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Sen. Tim Scott Will Give GOP Response To Biden's Address To Congress; Biden To Seek Tax Hike On Rich To Fund Child Care And Education; Trump Pushes For Herschel Walker To Run For Georgia Senate Seat. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired April 23, 2021 - 12:30   ET

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

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[12:30:28]

JOHN KING, CNN HOST: Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina is the Republican of the moment. He's the GOP point man on police reform. And in the wake of this week's Derek Chauvin verdict, Senator Scott says talks about reaching some bipartisan compromise are reinvigorated. Senator Scott is also now the Republican Party's choice to deliver the official response next week after President Biden addresses a joint session of Congress responding to a President's big speech can be a thankless task, no matter what party you're in.

Still, the choice of Senator Scott is quite telling. Every big issue and event now plays into 2022 midterm election strategy. And every big Republican choice plays into the party's internal debate about the role of Trump and Trumpism going forward. Let's discuss here to share their insights the former Republican Congresswoman Mia Love of Utah and Spectrum News New York One political anchor, Errol Louis.

Congresswoman, let me start with you. Again, whether it's a Democratic president or Republican president, this is often a thankless task. The president gets an hour. You get a couple of minutes. But what did you make of this choice of Senator Scott at this moment?

MIA LOVE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I have to tell you, I it was a sigh of relief, because I've been talking about the GOP message for a long time that people like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene are taking it over and it's representing something that we don't believe in.

And so someone like Tim Scott, who I know and trust, who has called the president out, who has helped on criminal justice reform, who has done everything he possibly can to work with people across the aisle. I think that there are so many people that find him genuine and honest. And frankly, I trust him. He's a good friend of mine. And I know that he is going to get up there and he's going to be fair and do a good job.

KING: He has, for the record, he has not always called the president out, the former president out. He has some he has sometimes but he has not always called the former president out. LOVE: He has sometimes.

KING: So Errol, let me come to you on this one. And it's interesting when you read the announcements, you know, that the leaders have to agree on this. So the Republican leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, along with the Republican leader in the House, Kevin McCarthy, I just want to read a little bit from their statements here. This is from McConnell. Senator Scott is one of the most inspiring and unifying leaders in our nation. Nobody is better at communicating why far left policies fail working Americans.

Leader McCarthy says, no member in Congress epitomizes the essence of today's Republican Party more than my friend and colleague Senator Scott. I guess Leader McCarthy there he did say no member in Congress because I just want to show people a recent photograph. We know who Leader McCarthy actually believe still is the leader of the Republican Party. And that would be Mr. Trump. He went down to kiss the ring in recent weeks and months.

So Errol Louis, to Congresswoman Love's point, she's thrilled with this choice. And she mentions Marjorie Taylor Greene, as she implicitly mentions the big Trump lie. Is Senator Scott a break from that or just a pause, if you will?

ERROL LOUIS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I think he certainly presents very differently. He's calm. He's reasonable. He doesn't spout a lot of nonsense. But make no mistake about it, John, Senator Scott is a very, very conservative Republican. He voted with Donald Trump about 90 percent of the time, I think 91 percent was the number I saw. And Donald Trump has already fully endorsed his reelection next year.

So Tim Scott is a Trump Republican, make no mistake about it. Here and there, I think Mia Love is exactly right. Here in there, he has sort of broken what the party might have expected. A lot of that, though, is local, and its regional, where he called for, he was an early and important voice calling for confederate flags to come down off of federal -- off of government buildings. That's important. But that's limited.

What he's being asked to do now, not just the response to the President speech, but also in trying to move some of this police reform legislation or headed off whatever it is the republicans want to do. That's going to be a really tall order, and it's going to be a very heavy lift. We'll see if Tim Scott is indeed up to the moment.

KING: Well, let's talk about that a little bit Congresswoman Love, he is the point person on police reform. He's trying -- he says he's working now with Democratic Congresswoman Karen Bass of California at some compromise on a very important issue of qualified immunity for police officers and police departments. And they say he's confident. And the senator is they can figure that out. There's some skepticism like everything in Washington, can you get to the finish line?

Look at this new polling for "The Washington Post ABC" though, should the United States do more to hold police accountable for mistreatment of black people? Majority of whites say it and overwhelming majority of blacks say 83 percent, two-thirds of Latinos Hispanics say that. Is this a moment for the Republican Party and the Democrats, the burden is on both sides to figure this out, to make the necessary compromise. You know this from serving here part of the conversation as we get closer to the midterms, part of the conversation among Republicans is give Biden nothing.

[12:35:08]

LOVE: Well, I can tell you these are two people that I know very well. Representative Karen Bass, who I worked with on criminal justice reform with in terms of women that were restraint while trying to deliver, that we're incarcerated. And she is an honest broker. And also Tim Scott's an honest broker. And I think that if there's anyone that can get these important issues, across the line, it would be Senator Tim Scott, and Karen Bass and people like Cory Booker.

