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Pelosi Speaks: "The President Has Been Held Accountable"; Shooting Near Security Service HQ in Moscow; Hezbollah-Backed Candidate to be Next Lebanese PM. Aired 11a-12:00p ET

Aired December 19, 2019 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:00]

The precedent for this -- and I met with my six chairs after some of us were together for a press conference after the votes last night, and we

discussed the precedent of it all, and that is in the most recent case taking up an impeachment there was a proposal on the floor put together by

-- in a bipartisan way. One hundred senators voted for the process on how they would go forward on the case of -- of President Clinton. We would hope

that they could come to some conclusion like that.

But in any event, we're ready. When we see what they have we'll know who and how many we will send over. That's all I'm going to say about that now.

We've had a very eventful week. I'm so proud of our members, and the -- really, in some cases, the bipartisanship of some of this, and some not.

Last year's campaign we said for the people, we would lower the cost of health care starting with lowering the cost of prescription drugs and

preserving the pre-existing condition benefit.

Within the past week we passed the Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which does just that. As we were passing it last week we discussed the

particulars of it. But with the savings that we gain from that, I think it's important to note that we already said we would be spending the

hundreds of billions of dollars in savings on expanding benefits for Medicare, dental, visual, hearing, and in the most -- the biggest expansion

of med -- of Medicare since its inception.

Next, we did -- we did lower (inaudible) important bipartisan bill, the appropriations bill to keep government open and to do so early enough so

that you knew to make your weekend plans and get started for all the holidays you may be observing, and that was a major accomplishment. It took

constant back-and-forth, but we ended up with -- as I have always said, as an appropriator myself, one forged in that culture, left to their own

devices, the appropriators can get the job done, and I salute Chairwoman Nita Lowey for her work, the ranking member as well, and we're very pleased

with -- with that legislation. I guess it would take up cloture or something on the Senate pretty soon, and hopefully, it will be on its way

to the president for a signature.

Before I leave the subject of impeachment, though, let me commend our six chairman, Adam Schiff -- (inaudible) Adam Schiff, Jerry Nadler chair of

Judiciary -- so proud of him. Maxine Waters, Financial Services; Richie Neal, Ways and Means Committee; Eliot Engel, the Foreign Affairs Committee;

and also a very important committee chaired now by Carolyn Maloney, the Gov Reform Committee.

PELOSI: I said last night and I say today, while he isn't with us today in -- physically here, Elijah Cummings is it -- with us in spirit. The

foundation he helped lay for justice is with us, and -- and he said, "When we're dancing with the angels we'll -- what will we know about what we did

to keep the Constitution intact?" When he said that, it was very prescient. Little did we know that by the time we passed the impeachment resolution --

the articles of impeachment, that he would be dancing with the angels.

Right now, as we speak, we're (ph) debating on the floor, the U.S.-Mexico- Canada trade agreement. I hear my colleagues on the floor last night, saying, well, if we weren't doing this, we could do Mexico. Well, we are

doing Mexico.

And the discussion that took some time to convince the administration and the other countries was, that we weren't going forward until we had the

strongest possible enforcement of the -- of the trade agreement, as -- and also manifested in the legislation that we'll have on the floor today, the

implementing legislation.

As you've heard me say over and over again, this is about enforcement, the overarching issue. If you can't enforce it, it doesn't matter what you put

forth. And of the concerns that we had, one were workers' -- workers' rights, the other, pharmaceuticals, and the other, the environment.

And we made giant progress from -- first of all, over the existing NAFTA for sure. But apart from that, big distance between what the administration

was proposing to begin with in all of those areas, and to where we ended up, now going forward.

I'm very pleased to have the statement today that went out from the AFL- CIO,

[11:05:00]

from Richard Trumka. He said, we are proud -- he said, there is no denying that the trade rules in America will now be fairer. Working people have

created a new standard for future trade negotiations.

I think it's a template for future trade agreements. Some of my members say (ph) let's not give it that much. Well, we'll see how it goes in the

implementation. That means everything.

Then after that, today, we will do SALT and that is going to be the State and Local Tax that the Republicans put on to punish blue states, largely.

The -- it is paid for, this legislation to repeal the SALT tax, and it will be paid for by increasing the rate on the wealthiest individuals in our

country.

When the president first proposed his tax scam, they were saying, we're never going to lower the individual rate. And then they did. And now we

will raise it again, to repeal the SALT.

