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New Day Saturday
Candidates Race Across New Hampshire; New Poll: Sanders Tops Clinton 61 Percent To 31 Percent In New Hampshire; Sanders, Trump Top Latest New Hampshire Polls; One Killed, Three Injured As Crane Falls In Manhatt; Jeb Bush Comes in Fifth Place; Manziel Name Suspect in DV Investigation. Aired 6-7a ET
Aired February 06, 2016 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[06:01:02] SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: God blest the state of New Hampshire.
JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There's some talent running for president for sure.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My total focus now is on New Hampshire.
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R-NJ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is the Bernie Sanders free tuition plan. I want you go into my pocket. Now give that to him.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This really is a campaign of the people, by the people, and for the people.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We think we're in second place.
TRUMP: I don't think I did come in second. I think I came in first.
CRUZ: The first thing I intend to do is rescind every single illegal and unconstitutional executive legal action taken by President Obama.
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm fighting for people who can't wait. I won't make promises I can't keep.
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This generation of leadership in this country right now is the most selfish generation of leaders we've ever had in Washington, D.C.
BUSH: We've got to rebuild confidence by restoring democracy in Washington, D.C. because it's completely broken.
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CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Saturday morning, 6:00 a.m. You're up bright and early, and we're right here with you. I'm Christi Paul. VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell. Good to be with you. Next stop on the road to the White House, New Hampshire, the primaries there, just three days away.
Let's go there, get straight out to John Berman who is anchoring our coverage from Manchester. John, good morning.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you guys. It certainly feels like New Hampshire, by that I mean 16 degrees. The political action is white hot, which is good because I can't feel my toes.
The candidates, they are all over the state today. This is where things stand this morning. The latest CNN/WMUR poll, Donald Trump is out in front. He is at 28 percent.
Marco Rubio in second at 17 percent followed by the Iowa caucus winner, Ted Cruz and John Kasich at third at 13 percent. You see Jeb Bush at 9 percent.
What a different story on the Democratic side. Look at that and do the math. Bernie Sanders essentially with a 2-1 edge over Hillary Clinton this morning.
More news overnight. Former candidate, former Louisiana governor, Bobby Jindal, he endorsed Marco Rubio. Rubio chalking up more endorsements lately on the trail.
Meanwhile, Jeb Bush, he pledged to back the Republican nominee no matter who he or she is, even he says, if it's Donald Trump.
A lot to talk about this Saturday morning with just a few days to go until the New Hampshire primary. Let's begin with the Democrats and those big numbers for Bernie Sanders. Chris Frates in Manchester with me now.
The candidates, Chris, they were at an event actually together last night and they seemed OK with it.
CHRIS FRATES, CNN INVESTIGATIONS CORRESPONDENT: That's right, John. And they kept it mostly civil at this dinner her in Manchester. They spoke before thousands of Democrats, and despite lagging Bernie Sanders by double digits Hillary Clinton said she's not giving up on New Hampshire.
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CLINTON: Over the past few days some people have looked at the polls that show Senator Sanders with a big lead here and suggested -- yes. That's a fact. And suggested that I should just look past New Hampshire and focus on the next states. Well, New Hampshire has never quit on me, and I'm not going to quit on you.
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FRATES: So Bernie Sanders on the other hand seemingly looking ahead to South Carolina where he needs to increase his support among African-American voters. He talked to Democrats last night about police shootings, and that comes on the heels of a big endorsement from former NAACP president, Ben Jealous (ph).
Of course, going into South Carolina, Bernie Sanders needs to increase his support among black voters. He lags Hillary Clinton there by wide margins, John. Here's what Bernie Sanders had to say to the Democrats about police shootings.
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SANDERS: When we talk about criminal justice reform, we say that we are tired of seeing unarmed people shot down by police. What we are saying is that a police officer who breaks the law like any other public official must be held accountable, must make police departments all across this country look like the diversity of the communities they serve.
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FRATES: So despite that largely civil tone at the dinner, there was a bit of a Donald Trump-esque back and forth on Twitter between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton yesterday with Bernie Sanders, saying, quote, "I urge Secretary Clinton to join me and saying loudly and clearly that we will never cut Social Security."
[06:05:06]Hillary Clinton firing back, "Bernie Sanders, I won't cut Social Security. As always, I'll defend it and expand it. Enough false innuendos."
