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Donald Trump denies Ku Klux Klan leader's support; ; Ted Cruz says Donald Trump lose to Hillary Clinton; Hillary Clinton is taking a victory lap of sorts in Nashville; Black Out for Human Rights is hosting a free star-studded event dubbed #justiceforFlint. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired February 28, 2016 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[15:00:00] FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Happening now in the NEWSROOM.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't know anything about David Duke, OK. I don't know anything about what you are even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacist.
WHITFIELD: Donald Trump first dodging questions about the KKK, now tweeting he disavows the endorsement from former KKK grand wizard David Duke. This as the candidates pile on the front runner heading in to Super Tuesday.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think if we nominate Donald Hillary probably beats him.
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump is not a Republican. Donald Trump is not a conservative. Donald is trying to pull off the biggest scam in American political history.
WHITFIELD: NEWSROOM starts right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Hello, again, everyone. Thanks so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
The search for clarity over who supports Republican presidential front runner Donald Trump is intensifying this hour. We are talking about Donald Trump and the KKK. Trump tweeting today that he disavows the white supremacist David Duke. Trump saying quote "as I stated at the press conference on Friday regarding David Duke I disavow. He also posted a clip of the press conference.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Yes. Go ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: How do you feel about the recent endorsement from David Duke?
TRUMP: I didn't even know he endorsed me. David Duke endorsed me? All right. I disavow. OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: This on the heels of his interview this morning with Jake Tapper on CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION" where Trump was dodging the question about Duke's support.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TRUMP: I don't know anything about David Duke, OK. I don't know what you are talking about with white supremacy or white supremacist. So I don't know. I mean, I don't know. Did he endorse me or what's going on? Because, you know, I know nothing about David Duke. I know nothing about white supremacists. And so, you are asking me a question I'm supposed to be talking about people I know nothing about.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: But I guess the question from the anti-defamation league is even if you don't know about their endorsement, there are these groups and individuals endorsing you, would you say unequivocally you condemn them and don't want their support?
TRUMP: Well, I have to look at the group. I mean, I don't know what group you are talking about. You wouldn't want me to condemn a group I know nothing about. I have to look. If you would send me a list of the groups, I will do research on them and certainly I would disavow if I thought there was something wrong.
TAPPER: The Ku Klux Klan.
TRUMP: There may be groups in there that are fine and it would be very unfair. So give me a list of the groups and I will let you know.
TAPPER: OK. I'm just talking about David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan.
TRUMP: Honestly, I don't know David Duke. I don't believe have never met him. I am pretty sure I didn't meet him. And I just don't know anything about him.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right, let's bring in CNN's Chris Frates who is following the Trump campaign today from Alabama.
And Chris, what are you learning about the history of David Duke and Donald Trump?
CHRIS FRATES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred. So what's so interesting about this is that he told our own Jake Tapper that he didn't know David Duke. But going back to 2000, that's 16 years ago, Donald Trump said when he was running for the Reform Party presidential nominee he decided not to run for that nomination. Here's what he said back then. He said quote "the Reform Party now includes a Klansman, Mr. Duke. This is not company I wish to keep."
So while Donald Trump might not know David Duke personally, he certainly knew of David Duke and he knew of his affiliation with the Ku Klux Klan. And it is important to remind our viewers that David Duke, of course, the former grand wizard of the white supremacist group.
And on Friday, when he was asked a similar question to what Jake Tapper asked Trump today, Trump said this. He said quote "David Duke endorsed me, OK, all right. I disavow. OK."
And so, what was interesting about that was after his interview with Jake Tapper today where he said that he need to look in to this, Trump tweeted. Quote "as I stated at the press conference on Friday, regarding David Duke, I disavow."
What is interesting about the timing of that tweet, Fred, is that it came after his Republican rivals started to hit him on this. Ted Cruz had tweeted this. He said really sad, Donald Trump you are better than this. We should all agree, racism is wrong and the KKK is abhorrent. Marco Rubio also taking the opportunity to knock Trump for this saying that the Republican Party should not at any time nominate somebody who won't repudiate the KKK and the Republican Party itself, its spokesman getting in on this saying, are you kidding? Of course the GOP has and does denounced these hate groups and people.
So there you have a lot of people weighing in on whether or not Donald Trump knew about David Duke or we will you see. As you can see behind me, we are getting ready for this big rally here in Madison, Alabama, Fred. We will see if he has anything else to say about this. I have reached out the Trump campaign asking if he is going to (INAUDIBLE) his topic and maybe explain why he made the remarks he did to our own CNN's Jake Tapper earlier today. I haven't heard back yet. We will see in a few minutes here what Mr. Trump has to say, Fred.
