Trump's First Week; Working Orders; A Hell of a Week; New Executive Order Suspends Refugees for 120 Days; The Battle Over "Alternative Facts"; Trump on Torture: "It Does Work"
JOHN BERMAN, CNN HOST: That does it for us. Thanks for watching. A special edition of "Smerconish" starts right now.</s>MICHAEL SMERCONISH, CNN HOST: Hey, welcome to a special primetime edition of "Smerconish." Week one of the Trump presidency. I'm Michael Smerconish. It has been a hell of a week. The most politically tumultuous in the three decades that I've been paying very close attention. Just take a look at today. The executive orders keep coming. The latest, suspension of all refugee admissions for 120 days and for Syrians until further notice. In foreign affairs, the President held hands with the British prime minister, but canceled next week's meeting with the Mexican president due to the border wall dispute. And their joint statements reveal a crucial disagreement. Tomorrow, he's calling Vladimir Putin, of whom today he suddenly remarked, "I don't say good, bad or indifferent. I don't know the gentleman." So how will that chat go? He's also dialing back his plan to bring back torture saying he'll defer to Secretary "Mad Dog" Mattis, but he still thinks it's effective. I'll talk tonight to the man who implemented enhanced interrogation post 9/11. And, as you know, I like to receive and comment in real-time on tweets that you send me. So please, tweet me @smerconish and I will read some live on the air. As a matter of fact they're already coming in. What does Nomad say? "Smerconish, you are an effing disgrace to independents," whoa, "as you had your head up Trump's ass for weeks. GRFOOH." I'll have to ask my kids about that. Et cetera, et cetera. Hey, Nomad, you know what's unique about your tweet? Is that normally I catch hell from the left and the right. So I guess tonight is unique for a whole other reason. But first, how is he doing? That, like everything else in this country, depends upon your silo, your bubble. And I know this from my personal interactions, hours spent this week conversing with my SiriusXM radio listeners and many social media exchanges. Here's how I see the divide. To the critics, the 73 million who voted for someone other than Donald Trump, this thing is already a hot mess. We have a president still fighting over the size of his inaugural crowd. He sends bombastic, petty tweets. He made an overly political speech standing in sacred space at the CIA, lies about voter fraud, entertains thoughts of reinstituting torture, has already offended the Mexican president, now wants to stick the American people with the bill for the wall. And has a senior adviser openly telling the media they are the opposition. But none of that seems to matter to the 46 percent who voted for him. They are elated. Here's what they see. A media-driven fight over crowd size, immediate action, like he promised, to end Obamacare, a reinstated abortion ban, the end of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, NAFTA on life support, a revival of the Keystone Pipeline, follow through on that pledge to build a wall, and a willingness to send the Feds to end all that carnage in Chicago. There's not much overlap in those two views. But there is a way of working through all this. The policy disputes are mostly honest differences. We had an election. One side won. The other side lost. The losing side has to face policy consequences. And the 46 percent? They're in charge. But what is unacceptable is government by distortion, by fear, by intimidation, making unfounded assertions about voter fraud or needlessly insulting the people of Mexico. That's intolerable and left undeterred, that can only metastasize to more impactful issues. Now there is, of course, an institution that should be playing a moderating role with regard to this divide. I speak of the Congress. Congress can limit the first use of nuclear weapons, halt the building of walls without authority, and sign off on whether there are sanctions with Russia. I also believe that the Congress has a leadership role to play in the court of public opinion and in private discussions with the President about modulating his behavior when necessary. So, here's hoping that they fill the enormous void. You know, I've always tried to balance this program with voices from all sides. And just last April we held a focus group in Philadelphia made up of voters who had changed their registration to Republican so they could vote in the primary. Here are some highlights.</s>JERRY ZIMMER, TRUMP SUPPORTER: I truly believe he cares about us. I have always been a proud American. I'm tired of apologizing for being a proud American.</s>MARY LOU ZIMMER, TRUMP SUPPORTER: He started saying things like the wall, like immigration.</s>SMERCONISH: Some of those folks are back tonight to see what they think of the new president. Jimmy Finn and Jerry and Mary Lou Zimmer. All right, guys, it's only a week, maybe it's unfair. Give him a grade. How was the week?</s>M. ZIMMER: Well, Michael, I think I have to differ from your opinion. I think I would give him an</s>A. SMERCONISH: Hey, my opinion was to layout the way both sides see this because there doesn't seem to be much of a middle ground. You give him an A. What's his grade?