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Cruz Upsets Trump in Iowa, Rubio Posts Close Third; Clinton Declares Victory in Iowa Caucuses; 2016 Voter Demographics; Woman Votes in Her 20th Presidential Election; Leading Republicans Upbeat after Iowa; North Korea to Launch Satellite This Month; Aired 10-11a ET
Aired February 02, 2016 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
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ROBYN CURNOW, CNN HOST (voice-over): At the INTERNATIONAL DESK, Iowa shakes up the U.S. presidential race. We'll have live reports from the
campaign trail and hear from some of the top candidates.
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CURNOW: Hello and welcome. I'm Robyn Curnow at the CNN Center.
The race for the U.S. presidential nomination's off and running after a surprising and tense night in Iowa. The biggest winner in Monday's
caucuses: Ted Cruz.
The Republican used a grassroots campaign to score a winner but Donald Trump that said he had to have to keep Trump from locking up the nomination
early.
Marco Rubio finished third just behind Trump. And he says he can use the results to build momentum.
On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton's campaign is declaring victory over Bernie Sanders. But Iowa's Democratic Party says it's still too close
to call.
Well, we have two reports now on the Iowa caucuses. Jim Acosta has more on Ted Cruz's poll-defying win over Donald Trump and the strong showing by
Marco Rubio.
But first, Brianna Keilar looks at what the Clinton campaign says is a razor-thin victory over Bernie Sanders.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Wow, what a night!
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The final votes are not tallied.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VT., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It looks like we are in a virtual tie.
KEILAR (voice-over): But Hillary Clinton's camp is claiming victory in a tight race, the closest in Iowa Democratic caucus history. Secretary
Clinton optimistic early on that the final results will be in her favor.
CLINTON: I stand here tonight, breathing a big sigh of relief, to your knowledge, Iowa.
KEILAR (voice-over): Delivering a fiery speech to supporters, conjuring the same ideals fueling her rival, Bernie Sanders', campaign.
CLINTON: I am a progressive who gets things done for people.
(APPLAUSE)
CLINTON: I know what we are capable of doing. I know we can create more good-paying jobs and raise incomes for hard-working Americans again. I
know that we can finish the job of universal health care coverage for every single man, woman and child.
KEILAR (voice-over): Supporters listening over at the Sanders' camp did not agree.
SANDERS: What Iowa has begun tonight is a political revolution.
(APPLAUSE)
SANDERS: I think the people of Iowa have sent a very profound message to the political establishment, to the economic establishment and, by the way,
to the media establishment and that is, given the enormous crises facing our country, it is just too late for establishment politics and
establishment economics.
KEILAR (voice-over): Now the Democratic candidates setting their sights on the Granite State, carrying their momentum gained in this dead heat match
up into next week's New Hampshire primary.
SANDERS: And we're going to be running all over the state and I look forward to next Tuesday to having a great victory there in New Hampshire.
Thank you all so much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Congratulations, Senator.
(CROSSTALK)
JIM ACOSTA, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This morning, 11 GOP candidates --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome to New Hampshire.
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), FLA., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes, we're ready.
ACOSTA: -- are marching on to New Hampshire.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS: God bless the great state of Iowa.
(APPLAUSE)
ACOSTA (voice-over): Ted Cruz is riding high after the best night in the Texas senator's political career.
CRUZ: To God be the glory. Tonight is a victory for courageous conservatives across Iowa and all across this great nation.
ACOSTA (voice-over): In a surprising victory, Cruz defied the polls that had him in second place and surpassed Donald Trump by the thousands in
Iowa, a disappointment for the front-runner that could only be described as huge.
DONALD TRUMP, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I was told by everybody, do not go to Iowa. You could never finish even in the top 10.
We finished second and I want to tell you something, I'm just honored. I'm really honored. And I want to congratulate Ted.
ACOSTA (voice-over): Cruz turned out the most votes ever cast for any Republican winner in Iowa, a stunning result that sets the table for a long
battle for the heart and soul of the GOP.
TRUMP: We will go on to get the Republican nomination.
