Return to Transcripts main page

New Day

Trump Defends Record Of Sexist Comments; Jon Stewart Signs Off From "The Daily Show"; Trump Supporters On Potential Third-Party Run. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired August 07, 2015 - 07:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Everyone is talking about just how big the debate was last night. The way I look at, though, just a preview, an appetizer for the CNN debate one month from now.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: True.

BERMAN: Who needs to get better by then? Joining us is CNN's chief political correspondent, John King. John, I want to talk about Donald Trump. A subject no one has broached in the last several weeks.

Look, he's the frontrunner going into this debate. In politics, political coverage normally, the sunrises in the east and sets in the west but not with Donald Trump, the normal rules do not apply. Last night, a lot of controversy about a lot of things he said. In Trump world, does this not hurt him?

JOHN KING, CNN HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": I think that's the big question. The rules of gravity have not applied to Donald Trump so far in this campaign when he talks about Mexican immigrants as rapists and murderers, when he insults John McCain's war heroism.

He goes up, not down as many of us expect. So I think that is one of the defining questions after this debate. Mr. Trump was Mr. Trump last night. He said coming in he wasn't going to attack.

One particular exchange coming into this debate, if you look at him as a general election candidate, Hillary Clinton beats him among women by 28 points, the largest gender gap of any of the serious Republican candidates for president.

And that exchange right off the beginning, I want to get back to it again. Megyn Kelly looked him right in the eye and asked him about a Twitter feed in which Mr. Trump has called women fat, disgusting and more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MEGYN KELLY, FOX NEWS MODERATOR: You once told a contestant on "Celebrity Apprentice," it would be a pretty picture to see her on her knees. Does that sound like the temperament of a man we should elect as president and how will you answer the charge from Hillary Clinton, who is likely to be the Democratic nominee that you are part of the war on women?

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think the big problem this country has is being politically correct. I have been challenged by so many people. I don't, frankly, have time for total political correctness. To be honest with you, this country doesn't have time, either.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: And you get the sense there and this has worked for Mr. Trump so far, being Donald Trump is never having to say you're sorry, but no remorse about those tweets. No apology at all.

No suggestion that as a presidential candidate, you have to have a different tone toward all Americans not just women as a presidential candidate as opposed to an entertainer or a businessman.

Guys, one of the interesting things last night as he doubled down on this after the debate tweeting that Megyn Kelly bombed and then retweeting a tweet in which somebody called Megyn Kelly a bimbo.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: That is precisely the point I was about to make. I don't care if you are a woman or a man, that is unacceptable. I don't care if it's an original retweet from Donald Trump. The fact that he was retweeting it and adding your own twist, to me how is that presidential?

KING: The conservative conversation about Donald Trump changed that from the debate last night. We will see if his poll numbers change, but if you look around in the conservative blogosphere, if you watch the commentary on Fox News last night afterwards.

If you are reading today, a lot of conservatives are, A, criticizing that remark about women, saying B, it's just overall with the other candidates on the stage.

[07:35:07] We have seen Mr. Trump in a vacuum at his own events, in media interviews doing his thing. A lot of them are saying, you know what, with those other guys up there last night, he didn't add a lot of meat to the policy bones.

He seemed arrogant. He seemed narcissistic. These are conservatives saying this about Donald Trump. The question is, one thing we do know about the debates last night, both debates, two things actually.

The one person who we know her world has dramatically changed this morning is Carly Fiorina. She wakes up in a very different place today. We are not sure about any other candidate, but we know that.

Number two, there is every reason to believe this is going to go on as is for a long time, meaning a crowded, fractured Republican field. If Trump can keep 18 percent to 25 percent, he's still fine. The question is, do those numbers move at all?

BERMAN: John, while that debate was going on, there was another political development that some people think may have a bigger near term impact than even the debate.

Chuck Schumer, who will be the next Democratic leader in the Senate unless something radically changes, he came out against the Iran nuclear deal. Is the deal in serious jeopardy? Who is counting votes for the White House? Do they have the votes to sustain a veto?

KING: They are saying, John, that they believe they are on a path to get the votes to sustain a veto. You make a key point. The president is going to lose. When Congress votes to approve or disapprove the deal, the White House knows they are going to lose.

They are going to lose because of near unanimous Republican opposition and because of significant Democratic opposition. The question is, can the president then sustain a veto? They have seen on the house side, you do have a number of other Democrats on the House side.

Eliot Engel, Steve Israel, Nida Louie, in the last 24 to 48 hours, prominent Jewish-Americans, prominent Jewish members of Congress, prominent Democrats influential foreign affairs issues coming out against it in addition to Senator Schumer.

Now the White House would say we have also had a pretty decent list of Democrats coming out in favor of it. They believe that they are getting there.

