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CNN Live Event/Special
CNN Projects Joe Biden Is The 46th President; Cities Erupt In Celebration After Biden Beats Trump. Aired 5-6p ET
Aired November 07, 2020 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[17:00:00]
ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: I'm Erin Burnett alongside Anderson Cooper this hour. We want to welcome all of you here in the United States and around this world on this historic day.
CNN projecting that Joe Biden has defeated Donald Trump to become the 46th president of the United States. President-elect Biden clinching victory in Pennsylvania and Nevada today, vaulting him, Anderson, out to 279 Electoral College votes.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Even in the midst of a worsening pandemic, the country saw record turnout for both candidates. More than 74 million Americans voted for President-elect Biden, rejected a second Trump term.
Many of those voters across the country are now filling the streets and celebrate a wine for this historic ticket at age 78 on inauguration day. Biden will be the oldest person ever elected president. His running mate, Senator Kamala Harris, is the first woman and first person of color to be elected vice president.
President Trump returned to the White House a short time ago as large crowds amassed at nearby Black Lives Matter Plaza literally within shouting distance. President Trump has yet to concede but President- elect Biden is set to give his victory speech in just a few hours at 8:00 P.M. Eastern.
BURNETT: Of course, the eyes of this whole country will be on him.
Let's go now to our Jeff Zeleny, who is at Biden headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware. So, Jeff, we are now just a few hours away from this primetime address from the president-elect. What is the latest you're hearing?
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Erin, we have just started in the last few minutes seeing vehicles arriving here for another drive-in rally for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. We've seen several of these throughout the pandemic campaign but the first time for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
This is going to be a socially distant event, that there are going to be a couple hundred vehicles here and a lot of other people gathering. This has been an afternoon of anticipation here in Wilmington, really starting remarkably 48 years ago on this very day when Joe Biden, a young Joe Biden, was elected to the U.S. Senate.
Of course, he's had a long career in the Senate, two terms as vice president, was thinking about not running for president, decided to run for president because of Donald Trump. And today was projected the winner in this race.
Despite all of that, we are told that Mr. Biden is going to project a message of unity. He is going to say that his term here, his mission is to unify Americans. He is going to be speaking to Americans who did not vote for him and those who did.
We're getting sort of a sense of his message through a statement he sent out earlier today. Part of it said, in the face of unprecedented obstacles, a record number of Americans voted, really speaking to the fact that he will be earning -- he has, in fact, earned more votes than any other president in American history. Of course, President Trump earning tens of millions as well. But he is going to say it's time for America to unite. It's time for America to heal. So that is the backbone of his message here tonight.
Also, of course, going to hear from Vice President-elect Kamala Harris making history in a major way in her own right, the first woman to be the vice president of the United States, the first woman of color, of course, as well, so both will be delivering speeches here.
And then it's back to work. I can tell you, the first order of business on Monday, we are learning, is going to be to announce a coronavirus task force, appointing 12 members to serve on that task force, really trying to focus on these issues at hand even as we see all of these crowds gathering indeed in Washington and around the United States, coronavirus cases on the rise. So that is the framework here.
And it's striking to the degree to which Mr. Biden is entering the beginning of his governing transition basically facing a country in similar turmoil to what Senator Obama 12 years ago and Senator Biden faced as well when they were starting their administration. So that, of course, a moment of jubilation here. But the difficult work of Mr. Biden's speech is to start unifying the country and the tone he will set tonight is critical for the days, weeks, months and even years to come.
BURNETT: It certainly is, because, as you say, record turnout, right, 74 million votes for Vice President Biden, 70 million votes for President Trump, needing to bridge that divide is going to be Biden's top job.
So, you mentioned the history making obviously of the vice president- elect, Kamala Harris. I note today she has been speaking with people, Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton. What more can you tell us about her day and what her role will be tonight?
ZELENY: Well, Erin, so interestingly, she started the morning, she got the news here that CNN and other networks projected them the winners of Pennsylvania and then the winners of the Electoral College, 273 electoral votes, when she was out for a walk with her husband, Doug.
[17:05:10]
She was in casual clothing. She called Joe Biden and sort of congratulated him, so, very -- a casual Senator Harris there. But this is going to be a moment. We can see the image right there. So you're going to be the next president of the United States. Look at the smile on her face, the joy in that. So, she said, we did it, Joe. We did it, Joe.
