Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

NFL Season Begins; Refugee Crisis; Donald Trump Leading Polls. Aired 3-3:30p ET

Aired September 10, 2015 - 15:00   ET

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


[15:00:00]

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: But we know physical therapy can help.

R.J. MITTE, ACTOR: Do you like music?

GUPTA: In fact, Mitte credit years of treatment at Shriners Hospital. He still volunteers there, inspiring kids like him.

MITTE: There's so many times people try, and they just take children, and they -- they set them aside. What truly matters when it comes to having a disability is not letting people define you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Here we go, hour two. You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

Folks, we are less than a week away now from CNN's Republican presidential debate. The race, it's getting nasty. Donald Trump front and center, he has unleashed blistering attacks on two fellow Republican contenders, the first coming just a day after Ben Carson questioned Trump's faith.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have known Ben Carson, of him, for a long time. I never heard faith was a big thing until just recently.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: He's a Seventh Day Adventist. I mean, it's -- something he talks about a lot.

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: So I don't know about Ben Carson's faith and all of a sudden he becomes this great religious figure.

Who is he to question my faith when I am -- he doesn't even know me. I have met him a few times. But I don't know Ben Carson. He was a doctor, perhaps an OK doctor. By the way, you can check that out, too. They're not talking about a -- he was an OK doctor.

CUOMO: I don't know about OK doctor. You know, he was the first man to separate conjoined twins.

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: And now because he's a doctor and he hired one nurse, he's going to end up being the president of the United States?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Well, the hits continue. Carson's business manager and close friend fired back just a little while ago right here on CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS, CARSON BUSINESS MANAGER: Which is very disturbing for us. It's almost a schoolyard bully that if you say something I don't like, then I'm going to come out to you and everything is on the table.

And while we have tremendous respect for Mr. Trump and Dr. Carson has great admiration for Mr. Trump and all the candidates, Mr. Trump should understand that Dr. Carson is a neurosurgeon. And Dr. Carson will not be intimidated by Mr. Trump's words or his hitting below the belt.

Dr. Carson will always challenge Mr. Trump and anyone else on the issues if he disagrees with them. Do we plan to reach out to Mr. Trump? Absolutely not. Mr. Trump should reach out to Dr. Carson and apologize for what he said this morning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: The other target here, this apparent attack on Republican rival Carly Fiorina and her looks, her face. More on that in a moment. All of this back and forth comes as a brand-new CNN/ORC poll out today solidifies, look in the upper left-hand corner, both in double digits. You have Donald Trump and Ben Carson, the top two spots.

Trump continues to rise, firmly in the lead, 32 percent, the first Republican to top 30 percent in the race for the nomination, by the way.

On the flip side, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton saying today -- quote -- "There is one candidate that delights in insulting women every chance he gets" Donald Trump is who she is referencing, presumably here.

And billionaire in trouble for taking a jab at Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina. He was not criticizing her policies. "Rolling Stone" reports that Donald Trump was watching Carly Fiorina recently on television and in the presence of a reporter Trump said -- quote -- "Look at that face. Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?"

For her part, Fiorina responded this way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MEGYN KELLY, FOX NEWS: What do you take that to me, look at that face, would anyone vote for that?

(LAUGHTER)

CARLY FIORINA (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have no idea.

Honestly, Megyn, I'm not going to spend a single cycle wondering what Donald Trump means. But maybe, just maybe I'm getting under his skin a little bit because I'm climbing in the polls.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: This morning on "NEW DAY," Trump clarified some comments and, as we have come to expect, no apologies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: But, Carly, the statement on Carly, I'm talking about her persona. Her persona is not going to be -- she's not going to be president. She's had a terrible, terrible failed time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Obviously, this is not a first when it comes to attacks on women. But here's the thing here. In the latest CNN poll just released today, Donald Trump's popularity is surging among Republican women.

Look at that, up 13 points since last month.

