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Erin Burnett Outfront
Obama Threatens Executive Action on Immigration; Interview with Reince Priebus; America Turning Red?; McConnell's New Challenge; Interview with Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina; Hamas "Blesses" Deadly Rampage in Jerusalem
Aired November 05, 2014 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: OUTFRONT tonight, breaking news on several fronts. President Obama facing the nation a day after a brutal defeat. He says he'll compromise but threatens executive action.
Could Washington gridlock be worse than ever?
Plus two terror attacks in Israel just hours apart today. Police and soldiers run down by cars. Violent clashes breaking out. Is war next.
And breaking news in the case of a Philadelphia woman dragged down the street and forced into a car all caught on tape. We're standing by for a police briefing on the breaking news tonight.
Let's go OUTFRONT.
Good evening. I'm Erin Burnett. OUTFRONT tonight, the breaking news, President Obama faces reporters after a brutal defeat in the midterm election. He says he hears the voters loud and clear. He says he'll compromise with Republicans but the compromise has limits. And when it comes to the hot button issue of immigration reform, the president made it clear he'll act and without their approval, if Congress doesn't move fast.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm eager to see what they have to offer. But what I'm not going to do is just wait. Let's figure out what we can do lawfully through executive actions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Executive actions, those are fighting words from a president who signed 24 executive orders so far this year.
On the Republican side, Senator Mitch McConnell, the presumptive majority leader, also spoke to the press today and promised cooperation, but then back dialed, delivered a message to the president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)\ SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), MINORITY LEADER: Because of the strength of the veto pen he could probably stay on the current course he's on, or he could say, let's see if there is some areas of agreement.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Not the most promising start for two men who say they want to work together.
CNN's Michelle Kosinski is OUTFRONT tonight at the White House.
And Michelle, you know, it's interesting when you saw the tone of the president even delivering his --
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Right.
BURNETT: I mean, sure, he was threatening executive action, but it was a -- it was a rather thoughtful, introspective soul searching sort of attitude.
KOSINSKI: Right. It sounded kind of glum at times, sort of sad but you also then hear these kind of threats and fighting words from both sides within the framework of let's compromise. But the president really had to acknowledge that loss. And he did so by saying, look, now we really need to work together. Offering this commitment to reach out to Republicans, find that common ground, finally get certain things done.
Of course you could ask, well, why couldn't all of that have been done before, that would have benefited everyone if they could have done that prior to now, right? But his message is let's compromise where we are, although on those tough issues he also made it very clear there are certain lines he will not let Republicans cross.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KOSINSKI (voice-over): His party trounced at the polls, President Obama, at moments, sounded glumly resigned to two more years of having to compromise or fight it out with Republicans.
OBAMA: What stands out to me, though, is that the American people sent a message. To everyone who voted, I want you to know that I hear you. To the two thirds of voters who chose not to participate in the process yesterday, I hear you, too.
KOSINSKI: But he vowed to reach out.
OBAMA: If the ways that we're approaching the Republicans in Congress isn't working, then I'm going to try different things, whether it's having a drink with Mitch McConnell or letting John Boehner beat me again at golf.
KOSINSKI: On immigration.
OBAMA: I'm eager to see what they have to offer. But what I'm not going to do is just wait. KOSINSKI: Meaning the time for him to take executive action is likely
near.
OBAMA: They had every opportunity to do it. My executive actions not only do not prevent them from passing a law that supercedes those actions, but should be a spur for them to actually try to get something done. And I am prepared to engage them every step of the way.
KOSINSKI: On other issues, the president listed some areas that there is some common ground already, funding infrastructure, boosting exports, early childhood education. But on the really big challenges, like health care, he made it clear, this is likely to be a rough road, that there will be places he will not compromise.
He could veto Republican efforts to repeal Obamacare or to take out chunks of it that would render it effectively dead.
OBAMA: There are certainly some lines I'm going to draw. Repeal of the law I won't sign. Efforts that would take away health care from the 10 million people who now have it and the millions more who are eligible to get it, we're not going to support.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOSINSKI: So his tempered optimism on working together starts in earnest on Friday. The president will meet with congressional leaders here at the White House -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right, Michelle, thank you very much.
And joining me now, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus.
Chairman, good to have you with us. Look, I know you have a good day. You -- you delivered a walloping and that's got to feel really good.
I want to ask about immigration. You just heard the president, you know, quote, "I'm eager to see what they have to offer but what I'm going to do is -- what I'm not going to do is just wait. They have every opportunity to pass legislation that can supersede my executive action. Obviously those being the key words.
