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Hegseth Remains Defiant; Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI) is Interviewed about Democrats and National Security; Screaming Match Breaks Out at Congressional Hearing; Preemptive Pardons for Trump Critics. Aired 6:30-7a ET
Aired December 06, 2024 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:31:23]
KASIE HUNT, CNN ANCHOR: All right, welcome back.
Pete Hegseth wrapping up a critical week for his confirmation chances with another round of meetings with key senators. Hegseth has been more public in his battle to win enough votes to become Donald Trump's defense secretary. Seems to know, of course, exactly the number he needs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE HEGSETH, FORMER FOX NEWS HOST: I'm not going to back down from them one bit. I will answer all of these senator's questions. But this will not be a process tried in the media. I don't answer to anyone in this group. None of you. Not to that camera at all. I answer to President Trump. I answer to the 50 - the 100 senators who are a part of this process and those in the committee. And I answer to my Lord and Savior. And my wife and my family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: Hegseth fighting an uphill battle to get to 50 votes as he deals with past allegations of alcohol abuse, sexual misconduct and financial mismanagement at veterans groups that he once led.
A senator that everyone is watching probably most closely is Iowa Republican Joni Ernst. Ernst is a veteran and served for more than 20 years in the Iowa Army National Guard, and she's also a sexual assault survivor. Hegseth has been publicly critical of the idea of women serving in combat roles.
Assuming every Democrat votes no, Hegseth, of course, can only lose three Republicans and still win confirmation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JONI ERNST (R-IA): We will continue with the vetting process. I think that that is incredibly important. BILL HEMMER, FOX NEWS HOSE: It doesn't sound on your answer that
you've gotten to a yes. If I'm wrong about that, correct me. And if that is the case, it sounds to me as if the hearing will be critical for his nomination. Am I right about that?
ERNST: I think - I think you are right. I think for a number of our senators, they want to make sure that any allegations have been cleared.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: Really interesting.
Brad Todd, you, of course, have your finger on the pulse of Senate Republicans. Do you think right now that Hegseth is going to get confirmed?
BRAD TODD, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I think his chances are improving. And I think he's in pretty good shape. There are no Republican senators who have come out and said they are voting no. That's a big deal.
And I think another thing has happened. I think two names who have emerged as chief critics of Pete Hegseth, and that - they're helping him, Elizabeth Warren and Jane Mayer of "The New Yorker." Jane Mayer wrote an anonymously sourced article taking down Brett Kavanaugh, or trying to. And there are a lot of Republican senators hearing echoes of that here.
Elizabeth Warren also has been really sharp in her criticism. And on a lot of these matters, if she's sharp on it, a lot of Republicans will polarize on the other way.
Pete Hegseth's fighting for the nomination. He's here taking all questions. I think he's getting some pretty tough questions from some Republicans. That's how this process works. And I think if he continues to do that, continues to be open, and has a good hearing, he's in good shape.
HUNT: Annie, what do you make of Joni Ernst's role here?
ANNIE LINSKEY, WHITE HOUSE REPORTER, "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL": I mean, I think it's significant. She is you know, one of the senators who would potentially be a part of a bloc who could block him, if that's what ends up happening. So, any sort of hint as to how she's - where she's going or, more importantly, whether others are joining in echoing her concerns, because that's how it would work. You're not going to necessarily hear somebody come out and say a no. But if you start - if you start hearing other senators echoing her concern. But I -
HUNT: There's safety in numbers, shall we say.
LINSKEY: There's safety in numbers. Theres's safety in numbers. Absolutely.
But that hearing is going to be so important and so significant.
ELLIOT WILLIAMS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Just to add to the fact that she's a veteran and a survivor and an influential senator, one thing you left out, she's also up for re-election in 2026, Joni Ernst. And the fear of either a challenge from the right or a credible challenge from a Democrat in Iowa. Now, look, it's a red state, but she's still up for election and has a calculus to go through in deciding how to proceed here.
