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Clinton, Sanders Push for African-American Votes; Erica Garner Lends Support to Bernie Sanders; Surprises at Grammy Awards. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired February 16, 2016 - 14:30   ET

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


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[14:32:49] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Just past the bottom of the hour. You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

Hillary Clinton making a strong push today to hold on to support from the African-American community. She is in Harlem today. She met with several prominent civil rights leaders. Here they were.

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HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: My campaign is really about breaking every barrier. Because I believe absolutely that America can't live up to its potential unless every single person has the chance to live up to theirs.

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BALDWIN: This meeting today comes as Bernie Sanders is also making a major push for support from black leaders, black voters.

In about half an hour, Hillary Clinton is due to deliver a speech on race relations. We will take part of that, of course.

Let me bring in Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Congressman from New York, and a Clinton supporter.

Nice to see you, sir. Welcome to CNN.

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES, (D), NEW YORK: Good to see you. Thank you.

BALDWIN: Let's just begin, you were at the CBC PAC endorsement of her last week. Obviously, you want her to be the next president of the United States. But specifically, on race relations, what is her message that resonates with you?

JEFFRIES: First of all, she has a significant relationship with the African-American community because she's been there on our issues for a great long period of time. Almost for 40 years. When she started out as a young lawyer for the children's defense fund, she worked in the deep south on issues of criminal justice reform. Fighting hard to prevent young teenagers from being housed in adult facilities. Then as first lady in Arkansas, she worked to create a civil legal services program that provided legal representation to poor people, many of whom were African-American. Helping to improve their day-to-day lives. Then of course she's transitioned to her time in Washington in the 1990s, where she worked to create fundamentally the children's health insurance program which was a significant bridge between Medicare in 1965 and the Affordable Care Act. The chip program has helped many African-American families. Even during her time as a United States Senator from here in New York, she co-sponsored legislation to deal with racial profiling in the criminal justice system, sentencing reform. She helped to deal with the disparity --

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: You can keep going, it's an impressive resume.

JEFFRIES: Absolutely.

BALDWIN: The thing is, I've been at these Bernie Sanders rallies. These young people, they don't care. They don't care. A lot of them like Bernie Sanders. A number of African-Americans, although when you look at the polls, she seems to really have it in South Carolina. Specifically, looking ahead, what does she need to do to take Sanders supporters and say, no, I'm the one who has your back?

[14:35:20] JEFFRIES: First, I think the fact that Bernie Sanders has run such a robust campaign is good for the party and will make Hillary Clinton a stronger candidate moving forward. At the end of the day, the young people, all of us have to evaluate who is in the best position to make progress, build upon the track record of President Obama, take the baton, keep moving forward and keep things moving in a way that is positive for everyone. And Hillary Clinton based on her track record has the ability to actually take the vision and transform it into public policy action. The question for me really about Bernie Sanders is the message about revolutionary change, I understand. It has a lot of appeal.

BALDWIN: People are moved by him.

JEFFRIES: People are moved by that notion. If you step back and take a look at his track record, he had eight years as mayor, 16 years as a member of the House of Representatives. He's in his tenth year as a --

BALDWIN: Civil rights era, marching, he was arrested, passion for justice, these are all things he talked about.

JEFFRIES: The big question is, where is the evidence of revolutionary change? If it doesn't exist during your type as may, as the House member, as a member of the Senate, how are we to believe as a community having gone through slavery and Jim Crow and now mass incarceration, that you have the experience, the ability and the capacity to actually get things done? Hillary Clinton is the one with the track record. And she hasn't shied away from speaking directly on issues of race. She did it at the beginning of campaign when she tackled mass incarceration. She's getting ready to do it in Harlem, talking about this broader notion of economic opportunity for every American including African-American.

BALDWIN: We'll take it. We'll listen to her at the top of the hour.

Congressman Jeffries, thank you very much.

JEFFRIES: Thank you very much, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Really appreciate it.

Next here, on the Republican side, can the Republicans run out the clock on the Obama presidency? They say they will not consider Supreme Court nominees submitted by the president. Did they play their hand too early? The president responds live during a news conference today.

Also this --

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BALDWIN: Surprise, huge performance here, Kendrick Lamar. We're going to talk about this. He walks out in chains, backup singers behind bars, incarcerated, that message there. Also, Adele's piano trouble, Taylor Swift's strong message, and so much more. We'll talk about it all coming up.

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[14:41:49] BALDWIN: As we mentioned, moments from now, Hillary Clinton will deliver huge speech on race relations in Harlem. Her rival, Bernie Sanders, is in South Carolina, where African-Americans could make the difference for next week's primary.

In that fight, Sanders has one very significant ally, Erica Garner. Her father was killed after New York police put him in a choke hold and his death inspired the chant, "I can't breathe." Erica met Sanders in person for the first time today.