So John, a big campaign day here on Saturday in New Hampshire because keep in mind, tomorrow is the Super Bowl. It's going to suck so much way from the campaign trail.
Both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton will be hitting it hard ahead of Tuesday's primaries -- John.
BERMAN: All right, Chris Frates for us, just down the street here in Manchester. Thank you so much.
I want to bring in Mark Preston, CNN's executive editor for politics. Mark, we see Hillary Clinton saying she's not giving up on New Hampshire, but giving up may not be the right formulation.
She doesn't look like she is going to win here right now and she knows it. So how is she trying to position herself?
MARK PRESTON, CNN EXECUTIVE EDITOR FOR POLITICS: Look, we've seen Bill Clinton, her husband go down to South Carolina earlier this and start to do some spade work down there and try to solidify their organization at that point.
We just know Hillary Clinton is heading out to Flint, Michigan in a very symbolic gesture. If you are trying to win a New Hampshire primary, you're not going to Michigan a couple of days before voters do that. But the messaging from Hillary Clinton and certainly that he campaign is telling me what their goal is to move beyond New Hampshire right now and to talk to African-American voters.
Because they believe they have such a strong foothold with African- American voters and Bernie Sanders needs --
BERMAN: I really thought it wasn't pristine. Going to Flint, Michigan tomorrow to deal, you know, address the water crisis, they are certainly an important, but it's also an important issue to African-American voters in Michigan and in Flint appearing with all the senators yesterday although women senators yesterday trying to appeal to different voting blocks. She is taking a national approach in New Hampshire.
PRESTON: She is because at this point, in many ways it's smart because she's down by 30 points. You can't abandon the state because all the media, the national media is here in New Hampshire. They're focusing on New Hampshire.
For her to go to any of these states in the south and to campaign, she would be out of the limelight. She needs to be here at least to get the cameras on her, but she needs to leave to get some --
BERMAN: One more quick question on the Democrats, Bernie Sanders is leaving New Hampshire too, but it's to go appear on the "Saturday Night Live" tonight. To me, you know, the Larry David impersonation only helps him.
PRESTON: No, brilliant. I mean, you know what? I mean, Bernie Sanders will go there tonight. How many people will see him? And you know what? We've seen Bernie Sanders in a whole entire life, John. Whoever thought Bernie Sanders had humor, was a musician, and now is a serious presidential candidate.
BERMAN: All right, let's shift to the Republicans now because they have a big moment, a pivotal moment, maybe an election-changing moment tonight on the debate stage.
PRESTON: They do. Look, there's a lot on the line for several candidates, Chris Christie, Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich.
BERMAN: When you say there's a lot on the line, for some of those guys, it's all of the line except for Rubio.
PRESTON: Right. So we are focusing on Jeb Bush because his mother is now campaigning in the state and you know, the fact that his brother has now put in an ad on his behalf in South Carolina, the former president.
Jeb Bush needs go after Donald Trump tonight. Jeb Bush needs to contrast himself with Marco Rubio. At least this is what his folks tell me. If he's unable to do that, he's not going to go much further.
BERMAN: You know, I'm looking at the polls, the new CNN/WMUR poll, Donald Trump persistently at 28 percent. Maybe down a very slight hair down from Iowa, but his support seems firm here. It's a different place for him than Iowa was.
PRESTON: Which surprises me coming out of Iowa that we focus so much on Marco Rubio, who had a strong third. Very good for Marco Rubio. Ted Cruz, big surprise, wins Iowa, but Donald Trump still came in second. Donald Trump spent no money. Donald Trump spent one or two nights maybe in Iowa.
Donald Trump even if he were to come in second here is still Donald Trump. He still has the money and the support, 30 percent of the electoral rate now in the Republican side is supporting him. He's going to keep going.
BERMAN: Mark Preston, we're going to talk to you throughout the morning here, mostly because I need the body heat. Really appreciate it, my friend.
One programming note, you have to watch "STATE OF THE UNION" with Jake Tapper this Sunday live from New Hampshire, check out this lineup, Donald Trump, john Kasich, Chris Christie, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, all joining Jake.
My goodness. That sounds like the entire election on "STATE OF THE UNION" with Jake. That's 9:00 a.m. for a very special show commercial-free right here on CNN.
Of course, be sure to tune in to CNN all day on Tuesday for full coverage of the New Hampshire primaries. Not like Iowa where they vote for, you know, half an hour. They vote all day here. There's going to be a lot going on Tuesday. You have to tune in.
