CNN "Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees" - Transcript: Interview with Senator Elizabeth Warren

Interview

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Up next, my interview with Senator Elizabeth Warren, how she says she can turn her campaign around.

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COOPER: Elizabeth Warren's presidential campaign is clearly reassessing its strategy tonight. The Massachusetts senator led polls just a few months ago, however, she's now had two poor performances in a row, placing third in Iowa, fourth in New Hampshire.

Today, according to one media analysis group, her campaign has canceled more than a half million dollars in ad reservations in the next primary state in South Carolina. Just before airtime, I spoke to Senator Warren about her performance so far and how she sees the coming weeks and months unfolding.

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COOPER: Senator Warren, thanks for being with us. I'm wondering about last night, what do you think happened in New Hampshire? There were obviously a lot of people who wanted you to do better, your supporters.

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Sure, including me. But, you know, we've got five candidates now who all have delegates, and I think we're in for a long nomination process. Since Iowa, I have raised $5 million in grassroots donations. People who are saying, stay in this race, fight this race, because they get it.

COOPER: Do you have a sense of why that message, which is the message you gave in New Hampshire, didn't resonate?

WARREN: You know, I don't. But I can tell you this, I can tell you that it's what I fight for. And I'm going to get out there and keep fighting for it and keep talking about it. I think we're in a very frothy place right now, but do keep in mind, we've only heard from two states. We got 98 states and territories, 98 percent of our states and territories left to go. That means we've got a lot coming up.

Although, I have to say I know everybody wants to talk about the horse race, but the thing that is really getting to me right now is what's going on over at the Justice Department and the whole notion that we have people in our Justice Department resigning because Donald Trump's inappropriate influence and the attorney general overturning a sentencing of Donald Trump's cronies.

[20:45:01]

You know, right if front of our eyes, we are watching a descent into authoritarianism. And this just seems like a moment to me everybody should be speaking up. Presidential candidates should be speaking up. People around this country should be speaking up.

COOPER: I said --

WARREN: We can't have this.

COOPER: Last night I think I said on air that, you know, "The Washington Post" says democracy dies in darkness. It actually doesn't. It dies on television. It dies right under the lights of, you know, the bright of day.

WARREN: With people not doing something.

COOPER: I mean, this is an attack on the institution of justice.

WARREN: That's right, and with people not doing something. I mean, understand right now we should all be calling for the attorney general to resign. What Barr has done should mean that we are demanding a resignation. And if that guy won't resign, then the House should start impeachment proceedings against him.

COOPER: I know when you called for the impeachment of the president and an investigation on impeachment, there were those who said, well, look, you know, politically, this is not going to be good for Democrats. You said, look, there are things that are more important than that. Is there -- I mean, the idea of launching another impeachment investigation this time against the attorney general, that -- I mean, again, there are political considerations, no?

WARREN: No doubt there are political considerations, but what do you think are the political considerations just sitting by and sitting on your hands? Look, you started this with talking about how democracy dies. It doesn't just die in darkness, that it dies on television with nobody doing anything. Enough of this. We can't just sit by and watch this happen. And I have to say, I'm surprised the other presidential candidates aren't out there talking about it.

COOPER: Before we go, just one last question about what lies ahead for you. Obviously, it's Nevada. There's South Carolina. Are you concerned that -- I mean, Senator Sanders appears to be solidifying the progressive wing of the party behind him. You got, I guess more moderates, you might say, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar. Do you see yourself as sort of a lane in between a Sanders, and a Buttigieg, a Klobuchar? I mean, some sort of bridge between them? Where is your lane at this point?

WARREN: So, Jesse Jackson made a wonderful statement many years ago, "It takes two wings to fly." And I think that's where we are right now in the Democratic Party, a lot of good people in this party, a lot of good ideas. But we need someone who's going to be able to unite this party, and to be able to fight hard on behalf of core Democratic values, to fight on behalf of hardworking middle-class American families, to fight on behalf of people who've just been getting the short end of the stick over and over and over.

You know, I came to politics late, but that was my life's work. And I'm running for president not just because I know how badly it has gotten for hardworking people, but I can see the ways that we can make this better. We get in this fight together. We can turn this around. We can make this a country that isn't just working for rich people, but a country that actually invests in all of our children, a country that actually builds a future for everyone. It's what makes this so exciting.

COOPER: Senator Warren, appreciate your time. Thank you.

WARREN: Thank you.

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