[15:05:04] WHITFIELD: And we know, similar to yesterday, he said he has satellite on his airplane and he is able to listen to all the live coverage of anything and everything that people are saying about him. So clearly, he knows about the back and forth. You know, the questions about the sequence of events in terms of disavowing and then saying he didn't know any anything about it. So, is it a strong feeling that he is likely to bring it up, similar to how he brought up Marco Rubio's, you know, kind of rant over Donald Trump yesterday?
FRATES: Well, that's right. And you know, Donald Trump does have some explaining to do. And he has never been shy to use these rallies to explain it. So we will see what he has to say about to this crowd and whether this crowd, if this is something the crowd even cares about, Fred, but certainly a big opportunity here for Donald Trump to explain why on Friday he disavowed David Duke. Why with our own CNN's Jake Tapper earlier today, he said he needed to look in it to and then tweeting later today, I do disavow it.
Very interesting about, you know, what messages he is trying to send. A mixed message at this point, Fred. We will see if he takes the opportunity this afternoon to clear it up.
WHITFIELD: All right, Chris Frates. Thanks so much. Keep us posted there from Madison, Alabama. All right. Meantime, republican Marco Rubio owe hopes Virginia will
give him a much needed win against Donald Trump in the Republican primary there. He has four events in that state today where he is been telling voters that Trump is quote a con artist. Rubio took special aim at Trump's support among white supremacist.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUBIO: Something happened today and this is why I'm fired up this morning. He had an interview on CNN and he was asked repeatedly on CNN to repudiate David Duke, who is a well-known white supremacist racist and he said he doesn't know who David Duke is. But the fact is that in the early '90s, or some point, ten or 15 years ago when Donald Trump was thinking of running for president in the Reform Party, one reason he said he wasn't going to Run is because David Duke was part of the reform party. So he knows exactly who David Duke is. He was asked this morning, two times, will you repudiate and condemn the Ku Klux Klan and he refused to do that, as well.
We cannot be a party that nominates someone who refuses to condemn white supremacist and the Ku Klux Klan. We cannot be a party that does that. By the way, not only is that wrong, it makes him unelectable. How are we going to grow our party with a nominee that refuses to condemn the Ku Klux Klan? Don't tell me he doesn't know who the Ku Klux Klan is. This is serious.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Our Jason Carroll is covering the Rubio campaign.
So Jason, voters in Virginia have been liking what Rubio has been saying about Trump.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They have been responding to it. Any indication might be the larger crowds that we have seen showing up at Rubio events, not just here in Virginia, in Purcellville, Virginia outside of Richmond but also Huntsville, Alabama and as well as Dallas, Texas where we have been following him along.
It is really striking a chord with the Rubio supporters, who are saying where was this Marco Rubio weeks ago? They were wondering perhaps if he had come out weeks ago hitting Trump hard on a number of issues, perhaps Rubio wouldn't be trailing in the polls like he is now. In terms of how it is resonating with him, this most recent attack, we are expecting to hear more from that at this rally, which is expected to get underway just about any minute here.
I also can tell you in terms of speaking to folks who are out here, you know, about this criticism, calling him a con man, attacking him about his business practices, attacking him even personally. They are saying they realize this is a candidate that needs to do whatever he needs to do to stop Donald Trump. And Rubio is saying the same thing. And in fact, when asked did he think it was too little too late, Rubio said no, I don't think it is too late, at least not at this point. So look for him, Fred, in to step up his attacks on Donald Trump.
WHITFIELD: All right. Jason Carroll, thank you so much. Keep us posted there.
All right. Let's talk more about this now with the root.com politics editor Jason Johnson, CNN political analyst John Avlon and Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. Good to see you all of you gentlemen.
All right, Jason, you first, because earlier this month, CNN reported that white supremacists were making robo calls supporting trump in Iowa and New Hampshire and now we are hearing that they may expanding their calls to Vermont, in Minnesota, two Super Tuesday states. Do you think the Trump campaign would know about this? And in some way that kind of robo calling influencing how he handle the whole thing dins since Friday.
[15:40:03] JASON JOHNSON, POLITICS EDITOR, THEROOT.COM: Donald Trump has had known white supremacist and Klan members at his rallies. They have beaten up protesters. They have advocated for his candidacy. He knows this. He knows this is part of his support group. So I'm not surprised that he is denying it. I also I don't think it ultimately is going to make much of a difference. The people who support Donald Trump, some support him because of this anti-establishment rhetoric. Some of them support him because of his populism and some of them support him because he is an open bigot when it comes to all different kinds of people. So he is not going to reject a part of his constituency, especially when he is riding high in the polls.