TODD: You know, she's tough, though.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
[06:35:01]
TODD: She - she's starting to get some criticism from some of Trump's biggest supporters online. But Joni Ernst also is the chair of the DOGE caucus. You're - she's about to become a hero to some of Donald Trump's biggest fans. Right now they're questioning her. But this is how advice and consent works.
WILLIAMS: Yes.
TODD: She's supposed to ask tough questions.
HYMA MOORE, FORMER REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, BIDEN 2020: But, Kasie, can we recenter this?
HUNT: Hyma, very quick, yes.
MOORE: Look, these - some of these allegations are very serious. And I don't think this is going to be a Democrat issue and a Elizabeth Warren issue. These are real allegations that we have to take into account.
And so, I do think that he's showing a lot of moxie. He's showing a lot of fight in him. But the senators are asking the right questions. They're being very direct, very poignant. And these are things - this is a guy who's going to lead our defense, our national defense for this country. And if you have allegations, like - like, you know, we don't need to repeat them, if these things are true, and then we've got to make sure that, you know, he can do the job. And he's, you know, he's not just saying things to make the senators feel comfortable, he's being honest about himself.
HUNT: All right, straight ahead here on CNN THIS MORNING, the national conversation taking place about healthcare in America following the fatal shooting of a top industry executive.
Plus, members of President Biden's team debate whether to give preemptive pardons to top critics of Donald Trump. Michael Smerconish here to break it down because it's Smerconish Friday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JIM CLYBURN (D-SC): I think there are people who Trump may bring into this government who will go after these people in a serious way.
REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): This is ridiculous. Donald Trump has never been about retribution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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[06:40:44]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (October 23, 2024): They also care about our democracy and not having a president of the United States who admires dictators.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (January 5, 2024): He's willing to sacrifice our democracy.
HARRIS (October 24, 2024): I do believe he is a threat to our democracy.
BIDEN (May 19, 2024): Well, that's my commitment to you, to show you democracy, democracy, democracy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: Democracy, democracy, democracy. It was, of course, a critical message for both the Harris and the Biden campaigns, but it's not one that ultimately delivered them electoral victory. Now, former President Barack Obama, who had largely stayed quiet in the months since Democrats' election loss, is speaking out about how he thinks his party should think about that word going forward.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: The election proved that democracy is pretty far down on people's priority list.
Pluralism is not about holding hands and singing kumbaya.
It is not about abandoning your convictions. It is about recognizing that in a democracy, power comes from forging alliances and building coalitions and making room in those coalitions, not only for the woke, but also for the waking.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: Joining us now, Democratic Congressman Seth Magaziner of Rhode Island. He is the ranking member on the House Subcommittee for Counterterrorism, Intelligence and Law Enforcement.
Congressman, thanks very much for being here.
REP. SETH MAGAZINER (D-RI): Thanks for having me. HUNT: So, let's start right there with what former President Barack
Obama had to say about, it's not just for the woke, it's for the waking. What do you hear in that, and is he right?
MAGAZINER: He is right. You know, politics in a democracy is the art of coalition building. And the side that has the largest coalition wins the election. And so, yes, as Democrats, we have values that we care about. We care about supporting working people. We care about our democracy. But we also have to stop the purity tests and make sure that people know that they are welcome, even if they don't agree with our candidates 100 percent of the time. And, you know, when we go back to that big tent mindset, I think we'll be successful.
HUNT: When you say you have to stop the purity tests, what do you mean?
MAGAZINER: Well, I mean, I think it's pretty self-evident, right? You know, we have a way, in both parties, frankly, but including the Democratic Party, of insisting on sort of litmus tests, laundry lists, you know, and - for our candidates, but also sometimes for our voters. And that is, you know, ultimately self-defeating.
So, you know, listen, we have to have an attitude that says, if you are interested in voting for a Democratic candidate, we're happy to have you, whatever brings you to that table, and nothing is disqualifying.
HUNT: Let's talk a little bit about some of the security related issues. I know you work on in the - in the Homeland Security Committee. But this also has touched you personally as you had a bomb threat over Thanksgiving.