And think back. I mean, they started as rivals in this democratic primary fight. Now, she is the partner of his in this fight and their relationship is going to begin anew here and will be carefully watched. But, again, tonight a day of celebration and tomorrow the work begins because, boy, the challenges so deep not only in repairing the country but certainly tackling coronavirus and the economy, Erin.
BURNETT: Absolutely. Jeff Zeleny, thank you very much, in Wilmington.
ZELENY: Sure.
BURNETT: And not surprisingly, President Trump has made it clear he definitely does not accept that he has lost and that Joe Biden has won this election, categorically making it clear at this hour.
Let's get to the White House and CNN's Jim Acosta.
Okay. Jim, so tell us, and also when he came back from playing golf, which I know is what he did today, they put, I guess, technically a lid, meaning we weren't going to see him again, anticipating him being quiet, that, of course, did not keep him off Twitter. But what is really going on here?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. One thing that we should point out is the White House has called a lid. That means that we do not expect to see the president later on this evening. Of course, he could change all of that. He is the president and he can do that. He is the president for another couple months, mind you.
But we did see the president return back to the White House after a day on the golf course a short while ago and he was greeted by these throngs of jubilant Biden supporters out in the streets celebrating Biden's victory as president-elect of the United States.
And I have to tell you, Erin, it is a striking thing to see. You know, I grew up in this city and, you know, you just don't see celebrations like this in the nation's capital very often. I was out there earlier just to get a sense of it myself.
You are seeing people who are happy, because as immigrants to this country, they feel as though they won't feel denigrated by the president of the United States for very much longer. They were thanking us at CNN for what we do as journalists and so on.
But in terms of the way forward for President Trump, I think it deserves a moment to pause and reflect. The president has not conceded to Joe Biden. He doesn't plan on conceding to Joe Biden. We talked to aides and advisers to the president who say he is just not in the mood to do that right now. They're not sure if he is ever going to do it.
He has been tweeting the last couple minutes that he still feels he won this election. We don't want to put the tweets on the screen. They are nonsense. It is full of misinformation. Why would we do that? But it does give you an indication where he is at right now from a mental standpoint.
The other thing we should point out is he is in office for another couple months, Erin. I've talked to one former administration official just this afternoon who said, you know what, I'm worried about what he is going to do over the next couple of months.
I talked to another adviser to this administration who said, God, who knows in terms of what the president may decide to do. Is he going to settle scores, is he going to go after people like Dr. Anthony Fauci, people that -- folks inside the administration blamed for the president's loss? All of that is going to have to be watched very closely.
But that is something we're going to be dealing with over the next couple of months certainly in the days to come. But it is so important to pause and reflect on what we're seeing on the streets of the nation's capital right now and cities all across the country.
I was here, Erin, on June 1st of this year when there were military vehicles rolling through the grounds of the White House as the administration went out with their forces and suppressed a protest outside St. John's Episcopal Church, beat up those protesters with horses and so on, and tear gassed them with chemical dispersions and so on.
And that same scene tonight, let's hope this holds out, is one of peaceful protest, one of celebration, one of happiness. It is just one of the more remarkable juxtapositions that I can reflect on as a journalist covering this White House for the last eight years. It is just a remarkable thing to see.
What that means for Donald Trump, we don't know. You know, there were some images of the president that were captured by photographs as he arrived back here at the White House, Erin, and he looked defeated. He looked dejected. He had just come back from the golf course.
And this was not the same kind of Donald Trump we've seen before where at, time-to-time, he has a spring in his step. This is a president who is going to have to come to grips with the fact that he has lost. He is the outgoing president.
And that has some people, of course, excited in Washington that Donald Trump is leaving the scene. But I have to tell you, I am talking to people inside the administration, people who talk to the administration, who are very worried about what Donald Trump may do over the next couple of months.
And we really shouldn't shrink from that story line. [17:10:00]
It is something that we're going to have to pay attention to in the days to come, Erin.
BURNETT: All right. And that is going to be maybe, really, such a crucial question. Jim, thank you very much.
ACOSTA: Absolutely.
BURNETT: So, you see those peaceful celebrations outside the White House and that is the scene we're seeing across this country. Biden supporters, Harris supporters are celebrating.
Our CNN reporters are live on the ground for us across this country. I want to go Vivian Salama. She is outside the White House in that crowd.
And, Vivian, obviously, the hours have gone by and it appears you've just had more and more people joining the group there.
VIVIAN SALAMA, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Erin. You just heard Jim Acosta describing the scene here over the summer where there was a lot of tension. We saw confrontations with the police. And you're talking about a completely different scene today, celebrations for hours. Basically, minutes after Joe Biden was named president-elect, people started pouring into the streets right here.