Joining me to chat, conservative commentator Kurt Schlichter and I believe we're working on Scottie Hughes, Tea Party member, news director for the Tea Party News Network.

Kurt, to you first. Great to have you on.

KURT SCHLICHTER, CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Say what you want about Trump's comments. When you look at the poll out today, the CNN poll, he's leading evangelicals. You saw the poll when it comes to Republican women. What say you?

SCHLICHTER: Brooke, I don't really think that he's leading among conservatives. I think he's leading among -- it's those of us in the Tea Party, the right-wing people who are doing most of the pushing back on this guy.

[15:05:07]

Look, Brooke, the problem with this guy is he's just so tacky. I mean, my gosh, how superficial can you get? I'm a Los Angeles trial lawyer who married a model. I know about superficial.

(LAUGHTER) BALDWIN: Kurt, are you calling yourself superficial?

(CROSSTALK)

SCHLICHTER: I'm concerned about his policies and his flip-flops. That bothers me.

And as a former Army colonel, I'm really concerned about whether this can hold the lives and the hands of our men and women in the military capably as commander in chief. But you know really what gets me, Brooke?

BALDWIN: What is that?

SCHLICHTER: The notion that I have to spend four years listening to this idiot embarrass himself from the Oval Office. I don't think I could take it.

BALDWIN: Well, you may have to a little longer. Let me come back to you, based upon some of the support, whatever you want to say about whoever is part of these polls. That's what they're saying.

Scottie, I understand we have you on the phone. Can you hear me?

SCOTTIE HUGHES, TEA PARTY NEWS NETWORK: I can. Thank you for having me.

BALDWIN: OK. Thank you so much for calling in.

HUGHES: You know, as an evangelical woman who supports Donald Trump, you heard what he said, you know, to "Rolling Stone" magazine about her face. He was on this morning with Chris Cuomo and said, whoa, whoa, whoa, I was referring to her persona. Bottom line, has your support for him wavered at all?

Well, let me say this, Brooke. I support all the conservative candidates. It's not just Trump. It's Trump and Cruz and Carson.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: All right, but we're talking about Donald Trump, Scottie.

HUGHES: I know. We're going to talk about Donald Trump.

And let me tell you, here's the thing did Donald. It doesn't matter when he's talking about this. Just because we're evangelical doesn't mean that we're not human. The number one thing that is important to us is the economy right now.

Ben Carson, Carly, all of these people can talk about these troops issues, but unless you're actually showing us a game plan, some actions, making some actual hard statements like Trump is making, it doesn't matter about these other accusations and this child's play that is happening amongst the front-runners.

BALDWIN: When he said what he did to "Rolling Stone" about her face, I mean, come on, woman to woman here, you -- that didn't ding you whatsoever?

HUGHES: Honestly, you know, he doesn't say exactly the right way that I would like him to say everything. But come on.

He meant the persona. If we have become so sensitive to everything we say, whether it's Donald Trump, Sarah Palin, it's like we pick out these certain people that we're like, we're going to analyze every word you say. Well, can I remind people that might be even -- even Ben Carson, remember how he got picked apart for saying something that he later on said I did not mean it like that?

Are we really going to be that politically correct and sensitive of a society that we're going to dismiss somebody and give them that stereotype of being a sexist?

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: No. I know that's one of Donald Trump's biggest talking points, about political correctness.

Kurt, let me go to you. I'm going to ask you a question I don't think you're going to love. But I'm going to ask you anyway, OK?

SCHLICHTER: Ask anyway.

BALDWIN: The stunner of this CNN poll today is that when you look at the poll, more than half of those polled think Trump is going to win the nomination. My question is this. Is there any point, as a conservative, to where you throw your arms up and say, OK, I will do whatever I can to help this man, Donald Trump?

SCHLICHTER: Absolutely. Like Trump himself, I'm committed to support the Republican candidate.

BALDWIN: But you just called him an idiot like a half-second ago.

