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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

Interview With Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT); Attorney Says Brian Laundrie Bought New Cell Phone On September 14, Left It At Home When He Vanished; Most GOP House Armed Services Cmte. Members Attack Gen. Milley, As Rep Cheney Calls Disparagement Of Top General "Despicable"; House January 6 Committee Targets Organizers Of "Stop The Steal" Rally In New Batch Of Subpoenas; Judge Suspends Britney Spears' Father As Conservator; YouTube Bans Doctor For Spreading Misinformation About Covid Vaccines. Aired 8-9p ET

Aired September 29, 2021 - 20:00   ET

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

ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: Thank you so much, Stephanie. I appreciate your time.

And thanks to all of you. I appreciate yours.

AC 360 starts now.

[20:00:05]

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Good evening. There is breaking news tonight no matter what you've been hearing for weeks now, it is not primarily about a Washington standoff or a showdown or Democrats in disarray or any other inside the beltway in the weeds jargon like that.

The breaking news actually concerns virtually everything the President and most Democrats campaigned on including better roads and bridges and cheaper prescription drugs, free community college, dental coverage for Medicare, childcare credits, and more.

And whatever you might think about the importance of those items or their cost or how to pay for them, the President and his party promised voters and the public to deliver on them. That is what is running battle within the party to pass two big spending bills is really about.

Senator Bernie Sanders is going to join me in just a moment to talk about those priorities as well as if and how Democrats will be able to cut through the legislative and procedural weeds that they themselves cultivated in order to deliver on them.

House progressives, as you know, won't vote for a bipartisan roads and bridges bill until they get an idea of what Senate moderates want in a social spending bill. Moderates won't say what they want apparently until after a vote on the roads and bridges bill.

Tonight's breaking news following House Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Schumer's visit with the President this afternoon only adds to the pressure. Speaker Pelosi saying tomorrow's vote on the roads and bridges bill is still on.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUESTION: Is there any chance that you pull the bill tomorrow?

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): The plan is to bring the bill to the floor.

QUESTION: Are you worried that you may not have the votes?

PELOSI: One hour at a time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Well, whatever she does, one hour at a time, a senior administration official tells CNN tonight the President is following her lead and will support her decision if she says delay the vote.

That official also says there were no major breakthroughs in the meetings, which this official says was more of an update on where moderate Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema currently stand on the social spending bill.

So joining us now with that on the table, Bernie Sanders, Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. Senator, thanks for being with us. Where do negotiations stand right now?

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): Well, I think that what will likely happen tomorrow, Anderson, I can't be sure is that the bipartisan infrastructure bill will not succeed and that's what I think is the right thing, and I support the progressives in the House for doing that.

And the reason for that is what the President campaigned on, what the President wants, what the American people want, what 95 percent of the members of the Democratic caucus in the House and the Senate want are two major pieces of legislation, and that is to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure -- very important.

But what is even more important to my mind is to finally address the long neglected needs of working families all over this country, and tell them that Congress is listening to their needs, and not just the billionaires and campaign contributors. And secondly, deal with the existential threat of climate change. We have got to do that.

So I think if the legislation tomorrow is defeated, I think, it will open up the opportunity for some serious discussion to go forward so that we can pass both of these very important bills.

COOPER: So just explain that because it's confusing, I think for a lot of folks who happen to follow this. You actually -- you support that bill that you think should go down tomorrow.

SANDERS: Yes, that sounds a little bit crazy. That's right. I voted for it. I'm a former mayor, I know how important roads and bridges and sewer systems are. We need to do it. But the problem is, if we pass that bill tomorrow, we lose the

leverage that we have here with at least two senators in order to pass the more important -- a reconciliation bill, which will deal with the crisis in childcare, it will make community colleges tuition free, it will lower the cost of prescription drugs. It'll end the disgrace of us being the only major country not to have paid family and medical leave, and it is something that I have been working on.

It will expand Medicare, so that we will finally cover the dental needs of seniors, hearing aids, and eyeglasses, among other things. And on top of all of that, it will be the most significant legislation to deal with the crisis of climate.

COOPER: So, just playing this out, you're talking about the two senators, I assume you're talking about Manchin and Sinema. What then does this force them to do? If it goes down tomorrow, what does that time by you?

SANDERS: Well, what it buys us is both of them work very hard and I respect that on the infrastructure bill, they want it passed. I want passed. But what it says now is we are joined at the hip.