I'm standing on Black Lives Matter's Plaza now, formally known as 16th Street in D.C. And the street behind me goes all the way to the gates of Lafayette Plaza, which is gated off right now from folks. That is right in front of the north side of the White House.
And so just for a little perspective, crowds have been gathering all day trying to really celebrate and share in this moment of change and history. We're seeing a lot of families now too. And here is, for example -- hi, I'm from CNN. Would be willing to chat?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure.
SALAMA: Yes. Can you tell me what brought you out here today? I would love to understand what motivated you to come and bring your children here especially.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We wanted to be here to celebrate democracy today. And we brought our half Indian girls here, they're too young to vote, but they can be part of the process and they can see that a woman can make it to the White House and a half Indian woman can make it to the White House.
SALAMA: And they're very patriotically dressed too.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely. We got stripes, red and white. She's got her 4th of July outfit on. We're all in red, white, and blue. SALAMA: That's great. Obviously, Kamala Harris, the first African- American vice president, also the first south Asian vice president, and the first woman vice president, so making history here today. Thank you so much.
And that's what you're hearing from folks all over the place here today is that this is a moment of history.
And it is actually worth noting, Erin, one thing we're not seeing today is also very interesting. We've been walking around the area all day and we're talking to souvenir shops in the area. And shops that were selling MAGA outfits just two days ago have now cleared them. I've spoken to a store owner. He said -- a little while ago, said that she removed all of her MAGA hats and shirts and things like that. And so right now, they're trying to kind of focus on Joe Biden as the winner and not look backwards. Erin?
BURNETT: All right. Vivian, thank you very much.
As Larry Kudlow would say, that is free market capitalism for you, Anderson.
COOPER: Maybe they have them just standing by just in case depending what may happen.
I want to bring in CNN's Senior Political Reporter Nia-Malika Henderson, Host of CNN's Smerconish, Michael Smerconish.
Nia, your reaction to CNN, not only just the projection of Biden winning but it is remarkable just to see the number of people in the streets and which -- it just seems like kind of in D.C., especially it is a Saturday night, so -- I think it is Saturday night. Is it Saturday night?
NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: Is it?
COOPER: what day is this? This is Saturday, isn't it? Anybody?
HENDERSON: We've been here since Tuesday.
COOPER: By the way, this is a sign of how long we've all been here. No one here can tell you. Yes, I think it's Saturday.
It is just incredible to see so many people out on the streets.
HENDERSON: It is. And, listen, this has been a long time coming. I think a lot of this goes back to four years ago with the sense of fear and anxiety and disappointment when Donald Trump got elected. And you saw a lot of these people start to really get involved in the political process going back then. And so now you just see this spontaneous expression of relief and joy.
And one of the things, I think, if you are Donald Trump, one of the reasons you might not be able to concede is that a concession would be to acknowledge the voices and the power of people you dismissed and maligned for the last four years of your presidency. So I think he is going to rage on and sort of live in his own little world over these next couple of weeks of his presidency, but you see here the other America that didn't appreciate and was emboldened to get involved in the political process because of the way that Donald Trump talked, the way he was so racially divisive. And so you see this very diverse, large outpouring of joy and relief.
COOPER: Yes. Former Democratic Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang is also joining us.
Andrew, I mean, for a president who focused so much on, you know, the size of his inauguration crowd, you know, the size of the number of people who turned out to vote for him, it must be particularly galling to know Vice President Biden, now President-elect Biden, received more votes than any other candidate in American history.
[17:15:13]
As a runner-up, as a loser, the president, President Trump also received a tremendous turnout and did a remarkable job of really energizing his bases, especially in the midst of a pandemic in the last, you know, week or two of the election. But, still, the turnout for the popular vote, the turnout for President-elect Biden, was larger. And in the states where it was most important, it was larger as well.
ANDREW YANG, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: It must be difficult to ignore a massive crowd outside the White House jubilant about your defeat. He did get over 70 million votes, Anderson. And that really was telling to many of us. Because despite the jubilation of today, Democrats did not gain the seats in the House they thought they would. They lost six or seven incumbent races. They are on the verge of not being able to get the Senate.
So, in a way, it is funny. It's like though you're on the winning side on this one, it's hard to feel a hundred percent celebratory despite the fact defeating Trump is an enormous deal and it's like a cloud is lifting for many, many Americans. But it was a very mixed picture, in part, because of the popular for Trump that you're describing. It ended up tilting many races to Republicans around the country.