</s>J. ZIMMER: I'm giving him an A minus.</s>SMERCONISH: Why the minus? What didn't he do that earned him the minus? You --</s>J. ZIMMER: Hillary's still walking free and the Clintons are still hoarding and stealing money.</s>SMERCONISH: Yeah, in other words, you really did want her locked up.</s>J. ZIMMER: I want it to be proven.</s>SMERCONISH: Jim Finn, what's --</s>J. ZIMMER: If you let her go to the old folks home afterwards, that's fine, instead of the prison, but the facts need to come out.</s>SMERCONISH: Jim Fin, what's the grade?</s>JIM FINN, TRUMP SUPPORTER: Michael, I give him an A. Every day I get home from work, I'm wondering what he did today. So, I think he's doing a great job so far.</s>SMERCONISH: Well, I'm wondering what he did today but maybe not for the same reasons that you are wondering. But I'll tell you this, it hasn't been dull, that's for sure. Look, you know I love --</s>FINN: Dull, dull.</s>SMERCONISH: You know I love legal tablets.</s>FINN: Not dull at all.</s>SMERCONISH: You know I love legal tablets.</s>FINN: Yeah.</s>SMERCONISH: I love drawing a line down the middle and looking at the pluses and minuses. The Zimmers, you heard the list of the critic complaints. Why is he arguing about crowd sizes? Why does he tweet in the manner that he does? What about that lie, at least according to "The New York Times," that three to five million illegals voted in this election, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera? You know the criticisms. What are you thinking when you hear them?</s>J. ZIMMER: OK, as far as the voter, that's to be seen. But let's get back to talking --</s>SMERCONISH: You mean the fraud issue?</s>J. ZIMMER: Yes. But let's go back to talking about the crowd size. The big issue there was they come out -- I'm not going to name the stations. He threw the bust of Martin Luther King out. That's like telling the nation the president came in and threw eggs at his grave. Went to Atlanta and God knows what he did to it. They try to start this.</s>SMERCONISH: No, you know that didn't happen.</s>J. ZIMMER: Absolutely.</s>SMERCONISH: And you don't like the way in which that was reported.</s>J. ZIMMER: Absolutely. Oh, and (inaudible) behind somebody. That is not reporting. That is not telling the news. That's making the news.</s>SMERCONISH: OK, so, you're telling me it's the media. I mean, as I articulated in my pluses and minuses, you think this is all a media concoction and that he hasn't misbehaved or acted inappropriately thus far.</s>J. ZIMMER: He has made some mistakes.</s>FINN: Bias. Yeah, bias.</s>J. ZIMMER: But I do feel that the news media is very, very biased.</s>SMERCONISH: You think out to get him.</s>J. ZIMMER: Out to get everybody, to get the ratings up. Ratings are more important than facts.</s>SMERCONISH: But Jerry --</s>J. ZIMMER: Ratings are more important that facts, that's what I'm saying.</s>SMERCONISH: -- let's talk facts. Because when he talks about voter fraud and when he talks about three to five million people having voted illegally in this election, I wanted to know where did he get that from. The citation that he offers is Pew research. I have the study in my hands. That bears no resemblance to what really occurred in this study. I mean, do facts matter?</s>J. ZIMMER: Facts matter, but who did the study?</s>FINN: I don't even think we should be worried about that.</s>SMERCONISH: A nonpartisan organization associated with the -- go ahead, I'm sorry, Jim.</s>FINN: I don't think -- that's one -- I don't think we should be worrying about that. He's already the president. So, my biggest thing is the media bias, whatever. We just -- we got to all start coming together because this is starting to get to be a real pain. I mean, it's every day. It don't matter what channel you go on, news or whatever. He is our president. So let's, you know, we got to get together on this.</s>SMERCONISH: I'm all for -- listen, I'm all for --</s>FINN: I got grandkids. I'm only -- anything.</s>SMERCONISH: I'm all for respecting him as the president of the United States, but there are a number of issues that I think are fair game. Mary Lou --</s>M. ZIMMER: Yes.</s>SMERCONISH: -- he campaigned on that pledge to build the wall.</s>FINN: Yup.</s>SMERCONISH: He campaigned on the pledge to build the --</s>FINN: I'm going to give you that.</s>SMERCONISH: Jim, hang on one second. I want to ask Mary Lou a question.</s>FINN: I agree.</s>SMERCONISH: He campaigned on the pledge to build a wall. Who's going to pay for the wall?</s>M. ZIMMER: Well, we are. But Trump is, I believe, he is a man of his word. And he is also the businessman who has the art of the deal. I believe he will make the deal with the Mexican president and the wall will be paid for out of Mexico.</s>SMERCONISH: Hey, Jim, doesn't it make you nervous. And, you know, maybe you went to one of those events where it was a big line. Who's going to pay for the wall? Everybody would say Mexico. But he's now asking the Congress --</s>FINN: Yeah, I know.</s>SMERCONISH: -- for somewhere in the neighborhood of $14 billion. That's all of us paying for the wall. Speak to that issue.