All right, back to the race itself, you might remember that Donald Trump skipped the final debate in Iowa. He's not skipping tonight. He will be on that debate stage tonight at St. Anselm's College, but could his return to tonight's showdown make a giant difference in the race? Who does it help? Who does it hurt?
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TRUMP: Right now, the American dream is dead, but we're going to make it bigger and better and stronger than ever before.
[06:10:07]CRUZ: The state of New Hampshire rose up, and we came together and pulled this country back.
RUBIO: if we get this election wrong, if we stay on the road we're on right now, our children, the young people here today, my children, your children, will be the first Americans in our history that inherit a diminished country.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) RUBIO: By the way, if you get a call on Tuesday night saying I dropped out, it isn't true. It's a lie. Keep voting.
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BERMAN: That was Marco Rubio a little dig there at Senator Ted Cruz over what some people are calling dirty tricks. Ben Carson certainly think it was. Some Ted Cruz campaign staffers told Iowa caucus goers that Carson had dropped out of the race and vote for Ted Cruz instead.
Carson, he's still very much in this race, but doesn't seem to be much of a factor here in New Hampshire, down at 1 percent in the most recent CNN/WMUR poll.
Let's talk about the current state of the race right now. We are joined by CNN political commentator and Democratic strategist, Maria Cardona, and also with us, CNN political commentator and Donald Trump supporter, Jeffrey Lord.
Jeffrey, as you know, the voting here, the New Hampshire primary takes place in New Hampshire. Donald Trump was not in New Hampshire yesterday. He was in South Carolina. He couldn't get to New Hampshire because of the weather here. That's a problem just a few days before the primary, no?
JEFFREY LORD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I don't think God is taking sides here, but the weather is the weather in New Hampshire.
[06:15:04]I'm sure that Donald Trump wants to be here. He will be back and he just keep fighting. You have to fight until the last dog dies as it were and never give up, forget the polls, and just keep going.
BERMAN: Jeffrey Lord quoting Bill Clinton with admiration this morning. Mark that down as a first. Maria Cardona, I want to talk about the Democratic state of play right now with New Hampshire frontrunner, Bernie Sanders.
What you do think the risks are for him leading up to Tuesday? He's got a 30-point lead in the polls. He's nearly at a 2-1 advantage here. What does he need to do?
MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You're right. I think right now he is carrying the heavy burden of huge, huge, huge expectation. As we know that is not something that you want on your back going into what I think will be a much closer primary going into New Hampshire.
And so I think the burden is on him and on his campaign. But look, what is so interesting about New Hampshire is that New Hampshire voters don't look at the polls.
And, in fact, they might look at the polls and say, we're not going to do what they say they're going to do. They're notoriously independent. I agree with Jeffrey on this. I think that the candidates need go into this fighting hard. They each should go in with the mentality that they're absolutely the underdog here. Certainly Hillary Clinton is going in with that mentality because she actually is the underdog.
There was a "Boston Globe" poll that came out last night, John, that had her within nine points, so I think that tells you that we really can't look at the polls and say they're right or they're wrong.
The candidates just need to continue to focus on their message, to focus on what they're going to be offering the voters of New Hampshire and the country and fight as hard as they can until the last voter goes into the polls.
BERMAN: You know, just to reinforce that point, I was at a Ted Cruz event last night where he took questions from the audience and the first two questions from the audience were from people who weren't necessarily his supporters.
In fact, they were quite hostile in New Hampshire, people go to event to confront the candidates, not necessarily to support them.
Jeffrey, I want to talk about sort of the endorsement train right now that seems to be running right to Marco Rubio Ville as it were. We had Rick Santorum endorse him the other day although Rick Santorum -- name a vote that Marco made in the Senate that was good.
But he had Bobby Jindal endorsed him overnight. It seems, it seems that he is lining up more and more support as the day goes on -- as the days go on. What kind of effect do you think that will have?
LORD: Well, actually, New Hampshire, I think if anything that could be liability for exactly the reasons Maria was discussing. I mean, these are very independent people. I'm a New Englander myself. I remember the (inaudible) Rockefeller where all the attention went to them.
And Henry Cabot lodge won on a write-in and he was the ambassador of South Vietnam at that time and never did a thing. They're very independent.
I just think endorsements like that tend to send a message of, hey, we're the establishment folks, do as we say, and I don't think that really helps.