COOPER: Yes. I mean, Michael, I think that is a really important point that Andrew is making. This was a very good election for Republicans, not for President Trump personally. But you could argue President Trump deserves a lot of credit for getting so much turnout, which has helped Republicans gain seats in the House.
And there was talk. Democrats were talking about gaining seats in the House, taking over the Senate. That didn't happen. And the Republicans are in a very good position now even though President Trump is not going to be the president for the next four years.
MICHAEL SMERCONISH, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Strangely, if you could have awakened on Wednesday morning and said to someone, okay, republicans picked up in the House, Republicans apparently will maintain control of the Senate, gain in a gubernatorial mansion, and also control more state legislatures, now, tell me who won the presidential race? I think you'd fill in the blank and you would say Donald Trump. So your point and Andrew Yang's point is well taken.
And, by the way, maybe the reason that the Republicans had a good night was because they were ultimately going to lose at the top of the ticket. I think there is an argument to be made here that there was a check put in place that voters -- a majority of voters, they wanted Joe Biden to be the president, not Donald Trump, but they didn't want to give him a blank check.
And I think that the speech that the president-elect is going to make tonight is very, very important for the 71 million who voted for President Trump, because what kind of a message he sends to them and whether he can dissipate any likelihood that they have to sort of jump on the bandwagon and not accept this result, as President Trump is hoping they will do, I think that is something very important that could come out of tonight's address.
COOPER: Yes. Nia, I mean, do you think that's possible? Again, Nia, if President Trump had -- was a different candidate, was a different person, he might have been able to say, you know, I didn't win but I'm so proud and, you know, thankful for all my supporters who turned out and helped Republicans gain seats in the House, who, you know, blocked Democrats from taking over the Senate. I mean, that is a pathway for President Trump to leave office but, still, with being proud of what he was able to do in a race that even he did not win.
HENDERSON: Right. I mean, I don't think that will ever happen. He primed his supporters with lies to believe that this election was stolen from him by black people in Philly and Atlanta, in Detroit. So I don't think he'll go back on that lie because to do that would be to admit that he is a liar and I don't think we're going to see that from this president.
I do -- the sort of people that are going to be interesting to watch are the senators over these last years, Republican senators who basically fell in line with Donald Trump, removed their spines and essentially let him get away with all the sort of nasty rhetoric and divisive language that we've seen over the last four years.
So, are they going to reach back at Biden as he tries to reach out and bridge this divide, this nasty, nasty political divide that we've seen over these last years, created in a lot of ways by Donald Trump? That will be interesting to see.
[17:20:00]
Because Republicans bear some responsibility for what we've seen over these last years in giving Donald Trump free rein to really be a racial flamethrower. And so we'll see what happens over these next many weeks.
COOPER: Also, Michael Smerconish, just the extent to which over the last four years, I don't know of many days I have gone through a day in which the conversations were not the name Donald Trump did not come up. People even who said, I don't want to talk about -- you go out to a meal with a group of people and they say, no politics, I don't want to talk about Trump. The next sentence, they're talking about Trump.
And I am wondering, just the adjustment of not having that in one's life on a daily basis is going to be very interesting to see.
SMERCONISH: Anderson, you know I'm a radio host and I'm responsible for 15 hours a week of content on SiriusXM, 15 hours a week of me speaking. And I joked with my producer recently about the fact that for the last four or five years on Donald Trump's watch and during his candidacy, we've never gone to what we call the evergreen file.
The evergreen file is what you bring out on a day when there is no hot news and it's filled with sort of timeless good talking, Seinfeld-like elements that you can trot out on any day. I haven't needed the evergreen file. I think I'm about to need an evergreen file going forward.
COOPER: Andrew Yang, just from a political standpoint, just in terms of the obstacles and the challenges this new administration is going to face, I mean, not only just in the transition but also, you know, from day one and even before day one in terms of coronavirus, in terms of the economy, in terms of foreign relations. I mean, the list of, you know, things that Democrats would like to see change is a long one.
YANG: Now, there are three immediate political variables right now, Anderson. Number one is what happens in these special Senate races in Georgia on January 5th. Democrats have a chance to take control of the Senate. That changes everything about governing in your plan.
Number two is operationalizing this transition. It is more difficult obviously because the current occupant of the White House is not acknowledging that there is a president-elect. But they have a lot of work to do to plan who is going to be in what seat, literally thousands of roles to game out fill and talk to people, make calls.