What does it say that that is now something that is part of being a member of Congress?
MAGAZINER: Well, it says that we've entered a very dangerous era. And an era where norms are being violated. And, you know, we need to constantly remind ourselves, as Americans, that we have more in common with each other than we have different and that, you know, politics, you know, can be competitive, but it doesn't need to be a blood sport.
We also have to remind ourselves, by the way, that our adversaries overseas, like Russia, like Iran, they are not our friends and they are behind a lot of these swatting incidents. They are behind a lot of these cyberattacks. They are behind a lot of these bomb threats. We don't know who is ultimately responsible for the one at our house, but a number of these we know are coming from overseas. And I think that's an important reminder as we enter the Trump administration that, you know, Vladimir Putin and his allies do not have our interests at heart, and they're trying to sow division within our country and turn us against each other.
HUNT: What do you think, big picture, are the implications for our national security in the face of the Trump nominees, Tulsi Gabbard, for example, at the - at DNI, as a DNI, but also Kash Patel at the FBI, given your understanding of the threats that you just outlined, but also everything you know on the committee.
MAGAZINER: Deeply disturbing. So, I'm the ranking member for counterterrorism, law enforcement, and intelligence on the Homeland Security Committee. And I've been very vocal about particularly why Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel are not the right picks.
[06:45:02]
Tulsi Gabbard has a disturbing history of taking the pro-Russia position on every major geopolitical event over the last several years. She, you know, immediately when Russia invaded Ukraine, was online trying to justify the Russian invasion. She spread the false conspiracy theory that the United States was building bioweapons labs in Ukraine, which is not true.
But importantly is this, she's taken the pro-Russia position, even when that was not Donald Trump's position. You know, she was an apologist for Assad in Syria. Trump was never an Assad supporter. But Tulsi Gabbard was. Assad, of course, is an ally of Vladimir Putin.
When President Trump took out General Soleimani in Iran, she publicly criticized Trump for that. Iran, another Russian ally. So, the pattern with Tulsi Gabbard that is disturbing is that she takes the pro-Russia position when it's Trump's position. And we all know that Trump is too pro-Putin. But she also takes the pro-Russia position when it's not Trump's position. There's a clear pattern there that's very disturbing. She cannot be trusted to run our nation's intelligence gathering operation. And Kash Patel, we all know, has no law enforcement background at all. He was being chosen just because Donald Trump thinks that he will enact his retribution and his revenge against his political enemies.
HUNT: All right, Congressman Seth Magaziner for us this morning. Sir, very grateful to have you on the show. Thank you for being here.
MAGAZINER: Thanks for having me.
HUNT: Come back soon.
MAGAZINER: Yes.
645-121
HUNT: All right, 45 minutes past the hour. Here is your morning roundup.
House Republicans voting to block the release of an Ethics Committee report on former Congressman Matt Gaetz. The committee had been investigating a number of allegations against him, including sexual misconduct and illicit drug use. Gaetz denies all wrongdoing. He resigned from Congress last month after Trump picked him to be the next attorney general, before withdrawing his name eight days later.
Nearly five years after its devastation in that unbelievable fire, the cathedral of Notre Dame will be reopened this weekend in Paris. First Lady Jill Biden will attend, as will President-elect Donald Trump, who was invited by the French president earlier this week.
A screaming match at a congressional hearing on the assassination attempts against President-elect Donald Trump. An argument broke out between the Secret Service's acting director and Congressman Pat Fallon, who accused the acting director of attending a 9/11 memorial event for publicity.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. PAT FALLON (R-TX): I'm asking you if you were the - were you the special agent in charge? You were not!
RONALD ROWE, ACTING SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR: I was there Congressman - I was there to show respect to our Secret Service members that died on 9/11.
FALLON: Oh, that's a bunch of horse hockey. Oh, that - you're trying to be -
ROWE: Do not invoke 9/11 for political purposes.
