CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Transcript: Interview With Florida Senator Bill Nelson

Interview

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BALDWIN: Let's get reaction to that.

With me now, Senator Bill Nelson, Democratic senator from the state of Florida.

Senator Nelson, welcome, sir.

And you heard the president say he misspoke, would vs. wouldn't. Do you buy that?

SEN. BILL NELSON (D), FLORIDA: Sadly, that is not believable, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Tell me why.

NELSON: Because, obviously, in the context of a long press conference, after a two-hour private meeting, and then with 24 hours lapsing, with his staff telling him that he made a big mistake, with Republican senators speaking out in vigorous objection, and some cases outrage, like John McCain's statement, obviously, the president is trying to find an excuse.

BALDWIN: What do you think this message is sending, A, to this country's intelligence community, now that, what, we're 543 days into this presidency, and now he's backing the U.S. intelligence, now?

NELSON: And, as of yesterday, he still wasn't backing the U.S. intelligence.

And that report, remember, came out in January of 2017. That's a year-and-a-half ago, that unanimous report of the American intelligence community that Russia interfered in the election.

And, by the way, they are in the election records of 21 states, including my state. And I have to worry in my election upcoming that now I not only have to be concerned about my opponent; I have to be concerned about the Russians trying to influence the election against me.

BALDWIN: Do you think the Russians are more emboldened based upon what the president stood up on the world stage and said yesterday?

NELSON: Not only are they more emboldened, but this is a pattern of Russian activity over the last several years, and not only in our own country, but in other countries as well.

Look what they did, attempted in France. And look how many other countries will step forward and say the Russians are attacking us in cyber, and they're trying to influence our governing and our elections.

BALDWIN: Senator, let's talk about where you are right now, up on Capitol Hill, and let's talk about your Republican colleagues, because I have read all of these quotes from all of these various Republicans using various adjectives to describe what we saw from the president yesterday. Disgraceful. Most serious mistake. Shameful.

You know, those are the words. I'm wondering about action. I'm wondering about what your Republican colleagues can do and what it is about this president that perhaps they're afraid of to not do more than simply speak those words?

NELSON: Well, what they're afraid of the president is that he's going to come in their Republican primary election and talk against them, and they are deathly afraid of that.

And, because of that, I think, if anything that they propose, it's going to be eyewash. It's not going to have much effect.

What we'd like to see them do is, what about some severe economic sanctions over and above what is already in place? Let's get to the very top levels of Russia. Let's start putting economic sanctions on people like the president of Russia and the prime minister. And then you would start to see some -- some squeals coming out of Russia.

BALDWIN: Last question for you, Senator Nelson.

That is, we have just learned that the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, will appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee next Wednesday. Topics include Kim Jong-un and the meeting with the president, also, of course, this most recent meeting with Vladimir Putin.

What is your number one question that needs to be answered?

NELSON: Mr. Secretary, please come forward and tell us what it is that Putin has hanging over the head of Donald Trump. Why does Donald Trump continue to defer, to curtsy, to bow, and will never say an unkind word toward Vladimir Putin?

What is it that is going on with the U.S. president

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