ACOSTA (voice-over): The brash billionaire, who often boasts about his poll numbers, was gracious in defeat and even suggested he might become an
Iowan.
TRUMP: I think I might come here and buy your farm.
ACOSTA (voice-over): Nipping at Trump's heels, the other freshman senator --
RUBIO: They told me that we had no chance because my hair wasn't gray enough and my boots were too high.
(LAUGHTER)
ACOSTA (voice-over): -- Marco Rubio's strong third place finish may give him --
[10:05:00]
ACOSTA (voice-over): -- promising momentum heading into New Hampshire.
RUBIO: The people of this great state have sent a very clear message: after seven years of Barack Obama, we are not waiting any longer to take
our country back.
ACOSTA (voice-over): Momentum his supporters hope will give the Republican establishment the fighting chance it's been seeking in this race.
RUBIO: When I am a nominee, we will unite our party; we will grow our party and we will defeat Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders or whoever they
nominate.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: Lots to talk about. We are tracking also all the latest results and responses to the Iowa caucuses. Texas senator Ted Cruz is projecting
confidence and optimism after his big Iowa win. You heard him there.
In his victory speech, Cruz was quick to blast Donald Trump, the media and the party establishment.
He really tried to rub it in, didn't he?
But in an interview with CNN's own Dana Bash, he was more measured, calling his win, quote, "breathtaking," and dodging talk of his opponents. Take a
listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR U.S. CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Who do you think your biggest competition is, given the results tonight?
Is it Donald Trump or is he still a factor?
CRUZ: Every candidate is going to have to decide what they do next in the campaign. I like and respect everyone in this race. I like and respect
Donald Trump. I like and respect Marco. I like and respect everyone.
Donald and Marco both had a good night. I congratulate them, their second and third place finish. Ben Carson had a good night. There are a lot of
people. Every one in this field I like and respect. We are going to stay focused on making the case to the American people that we can't have
another campaign conservative.
BASH: I'm not taking anything away from your victory. You had a very solid, well-deserved victory, given how much you guys worked.
But I was kind of tailor-made for Ted Cruz. If you look at the entrance polls, let me just give you an example, 85 percent said that they were
conservative, 15 percent say they were moderate. And of the moderates, you only got like 9 percent.
So how do you translate what you did here to other states that don't have such a conservative electorate?
CRUZ: You know, Dana, I have to admit I'm kind of amused, hearing that Iowa is tailor-made for us. Last night I was watching the news. And on
every station, every media pundit was saying, Cruz is going to lose. I heard that over and over and over again. Trump will win Trump will win
Trump will win. Every media pundit.
And then suddenly, when the grassroots proved the media wrong, then suddenly, well, of course, it was a foregone conclusion, Ted was going to
win.
This is the power of the conservative grassroots. And there is a silent majority in this country. One of the greatest lies that gets told on the
airwaves over and over again is that this country has somehow embraced Barack Obama's big-government, failed liberalism. That's not true. This
is a center right country. This is a country built on Judeo-Christian values.
And the heart of my campaign is based on common-sense principles, live within your means. Don't bankrupt our kids and grandkids. Follow the
Constitution.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: OK, there's little time to relish those Iowa results. Most candidates have already packed up and headed to New Hampshire before next
week's primaries.
CNN's Phil Mattingly joins me now from a Chris Christie event in Bedford, New Hampshire, keeping an eye there on the Republican race.
So let's talk about what we've just heard, Dana Bash speaking to Ted Cruz. It is a huge win for him.
But do you think that same constituency, this loud, angry slice of America, will carry him through?
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, what is going to be really interesting, Robyn, is what happens here in New Hampshire. You see Chris
Christie just over my right shoulder. I mean, his campaign headquarters right now in this, the second state, the first primary voting state, is a
very different electorate.
If you look at the polling, Ted Cruz is in the top three or four. But it's not the same base. The conservative evangelical base that Ted Cruz rode
through his victory. So Ted Cruz is going to have a lot of work to do.
But the real question, I think, is going to be, Robyn ,what happens with Donald Trump?
He's been leading in the polls here by 15, 20 points over the last couple of weeks. Now he's lost.