And as you will remember at the beginning of this whole process, what the President and Senator Schumer and Congress, House Speaker Pelosi said we're going forward in tandem. Both bills are going forward together. That's the way this process started, and that is what we have got to do.

[20:05:15]

SANDERS: And I think at the end of the day, we will succeed, and the American people will be very, very happy. And I want to make this point, some people say, well, it's a very expensive bill.

This bill, if I have anything to say about it will be 100 percent paid for by ending the tax breaks and the loopholes that the wealthy and large corporations now are able to enjoy.

We're going to end those and we're going to lower the cost of prescription drugs by having Medicare negotiate prescription drug prices with the pharmaceutical industry.

COOPER: So Senator Manchin, you know, he is insistent he is not changing his mind before tomorrow, he put out the statement today, which reads in part, "While I'm hopeful the common ground can be found that would result in another historic investment in our nation, I cannot and will not support trillions in spending or an all or nothing approach that ignores the brutal fiscal realities our nation faces. There's a better way, and I believe that we can find it if we're willing to continue to negotiate in good faith."

So he also said today, he could be open to a reconciliation bill by the end of the year. So essentially, you're saying if this thing dies tomorrow, you're in a sense, kind of calling his bluff, and now he is really got to negotiate because he doesn't have the bill he wants. SANDERS: I wouldn't say calling his bluff. But also, again, I want to

reiterate, when Senator Manchin or anyone else talks about the spending in this bill, it must be pointed out that this is going to be paid for. This is not adding to the debt.

COOPER: Isn't, though -- I mean, you need Senator Manchin to get the spending package passed. Isn't something better than nothing? I mean, isn't it -- it's kind of a high wire act you're playing, isn't it?

SANDERS: Well, you know, when you deal, Anderson, with the existential threat of climate and the scientists tell us we have a handful of years in order to transform our energy system away from fossil fuel, that's a high wire act.

I think it is morally irresponsible, inconceivable that this country is not leading the world in cutting carbon emissions and taking on the fossil fuel industry. And I should also add, as part of this whole thing, please understand that we are now taking on the pharmaceutical industry. They don't want to see lower drug prices. The healthcare industry, they don't want to see Medicare expanded. Taking on the fossil fuels industry, we're taking on the very rich and their lobbyists who don't want to pay more in taxes.

This is a very consequential struggle, but at the end of the day, I think we're going to win this.

COOPER: Have you spoken to Senator Manchin or Senator Sinema, privately? Do you know what exactly they want when it comes to an actual number on the spending package? Because they are -- I mean, everybody is -- they seem to be very vague on that, obviously, intentionally.

SANDERS: That's part of the problem is, you know, when you're negotiating, you come forward. You tell me what you want, this is what I want. Let's see how we work it out.

But I think there has been a lot of frustration with both of those senators in that they have not come forward and said, you know, this is what I want. This is what my concern has been. You know, they have talked in vague terms, but we haven't seen the specifics that we need.

COOPER: So you really don't know specifically what Sinema or Manchin wants?

SANDERS: That is correct.

COOPER: So, I mean, just looking at this from the outside, I mean, Democrats at the Senate, the House, and the White House, some might look at that and say, wow, that seems pretty dysfunctional.

I mean, does the party bear some responsibility that everybody hasn't been able to come to a compromise?

SANDERS: Well, look, you know, we have control over the Senate. That's correct. But I hope everybody understands, it is a 50/50 split with the Vice President casting the deciding vote. We have control over the House. Nancy Pelosi has a margin of three or four votes. So it is very, very tight.

I think my frustration, Anderson, is not necessarily the views of Mr. Manchin or Miss Sinema. It is that when you've got 48 people on one side and the American people overwhelmingly on the same side, and one or two people on the other side, you know, it is not appropriate I think, for those couple of people to slow down progress.

They have a right to be heard, they have a right to, you know, get concessions. That's what the process is, but you know, any member of the Democratic Caucus, myself or anybody else, I believe in a Medicare-for-All single payer program. I think the current healthcare system is dysfunctional.

I can go to Chuck Schumer tomorrow and say, Chuck, I'm not voting for that bill unless you have Medicare-for-All, but that's not what the Caucus wants. That would be irresponsible.

So I think at the end of the day, we are going to have to come together, do what the American people want and tell the American people that yes, this government is capable of standing up to powerful special interests and represent working -- represent working families.