FALLON: Oh, I'm not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: Just an absolutely stunning exchange there.
And, of course, he had also said - we didn't show the part where he talked about how he responded to Ground Zero on 9/11.
LINSKEY: Yes.
HUNT: What was that congressman doing?
LINSKEY: I really don't know why there was that kind of - I mean -
WILLIAMS: What's he - what's he doing? He's playing to his folks back home. It benefits - you know, this is the - the - the dark side of cameras in Congress.
MOORE: Yes.
WILLIAMS: He benefits from having that fight with a government official.
LINSKEY: Does anybody benefit or not?
TODD: I take a different tact. The director was - acting director was totally out of bounds. It is his job to come and patiently answer the questions of his overseers in the Congress who were elected. He's not elected by anybody. Pat Fallon's elected. It is the job of the staff, who work for the government, to be deferential to the Congress.
WILLAIMS: It's theater.
MOORE: It is theater. WILLIAMS: You have to acknowledge that it's theater. I testified in Congress before. It is, you know - and not - not to dispute that there is a decorum that witnesses ought to have. And, you know, they're there to serve the people that put them there. But you can't deny that -
TODD: Of course.
WILLIAMS: Yes, it's -
TODD: Television in Congress is theater, just like television in courtrooms have become theater. But there was a complete lack of deference there.
LINSKEY: Yes.
MOORE: And all these members are preparing for the midterms already. We're already back in campaign season.
HUNT: Yes, we are.
All right, let's turn now to the White House. In just 45 days, President-elect Donald Trump will, of course, have the opportunity to enact his many campaign promises, including possibly this one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND 2024 PRESIDENT-ELECT: We pledge to you that we will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country.
I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution. I am your retribution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: Sources now telling CNN, senior Biden aides are discussing potential preemptive pardons or legal aid for people who they believe may be targeted for prosecution by Trump, who has previously called for investigations and prosecutions of special counsel Jack Smith, former Congresswoman Liz Cheney and Senator-elect Adam Schiff.
Some Trump allies, however, say the president-elect would never do such a thing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARA TRUMP, CO-CHAIR OF REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: People are going to see very quickly that this is a man who really just wants to go in there and - and take charge of this country, as the American people mandated.
[06:50:02]
You know, secure our border, bring down inflation, get us out of wars, and do the right things for America. He has no intention on retribution or revenge.
REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): This is ridiculous. Donald Trump has never been about retribution.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
JORDAN: Donald Trump has been stopping the - these agencies from being weaponized against we the people and, frankly, from being weaponized against him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: All right, it's Friday, which means it's time for Michael Smerconish, CNN political commentator, host of CNN's "SMERCONISH."
Michael, wonderful to see you.
A simple question, do you think this is a good idea, these preemptive pardons?
MICHAEL SMERCONISH, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: No. If I were Liz Cheney, if I were Adam Schiff, if I were Dr. Anthony Fauci, I would say, no thank you, because I think that there's an implication that I've done something wrong, and I don't think that any of them has done anything wrong. And there are protections afforded to each.
Let me back up a step.
I have no problem on this pardon subject. I have no problem with President Biden having pardoned his son Hunter. The mistake that he made was in for two years or thereabouts saying he would never do it. I always suspected that he would do it and he wouldn't run that risk.
I hope that Donald Trump doesn't unleash lawfare through Kash Patel or through Pam Bondi. I don't think that he should be launching political investigations or politically motivated investigations.
But if President Biden now were to offer preemptive pardons, I think that it furthers this perception that there's no difference between politics and the law, and it cheapens the whole process. No, don't preemptively pardon anybody. Hold some faith in the system that if there were a bogus prosecution brought, it would be thrown out.
HUNT: Yes, fair enough.
I mean, Michael, what is your sense in terms of what Trump is actually going to do? I mean we saw all of these promises, we played some of them, that he made during the campaign. Now we have people like Lara Trump saying, no, no, that's not going to happen.
What do you think is going to happen?