What actually happens going forward?
Chris Christie just spoke to reporters. I asked him what he expects to happen in the weeks ahead and even he had that big question. Donald Trump
has been dominating here. But now he's been shown that he can lose.
What actually happens?
We're going to see, Robyn, in just a couple of days.
CURNOW: Yes, I mean, this is fascinating, the twists and turns of this. That is what key -- that is what key -- is key in many ways.
What mistakes did Trump make?
Why didn't his supporters follow through on those poll numbers and those full stadiums?
Was it all an illusion?
MATTINGLY: One of the interesting things here is, in Iowa and New Hampshire, in these early states, traditionally, the people who win are the
people who are best on the ground, Robyn, the people who are good retail politicians, who do the town halls who do the work, have their volunteers
out, knocking on thousands of doors, identify potential supporters -- and not just identify them but, particularly in Iowa, where it's not easy to go
caucus at 7:00 pm on a work night --
[10:10:00]
MATTINGLY: -- get them to come out and actually participate. Ted Cruz invested millions of dollars, millions of dollars in making sure volunteers
were out there but also, more importantly, millions of dollars in data and digital operations to help identify those voters. Donald Trump did not.
And I think what you saw last night was what happens when you invest on the ground in a state like Iowa. It will be a very similar type of situation
here in New Hampshire, where you've had people like Chris Christie behind me, John Kasich, Jeb Bush investing millions of dollars in voter turnout
operations.
Donald Trump hasn't done that here. So whether or not Iowa is just an indicator of what's coming or maybe just a one-off, is a big question.
But Robyn, no question about it, last night exposed that Donald Trump did not have the ground game that other campaigns did -- Robyn.
CURNOW: When you talk about investing on the ground there, I mean, I think Donald Trump actually said he promised or wanted to buy a farm in Iowa.
That's his way of perhaps investing. You can't promise to buy a farm in every primary state.
So I think what is key here then is how does Donald Trump recover?
Because he has dominated this conversation so much until now. Whether you like it or not, the pundits here have been so surprised. And there was
always -- even last summer there was a conversation is, when is his tipping point?
Is this it?
MATTINGLY: It could be. Look, he's been shown to be mortal. And I think the big question is -- and we've all been guilty of it over the last eight
or nine months, Robyn, predicting his fall.
What comment was going to send his polls plummeting?
What action was going to send his polls plummeting?
And up to this point, everybody's been wrong every single time. But when you watched Donald Trump's speech last night in Iowa, a very understated
speech, just three minutes long, the most anti- or, I guess, non-Trump speech we've seen since he launched his campaign.
You wondered if there was something different. Now again, the big question here -- and I think what's going to be really interesting over the next
four or five days, is he's been leading in New Hampshire by 20 points without fail, every single poll. Everybody underneath him has been going
back and forth.
Donald Trump has stayed the same. Now if those numbers, if they start to drop, if you see people see the kind of air coming out of the balloon, he's
in really, really big trouble. But again, it's just one state. It's just 1 percent of the electorate, not even that.
What happens over the next five or six days, Robyn, is really going to determine whether last night was an aberration or whether last night was
really the tipping point, as you said, or possibly even the end for a Trump campaign.
CURNOW: OK, great stuff. Thanks so much for that update, Phil. Appreciate it.
Well, just ahead, more on this virtual tie between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. We'll tell you just how close the race was and why Sanders
says he's not worried. Stay with us.
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CURNOW: This is CNN, I'm Robyn Curnow. Lots to talk about.
Iowa's Democratic Party chairman calls the results on that side the closest ever in the history of Iowa Democratic caucuses.
[10:15:00]
CURNOW: Clinton claimed 49.8 percent of the delegates while Sanders secured 49.6 percent. Bernie Sanders refuses to concede, telling CNN's
Chris Cuomo, the fight isn't over yet.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANDERS: We started our campaign 40, 50 points behind. Whether we lose by a fraction of a point or we win or whatever, we're very proud of the
campaign that we won.
