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Washington Post: Where was Huckabee?; Republican Politics; Fact-Checking the Debate; Fed will Announce Rate Decision Today. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired September 17, 2015 - 10:30   ET

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


[10:29:40] CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I'm joined by his campaign communications director Alice Stewart. Good morning -- Alice.

ALICE STEWART, MIKE HUCKABEE CAMPAIGN COMM. DIRECTOR: Good morning -- Carol. Thanks for having me.

COSTELLO: Thank you so much for being with me because I know you must have had a long night. But I have to lay this by you. The "Washington Post" had a list of winners and losers. Huckabee showed up on the loser list along with three words, "where was he"? So, where was he?

STEWART: He was right up there on the debate stage. Everyone is going to have different takeaways from the debate. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But, you know, at the end of the day, there are 11 candidates on the stage. Everyone had their allotted amount of time.

But what we're satisfied with and pleased with was the fact that when he was given the opportunity to speak and had the opportunity to answer questions, he spoke of substance. He was able to connect with the viewers out there and the people he's been speaking with.

And he made extremely important points. Specifically when he had the opportunity to talk about how will the world be different or the United States be different when he is elected president? He made a very important point, is that we'll be strong in terms of national security. We will have -- our enemies across the world will fear us. And we'll be a much stronger nation.

And also, he provided optimism for people. He wants America to be the greatest it can possibly be. And he provided hope and optimism to those who are watching the debate.

COSTELLO: Is it difficult -- I mean the placement on stage, he was at the very, very end. Is it difficult when you're in that spot to get a word in edgewise?

STEWART: It's just a matter of, you know, when the questions come to him and making the most of the opportunities. You know, the way the television is set up and the stage is set up, obviously the cameras go to different people at different times. The placement on the stage isn't as important as the policies and principles he's able to put forth. We're satisfied with what he was able to say.

He made some great points in terms of reaching out to the American people. He made very valid points in terms of protecting our religious liberties and protecting the freedoms in the country --

COSTELLO: Well, let's talk about his stance on religious liberty because evangelical voters seem to be all over the place. They don't seem to be supporting candidates like Mike Huckabee this time around. They seem to be with Donald Trump. Why is that?

STEWART: Well, it's still early. We have great, tremendous support from evangelicals. We rolled out a very strong list of evangelical supporters in the key early state of Iowa and South Carolina just a few weeks ago. He's able to galvanize them.

Case in point, with the event he had -- the rally in Grayson, Kentucky. When he saw that she was put in jail for standing up strong for her religious liberties. We reached out to our evangelical base. Pastors all across the country, in Iowa and South Carolina, in key states. We had people come from all across the country, faith-based evangelical people that supported not only religious liberties but Governor Huckabee.

And we were able to galvanize them, engage them and bring them out to rally and support not only Kim Davis, but for religious liberties. And that was a true test.

We had 5,000 people come from across the country, engaging our evangelicals and our social conservatives who support Governor Huckabee. It was a true test of our ability to engage that sector and bring them out to Grayson, Kentucky. It's a true test of what we'll be able to do in Iowa on caucus night and throughout the primary process.

COSTELLO: All right. Alice Stewart -- thank you so much for being with me this morning. I appreciate it.

She may not have been on stage, but Hillary Clinton definitely was a presence on the Republican candidates' big night. She even had her own face-off with Donald Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIMMY FALLON, TALK SHOW HOST: I just finished the GOP debate. As usual, I was fantastic. Everyone loved me. I know you're about to go ou7t for your interview with Jimmy Fallon, but he's a total lightweight so I'm going to do him a favor and interview you instead.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That's great. You know how much I love being interviewed. As long as you don't start talking over me when I'm trying to make a point.

FALLON: Yes, question one --

CLINTON: I'm really curious, Donald, what is your stance on women's issues? FALLON: Look, I know a lot of women. And they all have issues.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: I wish I could have shown that whole thing, Larry, because it was really, really funny. And when I heard that Hillary Clinton was going to be on Jimmy Fallon's show on debate night, I thought, oh, who's going to watch? But it turned out to be very effective because, you know, we have this thing called the Internet.

