CNN "Erin Burnett Outfront" - Transcript Interview with Chris Coons

Interview

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OUTFRONT now, Senator Chris Coons, longtime friend of Biden. He's been advising the former vice president, of course, as he gets ready for this crucial debate.

You know, I don't know if you saw the piece we had out of Georgia, single digit there of voters undecided, probably like much as it is across the country. There aren't a lot of people to win over but they're in really important places.

And President Trump is showing himself to be an unpredictable debater, right? You know, we played a moment ago, Carly Fiorina. He does strange things sometimes. They can get in your head.

How should Biden respond?

SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): Well, Erin, great to be on with you again.

As we know, Donald Trump had a decade as a successful reality TV star and he is a master of spectacle, of distraction, of the personal attack of the eighth grade bullying jab and of dramatically changing the subjects.

So what I expect tomorrow night is that Joe is going to have to parry and fend off a whole series of offensive and baseless personal attacks and keep reminding us what's at stake, that this debate really isn't about Donald Trump and the ways he is alarming or unconventional or distressing to listen to or have as president, but it's really about us.

It's about the American people and that Joe Biden has the experience, the compassion and the character to get us out of this pandemic and this terrible recession that unlike Trump who divides us as a nation, Joe has the spirit and the capability to bring us together as a country. BURNETT: So part of the topics, of course, will be the Supreme Court

and on that front just a moment ago, your colleague on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Kamala Harris, vice presidential candidate, of course, was asked if she would meet with Judge Amy Coney Barrett.

Here's what she said.

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SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I'm sure that's going to happen. Yeah, let's see how everything works out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: All right. That seems like a pretty basic thing that she'll meet with her. You're also going to meet with Judge Barrett. Several Democrats, though, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer say they won't.

Are they making a mistake?

COONS: Well, frankly, what they are trying to do is to highlight just how unconventional, how unacceptable this rush in partisan process is. And I understand that.

Frankly, it's a tough choice but between giving some legitimacy to something we shouldn't be doing, which is proceeding with this highly partisan nomination with just 36 days to go before an election where more than half the states are voting, but I think to miss the opportunity to highlight for the American people the consequences of Judge Barrett's confirmation hearing would be a missed opportunity.

BURNETT: Yeah. So let me ask you one thing to this point. I understand your point about the timing.

But yet, Noah Feldman, a Harvard law professor, obviously, you know, he testified in favor of Trump's impeachment last year. He wrote an op-ed that he's known Barrett for more than 20 years. She's more than qualified.

He says, quote: It is better for the republic States to have a principled, brilliant lawyer on the bench, referring to her, he calls her brilliant and principled, than a weaker candidate. That's Barrett.

What do you say to that? Is it possible that forgetting that the timing is unfortunate, she's qualified and capable and deserves her spot?

COONS: Well, what I would say, frankly, is that this isn't about her qualifications. It's about the motivation of Donald Trump in picking her.

There are two things that president Trump said he needed her on this court to do, one is to decide any election-related dispute in his favor and the other is to overturn the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act, as you know, hangs by a thread.

It was Chief Justice Roberts who decided a 5-4 decision upholding its constitutionality now eight years ago, and Judge Barrett criticized that decision. That's on the docket of the Supreme Court just a week after the election.

And, Erin, as you well know, Justice Ginsburg dedicated her life to gender equality and the Affordable Care Act, prevents insurance companies from discriminating against women.

BURNETT: All right. Senator, thank you very much for your time. A lot more to talk about her. I know we'll have that time as these hearings commence. Thank you for your time tonight.

COONS: We will.

BURNETT: And thanks very much to all of you for yours.

"AC360" starts now.

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