And I think the significance is that for folks who did not think Bernie Sanders could win, that we could compete against Hillary Clinton, I hope
that that thought is now gone. We are going to fight really hard in New Hampshire and then we are going to Nevada and we're going to South
Carolina. We look forward to doing well around the country.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Do you take this as a victory, regardless of what the margin is?
SANDERS: Absolutely. Look. What you're talking about is, one way or the other, a couple of delegates when we're going to need 2,300 delegates to
win this thing. So maybe we lost by two, maybe we lost by one, maybe by zero, whatever it may be.
But what this shows is that this campaign has started in a very forceful way, starting way, way back and coming to a virtual tie. And we are going
to fight here in New Hampshire. Look forward to winning here and doing well around the rest of the country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: Well, Bernie Sanders speaking to Chris Cuomo there. Now the tight race between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders is carrying over to New
Hampshire, where Sanders may have more leverage.
Our senior Washington correspondent Joe Johns joins us now from Kee (ph), New Hampshire with the latest.
We heard Bernie there.
After Iowa, who feels better, Clinton or Sanders?
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well I think it's all a game of expectations when you look at these early primaries in the United
States.
And I think there was an expectation that Hillary Clinton would have seen a bit more space between herself and Bernie Sanders.
Nonetheless, for a candidate like Hillary Clinton, who hit such disappointment eight years ago, this, just any type of a win is almost a
vindication. What we do know is that the Hillary Clinton people are going to have an uphill battle, if you will, here in the state of New Hampshire,
simply because this is very much seen as Bernie Sanders' territory, partly because of the geography.
Vermont is so close in New England to New Hampshire. He's seen as a known commodity here in this part of the country. And also because of his
politics, his brand of politics, the message he's been pushing, really appeals to independents in a lot of different ways.
And about 40 percent of the voters here in the state see themselves as independents, as nonaligned. And they're susceptible to that argument
about corporate inequality, economic inequality and, of course, campaign finance reform, which is very important to people in this part of the
country -- Robyn.
CURNOW: Well, in that part of the country, you say Bernie Sanders is a known commodity. But if you look across the whole of the U.S., even
globally, Hillary Clinton is the known commodity. She thinks that's a huge strength, all of her experience.
But either way, what do these results tell us about the Democratic voter?
That its economic issues that are more important than, compared to, say, foreign policy, what are we getting from this first test?
JOHNS: I think what it tells you is in some ways the same thing it tells you on the Republican side. People are interested in outsiders. They are
interested in significant change with someone who isn't speaking the same language that they had been hearing year after year. You've heard that so
much with Donald Trump on the Republican side, here on the Democratic side.
A lot of new voters coming in, including college students and others, disenchanted with the things going on in the United States. Concern about
oligarchies, big banks, corporate influence, particularly in politics.
So that's, I think, what you saw a bit of in Iowa. Likely to see a bit more of it in New Hampshire. But when you get out of New England, when you
go farther south, for example, one of the other early voting states, South Carolina, the question is whether it moves much more into the traditional
realm of politics.
A lot more African American voters there expected to be more aligned with the Hillary Clinton argument and her message. The question is whether
Bernie Sanders can break through, once he gets out of here -- Robyn.
CURNOW: Joe Johns, thank you so much for that perspective. We will be talking to you in New Hampshire in the coming days. Thanks so much.
Well, at 102 years old, one woman in Iowa has voted in 20 --
[10:20:00]
CURNOW: -- presidential elections. Hear her determination to caucus for Hillary Clinton and to vote in this year's general election. It's quite a
story. Stick around for that.
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CURNOW: Monday's Iowa caucuses were just the beginning of the U.S. presidential primary season. Things could change in a big way, though.
Our chief U.S. correspondent, John King, looks at who will be voting.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN HOST: We're going to start with the Democrats. This is the national African American population. Let me shrink this down a little bit
and move this over so you can see it a little bit better and pull it up a little bit because after New Hampshire, up here, then Nevada comes up out
west and then everything else, you have South Carolina and then we stay mostly in the South.
There are other states that sprinkle in in the month of March but predominantly we're down in the South. Look at the African American
population. That is what Hillary Clinton thinks is her firewall. Bernie Sanders, her campaign believes, doesn't have the historical relationships
with these communities that she has. That's the African American population.
