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South Carolina Governor to Sign Rebel Flag Removal Bill; RNC Tells Donald Trump to Tone It Down; CNN Goes One-on-One with Donald Trump; Obama: Chances of Iran Deal Less Than 50-50. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired July 09, 2015 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[09:00:05] ANA CABRERA, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now in the NEWSROOM. A historic morning in South Carolina.

JENNY HORNE (R), SOUTH CAROLINA STATE REPRESENTATIVE: If we amend this bill, we are telling the people of Charleston we don't care.

CABRERA: Lawmakers voting after a marathon session to bring down the Confederate flag. When it will stop flying on capital grounds and move to a relic room.

Just 30 minutes from Opening Bell after yesterday's software meltdown.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: There was a lot of skepticism whether or not the exchange was going to be able to go ahead and get things up and running.

CABRERA: The markets didn't panic, but with all eyes on Greece and China how will your stocks do when trading start this morning?

Plus --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like Latinos and Mexicans.

JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Maybe you could talk to Donald Trump about that.

CABRERA: The GOP versus the Donald.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They're taking our jobs, they're building factories, whereas they're building things that we're not even thinking about.

CABRERA: Republicans telling Trump tone it down. But will he listen?

Let's talk in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CABRERA: Good morning. I'm Ana Cabrera in for Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.

We begin in South Carolina where this symbol will no longer fly above the state's House grounds. Governor Nikki Haley expected to sign a bill into law at any moment to take down the Confederate battle flag. A remarkable move really just three weeks after nine people were killed at an African-American church in Charleston. The governor applauding the bill's passage and writing this last night. "We continue to heal as one people and one state."

This historic vote coming after 1:00 this morning following nearly 13 hours of debate between lawmakers. Now undeniably the most emotional and impassioned plea came from Republican Representative Jenny Horne and you have to stop and listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HORNE: Let me tell you, I attended the funeral of Senator Clementa Pinckney and the people of Charleston deserve immediate and swift removal of that flag from these grounds. We can save for another day where this flag needs to go, where -- which flag needs to fly or where it needs to fly or what museum it needs to be in. But the immediate issue as far as I'm concerned as a member of the Charleston delegation and speaking on behalf of the people in Charleston, this flag offends my friend Mia Macleod, my friend John King, my friend Reverend Neal.

I cannot believe that we do not have the heart in this body to do something meaningful such as take a symbol of hate off these grounds on Friday. And if any of you vote to amend, you are ensuring that this flag will fly beyond Friday. And for the widow of Senator Pinckney and his two young daughters, that would be adding insult to injury. And I will not be a part of it.

And for all of these reasons I will not vote to amend this bill today. We may visit this another session, another year, but if we amend this bill, we are telling the people of Charleston we don't care about you. We do not care that someone used this symbol of hate to slay eight innocent people who were worshipping their god.

I'm sorry. I have heard enough about heritage. I have a heritage. I am a lifelong South Carolinian. I am a descendant of Jefferson Davis, OK? But that does not matter. It's not about Jenny Horne. It's about the people of South Carolina who have demanded that this symbol of hate come off of the state House grounds.

And I will tell you I do know and I have it on good authority that the world is watching this debate. And there is an economic development prospect in Dorchester County that is in jeopardy because we refuse to act.

[09:05:10] We need to follow the example of the Senate, remove this flag and do it today, because this issue is not getting any better with age. Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Joining me now to discuss, attorney and South Carolina Democratic state senator, Marlon Kimpson. Also with us, State Representative Joe Neal. We'll speak with Representative Neal in just a moment joining us by phone but I want to start with you, Senator Kimpson, because we've talked to you several times over the past few weeks since this issue really came to fruition and came to light after the deaths of those nine people inside that Charleston church. And I want to get your reaction to what happened in the House early this morning.

MARLON KIMPSON (D), SOUTH CAROLINA STATE SENATE: Well, let me just say this, Ana. I am very proud of the action that the House -- the actions that the House of Representatives took last night. I'm disappointed that it took as long as it did, but be that as it may we are a body of rules and the rules have to play out. Fortunately the rules played out for good. There were a number of frivolous amendments, but at the end of the day the bill that was sent over from the Senate was soundly passed. And that's what matters here.