So the question is, are the Republicans going to pass something? Are they going to compromise with the president or is he going to use executive action?
REINCE PRIEBUS, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: I don't believe a thing he says, so, I mean, he's been talking about immigration reform for seven years. So, I mean, you're using his words as if they actually mean something. I mean, and asking me to respond to it. He's been talking about this when he had 60 votes in the Senate and Nancy Pelosi in the House and he didn't do a darn thing.
And all he's been doing for the last year is lying to Hispanic voters across the country saying, I'm going to sign an executive amnesty before the end of summer. And then people went crazy and then he said, well, no, I'm not going to do it because he didn't want to upset the midterms. And then -- then the people that wanted him to do it went crazy, so then he said, well, I'm going to do it after the midterms. I mean, it's ridiculous.
I mean, he is not trustworthy on this issue and the only thing he has done is he's unified the country against his immigration policies.
BURNETT: Here's the thing I have to ask you, though. Today, you know, when -- look, maybe the words weren't perfect but you have Mitch McConnell and the president saying they want to compromise, but you just came out here and said you don't believe a thing the president says, and you used the word lying specifically to talk --
PRIEBUS: Not -- not on immigration. No. Because that's what he's doing. Not on immigration. He's using people --
BURNETT: I'm just saying it's not the tone --
PRIEBUS: -- for politics.
BURNETT: You're not putting forth a tone that is, all right, let's do a fresh start and work together. That's all I'm saying.
PRIEBUS: It's the same tone I -- on immigration, this president, even -- if you put yourself in his shoes, and you adopted his view on these policies, he has screwed up even his own priorities on this issue by mishandling the politics on this from the very beginning. So now to come back and say, after the American people repudiated the policies of Barack Obama and everyone that was connected to him, to now say well, what are you guys going to do to compromise with the person that --
BURNETT: Well --
PRIEBUS: -- the American people had just repudiated, I think it's a little bizarre.
BURNETT: All right. I see your point. But when you're talking about repudiating the policies, I mean, when you look at some of the issues that were on the ballots yesterday, you're right, he -- the voters repudiated the Democratic candidates. But when you look at the issues --
PRIEBUS: Ask Scott Brown. Ask Scott Brown in New Hampshire if immigration and border security was an important issue in New Hampshire.
BURNETT: But let me ask you about what was on the ballot in different states. Minimum wage, marijuana, gun safety, abortion rights, criminal justice reform, all of those were wins. Those are Democratic issues. Those are -- policies this president supports. So I guess the question I'm asking you is --
PRIEBUS: Yes. And it didn't -- and it didn't work. BURNETT: Did Republicans hear the message -- but a lot of those
passed. The candidates didn't win but the ballot measures passed, so is this a moment for Republicans to say now we've won, we also hear the country on some of these issues, we need to move a little bit?
PRIEBUS: Listen, I think that clearly -- and where the ground is that I would agree with you on is that clearly people, I think, are sick and tired of Washington and their tired of things not getting it done. So bringing it down now to a place where I think it's very clear we do need to deal with is that I do think it's important to find things that we can agree on.
I do think it's important for the president to not just use words but to go to the capitol, find out what of the 360 bills that are sitting in Harry Reid's desk that he can agree with on he should follow through on and I think that's important.
But what happened yesterday wasn't just a repudiation of Barack Obama and his policies, it was also an acceptance of Republican policies in governing in states like Maryland, Wisconsin, Michigan, Massachusetts. These Republican governors won everywhere across the country.
BURNETT: And that was -- look, the Republican governors winning was significant. It is a fair point. The point I was just making was on some of those -- those other policies that did pass. But what about health care?
Chairman, you and I have talked a lot about this. Senator Ted Cruz saying today the first order of business for Republicans should be the repeal of Obamacare. And I mean, I'm sorry, but that's a broken record, and they still don't have the votes to do it. Right? You just -- you just don't have the votes to override a presidential veto.
Mitch McConnell talked about it today. Here's what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCONNELL: If I have the ability to call, obviously I'd get rid of it. Obviously it's also true he is still there. So we'll be discussing how to go forward on this issue when we get back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Do you have a heart-to-heart with people like Ted Cruz and say, look, we need to do something. I know we all hate Obamacare but please let's do something that can pass, let's show the American people we can do that, leave it alone for now on this repeal issue?
PRIEBUS: Well, I think -- I think a lot of these Republicans and even the Democrats that were running for their lives yesterday, don't forget, they were all running from Obamacare as well in the vote that they took. The fact is much of what happened yesterday had a lot to do with Obamacare. So I don't think that these senators would be doing their job after they just got elected in a historic election to not go forward and try to replace Obamacare with something much better patient-centered and not Washington centered. So, you know, I think it is important to replace it with as much --
much that we can with something better. But I think that's something that the senators have to come together in Washington and try to figure out.