Let me bring this up and show you something else she hopes helps here. A gain, the darker the area, the higher the concentration of that electorate.
You also have more Latino voters out in Nevada as well.
So Hillary Clinton is hoping as you get out of the predominantly white states of Iowa and New Hampshire, that she can win with the traditional
Democratic base. We'll see if that happens. If Bernie Sanders continues to win, can he improve his standing there, that's one thing.
Now let's go to the Republican side. Do not discount Ted Cruz. The darker the area, the higher the percentage of evangelicals. All right. Here's
Iowa, a decent amount of evangelicals. New Hampshire, I'm going to move it over a little bit for you, almost no evangelicals. So it's a bit tougher.
But when we get to South Carolina, and then when you get to Super Tuesday and beyond, most of those states are down here. Look how dark that is.
That is a higher percentage of evangelicals. We know most of them are Cruz voters and we know that he has proven in Iowa that he knows how to identify
them and turn them out.
So if you want to stop Ted Cruz, you'd better blunt his momentum before we get down here.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: John King there.
Well, let's hear from one of those caucus voters yesterday, 102-year-old woman didn't let a possible blizzard stop her from caucusing on Monday.
She says it wasn't easy but went anyway to help Hillary Clinton become the first woman to preside over the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RULINE STEININGER, HILLARY SUPPORTER: Tonight I'm going to my caucus and vote for Hillary.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Fantastic.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is her 20th presidential election; '40 was your first one.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: May I ask how old you are?
STEININGER: I'm 102.
Going to the caucus is more important than voting because that is when you pick the candidate.
I say I hope Hillary appreciates all this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Grab on to that.
STEININGER: OK.
Now where do I go?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She is Hillary unless somebody changes her mind at the last minute. You know, that's what this is all about.
STEININGER: I'm not changing mine.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You made it.
STEININGER: Ah, yes. It wasn't easy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All those in favor?
STEININGER: If he says anything important, let me know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
STEININGER: Well, I think it's wonderful that a woman is running for president after all these years. And I'm real excited about it and I think
she ought to win.
[10:25:00]
STEININGER: I'm holding the letter that I wrote to Hillary.
"Dear Madam Secretary, in my first century of life, I have seen many incredible things, two world depressions, a cure for polio, a man on the
moon, the end of smallpox, an attack on American soil and a black president.
"In my second century, I look forward to seeing a woman president."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So this is the time during the caucus that we break into preference groups.
And if anyone wants to realign, this is their opportunity to do that.
STEININGER: Well, I'm sitting in Hillary Clinton's section, I hope.
I'm trying to live long enough to vote in the November election.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 98 for Hillary Clinton, 67 for Bernie Sanders, six undecided.
STEININGER: Where is my photographer when I need him?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ready for your close-up?
STEININGER: No. Don't make it a close-up. No close-ups.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: No close-ups. But wow, what a woman.
That's democracy, isn't it?
We'll tell you much more about women like her and other caucusgoers, voters here in the states coming up.
We'll also ask what does Iowa tell us about Americans as a whole? Ahead, we'll talk about that with our political commentator, Errol Louis.
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CURNOW: You're watching the INTERNATIONAL DESK. I'm Robyn Curnow at the CNN Center.
Now the leading U.S. presidential candidates have moved on to New Hampshire, where they will spend a whirlwind week campaigning for the
nation's first primary.
Ted Cruz coming off of his upset of Donald Trump in Iowa is hoping to build on his momentum. Let's hear more of what the top Republican finishers had
to say before they got on their planes in Iowa.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUZ: The state of Iowa has spoken.
(APPLAUSE)
CRUZ: Iowa has sent notice that the Republican nominee and the next president of the United States --
[10:30:00]
CRUZ: -- will not be chosen by the media, will not be chosen by the Washington establishment, will not be chosen by the lobbyists but will be
chosen by the most incredible powerful force, where all sovereignty resides in our nation, by we, the people, the American people.
TRUMP: We will go on to get the Republican nomination and we will go on to easily beat Hillary or Bernie or whoever the hell they throw up there.