So we're very proud of what we have done. As you know, the Republicans keep saying, well we should be working -- no, we've sent over 400 bills, 275 of

them sitting on Mitch McConnell's desk -- well, 400, but 275 of those at least are bipartisan.

The range of subjects is -- well, you've heard me say it, but bears repeating, I think, that includes all of our top 10 pieces of legislation:

bipartisan background checks, expanding background checks. People have to have a background check unless they buy it at a gun show, online, or in

some kind of straw transaction.

So this is not creating background checks, it is expanding them as well as the South Carolina -- one is H.R. 8, the other 1112. 295 days ago, we sent

those bills to Mitch McConnell, the Grim Reaper.

PELOSI: I have news for him. He may think they're dead on arrival there, but they are alive and well in the general public. And every day that he

does not take up that legislation -- because he knows it will pass, he fears that it will pass or else he'd take it up -- every day that he does

not pass it, a hundred people die. Not all of them -- by gun violence. Not all of them would be saved by the legislation, but some. And so we urge him

to take up that life-saving legislation.

The list goes on: Paycheck Fairness, equal pay for equal work; Violence Against Women Act, again, about women; the legislation to raise the minimum

wage of the 30-some million, 32 million, 33 million people who will get a pay raise with the increase in the minimum wage, over 20 millions of them

are women; the Equality Act to end discrimination against the LGBTQ community; Dream and Promise Act; the SAFE Act, Save our Federal Elections

Act; Butch-Lewis Act, protecting pensions for America's workers; Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which we passed the other day -- it was

bipartisan support, and has bipartisan support inside and outside the Congress -- again, Lower Drug Costs Now.

One other bill that we did pass it, I -- we had an enrollment ceremony; perhaps some of you came -- was the Futures -- FUTURE Act. And that was

about minority-serving institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, historically black colleges and universities, higher education institutions

that deal with our Native American population. It's very important, we sent it -- that did pass and that is on the way to the -- to the president.

So with that, we -- I said it to my members, what I say to you guys all the time. The word "recreate" and "re-create" are the same words. They have --

they're spelled the same and they mean something the same. When you recreate, renew, rest up, be with your family, you are re-created to come

back for the discussions and the debates ahead, as we go into the future.

And if we go into the future, again, we are inspired by our founders, who said, "E Pluribus, Unum," from many, one. From many, one. And no matter

what our differences -- and they certainly had theirs -- we always have to remember that we are one country.

I have my speaker's pin on today, but many times I have on the flag pin, which said, "One country, one destiny." We have to think in those terms,

and we look forward to doing that after the -- well, as we go forward. We still have a day here, as we go forward.

So I wish you happy holidays, and -- whatever you are celebrating. In our house, we celebrate them all:

[11:10:00]

Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year's, whatever else. But I hope you have it.

Now, I'll have time for a few questions?

(CROSSTALK)

PELOSI: Nance (ph)?

QUESTION: Do you run the risk, as -- start that again. Do you run the risk, as some Republicans have said, of looking like you're playing games with

impeachment if you hold up these articles for too long?

PELOSI: I said what I was going to say, Nancy.

We are -- we have -- I -- when we bring the bill, which is -- just so you know, there's a bill made in order, by the Rules Committee, that we can

call up at any time in order to send it over to the Senate and to have the provisions in there to pay for the -- for the impeachment. And then the

next step, the -- whatever you want to call it, the trial.

That is where you put the managers. I was not prepared to put the managers and that bill yet because we don't know the arena that we are in.

Frankly, I don't care what the Republicans say.

Any other questions?

(CROSSTALK)

PELOSI: Not on this subject, I've said this is it. I honored Nancy.

QUESTION: Last night, you suggested you'd like to see fair process in the Senate...

(CROSSTALK)

PELOSI: Well, we'd like to see a fair process. But we'll see what they have and we'll be ready for whatever it is.

(CROSSTALK)

PELOSI: Yes, Jerry (ph)?

QUESTION: Is that -- was that a requirement, you need to see a fair process before you send (ph)...

(CROSSTALK)

PELOSI: We would hope there would be a fair process, just as we hoped that they would honor the Constitution.

By the way, I saw some of -- I didn't see it, but I heard some of what Mitch McConnell said today, and it reminded me that our founders -- that

when they wrote the Constitution, they suspected that there could be a rogue president. I don't think they suspected that we could have a rogue

president and rogue leader in the Senate at the same time.

Yes, (inaudible)?