BURNETT: And before we go, when you talk about those governorships that you're happy about. One man who's responsible for that was Chris Christie, of course, the head of the Republican Governors Association. He helped the GOP win more governorships than anyone had forecasted. Today he said he's not going to change, but he stands by what he said to a voter recently. I want to play it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: So, listen, you want to have the conversation later, I'm happy to have it, buddy. But until that time, sit down and shut up.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Last night exit polls showed 64 percent of Americans say Chris Christie would not make a good president.
Chairman, would you vote for him?
PRIEBUS: Of course. If he is the nominee of our party, of course I'd vote for him and work for him. I mean, so -- and I support him and I thank him for his good work and I support him in what he said to the protester. I mean, the person was interrupting an important event for a long time and he was being out of control and at some point you have to say, you know, let's move on. We've got a lot of people here that want to move on with the program.
You know, I think it's much to do over nothing.
BURNETT: Well, you said let's move on. A little different than what he said. But I hear your point.
All right, Chairman Priebus, always good to see you and I appreciate your time tonight.
PRIEBUS: Well -- all right, thank you.
BURNETT: And OUTFRONT next, why is America turning from blue to red under President Obama. John King live at the magic wall to show you the exact math.
Plus terrorists use cars to run down police and soldiers in Israel. Is this war?
And breaking news in the abduction of a Philadelphia woman all caught on tape. Police have a major update coming up this hour. We're standing by.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Breaking news, President Obama and Democrats across the nation are trying to figure out tonight what went so wrong.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: What stands out to me, though, is that the American people sent a message. One that they've sent for several elections now. They expect the people they elect to work as hard as they do. They expect us to focus on their ambitions and not ours.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: That would be new. John King is at the magic wall.
John, the messages was clear to the president and to many Americans -- I'm sorry, I couldn't resist.
All right. Blue parts of the map, though, changed to red. What happened?
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I needed the laugh there. Thank you very much.
Look, the election last night, the president says it was a message to work together, it was that but it was also a repudiation of this president and his party. There is no mistaking that. And the numbers tell the story.
Here's where we started. 55 Senate Democrats, that includes two independents, and 45 Republicans. Here where we are right now at 52 Republicans, 45, and most people believe when we're down counting in Alaska that this one will go to the Republicans, and Dan Sullivan. And right now if you look at the polling, Mary Landrieu has a runoff in early December in Louisiana. The early polls show she's well behind her Republican opponent.
Democrats will probably hold on in Virginia, but that would be 54, 54 Republicans, Erin. That's a big change. You can you see it. I don't need to speak. Just look at the red.
Let's change maps and take a look at it from a different perspective. And we look -- these are the Senate races but let's go to the House races. This, I think, is the most stunning map about the growth of the Republican Party in the Obama administration. This is right after the president was elected. No matter where you live in the country, look at your region. Look right now, this is 257 Democrats, the majority that passed health care reform right after the president was elected.
That's the country you live in today. Again, look at the growth of the Republican Party. Look at all the blue. Look at all the blue. Look at all the blue. Those are Republicans in House races.
And, Erin, what's happening beneath that is Republicans now have 31 governorships. They've also picked up dramatic gains during the Obama presidency in state legislatures. Remember, the president came to office saying there's no red America, there's no blue America, there's one America. I hate to say it, in our politics, there is an increasingly red America.
BURNETT: I mean, it's incredible.
All right, thank you very much to John King.
And I want to bring in our political contributor, Van Jones, presidential historian Douglas Brinkley, and former spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, Terry Holt.
Van, let me start with you, because, you know, looking at those maps, it's pretty stunning. And, you know, I'm sorry, I feel like I'm living in an alternate universe because over the past few years, all I've heard from pundits is the population changed, the white population is dropping, Hispanics are rising, this country is going to become Democratic and perpetuity, the Republican Party is DOA.
I mean, you know, all these things have been said, but then you look at that map -- wow.
VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Well, what you have is -- in this country, we have two different Americas that vote in different elections. So remember, listen, 2004, the Republicans had everything, they had the House, they had the Senate, they had the White House. By 2008, the Democrats had the House and the Senate and the White House.
It's not a right wing period, it's not a left wing period, it's a turbulent volatile period as we're kind of sorting ourselves out. But the demographics suggest that on -- you know, for election years for presidents, we have this -- David Gergen calls this blue wall. We have a boom bust coalition. When the -- presidency is on the line, our folks turn out and you're right, it's Latino, it's black, it's single women, it's young.