This is the part of Washington that people don't see, these friendships that are genuinely just working together to do good for the American people. I really, I'm hoping that people will support them. I'm hoping Republicans will support the package or the bill on police reform. And I'm hoping Democrats will come together and do this and not let perfect be the enemy of a really good win, which the American people need.

Remember, this is about the American people and making sure that situations that have happened in the past like George Floyd does not happen again, or at least as minimally as possible.

KING: Well, let's stay on top of those negotiations. You know, Errol, sometimes these are Washington conversations, which is why I rely on my two guests here, people outside of Washington who can kick us to the head when we need it. You know, Tim Scott's picking a respond to the President. It's a big deal in Washington. Is it a big deal in America? I think it's an interesting deal. I don't know if it's a big deal. But it's an interesting deal, because of the moment Congresswoman Love teed it up the beginning. Where is the Republican Party now? And where is it going?

So we know Senator Scott will deliver this response. We know there's still the debate about Trump. And we learned this week that the former, the last Republican president before Donald Trump, George W. Bush, says he wrote in Condoleezza Rice in the 2020 election. He didn't want to vote for Joe Biden, because he found him too liberal. But he couldn't bring himself to vote for Donald Trump.

He calls out loud voices who are isolationists, protectionists, and nativists in the Republican Party. And he's going back to his platform pushing immigration reform and blasting fearmongering. He didn't name Trump in any of those interviews, but that's who he meant. I guess it's the where are we question?

LOUIS: Yes. Well, it's a great question. And the real question for George W. Bush is, what are you prepared? And how are you prepared to fight for these ideals? Are you going to get in there and mix it up? Are you going to get in there and support primary challenges to sitting Republicans? Are you going to try and get factions of delegates into the next convention and change the party platform, if you're not willing to do that kind of stuff, a long term kind of institutional effort to take back the party, what you're going to see is that selected individual Republican operatives, and officials and conservative media are going to drive the conversation off the deep end, and they're waiting in the deep end is Donald Trump, who has already said he's more than ready to try and stage a comeback.

So if George W. Bush is up for the fight, we'll see but it doesn't sound off at first glance that he's really prepared to do all of that work, standing up for principles, standing up for his values and his past policies absolutely a great thing to do. It's going to take a lot more than that though to turn the Republican Party around.

KING: Well, that's why we have the policy fights of the months ahead and then a midterm election campaign which is closer than you might think. Errol Louis, Congresswoman Mia Love, grateful for your time and insights today, we will continue this conversation.

[12:38:22]

And up next for us, the next steps in the Biden agenda, new childcare and education initiatives and yes, higher taxes for the wealthy.

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KING: President Biden will roll out new childcare and education initiative next week as he delivers a big 100-day update in a speech to Congress and to the American people. The big audience has an opportunity to sell an ambitious wish list. The challenge is selling how to pay for it. There are already higher corporate taxes called for in the Biden infrastructure plan. The new childcare and education proposals also bank on new revenues. Biden wants wealthy investors to pay higher capital gains taxes. CNN's Jeff Zeleny is at the White House for us today. Jeff, the President has a sales challenge ahead.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: He absolutely does. And it's really a two part challenge, John, and that's one of the reasons is he's separating this economic agenda into two parts. Of course, we've heard him announced the American jobs plan. That's basically the infrastructure plan plus so much more. But next week, we're going to hear about the American family plan. If you call it human infrastructure, that's what officials are describing this as.

But it has to be paid for first and foremost by raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans. That's what President Biden campaigned on is what he ran on, essentially a redoing the Trump era tax cuts. But already it's coming under some fire from certainly Republicans also some questions from Democrats but how specific these attacks, proposals will be. But White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki explained just a few moments ago, how this is really delivering on a campaign promise.

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JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: These proposed numbers which are consistent with what he talked about on the campaign trail when he was running for president. What I can say is that will only affect people making more than $1 million a year. So he has some bottom lines of where he will not budge fast, right, in -- on individual numbers and who and who will be impacted. But he's also open to discussion.

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ZELENY: So open to discussion there. But the bottom line, these tax increase proposals will only affect those making more than $400,000 a year. But the question is what will this pay for? John, this is really a sweeping set of proposals largely aimed at childcare and education. It would make a pre-kindergarten education free as well as community college free. Now these are key parts of sort of retraining and reeducating many members of the workforce here.

[12:45:09]

So this is a starting point. This is a negotiation here. You mentioned the corporate tax increase, which is in the first part of the jobs plan to pay for infrastructure. That is very much an open question. Republicans have said, not so fast, we're not interested. So this is a starting point, continuing the discussion. But, John, adding these two economic agenda pieces together, it is a huge, hugely ambitious proposal, and those are really stacking up over here at the White House. The question is, will there be bipartisan interest? It's looking like probably not. So it certainly raises the stakes of his mission next week to explain this to the American people and keep Democrats together.