And the third thing is we are still waiting for a coronavirus relief bill that has been months overdue. Mitch McConnell and Nancy Pelosi have yet to come to terms on it. Now, obviously, I think President Trump is going to be preoccupied. The question is can they get a bill across the finish line before the New Year.
These are major issues that will determine how the presidency begins for Joe next January.
COOPER: And we're looking at a picture, a live picture in Wilmington, Delaware. This is where President-elect Trump is going -- excuse me, President-elect Biden -- man, it's been a long couple days. This where President-elect Biden is going to be speaking, just as he spoke last night as well. But we're going to hear from President-elect Biden at 8:00 tonight in an address to the nation.
And, Andrew, just before we go, it's got to be -- I mean, to be a fly on the wall of the White House right now, it's just got to be such a surreal situation inside the White House. I mean, the president has refused to concede, has not reached out to President-elect Biden, which is the tradition in saying this is going to be fought in the courts and is still claiming that he has won this election.
And, yet, he can hear the crowds outside in the street. He is clearly watching television coverage. What would you say to the president?
YANG: President Trump, please do join the rest of us in celebrating our country's democratic traditions and stop living in your alternate reality. I mean, it's okay. You can join us in this world.
And you did get many people who supported you. The Republican Party has been recast in your image in my mind to the country's detriment but you can at least do one positive thing on the way out, acknowledge defeat, congratulate Joe Biden and let our countries begin healing.
I mean, I say this, Anderson, but it is impossible to imagine any of it happening.
COOPER: Yes. Well, we shall see what happens. But we are going to be hearing from President-elect Joe Biden tonight, 8:00. Our coverage continues in just a moment.
[17:25:00]
Thanks.
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BURNETT: All right. CNN's Shimon Prokupecz is in Philadelphia for us, where people are celebrating the role they played in this historic moment, Shimon, and they truly did, the home state of Joe Biden and the state that put him over the top. It is very much a Pennsylvania and a Philadelphia story.
SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it is, Erin. And we are outside the convention center where they were doing the counting, where the poll watchers were inside, people counting ballots. And that is why we're seeing so many people gathered here, and you can see here.
I wanted to give you a different perspective from some of what I was showing you earlier. You see, these are all the Biden supporters. And then on the other side, we have the Trump supporters, who have been gathered here for the last several days as well.
[17:30:06]
And as you can see the police here have separated the two. They're letting them have their moments to chant.
But clearly, they're out numbered here by the Biden supporters who have been out here celebrating.
It's been a party atmosphere since the race was called. Basically, it doesn't appear anyone plans to leave any time soon. People have been dancing, chanting. There's been champagne. This has been one big party out here.
BURNETT: You see people gathering and can only imagine more so as the night goes on, Anderson, across the country.
COOPER: Yes, it is hard to imagine people letting go of this so quickly. We'll see.
Let's go to the west coast where people are celebrating Biden's history and the history making day for his running mate California Senator Kamala Harris becoming the first woman elected to serve as vice president.
Want to bring in our Josh Campbell in Los Angeles.
How is it going there?
JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN NATION SECURITY ANALYST: Hey, Anderson. We're still downtown where the large crowd continues to celebrate behind us. A pro Biden/Harris crowd.
This is Los Angeles, Senator, now Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris's hometown so a lot of supporters coming out here to express their support with this celebration today.
I want to talk to one of these supporters.
You are here from south L.A. You came downtown. Why did you come out today?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I came to celebrate the Kamala/Biden win but more so the people coming together to unite from different communities to make sure Trump gets out of office.
CAMPBELL: What have the last four years been like for you under the Trump administration?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They have been very traumatizing. I come from a predominantly black and brown community, a community where a lot of immigrants and folks are on DACA.
Just having to watch the immigrants in my community worry about being deported they've been here most of their lives, having to worry about the police, like they have a right to kill black and brown people, low income people because Trump gets on TV and says it is OK. It is completely traumatizing.
But at the end of the day seeing everyone come together, you know, the black community, brown community, white community, our allies, LGBTQ- plus community. Everyone else showing we have the power that put Biden ahead but I see it more so as a win for the people.
CAMPBELL: Thank you.
Anderson, what she is saying is what we've been hearing from so many folks down here and that is they are truly celebrating the Biden/Harris victory.
But there's another component and that is in their words the exit of Donald Trump. We hear it continuously here, people continuing to say from the moment
President Trump took office there's been this demonizing in their words of immigrants of people of color.