WHITFIELD: So John, is that what this is about, not alienating certain segment of his constituency. But, you know, you do have the back and forth where he said, look, among record Friday of saying I disavow it and then, you know, I wasn't so sure. I mean, what is behind this language or the sequence that is kind of strange?
JOHN AVLON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, let's stop trying to dignify his attempt to clean up a mess that he created. Of course, he is going to try to say, look, you know, this turns out, that, you know, refusing and condemning the KKK and David Duke didn't work so well. Who would have thank it?
This is not a tough call. It is not a question. And his repeated refusal to condemn the KKK and David Duke is more than a dog whistle. It's a dangerous sign of who he really is. And it is a sign also that the people who are lining up behind them. That this is not a political decision as much as it is a moral decision, about the direction of the Republican Party and the kind of person you want to associate yourselves with. And I think it is fascinating that for all those Trump con surrogates who love to go on TV to defend their guy, they don't seem to be here now and I look forward trying to spin their way out of this one.
WHITFIELD: RNC chief strategist and communications director, Sean Fizer, is responding tweeting this. Quote "are you kidding? Of course, the GOP has and does ne denounce these hate groups people," end quote.
So Julian, but does this perhaps exemplify that, you know, Donald Trump answers to no one. He is speaking for himself. He doesn't necessarily concern himself being with being in step with the GOP.
JULIAN ZELIZER, PROFESSOR, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: LOOK. Donald Trump has been sending mixed messages throughout the campaign. And I think he does it on purpose. That's a way to appeal to many constituencies at once. We are going in to Super Tuesday. There are pockets of the electorate that are very hostile to issues involving race relations. And so, when he said he doesn't know about white supremacy, he doesn't know about David Duke, he is sending a signal to them. And then he has the opposite message for everyone else who might be concerned, so.
WHITFIELD: But isn't that where it's strange because with that acknowledgment -- sorry to interrupt you, but isn't that strange because then he hears what, you know, so many representing the GOP said today and others outside of the party and then he reminds people that he was on record as saying that he disavowed the Klan and David Duke as early as this past Friday.
ZELIZER: That's the point. Both messages are out there. And so, he can use both to appeal to different parts of the electorate.
WHITFIELD: OK. Let's talk about the Democrats now. This is getting all too confusing, isn't it, as it pertains to Donald Trump? OK. So Bernie Sanders was clobbered by Hillary Clinton by nearly 50 points in South Carolina primary yesterday. He responded on ABC's "This Week" this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We got decimated, George. We got decimated. The only positive thing for us is we won the actually 29 years of age and younger vote and that was good, but we got killed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right. He said he got decimated, Jason. So how does a Bernie Sanders recover? What can he say? What can he do to convince Super Tuesday states to say ignore what happened in South Carolina? Think of what happened in New Hampshire.
JOHNSON: You can't get people to ignore a rocky level beat down, Fred. I mean, he got beat really bad in South Carolina. And I don't think he expected to lose by that large of a margin. So the (INAUDIBLE) --
WHITFIELD: Because he spent a lot of time in South Carolina.
JOHNSON: A lot of time, a lot of money, a lot of endorsements, a lot of legitimate effort. And so, I think on one hand, we have to remember there's still a lot of race to go. Two, we have apparently Hillary did a better job.
But here is what Bernie has to remember. In Super Tuesday, he has to keep the margins thin. He can't let Hillary Clinton run up a score or this race will get out of hand. WHITFIELD: OK. So let's take a pause for a moment and let's go to
Bernie Sanders who is talking right now. Let's see if he says anything about his strategy leading up to Super Tuesday.