That coalition stayed home yesterday and the -- what you saw vote last night is another America. It's much more white, it's much more male, it's much older, and that coalition is in the Republican Party. And so you've got -- right now you've got two unhealthy parties because neither can win elections back to back.
We're going back and forth, back and forth. It's bad for the country. One of these parties got to figure out how to win two elections in a row.
BURNETT: I mean, right, I guess part of it is the American people seem to like it that way. They like to give people power and then go, you know what, you abuse it, you stink, I'm putting the next guy in, and guess what, they're going to say they stink, too, which is the big risk for the GOP in the next two years as they're looking for their White House.
Terry, I mean, that is a big risk for the GOP at this point, isn't it?
TERRY HOLT, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, the Republicans finally have an opportunity to send some bills to President Obama for his signature or his veto. There is an opportunity here for the Congress to function a little bit less dysfunctionally. But we're talking about all the same players.
(LAUGHTER)
BURNETT: Strive high, Terry. Strive high. A little bit less dysfunctionally.
HOLT: We are -- we are looking at the same players. All these guys have been around the table. And this president, I agree with Van largely about the demographics, but if the president were on the ballot yesterday with his low approval ratings, it wouldn't have mattered which coalition he was talking about, he would have been soundly defeated.
And it is for that dissatisfaction that these Republicans now have this opportunity. But I don't think the ground shifts here just because the Senate is now marginally more Republican than Democrat.
BURNETT: And Doug, you know, to the point Terry is making about the president. The cover of the "New York Daily News" had a picture of the president with the caption, "His hope turns to nope." You know, sort of one of those funny press ways of doing it, using, you know, that -- now iconic picture that was used when he was first elected.
Look, this is -- this is part of the reason why it feels like. I mean, it seems to happen to every incumbent six years in. Right? When you look at the history of things. So, sort of makes me as an American, say, why do we bother with two terms? The second one seems like such a waste. How can the president get anything done in the next two years?
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, RICE UNIVERSITY: Well, it's going to be tough. But he's going to have to use executive power a lot and you saw that in today's press conference there, almost threatening that I'm going to use it on immigration reform. It's a president that's bypassing Congress. So this election may be jarring other people than jar the president. He, as you points out, notices the midterm elections aren't good for incumbents, he wants to finish out what his presidency was all about.
He feels he's not getting the credit -- I think the president that he inherited the great recession.
BURNETT: Right.
BRINKLEY: The economy is doing much better, Wall Street is at an all- time high. And hence it's going to be more business as usual.
BURNETT: All right, so, Van, business as usual. Bill Clinton had a Republican-controlled Congress for six years, all right, for a long time. But he got things done, big things done. Welfare reform, a balanced budget amendment. But that would mean compromising on issues, the president hasn't been willing to compromise on thus far, and the GOP hasn't been willing to compromise on their side either, right?
We've been at it to a loggerhead. I mean, will he compromise? Will he move more that they do now that they control Congress or not?
JONES: Well, here's the thing. First of all, if you look at the vote, it's a really weird vote.
BURNETT: Yes.
JONES: Because you have people voting for minimum wage increases.
BURNETT: Yes.
JONES: Voting for pot, voting for women's choice and voting for Republicans.
BURNETT: Yes. Perhaps they're right.
JONES: So the country is still trying to sort itself out. There is a pathway forward for the two parties to come together. Take something like criminal justice reform. California passed Prop 47, California built more prisons than any state, now they're starting to realize, hey, it costs a lot of money to do this. Prop 47 is going to move money from prisons to schools. You had Republicans and Democrats agreed on that.
BURNETT: Yes.
JONES: Van Jones and Newt Gingrich agreed on that. There is bipartisan potential to come together on that, on infrastructure. There is a lot of common ground. I hope that now that the obstruction you've seen from the Republicans will go away and we can actually get together.
BURNETT: Well -- but, Terry, see, here's the thing, it doesn't look like it is going to go away because you have more Republicans who agree with Ted Cruz who are now in the Senate and Ted Cruz is still saying first order of business is to repeal Obamacare, which, I know I feel like I'm banging my head against the wall, it doesn't matter whether you love it or you hate it, they don't have the votes.
HOLT: Yes. Well, the president is not known for his legislative acumen. If it weren't for Nancy Pelosi, there wouldn't even be the Affordable Care Act. And so there is a problem when the White House isn't fully engaged on the Hill with even the members of its own party. So for something big to happen, I agree, that there are things emerging that we can work on. But the mistrust level is so high, and the way that these guys -- the dynamic that's evolved over the six years, we're going to have to go back to a basic legislative process and put some stuff on the president's desk and see what he does.