They believe the president's effort, Secretary Kerry's effort are getting to the point where they think the math is starting to move their way, at least on the House side at the moment.

But this is a wide open question and Senator Schumer's opposition will be significant, no doubt about it.

BERMAN: Believing and knowing are two different things, but it would count here is crucial in a lost art in Washington. John King, thank you so much. Make sure to watch John King "Inside Politics" with his panel. They are going to break down all the huge news this week. That's every Sunday at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

CUOMO: Well, I hope by now you know. "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart is no more. No time for pettiness about how he affects us all the time. He was relevant and sometimes relevant for the right reasons. After 16 years he said goodbye and there was such an amazing cast of people that came out to help him do that. We'll show the final episode, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:41:36]

BALDWIN: A lot of reasons to watch a lot of TV last night, not only the Republican debate, but "The Daily Show," the very last "Daily Show" for Jon Stewart, a mix bag of laughs and definitely some tears. Stewart took viewers on a trip down memory lane with his correspondents spanning his 16-year run all making these surprise cameos.

CNN's senior media correspondent, Bryan Stelter is here, live, with the big moments, sort of sad.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: It is sort of sad. Some people love him, some people hate him. Stewart has been on the air so long, 2,600 episodes, and on his final episode, he had a message. He talked about bs artists. He says there's a lot of bs out there. You have to smell for it, pay attention to it. Here is what he told us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JON STEWART: Gotten pretty lazy and their work is easily detected. Looking forward it's a pleasant way to pass the time like I spy (inaudible). I say, the best defense against (inaudible) is vigilance. If you smell something, say something.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STELTER: There it is a message to journalists perhaps as well as ordinary viewers to be vigilant against all the nonsense in Washington and sometimes you're on television perhaps.

You know, it's a real torch passing moment. Stephen Colbert came back last night. He left Comedy Central a few months, and now Stewart is also leaving.

But we are seeing a new generation of comics taking over. Colbert for example is moving over to CBS to "The Late Show." He starts in September and just a few minutes ago, he announced his very first guest, George Clooney, certainly a new generation about to take over in late night. Back to you.

CUOMO: George Clooney is the first guest, that's a headline. Thank you very much. There he goes. He went out silent, but he had a lot to say.

BALDWIN: You know, I was at a taping a couple of weeks ago at "The Daily Show," and I asked Jon Stewart quickly a question. I said, what's your at bat song? You know what his answer was, "All Along The Watchtower." I like it.

BERMAN: But the best part about that is I was hanging with Jon Stewart a few weeks ago and I had a chance to ask him --

CUOMO: You dropped something, his name.

BALDWIN: I went to the taping, Cuomo. We weren't bros hanging out backstage.

CUOMO: Donald Trump's supporters say he is the man the country should be turning to, to turn everything around for the better. Do they have his back after the situations last night? What did they think of his performance? What did they think of the Twitter attack? Why do they love him so well? Find out for yourselves, three supporters, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:48:03]

CUOMO: Up late watching the debate. It was the first one of the season, the first debate of Donald Trump's life. So, how did the GOP frontrunner fare?

Here with us this morning are Jesse Lopez and Annette Carson Deaton, both self-declared Trump supporters as well as Jarrod Curnn, a registered Republican who says that Trump resonates with America. All right, it's good to have you all three of you here. Thanks.

Let's play some of the key moments from last night and get your take. Jesse, I'll start with you. This was the first question right out of the box about who supports the party and is anyone willing to say they might be a third party candidate? Here is what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is there anyone on stage, and can I see hands who is unwilling tonight to pledge your support to the eventual nominee of the Republican Party and pledge to not run an independent campaign against that person?

Again, we are looking for you to raise your hand now. Raise your hand now if you won't make that pledge tonight. Mr. Trump -- so, Mr. Trump, to be clear, you are standing on a Republican primary --

TRUMP: I fully understand.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: Jesse, was it a set up to make Donald look bad right off the bat? Are you OK with his answer even though he is part of the GOP, he's not pledging loyalty?

JESSE LOPEZ, TRUMP SUPPORTER: That was a complete set up on the part of the questioner. They knew who was going to raise their hand. Everybody else on that stage is afraid of Donald Trump. They don't want Donald Trump on that stage.

They want him out of the picture because they do know that he resonates with America, even after last night. Even after the remarks he said last night and the way he comes across. He comes across as narcissistic. Most confident people do.

[07:50:03] He comes across as overpowering, he had to, the way everybody was going to be coming against him in one way or another last night.

CUOMO: All right, let's go to the next bite. Jared, this is about one of his big claims that got him into the high status that he has right now within the polls was talking about immigration.

