President Trump Sparks Backlash in U.K. After Criticizig Mayor of London; Beefed Up Security In New York Following UK Terror Attack
SAVIDGE: And the U.S. several governors have already reacted to last night's terror attack on London Bridge, many of them sending condolences. In New York, Governor Cuomo says that he will be stepping up security around airports, bridges and tunnels that as a precaution. For more on this, I am joined now by CNN Correspondent, Kristen Holmes and Kristen what are the reactions we're hearing from across the country?</s>KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Martin, of course, after any attack like this, we see a heightened concern around security. Here at home, the Department Of Homeland Security quickly issuing a statement last night, saying that there was no information of a specific or credible threat on the United States now across the country. We've heard U.S. officials and police departments echoing that sentiment. But as you mentioned, cities like New York, Boston, Los Angeles are urging residents to remain vigilant as always and not to be alarmed if they see an increase in police presence. Let's take a listen to New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio.</s>BILL DE BLASIO, NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: New Yorkers today will see a heavier presence at key locations around the city. You will see a stronger police presence including our counter-terror forces.</s>HOLMES: And they just want to note one more specific reaction here or response from Florida Governor, Rick Scott. He did tweet, "Praying for London. Terror continues to hurt England and it must stop." Now, the governor of course knowing firsthand how something like that can impact a community, it has been almost exactly one year since he's out of Florida specifically Orlando, the second deadliest attack - the most deadly attack on U.S. soil since 9/11.</s>SAVIDGE: All right, Kristen Holmes, thank you very much for that. President Trump also has been taking to Twitter to offer condolences but also to express outrage and take a jab at the Mayor of London in the wake of the attacks. Shortly after the incident, the president tweeted, "Whatever the United States can do to help out in London and the UK we will be there. We are with you, God bless." But his tone changed a bit this morning after London's Mayor, Sadiq Khan urged his citizens to not be alarmed by an increase in police on the city streets. The president tweeting in response, "At least seven dead, 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is no reason to be alarmed," exclamation point, here to discuss, Brian Morganstern, Republican Strategist and Ellis Henican, he writes the Trump's America Column for the Metro Papers. Thank you both for being with this afternoon.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, Martin.</s>SAVIDGE: Bryan, let me ask you this. Would the president, it would seem, taking a tragedy of terror and trying to use it to a political advantage, how is that in anyway acceptable for the leader of the free world?</s>BRIAN MORGANSTERN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: A political advantage towards with the end of preventing terrorism, I mean his response was a little closer to Theresa May's whose reaction was to say, "We've tolerated this extremism long enough. Enough is enough. We're going to take strong security measures and to root out this evil ideology, this poison that has now affected the British twice just in the last few weeks and of course the United States knows it well having experienced not only 9/11 but...</s>SAVIDGE: If he had said enough is enough that might have been a powerful statement, but that was not what he said. He immediately went into an issue that is in the court and his second tweet seemed to be the one he should have sent first.</s>MORGANSTERN: The -- I'm sorry. I don't think I understand your question. The second tweet about the - about no reason to be harmed or...</s>SAVIDGE: We're with you.</s>MORGANSTERN: Right, so that of course, the sympathy is welcomed but also what should -- is a proper response is, "This is unacceptable behavior, we're going to do whatever we can to stop it and we're going to be tough. We're going to stand up to any sort of extremism." And so, you know, that seems consistent with that. I think President Trump's plainspoken nature tends to - tends to rub some people the wrong way. But, I think the message there is fairly common sense that we're going to stand up to these people and, you know, to extremists and we're going to make sure they can't bring harm to us again.</s>SAVIDGE: Ellis, I didn't get the outrage that apparently is being explained to me. What did you get?</s>ELLIS HENICAN, METRO PAPERS COLUMNIST: It sounded to me like a buffoon in church heckling the priest in the middle of a homily. I mean, it's completely unacceptable, right to harass the Mayor of London while he's out trying to deal with this thing in a responsible way to calm his own citizens to urge them not give in to the - to the natural fears at a time like this. Every single other leader and even Rick Scott in Florida who's not always the smoothest character, understood that a time like this, what you do you express them sympathy. You express resolve not to be cowed by these evil people and you leave your political debates for another day. And also, to bring up gun control, did you notice that?</s>HENICAN: I didn't notice any gun issue here because these guys used knives. It is sadly, Martin, yet another example of president missing not only the substance but the tone at an important time.</s>SAVIDGE: Brian, why is there no official release from the White House? Why are the official words just coming in 140 characters?