CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) Is Interviewed About Michael Bloomberg's Candidacy

Interview

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BLITZER: We're getting some breaking news. Representative for former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg have just filed the official paperwork to put his name on the ballot for Alabama's Democratic presidential primary. We're going to get a lot more on that coming up. But joining us right now, senator and Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker, he's joining us from Charleston, South Carolina. Senator thanks so much for joining us. I'll get your reaction to Michael Bloomberg shortly but let's talk a little bit about what is happening right now in Washington, the acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. With Mulvaney, do you believe he would act in the -- in this entire quid pro quo issue with Ukraine without the specific direct approval or direction by the president?

SEN. CORY BOOKER (D-NJ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Look, I think we need to get to the facts. And this is one of those times where this president is doing everything he can to obstruct the ability of Congress which by our constitutional design should give checks and balances to the executive. He's obstructing our ability to interview many critical witnesseses for us to get to the truth. What do they have to hide? Why won't they let the American people know the truth of what happened? There needs to be accountability. Mulvaney nor Trump are above the law. No one in our country is.

BLITZER: Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee says the Trump administration was simply incapable of establishing a quid pro quo. What do you make of that defense?

BOOKER: I think it's - you know this is a time we need patriotism and it is one of the times I'm quite confident that if this was a Democratic president that some of my colleagues now who are not holding this person to account would be. This should not be a time of partisanship. This is time a time where we are literally sending messages to the presidents in the future presidents about what is tolerable. With this president, what we know already - even by his own words is absolutely unacceptable. We know that this president was using his office to pursue his own personal gain while undermining National Security interests.

And so, this is a time that everybody should be asking for an investigation to get more information and do a thorough accounting for what exactly happened before they rush to judgment. The fact this is not a bipartisan call for a thorough investigation is unacceptable to me. This is a time where patriotism should be driving this, not partisanship.

BLITZER: You've been supportive of the House impeachment inquiry. Based on what you've seen so far, Senator, would you vote to convict the president and remove him from office?

BOOKER: Well, I mean let's be very particular here. We are going to serve as a jury on the Senate side based upon specific articles of impeachment that come before us. I don't know what the specific articles will be. What the charges will be.

But I'll tell you this, what I've seen already is pretty damning to have a president take these actions. But again this cannot be done in a reflexive way. We're talking about removing a sitting president from office. This is something with a great deal of gravity should be dealt in a sober way and we should conduct ourselves in a way that builds more national consensus, doesn't rip it apart by me standing here in South Carolina amidst a political event talking about how I'm going to vote before I've seen the articles. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure this is a process that is gone honorably and a way that builds more confidence, does not lurch us into greater partisanship where people think we are pursuing our political aims as opposed to our deeply sacred obligations to this great republic.

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BLITZER: And quickly on this question, if he's impeached in the House of Representatives and in January there is a full-scale trial in the U.S. Senate, would you abandon Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, come back to Washington and sit in the Senate as a juror?

BOOKER: Well, my campaign will never do that, abandoning Iowa, heck, we're right now leading all other campaigns except for one in endorsements from local elected leaders who are putting themselves on the line by choosing to endorse me and give me their nod for the presidency. So even if I'm not in Iowa or New Hampshire, as one of the two candidates that leads the rest of the field in people putting their faith in us who are elected leaders, I'm not going to leave those states. I'll have people working for my campaign there.

But let's be clear. I swore an oath. I stood on the Senate floor in front of Joe Biden. In fact, he swore me in that I would protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. This president seems to have violated his duty and I'm going to do mine.

BLITZER: Let me get your thoughts on the breaking news we just reported. The Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has just formally taken the first step towards possibly entering the 2020 Democratic presidential contest. His spokesman says Bloomberg is increasingly concerned that the current field of candidates is not well positioned to defeat President Trump. So how do you respond?

BOOKER: Well, first of all, I've known Michael Bloomberg for years now. When I became a mayor, it was mayors like him and Mayor Rendell who really offered a hand of mentorship to me. I still love one of the things Mike sent to my office which was a countdown clock to dial right to the actual days I had left as mayor in my two terms and I love the message. He said, don't count the days. Make sure when you're chief executive, make every single day count.

Mike is a special guy and all of us who are citizens of this great republic should always be concerned in focusing on this field. I think that the polling right now is something that's distracting people and might have him concerned. Because of the way the polling looks right now. But we've never had a president from our party ever go on to the White House who is polling ahead right now. This election is going to turn a lot. Barack Obama on this day in 2007 was 21 points behind Hillary Clinton.

And so, I'm confident in my ability to emerge as a leader of the pack out of Iowa and New Hampshire. And I think if leaders like me who are unifying leaders, who can bring the full breadth of our party together and appeal to moderates and independents in the Republican Party and independents in general, I don't think people like Michael Bloomberg will see a reason that they're going to want to run or enter this race. BLITZER: Senator Cory Booker, good luck out there on the campaign trail. Thanks very much for joining us.

BOOKER: Thank you for having me. Thanks so much.

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