SANDERS: A few have us in the lead.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
SANDERS: As all of you know, on Tuesday, Super Tuesday, over 800 delegates in 11 states are going to be selected, 77 of those -- while many of the delegates will be select right here in Oklahoma.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
SANDERS: And I hope very much you will be participating here in Oklahoma on Super Tuesday.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
[15:15:15] SANDERS: football, and I know you guys are enthusiastic about football, I know that. Football is a spectator sport, unless you are on the field. Democracy is not a spectator sport.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
SANDERS: When we talk about making a political revolution, what it means is we are going to change the political culture of America. And what that means, and this is not easy stuff. This is pretty revolutionary stuff, is millions of people, including many in Oklahoma, many in my home state of Vermont, who have given up on the political process. These are people saying why should I vote? You know, I looked at what goes on in Washington. These guys could care less about me. We talk about young people having never participated in the political process. What our job is to revitalize American democracy. To have one of the highest voter turnouts on earth, rather than one of the lowest.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
WHITFIELD: Bernie Sanders there saying that he is moving in to Super Tuesday with momentum, despite the fact that he lost. He was smashed by Hillary Clinton, his competitor in South Carolina. And you heard Hillary Clinton in her concession speech last night saying, kind of in response to Donald Trump as we have been talking about the whole back and forth involving the KKK saying, you know, America is great. What she wants to do is make America whole.
Governor John Kasich almost repeating a similar refrain. Now talking to supporters in Massachusetts saying there is no time for hate. Let's listen in.
GOV. JOHN KASICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I guess every day I wake up there is another crazy thing happening in this campaign. And apparently today, I don't understand it but Donald Trump refused to disassociate himself and condemn white supremacists. Every day it is another thing. Yesterday I listened to the -- that's horrific, right? We don't have
any place for white supremacists in the United States of America. It just doesn't make any sense to me.
(APPLAUSE)
KASICH: And he really needs to make his position clear. And he ought to do it quickly. Yesterday, they were hurling so much insults back and forth. You know, some people say, well, you know, you are a measured man. You are a positive guy. Really you need to mix it up more. And some people say in really give it to them and all of that. And I was thinking about it on the airplane over here.
See, you know, when you have been in government and you have made things work. And let me just tell you that I have never been in a go- along or get-along guy. I may have stepped on a lot of toes. And I never like to think I made enemies, but a bunch of them are coming out now and criticizing me.
Let me just explain to you that like many of you I grew up in the family where we didn't have any power. My father was a mailman. Carried mail on his back and delivered mail to our house. When I was a kid, I wanted to be, more than anything else, I wanted to make the little league team. And this was my big dream when I was a little kid. We would run out in the field and have a number attached to our back and we would get to the plate and we would swing as hard as we could.
WHITFIELD: John Kasich there really talking about the harmony that he wants to help promote this particularly on the heels of this dust up involving Donald Trump and his comments about think Klan, whether he disavowed it and then he seemed to kind of be a little wishy-washy on it and then once again today disavowed.
So back with my panel now. Jason Johnson, John Avlon and Julian Zelizer.
So I wonder, Julian, if I can ask you, do you believe, especially after hearing these comments now from Bernie Sanders, John Kasich, you heard from the GOP, representatives of the party, might this be a turning point as a result of what transpired since Friday as it pertains to Donald Trump and how he handled this whole discussion and Q&A about the KKK.
ZELIZER: You know, we have heard it so many times before, including his remarks about Muslims that it is hard to reach that conclusion. And one of the things he has done is pushed the boundaries of what is permissible and it has not blown back against him. So I think at this point it would be premature to safe this is a turning point that will work against him.
[15:20:11] WHITFIELD: And John, how do you see it?
AVLON: Look. You know, I wish I could say that this would be a change, a dose of cold water on the people who have flirting with Donald Trump. But as Julian was saying, you know, this campaign has been dominated by Donald Trump, pandering to the outer reaches of politics, playing the hate, fear and division card and masquerading it as entertainment and it hasn't hurt him a bit, whether in this John McCain or refusing and condemn the KKK. So we will see if his margin is tighten. We will see if this is the sea change. But that becomes a character reference and a gut check for the Republican Party. And if it doesn't, then I think that becomes a whole another conversation that the Republican Party and the country need to have because if this isn't an easy call, folks, then you have to look inside in your own heart and we got look in our own system. And the lack of representative turn out in the primaries pollutes the process.
WHITFIELD: And so, Jason, you see, you know, in the "New York Times" today, the GOP, there is this concerted effort to stop Donald Trump according to their reporting. So a moment like this, how does this potentially backfire for the GOP if there is indeed this concerted effort in a land of democracy to say you are not the guy we want, you are not the one to represent the party. We don't want you to win the nomination.
JOHNSON: First, they can't be disingenuous. (INAUDIBLE) was speaking to the Klan. We were just talking about that a couple of months ago. So it is not like the Republican Party hasn't played footsie under the table with white supremacist groups. And I will use their similar rhetoric. I don't want to hear white supremacists, call them terrorists because the KKK is a terrorist organization and that's how it should be described.