And so although they're celebrating Biden/Harris today their win, they're also celebrating what a different set of policies might look like as it relates to people of color -- Anderson?
#: Josh Campbell, appreciate it.
Erin?
BURNETT: I want to go to Gary Tuchman in Atlanta.
What you said a little bit ago and there you are still jammed in really struck me. What you said is in 30 years of political coverage and covering elections.
But you've neve seen a response like the one that you've never really seen a response like the one you are seeing in Atlanta.
And of course to contextualize this right in a state that is possibly going to go democratic here, for the first time in 30 years.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Erin.
This state might be turning blue and it is because of largely the city of Atlanta, the city of Savannah, the city of Columbus where it is very liberal politically.
We are right now in the heart of one of the most liberal, politically liberal neighborhoods in Atlanta.
This is midtown. This has been spontaneous jubilation. People started coming out after CNN projected Joe Biden as the next president of the United States. People are very happy.
It is a little loud and people are pressing against me. It has been calm and peaceful.
Burnett: All right it looks like - no, we have it back It looks like we lost his audio. We have it back now.
Gary, how do you -- can you still hear me?
How do you see this going here? Obviously. as we're saying this is a Saturday night. More and more people are going to be coming out.
Are you seeing more and more people gathering here over the past hour since we last spoke?
OK. We did lose his audio.
That is what's happening there. A very, very enthusiastic, exuberant crowd in midtown, Atlanta.
[17:35:05]
All right. We'll take a brief break and be right back as our special coverage continues.
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COOPER: People out on the streets now for several hours. Impromptu drum line there. We're going to take you now to the battleground state of Georgia.
And bring in CNN's Natasha Chen in Atlanta.
What is the scene there? Because Gary Tuchman I think was in the midtown area. There were huge crowds. Very jovial crowds I guess we should say. And people wearing masks. Not a lot of social distancing.
What are you seeing, Natasha?
[17:40:]
NATASHA CHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A lot of the similar vibes here, Anderson. We're at Freedom Park not too far from where Gary is but significantly this is at the intersection of Moreland and John Lewis Freedom Parkway.
Of course named after the late Congressman John Lewis who was so instrumental to the civil rights movement.
And I did actually meet someone here who is celebrating today who told me she just turned 65 years old. She has lived through the civil rights movement in Atlanta.
When she heard the race called today on CNN, she told me, she just screamed with joy and she felt that it really was not something she thought could happen that Georgia could potentially flip blue until Stacey Abrams two years ago.
And of course, that is a reference to the Democratic nominee for governor, Stacey Abrams, 2018.
There are a lot of people's signs here and shirts all referencing thank you Stacey because they feel they owe it to Stacey Abrams' campaign and her organizing over the past two years. So this is really a celebration that you're seeing.
As I mentioned earlier, lots of dancing. Lots of drag queens. The business celebrating not just this moment today but also the years of work that have led to this.
We've also seen a lot of signs promoting the Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate, John Ossoff and Rafael Warnock going into run-offs in January against David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler. Everybody here knows it.
So this is an energy to make sure people turn out for the January run- off as well.
In fact, I saw somebody with a clipboard going through the crowd making sure that everyone here was registered to vote in that election because they know the attention and the money is about to flow here into the state of Georgia -- Anderson?
COOPER: Money on both sides of that race. It is just going to be overwhelming. What we saw in South Carolina was a lot. I'm sure this will be at least equal to that.
Appreciate it. Thanks.
Back to Erin.
BURNETT: This is a day in history. A day you now have a new president- elect.
The election of Joseph R. Biden as the next president of the United States and Kamala Harris as the next vice president of the United States.
We're joined by former adviser to four U.S. presidents, David Gergen, and April Ryan, CNN analyst and White House correspondent for American Radio Networks, and Doug Brinkley, CNN presidential historian and history professor at Rice. A
All of you have such important perspective.
Let me start with you, April.
I just said Joseph R. Biden and Kamala Devi Harris. OK? That just her name alone says so much. Right?
The first woman, the first woman of color, the first black woman. The first south Asian woman. And she is now the vice president-elect of the United States.
APRIL RYAN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, you know, for the last 23 years I've covered presidents. I've seen history. I've called the first black president Mr. President.
Now, as a black woman, I will raise my hand and ask a question of madame vice president, the first woman of color to become the vice president of the United States.
And not only that. She identifies as black. She looks like me. That is huge.