SCHLICHTER: Well, I would rather have an idiot than a mendacious monster like Hillary Clinton...

HUGHES: Whoa.

(CROSSTALK)

SCHLICHTER: ... who wants to destroy my country and bring it down into the abyss.

Donald Trump is so far ahead of Hillary and that socialist clown friend of hers that it's not even close. In fact, there's guys I would prefer Donald -- who I would go for behind Donald Trump, for instance, Jeb Bush. If we're going to destroy the Republican Party, let us be it by somebody who is not really a Republican.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: I heard the whoa on the phone. Go ahead. HUGHES: Well, my question is, how can you sit there and say he's not really a Republican? Name any of these guys right now that can say that they are 100 percent Republican. None of them across the board are totally -- maybe Ted Cruz might be the only one who's never had any action, but even he has some black marks on his GOP record.

So why are we becoming such snobs? Why don't we go back to what Reagan said? Eighty percent is worth it enough. That's good enough for me.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Snobs and idiots? If we're talking about people and picking people apart, listen to the language we're using.

Scottie Hughes and Kurt Schlichter, we have to go. I cannot wait for next Wednesday night. Let me say that. The Republican presidential candidates, they are facing off back-to-back debates. Going to be good. Watch next Wednesday night, September 16, 6:00 and 8:00 Eastern right here on CNN.

And, tonight, this is big. CNN will be revealing the lineup, which Republican candidates will be at that debate. Find out this evening live on Anderson Cooper, 8:00 Eastern right here on CNN.

[15:10:05]

BALDWIN: Big news today. The White House has announced it will accept dramatically more refugees desperate to escape from Syria. You have seen these pictures. Refugees from these war-torn nations here, Syria in particular and also Iraq, pouring into Europe.

Either arrival along with tens and thousands from Iraq and Afghanistan putting an enormous strain on Germany and Austria and many other countries. Here is what White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the U.S. is now willing to do.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: This year that will end -- the fiscal year that will end at the end of the month, the United States is going to take in about 1,500 Syrian refugees.

The president has directed his team to scale up that number next year and he's informed his team that he would like them to accept -- at least make preparations to accept at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in the next fiscal year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: All right.

Michelle Kosinski, working the White House beat, as always, and so when you hear the number 10,000, listen, that's a lot more than what they are taking in right now, but, big picture, how much of a difference will that make? MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. This is

really interesting and it's an interesting number when you look at it from two perspectives.

First of all, this is about a nine-times increase over the number that was taken in this past fiscal year. So as the White House terms it, it's a significant ramping up. But you take that number 10,000 and today finally we do get a number, but you compare it to the millions of Syrians who have been displaced, what other European countries are taking in, Germany possibly 800,000 in the next year, Britain's first saying no and then changing the course and saying, OK, we will take 20,000. That's still double what the U.S. is going to expect.

So obviously there are questions about that. The White House isn't answering too many of them as to the thinking, as to how exactly they arrived at that number. What they repeatedly say, though, is that homeland security comes first. National security, of course, is the top priority.

And each one of these refugees who are referred by the U.N., so these aren't people running across the border, these are people who apply within their countries, vetting them by the U.S. takes a year to a year-and-a-half per person. Not a quick process. And so it will take some time, although there are many people in the pipeline. There were 17,000 referrals over the past year.

So it might not, you know, take that long to vet them all, especially if that's been started for some of them. But this is the way that the U.S. is going to continue to do it, so they are not going to speed them through. But the White House is saying, you know, the best way to help these people is really by giving them more humanitarian assistance within their own countries. That said, though, they are significantly increasing the number that will be resettled here in the U.S.

BALDWIN: All right. Michelle Kosinski, thank you so much.

Coming up next, in court right now, the police officer charged in the death of Walter Scott from Charleston, shot in the back in North Charleston, North Carolina. For the first time, we're now hearing what his defense may look like.