But ultimately, we have to remember this. You, it is like if you were a boxer, right, you don't want to win on points. You want to knock somebody out. If the Republican Party tries to cheat Donald Trump out of the nomination by changing the rules or changing scheduling, it will blow up in their faces. They need to let this process go out. And if he loses, great. And if he wins, he has got the nomination and you got to race on your hands.
WHITFIELD: All right. Jason Johnson, John Avlon, Julian Zelizer, thank you so much, gentlemen. I appreciate it.
JOHNSON: Thank you.
AVLON: Thanks, Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right. Just two days now from Super Tuesday and CNN is the only place to watch the returns. We will have complete coverage all day long right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:25:21] WHITFIELD: All right. Super Tuesday could be a game changer for Republicans. That is especially true for front-runner Donald Trump, if he sweeps most of the states.
CNN's chief national correspondent John King breaks down the delegate map.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump is poised to have a huge Super Tuesday. If his supporters deliver, the businessman could open a lead in the delegate chase that many smart Republican strategist think could be insurmountable.
Let's look at the state of play. Here's where we are today. The first four contests are over. That's what we call the momentum phase of the race. 5.4 percent of Republican delegates have been chosen.
But this is where we are going. March 1st is Super Tuesday. Eleven states choose delegates. You see a lot out here in the south, up here in the wing and across the country right there. Twenty-nine percent of the Republican delegates will be chosen by the end of Super Tuesday.
And look at this. At the moment, Ted Cruz leads in the polls in his home state of Texas. Everywhere else, voting Tuesday, Donald Trump is ahead. It is a chance for him to open a pretty big delegate lead if things go as the polls currently suggest on Super Tuesday.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. It's going to be an exciting day, Super Tuesday, two days away now.
And we will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:30:03] WHITFIELD: Welcome back. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
Some big name celebrities are skipping the Oscars tonight and instead lending their star power to the people of Flint, Michigan. The group Black Out for Human Rights is hosting a free star-studded event dubbed #justiceforFlint. The gathering is open to the public and was organized to raise awareness of the Flint water crisis.
Joining us right now is star of Gray's Anatomy and member of Blackout for Human Rights, Jesse Williams.
Good to see you, Jesse. So what is the message that you want conveyed through this event?
JESSE WILLIAMS, ACTOR, GRAY'S ANATOMY: Well, Black out for Human Rights wanted to on a basic level show up for the people of Flint and be pa ort this the community here. Let them know we see them, we hear them and want to give them an opportunity to voice their narrative on a national scale instead of all of us talking about them. Giving them a chance to participate but also to give them some relief, some entertainment and to just be counted and then for us to all stand alongside them during this horrible atrocity, I mean, state-sponsored violence and we want to address it.
WHITFIELD: So this is to offer temporary comfort and to let people know in Flint, those especially who felt like they were forgotten about that you and others are not forgetting about them. But then, what in a big picture do you think needs to happen for justice indeed to be served for the people there?
WILLIAMS: Well, the temporary element is tonight's event. But that's why we have a fundraiser element, as well. We are going text to donate. You text justice to 83224 now throughout the rest of the evening until Monday. And all of that we are raising 100 percent of the proceeds, 100 percent of the proceeds completely separate from the production costs that we take in ourselves, those proceeds go to a community action fund for the people of Flint. On the advisory panel is Dr. Mona to make sure that money goes directly to the people of Flint the way they needed in the way need in this and everything evolves.
WHITFIELD: And this is not a coincidence that you are doing it on the night of the Oscars. The Oscars have been blasted for the lack of diversity among the nominees with many boycotting from (INAUDIBLE) to Will Smith, yourself, Spike Lee and lots of attention on --
WILLIAMS: It is a complete coincidence.
WHITFIELD: Really? It is a complete coincidence?
WILLIAMS: It is a complete coincidence. Yes.
WHITFIELD: It is hard to believe. So what do you mean? Explain that.
WILLIAMS: Oscars are not a -- Oscars are not part of this conversation. The people here need our attention and we decided to make it happen. This is the last week of Black History Month. We just had a very successful event in January 18th and Harlem and Riverside church where Dr. King gave his historic Vietnam speech. That was a very successful event. We want to capitalize on that momentum, very grassroots organization, this network and we decided to make our move, take our show on the road and go where we are needed.
WHITFIELD: So even though it is a complete coincidence, Chris Rock is the host, are you hoping, and he has already tweeted, you know, his sentiments about the lack of diversity, are you hoping that he will use his platform as the host to take the discussion further about the - and there we see, you know, his tweet, you know, the white BET awards. He had other things to say as well. But do you believe that he will take it further if it is important that he would to do - do that?