[20:10:08]

COOPER: I'm going to ask you a question I don't really like asking because it's just about politics and not about what actually really matters, which is, as you said, the climate change and healthcare for people, but if this doesn't get done, are you worried from a political standpoint that that hurts the Democrats in the midterm elections?

SANDERS: This will get done, and I think it will be a real asset.

Look, right now we have through the American Rescue Plan been able to cut childhood poverty in half, more than half, because we are providing a $300.00 a month payment to working parents. It would be unthinkable to end that program and raise childhood poverty in America.

What we are doing is enormously popular, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, demanding that the rich stop paying their fair share of taxes; finally, creating millions of jobs dealing with climate change. These are enormously popular issues, rebuilding the infrastructure, very popular.

So we have the agenda that the American people want and what we are not talking about enough, Anderson, we're talking about Senators Manchin and Sinema. We are not talking about the fact there is not one Republican in the House or Senate prepared to stand up to the greed of the drug companies and lower the cost of prescription drugs, not one Republican prepared to deal with the crisis of climate. That really is quite amazing to my mind.

COOPER: Well, I mean, the irony, of course, and it is not even ironic, it's just sad is that, you know that the parties have changed, and therefore, they were fine having the floodgates of spending open under the Trump administration, they are not under a Democrat. SANDERS: Yes, that's absolutely right. It was okay for the

Republicans to use reconciliation to provide some $2 trillion unpaid for, and tax breaks for the wealthiest people in this country. That was fine.

But when we are providing dental care and hearing aids for seniors, when we are addressing the crisis of climate, when we are going to make sure that families in America don't have to pay more than seven percent of their income for child care, when we're going to provide increased home health, oh, that's terrible. We can't afford it.

And by the way, something else -- something else. The military budget is now going to be somewhere around $770 billion to $780 billion over a 10-year period. That is more than double what the reconciliation bill will be. And yet, I hear very little discussion about throwing money at the military industrial complex.

COOPER: Senator Bernie Sanders, I appreciate your time. Thank you.

SANDERS: Thank you.

COOPER: Perspective now from CNN political director, David Chalian and CNN chief political analyst, Gloria Borger.

So Gloria, you heard Senator Sanders not budging, in fact saying, this should go down tomorrow, if there's not a deal?

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes, it really seems to me that progressives are not kidding around when they say we're ready to kill the infrastructure bill, which Bernie Sanders admits he voted for, and lots of progressives like and democrats like and is very popular in the country, because they believe that that would guarantee that they only get half a loaf, and they want the whole thing.

The issue is that failure to get even part of the other package seems almost so irrational, given everything that's in it that as Bernie Sanders just pointed out, so important to the American people. It's hard to see how they just say, okay, fine, we're not going to do any of that because they promised they would, and because the public wants a lot of it.

They want lower prescription drug costs. They want better healthcare. So, it seems to me that, you know, the process is so difficult that it is hard to see from here to there at this point, but I can't imagine that the Biden administration would just say, okay, fine. I just can't see that.

COOPER: You know, David, no one thought "Thelma and Louise" were actually going to drive over the cliff, but they actually did in the movie.

BORGER: Right, and they are Democrats.

COOPER: Spoiler. But I mean, so what do you make of the strategy tomorrow? DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Listen, Nancy Pelosi has said

on repeated occasion, she's not going to bring a vote to the floor that she can't pass. One of her chief deputy whips today, Dale Kildee of Michigan said, you only bring if you're in the majority, a bill to the floor that you can pass.

So now, we see the math, right? Nancy Pelosi set this date for tomorrow on the bipartisan infrastructure deal, but it's really an arbitrary date. I mean, this isn't something that has to be done the way the funding of the government has to be done by tomorrow, midnight, Anderson.

So it's a bit of an arbitrary deadline here that was created out of a deal she made with the moderates and then use this week to try to build pressure on the progressives, but when you look at the votes, they are simply not going to be there because there hasn't been enough progress on the other side, on that reconciliation bill.

And so I'll be very surprised. I know, Bernie Sanders suggested perhaps you'll watch a vote fail tomorrow, I will be very surprised if Nancy Pelosi actually allows a failure to occur on her watch on a major agenda item of the President's on the floor tomorrow.

[20:15:27]

COOPER: And you know, Gloria, I mean, there is a CNN reporting that we mentioned earlier that the President said he is following Speaker Pelosi's lead on the vote and supports her decision if she delays it.

BORGER: Right. And so I may not agree with David, I mean, you know the threat is there, we're going to kill the bill, and she doesn't have the votes. She is not going to bring it up.

