE GAY RIGHTS
MOVEMENT.
>> WHICH IS A BIG DEAL.
>> IT'S A HUGE DEAL, AND ONE OF
THE REASONS I WANTED TO BRING IT
UP BECAUSE THIS HAS NOT BEEN
POPULAR IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN
COMMUNITY.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?
WHEN THE PRESIDENT STARTED
COMING OUT ON IT, YOU SAW SOME
MOVEMENT IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN
COMMUNITY MOVING AROUND THIS BUT
GO BACK SIX OR SEVEN YEARS, THE
OLD SCHOOL CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS
DID NOT SEE THIS CONNECTION, DID
NOT WANT TO MAKE THIS
CONNECTION.
THAT HAS BEEN SOFTENING.
I THINK THE PRESIDENT AND HIS
ADMINISTRATION GOES A LONG WAY
IN SHOWING IT'S SUOLVENING.
I THINK THIS PRESIDENT WILL BE
LOOKED AT GAY RIGHTS HOW L.B.J.
WAS LOOKED AT AROUND
AFRICAN-AMERICAN RIGHTS.
>> TALKING TO FOLKS AT THE
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT THAT COVERED,
OUR FOLKS SAYING THIS IS ALSO
ABOUT A HOLDER LEGACY.
>> I WOULD AGREE.
I WOULD AGREE THAT HOLDER HAS
STAYED ON AFTER -- THERE'S BOOKS
ABOUT ERIC HOLDER SAYING HE WAS
TRYING TO LEAVE YEARS AGO AND
ACTUALLY HAVING BEEN CONVINCED
TO STAY BY PRESIDENT OBAMA, HE
IS BUILDING A LEGACY AND
BECOMING VERY ACTIVE.
PRESIDENT OBAMA THOUGH REALLY
NEEDS TO TURN THE BASE OF THE
PARTY OUT IN THIS MIDTERM
ELECTION FOR DEMOCRATS WHERE
THINGS LOOK TERRIBLE FOR THEM
RIGHT NOW IF THE ELECTION WERE
HELD TODAY.
SO THE STRADDLING THOUGH FOR HIM
IS IF HE OVERSTEPS AND DOES TOO
MUCH BY EXECUTIVE ACTION,
THERE'S GOING TO BE A CAMPAIGN
AGAINST DEMOCRATS THAT THE
CONGRESS AND THE COURTS ARE
BEING LEFT OUT BY THE
ADMINISTRATION --
>> CANDY, I THINK --
>> ONE SECOND BEFORE YOU GO --
BEFORE YOU START.
I WANT TO READ, THIS IS A
REACTION FROM BRIAN BROWN,
PRESIDENT FOR THE NATIONAL
ORGANIZATION FOR MARRIAGE.
HE TALKS ABOUT STATES RIGHTS,
ONE OF THE ISSUES, BUT HE SAYS
IN PART THE CHANGES BEING
PROPOSED HERE TO A PROCESS AS
UNIVERSALLY RELEVANT AS THE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM SERVE AS
A POTENT REMINDER OF WHY IT IS
SIMPLY A LIE TO SAY THAT
REDEFINING MARRIAGE DOESN'T
AFFECT EVERYONE IN SOCIETY.
SO THERE'S THE STATE'S RIGHTS
ISSUE, THERE'S THE IDEA THAT
THIS WILL BE APPLIED IN STATES
THAT DO NOT RECOGNIZE SAME-SEX
MARRIAGE --
>> BUT ONLY IN FEDERAL COURT.
SO BASICALLY IF YOU'RE GAY, IF
YOU'RE MARRIED, BUT IF YOU'RE IN
A STATE THAT DOESN'T RECOGNIZE
IT AND YOU MARRY A CRIMINAL, YOU
BETTER BE SURE THAT IT'S
SOMEBODY THAT COMMITS A FEDERAL
CRIME, NOT A STATE CRIME BECAUSE
YOU'RE ONLY COVERED UNDER
FEDERAL LAW.
FRANKLY, I THINK WHAT HOLDER IS
DOING HERE IS REFLECTING THE
REALITY OF THE COUNTRY.
THIS IS THE MOST RAPIDLY SOCIAL
CHANGE THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN OUR
LIFETIMES CERTAINLY, AND
THERE'S, FRANKLY, TWO WAYS TO
LOOK AT THIS.
EITHER YOU ACCEPT THE REALITY,
WHICH IS THAT GAY MARRIAGE IS
HERE TO STAY.
YOU'RE NOT TAKING THAT RIGHT
AWAY.
GAY FAMILIES EXIST, AND THEY
DESERVE THE SAME EXACT RIGHTS AS
EVERYBODY ELSE.