So we'll hear that big speech to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday. Then he's hitting the road going to Georgia on Thursday and elsewhere in America on Friday to sell this economic plan, John.

KING: Jeff Zeleny for us at the White House. It has been a packed news week this week and next week. It looks like it will be just as packed. Jeff, thanks so much.

Up next for us, a new celebrity candidate for governor in California and a potential celebrity candidate in Georgia for a key center race.

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[12:50:56]

KING: Topping our Political Radar today the former Olympian in reality T.V. star Caitlyn Jenner running for California Governor. Jenner is a longtime Republican and filed paperwork today to challenge Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom in a recall election. Advisors say she plans to campaign as a liberal on social issues, but more conservative on fiscal matters and framing Governor Newsom's COVID restrictions as harmful to California's economy and its schoolchildren.

And another possible celebrity candidacy making way, former President Trump and retired NFL star causing a bit of political anxiety among Georgia Republicans. Trump wants Herschel Walker to run for the Georgia Senate seat now held by the Democrat Raphael Warnock. Walker won the Heisman Trophy in his college days as a Georgia Bulldog. Let's bring in CNN's Manu Raju, who has some great reporting on another fascinating story. Manu?

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And the fact that Donald Trump has endorsed a possible candidacy Herschel Walker has actually frozen the Republican field in the all-important Senate seat that is now held by Raphael Warnock. Warnock, of course, the Democrat who won barely and help Democrats win the majority back in January.

But now, that was a special election, now he's up for reelection for a six year term next year and Republicans are moving behind the scenes to try to figure out who can best challenge them. Now, Donald Trump, because of his long ties to Herschel Walker have his belief that Walker could, his profile could help unite the party him and his allies have talked up the idea of Walker running for the Senate. And Walker we are told is seriously considering it. He has talked to a number of people, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, he's talked to Donald Trump, and his team several times. He's talking to people like Senator Lindsey Graham, who are pushing him to do it.

But there is still a fair amount of concern. There's uncertainty about what kind of candidate he might be. He's a Texas resident. He's also a political newcomer. So how can he actually mount a campaign that will be one of the most intensely fought for over the next year. And at the same time, the fact that he is even deliberating and has the endorsement already from the former president, that has been enough to prevent other candidates from moving forward. One, Buddy Carter, who's a congressman from Georgia, who is considering running, told me that he is not going to make a decision until Herschel Walker decides.

And others including Doug Collins, a former congressman who lost in an effort to try to run against Warnock last year, he is also considering but has not yet decided. So there is just so much uncertainty in this critical race. And the overall concern is whether or not if he does run, he could be credible but he is thinking about it. And we talked to our colleague, Alex Rogers, just a couple of days ago. He said it is something he's thinking about, but he contended is not all about Trump, and what Trump wants to do. It's about his view, trying to save this country. John?

KING: Well, stay on top of that one, one of the many fascinating races as we look ahead to the midterms. Manu Raju on Capitol Hill for us, grateful for that.

[12:53:41]

And up next for us, should Facebook lift its ban on Donald Trump.

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KING: Facebook is grappling with a consequential question, what to do about Donald Trump, 107 days since the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol, the former president is still blocked from posting to his more than 30 million Facebook followers. Facebook's Oversight Board is expected to address the Trump question in the coming weeks. The answer has ramifications of course well beyond whether Trump gets one of his social media megaphones back. CNN's Donie O'Sullivan tracks the story for us and as the latest. Donie?

DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN REPORTER: Hey, John, yes. This is a high stakes decision and the first major decision for this new Facebook Oversight Board. What is the Oversight Board? Well, as you'll remember, the past few years, Facebook has found itself in a lot of trouble about all the decisions it makes about who to take down, what it allows up that it didn't obviously fact check Trump and politicians.

So over the past year or so Facebook made the decision to essentially set out what it says is an independent, essentially a Supreme Court of independent experts, distinguished figures, lawyers, people around the world, some experts here in the U.S. actually including the former editor of "The Guardian" newspaper in London, called its Oversight Board which can overrule decisions that have been made by Facebook itself.

So this Board is now looking into the Trump issue and is expected to rule on it in the coming weeks. But of course, this isn't just a big decision, big ramifications for Facebook. You know this will play a potentially huge role in Republican politics. At the moment we see statements from Trump written statements coming out every few days or a few times a week. But of course, if he gets a social media megaphone back he'll be able to start using Facebook like the way he used to use Twitter, John, weighing in a few times an hour or a few times a day.

And of course this could be a very useful fundraising tool for him as well. He's got 30 million followers on Facebook.

[13:00:07]

KING: Circle back, my friend, as we learn more. Donie O'Sullivan, grateful for that important reporting.

And thank you, grateful for your time today in this very busy news week. Have a great weekend. We'll see you Monday. Don't go anywhere, busy News Day, Ana Cabrera picks up right now.