BERMAN: Last question, Maria Cardona to you, Donald Trump tonight, do you think you'll see an aggressive Donald Trump on the debate state or will he keep the tone he's had the last day and a half, the new "last day and a half" Donald Trump who sat back a little bit?
CARDONA: Well, I think that question is probably better suited for Jeffrey, but I will certainly take a stab at it. I think you'll see more of the Donald Trump you've seen in the last couple of days.
I think that he is now sort of understanding that it's up to the voters, and you don't want to do anything to offend them. I think that, you know, look, he is still in front, and he still, I think, has the lead here, which again goes to the burden of expectations.
But New Hampshire has always shown that they are supporting Trump more than any other voter or more than any other candidate. But, again, the polls show that the voters in New Hampshire up to a third of them have not made up their mind on the Republican side and up to 36 percent of them have said that they don't want Donald Trump.
But, again, this is all a game of expectations and more than any other primary, more than any other state, you can't really depend on what the polls have shown, what the pundits are saying because this is all up to the New Hampshire voters.
So I think you'll see Donald Trump being Donald Trump. There's never going to be anything you're going to be able to take away from him. I think it's going to be a great debate, and I, for one, am really looking forward to it.
BERMAN: Maria Cardona and Jeffrey Lord, thanks so much for getting up with us this morning, really appreciate it.
CARDONA: Thank you so much.
LORD: Stay warm.
BERMAN: Next hour, we are going to speak to the Ted Cruz camp. He is not, according to our latest poll, around third place tied with John Kasich.
[06:20:09]So what does he want do here? What is his path forward? Victor and Christi, back to you guys in Atlanta.
PAUL: All righty, John, thank you so much. Tonight's debate could be crucial for Jeb Bush specifically. Coming up an exclusive interview, hearing from the former Florida governor on how he plans to get his campaign on track here. Could his name be the problem?
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BUSH: In 1994, 1998, 2002, I ran three times. This is the exact same sign I used.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're not running away from your last name.
BUSH: I wasn't running away in '94, '98, or 2002. Not at all. People know I'm Jeb Bush. This is what I've used in every race I've done. I'm not abandoning the family that I love more than I could ever describe to you.
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BLACKWELL: Yes, you're hearing there for the first time reaction as that nearly 600-foot construction crane fell. PAUL: Yes, that's happened right in the middle of Manhattan. In fact, listen to the people who saw it collapse here.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I saw the crane coming down. When it crashed, it sounded like bombs going off.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It looked like a tank like turned over on its side.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two guys ran to the right, one ran to the left. I believe the guy that ran to the left is the one that was killed.
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[06:25:01]BLACKWELL: It fell yesterday morning as it was being lowered by workers, but it was happening in high winds. The street had been cleared mostly just to be safe, but a man in a parked car was killed.
PAUL: Three others were injured by falling debris. Gas and water pipes are being checked now to make sure that they weren't ruptured by the crane's impact. Both the NYPD and the buildings department are investigating, by the way.
Let's talk about Ethan Couch. The so-called "affluenza" teen has now been moved to an adult detention center and that's where the sheriff says he belongs.
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SHERIFF DEE ANDERSON, TARRANT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: He's getting ready to be 19 years old. He's an adult. He doesn't need to be held in a juvenile detention center. I feel comfortable with him in a more secure environment obviously.
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PAUL: The sheriff clarifies this is only a housing change at the moment. A hearing scheduled for later this month could decide whether Couch's case is actually moved to adult court. He was given probation for killing four people in a 2013 drunk driving crash. He fled to Mexico last year with his mother after a video showed him drinking at a party. That is a probation violation.
BLACKWELL: Somali authorities have identified man suspected of carrying an explosive onto a Somali airliner. Authorities say elderly Somali national, Abdullahi Abdisalam Borleh rigged his laptop with TNT, military grade TNT.
Two other people were injured before the pilot could land safely. Officials are investigating if Borleh is linked to the terror group Al Shabaab. They say he knew exactly where to sit to maximize damage.
And if the plane had reached cruising altitude the bomb would have set off a second catastrophic explosion in the fuel tank.
PAUL: A massive earthquake hits Taiwan killing at least 11 people now and collapsing a 17-storey apartment building. This was a 6.4 magnitude earthquake. It hit the small island early this morning. Among the dead, a 10-day-old baby girl. Rescuers were able to pull more than 200 people from the rubble and damaged building, though, including another newborn.
