CNN "Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees" - Transcript: Interview with Senator Richard Blumenthal

Interview

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COOPER: Our next guest right now has spent the entire day on jury duties. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democratic from Connecticut joins us during this five-minute break. We appreciate you joining us in this the limited minutes you have.

Senator Blumenthal, the revised rules from McConnell giving three days to each side for opening arguments rather than two days, is that a fair move in your opinion?

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT): I'm not hearing anything.

COOPER: Senator Blumenthal, it's Anderson, can you hear me? We will try to get -- we'll try to get connection with that. We'll continue back with the panel. Kaitlan, I'm sorry to interrupt you.

COLLINS: Well, we were talking about these arguments that you're making and whether or not you think that the White House attorneys have been effective but they really don't have to bring a lot of people to their side, all they have to do is hold this wall of support.

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That's what makes it so interesting when it comes to the witnesses of course. Because right now they're not sure they're going to be able to hold that support.

COOPER: I want to g back to Senator Blumenthal. Senator Blumenthal, it's Anderson, can you hear me?

BLUMENTHAL: Yes.

COOPER: Great. I'm wondering what you -- what you have heard, what's it like sitting in that room? How do you think it is going right now?

BLUMENTHAL: I am continuing to be really awed by the sense of history and purpose here. And the real historic task we have ahead of us to uncover the truth, presented to the American people, the House managers are doing a very able job of making the case for these witnesses and documents.

And for us to hear them now rather than turning the trial on its head and hearing the evidence after the trial is over and I think that's what the American people want as well, a full, fair proceeding. And that's coming across very clearly to the chamber. And I'm impressed by how intently all hundred senators are doing.

COOPER: Senator Blumenthal, to those who said that this is just all about politics, that this is a political process, the votes have been along political lines, no new arguments are being made, what do you say?

BLUMENTHAL: I think there are new arguments in the sense that the detail that has been provided, the masterfully done summaries by the House managers, which really make the case for why these individuals should be called as witnesses, they were in the room.

Mick Mulvaney took the order from the president as he himself has said. We want to know why he did it, when, what the president said, and of course, John Bolton tried to talk him out of it. Called it a drug deal.

We want to hear from Robert Blair and Michael Duffey who executed the scheme. And the documents, black and white documents don't lie. They have made the case. And it should be bipartisan.

Unfortunately, the votes have been, you're absolutely right, along partisan lines. But the country will not react as the Senate chamber does on a partisan basis. Seventy percent of the country believes that we should hear the evidence, that we should seek the truth. And investigate, continue to uncover this abuse of power corruptly by the president to serve his own personal interests.

And at the heart of this scheme and it's coming out clearer and clearer, is the illegal abuse of power by the president in holding hostage millions of dollars in taxpayer money simply to favor himself.

COOPER: In order to get any witnesses or to get any documents you need at least four Republicans. Do you believe any minds have actually been changed so far today?

BLUMENTHAL: My colleagues are now on record. And they will be haunted by history and perhaps by the voters because they're on record against witnesses and documents. I think what they will see by the end of this trial is the peril of continuing on that track. And maybe we will see them change their minds.

But I will be very blunt. I'll believe it when I see it. I hope they will be on the right side of history. But so far, the indications are they are going to do as Senator McConnell is doing, take their cues from the White House and allow the president to dictate the rules of his own trial.

COOPER: If you've got to go, you've got to go, so let me know. But it's been stretching now over 10 hours in that chamber. All the senators are sitting there. You can't look at your phones, you can't really do anything other than sit there and listen. What is it been like? I mean, do you see people grumbling? Do you see people -- you're not allowed to even speak?

BLUMENTHAL: Great question, Anderson, because it has been a unique moment and I have been really astonished to see a hundred of my colleagues in the chamber at the same time for hours, literally hours on end.

Rarely do a group of senators, even a third of that size, attend any event for that long. And yet they are listening intently, without those cell phones. And I am sure that the separation anxiety is severe. But it is a moment that really demands us to put country above personal interests and party. And I hope that we will hear the better angels of our nature and rise, hopefully, and meet that challenge.

COOPER: Senator Blumenthal I know you've got to go back. I appreciate your time tonight. Thank you very much.

BLUMENTHAL: Thank you.

COOPER: Back now with our legal and political team. David Gergen, I know you wanted to respond.

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