WILLIAMS: Well, I haven't seen any of his tweets but I'm sure - I'm certain he will. Chris Rock is a very (INAUDIBLE) speaker. Not only is he great comedian, but in particular on handling issues of politics and race and frankly white power. He finds a very -- he's one of our best at being able to do that with a sense of humor that really cuts to the core of some of these issues so I'm sure that he will hold a mirror up.
WHITFIELD: Can you kind a paint a picture for me of Hollywood and for black talent and the, you know, lack of nominees, people of color, at the root of that is it because in your view the academy is dominated by white males? Isn't that simple? WILLIAMS: Well, I certainly cannot speak for all of black Hollywood
or Hollywood. But I think we should probably keep in mind that the Oscars are an award show after films have been made and marketed. They are not making films themselves in that green lighting films and that casting films. They are not deciding to make films in Africa with non-African actors. They are not doing -- they are not creating these films. They are giving awards afterwards. So let's not just treat the symptom. Let's go to the sickness as well if indeed we do feel that there is something that can be improved in the way we use media as marking.
WHITFIELD: And quickly, before I let you go, back to Flint, Michigan and the effort tonight, how personally important this is for you to be a part of this?
WILLIAMS: It's absolutely personal. Sought for justice has always been an incredible part of my life. And what we have here is environmental racism and we have the government systemically poisoning its citizens and children with a known neuro-toxin. It is heinous what is happening ahead. It didn't happen for two months, it didn't happen for six months. It happened for two years than they lied about it. And they funneled in their own water.
It is absolutely disgusting. And if these people are Americans, or it is happening on American soil, I think America should be pretty upset if the government is poisoning its citizens. It should be a big deal and not separated by class or race. I think we should be behind on this and sort this out right away and get adjudication.
WHITFIELD: All right. Actor and human rights activist Jesse Williams, thank you so much for your time. All the best tonight.
All right. Next, we are also waiting for Hillary Clinton to take to the stage in Nashville, Tennessee. A day after her sweeping win in South Carolina. We'll take you there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:38:49] WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back.
Hillary Clinton is taking a victory lap of sorts in Nashville. Right now she is about to take to the stage right there riding high after her big win in South Carolina. African-American voters there rallied to her side in record numbers in the Palmetto State. Exit polls show that she got 84 percent of the black vote in the South Carolina Democratic primary, compared to just 16 percent for rival, Bernie Sanders.
Our Jeff Zeleny is with the Clinton campaign today.
So Jeff, Hillary Clinton must be breathing a huge sigh of relief. And at the same time, we heard her say in her victory speech last night that she is not taking any vote for granted. So what might her message be in Nashville that is different than what we have seen in other places like Alabama yesterday? JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka,
she is not taking anything for granted, but you can feel the shift in the mind of this campaign, in the mind of Democrats who have been following the race very carefully.
The month of February is ending so much differently than it started. The Clinton campaign is clearly in the driver's seat there, the commanding front runner in this field. It wasn't just the win in South Carolina.
It wasn't just the win in South Carolina, Fredricka. It was the size and scope of that win. And the only question here is now if it holds up on Tuesday when some 11 Democratic states are holding their contest as well. Here in Tennessee, in Georgia and Arkansas. So that is what, you know, the next hurdle for the campaign. But there no reason to believe that, you know, she's certainly running strong in all those states, as well.
So we were with Bernie Sanders last night when he was in Rochester, Minnesota and it was a different moment for Bernie Sanders. There was a bit of serious tone, a sober tone, a somber tone. He of course is still fighting ahead and there are so many more delegates to go. More than half of the delegates are still to be selected just in the month of March alone. But there is no doubt this is a different moment in the party.
And just a short time ago, before Hillary Clinton stopped here to this university, she was in a coffee shop and she was asked about those Donald Trump comments. And she said, boy, that is pathetic. So that is her response.
And she also did something, Fredricka, she has not done during the course of the campaign. She retweeted a tweet from Bernie Sanders about those Donald Trump comments and the tweet said this. It said, America's first black president cannot and will not be succeed by a hate monger who refuses to condemn the KKK. That was from Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton retweeted that. So they have comedy here on the side of the Democratic rival. She will be here speaking in Nashville in just a few minutes.
WHITFIELD: That's interesting.
All right. Thank you so much, Jeff Zeleny. We will go back to you as soon as Hillary Clinton arrives there in Nashville. Thank you.