QUESTION: Speaker, to that end, did you see them talk to and criticize Senator McConnell today?

PELOSI: Any other questions on any of...

QUESTION: Hold it.

PELOSI: Anybody want to talk about Mexico free trade agreement? Anybody care about that?

Jobs? The American people? Progress in -- in addressing globalism and the issues? Anybody want to talk about the SALT tax that we're passing today?

Important issues that relate to the economic vitality of our communities?

Any other questions? Because I'm not going to answer any more questions on this.

QUESTION: (inaudible)...

PELOSI: Clearly, do you understand, when we see what their process is we will know who and how many we want to send over.

QUESTION: This question (inaudible)...

PELOSI: Not until then -- I'm not going to go there anymore.

Yes, sir?

QUESTION: On USMCA, one expects the president will campaign how he got rid of the worst trade deal in history and made a better deal. Is that

something you should -- you want to take credit for? Or will you (inaudible)...

PELOSI: Of course, we'll take credit for it, because what he proposed did not fill the bill of what he just described.

But there (ph) are those -- and some of you have been clear about substance -- who have, in the past, asked about whether we would pass that because it

would be -- have what we call collateral benefit to the president. I don't care about that.

But we had -- we had an opportunity to do something very important for the American people, for America's workers, and we could not let him stand in

the way of that because he will go out and take credit.

So this is -- this isn't about him. It's about American workers. It's about being good neighbors in our hemisphere. And frankly, we weren't going to go

down that path until the administration conceded on many of the provisions that they had in the original proposal which were not acceptable and which

were not, as you described, the president would describe it.

Yes, sir?

QUESTION: Have you had any conversations with Congressman Van Drew about the (inaudible) caucus and with the new year (ph)? Do you have advice for

the congressman?

PELOSI: Yeah, sure, no, oh, I know, nothing. Zero.

(CROSSTALK)

PELOSI: Just one more. That's it.

QUESTION: The president last night had some pretty harsh comments about your dear friend Debbie Dingell and her late husband. I wonder if you have

any reaction.

PELOSI: Let us pray. Let us pray for the president.

This is -- the president clearly is insecure when it comes to statespersons, whether it was John McCain -- think of what he said about

John McCain, and his supporters just overlook that. John McCain. Now John Dingell.

What the president misunderstands is that cruelty is not wit. Just because he gets a laugh for saying the cruel things that he says doesn't mean he's

funny. It's not funny at all. It's very sad.

Thank you all very much. Happy holidays to all of you. [11:14:15]

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), HOUSE SPEAKER: What the president misunderstands is that cruelty is not wit. Just because he gets a laugh for saying the

cruel things that he says doesn't mean he's funny. It's not funny at all. It's very sad.

Thank you all very much. Happy holidays to all.

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN HOST: Well, you've been listening to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a day after the House voted to impeach U.S. president Donald

Trump on the two charges, abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Now she said people had a spring in their step and she felt there was some

bipartisan support.

She went on to say, though, that there are other pressing matters with the Mexico-U.S. trade deal, lowering pharmaceutical costs and reforming guns

laws, expanding background checks.

[11:15:00]

KINKADE: And she went on to call her counterpart in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, "the Grim Reaper."

But on the news of the moment, the impeachment of Donald Trump in the House, she offered little detail. This comes just moments after the U.S.

Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, chastised the impeachment process. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: Over the last 12 weeks, the House Democrats have conducted the most rushed, least thorough

and most unfair impeachment inquiry in modern history. Now they're a slap- dash process has concluded in the first purely partisan presidential impeachment since the wake of the civil war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: A historic day. We're going to cover all of this and break it down for you after a very short break. You're watching CNN.

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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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KINKADE: Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD.

We just heard from the U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi a day after the House voted to impeach president Donald Trump on two counts, obstruction of

Congress and abuse of power. I have a panel standing by: CNN legal analyst Elie Honig is in New York; Suzanne Malveaux is on Capitol Hill and

White House correspondent Boris Sanchez is joining us from outside the White House.

Good to have you all with us.

Boris, that was certainly interesting, listening to Nancy Pelosi just moments ago, giving very little details the day after such a historic vote,

impeaching the president in the House. She wanted to talk about everything other than the impeachment.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. She sort of chided reporters who wanted to ask questions about impeachment, insisting they

talk about trade, USMCA and the deal to fund the government over the course of the next year.