BURNETT: All right. Thanks very much to all of you. We will see.
Be sure to stay tuned to CNN for a special America's Choice tonight with Wolf Blitzer and Jake Tapper. That's begins at 10:00 Eastern.
And OUTFRONT next, the new Congress already disagreements around Republicans.
You know, guys, can't you have like a day honeymoon, 24 hours?
Plus, breaking news, police and soldiers running -- run over by cars in two separate terror attacks today. Is more coming to Israel?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Breaking news, President Obama speaks out after a brutal defeat in the midterm election. He says he's willing to compromise with Republicans, but when it comes to immigration reform, all bets maybe off.
Republicans meanwhile making history. More than taking control of the Senate. Voters elected a slate of younger, more diverse Republican candidates, that includes a major historic first, which could be crucial as the party tries to become a presidential party.
Tim Scott became the first African-American elected to the Senate from the south since reconstruction. He's going to join me in just a moment.
Mia Love is the first black Republican woman ever elected to Congress from any state. Thirty-year-old Elise Stefanik is the youngest woman ever elected to Congress from either party. And Tim Cotton is the first Iraq war and the first Afghanistan war veteran to be elected to the Senate.
This is a new tidal wave of Republicans and it will also include several presidential contenders who of course bring their own agendas to Capitol Hill.
Dana Bash is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mitch McConnell missed the president's first congratulatory call but they finally connected.
MCCONNELL: It was a very cordial conversation. I appreciated the call.
BASH: But with political victory, total GOP control of Congress, comes the responsibility for Republicans to governor. McConnell bent over backwards to say he gets that.
MCCONNELL: I think we ought to start with the view that maybe there are some things we can agree on.
BASH: But said for him to negotiate, the president can't aggregate the GOP base by taking executive action on immigration.
MCCONNELL: It's like waving a red flag in front of a bull, and say, if you guys don't do what I want, I'm going to do it on my own. BASH: In fact, before McConnell cuts deals with Democrats, he has to
contend with unruly fellow Republicans that make up his new majority, like Iowa's Joni Ernst, who wouldn't even commit to supporting McConnell for leader.
(On camera): Will you vote for Mitch McConnell as the leader?
JONI ERNST (R), IOWA SENATOR-ELECT: Well, I am trying to get through November 4th first and then that will be determined after that.
BASH: Neither would Ted Cruz.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS: Well, that will be a decision for the conference to make and that will be decided next week.
MCCONNELL: But let me just make a prediction for you, a week from tomorrow I'll be elected majority of the Senate.
BASH: McConnell is a rare senator who never wanted to be president, but several Senate Republicans are eyeing a 2016 White House run. Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio. McConnell insists he can handle them.
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), KENTUCKY: I served in a body with a bunch of class presidents. They are all ambitious.
BASH: GOP control of Congress will be different. One example, the Senate votes on GOP ideas for the first time in the Obama presidency. Republicans set the Senate agenda and will hold votes on their pet issues, like the Keystone Pipeline. But more votes likely means more vetoes, since he's had congressional Democrats to block GOP policies, Obama has only vetoed two bills in six years.
Another promised change: more work.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Senate stands adjourned.
BASH: Not so fast. McConnell is vowing the Senate will stay in Washington for a five-day workweek, just like the rest of us.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: That -- I mean, whoa, you just threw that in there at the end. I don't think they've had a five day workweek all year.
BASH: All year, all decade.
BURNETT: All right. The House speaker, John Boehner, Mitch McConnell just came out with an op-ed in "The Wall Street Journal", I know, Dana, announcing their agenda.
So, is there anything new? Anything groundbreaking in there?
BASH: No, in that these are the agenda items that Republicans have been pushing since they had control of the House, things like the Keystone Pipeline. In fact, I think we're going to see that pretty early on, what they call restoring the 40-hour workweek, reforming the tax code.
So, there's a list of things that Republicans they say are going to try to do. This is an op-ed with the soon-to-be new majority leader in the Senate and the House Speaker John Boehner, and the key point they make here is that House Republicans have been passing these ideas, passing this legislation for a couple of years and it hasn't gone anywhere in the Senate because they didn't control the agenda in the Senate. Now, Republicans do, so they're going to bring them up for votes.
But the other point that we're hearing from Republicans is they really understand the need to do some low-hanging fruit -- for lack of a better way to say it -- fast, so they can prove they can pass legislation and govern and not just win elections.