WE ARE NOT RUSSIA.
THIS IS NOT PUTIN.
WE DON'T DISCRIMINATE.
WE DON'T HARASS GAYS.
IN AMERICA PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME
RIGHTS.
OR YOU CAN KEEP YOUR HEAD IN THE
SAND.
I'M WITH THOSE THAT LIVE IN THE
REAL WORLD.
>> HERE IS THE PROBLEM, HERE IS
THE PROBLEM.
IF THE REPUBLICANS WHO ARE
LINING UP TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT
IN 2016 WERE ON ANA'S TALKING
POINTS, THEY WOULD BE A LOT
FURTHER AHEAD TO WINNING A BROAD
MAJORITY.
BUT IN THE BASE OF THE PARTY
THAT KIND OF TALK IS NOT
NECESSARILY --
>> FOR NOW.
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, 18
MONTHS AGO, 20 MONTHS AGO, THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
WAS IN A DIFFERENT POSITION.
BLACK PASTORS WERE IN A
DIFFERENT POSITION, AND THEY
HAVE MOVED SLOWLY.
SO THIS IS -- AGAIN, I GO BACK
TO SAYING THE MOST RAPIDLY
CHANGING SOCIAL ISSUE OF OUR
LIFETIME AND IT MAY BE THAT BY
2016 THIS IS MUCH LESS OF A
POINT THAN IT IS TODAY.
IT'S AMAZING HOW MUCH GAY RIGHTS
AND MARRIAGE EQUALITY HAS
CHANGED IN THE LAST 12 TO 18
MONTHS.
>> I AGREE.
BUT THE TEA PARTY BASE
REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VOTERS SWITCH
DRAMATICALLY ON THIS, I WILL BE
SHOKDS.
>> THERE'S A LOT MORE
REPUBLICANS CHANGING ON THIS
THAN MEETS THE NAKED EYE.
THEY MAY NOT BE OUT THERE
BECAUSE THERE'S NO REASON TO
TAKE THE POLITICAL HIT IF
THERE'S NO LEGISLATION IN FRONT
OF THEM --
>> BUT THERE WILL BE A QUESTION
ABOUT '16, WHETHER OR NOT THE
NOMINEE IN THE NOMINATING
PROCESS THERE WILL BE A BIG
QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT
THE PERSON WHO SURVIVES THE
PRIMARY PROCESS, WHICH IS, AS
YOU KNOW, DICTATED MOSTLY BY
ACTIVISTS CONSERVATIVES, WHETHER
OR NOT THAT PERSON TO WIN THE
PRIMARY CAN SUPPORT ANYTHING
BEYOND TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE,
WHATEVER THE DEFINITION THAT
THEY USE.
AND SO THAT'S ACTUALLY AROUND
THE CORNER, AND I DON'T KNOW
THAT THE PARTY SHIFTED THAT
MUCH.
>> I GOT TO BREAK THIS OFF
EXCEPT FOR YOUR GOING TO STICK
WITH US.
WHEN WE COME BACK WE'LL TALK
ABOUT RAND PAUL TAKING ON THE
CLINTONS, BOTH OF THEM.
>>> BACK WITH CORNELL BELCHER,
A.B. STODDARD, AND ANA NAVARRO.
RAND PAUL IS ON A ROLL LATELY.
HE WAS ASKED A QUESTION AND IN
RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT
BILL CLINTON AND MONICA
LEWINSKY, HE BASICALLY SAID,
LOOK, THE PRESIDENT WAS -- THIS
WAS PREDATORY BEHAVIOR, AND NOW
KIND OF DOUBLED DOWN ON IT AND
SAID THIS SUNDAY, LISTEN, IF YOU
GAVE MONEY TO BILL CLINTON, YOU
SHOULD TAKE IT BACK BECAUSE THIS
GUY IS A PREDATOR.
THEN LAST NIGHT RAND PAUL IS IN
A REPUBLICAN CROWD IN HOUSTON,
AND HE TALKS ABOUT BENGHAZI AND
HILLARY CLINTON.
HERE IS WHAT HE SAID.
>> THE COUP DE GRACE AND THE
THING I THINK SHOULD LIMIT
HILLARY CLINTON FROM EVER
HOLDING HIGH OFFICE, WHEN SHE
WAS ASKED FOR REINFORCEMENTS,
SHE TURNED DOWN REINFORCEMENTS,
AND SHE SHOULD NEVER, EVER HAVE
A COMMANDER IN CHIEF WHO WON'T
SEND REINFORCEMENTS.