LARRY SABATO, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: That's absolutely true. Carol -- having watched all five hours of your debates last night, I was ready for a good laugh. And that's exactly what Fallon provided.

So, look, Hillary Clinton needs a lot more of this. This was a great start. You know, she was on Ellen the other day. But I think this was even better for her. She's going to have to do a lot more of that. And show more of her personality because that's been one of her problems over the last six months.

COSTELLO: I should introduce you officially because, you know, I didn't because you're such a good friend of the show and friend of mine. This is Larry Sabato. He's the director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

[10:35:04] SABATO: It's better if you don't.

COSTELLO: Better if you don't. Exactly because no one knows who you are. It is interesting Larry that --

SABATO: I thought there was another Larry there. I wasn't sure.

COSTELLO: Sorry about that. It is interesting that Hillary Clinton agreed to an interview with Wolf Blitzer, which will air later on this afternoon. So, maybe she's stepping out more.

SABATO: Well, yes. They advertised that in the "New York Times". Remember they indicated she was going to be more available to the media and more spontaneous and humorous. It's an unusual announcement.

But they're doing the right thing. They need to get her out there so that people see her in less controlled atmospheres and environments. So, this will be very interesting. Now she's had a day for -- to process what the Republicans said in the debate. Her staff had a day to process it.

I suspect she will make some news. If she's smart, she will make some news and she's a very smart person.

COSTELLO: We'll see what happens.

OK. So back to the -- let's talk about humor because on the debate stage, even in a controlled environment, some of the candidates tried to use humor to make themselves look more human. Some were more successful than others. Marco Rubio, for example, attempted to be funny with a nod to California's drought and his previous fumble during the Republican response to President Obama. It would be nice if we could see this so people know what I'm talking about. Here it comes. It's coming. The video's coming --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm honored to be at the Reagan Library at a place that honors the legacy of a man who inspired not just my interest in public service but also our love for country. And I'm also aware that California has a drought and so that's why I made sure I brought my own water.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: He's really trying. I felt really sorry for him because it kind of fell flat.

SABATO: A lot of things fell flat in that small auditorium, which was filled with the Republican establishment, which is another reason why Trump didn't do well last night.

Look, Marco Rubio, I thought had a very good night. If he learned one thing between the State of the Union response and last night, it's to stay away from water jokes. That would be my free suggestion to him.

COSTELLO: Especially in California, right?

OK, another moment that actually was pretty funny was when Jeb Bush and Donald Trump seemed to bond over proposed Secret Service names.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Eveready -- it's very high-energy, Donald.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Mr. Trump?

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Humble.

BUSH: That's a good one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Actually, I was surprised their minds were still working because by this part it was like the third hour of the debate.

SABATO: The truth is, Carol, that the Secret Service was greatly relieved that they will never have to use at least 10 of those 11 code names.

COSTELLO: Actually just before you go, I wanted to know from your perspective, who was the big winner of the night and who was the loser? SABATO: Oh, I think Carly Fiorina. I agree with the consensus.

And I felt that even during the debate. You know, a lot of people wait for the consensus and then they chime in. But all along, I felt she was by far the strongest candidate. She is guaranteed her place in the rest of the debates. So, that makes her the long-term big winner as well.

And she may start cutting into the outsider percentages that Trump and Carson have. We'll have to see what the polls showed. The top loser, I'm sorry to say for him, was Scott Walker. He needed a breakthrough moment. He had a couple of good moments, but he just disappeared on stage. And he needed a lot more than that to keep his donors happy.

COSTELLO: All right. Larry Sabato, thanks for your insight as always. I appreciate it.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM the candidates made --

SABATO: Thank you.

COSTELLO: -- you're welcome. The candidates made a lot of claims during the debate. What was true and what was false?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[10:43:59] BUSH: He wanted casino gambling in Florida.