RUBIO: So this is the moment they said would never happen.
(APPLAUSE)
RUBIO: For months, for months they told us we had no chance. They told me I needed to wait my turn, that I needed to wait in line.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is your turn.
(APPLAUSE)
RUBIO: But tonight, tonight here in Iowa, the people of this great state sent a very clear message, after seven years of Barack Obama, we are not
waiting any longer to take our country back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: On the Democratic side, the candidates headed to New Hampshire with Iowa still undecided. Hillary Clinton says she beat Bernie Sanders.
The Iowa Democratic Party has yet to make that official. Here is what both of them had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: It is rare that we have the opportunity we do now, to have a real contest of ideas, to really think hard about what the Democratic Party
stands for and what we want the future of our country to look like if we do our part to build it. I am a progressive who gets things done for people.
SANDERS: As I think about what happened tonight, I think the people of Iowa have sent a very profound message to the political establishment, to
the economic establishment and, by the way, to the media establishment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: Talking to us?
Appears so.
Well, we've had the polls to show us the likely outcome in Iowa. And we have indeed spoken a lot about it in the media. The caucuses have left
many of us surprised. CNN political commentator Errol Louis joins me now from New York.
So we're going to have this conversation first about Donald Trump. He's dumped. And I want to show a headline from a New York paper.
There we go, "Cruz-ified."
What happened?
How did he become Two Corinthians short of a victory here?
(LAUGHTER)
ERROL LOUIS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: That's good, Robyn.
Well, the conventional wisdom is that he did not -- he, Trump, did not do what you have to do to win a caucus. I mean, for years -- I mean, I was
out in Iowa 2008. I was out in Iowa earlier this month. They really do want and expect and reward the personal touch.
Now what Donald Trump was doing was flying in on his private jet and holding rallies at the airplane hangar where the plane landed. And this is
not a small plane. This is not a two-seat puddle jumper. This is a 767 airliner.
And so he would land and he would sort of wave to people, take a few pictures, get back on the plane and fly away.
Ted Cruz did almost the opposite. He visited all 99 counties personally. He had an enormous organization, about 1,200 volunteers, by the time caucus
night came around, who were out there knocking on doors.
He organized pastors. He helped organize people who send their kids to private schools. That's a network. He talked on conservative radio
constantly. He really reached people where they were.
And as far as we can tell from the exit polls, people thought that he was the kind of candidate who lived their lifestyle. And that's what they
wanted, not somebody like Trump that they admire or are intrigued by or who used -- they used to watch on television but somebody like Ted Cruz.
CURNOW: Indeed. I read some reports that he had let kids come and play in his plane. But either way, this is just the beginning.
But what this election seems to be doing is really laying bare the divisions in America, deep ideological divisions, emotions, anger,
frustration. Someone described it as, "This is a portrait of red-hot America, bitter, insecure, anxious."
LOUIS: That might be overstating it just a little bit but there's certainly a great deal of unrest out there.
We have tremendous problems of economic inequality. There are members now of the middle class and the working class who I think now realize that sort
of the joke is on them, that the rich have gotten tremendously richer.
That the college education that they wanted for their kids, that the economic security they wanted for their families and for themselves is
somewhat out of reach and that there is no particular plan to turn it around. And to make things worse, the --
[10:35:00]
LOUIS: -- politicians in Washington seem to be in on it, that they leave Congress and they become lobbyists, they work for the corporations. It all
gets funneled back up to the 1 percent or outsourced and shipped overseas in the form of jobs that leave the country.
So there is a great deal of anger about a broken political system that has not well served the country in many respects. That's what a lot of these
insurgent candidacies by people who have never held office really represented. And Donald Trump was part of that as well.
CURNOW: Indeed. Many pundits say that both parties seem to have lost the white working class.
Well, let's talk then about Marco Rubio. He nearly beat Trump for second place.
What does this tell us?
And is this an indication where things might be going?
LOUIS: Well, yes. We revert back to type in a lot of ways because despite what we just described about the enormous rage coming from the base,
Democrats and Republicans in the working class, Americans also do respond to somebody who speaks well, somebody who is young and energetic and
somewhat charismatic.