BURNETT: All right. Dana, thank you very much.
And joining me now is Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina.
And congratulations, Senator. It was a historic win last night for you and you are also the first African-American in American history to be elected to both the House and the Senate.
There has to be a moment where you just took a deep breath and said wow today. I mean, what does this mean for you personally?
SEN. TIM SCOTT (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Well, for me, I look back over my grandfather's life. I'm blessed to have a grandfather who's 94 years old. He's seen a different America growing up than I have.
And here is a fella who was a youngster picking cotton and in his lifetime he's seen his grandson get elected to Congress and now the Senate. For me, looking at him last night, watching me give a speech was one of the most remarkable experiences of my life.
BURNETT: It must have been -- I mean, it must have been amazing. Just on this personal level.
What -- in terms of race, this is something I know you've talked a lot about and I know maybe on some level it is not something you want to define you, obviously. But when we look at the numbers last night and this is just the exit polls, we saw 88 percent of the black voters supported your opponent in South Carolina. Obviously, that vote went resoundingly Democratic.
When he was running for president, Herman Cain said something that I'd never forget, he accused liberals in the black community for being, quote, "racist" for questing his being black and conservative. And the quote he said was, (INAUDIBLE) how they felt, he said, how dare Herman Cain run as a Republican? Has this changed or do you still feel that?
SCOTT: Well, I think, if you look around the country and look at some of the most successful campaigns, you talk about Mia Love in Utah, the first African-American female winning in the history of Congress. You look at Will Herd in Texas, or the new lieutenant governor of Maryland, Mr. Rutherford, here's what we see happening throughout the country, people are aligning their votes with their values and they're voting for candidates who are simply not of their own complexion.
One of the challenges I do see in the future is this culture of low expectations that driven by some folks who seem to profit from keeping some folks down an unfortunately it is your peers. We see this in the NFL when the comment about Russell Wilson, the quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks not being black enough. What does that mean?
Here is my comment and my response to that -- it is foolishness. It is just ridiculous and it is hogwash.
At the end of the day, be natural. Be yourself. Don't try to be normal, whatever that stereotypical definition or lame excuse for under performing really is. Folks who question your identity and you ethic identify because you don't fit into their mold is simply an insult to the entire community.
BURNETT: That's a powerful way to say it.
I have to ask you about something that actually we found out moments ago on this issue and I wanted to give you a chance to response to it. There was a newly published U.S. Army regulation. As I said, we just learned this here at CNN. It says that a service member in the U.S. Army can be described as Negro, when describing someone black or African-American. We've reached out to the Army and we're waiting for a formal response from them.
But I have to ask you -- does that shock you or is the word "Negro" acceptable?
SCOTT: Well, I certainly haven't seen the policy. I haven't spoken to the Army. I'll reach out to the army after I get off the air and figure out what is going on there.
But most consistently, the terms of African-American or black, some folks find black to be offensive and prefer African-American. Either term for me works really well.
At the end of the day, as we try to find ways to focus on the future, I would rather us focus on what causes us to fall behind in the world in this global competition. I would rather focus on my opportunity agenda that creates chance and opportunities for parents.
BURNETT: John Boehner and Mitch McConnell just came out with an op-ed in "The Wall Street Journal", that's laying out their agenda. Look, it's nothing you don't know about, right? It's things like they want to pass the Keystone Pipeline.
Ted Cruz, though, of course, won't commit to supporting Mitch McConnell as majority leader. I know you know Ted Cruz well. You sponsored a bill with him.
I put a question to you -- will you support Mitch McConnell?
SCOTT: Well, as far as I know, I'm not sure who is running. I assume that Mitch is running for majority leader. I assume that John Cornyn will be running for majority whip. I have not been asked to support any of these candidates. And I don't know that there's anyone else considering race. I've spoken to several colleagues and they have all said there are no other candidates for the top positions in the United States Senate, in our new majority.
So the question may be answered by default. There are no other candidates. I do believe that we have a chance through the strong leadership of our new majority to present an agenda to America about the things we should get right.
BURNETT: You know, I think it's really interesting. You just said yes you would support him but wish there was someone else. That is the most clever way I've heard anybody answer that question thus far.
SCOTT: Absolutely not. That is not what I said. What I said is what I meant, which is -- that there are no other candidates and factually, if there are no other candidates for the offices being sought, then we should see who is out there, and if we have Mitch McConnell looking to be the majority leader and we have John Cornyn line looking to be the majority whip, and there are no other candidates, this is good news.
BURNETT: Thank you so much. And I appreciate your taking the time tonight.
