Anderson Cooper 360

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Trump’s final days: hiding in the White House and focused on pardons Jan 19, 2021

Show notes

Pres. Trump has been hiding in the White House and spending his final days as Commander-in-Chief focusing on about 100 pardons and commutations he’s expected to issue in his last full day in office. Trump hasn’t been seen since his trip to Texas nearly a week ago but sources tell CNN he’s taped a farewell message touting his accomplishments. New York Times Foreign Affairs Columnist Thomas Friedman joins AC360 to discuss Trump’s final days in office and what his legacy will be. Plus, the acting Defense Secretary says “we have no intelligence indicating an insider threat” to the inauguration but National Guard members arriving in Washington are being vetted by law enforcement. Jeh Johnson served as Homeland Security Secretary under Pres. Obama and was in charge of security for the Trump’s inauguration four years ago. He tells Anderson Cooper this will be the “most secure domestic event we’ve seen in a very, very long time.”

Airdate: January 18, 2021

Guests:

Tom Friedman

Jeh Johnson

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Pentagon authorizes 25,000 National Guard members for inauguration Jan 16, 2021

Show notes

The Pentagon has authorized up to 25,000 National Guard members for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration as the nation braces for more possible violence after the deadly Capitol Hill riots. After a FBI bulletin warned of armed protests in all 50 state capitols in the days leading up to January 20th, the National Guard Bureau said “every state, territory and the District of Columbia will have National Guard men and women supporting the inauguration.” Jonathan Wackrow was a Secret Service Agent during the Obama Administration and helped with the 2013 inauguration committee planning. He joins AC360 to discuss the current threat to Washington, DC and says the worry should be people acting as lone wolves. Plus, Pres. Trump is planning to leave for his new home in Florida the morning of the inauguration and sources say he’s considering a color guard, military band, 21-gun salute and even a red carpet for his departure ceremony. Tony Schwartz is co-author of Trump’s “Art of the Deal.” He tells Anderson Cooper he isn’t surprised and doesn’t think the President is able to take in the “enormity of the defeat.”

Airdate: January 15, 2021

Guests:

Jonathan Wackrow

Tony Schwartz

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Trump consumed by the unraveling of his presidency as Senate trial looms Jan 15, 2021

Show notes

One day after being impeached for the second time, Pres. Trump has been lashing out at aides, allies and lawyers trying to protect him from criminal exposure following his role in inciting the violence on Capitol Hill that left five people dead. Sources tell CNN he’s grown more and more worried about what legal and financial woes may be waiting for him once he leaves the protection of the presidency. Anthony Scaramucci worked briefly in the Trump White House as Communications Director. He joins AC360 to react to the President’s mood following being impeached again and says in 50 years historians will look at what happened and say “he didn’t accept the election, he signaled prior to the election that he wasn’t going to, and he incited an insurrection where people descended on the Capitol building calling for the death of his Vice President.” Plus, the National Mall will be closed to the public on Inauguration Day as authorities brace for the possibility of more extremist violence. Former FBI Director James Comey is the author of “Saving Justice: Truth, Transparency, and Trust." He tells Anderson Cooper moving the inauguration indoors would be a “win for a group of terrorists.”

Airdate: January 14, 2021

Guests:

James Comey

Anthony Scaramucci

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Pres. Trump impeached for the second time Jan 14, 2021

Show notes

Donald Trump became the first U.S. President to be impeached twice. Ten Republicans sided with the Democrats as a senior Trump adviser says “it all came crashing down” because the President “could never tell the truth.” Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff was the lead impeachment manager during the 2019 impeachment trial. He tells Anderson Cooper he would have liked to see more than ten Republicans recognize the severity of what Trump did. Plus, sources tell CNN Trump is in “self-pity mode” as he contemplates using pardons to change the subject away from impeachment and the Capitol Hill riots. Legendary journalist Carl Bernstein joins AC360 to discuss Trump’s final days in the White House.

Airdate: January 13, 2021

Guests:

Rep. Adam Schiff

Carl Bernstein

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GOP Rep. Liz Cheney: I will vote to impeach Pres. Trump Jan 13, 2021

Show notes

Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, the third-ranking House leader, announced she will vote to impeach Pres. Trump saying “there has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution.” Cheney is one of three House Republicans who say they will vote to impeach Trump. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated he thinks the President committed impeachable offenses and impeaching him will make it easier to get rid of him and Trumpism from the Republican Party, according to a source with knowledge of the matter. Democratic Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney joins AC360 to react to some Republicans announcing they’ll vote to impeach and says right now is “time to stand up and be counted.” Plus, Trump says his speech right before the Capitol Hill riot was “totally appropriate” and he took no responsibility for inciting the deadly insurrection. The New York Times Foreign Affairs Columnist Thomas Friedman tells Anderson Cooper he wishes he could impeach Trump “four, five, six times” to send the message “you shall never do this again.”