But I think what this tells you about Biden is that he is kind of a former man of -- a man of the Senate. He wants to let them work it out. But at some point, Anderson -- and I don't -- I can't quite figure out when that point is. I think the President has to say to everyone who he has been meeting with, okay, enough. Here's what we need to do, because if this goes down, my administration will be a failure and we cannot let that happen. We need to sink or swim together, and I want you to swim, so here's what we need to do.

And he needs to apply the pressure on both sides. And so far, and maybe there has been and we don't know about it, but so far, nobody's talking about that yet.

COOPER: And David, quickly, I mean, what does it say if Democrats can't get these bills passed while controlling the House, the Senate, and the White House?

CHALIAN: Yes, well, as Bernie Sanders pointed out to you, Anderson, it is true they have control, but it's like control of a divided government basically, because of what these margins are.

But this will be devastating for the Democratic Party if they can't get this through. As Gloria said, sink or swim together. That mentality may be the thing that at the end of the day, gets in agreement and gets these two things across the board. It is the biggest moment for the Biden agenda and there is no doubt that their future -- the future of these Democratic majorities are very, very dependent on all of this.

COOPER: How stressful must this be like for Nancy Pelosi tonight? I mean, Gloria Borger and David Chalian, I appreciate it. Thanks.

Coming up next, how a cell phone and surveillance video inflames the manhunt for Brian Laundrie, breaking news on what the video shows and what the phone might suggest in the search for Gabby Petito's fiance.

Later, there's more breaking news from the Capitol. New subpoenas by the House Select Committee, this time targeting key players in the so- called Stop the Steal rally, which is the thing that led up to the attack on the Capitol that morning.

Later, Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney's latest break with a party and columnist Tom Friedman's advice to Democrats to maybe take a page from her playbook. He joins us ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:21:52]

COOPER: There are two new pieces of breaking news tonight in the manhunt for Brian Laundrie and one concerns a phone he purchased after returning home to Florida from Wyoming where his fiancee Gabby Petito was killed. The other involves surveillance video which we just now learned as part of the investigation.

Randi Kaye tonight has the latest on both and she joins us from North Port in Florida. So, let's talk about this phone that Brian Laundrie purchased earlier this month.

RANDI KAYE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So Anderson, the family attorney is telling us that Brian Laundrie went to an AT&T store here in North Port, Florida on September 14th and bought a new phone. The attorney also says that Brian Laundrie left that phone behind when he disappeared, and it is now in the hands of the F.B.I.

But the timing is curious, September 14th, that's the day the attorney says Brian Laundrie bought the phone. That's also the day that Brian Laundrie's parents say they saw him last, that he disappeared on that day without his phone and his wallet. And September 14th is also five days before Gabby Petito's remains were found in Wyoming. So while she was missing, he was apparently out buying a new phone.

And if you look at some of the questions surrounding this, why would he buy a new phone and then disappear on that same day without it? And also, more importantly, where is his original phone? Where is that old phone? Did he leave it in Wyoming? Did he toss it? Did he lose it? Did he have it with him when he was driving back here to Florida?

And even more importantly, what might have been on that original phone? We tried to ask the F.B.I. some questions, but it's an ongoing investigation, so they can't comment -- Anderson.

COOPER: And he only bought the one phone?

KAYE: That's all we know from his lawyer. We don't know if he might have bought another phone another time in another area, but we already know that one phone was --

COOPER: Okay, so this information just comes from his attorney. So, there's also some new information about surveillance video from the Laundrie's families camping trip earlier this month?

KAYE: Right. That same Laundrie family attorney told us that the whole family went camping on September 6th and 7th at Fort De Soto Park, which is about an hour north of here. He said the whole family went to the campground and the whole family left the campground together.

He didn't say whether or not they came home. That's not what he told CNN, just that they left together. Well, now we know that the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office has surveillance video of that campground at the time that the Laundrie family was there, and they have handed that video over to the F.B.I. as part of its active investigation.

So we don't know what that video shows. We haven't seen it. But certainly, you wonder, does it show the whole family arriving at the campground together as the attorney said and leaving together as he said? And does it show Brian walking around? What was he doing there? Was he perhaps scouting the area for some reason?

These are all questions that need to be answered -- Anderson.

COOPER: Randi Kaye, I appreciate it. Thanks.