Now what I want your listeners to understand is that this is the first step in a process that needs to occur to truly embrace policies, laws and customs that still polarize this state by race. And what I'm specifically referring to are healthcare and also equal opportunity for employment opportunities so that people of color and people who historically been disenfranchised from the process can participate in the economic engine of the state.

CABRERA: I think it's really important for us all to remember where this conversation initially began. It began after the deaths of nine people inside the Charleston church. One of them was your friend and your colleague in the Senate, Clementa Pinckney. Now would we even be having this discussion, do you think, if it weren't for that tragedy?

KIMPSON: Not at all. You know, we would always be having a discussion, but the difference is it was a meaningful discussion. The fact is that it took nine deaths, but the South Carolina General Assembly responded. As you mentioned the Senate sent a clear message, sent a very clear message to the House. We wanted a clean bill. And our vote reflected that. We have 46 senators. We had 37 senators voting in favor of the bill to remove the flag. I was one of the cosponsors along with Senators Kean and a number of others.

And that message resonated -- I know you're going to talk with Representative Neal. I heard his speech. But it resonated in the House last night. The House passed a clean bill that was very clear and I believe speaks for the will of the people of South Carolina. In recognition, in recognition of those nine lives including the moral compass of the general assembly, my dear friend Senator Clementa Pinckney.

CABRERA: I do want to bring in State Representative Joe Neal.

I know, Mr. Neal, you have been first elected in 1992 so you've been part of the lawmakers in the state for decades now. What's your reaction this morning after 13 hours of debate, some 68 amendments that had been proposed and yet this passed with more than two-thirds vote in the House when it was all said and done.

JOSEPH H. NEAL (D), SOUTH CAROLINA STATE REPRESENTATIVE: Let me first say that this is a remarkable day in South Carolina, remarkable because when I came into the legislature and we dealt with the flag on the first attempt in 2000 when the flag was moved from the dome out of the chambers of the House and Senate to its present location in front of the state House, there were those of us who thought that we would never see this day come to see this flag moved from the state House -- from in front of it.

This day is testament to the power of love and unity and grace. And I am very thankful for the work that had been done in the Senate and especially in the South Carolina house where it was a real challenge to pass this bill without amendment. As you pointed out, it took some 12, 13 hours of continuous debate in order to do that.

[09:10:16] CABRERA: Well, Joe Neal, we do appreciate you joining us. And Marlon Kimpson, state senator, we appreciate your time as well. Thank you both for being part of this conversation.

We'll watch to see when that flag comes down. We understand the governor should be signing it at any moment. And of course we are monitoring those developments. We'll let you know as soon as that happens. And then the flag would come down within the next 24 hours we're told.

All right. Moving on, tone it down. That's the message to Donald Trump from Republican National Committee chairman, Reince Priebus. We're now learning the pair had a private phone call last night to discuss a variety of issues including Trump's controversial comments on illegal immigrants. A source tells CNN Priebus said this to Trump.

"Look, I've got to tell you. I spent four years trying to make inroads with the Hispanic community. How we address illegal immigration is very important."

So sort of a slap on the wrist coming on the same day.

CNN's Anderson Cooper sat down with the presidential hopeful for a one-on-one interview. And among the many issues discussed, a "Washington Post" report claiming Trump has illegal immigrants working for him at a construction site in Washington, D.C.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Isn't it hypocritical for you saying that illegal immigration is killing this country to be employing illegal immigrants?

TRUMP: Well, I read the story, and by the way, that story does not name any names. I'd love them if they could give us the names, but they said they spoke to one or two but they don't name him.

COOPER: What they say is several of the men who -- mostly from El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala have earned U.S. citizenship or legal status through immigration programs targeting Central Americans fleeing civil wars or natural disasters. Others quietly acknowledge that they remain in the country illegally. They don't give numbers.

TRUMP: They have to give us the names because we have, you know, many --

(CROSSTALK)

COOPER: They're not going to give you names.

TRUMP: They have to give us the names. And I have to say this, we believe so strongly -- I hired a very big contractor, one of the most prestigious, one of the best in the world to build the building. It's their responsibility to make sure. They have done --

COOPER: Doesn't the buck stop with you, though?

TRUMP: Yes.

COOPER: You pay their salaries.