SMERCONISH: They have withdrawn my prediction card for all things related to Donald Trump. I have no idea. I can only hope that that was campaign rhetoric and that he won't put it into practice because he's got bigger fish to fry now that he has won the office. HUNT: Michael, let me also get you to weigh in on Pete Hegseth, the
Defense secretary nominee. Brad Todd was on our set here saying that some of the coverage and the journalists involved in the coverage have influenced senators to kind of come to his defense the same way they defended Brett Kavanaugh.
What's your sense of the landscape for Hegseth?
SMERCONISH: Yes, I heard that. And I kind of get it on one hand that, oh, the media are coalescing around Pete Hegseth, and therefore we've got to defend him because this is a hit job. But have you read the Jane Mayer piece? I mean, it would have to be diabolical to invent so many different accounts of so much behavior over so many years.
And, by the way, I'm sensitive to the idea that someone can clean up their act, either through, you know, an epiphany of a religious nature or something else. But that still doesn't mean that we look past all that your history has entailed. There's just too much there to ignore. And if there are hearings, if it gets to that point, which I seriously doubt because the president is apparently - president-elect not working the phones for Hegseth, that's the big tell. If it gets that far, I think those hearings will be ugly.
And the bigger picture and concern that I have is the demise of the background check. People ought to Google the SF-86 and look at that 135 page document that people who want to serve in government have to fill out as a roadmap for an FBI investigation. I think it sets a very dangerous precedent if we are now saying we don't need that level of investigation.
HUNT: Yes, fair enough.
All right, Michael Smerconish, always a pleasure, sir. Thank you so much for being here. See you next Friday.
And to our viewers, remember to tune in to "SMERCONISH" tomorrow morning, 9:00 a.m. Eastern, right here on CNN.
All right, we're now just 48 hours removed from when United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was gunned down in New York and that massive manhunt is still underway for his killer in what police are calling a calculated and premeditated attack. In a new statement, the United Healthcare Group says this, quote, "while our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place."
But this killing has generated a very different reaction from some on the internet. Just take a look at some of these comments found under a CNN video about this story online. These are a few - just a few among dozens of hateful comments that we found, including one saying, quote, "sorry, my sympathy is out of network." "The New York Times" writes this, quote, "the dark commentary after the death of the 50-year-old insurance executive from Maple Grove, Minnesota, highlighted the anger and frustration over the state of health care in America, where those with private insurance often find themselves in Kafka-esque tangles while seeking reimbursement for medical treatment and are often denied."
[06:55:12]
HUNT: And that frustration is something that doctors say they've seen from patients throughout their careers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. AMY HO, EMERGENCY MEDICINE PHYSICIAN: I see people when they're at their lowest, when the system has failed them, and I'm frankly not surprised they feel abandoned, they feel exploited, they feel lied to when it comes to the health care system and especially insurances because of the things you mentioned, denials, you know, prior authorization, you know, narrow networks, the cost of health care. It's been going on and bottling up for a long time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: So, our panel is back.
Annie Linskey, you know, we're going to be clear here about the tragedy that is Mr. Thompson and his family, right, and set that aside. But what we do see in the wake of this is an outpouring of anger around the way people have been treated by these companies. Now, we - we're, again, going to be clear, we are not saying that this justifies any sort of violence at all. But this conversation has really exploded. I know, I mean, my family's talking about it.
LINSKEY: Absolutely. Mine is too. I mean, of course, vigilante justice is not the answer to the problem, but what I should say is, and this incident and the reaction to it ought to be a wake-up call to this industry, which has, you know, many - there have been many, many big, really good investigative pieces about United Healthcare in particular and the issues that - that it's been - their customers have in getting the healthcare that's promised, getting the - the responses promised.
And if it's not a health - it's not a wake-up call to the industry, it certainly will be to Congress. And they are going to have to have - there will be laws (INAUDIBLE).
HUNT: In a CNN story that was just published about this, they note that a Facebook post that was put up by United Health Group expressing sadness about the CEO's death, it received 62,000 reactions. Hyma, 57,000 of them were laughing emojis.