BLACKWELL: All right, so John tells us it's 16 degrees in Manchester, New Hampshire, but we understand, of course, the countdown to the primary is heating up. We're going to go live to John when we come back to see how all these candidates are doing everything they can. You see the rallies, the town halls to prepare for the big day but also the GOP debate tonight.
PAUL: Plus an exclusive interview with Jeb Bush. Why he's going after Marco Rubio now in his latest campaign ad, in case you haven't seen it.
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[06:30:18] BERMAN: It is the last Saturday before the first primary in 2016. Three days from the New Hampshire primary. The first in the nation primary. Candidates from both sides racing across the state trying to earn every last vote.
They have retail stops. They have town halls. They have rallies. The Republicans, they have their final debate before the vote tonight. That is, unless you are Carly Fiorina. Carly Fiorina will not be part of tonight's debate. "ABC News" tells CNN that it will not happen. She will not make her way to that stage despite calls from her campaign. Some fellow candidates, Mitt Romney, a lot of Republican officials want her there. She did not make the cut.
Jeb Bush will hold a town hall this morning in Bedford, New Hampshire. But he is not doing -- well, Jeb Bush is running sort of in the middle of the pack here. Bunch in with a lot of the other governors. You can see him down there in 5th place in the polls at 9 percent. Bush, though, campaigning very hard.
Talking a lot about Marco Rubio on the trail. Talking about Ted Cruz on the trail and talking about Donald Trump on the trail. And he sat down for a really interesting interview with CNN special correspondent Jamie Gangel. Listen.
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JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: You have a new ad coming out going after Marco Rubio on his accomplishments. It's very tough because?
FMR. GOV. JEB BUSH, (R-FL) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, he doesn't have a record of accomplishment. He's a gifted politician, can give a great speech, got a lot of charisma, but when you're running for the president of the United States, I think having a proven record would be helpful, and I do. And it's a nice contrast to not just Marco Rubio but other candidates as well.
GANGEL: Are you saying Rubio has no accomplishments? Zero? Zilch?
BUSH: He passed the law that did become law. He sponsored a bill that became a law, one bill and now -- in the sixth year. And as a speaker of the House, he managed a staff of about forty people. That's different than running a state government where you had a 130,000 people that are reduced by 11 percent. Taking on powerful interest like the career civil service system and the teachers union and the tribal bar.
GANGEL: Why do you think he's getting traction and you're not.
BUSH: We are getting traction in New Hampshire. We are.
GANGEL: You say he's a gifted politician.
BUSH: Yes.
GANGEL: What does that mean?
BUSH: It means he can give a great speech. He can connect well with people. He's charismatic. And I admire that. I'm not saying that as a negative, but he's not a leader. A leader has to make a tough decision. A leader can cut and run. A leader runs to the fire to put it out.
GANGEL: Going into New Hampshire, there's a lot of pressure on you. How well do you have to do here?
BUSH: I don't feel pressure. I feel -- first of all, I feel blessed to be a candidate for president of the greatest country on the face of the earth. So I don't feel pressure.
GANGEL: You don't feel any pressure?
BUSH: No, not at all. I'm in it for the long haul. There's a narrative that's built up to create a little bit of excitement about the race. The process part of this is always -- is likely exaggerated.
GANGEL: Your supporter Senator Lindsey Graham said if Jeb doesn't do well in New Hampshire, he's, quote, "toast."
BUSH: He said if I get beat bad by Marco Rubio, I'm toast. There's a big difference. Every election is different. But all of them have one thing in common. They're not over after the first primary. They're never over after the first primary. Not a single delegate has actually been selected to go to the national convention yet.
Imagine what the Clinton hit machine is going to do to the party nominee. You better have a record. Your life better had been scrutinized. I've given up 34 years of my tax returns, my entire adult life basically out there for people to see. I've given up all my e-mails during my time as governor, the public e-mails. I'm totally comfortable in my own skin. And if the Clinton hit machine comes after me, I'll fight back because I have a proven record and she doesn't.
GANGEL: What about the Bernie Sanders machine?
[06:35:15] BUSH: Yes, he's a self-affirm socialist. It's pretty interesting. You know, he's already proposed $19 trillion of new spending over ten years and tax increases as far as the eye can see. And free things. You know, free college, free this, free that. I don't think it's going to sell in a general election, but it seems to resonate to primary.
GANGEL: The e-mail controversy for Hillary Clinton keeps going on. Marco Rubio has said it disqualifies her from being commander-in- chief.