I should point out the president tweeted as Nancy Pelosi was speaking, accusing the House Speaker of making this phony impeachment so pathetic

that she's afraid to present it to the Senate and the Senate can set a date to put this whole scam to bed.

But ultimately the Democrats are not allowing the Senate to do that. Clearly the president wants to put this behind him.

[11:20:00]

SANCHEZ: He gave a speech last night in Michigan, the president going two hours fully enraged, blasting Democrats, accusing them again of putting

their own personal political priorities before the American people, telling his supporters they should vote Nancy Pelosi out of office.

Also lambasting Democrats with a slew of crude comments, some about Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, also about Hillary and Bill Clinton and some

of his most appalling comments were made toward Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, whose husband passed away earlier this year, former Congressman

John Dingell.

The president insinuating she was ungrateful for the measures he took in celebrating the life of a former congressman by voting for impeachment.

The president obviously taking this very personally, Lynda.

KINKADE: Yes. No doubt at all. Boris, stand by for us. I want to bring in Suzanne Malveaux.

Just a short time ago we heard from Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, who seemed have a smile on his face as he listed the ways as Democrats have

looked to impeach the U.S. president before he entered office. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCCONNELL: They tried to impeach President Trump for being impolite to the press, for being mean to professional athletes, for changing President

Obama's policy on transgender people in the military. All of these things were high crimes and misdemeanors according to Democrats.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Certainly there's a vote to impeach Donald Trump in the House very much along partisan lines. Not one Republican supporting it.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN U.S. CORRESPONDENT: Lynda, one thing that the Senate majority leader did not mention is that each one of those attempts for --

when articles of impeachment came up was struck down by the majority of Democrats who said, no, this does not rise to the level of impeachment.

It was only the situation regarding Ukraine in which Leader Pelosi and others came around to see this picture and thought it was a legitimate

exercise.

I do want to talk about what we just heard from Pelosi because I think she's trying to accomplish three things. She certainly -- I think the

Democrats need a rest and get out of town, she said happy holidays to all of us several times. Just a few questions here. Because these can go

long. It's clear that they need a break, they want to take a break.

The second thing, of course, is that she's also trying to show and make the case that Democrats are not just about impeachment, they're about getting

the people's work done. She talked about the trade agreement, she talked about all those bills sitting on Senate majority Mitch McConnell's desk

that are not getting accomplished.

The third thing she is trying to do and trying to explain it in the best way she can here is the process that's involved. Yes, the president has

been impeached and it is her job to send those articles of impeachment over to the Senate for the trial.

There are some who are definitely advocating, let's take a breather here and see what we can do to leverage that so that we can get what we want out

of the Senate trial, which would be more witnesses, more documents, that type of thing.

She is not rushing the process. How she's justifying it is saying, before she introduces the House managers, the Democrats that will present this

case against the president, she has to have kind of the full picture of what this Senate trial would look like so she picks the right people and

the right number.

Some people will take a look at that and say that's legitimate. Others will see it a little bit of the politics behind it as well, that there is

some maneuvering going on behind the scenes for them to try to get what they need and what they want out of the next stage of this impeachment

trial, if you will.

KINKADE: You're absolutely right. Nancy Pelosi certainly did not want to go ahead with impeachment, calling it a sad day. She doesn't want to be

remembered for it whatsoever. Just stand by for a second.

To Elie on the next point, because I want to bring up a clip from Donald Trump who gave an interview to CNN back in 2008 advocating for the

impeachment of another president. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I'm very impressed. I think she's an impressive person. I like her a lot. But I was surprised that she didn't do more in terms of Bush

and going after Bush. It was almost -- it just seemed like she was going to really look to impeach Bush and get him out of office which personally I

think would have been a wonderful thing.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Impeaching him?

TRUMP: For the war. For the war.

BLITZER: Because of the conduct --

TRUMP: He lied. He got us into the war with lies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: So clearly back then Donald Trump supported impeachment, just not for himself. Looking at this case and Nancy Pelosi and her role going

forward.

[11:25:00]

KINKADE: She is looking to delay handing over the articles of impeachment to the Senate.

Just how long can she delay this?

How do you see this playing out?

ELIE HONIG, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Ultimately I do not think this is a winning strategy. I think what Nancy Pelosi is fighting for is absolutely worth

fighting for, which is let's have a meaningful trial in the Senate, let's have witnesses.

Doesn't seem like that extreme of a position, let's have witnesses at a trial. But I don't think holding back the articles will do the trick. Our

Constitution says nothing about that either way. All our Constitution says is the Senate shall have the sole power of impeachment.