SCOTT: Thank you, Erin.
BURNETT: And OUTFRONT next, two terror attacks in Israel today using cars to run down police and soldiers, how well Israelis respond?
Plus, breaking news, frightening surveillance video of a man dragging a woman into a car. She was screaming for help. Tonight, we have news, a major development breaking news at this hour on that story.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Breaking news: two attacks today targeting Israeli officials. Tonight, the hunt is on for a driver who escaped and ran a car into an Israeli military post, three Israeli soldiers were injured, one critically. We're going to show you the video. It is disturbing. We want to warn you that before we show. But we do want to show it to you.
You can see the soldier on the side of the road, cars are passing by and one van directly swerves right into them. It is horrible to see. We can say the condition we know is one of them is critically injured, we don't know more than that at this hour.
But just hours earlier, police say a Palestinian man slammed another car into a crowd waiting for a train at this station in Jerusalem, killing a police officer and injuring 13 bystanders. Israel says these are terrorist attacks. Hamas say they, quote, "bless the action."
Our Erin McLaughlin is OUTFRONT from Jerusalem tonight.
And, Erin, I mean, these are pretty horrific attacks, both of them caught on video. Are they connected?
ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we don't know, Erin. But it is certainly possible that the attack in the West Bank is some sort of copycat attack. Israeli police are saying that the vehicle in question had Palestinian plates, and they are still searching for the perpetrator at the West Bank.
And it is worth mentioning two weeks ago, a very similar attack to the one that we saw in Jerusalem today, in that incident a driver plowed his car into the very same area, the very same light rail station area and hitting a group of people, killing a 3-month-old American-Israeli baby, as well as an Ecuador woman. In that incident, police shot and killed the driver when he fled the scene. And copycat attacks are not that unusual in Jerusalem.
BURNETT: Obviously, though, this is catching a lot of attention and Israel's response to some of these, that the rabbi has gotten a lot of attention. I mean, one of their few allies and few friends, a longstanding relationship with Jordan, Jordan pulling out their ambassador today, people thinking this could escalate.
What are you hearing?
MCLAUGHLIN: That's right. Well, Israeli police are saying these kinds of attacks are very difficult to prevent. Police spokesperson that I talked to today saying that they had no intelligence this was going to happen, this despite heightened security throughout the city, over a thousand police officers, concentrating on the Eastern part of the city, surveillance balloons in the skies tonight. We are hearing reports of clashes in various Palestinian neighborhoods in the east.
And really, some people saying that the only way to prevent and really address this violence is to address the underlying causes for the violence and, Erin, it is worth noting that the peace process, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process broke down in April.
BURNETT: All right. Erin, thank you very much. Erin McLaughlin joining us live from Jerusalem tonight.
And OUTFRONT next, a major development in the case of a woman abducted. She was walking home from work. The entire kidnapping, the struggle, as she spoke to him and tried to and back away, all caught on tape. We have breaking news on that, a big development.
And Jeanne Moos for a penguin love story with a twist, where Mr. Right turns out to be -- well, this is Mr. Robot?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: And now checking in with Anderson in what is coming up on "AC360". I'm sorry I'm having trouble talking tonight. How are you, Anderson?
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: A long couple of days for, everybody. Erin, yes, we got much more on the program tonight, on the breaking news -- Republicans controlling at least 52 seats in the Senate and extended their majority, of course, in the House. Celebrations, an congratulatory speeches are over. Now what happens? All of the angles are ahead, and including the Republicans' plans to work with the president and what items the president can get done.
Our political team including Dave Gergen, Candy Crowley, Paul Begala, and Rich Galen weigh in. Also John King is at the magic wall, with the state by state breakdown of how Republicans won and why Democrats loss. Plus, chief correspondent Dana Bash with some impressive firsts from this election.
Those stories, tonight's Ridiculist, the latest on the woman who was found had been abducted in Philadelphia, also the latest on the violence in Israel, and a lot more, Erin.
BURNETT: All right. See you in a few moment. Thanks, Anderson.
And the breaking news from Philadelphia: police say Carlesha Freeland- Gaither, the woman who's abduction was caught on camera, has been found alive. Police say she had minor injuries but is in good shape.
Delvin Barnes, a 37-year-old former Philadelphia resident, he's been arrested for the abduction.
Carlesha Freeland-Gaither was forced into a car on Sunday night. The kidnapping and the entire thing caught on surveillance as she turned around and reached her hand out and then back away from him -- all of that caught on tape.
Jean Casarez is in Philadelphia.