TRUMP: I did not.

BUSH: Yes, you did.

TRUMP: Totally false. I would have gotten it.

BUSH: You wanted it and you didn't get it because I was opposed to casino gambling before, during and after.

TRUMP: I promise I would have gotten it.

BUSH: And that's not -- I'm not going to be bought by anyone.

TRUMP: I promise --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Oh, strong feelings and even stronger charges. Did Donald Trump try to buy Governor Bush to win support for casino gambling in Florida? Former governor of Florida Bush says, yes. The Donald says no.

CNN's Tom Foreman gets in the middle of it to find the truth.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump says he has so much

wealth you don't have to worry about him mixing money and politics. But in this debate Jeb Bush said, too late, Trump himself has already tried to buy political influence.

BUSH: He wanted casino gambling in Florida.

TRUMP: I did not.

BUSH: Yes, you did.

TRUMP: Totally false. I would have gotten it.

BUSH: You wanted it and you didn't get it because I was opposed to casino gambling before, during and after.

TRUMP: I promise, I would have gotten it.

BUSH: And that's not -- I'm not going to be bought by anyone.

TRUMP: I promise, if I wanted it, I would have got it.

BUSH: No way.

TRUMP: Believe me. No, I know my people.

BUSH: Not even possible.

TRUMP: I know my people.

[10:45:04] FOREMAN: The facts: Trump did hold a fund-raiser for Jeb Bush in the late 90s when he was trying to get a casino deal going down in Florida. Bush later blocked it. So on this issue it appears that Trump had to say things that were false and Bush was saying something that was true.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Tom Foreman reporting, thanks.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, most experts agree the Fed will soon raise interest rates. Could it happen today?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:50:02] COSTELLO: A massive settlement for General Motors. The Justice Department has just announced GM will pay $900 million to settle a criminal probe after the automaker admitted it misled the government about faulty ignition switches in its car and delayed the recall to fix the issue. More than 100 people died in crashes linked to those faulty ignitions.

It could be the day analysts have been nervously awaiting. Are interest rates on your credit card, your mortgage, your car loan about to go up. The Federal Reserve could determine that today.

In the meantime in anticipation of the Fed's decision stocks have begun to -- well, not very much, Christine Romans -- right?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I say they're frozen. They're frozen because it's a nail-biter. Nobody knows if the fed, Carol is going to raise interest rates today. If it does, it would be the first time in almost ten years and interest rates are zero.

Anybody who has money in the bank knows, you are getting nothing for having your money in the bank. That's what it means when interest rates are zero. That's the bad news about zero interest rates. Good news, you've had cheap car loans, cheaper mortgages, cheaper variable debt like on credit cards and that was supposed to be something good for the economy.

So will it happen today? Will they finally raise interest rates? When they do, car loans, mortgages, credit cards will be more expensive. If you need to refinance your mortgage, I suggest you do it today. If you're on the fence about buying a home, I suggest you do it today.

"On Wall Street" they don't know Carol if it will happen today or if it will in December maybe. The reason is raising interest rates signals the economy is back to normal. But there's a lot of stuff going on that says it's not quite normal yet. Wages aren't rising. China's growth is slowing. There's still some concerns about global growth. Will that hold the fed back? We don't know.

They're behind closed doors right now. It's a real nail-biter on Wall Street. It's the one kind of money move, everyone that matters to so absolutely everyone. Half you have money in the stock market. All of you will be affected by rising interest rates. They're coming if not today, they're coming soon.

COSTELLO: OK, so higher interest rates may mean that the banks will loosen up and loan more money to people -- right?

ROMANS: That is a very good question so. On paper, higher interest rates should mean when you put your money in a bank account, you're going to get more interest back. In the near term experts are saying, that's probably not going to happen.

The banks are going to raise the interest rates they charge use to borrow money but they're not going raise lending rates right away. It will beef up their bottom line first --

COSTELLO: Of course.