When we look back in history we see white men, white men. And Washington is still a white male fraternity but it is changing. Gender and by race.
BURNETT David, people are celebrating in the streets across this country. You know as we've said in jest it is a Saturday night. It's going to continue.
But in true seriousness there are celebrations among the 74.5 million people who voted for the Biden/Harris ticket.
Ron Brownstein our political analyst who tracks these demographic trends says this is more what you would expect to see after a dictator is overthrown.
Have you seen anything like this?
DAVID GERGEN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: No. I think there's sort of was a pent-up tension the first few days of the week after a campaign that's been emotionally exhausting and seemed endless and people have seen the dark sides of America they never expected to see.
I think all of this is exploding now in this rapturous, joyful response to the Biden victory and I do think it's also, the Kamala Harris part of this is extremely important, too.
They're in the heart of the old Confederacy of Georgia, march to Georgia, "Gone with the Wind." H
ere we have Stacey Abrams who has played such a pivotal role in that state now played a pivotal role. It is a new America in many ways.
[17:45:04]
We thought that when Obama came in, President Obama, but I think there's that same sense again with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris ticket.
BURNETT: Doug, you know, there's I think there was a pent-up sigh in this country of relief for the winners and joy that they have won, exuberance and what we're seeing on the streets.
But, nonetheless, --and Joe Biden has been very quick all the way through this week to note that he wants to unite the country.
And 74.5 million people voted for Joe Biden. That number is going to go up as the numbers keep coming in. But 70 million people voted for President Trump.
What do you do? This is a deeply divided country. This was not the result that many expected. This is a deeply divided country.
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Well, but you just mentioned Joe Biden won this historic popular vote. It's just staggering.
And we've underestimated what a fine campaign Joe Biden's run in 2020. He's always talked about reconciliation, about reaching out to the other side.
He did that in his Senate career. He was thought of as a bipartisan figure who wanted to do things. So there's a possibility now in a Washington that's been so divided to do some things like infrastructure, roads, highways.
To do perhaps what Biden calls the moon shot on a war on cancer. Maybe that'll be done with the vaccine for COVID, pulling our country through.
Joe Biden knows Mitch McConnell. And they will hopefully be able to get some things done. But this was a remarkable campaign that Joe Biden ran picking Kamala Harris was great.
He did well in the debates. He stood up for science and for facts and for the First Amendment and the news media and he did it with a sense of quiet dignity. It's remarkable.
And tonight's celebration will remind people of Barack Obama in 2008. There was the euphoria at Grant Park in Chicago.
BURNETT: Yes.
BRINKLEY: We had the first African-American president. I see that is the feel in the streets of America right now.
BURNETT: April, what happens? Tonight is this night of celebration and as tomorrow is getting to work for team Biden.
But there's a president right now in the White House at this moment and he is hearing these cheers on the streets, right? They have called a lid.
They say we're not going to see him tonight. He could change that but that is what he has told his team. He's tweeted that he has won this election.
What he does and doesn't do is very significant over the next few days. You have covered this White House now for four years. What do you think is going on?
RYAN: Yes. He is figuring out his next move. This president is one who likes to have a tantrum when he doesn't get his way. Well, the tantrum may last until January 20th, 2021, at noon.
At the end of the day, this president, even if he doesn't have the resolve of understanding that a peaceful transition of power, is happening whether he likes it or not, he is hearing in the streets, he can hear what's in front of his House going on.
The rebuke of him. The rebuke of what people call a horror movie for the last four years. Now the credits are rolling.
What this president does not understand is that people are moving on. The Joe Biden camp is moving on. They're looking at transition and bringing people in.
Like people like Simone Sanders, who played a major role in this campaign and she can, I'm hearing she can chart her course wherever she wants in this administration.
Cedric Richmond, and they're even looking at those who they wanted to put on the list who may not be able to get Senate confirmation at this time because the Senate did not flip blue.
But at the end of the day. this is a moment that reminds me of when Barack Obama eight years ago was elected president.
I was at the White House when George W. Bush was still there. He heard the spontaneous crowd singing, trust and believe the crowds are bigger and louder for this president. He hears it.
The question is, will he listen?
Will he listen and will he heed it?
David Gergen, what happens here over the next days as the president is at least at this moment insisting he has won and is going to pursue legal challenges. To which at least from all the legal experts we've spoken to appear to be no merit in any meaningful way in anything that would impact the results of this at all. And, yet, he still has to be the president.