I think Mitch McConnell would be probably well grounded legally saying sole power means we are doing this on our own. I think Mitch McConnell has an

easy couple of counter moves here.

One, he can say hold your articles of impeachment forever, good on you. I don't think that's a winning strategy for Pelosi.

Second, I'm setting a deadline. I want your articles, I want the articles and your managers by December 25th, January 1st, if you don't send them we

won't have a trial. I don't think either are winning strategies for the Democrats.

KINKADE: Elie, I just want to mention the response we're seeing from some of the Democratic presidential candidates. I want to pose this to Suzanne.

Joe Biden has been calling it a solemn day for America; Bernie Sanders calling it a sad but necessary day for American democracy. Clearly all

pretty reluctant. We saw Nancy Pelosi put her hand up to try to stop any Democrats clapping or cheering this process.

MALVEAUX: That was a very interesting moment to actually see that. Yes, she has been coaching and encouraging the members not to be gleeful, this

is not a celebratory occasion but there was the outburst from some of the Democrats.

And, you know, the quick, you know, thing with the finger and the eyes, kind of made them a little bit pushed back and subdued. I think that's the

tone she is trying to set here as she talks about it as being prayerful and somber and she wants to keep it that way.

It's -- you know, we've seen a lot of the drama and a lot of emotion over the last couple weeks and with these hearings and the House proceedings and

all of this and I do think she's trying to bring decorum to this. We heard from Senator Chuck Schumer today saying that, you know, is moving forward

in the Senate going to be a fair process or is it going to be free rein for the president?

You're hearing really the language; they are trying to tone it down. I did note McConnell saying he was waiting for Speaker Pelosi to get her house in

order before she dumps the mess on to the Senate. I think there's an effort at least that some are making to tone down the harsh rhetoric we've

been hearing on both sides.

KINKADE: All right. It was an interesting moment. I can imagine Speaker Pelosi addressing her grandchildren or children like that, don't do it.

MALVEAUX: Right.

KINKADE: Suzanne Malveaux, Boris Sanchez, Elie Honig, good to have you with us.

Thanks so much.

MALVEAUX: Happy holidays.

KINKADE: You,, too.

All right. Stay with us. We're going to have breaking news out of Moscow. There has been a shooting in the Russian capital. CNN's Fred Pleitgen is

standing by with the details on that. Don't go anywhere.

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[11:30:00]

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): This is CNN breaking news.

KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade.

Breaking news out of Moscow. We understand there's been a shooting near the intelligence service headquarters. It's about 7:30 pm in the Russian

capital. These are live pictures coming in to us now. Frederik Pleitgen is covering this and brings us this story now.

Bring us up to speed.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we're still in the process of getting some of that information. As you can see

from those pictures there, the live pictures we're getting, a lot of the roads around the Russian intelligence headquarters, FSB, near Lubyanka

Square in Central Moscow, not far at all from the Kremlin and other big sites here in Central Moscow, those streets still there, very much blocked

off.

The information that we've been getting, the official information, not very much but we want to bring it to you.

They are saying that an unknown attacker, saying a single attacker, opened fire outside the intelligence services building on the square and that

several people were injured in that attack.

It's unclear whether any of the victims have died as a result. Right now the Russians officially are talking about several people who were injured.

Now this is very important, the building you're seeing on the screen is the main intelligence headquarters, the yellowish looking building, is the FSB

building, it took place outside of that.

The authorities are saying the attacker, speaking in the singular, has been neutralized as they put it. It does appear to have been a scary scene that

took place there. We saw videos that appeared to have the sound of a volley of shots being fired, saying that that attacker used an automatic

weapon.

Certainly some scary moments for a lot of folks in Moscow, especially in that area itself. Right now unclear whether the situation is under

control. Certainly, from what we're seeing from that shot that we have on our screen right now, seems as though the authorities have it under control

and haven't given any all clear yet. Still a major operation that is going on there.

In fact, there were other videos and folks on the ground, saying there's a massive police presence, including what appeared to be special forces

police with special weapons on the ground trying to deal with that situation. Unclear whether or not the situation is over.

I think they're zooming in and you can see the police officers there standing there at the scene obviously securing that building. That is the

building of the Russian intelligence service, the FSB.

KINKADE: So obviously the spy headquarters for Russia there in Moscow.

Talk about the timing of this. This is the eve of the security services day in Russia.