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ERICA GARNER, DAUGHTER OF ERIC GARNER: His death also inspired me to seek out elected officials at either level of government who are committed to reforming our broken system. This is why I am here. And it is why I have decided to endorse Senator Bernie Sanders.

(APPLAUSE)

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BALDWIN: She officially endorsed him last month. Now the Sanders campaign is sharing Erica's story in a new campaign ad.

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GARNER: This is what mommy is. I'm an activist. The same thing Martin Luther King was. He fought for our rights. It's the same thing I'm doing. And others for pop, pop.

My dad's name is Eric Garner. No one gets to see their parents last moments. And I was able to see my dad die on national TV.

Our people died for this. Martin Luther King died for this. Malcolm X died for this. And who were they? They was protesters.

I'm behind anyone who's going to listen and speak up for us. And I think we need to believe in a leader like Bernie Sanders.

I believe Bernie Sanders is a protester.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS, (I), VERMONT & DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When a police officer breaks the law, that officer must be held accountable.

(CHEERING)

GARNER: He's not scared to go up against the criminal justice system. He's not scared.

SANDERS: I want to see an America where when young black men walk down the street, they will not be harassed by police officers, they will not be killed, they will not be shot.

GARNER: And that's why I'm for Bernie.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Erica Garner joins me now.

So nice to have you on, Erica. Welcome.

GARNER: Thank you for having me.

BALDWIN: You got it.

You know, when we chatted the other day on the phone, my question is how does a, you know, white, Jewish 74-year-old from Brooklyn -- I guess right around the same neighborhood actually you grew up in, a member of Congress, really resonate with you. You told me he speaks to your soul, Erica, tell me how.

GARNER: I mean, he got this aura about him. He speaks to me. He's from the same neighborhood where I grew up at. You know, his whole life, he's done protested and spoke on the people and our issues, not only the injustices but our economic struggles.

[14:45:15] BALDWIN: You introduced him today at this event. Did you get a chance to talk to him? Did you daughter meet him? GARNER: Yes. My daughter's shy so she really didn't say much, but

she just don't know the impact that when she really understands it, how much it means to meet possibly the next president.

BALDWIN: You know, during a recent debate, Bernie Sanders said that he would improve race relations. It would be better under him than Barack Obama. Your response to that?

GARNER: Well, first, I want to say -- I want to give gratitude to Loretta Lynch for coming back with the answer. They finally moving in my dad's case with the convening of the grand jury. I want the people to know that I'm not jumping for joy. I'm still out here putting pressure. And I appreciate her convening the federal grand jury. And Bill de Blasio needs to fire these killer cops.

BALDWIN: OK. But would you agree with Bernie Sanders when he said that he would improve race relations in this country more so than the first black president? Just curious, your thoughts?

GARNER: I just think us as a people need to hold him accountable and if he's saying these things, once he's in office, we need to hold him accountable and put pressure on him.

BALDWIN: I was talking to someone recently, Angela Rye, the executive director of the National Black Caucus. She said this, that "These candidates can no longer afford to be tone deaf. If you want to talk to me" -- she's African-American -- "If you want to talk to me, hire people that look like me. If you want to talk to me, get an ad firm that looks like me and that can speak in my voice. That is what is most important in this election."

You know, yes, Bernie Sanders has your support, but what do you say to other African-Americans who say he doesn't speak to them?

GARNER: Well, I wish that there was another black person like become Obama that went against all the racism, whatever, to get there and speak on it and not be -- not turn their back as soon as they get into office. But Bernie Sanders, I'm not looking at his skin color, I'm looking at his track record. He stood with Martin Luther King. He stood with Jackson. That's what happened. Help got arrested when he was 22 years old. That's what happened. For housing inequality in the 1960s. Back then, he wasn't no elected official or whatever. We need to stand behind someone who is speaking for -- giving us our voice. He's not speaking for us. He's not telling us what our issues are, what we should stand behind for. He's willing to listen. And that's who we need in office.

BALDWIN: You were there in South Carolina. I know you told me you were going to canvass. You were going to go knock on doors. What have you been telling people who still aren't decided?

GARNER: I did my first call yesterday and I spoke to a 74-year-old woman. And I didn't try to convince her on which candidate that she wants to go for, but I asked her what was she concerned about, if she was to vote for a candidate what issues do you want to be addressed? And you know what she said? She said health care and Social Security. And Bernie Sanders said it best, why would someone work their whole life and then be limited on any type of Social Security that they get, and why do they have to cut they pills in half. I have a 90-year-old grandmother. She has a budget between, budget between rent and buying pills and her hospital bills. She worked her whole life. Why can't we have affordable medical care for our elderly?

BALDWIN: You raise an excellent point. You mentioned your grandmother. I don't know if this is the same grandmother. I was reading, Erica, your father's mother --

(CROSSTALK)

GARNER: No, not my father's mother. My mother's mother is 90 years old.