GERGEN: Yes. So far, he has been misplaying his hand. It would be fine if he said, listen, I have real problems with this. I'm going to go to court and try to sort it out in the courts.
[17:50:01]
In the meantime, I think the transition ought to go on in fairness or, you know, that there's a point on the other side. Instead of this childish response that he's had.
And even today, you know, when the fate of the republic should be partly in his hands what does he do? Did he study? No. He went to the golf course.
BURNETT: And, Doug, is there any as you look as a historian at this, any transition, course.
Any transition, any moment we could look back to learn from, at this moment?
BRINKLEY: Well, we were talking about the transition. Remember when jimmy carter got routed by Ronald Reagan in 1980?
Carter was able get something done in an Alaska landfill and he saved the lands.
President Trump could come forward with a coronavirus relief package. There's an opportunity for him to put, add dollars to that and get some credit for that and get an achievement on his way out of office.
I'm not sure he'll do that. He's probably plotting his son, Don Jr.'s future.
He's probably still angry at FOX News for calling Arizona early and wants to create his own media empire.
I think if he was smart, he could get something in that history that, A, with some dignity once he realized he lost.
And, B, he did care about the country with the COVID crisis, he needs to show some empathy at this point in time.
His lack of empathy is why Joe Biden won by I think quite a large margin.
Kennedy and Nixon in 1960 were by a hair. Bush-gore by a hair. Biden won a considerable victory, if not a mandate.
BURNETT: Right. Right. As they say, right now, it looks like they will be close to five million votes.
Thank you all three very much, David, April, Doug/
Anderson?
COOPER: There's a lot of reaction across the nation, Joe Biden winning the White House.
CNN reporters are all across the country as Americans fill the streets.
We want to where I in Polo Sandoval in Times Square.
Set the scene for us.
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, this is taking on more of a block party atmosphere. There's certainly a sense of joy and happiness and a accepts of relief as almost a crate of vehicles making their way down Broadway here in Time's Square.
Remember, we are still in COVID times. This has been a fairly empty part of the city.
Not tonight. It is extremely busy and you will find many supporters here of Joe Biden and the police here, including a couple New Yorkers.
It's clear to me who you support, personally, tell me about what this means to you on a personal level having Joe Biden in the White House next year?
I'll start with you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a registered nurse. I'm so head that bind/Harris made night the White House so we can start healing as a nation and we can put an end to this COVID pandemic. Soil so happy they won.
SANDOVAL: Keeping with the COVID them, is there certainly a sense of relief now on your part that perhaps you were telling me earlier that this will finally get the attention that it deserves and hopefully finally overcome this pandemic?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a physician. I'm a pediatrician. And I cannot tell you, I'm not a single issue voter, but the pandemic, I mean, just seeing how this pandemic ravaged our city.
I am so thrilled that we're going to have a leader who is going to take this pandemic and do what it needs to be done. What needs to be done in the city and in the country so that we can get it under control.
SANDOVAL: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So I am thrilled and I got to tell you in 2016, I was at the Jacob Javits Center. I remember walking through Times Square. You could hear a pin drop and to see this, four years later, almost to the day.
SANDOVAL: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is, I am so happy as a pediatrician, as a black woman, to see Kamala Harris as a white president, I'm just besides myself. I'm so happy.
SANDOVAL: Michelle, thank you so much for taking the time.
Anderson, we heard from others, perhaps science will have that role and a part of the conversation.
Of course, now, many folks here are finding out that as early as Monday, we will hear more about the Joe Biden's plan to try to violate, obviously take care of this situation and boo et this pandemic.
Tonight, it's a celebration. There are social distancing and a lot of masks here on Times Square.
COOPER: I have never seen something like that in Time's Square. Spontaneously crowds like that.
Polo Sandoval, thanks, so much.
Reaction is pouring into President-Elect Biden and Kamala Harris' victory.
Hillary Clinton tweeted, in part, "It's a history-making ticket, a repudiation of Trump and a new page of America."
[17:55:09]
She added," Onward together."
Jeb Bush, the son of the late George W. Bush, tweeted, "Congratulations to President-Elect Biden and it was the time to heal deep wounds, many are counting on to you lead the way."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted, "Congratulations to Joe Biden on his victory for the soul of our country. Congratulations to Kamala Harris for making history. It's a time to heal and a time to grow together, e pluribus Unum."
[17:00:37]
And this tweet coming from soon-to-be -- the soon-to-be second gentleman of the United States, Douglas Emhoff, Kamala Harris, with the caption, "So proud of you."
We'll be right back.
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