PLEITGEN: One of the important things about that is the president of the country, Vladimir Putin himself, was a member of the service that preceded

the FSB, the KGB. He's very much allied with these security services. They are important to him and, indeed, very important to this country.

That's one of the reasons why this country has that security services day, which is obviously celebrated, not a national holiday but a day that is

extremely important here to this country. It's unclear who this attacker is, whether there's a terrorist motive or something else; still in the

early stages of when this happened.

[11:35:00]

PLEITGEN: But of course, one of the other very significant things about this is that it comes on the day of Vladimir Putin's annual large press

conference. That indeed is a very important day, that is very much marked in Russia. There were countdown on Russian TV for this day and this big

press conference, which went for over four hours where Vladimir Putin answered a lot of questions and which was very much hyped by the media as

well.

One of the things that Vladimir Putin said at that press conference is he said that the toughest things in his long tenure as head of state and, of

course, as head of government, he was prime minister of Russia as well, he said the toughest things he had to deal with were major terror attacks that

took place in Russia.

The Beslan school siege among them and then in Moscow in 2001-2002 the siege of the theater where a lot of the people who were being held inside

that building were killed in a police operation.

Certainly this country has dealt with terror attacks before and Vladimir Putin is someone who, at least in part, was defined by being very, very

tough on terrorism.

We don't know what's behind this act or whether this is a terror attack or something else. Right now, Moscow very much on edge and, as we can see the

area outside the intelligence headquarters, has been cordoned off and will continue to be for quite a while.

KINKADE: Fred Pleitgen covering that story out of Moscow, the shooting outside the intelligence service headquarters. We will bring you more on

that. Thanks so much for that.

You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD. A busy couple hours. More breaking news after a short break. We're going to head to Lebanon where we'll have

a live cross to Beirut. Stay with us.

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KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade with breaking news out of Lebanon. As expected Hassan Diab, the Hezbollah backed candidate, has been

named the next prime minister.

We have to wait and see if his new political leadership will satisfy the protesters who have been demanding an end to corruption and government

mismanagement. Senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman is following the story and joining us live from Beirut.

This next prime minister, a former university professor and former education minister, what else can you tell us about him, Ben?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is a man who, until yesterday, was largely unknown here in Lebanon. He was -- or I guess he

still is -- a professor of engineering at the American University of Beirut.

Now he has just spoken minutes ago and he stressed that he is independent, that he's not affiliated with any political party and, indeed, we looked

through his 134-page resume and he doesn't appear to have any political affiliations.

[11:40:00]

WEDEMAN: And when he spoke, he said that he's going to consult, as he tries to put together a government here in Lebanon, something that is never

very easy, that he will be consulting with former prime ministers, representatives of the political parties, prominent politicians as well as

representatives of the mass protest movement that broke out on the 17th of October.

That has been consistently calling for a complete revamp of the political system here in Lebanon. He said that he is not going to do anything that

would bring the country back to the situation it was in before those protests took place.

So he was promising to respond to the demands of the protesters. But he is, of course, somebody who was chosen by political parties that are very

much part of the establishment.

Now he's been described as Hezbollah-backed but it's more important to focus on the fact that he is backed by 69 of the 128 members of the

Lebanese parliament and those backing him include members of the Free Patriotic Movement, which is a Christian, largely Christian political party

and, therefore, it's not simply Hezbollah picking this individual.

He was a consensus candidate from what is known as the March 8th Alliance, which is a group of parties that includes the Free Patriotic Movement,

Hezbollah, some of the other large Shia Party as well as other political groupings.

So he is not going to have an easy task. He still has to put together a government and what is missing in the equation, as far as the moment right

now, is that, even though the prime minister of Lebanon, according to a very old unwritten agreement, has to be a member of the Sunni Muslim

community, no major Sunni Muslim politician or political bloc actually supported him.

So he's going to have to bring in some sort of Sunni political participation in his cabinet. The other problem is, because of the

involvement of Hezbollah in the process of choosing him as a prime minister, it's highly likely the U.S. administration is not going to be

happy about this.

This has been called a government of confrontation, confrontation in this context meaning confronting American desires to sanction and pressure the

Lebanese political establishment to exile Hezbollah from the halls of power.

KINKADE: Ben Wedeman, good to have you there to provide context for us. We will be covering that story throughout the day.

I'm Lynda Kinkade. That was CONNECT THE WORLD. Thanks so much for watching.

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