>> HE'S JUST --
>> AS SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE --
PARTISANSHIP ASIDE, WHAT HE'S
DOING IS SMART FROM A PRIMARY
STAND POINT.
WHILE BILL CLINTON HAS HIGH
FAVORABILITY NUMBERS NATIONALLY,
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BASE OF THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY, THERE'S GOING
TO BE VERY FEW THINGS THAT
ENDURE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VOTERS
TO THEM THAN SOMEONE TAKING ON
THE CLINTONS AND SOMEONE
BRINGING DOWN THE CLINTONS, AND
THE MONICA LEWINSKY STUFF, WHILE
IT'S OLD NEWS TO THEM, I HAVE A
FEELING HIM TAKING THAT ON SO
FRONTALLY REALLY HELPS HIM WITH
THOSE VOTERS.
>> AND I THINK, FRANKLY, WHAT
BILL CLINTON DID DECADES AGO WAS
WRONG.
I THINK EVEN BILL CLINTON WOULD
TELL YOU THAT.
CERTAINLY HILLARY WOULD TELL YOU
THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S OLD.
THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS IS
OVER, BUT I THINK HE'S SENDING
AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO HILLARY
CLINTON BOTH WITH THE BENGHAZI
ISSUE AND WITH THIS ISSUE.
LOOK, I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE THE
CLINTONS, I DON'T CARE WHO YOU
ARE, IF YOU'RE GOING INTO A
PRIMARY KNOW THAT EVERYTHING IS
ON THE TABLE, AND WE WILL GO TO
THE ENTIRE RECORD OF THE PUBLIC
LIFE OF THE CLINTONS.
>> YOU KNOW, A.B., IN THE END --
>> IT'S BEEN GONE THROUGH A
COUPLE TIMES.
>> AND WE MAY BE GOING THROUGH
IT AGAIN.
>> IT'S NOT NEW INFORMATION FOR
A GENERAL ELECTION.
>> BUT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE -- YOU
KNOW WE HAVE ATTENTION DEFICIT
DISORDER IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH IT ALL
OVER AGAIN IF SHE'S IN.
>> A.B., THIS IS SMART POLITIC
IT IS SEEMS TO ME.
HERE IS RAND PAUL KIND OF
EXPANDING WHAT HIS DAD HAD.
HE'S GOT THE LIBERTARIAN SIDE OF
HIM.
HE'LL TAKE ON DRONES, HE'LL TAKE
ON PREF IVACY, HE'LL DO THAT.
THEN HE HAS THE SOCIAL
CONSERVATIVE SIDE OF HIM.
THAT'S WHERE THIS COMES IN.
AND THEN HE HAS SORT OF
TRADITIONAL REPUBLICAN VIEWS ON
OTHER THINGS.
I THINK HE'S LOOKING AT HIS
BASE.
>> HE'S ACTUALLY MORE IN TUNE
WITH THE NEEDS AND THE
DEMOGRAPHIC LIABILITIES OF THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY THAN MOST
WANNABE 2016 CONTENDERS.
AS YOU SAID, HE'S TAKING CARE OF
ALL THESE DISPARATE COALITIONS.
E TALKING TO THE WALL STREET
MANAGERIAL WING OF THE PERT WHO
IS WORRIED CHRIS CHRISTI HAS
COLLAPSED.
HE'S SAYING I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE
A CANDIDATE THAT LOOKS LIKE THEY
CAN TAKE ON THE CLINTONS.
IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PANIC HE'S
SAYING I CAN DO THIS, AND THAT
ACTUALLY IS GOING TO BRING HIM
MORE EARS, MORE PEOPLE ARE GOING
TO START TUNING INTO WHAT HE
SAYS AS HE RUNS AROUND THE
COUNTRY SAYING -- SPEAKING TO
BLACK AUDIENCES, YOUNG AUDIENCES
AND SAYING THE REPUBLICAN --
>> I THOUGHT IT WAS FASCINATING
THIS WEEK ONE OF THE THINGS HE
DID WELL IN TEXAS WAS, FIRST OF
ALL, BE WITH JOHN CORNYN AT THIS
DINNER HE WAS LAST NIGHT WHICH
IS EVEN MORE THAN TED CRUZ HAS
DONE.
BUT EVEN MORE SO HE MET WITH
GEORGE P. BUSH, JEB BUSH'S SON,
TO TALK ABOUT HISPANIC OUTREACH.
I DON'T AGREE WITH RAND PAUL ON
A LOT OF THINGS, BUT WHEN I SEE
THE WAY HE'S TRYING TO DO
OUTREACH IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN
COMMUNITY, IN THE HISPANIC
COMMUNITY, HE MAKES MY HEART
SMILE.