TRUMP: Absolutely. We have gone out of our way to make sure that everybody in that building is legal. And we do have some that were -- that became legal. Wait a minute. We have some -- many, I think, that became frankly me, you, everybody, I mean, ultimately we were all sort of in the group of immigrant, right? But we have done that to the absolutely letter of the law. They haven't shown us anything. I wish they would give us some names. We would get them out immediately.

COOPER: You must have a guy on the job site --

TRUMP: We have more than one guy.

COOPER: Right.

TRUMP: And we check it probably more carefully than any job that was ever built.

Anderson, you have either 11 -- anywhere from 11 million to 34 million illegal immigrants in this country. They're all over the place. Nobody knows even where they come from.

COOPER: Can you guarantee that you don't have illegal or undocumented workers working for you in hotel projects or various projects?

TRUMP: I can't guarantee it. How can -- how can anyone? We have 34 million in the country. I used to hear 11. Now I hear 34 million. I can't guarantee anything. But I can say this. We work very hard to make sure that everybody is legal as opposed to illegal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Joining me now to discuss all this, CNN political reporter Sara Murray and MJ Lee.

Thanks both for joining us.

MJ, I want to start with you because you were there in person for that interview. What was that like? MJ LEE, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: I think I was just struck by how

unapologetic Donald Trump is. Anderson was pushing him over and over again to answer these questions about -- comments about the immigrants, the fact that the hotel site in Washington, D.C. might be employing some illegal immigrant. He was totally unapologetic. And I think that if any national Republican think that he is going to tone it down -- you mention that the head of the RNC had a phone call with Donald Trump. That is not going to happen, at least not any time soon.

And I think that's something that the Republican Party is going to have to contend with and figure out, how are we going to deal with someone who is making a big part of the electorate across the country feel like, wait a minute, I'm watching this guy on TV say these things and make these comments, is this what the Republican Party is about? And I think that is really starting to make the party nervous.

CABRERA: Well, what you see is what you get with Trump. I mean, he's almost very consistent in that.

LEE: Absolutely.

CABRERA: He's so in your face and very brash with his comments.

Sara, we just heard Trump say that he can't even guarantee he doesn't have illegal immigrants working for him and this is an issue that he has put front and center. Illegal immigration. Is he being a hypocrite here?

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Well, I think that Donald Trump -- yes, you could say he's being a hypocrite on this. I think the reality is when comes out and he says, look, I can't attest to who all is working on my hotel, I'm not sure. That doesn't really -- doesn't really add a lot of credence to his immigration argument. But I think what we've seen with Donald Trump is he doesn't really care that much about what the facts are.

You know, he will go out there and he'll say the comments that I'm making, these things, they're not offensive. They're just the truth. And the reality is, is the things he was saying were not offensive to immigrants, even immigrants who are here in the country legally, then we wouldn't have seen from MJ's great reporting all of these sponsors backing away from him.

So, the reality of what's going on in the world versus Donald Trump's reality I think continue to be two different things. But for better or for worse, you know, he's polling pretty high and this is something that Republicans are going to have to deal with. It's something that Republican National Committee has to deal with.

CABRERA: As Sara mentioned, Trump has dominated the conversation more than any other candidate. We're talking about Trump. You have two weeks after he announced his official presidential launch. And he is a polarizing person.

But, MJ, he continues to surge in the polls. Do you think there's really any chance that this guy is going to get the GOP nomination?

MJ LEE, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: So, one thing I would point out in 2011 at this point in the cycle, Michele Bachmann was the one that was leading the polls. She was the big sort of, you know, flavor of the week or flavor of the month, or what have you. She was dominating the media, a lot of people thought she really had a chance of going somewhere.

But that was very short lived, right? By the time voters actually went to the voting booth, she was nowhere to be seen. She was sidelined.

I think there's an element of that with Donald Trump. I think that he has really dominated the media landscape, is on air a lot. And I think that people are seeing his name and are recognizing that, well, this is an interesting person. I want to know a little bit more about what he has to say.

But whether that's actually permanent is very questionable.

CABRERA: Now, he's made some questionable comments about Jeb Bush and his wife being Mexican. And, in fact, there was a tweet that he put up -- it was a retweet from somebody else that said, quote, "like the Mexican illegals", that Bush likes the Mexican illegals because of his wife.