Lenny DePaul joins us now. He is the former Commander of the U.S. Marshal Service Regional Fugitive Task Force from New York and New Jersey. Lenny, thanks so much for being with us. I'm wondering what you make of this news that Laundrie bought a phone at an AT&T store and then apparently left it behind.

LENNY DEPAUL, FORMER COMMANDER, U.S. MARSHAL SERVICE REGIONAL FUGITIVE TASK FORCE FROM NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY: Well, good evening, Anderson and I'd be quite shocked if he did not have a prepaid phone, a burner phone, a throwaway phone, whatever you want to call it.

You know more importantly -- and Randi had a good point there, how many phones did they purchase?

He was seen on a video camera walking into the AT&T store in his hometown with his mother and apparently when they executed that search warrant at his house, they found the one phone.

Well, why was that phone there? Is that how he's going to communicate with his mom and dad when he's on the run? A lot of unanswered questions, but very interesting.

[20:25:22] COOPER: And we know, according to authorities that the F.B.I. is now

running a targeted search base on what they say is Intelligence. How likely -- you know, how are they likely piecing together all of this? The phone, the campground, the Mustang, and the reserve. Not to mention, Laundrie had a long time -- you know, had long a long time to make a plan and a head start on investigators, and perhaps the cooperation of other people.

DEPAUL: Absolutely, Anderson. I mean, right now they're chasing a ghost. I mean, we go back to choke points when you're chasing human beings, especially when human instincts turn into animal instincts, and that is apparently what's happening right now.

He's on the run. He's got a 10-day head start. He is sleeping with one eye open. But let's go back to the beginning. He had plenty of time driving that van across country, who did he call? How did he communicate? What types of apps is he using on that phone?

You know, I call it who's doing the zoo? They're looking at their trusted circle of friends, they're turning their worlds upside down. He's going to make a mistake, and not only that, factor in to the equation his photo is plastered all over the country. This is getting national news for the past two weeks. The media is doing a great job.

There was I think up to $170,000.00 in reward money. The streets talk, Anderson, so hopefully it's a matter of time before this thing gets put to bed.

COOPER: This may be a dumb question, but I mean, in all your experience, why are people -- why do people run? I mean, obviously, it buys -- fine, it buys them some time, I guess. But it's -- he is, as you say, his face is everywhere. People know who he is. You know, even if he can grow hair and you know, wear glasses, he is going to be found. I don't understand the point of -- is it just as you say, animal instinct?

DEPAUL: Well, innocent people don't run, we all know that. And you know, I always say you can run but you can't hide. When you run, you only go to jail tired, Anderson.

However, you know, he doesn't have much of a choice. He's got a possibility. You know, it's an alleged homicide going on in Wyoming. That's the death penalty out there. He may know that. I'm not sure what his attorney and what type of communications they're having, but that's cause for, you know, running as fast and as far as you can, I'm guessing.

So I mean, to answer your question, I hunted down violent felony fugitives for three decades, and I could give you probably a thousand different answers to the question why they run.

COOPER: If he is alive, do you think he could have left the United States? How -- I mean, some people have said, well, it is easy to walk from the United States into Mexico. Does getting into Mexico really make much of a difference in terms of ability to track a person?

DEPAUL: You know, anything is possible. You know, you certainly don't want to rule anything out. He is a fugitive investigated.

When you're putting that puzzle together and connecting the dots, you've got to look at everything, all the tips that are coming in, the sightings that are going on. Could he have walked into Mexico? Could he be on a boat sitting up, you know, off the coast of Cuba? Absolutely. I mean, he could be anywhere.

However, we're on the ground. I mean, U.S. Marshals, our task forces, other law enforcement, we are global.

We're on the ground in several countries. We have an attache sitting in Mexico City, in all these vulnerable areas that these fugitives like to go to. So, it's very, very difficult to stay on the run nowadays, definitely. I mean, his provisions are going to run out. If he's in the Appalachians, in the woods, it doesn't matter.

You know, hopefully this thing goes down without incident. And what's his mindset? Is it suicide by cop? I mean, is he going to throw his hands up and come out? We hope so.

COOPER: Lenny DePaul, I really appreciate your expertise. Thank you.

Coming up next, Liz Cheney use the testimony of one top U.S. General to criticize the conduct of her fellow Republicans toward that General, some of them were sitting just a feet away from her as she did it.

In a moment, "New York Times" columnist Tom Friedman joins me who recently spoke with the Wyoming Republican.