Do you think it disqualifies her?
BUSH: It might. It might. It depends on what the FBI does with its investigation. What it submits to the Department of Justice. It certainly calls into question her integrity and trustworthiness.
She's lied. She lied to the family members of lost loved ones in Benghazi. She said point-blank to them that a videographer was to blame for this and that she was going to do everything she could to prosecute them in person when in fact under oath she admitted and sent e-mails to her daughter and to the prime minister of Egypt that this was a Jihadist attack. She lied. And I think we need to have a president who can be trusted, whose word is their bond.
GANGEL: This week President Obama went to visit a mosque, reach out to Muslim Americans. Marco Rubio denounced it. Donald Trump criticized it. You supported it.
BUSH: He gave a great speech. He probably should have done it earlier, but he did it. When you do something right, I think you got to give him your credit for.
Here's where he's got it wrong. We have a caliphate the size of Indiana with up to 40,000 battle-tested Jihadists that have hijacked a peaceful religion and want to destroy western civilization. If he was interested in making sure that the Muslim faith is protected, then we need to destroy ISIS, and that's where he's failed us.
GANGEL: When Trump criticizes him for going to the mosque and Rubio criticizes him and other language that has been going on in the Republican -- from some of the Republican candidates that there is a dangerous fear mongering.
BUSH: Our diversity is our strength. It's not our weakness. And when we have a common purpose with all these 34 flavors of life -- I mean, we're the Baskin Robbins of the world. When we have a shared purpose, nothing can stop the United States. But when we got politicians that break us up in our desperate parts, it's dangerous. And I'm not going to play that game.
(END VIDEOTAPE) BERMAN: So Jeb bush may not be playing that game, but he's accused of playing another one right now. Coming up, how he is responding to claims that his camp is teaming up with Chris Christie to go after Marco Rubio. Stay with us.
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[06:41:15] BERMAN: Just three days to go now until the primary here in the great State of New Hampshire. A lot of candidates out there this morning trying to pick up some last-minute support.
Jeb bush has an event this morning. Lately, on the trail, he hasn't been alone. He's had a big name with him -- Mom. Barbara Bush out campaigning with her son, Jeb. You can see her there working the stump. Her walker has got a Jeb Bush bumper sticker on it. Let's get more now from CNN's special correspondent Jamie Gangel who had an interview with both Jeb and Barbara Bush. Really interesting.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GANGEL: Chris Christie has been going, as I'd like to say, full New Jersey on Marco Rubio. There was a report that your campaigns have joined forces to attack Rubio.
BUSH: No, not true. I've seen what Chris is saying about Marco and he's got a slightly different version of the same approach that I'm taking because he's got a proven record as a governor as well. I think governors understand you got to make tough decisions.
GANGEL: One of the things that he said on policy about Marco Rubio was he pointed out Marco Rubio's position on abortion, which is no exceptions.
BUSH: Yes.
GANGEL: And he said he thinks it's too extreme. You believe in exceptions.
BUSH: I do. I believe that the life of the mother and rape and incest should be the exceptions. And I think that's the consensus view, you know. Look, I'm pro-life. I acted as a pro-life governor, expanded adoptions. We funded crisis pregnancy centers. I do believe that respecting life is a value that goes way beyond politics, but politically, it's a tough sell.
GANGEL: Talk to me a little bit about your family.
BUSH: Yes.
GANGEL: You brought out your secret weapon. Your mother is campaigning for you. A lot of Bush family are campaigning for you. Your brother has a new ad out supporting you. The sense was look at the signs around you. No last name. Jeb!, but no Bush.
BUSH: 1994, 1998, 2002, I've run three times. This is the exact same sign I used. GANGEL: You were not running away from your last name.
BUSH: I wasn't running away in '94, '98 or 2002. Not at all. People know I'm Jeb Bush. I love the fact that my mom is campaigning here in New Hampshire and I'm proud of my brother's service and the fact that he would actively campaign for me.
GANGEL: You said from the beginning, you had to earn it yourself.
BUSH: Yes.
GANGEL: On the other hand, your parents, your brother are very popular with Republican voters.
BUSH: Yes.
GANGEL: Did you maybe wait too long to bring them out?
BUSH: No, I don't think so. The intention was always to do this when people start to focus on the race. I've always felt that there were high expectations on me. And no one has higher expectations on me than me, so I feel really good about where we are and I'm proud of my family's involvement. And if it makes a difference, it will be a positive. It won't be a negative for sure.