MOORE: I mean that's - that's sad to - to think about. But look at this, I mean, Annie, you're right, most of these healthcare issues are life or death. And I have a sick dad at home in Louisiana. And we go to the doctor all the time. And sometimes we get denied for things. And it doesn't feel good, you know?
And so, I think people have a personal issue with the way their healthcare has been administered. And I think, to your point, Annie, over the next few weeks, few months, we're going to have to have a conversation about this. If Congress has to take action, and I think they will have to, but we hope that these private companies can come to the table and be a little bit more consistent in the way they administer healthcare I think that would be helpful.
TODD: You know, United Healthcare has already been the focal point of ire for Congress -
MOORE: Yes.
TODD: Because it's vertically integrated. They're buying up doctor's offices. They own the largest PBM, which controls the price of prescription drugs in the country.
MOORE: Yes.
TODD: They're - and they're the most aggressive on denying claims. I think United Healthcar will get more scrutiny.
MOORE: Yes. I think -
HUNT: Yes. And, of course, we don't know the motivation yet of this killer. We just know that these two words were found on these bullet casings.
But, Elliot, this is something I - the fewer means you have, the harder it is to fight back against some of this stuff. And it is something that happens - it seems like this is a universal experience for people.
WILLIAMS: Yes. And I - you know, and I agree with everything that's been said here. This is exposing a frustration in the public across income levels. I just think, just to state the obvious to some extent, Kasie, as much - this is as much about the internet and how the internet has broken us as a people.
MOORE: Yes. Yes. Yes.
WILLIAMS: Most of the people putting those laughing emojis and responses would never look this person's wife in the eye and make those things.
TODD: No question.
HUNT: Right. That's a very good point.
WILLIAMS: No matter what kind of problems they might have with how United handled their healthcare.
HUNT: Yes, that's a very - very, very good point.
WILLIAMS: And that's really, to me, what this is all about.
TODD: It's course. Very course.
MOORE: Yes, very (INAUDIBLE).
HUNT: All right, you know what, let's, after that difficult discussion, we're going to leave you with a lighter note on this Friday. Yet one more example of life imitating art. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILL FERRELL, ACTOR, "ELF": Who the heck are you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you talking about? I'm Santa Claus.
FERRELL: No, you're not.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, well, of course I am.
FERRELL: You disgust me. How can you live with yourself?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just cool it, zippy.
FERRELL: You sit on a throne of lies.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: That was the art part. Here's the life part. Expelled Congressman George Santos reappearing on Capitol Hill yesterday dressed as, you guessed it, Santa Claus. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell posting this photo of Santos Claus at Congressman Tim Burchett's annual 15 minute Christmas party. Burchett hinted there would be a celebrity Santa. Political reporter Olivia Beavers posting that the speaker, Mike Johnson, seemed to quickly disappear just as Santos' arrival was announced.
In his scandal-plagued 11 months in office, there were so many special Santos moments. Here is one of our favorites.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Congressman, were you ever - were you ever a drag queen in Brazil?
GEORGE SANTOS, FORMER U.S. CONGRESSMAN: No, I was not a drag queen in Brazil. Guys, I was young and I had fun at a festival. Sue me for having a life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[07:00:00]
HUNT: Santos pleaded guilty in August to aggravated identity theft and wire fraud charges. He will serve a minimum of two years in prison when he is sentenced in February. So, I guess he really is getting the treatment that Buddy elf thought that mall Santa should have.
TODD: You smell like meat and cheese.
MOORE: Yes.
WILLIAMS: May we all, this holiday season, have as little shame as former Congressman George Santos. It's a holiday message for all of us.
HUNT: OK.
MOORE: Oh, man. (INAUDIBLE).
HUNT: Thank you all for being here. We're out of time, thank goodness.
Thanks to all of you for joining us. I'm Kasie Hunt. Don't go anywhere. "CNN NEWS CENTRAL" starts right now.