Now, Jeb Bush weighed in last night from New Hampshire. And I want you to hear both sides.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If my wife were from Mexico, I think I would have a soft spot for people from Mexico. I can understand it.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: You think that influences his position on illegal immigration?

TRUMP: I think it could. I mean, maybe it should. If he loves his wife -- and I know he does, I hear she's a lovely woman, by the way. So, if he loves his wife and she's from Mexico, I think it probably has an influence on him, yes. I can understand that.

JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't know if you've been following this weird little controversy that I'm not a big party to. But my wife's from Mexico, I love her dearly. I've been married 41 years. This is a bizarre idea that you can have an affection for people in a different country and not think the rule of law should apply. This is ludicrous.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: All right, Sara. So, when we heard Anderson pushed Trump a little bit on that tweet, he said he had no regrets but he also seemed to soften things a little bit. Do you get a sense he's starting to backpedal just a little bit on his Bush attack? MURRAY: I think, I don't expect him to back down from Bush attacks

generally, but I think this is exactly the issue of the tone that we're talking about. You know, the way that this makes, the way that Donald Trump made his point in a tweet versus the way he made it in the interview with Anderson Cooper are very different.

And it would be one thing if it were just Donald Trump going out there and saying, look, of course, I think Jeb Bush's wife influences his view of our relationship with Mexico and influences his view of immigration.

And I am sure that that is probably true. And there is a way to say that that is not as offensive as the tweet he put out there. And I think that's why you saw Reince Priebus, he's the chairman of the RNC, make this phone call to Donald Trump and say, could you at least moderate the tone? Well, I don't necessarily think Donald Trump will listen. It's clear when he was confronted with this in person, it was a little bit harder for him to make that attack. And he realized that line at least was very offensive.

CABRERA: All right. Sara Murray, MJ Lee, we'll have to leave it there. Thanks to both of you.

And make sure you stay with us, because next hour, right here on CNN, Anderson Cooper is going to sit down and join us live to discuss his interview with Donald Trump.

Still ahead, what are the odds America and its allies can actually reach a deal over Iran's nuclear program? The talks continue in Vienna. President Obama is now lowering expectations. But if John Kerry and his team walk away, then what? That is after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:23:18] CABRERA: A deal with Iran on its nuclear program is now less than 50-50, that is the latest word for President Obama as this deadline for an agreement nears. Now, talks do continue but expectations are much lower according to Top Democrat, Senator Dick Durbin. And it's likely that the Friday deadline for a deal could slide once again.

CNN's national correspondent Sunlen Serfaty is joining us from the White House this morning.

So, Sunlen, the president now saying chances are less than 50-50. Why?

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's certainly more pessimistic than the president and White House officials have been in the past. They've previously throughout this whole process, throughout all of these months and years of negotiations kind of pegged it at 50-50 chances. So, certainly, pretty striking that we heard the president saying that the chances are less than 50 percent right now. Now, those words were coming from the president's meeting in Thursday here at the White House, where he huddled with Senate Democrats, trying to reassure them, according to people in the room, that he would not accept a bad deal.

Now, as these negotiations reach one deadline, they've already blown through two previous deadlines. There certainly is a flurry of tense negotiations. Tense meetings in Vienna.

Here's what the State Department spokesperson said about this final stretch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARIE HARF, SENIOR ADVISER TO JOHN KERRY: When you get such a complicated technical agreement, every single piece has to come together at the end. And we always knew at the end of these talks, these would be the toughest issues. That's sort of how these negotiations work. The toughest issues often come down to the very end.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SERFATY: And the president is getting a little bit more personally engaged in this. Here at the White House last night, he held a secure video conference with his national security team with Secretary of State John Kerry, with the energy secretary who's meeting in many of these last-minute meetings, as they try to broker a deal.

[09:25:05] Now, according to the White House, Ana, they say that the president provided guidance to his team as they negotiate for it -- Ana.

CABRERA: All right. Sunlen Serfaty, live at the White House this morning -- our thanks to you.

And still to come, NYSE traders at the ready this morning after a glitch shut down the stock exchange yesterday.

Alison Kosik is live at the New York Stock Exchange for us this morning.

Good morning, Alison.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Ana.

It's a chance for the NYSE to make a fresh start. How will the opening bell go? How will the day of trading go? We will bring you to opening bell after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)