And we will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:45:00] WHITFIELD: The search for clarity over who supports Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump is intensifying this hour. We are talking about Donald Trump and the KKK. Trump tweeting today that he disavows the white supremacist David Duke. Trump saying quote "as I stated at the press conference on Friday regarding David Duke, I disavow. " He also posted a clip of the press conference.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Yes. Go ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: How do you feel about the recent endorsement from David Duke?
TRUMP: I didn't even know he endorsed me. David Duke endorsed me? All right. I disavow. OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: This comes on the heels of his interview this morning with Jake Tapper on CNN's "State Of The Union" where Trump dodged questions about Duke's support.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Well, I have to look at the group. I mean, I don't know what group you are talking about. You wouldn't want me to condemn a group that I know nothing about. I have to look. If you would send me a list of the groups I will do research on them and certainly I will disavow if I thought there was something wrong. But you may have groups in there that are totally fine and it would be very unfair. So give me a list of the groups and I will let you know.
TAPPER: OK. I mean, I'm just talking about David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan.
TRUMP: Honestly, I don't know David Duke. I don't believe I ever met him. I'm pretty sure I did not meet him. And I just don't know anything about him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So again, this was the interview this morning. And it was after that interview aired then Donald Trump came then out with that tweet reminding people of what he said in the Friday press conference.
Meantime, both Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz have criticized Trump for not denouncing the KKK today.
All right. Donald Trump said he doesn't know anything about these groups. But CNN's Drew Griffin has done reporting on white supremacist groups, actually doing robo calls to potential voters for Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They are robo calls, take messages that flooded Iowa and this week began hitting the phones of New Hampshire's voters.
The message in three voices, we are white supremacists, Donald Trump is our man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The American national super PAC makes this call to support Donald Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't need Muslims. We need smart well- educated white people.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am a farmer and white nationalist. Support Donald Trump. This call is not authorized by Donald Trump.
GRIFFIN: The American national super PAC is confederation of white supremacist groups across the U.S., Jarred Taylor on-line editor of AmRen, the outlet of one white nationalist group called American Renaissance is one of the voices on the call.
JARRED TAYLOR, AMERICAN RENAISSANCE: Most white people would prefer to live in majority white neighborhoods and send their children to majority white schools. And deep in their bones, they are deeply disturb by an immigration policy that is making the United States majority nonwhite. And so, when Donald Trump talks about sending out all the illegals, building a wall and a moratorium on Islamic immigration. That is very appealing to a lot of ordinary white people.
GRIFFIN: Taylor who says he is a white advocate, not a supremacists, thinks whites should live with white. Blacks should live with blacks. And just about everyone else, especially Muslims should get out.
TAYLOR: Why should we want more Muslims? Muslims have been a terrible problem for you. And here, they want to pray five times a day, stop the assembly line. They want foot baths before they go to prayer. They want women only swimming pool hour and some of them want to kill us. Why should anyone want more Muslims in the United States?
GRIFFIN: Many of the things you are saying would interpret as vile and racist.
TAYLOR: They can call me all of the names they like. But what I am saying is natural, normal and healthy.
GRIFFIN: Do you think that Donald Trump wants your support?
TAYLOR: I don't know whether he wants it or not. I think he wants support from everyone. Whether or not he would agree with me is an entirely another matter. Remember, it is I who am supporting Donald Trump. Not Donald Trump who is supporting me.
TAYLOR: Contacted by CNN, the Trump campaign did not speaks specifically about Taylor, his group or the group's white nationalist ideas. Simply stating, Mr. Trump has disavowed all super PACs offering their support and continues to do so.
To be clear, the American National super PAC says it has nothing to do with the official Trump campaign and has had no communication with Donald Trump. Its white nationalist members, just like Trump, and are willing to support him, whether the candidate welcomes them or not.
Just to button this up.
TAYLOR: Yes.
GRIFFIN: All of those views that you hold.
TAYLOR: Right.
GRIFFIN: Donald Trump is your man?
TAYLOR: Well, he's the best man so far.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. That was Drew Griffin reporting. And that story originally aired on February 5th.
So what does Donald Trump's wife think of his campaign? She will tell Anderson Cooper tomorrow night. Melania Trump is a guest on "AC 360" at 8:00 p.m. eastern time.
And Ted Cruz out today. He said Donald Trump can't beat Hillary Clinton in November and he spoke about Donald Trump-David Duke controversy. We will hear his response after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:53:48] WHITFIELD: Welcome back.