And later, the January 6th Committee that Cheney also sits on issued new subpoenas today. We have the names and details of that ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:32:53]

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Elsewhere on Capitol Hill today day two of testimony from top U.S. generals on the end of Afghanistan mission. This time in the house with most Republicans assailing General Mark Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who's appeared in several behind the scenes books about the final months of the previous administration discussing his fears of the parentals meant -- of presidents -- former presidents mental state and what he might do.

Most but not all Republicans were selling him today Congresswoman Liz Cheney applauded the actions of the General instead chastised her own Republican colleagues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. LIZ CHENEY (R) ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: General Milley, you found yourself in your constitutionally prescribed role standing in the breach. And for any member of this committee, for any American, to question your loyalty to our nation, to question your understanding of our Constitution, your loyalty to our Constitution, your recognition and understanding of the civilian chain of command is despicable.

I want to apologize for those members of this committee who've done so. And I want to thank you for standing in the breach when so many, including many in this room failed to do so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Congresswoman Cheney is the subject of the latest column by my next guest New York Times columnist Tom Friedman, Do Democrats Have The Courage Of Liz Cheney? Want to get some perspective from Tom, he's also the author of numerous books including the World Is Flat.

Tom, I want to speak to you about your column in a moment. But first, I know you've spoken at length with Congresswoman Liz Cheney. What do you make of what we just heard her praising General Milley for his loyalty to the Constitution today and chastising very directly her Republican colleagues.

TOM FRIEDMAN, FOREIGN AFFAIRS COLUMNIST, NEW YORK TIMES: She's just doubling down on the principle standard that she's taken. You know, Anderson, Congresswoman Cheney, and I probably disagree about 90% of policies. But we agree 100% on what moment we're in right now. We're in a gigantic, constant, an unprecedented constitutional crisis. We have a party, who is loyalty is to a cult figure, Donald Trump and not to the Constitution. And Liz Cheney has understood that which is why she has basically said I will risk my seat, I will risk the ability to promote the policies I believe in.

[20:35:04]

And in Wyoming, you know, I will take a chance even with my life to uphold the Constitution, to call out this president for his undermining of that constitution. And as you heard in that clip Anderson, call out my colleagues, for their loyalty to this man, and not the Constitution is quite remarkable.

COOPER: What price do you think she pays for this?

FRIEDMAN: Well, you know, she's running against a whole rogues gallery out there in Wyoming. And the way that the system works, there is Democrats and independents can vote in the Republican primary. So she could actually win with 30% of the vote. She does have a chance. But it's going to be difficult. She will tell you it's she faces a lot of opposition. Wyoming is the most pro Trump state, he won the largest percent of the vote there of any state in the union.

COOPER: You know, it was interesting because she was sitting in back I think it was sitting in front of her bobbing up and down was the former White House doctor, I believe that's who's now the Congressman, who has completely just debased himself. I mean, I have respect for doctors, but this guy, it's extraordinary, the just the crap that is coming out of Ronny Jackson's mouth these days.

FRIEDMAN: You know, Anderson is not just Ronny Jackson. I think what happened last week, you know, Arizona runs this ridiculous audit by this pro-Trump election auditing firm. They conclude after months that actually Joe Biden won a few more votes in Arizona, than he was actually attributed to by the election, not Donald Trump. And the day after or a few hours after Trump orders Texas to audit the five biggest counties in the state all where Biden won their 2020 election which Trump won by 5%. And the governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, does it immediately. Just jumps.

Anderson if CNN ask you tonight to wear a clown outfit and broadcast the news standing on your head. I have a feeling Anderson Cooper, the Anderson Cooper I know would say you know what.

COOPER: I will wear that at home.

FRIEDMAN: Yes, exactly. Do you know anyone in your life in your immediate surroundings, who is so little self-respect, so little integrity that Donald Trump would call the governor of this big state, Texas and demand he run audit on election Trump won and he just says, I sir (ph).

COOPER: I guess Ronny Jackson where the fact that he has, I guess he has a medical degree, he was a doctor in the White House, the fact that he is, you know, just saying get, you know, medical diagnosis of the president and other people, you know, so he can do his little tap dance on Fox News. It's just I just find that particularly, you know, he's sworn oath once. And now he's just -- I don't know what he's doing.

Anyway, in your latest column, you argue the Democrats as they struggled to pass President Biden's agenda it should take a page from Congresswoman Cheney. Just talking about that, what do you mean by that?