ROMANS: But eventually --

COSTELLO: Because you know how much they've been hurting.

ROMANS: But eventually, eventually it should mean higher CD rates, certificates of deposit. Remember a generation ago you got 14 percent.

COSTELLO: It's not even worth getting a CD now. ROMANS: It's not worth actually the cab fare to go to the bank

to do it. But eventually, those should start to rise, those interest rates should start to rise.

COSTELLO: OK. I'll believe it when I see it.

ROMANS: 2:15 Eastern time. So for those of you like me, we're all excited about what's going to happen.

COSTELLO: I'm going to set my alarm right now. I'm doing it now. Thanks, Christine Romans, I appreciate it.

ROMANS: You're welcome.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, one of the big Twitter questions from our debate coverage. Who was that hottie behind Jake Tapper? I'm serious -- Christine.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:57:17] COSTELLO: For people on Twitter, last night's breakout star was not on the stage but, rather right behind Jake Tapper, the moderator. Look at that guy. He's been referred to all night as the #gophottie. One woman tweeted quoted, "The hottie behind Jake Tapper makes politics worth watching." So who is he?

Well, he's a filmmaker and actor from Los Angeles. No word ladies on whether if he's single. Yes, I know this is a shallow conversation. Yes, we're maligning Donald Trump for commenting on the way people look. But hey, we're just trying to keep you up to date about what's trending online.

Final numbers are expected to be released in just a few hours. But CNN is expected to have one of the largest audiences ever for a debate. Yes, much of that can be credited to that guy, Donald Trump. Voters curious about what he'll say next in his race for the White House. So, for an early look at the numbers, Brian Stelter joins me and they're impressive.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: They absolutely are. I can't help but say, look at that face after your moment just now.

COSTELLO: I admit it. I was a hypocrite.

STELTER: But it was trending. It was trending. It was very popular. As this debate was overall. You know, this was a three-hour long debate, longer than Fox's debate last month. But it appears to be the biggest event in CNN history. The official (INAUDIBLE) come in in a couple of hours. But it looks like upwards of 20 million viewers watched last night.

And let's put this into perspective. Monday night football had 14 million people viewers on Monday. America's Got Talent with the biggest show on Tuesday and it had 11 million viewers.

COSTELLO: The Vikings played on Monday.

STELTER: And my eagles lost. But this puts in perspective, we're talking about obviously a political debate but also one of the biggest TV shows of the whole year new. Bigger than "Empire", bigger than "The Walking Dead. Almost as big as even Sunday night , it just goes to show that Donald Trump is driving so many viewers to these debates and all the candidates benefit from that. All the other candidates get a chance in the spotlight in front of 20 million people thanks to Donald Trump.

COSTELLO: Yes, it will be interesting to see because, you know, a lot of people predict his poll numbers might go down, especially after last night's debate. It will be interesting to see the interest people have if Donald Trump doesn't take part in these debates.

STELTER: Yes, that's an interesting. I'm also curious to see how well it does over the three hours. We don't have the numbers yet, hour by hour. Some people thought the first hour was more compelling. They got a little tired as it went on.

But I think three hours gave more candidates more time to talk. I'm all in favor of hearing more from these candidates. So there's that dynamic to the Party as well.

COSTELLO: And you do work for CNN.

STELTER: What do you mean?

COSTELLO: I'm just saying. Three hours was great.

STELTER: Well, the three hours did create more time for commercials as well. This debate looks like it didn't do quite as well as fox's debate but that's probably because it went on longer and some viewers may have turned the channel. Bottom line, a record for CNN last night.

COSTELLO: I watched pretty much through the whole thing. I struggled through the last hour.

STELTER: I think it was impressive that Jake Tapper was able to sit there for so many hours and moderate those debates.

COSTELLO: I know I wonder how many Red Bulls he drank during the night.

Brian Stelter, thanks so much, appreciate it.

Thank you for joining me today. I'm Carol Costello.

"AT THIS HOUR" with Berman and Bolduan starts now.