GANGEL: Did you ever imagine Donald Trump would be out here leading?
BUSH: It's a sign of the times where in with deep disaffection, with the anger that people feel, that they're marching on to a reality TV star. My challenge is disconnect them from him because he's not going to solve their problems. He's not going to lift people up. The country is not going to get better by insulting other countries or insulting people, or talking trash or shouting profanities in a big microphone or tweeting as a president of the United States.
You've got to roll up your sleeves and build consensus. You've got to do the things that make the democracy work. And there's nothing in Donald Trump's background that was suggesting to do that.
GANGEL: Give me one word to describe him?
BUSH: He's self-centered. How about that? That was blunt as I can get.
[06:45:08] GANGEL: You called him a jerk last time.
BUSH: Yes, I called him a jerk because he insulted, make fun of people with disabilities. And I spent a lot of my time in public life defending the rights of the disabled, empowering them with education choices they never would have had, opening up job possibilities for them.
And I found it more than offensive that he would make fun of people with disabilities or call John McCain a loser because he got caught as a P.O.W. To prey on people's angst the way he does and disparages people along the way assures that he'll never be president, but it creates a more divisive America when we need to move in the exact opposite direction.
So, yes, he's a jerk when he does those things.
GANGEL: Ted Cruz, a word to describe him.
BUSH: Well, he's smart and a great debater, but nothing in his background would suggest that he has the skills of bringing people together, to forge consensus, to solve problems.
GANGEL: Marco Rubio?
BUSH: Gifted, charismatic. Nothing in his life would suggest that he could make a decision. Now when I say that, by the way, Jamie, that doesn't mean that they can't, but Barack Obama couldn't. And there was nothing in his background to suggest it. And my point is simply this. We can't afford to take that risk. If we're fighting for the renewal of our country, I think you want someone that has a proven record, detailed plans and a steady hand.
GANGEL: You got emotional last night when your mom was at the town hall. Your dad can't be here because of his Parkinson's.
BUSH: Yes, whenever I think about my dad, I get emotional.
GANGEL: Because?
BUSH: Because he's frail. And for a guy that you just -- you have always thought was like Superman, to see him in the condition physically that he's in is hard.
GANGEL: What's your strategy for the next couple of days?
BUSH: We're going to campaign hard. All in. Have a good debate tomorrow night and finish strong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN: Jeb Bush there with CNN special correspondent Jamie Gangel.
I'm joined now by CNN politics executive editor Mark Preston.
You know, Mark, no question that Jeb Bush adores his parents. You know, loves his family. Proud of his family. Nevertheless, when the guy shows up for president, you know, his bumper sticker says Jeb! He doesn't say Bush. He has had a complicated political relationship for the last year with his family and his mother, we saw pictures of him at the beginning, his mother at one point said, you know, she didn't think he should run.
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: I remember being in Texas that day. It was the opening of the George W. Bush presidential library. We were all waiting to see what's going to happen very early in the morning. All of a sudden, she goes on television and says she doesn't want him to run. Catches everybody off guard.
And, you know, Jeb Bush, if we go back to, you know, George W. Bush's run for presidency, it wasn't supposed to be George W. Bush. It was supposed to be Jeb Bush. He was the son who was supposed to run first. George W. leapfrogs him. Jeb Bush has to wait until now and of course he's running a very lack luster campaign.
BERMAN: Look, I was here in 2000 covering George W. Bush and he brought out his father, George H.W. Bush. He did a rally and H.W. said, this boy, this son of ours, he will never let you down. At the time it was seen as really hurting W. because it sort of diminished him. So I think there was a sense among the sons and there was a risk in doing too much with the parents, but now, clearly, Jeb feels like he's got nothing to lose.
PRESTON: He's going to lose it now, because he's at 4 or 5 percent in our poll right now. He needs as much firepower as he can. And, you know, Jamie asked him about why did it take you so long to bring your brother out to the campaign. Was it too late? And he says, no. But I got to tell you what, talking to the people on the inside, it was too late.
BERMAN: And remember, Republican voters in many states including South Carolina, George W. Bush is very popular.
PRESTON: Very popular. And when it comes to the issue of terrorism, let's go back to 9/11. Who got very high marks for protecting America? And that's what Jeb Bush should have worked on with George W. Bush. Have him come out. Show the strength of America or what have you, but he failed to do so.