FRIEDMAN: Well, everybody's got to take a risk here, they've got to actually put themselves on the line with their own basis, whether it's the moderate or conservative Democrats who just want to pass an infrastructure bill, and not sign up for the larger human infrastructure bill, the 3.5 trillion that President Biden and the Progressive Caucus wants. And the Progressive Caucus has got to look inward until its own base. Look, we can get some of this and not all of this. Because Anderson, we face two challenges right now, we face the challenge of obviously, we need more infrastructure, we need more human infrastructure to build our middle class for the 21st century.

But we cannot, in my view, let this president fail. Because if this president fails, he is going to be ceding power to a party and a leader we now know from all the books, all the reporting of the last few weeks, was attempting to mount a coup last January 6, and that is the alternative here.

So everybody has got to come to Jesus here and understand they've got to compromise. We're not dealing with the 10 commandments, all right? We're dealing with politics, policies, horse trading, nobody's going to get it all. But everybody can get enough and everyone needs to stand up and show a little spine the way Liz Cheney did and tell their base, their constituency, I got you as much as I could now. We'll come back for more later and there will be later because this will propel Biden forward. And if we don't, this will not propel Biden forward, his presidency will go into a tailspin, and later will be too late, later will be Donald Trump.

COOPER: The interesting thing about that though, is if you come from the extreme of any party or if you're come from the progressive, extreme or conservative extreme, and you've come up through the activist movement or through and I ideological movement and you find yourself in Congress, yes, Congress is all about, you know, compromise.

[20:40:07]

But if you compromise and you're one of those people who's on the fringes or on the extremes, then the people who once liked you will, you know, eat -- they will eat you, they will destroy you and take you down, because you have betrayed the cause, as opposed to you have served the best interests of your constituents and the country.

FRIEDMAN: Well, maybe you have to do what Liz Cheney does in Wyoming, and look people in the eye and tell them why they're wrong, even if they fundamentally disagree with you. And you do it, risking your seat in Congress, all the policies you hope for, and maybe something even more. That's why I do that comparison. Welcome to the NFL. All right. That's what you got to do today. And much more is at stake, then your little policy or your little district.

We are talking about the crown jewels of the United States, we are talking about the most sacred thing, we have, Anderson, our ability to legally transfer power in a legitimate way. That is what is at stake here. Not a road, not a bridge, not your favorite policy. And everyone's got to suck it up and find a way to compromise and if they can't explain that to their district, they don't belong in politics.

COOPER: Tom Friedman, I appreciate it. Thank you.

FRIEDMAN: Thanks, Anderson.

COOPER: Well, just ahead, more breaking news on Capitol Hill. New subpoenas from the House Select Committee investigating the Capitol attack, those names when we return. Plus word that a deal has been reached to fund the government.

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[20:45:21]

COOPER: There's more breaking news on Capitol Hill tonight. A second round of subpoenas from the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 attack. This time focused on individuals associated with the rally that preceded the Capitol riot.

Ryan Nobles now joins us from Capitol Hill with the latest. So who's included in this latest round of subpoenas?

RYAN NOBLES, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, it's a list of 11 different people who as you mentioned were directly involved in the planning and organization of that Stop The Steal rally that took place in front of the White House that served as the prelude to the insurrection. Some of these names may be familiar if you follow the Trump administration or his campaign over the past five or so years, Amy Kremer and Kylie Kremer, they're a part of an organization called Women For America. First, they were the principal organizers of that event, Amy Kremer in particular a longtime a surrogate for the former President Donald Trump. Also a name that may be familiar Katrina Pierson, who served as a spokesperson for the Trump campaign. She also was involved in that rally on January 6.

All of these individuals played a role on that day, but they also helped to plan events leading up to the events of that day. And so the committee wants to know what they knew about the planning and coordination and what it had to do with the insurrection itself.

COOPER: So there's really -- I mean, what they're trying to do is find any connection between, you know, the rally organizers, and what happened after the rally. Is that right?

NOBLES: Yes, that -- yes, that's exactly right, Anderson. And I caught up with Jamie Raskin of Maryland. He is a member of the House Select Committee, and he explained to me exactly what they were looking for. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): We're trying to reconstruct the entire chain of events that led to the most violent assault on the U.S. Capitol since the war of 1812, in 1814. So it's important for us to figure out exactly what the relationships were between the official rally organizers and the White House and the violent insurrectionists who launched the violence on that day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBLES: And I followed up and asked Raskin, do they believe that there was some level of coordination specifically about getting people into the Capitol on that day or if it was just part of a mob mentality? And he said, that's exactly what they are trying to determine. And they also want to know, specifically who might have been involved in that planning. And if it was anyone in the White House.