And, Jean, I believe she was found in Maryland. What are the police saying about this major break?
JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is an amazing story, and we learned minutes ago, she has been taken to a hospital, and now being treated for minor injuries. They are starting to talk to her, authorities are, but she has been through so much, they are taking it easy on her.
But here's what we understand in Maryland, they were able to locate her alleged abductor's car and they focused in, and they got him and got him, 37-year-old Delvin Barnes, and then rescued her.
Now, we want to show you some tape that is absolutely horrific, because you are watching right now on the screen what police say was that live kidnapping, recorded by surveillance video from a business as it happened, and I think that you can see the alleged kidnapper who is parking his car, and he walks across the street with the purpose that police told me, and there is a bus that goes by, and it's believed that she was on the bus. And then the alleged kidnapping begins.
And you see her fighting for her life, and you see her trying to get away, she cannot get away. And you will also see her at the end of the, at the end of the block is where he then puts her in the car, and he drives away, and we do know that they ended up in Maryland, and the FBI just moments ago said she had been found alive. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ED HANKO, FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: Tonight, we surveilled that vehicle in the area of Jessup, Maryland, and a task force from our Baltimore FBI office consisting of U.S. Marshals, ATF agents and FBI agents located the car when the subject exited the vehicle, and he was apprehended, and that's when Ms. Freeland was recovered.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CASAREZ: And Delvin Barnes is being held on the outstanding warrant out of Virginia, attempted capital murder, assault and malicious injury with acid explosives or fire. And he will be federally charged here in this jurisdiction for the kidnapping of Carlesha -- Erin.
BURNETT: Well, the charges are shocking. I mean, do you know, Jean, about what the motive was or whether he knew her or any sense of this at this point?
CASAREZ: Well, we don't know much at all. They believe it was a stranger abduction, but I can tell you this, the ATM card that was used of Carlesha's yesterday, only a minimal amount of cash was taken so it is not appear to be robbery.
BURNETT: Jean, thank you very much.
And OUTFRONT next, the idea was to study penguins up close, because they are amazing. You know how they poop out the eggs. So, scientists hook up a camera to a robot penguin. Jeanne Moos has what happened next when the feathers began to the fly.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: So, one of Garrison Keeler's favorite jokes is about two penguins, right? So, they are standing on an iceberg and one penguin says, that hey, it looks likes you are wearing a nice tuxedo and the other penguin replies, who says I'm not.
Well, the robot penguins you're about to see should take note. Here's Jeanne Moos.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): How do you bamboozle a bunch of penguins?
With this.
Oh, sure, you may think the adult is saying, that is not one of mine, but researchers writing in the journal of "Nature Methods" report that penguins are a lot less stress by rovers than humans, though they peck and attack this undisguised rover, heart rates are still lower with a rover that if a researcher entered the colony to collect data.
But making the rover look like one of them. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We call it the chick cam.
MOOS: Really made a difference.
The first fake chick rover with the wheels exposed, but it was allowed into penguin huddle, and then the new and improved version was introduced by filmmakers doing a documentary mini series called "Penguins: A Spy in the Huddle."
UNIDENTIIFED MALE: They tested the tracks (ph).
MOOS (on camera): An altering (ph) penguin.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
MOOS (voice-over): The chick cam was such a hit, it had the chick taking the fake under its wings.
(on camera): How fooled were they? Fooled enough to sing to the pretend penguins.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They made vocalizations to communicate with the fake penguin.
MOOS (voice-over): A real chick answered. But the researchers say that the next generation of fakes made fake penguin call. One web poster wondered, but can't they smell it's not a real penguin? It turns out that penguins don't use smells as much as vocalization to relate.
(on camera): You think that the penguins are really fooled? They think this is a living creature?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think at least they are confused.
MOOS (voice-over): Well, no wonder.
(on camera): The most sophisticated fake so far actually lays eggs, eggs with cameras in them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the egg would scoot out, out of the bottom here.
MOOS (voice-over): Giving a low-angle view as it gets --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kicked around the colony.
MOOS: You can almost imagine the penguins muttering these immortal words from "Happy Feet."
CHARACTER: But it just ain't penguin, OK?
MOOS: One robotic fake capable of raising its wings was alluring that a male started to preening it, and that's when the two-timer's real mate return and you call it research, but she calls it having a rover eye for a rover, and she decked it. Talk about a chick magnet. Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BURNETT: I knew that penguins mated for life. I didn't know that they considered having affairs. That is something new that I just learned. Thanks so much to Jeanne Moos.
And thanks to all of you for watching. We'll see you back here tomorrow night.
"AC360" begins right now.