BERMAN: There's an ad. It's a Super PAC ad airing in South Carolina with W. Any chance you see George W. Bush in the flesh campaigning for his brother?
PRESTON: Well, he already has quietly raised.
BERMAN: He's raised money.
PRESTON: He has raised money, but we haven't seen him on the campaign trail. Listen, if he comes out, that is the ultimate Hail Mary pass, right, at that point.
BERMAN: I guess if Jeb Bush does well enough in New Hampshire to go to South Carolina, not impossible to see him there. That would be the one state you might see.
PRESTON: It will be interesting.
BERMAN: Mark Preston, great to have you here with us. We really appreciate it.
PRESTON: Thanks, John. BERMAN: Next hour, Gloria Borger sits down with John Kasich. John Kasich, really running his own campaign and in some ways in his own universe here in New Hampshire. Tied in third place in the "CNN/WMUR" poll with Ted Cruz. Maybe making a move. That's his hope for sure. Making a move in this cold weather here. You can see our breath.
Mark Preston and I are blowing out, you know, cold air rings out here.
Victor and Christi?
CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: We feel for you back here in the studio.
BERMAN: I can tell. I can tell. I appreciate it.
[06:50:00] PAUL: Thank you, John, so much. We appreciate it.
Listen, we're going to get back to our political coverage in just a few minutes. But, first, Johnny Football is under investigation. Why Dallas P.D. is now getting involved in a domestic violence probe.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: And it's the weekend of the big game. And Broncos and Panther fans are in frenzy after they've been invited to a party. But I have to support only one team addressing the teal and black.
But could this be Peyton Manning's final game? We'll talk about that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLACKWELL: All right. Just one day away now from the kick-off of Super Bowl 50.
PAUL: Yes. Denver Broncos taking on the Carolina Panthers. Andy Scholes is covering the big game in San Francisco. But, listen, there is some other sports news we have to get to first.
Because, Andy, I understand, you have some new developments for us in the, let's say troubled life of NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel?
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes, that's right. Good morning, guys. Yes, more troubles for Johnny Football. His agent dropped him yesterday. And his father tells the "Dallas Morning News" that he fears that his son is not going to make it to his 24th birthday in December if he doesn't get help.
Now the Dallas Police Department says they are investigating an incident between Johnny and his ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley, where she said Johnny allegedly hit her multiple times. Now Crowley gave her accounts of the incident to police yesterday and has reportedly gotten a restraining order against Manziel. In an interview with TMZ, Manziel denies ever hitting Crowley.
[06:55:00] All right, here in San Francisco, Roger Goodell gave his annual state of the league address yesterday. A concussion and a degenerative brain disease, CTE, were big topics of discussion. And Goodell, despite the rise in concussions in the NFL this past season, said he thinks the league had never been safer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROGER GODDELL, COMMISSIONER, NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: I played the game of football for nine year through high school. I wouldn't give up a single day of that. If I had a son, I'd love for him to play the game of football. I'd love to have him play the game of football because of the values you should get. There's risk in life. There's risk to sitting on the couch.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: All right, this week, I got a chance to make pizza with Papa John, Joe Montana and J.J. Watt. And Montana and Watt, phenomenal football players. But I'll tell you what, pretty good at throwing the dough, too. You got Peyton Manning and Archie was also on hand helping us out make the pizzas. And I asked the million dollar question. When is his son Peyton going to retire?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARCHIE MANNING, PEYTON MANNING'S FATHER: After the season, we'll talk about it. You know, I think he truly has tried to and he has handled this thing like it should be handled. And he wants to win a football game. It will be tough playing a great team. And Peyton will figure this thing out, whether he should or shouldn't. And he'll make a good decision.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: And we're going to have much more on the Super Bowl coming up later today. Be sure to watch "Kick-off by the Bay." A CNN bleacher report special at this afternoon at 2:30 Eastern, hosted by Chris Cuomo and hall of fame quarterback Dan Moreno.
Guys?
PAUL: Looking forward to it. All right, Andy Scholes, nice job on the pizza. Thank you.
BLACKWELL: Thanks, Andy.
At the top of the hour, we're going to go back to New Hampshire. You know, the primary is just three days away now.
PAUL: Yes, a lot of focus, too, on Ted Cruz and his falling poll numbers there. How his campaign working to regain its footing at this point? The next hour of your NEW DAY starts after this quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