COOPER: And to finally want to ask you about what Majority Leader of the Senate Chuck Schumer announced about funding the government. He says a vote will happen tomorrow morning, right?

NOBLES: Yes, that's right. The Senate is set to vote on a clean continuing resolution that would allow the government to stay open past the deadline of midnight tomorrow night. The Senate is expected to easily pass it on a bipartisan basis and then the House will take it up as well. They're both expected to pass.

The reason they will pass Anderson is because they split the two pieces of legislation apart the continuing resolution and the debt limit. The debt limit remains a problem and there's not a solution for that quite yet. Of course the debt limit will be reached in the middle of October.

COOPER: All right, Ryan Nobles appreciate it. Thank you.

Up next, breaking news, involving Britney Spears and her father who's controlled the singer's life and money from more than a decade.

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COOPER: Breaking news tonight, for the first time in 13 years Britney Spears is not under her father's control. A short time ago a judge suspended Jamie Spears from the conservatorship that's been in effect since 2008. The move is a major victory for the singer who pleaded in hearings over the summer that her father needed to be out.

CNN entertainment reporter Chloe Melas joins us now from the Los Angeles courthouse with more.

Chloe, good to see you. What is the father's suspension mean exactly for Spears?

CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Good to see you too, Anderson. I was in that courtroom. And this is exactly what Britney Spears wanted. Now, she wasn't there physically in court. But her attorney Mathew Rosengart said multiple times that Britney does not want to wake up one more day with her father as her conservator calling him an abusive, a toxic and a cruel man referencing those two emotional testimonies like you said Anderson this summer where Britney said that she wants to charge her father with conservatorship abuse. This means that Jamie Spears is no longer in control of his daughter $60 million state instead, a CPA has actually been appointed to be the temporary conservator. But this is just a temporary thing, Anderson she is inching closer to freedom.

COOPER: So is it clear -- I mean, there's still a conservatorship does she still have, you know, doctors and I mean the people making decisions for her?

MELAS: Yes, so she still has a conservator of the person that that woman is Jody Montgomery who is overseeing her medical decisions. And now she's going to have this temporary conservator of her state by the name of John Zabel. He's a certified public accountant. This is something that Jamie Spears does not want. And Mathew Rosengart, Britney's attorney said that the reason that he didn't want to be suspended is because he doesn't want to have to turn over all of these filings and these accountings and all of his reports from the last 13 years because remember, Mat Rosengart wants an investigation into potential financial mismanagement of Britney's funds.

But there is a hearing Anderson on November 12th, where Judge Brenda Penny is expected to terminate this conservatorship once and for all. So what is today? It's a formality. It's something that Britney wanted. Britney wanted her father suspended. That happened Britney taking to Instagram saying Anderson that she's on cloud nine. She's so happy. There were hundreds of people from the Free Britney Movement here outside the courthouse and they were chanting, they were crying. Mathew Rosengart her attorney came in and he spoke to me afterwards and he said this is a victory. And that he had just spoken to Britney and she's elated.

So Anderson, even though she still has that conservatorship, it's not for much longer and this is a major win for her.

[20:55:01]

COOPER: Chloe Melas, appreciate it. Thank you.

Up next, YouTube bans a doctor for spreading misinformation about the COVID vaccine. He's someone you've seen before on "360."

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COOPER: A doctor spread misinformation about vaccines has been banned from YouTube. We first told you about Dr. Joseph Mercola in August when our Randi Kaye tracked him down to ask him about his comments regarding the COVID-19 vaccines, he didn't want to talk.

Well now YouTube is taken down his channel and the channels of several other high profile anti-vaccine activists. Its part of a new policy aimed at cutting down anti-vaccine content on the site. YouTube says it'll ban all videos that claimed commonly used vaccines approved by health authorities or ineffective or dangerous.

In reaction Mercola posted a statement on Twitter saying, anyone who asked questions or challenges the hard sell is immediately censored on social media.

The news continues. Let's hand over to Chris for "CUOMO PRIME TIME." Chris.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN HOST: Thank you, Anderson. I am Chris Cuomo and welcome to "PRIME TIME."

Now, we have some new information for you on the Gabby Petito timeline. There's some bad information in circulation. We have it right and we'll get it to you.

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