BALDWIN: I got you. But your father's mother is supporting Hillary Clinton, correct?

[14:50:01] GARNER: Yes, but I can't speak on why she did it. I can't speak on what her issues or what brought her to the endorsement. All I can speak on, why I want to use my platform and my voice to convey my message to everyone around, to young people especially. Be involved in the political process. Because America don't care and if you don't care, they will not care about you.

BALDWIN: You have an important voice. Thank you for sharing it today.

Erica Garner, in Columbia, South Carolina, thank you.

GARNER: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Coming up next, it has everyone talking. No shortages of surprises at the Grammys last night. Here are strong words from Taylor Swift, for one.

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TAYLOR SWIFT, SINGER: There are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success.

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BALDWIN: Was that a message to Kanye West? That, and so much more, next.

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[14:55:07] BALDWIN: Music's biggest night has everyone talking today from Taylor Swift dedicating her album of the year award to young women everywhere, while practically giving Kanye maybe the middle finger, so to speak. Lady Gaga bringing the generations -- bridging the generations with an out-of-this-world tribute to David Bowie. And Kendrick Lamar, Kendrick Lamar's racially fueled showstopper.

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BALDWIN: We have so much to talk about.

I have Garrick Kennedy, music writer for the "L.A. Times"; Chris Witherspoon, CNN analyst and entertainment editor at thegrio.com; Don Lemon, co-host, of course, needs no other introduction; co- correspondent "Extra Weekend," Rene Bodge. All with me.

Awesome having you all on. We have a lot of time for this.

Starting with you, Garrick, I know we talk about Kendrick Lamar. He's been on the ground of some these major stories. You call Lamar's album, "So challenging and musically complex that fans and critics are still chewing on it nearly a year after its release."

That performance last night, the chains, the cell bars, the African dancers, what did you think?

GARRICK KENNEDY, MUSIC WRITER, L.A. TIMES: I still have chills every time I think about the performance. It was so incredible, so powerful. It was so necessary I thought. We've been having for the past year, two years about race in this country. He really hit the nail on the head. With his album that was up for a number of nominations. I thought the performance was such a fantastic footnote of what this moment is for him. He spoke for so many people I thought. It was incredibly powerful.

BALDWIN: Turning to you two boys, what did you think?

CHRIS WITHERSPOON, CNN ENTERTAINMENT ANALYST & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR, THEGRIO.COM: I thought it was amazing. The moment he walked out with those chains, just got like filled with emotion. A lot of folks still don't really know Kendrick Lamar's music but I think this was his "star is born" moment without a doubt.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: I thank Kendrick Lamar for bringing rap and hip-hop back to what it should be, rapping about things that are socially conscious. He doesn't use the words I despise so much, (EXPLETIVE DELETED). He doesn't use all those words. It's not what he does. And he's doing what artists should be doing. Artists, when artists were socially conscience, taking it back to a time when maybe Millennials aren't even aware of. That's what Nina Simone would do. That's what Marvin Gaye would do. That's what the Beatles would do. Finally, people who have talent and they don't need auto tune, we're back in that moment now.

BALDWIN: Yeah.

There was that performance. Then of course we were talking bing in the break about Beyonce because I can't stop talking about her, and this "Formation" video. She came out last night and she presented.

And you, sir, tweeted that you basically stopped breathing when she came out.

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: This is what Beyonce said.

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BEYONCE, SINGER: Art is the unapologetic celebration of culture through self-expression. It can impact people in a variety of ways for different reasons at different times. Some will react. Some will respond. Some will be moved.

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BALDWIN: That was so -- few words needed to be spoken to an address.

WITHERSPOON: She's gotten so much backlash for "Formation." We were talking about it off camera, really touches on so much.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Police brutality, Black Lives Matter.

WITHERSPOON: You don't see artists of Beyonce's caliber really dipping their foot into controversy like this but she did it tastefully and I think last night was' great way to address the haters out there that have come at her about this video. There's even a protest --

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BALDWIN: Outside the NFL headquarters, right.

(CROSSTALK)

WITHERSPOON: A few folks showed up. She addressed it in a tasteful way. She seldom hear Beyonce speak like that but she did and she looked amazing.

BALDWIN: OK, Rene, to you, let me put --

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Taylor Swift, she was also on the stage. Maybe throwing some shade on Kanye, addressing the latest feud part two. An issue that the Kanye lyrics in this most recent song, and ultimately Kanye saying, listen, I'm the one who made Taylor Swift famous. Here she was.

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SWIFT: There are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame.

(CHEERING)

SWIFT: But if you just focus on the work and you don't let those people sidetrack you, someday when you get where you're going, you'll look around and you will know that it was you and the people who love you who put you there.

(CHEERING)