Republican candidate Ted Cruz says that if Donald Trump clinches the GOP nomination, he will probably lose to Hillary Clinton. With just days until Super Tuesday, Senator Cruz insists that he is the best alternative to the current Republican front-running. Speaking last night, the last hour I should say, Cruz went after Trump and the issue of a U.S. Supreme Court nomination.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUZ: Last week at the debate, we had a real moment of clarity on this. Hugh Hewitt asked about religious liberty in the court. And I made clear that I spent last two decades of my life fighting to defend religious liberty.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
CRUZ: And Donald Trump jumped in. He said, Ted, you have got to learn to compromise. You have got learn to get along with the Democrats. He said, Ted, I have known a lot more politicians than you have. And he's right. He supported more Democratic politicians. Heck, George Soros (ph) is looking at him going, man, that guy supports a lot of liberals.
But Donald said listen. You have to be prepared to compromise and cut a deal. Let me tell you this right now. Let me tell the people of Oklahoma this. I will not compromise away your religious liberty rights. I will not compromise away your second amendment right to keep and bear arms. And I have no intention of doing what Donald Trump promise to do which is sitting with Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer and agreeing on a liberal to replace Justice Scalia on the Supreme Court and take away our rights.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[15:55:47] WHITFIELD: All right. Joining us now live from Tulsa, Oklahoma is CNN correspondent Phil Mattingly.
Phil, what else is Ted Cruz saying? And does he feel some momentum?
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think, down south he does, Fredricka. But the most important is he needs to Oklahoma serving as one of those crucial super primary states that really make up the backbone of Ted Cruz's strategy. Succeed on Tuesday night, his campaign has a future. Failed, and his campaign might as well.
Now, you heard some of the attacks on Donald Trump. Those have come out in a sharpened form over the last couple days. And the reason is simply this. Donald Trump in many of the southern states with double- digit leads. Ted Cruz desperately needing to cut into that. Oklahoma is a state where his team feels confident. The polling here is pretty much in flux. But he is within single digit from Donald Trump in most internal polls. But he feels like in Oklahoma, in places like Georgia and possibly even Tennessee, he can make a move and if he doesn't make a move, Fredricka, there are big problems in his campaign.
WHITFIELD: Well, I wonder, and no candidate wants to talk about, you know, things not going their way. They want to stay positive. But one has to wonder whether Ted Cruz's camp is willing to reveal, what if he doesn't do well in Texas and neighboring Oklahoma which he has felt good about? But now, just two days away from Super Tuesday, he may not be feeling as confident.
MATTINGLY: Yes. Look, Fredricka, there's been nerves about Texas over the last couple of weeks. Those seem to have subsided within his campaign over the last couple of days. And that is important. Texas is huge for Ted Cruz. If Ted Cruz loses Texas, his campaign is all but over. But it is not just about winning the state, Fredricka, it is about winning the delegates which have dealt out proportionally. Ted Cruz has a lot of plans to try and wrap up as many of those as possible. That's crucial, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Phil Mattingly, thank you so much from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Appreciate it.
All right. Let's move on to Nashville, Tennessee now where Hillary Clinton fresh off the win in South Carolina, is now talking to supporters there. Let's listen in.
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: -- barriers that stand in the way of America fulfilling its potential and of every American fulfilling his or her potential. And when you come right down to it, we have a lot of barriers to tear down together. We have economic barriers. Barriers that stand in the way of having enough good jobs for rising incomes for everybody willing to work in order to get ahead.
I think we should do much more. Working between the government and the private sector to create jobs. You know, we need more infrastructure jobs. Our roads, bridges, out tunnels, our ports, our airports, you name it. We have work to do, America, and it is work that can't be exported. It has to be done right here in Tennessee and across our country. We have work to do that is invisible work. Water pipes. Sewer pipes.
I want you to just remember what's going on in Flint, Michigan. A city of about a hundred thousand, mostly poor, mostly African- American, where the people there, including babies, have been drinking lead-contaminated water for nearly two years. Those pipes are old. Those pipes are leaking and those pipes are leaching. Chemicals like lead in the water you bathe in and the water you drink. And all that happened because the government of that state wanted to save money. So we have work to do. We have worked to really fix what is fundamental to every person. Clean water. Every person in America should have access to clean water. They don't have to worry about.
We also have work to do to bring back manufacturing to America. We have to change the tax code. So that you get rewarded for bringing jobs to America, not exporting jobs from America. I'm one of these people who think we can actually build things again in our country and eve seen it. We have visited so many places where entrepreneurs and businesses are getting together to create new ways of doing advance manufacturing.