And ahead, what more of what I consider really one of the most emotional and raw interviews I have ever been a part of in my 16 years as a journalist, 40 people here in a room last night in the Newseum in Washington, D.C., personally impacted by gun violence. See and feel what happened when they all came together for the first time in the very same room. Please, do not turn away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:17:55]

BALDWIN: You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

Right now in South Carolina, lawyers for Michael Slager, former North Charleston police officer, they are in court arguing to get him out of jail. Slager is charged with murder for shooting and killing Walter Scott. This was last April after a traffic stop for a broken brake light, all of it caught on video by a witness.

Let's discuss this bail hearing, bond hearing with CNN legal analyst and former prosecutor Sunny Hostin and defense attorney Bob Schalk.

Thank you both for being here.

We're waiting for word obviously from South Carolina, but Walter Scott's family, obviously, they want him to stay behind bars. The Slager attorneys -- he's been in solitary confinement. With the court documents, let's begin there, toxicology reports from the defense attorneys, talking about cocaine, alcohol, Walter Scott's family says it's a character assassination.

SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: And it is.

And I think we're seeing a little too much of that in our court system. It's sort of a blame the victim tactic and that just doesn't work anymore, especially I think with the media scrutiny. But let's be clear about bail. Bail is not supposed to be punitive, right? It's supposed to be whether or not any conditions can be put together to ensure that this defendant returns for trial.

And I do think that -- well, I know that jail for former officers, current officers is probably the worst place to be. So you do have to keep them in solitary confinement, which is very expensive, actually, for our system. And so if there is sort of a -- if there are a set of conditions that can ensure that he returns and ensure his safety, you know, I think that that would make sense.

(CROSSTALK)

HOSTIN: But the character assassination that we are seeing of this victim is just really despicable and it needs to stop.

BALDWIN: You agree with...

ROBERT SCHALK, ATTORNEY: Absolutely.

To the first point of, he's a total liability for the jail while he's there. If they allow anyone near him and he's assaulted or he's injured in any way, then you're are talking about lawsuits and they don't want that to happen.

But, as Sunny said, the purpose of bail is so ensure someone comes back. There are so many things that they can do. And, apparently, the lawyers have come up with cases out of the same courthouses where defendants similarly charged as him with no criminal record have been granted bail.

[15:20:16]

So you cannot punish him merely because he's a cop and there's a lot of media surrounding this. You have to do what is right and what is normally done in that courthouse.

BALDWIN: Let me show you some video. This is a video that CNN has. This is FBI showing enhanced images. This is before the shooting and appears to show Slager and Walter Scott tussling on the ground. Slager's attorney spoke with Don Lemon last night about this video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHAUN KENT, MICHAEL SLAGER ATTORNEY: I think what it does it adds corroboration to Michael Slager's story. Michael Slager has always said from the beginning this is what's happened.

And unfortunately, all we've been able to see is the -- and I don't want to say the second part of the video, but we've only been able to see one clip of the video and no one has ever seen at the beginning. And so, the question again has to go through the State Law Enforcement Division, why wasn't all of the information given?

Rather than just a clip to try to, basically, to try to scare people. Is the easiest way to describe it. Scare people as to what happened rather than telling the full account of what happened that day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Does he have a point?

HOSTIN: No.

I have got to tell you, I think it's ludicrous. What we have all seen is the shooting of an unarmed man in the back as he is running away. By any standard -- and I have spoken to many officers about this particular shooting -- and in my law enforcement experience, by any standard, that is illegal. And that's why he's been charged with the crime.

The fact that perhaps there is some video earlier that may add a little something to the story, OK, his story is that man, Walter Scott, tried to grab his Taser a couple of times. OK. But that does not change the fact that, in my view and in the view of the police chief and the view of the grand jury, and the view of the prosecutors that are trying this case, it is clear that he shot Walter Scott in the back as he was fleeing.