Airdate: January 12, 2021

Guests:

Sen. Sean Patrick Maloney

Thomas Friedman

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Acting DHS Secretary resigns as FBI issues chilling warning Jan 12, 2021

Show notes

Chad Wolf, the acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary, announced his resignation after instructing the U.S. Secret Service to begin National Special Security Event operations for the inauguration a week early. Meanwhile, the FBI issued a chilling warning about “armed protests” planned at the U.S. Capitol and all 50 state capitols. The FBI is also tracking threats against President-elect Joe Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Jonathan Wackrow is a former Secret Service Agent during the Obama Administration. He joins AC360 to react to the FBI’s warning and Wolf’s resignation. Plus, Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown is calling for his colleagues, Republican Senators Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz, to resign after they both voted to overturn the election after rioters overran Capitol Police and breached the U.S. Capitol. Senator Brown says the Senate should expel them if they don’t resign. He tells Anderson Cooper the Senate needs to “take action.”

Airdate: January 11, 2021

Guests:

Jonathan Wackrow

Sen. Sherrod Brown

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Twitter permanently suspends Pres. Trump’s Twitter account Jan 09, 2021

Show notes

Twitter announced that Pres. Trump’s account is permanently suspended “due to the risk of further incitement of violence.” Meanwhile, the White House is in “crisis management” mode and lawyers are being consulted about a potential impeachment. George Conway, a conservative lawyer and co-founder of the Lincoln Project, has been a staunch critic of the President. He joins AC360 to react to Trump’s permanent suspension and the possibility of getting impeached again. Plus, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats are prepared to move forward with impeachment if Trump doesn’t resign. Democratic Congressman Jim Himes is calling for a second impeachment. He tells Anderson Cooper the country will never get back to normal if we don’t hold people accountable.

Airdate: January 8, 2021

Guests:

George Conway

Rep. Jim Himes

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Trump condemns Capitol Hill violence day after telling rioters “we love you” Jan 08, 2021

Show notes

Pres. Trump released a video message hours after defending rioters saying “I am outraged by the violence, lawlessness and mayhem.” This comes a day after telling the same people “We have to have peace. So go home. We love you. You're very special." Democratic leadership is weighing a quick impeachment vote if Vice President Pence doesn’t use the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office. Independent Senator Bernie Sanders joins AC360 to react to the President’s latest message and says the best step is getting him out of office as soon as possible. Plus, a federal prosecutor is examining the President’s role in sparking the violence at the Capitol. Mary Trump, President Trump’s niece and author of “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man” tells Anderson Cooper as inauguration gets closer, the country needs to be prepared for what Trump could do and thinks it’s “extraordinary unlikely” he resigns.

Airdate: January 7, 2021

Guests:

Sen. Bernie Sanders

Mary Trump

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U.S. Capitol secured, woman dead after rioters storm the halls of Congress to try and block Biden’s win Jan 07, 2021

Show notes

Lawmakers reconvened on Capitol Hill to count electoral college votes after supporters of Pres. Trump stormed the halls of the Capitol, engulfing it in chaos. One woman died after being shot in the chest on Capitol grounds. Multiple officers were injured and at least one had to be taken the hospital. Former Pres. Barack Obama reacted to the violence saying “history will rightly remember today's violence at the Capitol, incited by a sitting president who has continued to baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election, as a moment of great dishonor and shame for our nation. But we'd be kidding ourselves if we treated it as a total surprise.”

Airdate: January 6, 2021

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WH Adviser: Trump’s call to Georgia Secretary of State was “crazy” and a “mistake” Jan 05, 2021

Show notes

A top Georgia election official methodically shot down a list of election conspiracy theories Pres. Trump aired in a phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. In the one-hour call Trump is heard pressuring Raffensperger, who is also a Republican, to “find” votes to overturn the election in Georgia and touted baseless election fraud claims multiple times. Democratic Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy joins AC360 to react to the President’s efforts to overturn the election he lost. Plus, over the past week one American died every 33 seconds from Covid-19. December was the deadliest month of the pandemic as the CDC says about 15.4 million vaccine doses have been distributed in the U.S. but only 4.5 million people have received their first doses, falling short of the 20 million Operation Warp Speed had hoped to have vaccinated by the end of 2020. Rick Bright is a member of President-elect Joe Biden’s Covid-19 Advisory Board and is also an immunologist and vaccine researcher. He tells Anderson Cooper there hasn’t been a federal coordinated vaccination plan and program.

Airdate: January 4, 2021

Guests:

Sen. Chris Murphy

Rick Bright

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