</s>FINN: I understand that, but that I think that he's going to, you know, I think Mexico isn't going to pay for the whole wall. I'm going to tell you that right now. And yes, taxpayers, us, we're going to have to pay for some of it. But I agree in the long run. I said I think we'll probably get most of our money back but not all of it. I got to agree on that.</s>SMERCONISH: And you're OK with that?</s>FINN: With paying some --</s>SMERCONISH: Yeah.</s>FINN: Well, yeah, if it's going to protect my family, yeah.</s>SMERCONISH: You OK with the American taxpayers picking up the tab?</s>FINN: If it's going to protect us.</s>SMERCONISH: Let me ask the two of you. You OK with that?</s>J. ZIMMER: Would you rather pay $14 million or the $100 billion?</s>SMERCONISH: Billion, 14 billion.</s>J. ZIMMER: $100 billion that we're paying for the illegals that we're feeding, clothing, giving them Social Security cards, giving them driver's license.</s>SMERCONISH: Another immigration issue --</s>J. ZIMMER: They're going to save money.</s>SMERCONISH: -- just came up today. So President Trump said, hey, for the next 120 days we're not taking any more refugees. I assume you agree with that as well.</s>M. ZIMMER: I do, absolutely.</s>SMERCONISH: Because you --</s>M. ZIMMER: Because --</s>FINN: I agree.</s>J. ZIMMER: Yeah, so do</s>I. M. ZIMMER: Yes, I agree with you also, Jim. He always said that he wanted America first. And if you stop and think about it, if we let these refugees in, not only are they taking money out of our pockets paying for their different medications and types of things this way, they're taking our jobs away. America needs those jobs and that's what Trump is for.</s>J. ZIMMER: We take --</s>SMERCONISH: Go ahead.</s>J. ZIMMER: -- our homes away from our elderly because they can't buy our taxes and shove them into a home and pay three times more than we could from paying the taxes. We are so worried about people from other countries that have billions of dollars. Look what Saudi Arabia's got. Where is their money to take care of their own people?</s>M. ZIMMER: Right.</s>J. ZIMMER: I was brought up to take care of your family comes first. Where does the money from Saudi Arabia?</s>FINN: Jerry, what I'm --</s>SMERCONISH: Go ahead, Jim, I know you're dying to get into this. Go ahead.</s>FINN: I know. What I'm worried about, what about the children coming over here. That's the only thing with immigration and stuff, the children that's coming here. I have three grandkids, you know, I love kids. You know, that's the only thing. What are we going to do with the kids that are already over here, you know? That something has to be done about that. So, that's a concern of mine, too.</s>SMERCONISH: OK, so those who came by virtue of their parents, they now are here illegally, and you say, Mr. Trump, President Trump, at least let them stay, the dreamers.</s>FINN: Well, I mean, I'm not talking about today. I'm talking about the children that already have been over here for like two and three years already that they've done nothing with. So, that's what I'm saying.</s>SMERCONISH: All right, Jim Finn, Mary Lou and Jerry Zimmer. By the way, is America great again already?</s>M. ZIMMER: Not yet.</s>FINN: Not yet.</s>J. ZIMMER: Proud to be American. For the first time in eight years I can happily say that I'm proud to be an American.</s>SMERCONISH: Oh, you weren't proud to be an American?</s>J. ZIMMER: Yep. I was very proud.</s>SMERCONISH: I am proud.</s>J. ZIMMER: But we applaud someone that said that. That's what we're leaving.</s>SMERCONISH: OK. But you're making me nervous because what you're really saying is you yourself weren't proud to be an American before.</s>J. ZIMMER: I've been proud to be an American since I crawled out of my first black and gold diapers that had steelers on them when I was first born.</s>SMERCONISH: OK. Guys --</s>J. ZIMMER: Never a day I wasn't proud.</s>SMERCONISH: Nice of you to come back.</s>J. ZIMMER: I'm just prouder today.</s>SMERCONISH: Prouder. OK.</s>M. ZIMMER: Yeah.</s>SMERCONISH: That I'll accept. Thank you, guys. Hey, what are you thinking? Tweet me @smerconish. Put up another one so we can all look at it together. Check it out. "Smerconish, if there were three million illegal votes cast deviously wouldn't the Dems have been able to win the Electoral College?" You know what I keep wondering, Jessica, the three to four or five million people that he speaks to, wouldn't someone be on "Access Hollywood" by now or doing a TMZ interview or maybe even CNN? Where are these people? That's what I'd like to know. OK, you've heard from his base. Next up what Steve Bannon calls the opposition party and I refer to the media. And, is it ever appropriate for journalists to use the "L" word as in lie?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unsupported claims.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maybe not true.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Denial of the facts.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The President's statement was unsubstantiated. The President's statement was unfounded.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've had your share of misstatements over the past few months.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Leading with multiple falsehoods, declaring erroneous figures easily proven to be factually inaccurate.