>> WELL, HE KNOWS ONE THING, TO
TALK THE TALK, IT'S ANOTHER
THING TO WALK THE WALK.
HE HAS ISSUES WITH THE CIVIL
RIGHTS ACT.
HE HAS ISSUES -- HE DIDN'T VOTE
FOR THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN'S
ACT.
HE DIDN'T VOTE FOR THE PATRIOT
FAIRNESS ACT.
WHEN YOU MOVE OUTSIDE THE
PRIMARY TO THE GENERAL ELECTION,
HE'S GOT SOME REAL ISSUES WITH A
BROADER BASE OF WOMEN AS WELL AS
MINORITIES THAT'S GOING TO BE
REALLY PROBLEMATIC.
BECAUSE GUESS WHAT?
YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
AGAIN IF DEMOCRATS CONTINUE TO
RUN UP THE TAB ON THE GENDER GAP
THE WAY WE HAVE DONE THE LAST
COUPLE YEARS AND YOU KNOW THIS
VERY WELL, ANA.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WIN FLORIDA
IF YOU CAN'T COMPETE WITH
HISPANIC VOTERS.
>> THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TICKET,
AND NEXT UP --
>> MOTHER TERESA IS A SAINT NOW,
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF THE CONGRESS
WANTED TO MAKE HER A SAINT AND
ATTACH THAT TO
.
>> IS JOHN BOEHNER'S CAUCUS THE
REASON FOR HIS ABOUT-FACE ON
IMMIGRATION REFORM?
>>> BACK WITH CORNELL, AB
STODDARD.
THE NAIVE AMONG US THOUGHT IT
MIGHT BE POSSIBLE FOR
IMMIGRATION REFORM TO DO
SOMETHING IN THE HOUSE THIS
YEAR.
THE SPEAKER CERTAINLY WAS
TALKING ABOUT IT.
AND THEN THIS WEEK IT WAS LIKE I
REALLY DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN IS PART OF WHAT HE SAID.
>> I THINK THE PRESIDENT IS
GOING TO HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE TO
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND MY
COLLEAGUES THAT HE CAN BE TRU
TRUSTED TO ENFORCE THE LAW AS IT
IS WRITTEN.
>> WHAT HAPPENED HERE?
>> WELL LEGALIZATION IS DEAD.
FIRST A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP WAS
DEAD AND THEN LEGALIZATION WAS
POSSIBLE THAT'S GONE, THAT'S NOT
HAPPENING IN 2014.
2015 WILL BE ONLY MORE DIFFICULT
FOR THE PARTY WHEN THEY'RE
TRYING TO RALLY AROUND A PRIMARY
PROCESS AND A NOMINEE FOR
PRESIDENT.
YOU MIGHT GET H1B VISA, BIOMETRA
DATA VERIFICATION, YOU MIGHT GET
SOMETHING EXTENDING THE DREAMER
PROVISIONS, THAT'S IT.
>> LISTEN, THIS IS I THINK NOW
MAYBE THE THIRD TIME IN THIS
CONGRESSIONAL SESSION I HAVE
HEARD PUNDITS AND POLITICAL
JOURNALISTS PREDICT THE DEATH OR
WRITE THE EULOGY FOR
IMMIGRATION.
LET'S GIVE THIS THING SOME TIME.
I THINK HE LEFT HIMSELF SOME
WIGGLE ROOM IN THIS.
IF THE PRESIDENT REGAINS THE
TRUST.
HE WENT TO THE CONGRESSIONAL
RETREAT AND THERE WAS A LOT
OF PUSHBACK.
IMMIGRATION IS ABOUT TWO THINGS.
NUMBER ONE IS THE SUBSTANTIAL.
CAN HE SELL THE SUBSTANCE?
I THINK HE CAN MAKE SOME
PROGRESS WITH THE STARNSDS HE
RELEASED LAST WEEK.
NUMBER TWO IS THE TIMING.
THE TIMING IS VERY TRICKY RIGHT
NOW BECAUSE OF THE POLITICS.
THERE MAY BE A WINDOW THAT OPENS
UP AT SOME POINT.
THIS IS NOT THE TIME.
>> THIS IS POLITICS AND THIS IS
THE PROBLEM, I NEVER THOUGHT
THAT IMMIGRATION REFORM WAS
GOING TO PASS THIS YEAR
UNDERSTAND THIS IS THE CURL TURL
WARFARE FOR THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY.
TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, WHEN YOU
LOOK AT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
THEY'RE ABOUT SHRINKING THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE
ELECTORATE, NOT INCREASING THEM
AND ANNA, I'M SORRY, BUT THEY
DON'T WANT MORE PEOPLE IN THE
ELECTORATE WHO LOOK LIKE YOU AND
SOUND LIKE YOU.
>> OH, CORNELL.
>> CORNELL, THAT'S -- NO
LISTEN --
>> REPUBLICANS WERE A PARTY OF
IDEALS AND NOW THEY'RE NOT
PUTTING OUT IDEALS.
>> WHEN YOU SAY THEY, WHO ARE
YOU TALKING ABOUT?
WHEN I -- YOU KNOW THE
REPUBLICANS I TALK TO ARE THE
REPUBLICANS LIKE A JEB BUSH,
LIKE A JOHN BOEHNER LISHGS A
PAUL RYAN, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO
ARE WILLING TO TAKE POLITICAL
RISTS AS RISKS AND COURAGE.
DON'T SAY THEY.
NOT EVERY REPUBLICAN -- LET ME
SAY THIS, NOT EVERY REPUBLICAN
STANDS WHERE YOU WANT THEM.
YOU WANT TO PAINT THEM WHERE
THEY STAND.
THERE ARE A LOT OF REPUBLICAN,
SOME LOOKING AT 2016 THAT
REALIZE YOU WILL NOT GET TO THE
WHITE HOUSE WITH OLD WHITE MALE
VOTERS THAT ARE STRAIGHT.
>> CLEARLY THE MAJORITY OF THE
REPUBLICAN CAUCUS DON'T FEEL
THAT WAY BECAUSE THEY PUSHED
BACK.
TRUTH OF THE MATTER IF HE PUT A
VOTE ON THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW UP
OR DOWN IT WOULD PASS THE HOUSE.
IT WOULD NOT PASS PRESIDENT
MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS IN THE
CAUCUS BUT IT WOULD PASS AND
THAT'S THE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM
BECAUSE THAT'S WHY IT'S DIED.
>> IT WOULD HAVE PASSED THE
FIRST TWO YEAR OF THE OBAMA
PRESIDENCIES WHEN THE DEMOCRATS
HAD THE SENATE, HOUSE AND WHITE
HOUSE AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE
COURAGE TO PUT IT UP.
WOULD IT PASS RIGHT NOW IF JOHN
BOEHNER PUT IT UP ON THE FLOOR.
PROBABLY.
BUT HE IS THE SPEAKER OF THE
HOUSE, THE MAJORITY LEADER OF
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
HE NEEDS TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT
NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS BECAUSE
HE'S NOT THERE --
>> NOWHERE IN THE CONSTITUTION
IT SAYS YOU'RE SPEAKER OF A
PARTY.
YOU'RE OF THE HOUSE.
>> OF COURSE IT'S NOT IN THE
CONSTITUTION BUT IT'S REAL
POLITICS.
>> LOOK AT CNN POLLING.
THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS WANT
THIS TO HAPPEN --
>> CORNELL --
>> THE PROBLEM IS RIGHT NOW --
>> HOW MANY LAWS DID NANCY
PELOSI PASS WITH A REPUBLICAN
MAJORITY AND LITTLE DEMOCRATS.
LIKE THE HEALTH CARE ACT?
>> SHE PASSED A LOT OF BILLS.
>> THE HEALTH CARE ACT.
>> ONE REASON IMMIGRATION DIDN'T
PASS THEY WERE BUSY TRYING TO
PULL US OUT OF THE BUSH
RECESSION.
>> BECAUSE IT WAS --
>> TRY TO STOP A DEBATE RIGHT IN
THE MIDDLE BUT I WANTED TO GIVE
YOU THE LAST WORD.
>> I WOULD SAY CORNELL, ONE OF
THE DIFFICULTIES FOR PAUL RYAN
AND JOHN BOEHNER AND "THE WALL
STREET JOURNAL" EDITORIAL PAGE
AND KARL ROVE AND EVERYONE WHO
ARE PROPONENTS OF MOVING THE
PARTY FORWARD, BROADENING THE
TENT AND PASSING COMPREHENSIVE
REFORM IS THE AFFORDABLE CARE
ACT.
EVEN PROPONNTS OF REFORM ARE
SCARED AND LACK OF TRUST ISSUE
IS REAL ISSUE, ONCE SOMETHING IS
PASSED AND BECOMES LAW THE
ADMINISTRATION WILL GO IN AND
CHANGE IT AND WON'T BE WHAT THE
CONGRESS PASSED.
>> AB STODDARD, ANA NAVARRO,
CORNELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING "STATE OF
THE UNION."
HEAD TO CNN.COM/SOTU FOR
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