Chris Wallace, one of the moderators put it to him and said, what is your proof that the Mexican government is doing all this stuff that you say? Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS WALLACE: Mr. Trump, I'll give you 30 seconds to answer my question, which was what evidence do you have, specific evidence, that the Mexican government is sending criminals across the border, 30 seconds?

TRUMP: Border patrol. I was at the border last week. Border patrol people that I deal with, that I talk to, they say this is what's happening because our leaders are stupid. Our politicians are stupid. And the Mexican government is much smarter, much sharper, much more cunning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: Does that qualify as proof to you, Jarrod?

JARROD CURNN, REGISTERED REPUBLICAN, FAVORS RAND PAUL: I don't think that qualifies as proof, but that is clear an example of politician. There's plenty of statistics that he could have studied up on and pulled. In this case, I don't think he even needs it because it's resonating with people still because they know that there is a pestering problem.

CUOMO: So it doesn't matter if he can prove problem because people already believed that there is a problem. Alright, third moment, Annette, this is for you as the woman on the panel here this morning. He had direct questions asked to him about things he has said about women that anybody would find offensive. And here is his reply.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KELLY: You've called women you don't like fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals. Your Twitter account --

TRUMP: Only Rosie O'Donnell.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, it wasn't.

TRUMP: What I say is what I say. And honestly Megan, if you don't like it, I'm sorry. I've been very nice to you although I could probably not be based on the way you have treated me, but I wouldn't do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: So how do you think he defended his comments? How do you think he came across with regard to the woman who was asking them? And what do you think of his behavior thereafter where he retweeted someone calling that questioner a bimbo?

ANNETTE CARSON DEATON, TRUMP SUPPORTER: I think he done well. Just a public issue that came up between him and Rosie O'Donnell, I feel like, you know, it happens to everyone. He doesn't have -- I mean, he's not trying to apologize.

CUOMO: Should he? DEATON: He doesn't feel like there was anything wrong with it?

CUOMO: Should he apologize?

DEATON: No, I don't. I don't think he should apologize. She probably attacked him just as well. They know Donald's like that. He says what he thinks.

CUOMO: Now Jesse, you said early on even with what he said last night -- you seemed to be giving me a nod that as Teflon as you see Donald to be in terms of criticism, he said some things last night he shouldn't have said. These comments about women, calling the moderator a bimbo, retweeting someone calling her a bimbo. Is that what you're talking about?

LOPEZ: I heard about the tweets and I saw the tweets. I see a lot of people that retweet a lot of things on Twitter that maybe should not have been retweeted. I've retweeted some stuff out there like oh I wish there was a way I could untweet that.

It doesn't go to show that he has disrespect for Megan Kelly. She's a fine young lady. As far as his interaction with Rosie O'Donnell and him, they traded barbs back and forth for months and months, on air and off the air, in magazines, everybody knows that.

CUOMO: It's about how you conduct yourself, Jarrod. You want to be president of the United States you're supposed to represent the best of us. Are you just as OK that he says these denigrating things about women and won't apologize for it?

CURNN: I don't think that denigrating women is a good way to run for president. I think people are fed up with the polishness that they see. The fakeness that they see from every day politicians and I think they're willing to look past some of this roughness in Mr. Trump.

CUOMO: So despite it not because of it, correct?

CURNN: I think so.

CUOMO: So we're going to get out here -- after last night you're still with Donald, more so, less so?

CURNN: I think the same amount so and I was pleasantly surprised that some of the others really shine last night.

CUOMO: Annette, still with him, more so, less so?

DEATON: Still with him. More so. Last night didn't change my feelings at all. I feel like he was put on the spot.

[07:55:07] CUOMO: He was put on the spot and you think he did well.

DEATON: He was in a controlled environment. He was on a time limit. He was asked some of the most unpolitical questions that he could possibly be asked while the others had the opportunity to answer for everything that America's wanting to know about.

It's just one debate. Hopefully anything that he didn't get to answer in this debate he'll be able to do that next time. He's a very smart businessman.

CUOMO: We'll see what happens in the next one. And Jesse, you're with him if the guy came and keyed your car, you're with him, Jesse. We'll have you back on the panel the next time Donald is relevant in one of these debates situations. Thanks to all three of you for being here -- JB.

BERMAN: All right, Chris, really interesting. A lot of explaining and justifying there even among Trump supporters.

Just 15 short months until the big Election Day, the Republican Party, we got the first taste of direct combat last night, the first debate of the primary season, all the highlights and we will speak with one of the contenders, someone who many people thought had one of the best nights, Senator Marco Rubio.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I don't frankly have time for total political correctness.

BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There is no such thing as a politically correct war.

RAND PAUL (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think you're on the wrong side of this.