That's what happened with John F. Kennedy in 1960. That's what happened with Barack Obama in 2008. We are starting to see some of the beginnings
of that with Marco Rubio.
He's not tremendously ideologically consistent in a way that ultra conservatives would like. That's partly why Ted Cruz has really been going
after him. He's not particularly seasoned or experienced. He's a freshman senator. He's only been in office a few years.
He's got some money ties that should make a lot of people a little bit concerned from an ethical standpoint.
But he speaks real well. He debates fantastically well. He ran a very good ground game and he appeals to people who are like him, middle aged,
white-collar office workers. He comes across as somebody you might know from your office and as somebody who is energetic, charismatic and ready to
do the job or at least appears to be ready to do the job.
CURNOW: yes, we'll have to see if his boots are made for walking. That was just too easy.
Errol, thanks a lot. Thanks so much. Speak to you again soon.
LOUIS: Thank you, Robyn.
CURNOW: Well, coming up, we've got to get to some of the other day's news. More of those stories after the break. You're watching CNN.
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CURNOW: Welcome back.
North Korea has indicated the plans to launch a satellite in coming weeks. Paula Hancocks joins us now from Seoul, South Korea, and Barbara Starr from
the Pentagon.
Paul, why is this important?
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Robyn, we're just hearing from the International Maritime Organization that North Korea has told them that
they will carry out a satellite launch between the dates of February 8th and February 25th.
This is the first official word we have from North Korea directly through to the IMO warning that they will be carrying out this rocket launch. And
it's significant because even --
[10:40:00]
HANCOCKS: -- though it is likely they will be putting a satellite on top of a long-range rocket, many countries around the world, including South
Korea and the United States, think that this is simply a cover-up for testing of the intercontinental ballistic missiles, which is banned under
U.N. resolutions.
The last time that North Korea did something like this, that launched a satellite into space, was back in 2012 in December. And there was
international condemnation following that and there was also sanctions.
Bear in mind, North Korea is waiting to see what the sanctions will be following that January 6th nuclear test. So certainly, this is just going
to increase the international anger towards them -- Robyn.
CURNOW: Indeed.
Barbara, what's the reaction bee there in the Pentagon, that this is just a cover for a long-range ballistic missile test?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think it is exactly what you would expect, which is that. The feeling is that the technology,
the systems used to launch a satellite, are virtually identical to those of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
That is not what the U.S. wants to see. Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the entire Pacific Rim obviously extremely concerned that North Korea continues
on its weapons program.
Their ultimate goal appears to be to be able to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile with potentially a small nuclear warhead on top. And
that would upend international security really around the globe. So the effort of the sanctions, the effort of the international condemnation is to
push back that effort by North Korea -- Robyn.
CURNOW: Barbara there at the Pentagon, Paula in Seoul, thank you both so much.
Moving on. Heavy snow is being blamed for tens of thousands of travelers stranded in Southern China. Bad weather delayed several trains at
Guangzhou station as people headed home for Lunar New Year's celebrations. China's "People's Daily" newspaper says as many as 100,000 people were
stuck.
And the European Union is offering new terms to prevent a British exit from the E.U. David Cameron has been negotiating with the European Council
president, Donald Tusk.
He says a new draft document offers, quote, "substantial change." Concessions include measures to reduce the number of migrants entering the
U.K. Mr. Cameron hopes the changes will convince voters to keep Britain in the E.U. in a national referendum he's promised by the end of the year.
And we leave you with another slice of life in America, divided by presidential politics but all united around this little guy. Punxsutawney
Phil emerged from his burrow in Pennsylvania a few hours ago. His handlers tell us Phil did not see a shadow.
And if you believe the Groundhog Day legend, that means the U.S. is in for an early spring.
Well, It certainly isn't a groundhog election. Lots to talk about. Lots of twists and surprises, even early on in this presidential nomination
race. I'll be back in about an hour to unpack it all. In the meantime, I am going to hand you over to "WORLD SPORT." Thanks for watching.
END