(CROSSTALK)

HOSTIN: I don't understand how he was in danger for his life in that moment and that is the crucial moment, not what happened.

BALDWIN: OK, 20 seconds.

SCHALK: I agree with that. But I do think...

HOSTIN: You agree?

SCHALK: I agree with that to a certain extent. The prosecution is required by the Supreme Court, Brady vs. Maryland, to turn over exculpatory or beneficial information to the defense. If they were withholding portions of the video the show a scuffle on the ground, that goes to the self-defense claim. They were entitled to it. It should be there. They should have had it from the beginning so they could bring it to the judge.

BALDWIN: All right. Robert Schalk and Sunny Hostin, thank you both very much.

Coming up next, fresh off winning with Deflategate battle against the NFL, Patriots Q.B. Tom Brady takes to the field tonight against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but one of the people at the center of the scandal will be missing from the crowd.

You're watching CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:27:12]

BALDWIN: How about a little football? The NFL season kicking off tonight with the Pittsburgh Steelers taking on the New England Patriots. And one person certain to be there, Pats starting quarterback Tom Brady after his four-game suspension tossed out by a federal judge.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the man who imposed the suspension, this punishment for Deflategate, will not be there.

CNN Sports anchor Rachel Nichols joins us from mecca that is Pat fans everywhere, Foxborough, Massachusetts.

What's the deal with Goodell? Why not?

RACHEL NICHOLS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is his first time in nearly a decade as commissioner he will not be at the season opener.

And what a turn of events. Right? Just a week ago, it looked like Tom Brady was not going to be here. They are revealing the Super Bowl banner. This was going to be a great moment for the Patriots organization, but their star quarterback was not going to be allowed in the building.

Instead, now it's Roger Goodell who won't be here tonight. He says he doesn't want to be a distraction. I don't know if he just didn't want to get in front of this many Patriots fans, Brooke, but, hey, he is the one how is not going to be here tonight. Tom Brady is going to be celebrating and you can see a live look behind me, and they are rehearsing for the opening ceremonies right now.

It's going to be such a giant party here. There's plenty of people here, Brooke, around the country who last week's decision did not really change their mind. They might still see the Patriots as cheaters or whatever their personal opinion is. But here in New England, they are considering last week's decision a complete vindication.

And this is the first time they have gotten a chance to get together and celebrate. It's going to be a huge victory party.

BALDWIN: Somebody sent me a picture after the whole thing. The judge, you know, who ruled against free Dunkin' Donuts for life.

NICHOLS: Right.

BALDWIN: I have to imagine this is pretty huge for Pats fans everywhere.

NICHOLS: Which is the most New England thing ever. Right?

(CROSSTALK)

NICHOLS: Absolutely. The most New England thing ever is free Dunkin' Donuts and coffee for life.

But, going forward, you think about the NFL and, yes, there are people who say this is a black market. We have certainly talked on your show, Brooke, about the embarrassment of that legal decision.

BALDWIN: Yes.

NICHOLS: But I do want to say, even if Roger Goodell not in the building tonight, the NFL is on track to make $12 billion this year.

They're OK. The Patriots, they seem to be OK, too. Bill Belichick saying just a couple days ago he's not bothered by all the social media criticism of his team. He said, look, you guys know me. I'm not on Twitter. I'm not on Instaface. So, hey, Brooke, he's not on Instaface.

BALDWIN: That's great. The inter webs can be a scary place.

NICHOLS: It's all good. It's all good.

BALDWIN: Rachel Nichols, thank you so much. Steelers-Pats tonight, all right.

Now to this after the break. We are going to take some time away just to hear from members of a club no one wants to be a part of. This is a continuation of some segments we first brought to you last hour. Last night, I was in Washington, D.C., and I had the extraordinary honor of sitting in this room with these 40 people, all of whom have been touched by gun violence involving those photos you see that they're holding up for me.

And many of them lost children. They are banding together to fight for change -- this powerful interview next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)