</s>MORGANSTERN: Well, who needs an official release when the president himself can speak to the American people and people around the world, you know, at a moment's notice he can just fire it off himself, but to Ellis, I mean liberals frequently, you know, don't want to let tragedies go to waste. The president has an agenda that include security measures to fight back against terrorism and he wants to make sure that people are vigilant. That he express sympathy but not only sympathy also that we're going to be tough in the face of adversity and that we're going to stand up for our open societies and our western values and that we won't, you know, cow in fear. And to the Mayor of London, I mean he said, of course, you know, people shouldn't be alarmed at the increased security presence, but why is there an increased security presence, because they've - because the Brits have experienced two terror attacks in the last couple of weeks.</s>SAVIDGE: But, Brian, you know, that's not what the president said. The president said, and he was taking apparently either he misconstrued what the Mayor of London said or he purposely mispresented it by implying that the mayor...</s>MORGANSTERN: Martin, Martin...</s>SAVIDGE: ...and the people should not be alarmed, that's very clear.</s>MORGANSTERN: But Martin, that is reductionist, because he was saying, don't be alarmed by the increased police presence that, you know, I agree, but why is there increased police presence, it's because there was a terrorist attack just a couple weeks after another one.</s>HENICAN: Hold on a second. There's a reason why this is especially off kilter here. I mean Donald Trump is someone who lived through 9/11 in New York, right? He understands at a time like this it's very important for leaders to exert some calm and some control. What I remember from 9/11 incidentally on Trump was that what he -- the way he reacted to that was just as crazy, right? Remembering a partying Muslims, a whole series of things, it will just cooked up in some kind of political fantasy somewhere that were exactly the wrong signals. I do think maybe we're getting some shadows of that again.</s>SAVIDGE: Well, Rudy Giuliani, you know, is a man who is considered to be a hero of that time.</s>HENICAN: He did fine at that.</s>SAVIDGE: And showed leadership. The question is here, it looks like you're showing politics and that's the point I'm getting to, Brian.</s>HENICAN: Yes and timing - and timing matters, too. You know, it's fine to have that debate three or four days later when we're talking about a policy prescription. But, for the first - the first thing out of your fingers to be heckling the local mayor and frankly truly taking out of context what the guy said, he didn't say we should not be alarmed at the terror attack. He said, "Hey, folks, if you see a lot of armed police officers around, don't let that scare you into cowering on your couch, get out and be tough Londoners like we know you."</s>HENICAN: ...that's a perfectly appropriate message.</s>MORGANSTERN: Well, why are they there? Because we've had these terror attacks twice just in the last couple of weeks in Britain and the president is trying to, you know, project strength as opposed to the sort of knee-jerk, you know, reaction of many, which is, oh, let's brace for the backlash against people who are not actually associated with it but who are maybe peaceful Muslim people and of course that's - that's worthwhile as well. But the toughness that I think Theresa May has projected and that President Trump has projected is what a lot of Americans appreciate and it's plainspoken nature...</s>SAVIDGE: Well, I will point out that you are right, that it did sound like the Theresa May had more Trump in the way that she expressed her feelings today. Let me bring this up, the acting ambassador to the United Kingdom seemingly seems to be at odds with the President Trump's view. He put out in his own tweet, the ambassador or here's what he said, "Strong leadership of Sadiq Khan is noteworthy and given between the ISIS" - this is not an exact quote. Let me read it to you, "I commend the strong leadership of the Mayor of London as he leaves the city towards" or "forward after this heinous attack". That seems like the statement that should have come from the President of the United States and not an acting ambassador.</s>HENICAN: That's fine, Martin. And this isn't a new territory. I mean, we've had about 50 dress rehearsals for this. So, you can't say, well, hey, we just didn't know how to respond in a difficult situation. These things really at this point sadly they follow a template of what strong and balanced leaders do. And I've got to tell you, I just think this would seem to ham handed to a lot of people around the world.</s>SAVIDGE: All right, I got to get Brian in. Brian, please - I mean is it just this is the way our president is?</s>MORGANSTERN: Well, to an extent, yes. But - and he was elected for a reason. People don't want the same rehearsed remarks and thoughts and prayers. I mean people are tired of that. They want action. And I think the president is trying to convey the urgency that he feels and that other Americans and others in Britain as well feel that they're tired of this status quo. They're not willing to accept the regularity of terror attacks. They want their leaders to take strong actions in a strong stance. You know, I understand some people are rubbed the wrong way by that, but I - but that -- it's just a different attitude. He's trying to change the status quo.</s>SAVIDGE: Brian Morgenstern and Ellis Henican, thank you both for joining me today.</s>HENICAN: Good seeing you.</s>SAVIDGE: We'll be right back.