WELCOME BACK.

WE'RE HERE WITH CHRIS CUOMO, FROM THE CHRIS CUOMO POWER HOUR,

OVER ON CNN.

YOU ARE CELEBRATING YOUR SECOND YEAR, RIGHT?

>> YES.

>> Stephen: IS IT COMING UP OR DID YOU JUST CELEBRATE IT?

>> NO, IT WILL COME UP THIS JUNE, BUT THANK YOU FOR

REMEMBERING.

>> REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST GOT THE GIG THE 9:00, YOU HAVE BEEN

WEARING PRETTY MUCH THE EXACT SAME OUTFIT FOR TWO YEARS.

IN THE THIRD SEASON, WILL YOU HAVE A BIGGER WARDROBE?

>> TIMES ARE TOUGH, STEPHEN.

>> Stephen: I KNOW THEY ARE.

I DO IT ON PURPOSE, YOU KNOW.

>> Stephen: WHY?

I DO IT BECAUSE, ONE, I THINK IT DOESN'T MATTER.

I THINK WHAT YOU WEAR ON TV DOESN'T MATTER.

I'M NOT THERE FOR HOW I LOOK, OTHER THAN ALL THIS ACTION I

HAVE GOING ON.

>> Stephen: SURE, THE MONEYMAKER.

>> YEAH.

( LAUGHTER ) SECONDLY, THE SHOW IS NO JOKE.

IS SHOW IS ABOUT GETTING AFTER IT, BEING STRAIGHT, BEING TOUGH,

BEING REAL, GETTING AFTER IT, AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK IT

SUGGESTS.

( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: YOU'RE FRIENDS

WITH KELLYANNE CONWAY, RIGHT?

>> AN ODD SEGUE, BUT YES.

>> Stephen: NOT AN ODD SEGUE, I'M JUST INTERRUPTING YOU.

>> OH.

>> Stephen: YOU'RE FRIENDS WITH KELLYANNE CONWAY AND HAVE

HER ON THE SHOW FREQUENTLY.

>> NOT AS MUCH AS I USED TO.

>> Stephen: WHEN YOU GUYS WOULD FIGHT, WHAT IS IT LIKE TO

BE FRIEND WITH SOMEONE AND HAVE REALLY QUITE VIGOROUS FIGHTS ON

AIR.

WHEN IT'S ALL OVER, IS IT ALL SMILES OR DOES THE ANIMUS

CONTINUE AFTER THE CAMERAS ARE OFF?

>> I HAVE NO ANIMUS.

>> Stephen: DOES SHE?

YES.

SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE IS DOING.

IT IS A LITTLE BIT LIKE SAYING HELLO, YOU GIVE SOMEONE A HUG

AND A KISS AND THEN AS THEY'RE PULLING AWAY THEY STICK THEIR

THUMB IN YOUR EYE REPEATEDLY.

HERE'S WHY, KELLY ANNE IS MY FRIEND.

I RESPECT HER AND CARE ABOUT HER AND HER FAMILY.

THAT BOTHERS SOME PEOPLE.

I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT WHO I'M FRIENDS WITH OR

NOT.

SHE PUT HERSELF IN A POSITION WHERE SHE DEFENDS THE PRESIDENT.

I WANT HER ON TELEVISION BECAUSE SHE IS VERY CLOSE TO THIS

PRESIDENT AS AN ADVISOR.

WHAT SHE SAYS ON TV IS WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO BELIEVE AND I THINK

THAT'S OF EXTRAORDINARY VALUE.

>> Stephen: IT'S OFTEN LIES.

I WOULD GIVE HER A CREDIT IN SAYING SHE'S ABOUT SPINNING

AWAY.

>> Stephen: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LYING AND

COVERING, IS IT THE SAME KIND OF DIFFERENCE THERE?

>> A LIE IS SOMETHING YOU SAY THAT IS INTENTIONALLY WRONG AND

YOU KNOW IT AND YOU DO IT FOR PURPOSES OF DECEPTION.

SUCH AS, THE PRESIDENT DID NOT HOLD UP THE AID TO UKRAINE.

THAT IS A LIE BECAUSE SHE KNOWS OR SOMEBODY KNOWS AND THEY DO

IT.

THAT'S NOT WHAT SHE SAYS.

SHE SAYS NOW YOU'RE SO WORRIED ABOUT AID TO UKRAINE, BUT YOU

WEREN'T WHEN OBAMA WAS JUST GIVING THEM BLANKETS.

DID SHE LIE?

NO, SHE SPUN AWAY FROM IT AND THE JOB WAS TO PUT HER BACK

THERE.

YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS NOW BUT DURING CLINTON THE DEMOCRATS

DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THIS.

THAT'S HER SKILL SET AND SHE IS EFFECTIVE, WHICH IS WHAT DRIVES

A LOT OF PEOPLE NUTS.

>> Stephen: SHE'S NOT LYING, SHE'S JUST PROTECTING SOMEONE

ELSE'S LIE.

>> YES, SOMETIMES.

>> Stephen: SHE'S AIDING AND ABETTING SOMEONE ELSE'S LIE.

>> THAT'S HOW YOU COULD PUT IT.

>> Stephen: OKAY.

BUT TO BE FAIR TO HER, LET HER ANSWER WHY SHE DOES WHAT SHE

DOES.

I HAVE HER ON THE SHOW BECAUSE I THINK HAVING THE MAIN ADVISER TO

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS VALUABLE TO PEOPLE

EVEN IF THEY OPPOSE HIM BECAUSE IT LETS YOU SEE WHAT YOU'RE

DEALING WITH, WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST WITH THE REMINDER THAT

IT BEAT YOU THE LAST TIME.

>> Stephen: CHRIS, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) "CUOMO PRIME TIME" AIRS NIGHTLY

ON CNN.

CHRIS CUOMO, EVERYBODY!

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH DAVID ALAN GRIER.