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Romney Announces Speech. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired March 02, 2016 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00] WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: That's it for me. I'll be back 5:00 p.m. Eastern in "The Situation Room." The news continues next on CNN.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: And we begin here. Top of the hour. You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

Breaking news. A bombshell turn of events in the Republican race for president. Just as the Republican Party should be celebrating today, this clear frontrunner with Donald Trump, seven-state win on Super Tuesday, Mitt Romney, folks - Mitt Romney, a hard core Trump critic, is stepping in now.

Here's what we know. Tomorrow the 2012 Republican presidential nominee will be speaking at the University of Utah on the state of the presidential race here in 2016. And according to Mark Preston here with us at CNN, he is reporting that Mitt Romney is not entering the race, let's be clear, but more than likely this Republican Party elder will be trying to set in on what he sees as the right course moving forward, looking ahead, obviously, to - to November.

Romney's speech is expected to be another glaring example of how Donald Trump's shocking durability and dominance has led to the Republican Party being at a crossroads. Do Republicans support a nominee they feel certain will do not just the - their White House bid, but the very party itself, or do they keep fighting? What Trump's voters keep showing them is a losing battle. I want you to hear from former presidential candidate, Senator Lindsey Graham, talking with our correspondent Manu Raju.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MANU RAJU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: If Trump gets the nomination, would you support him?

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Well, ask me that after the convention.

RAJU: So you're - meaning you're not making a statement one way or another on it?

GRAHAM: Just ask me that after the convention. If he wins the Republican nomination, I'll have to reconsider that, but I don't think he's really (INAUDIBLE) Republican.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BALDWIN: Let's chat about this, shall we. Joining me now, A.B. Stoddard, associate editor at "The Hill," Jackie Kucinich, senior politics editor at "The Daily Beast," and Ryan Williams, who used to be a spokesman for Romney when he served as governor of Massachusetts.

So welcome to all of you.

And, Ryan, let's chat about your former boss. Can we talk about this speech tomorrow? Tell me what you know.

RYAN WILLIAMS, FORMER SPOKESMAN FOR MITT ROMNEY: Well, I don't expect Governor Romney make an endorsement or announce any kind of candidacy tomorrow. I think he's going to talk about the state of the race, where we are now, the choices facing the Republican Party and who the best candidates are going forward. He's made no secret that Donald Trump, he thinks, is an absolute disaster, somebody who would destroy the party, someone who's been, you know, throughout his career a con man who's said one thing and done another. And I think you'll hear more about that. He's been pretty good about trolling Donald Trump with tweets over the last several weeks. I think you're going to hear more about it in person from him tomorrow during the speech.

BALDWIN: He has been trolling him indeed on Twitter with it comes to his tax return and other thing. But my question to you is, I understand from our Gloria Borger this speech is - you know, it wasn't on the books for a while. That it is a sort of sudden speech. My question is, why now? Why not two weeks ago? Why not two months ago, Ryan?

WILLIAMS: Well, I haven't talked to the governor and I'm not sure what his reasons are for holding the speech when he's holding it. But, look, Governor Romney is someone who cares about the future of this party and about the future of this country. He knows that Hillary Clinton would be a very bad president, someone who would continue the failed policies of the Obama administration and he want to see a conservative, credible Republican get our nomination who can win in November. And he knows that Donald Trump not only won't do that, but will also hurt our other races for Senate, for governor and really be a huge weight in the party. He doesn't want to see that and I think Mitt's, you know, speaking out now because he cares about the future of the party and the country.

BALDWIN: OK. So, A.B., given everything Ryan just said, what will he say? Who will he be talk to?

A.B. STODDARD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR, "THE HILL": Well, it's interesting that he's coming out not endorsing. You know, remember, after South Carolina, there was this flicker in the news that Romney was going to endorse and, of course, everyone thought it would be Rubio. And then there was this retreat, no, he's not going to.

It's created some tension here because you look at someone like Rubio, who's clearly largely the chosen one of most of the Republican establishment or the anti-Trump Republicans who are trying to stop him, yet Jeb Bush has not endorsed him. He needs all the help he can get in 13 days in Florida, winner take all, where Trump is ahead. Mitt Romney has not endorsed him.

So Romney's going to come out and talk about how they have to stop Trump. And maybe even, according to Katie Packer (ph), who was in the last hour, who once worked for him and is now running this vehicle Our Principles PAC to stop Trump, maybe even talk about the seriousness of, you know, the decorum that's required in a race like this. I mean if you're someone like Marco Rubio, there's nothing you can do that's right. You're not getting endorsed. You're not getting helped. And then when you come out and start attacking Trump the way Trump attacks you, people tell you that it's unserious.

So, you know, maybe Mitt Romney will have some helpful advice to people trying to stop Donald Trump. Maybe he'll try to, you know, create an explanation for how the three of them or the four of them get to the convention, the remaining non-Trump candidates, and block him there for - at a convention fight.

[14:05:11] WILLIAMS: Yes.

STODDARD: But it's awfully late and he hasn't really been clear about, you know, how much he's going to actually help.

BALDWIN: Right. Right. And, Jackie, you know, let me - let me channel my inner David Chalian, who is our wise CNN political director, and make his point that he made this morning. You know, listen, he was saying that had this been any other candidate who did so well last night, the Republican Party would be having, you know, a ticker tape parade today as it looks like this frontrunner could be solidified. And instead, we are talking about the Republican - we're talking about Mitt Romney speaking tomorrow and we're talking about the Republican Party refusing to accept Trump.

JACKIE KUCINICH, SENIOR POLITICS EDITOR, "THE DAILY BEAST": Yes, he's not their guy. And, you know, Mitt Romney is an adult in the room. He is a party elder at this point. And so there will be people who want to hear what he has to say on this. But I would caution, Mitt - Marco Rubio does not lack for endorsements from the establishment wing of the Republican Party. Pretty much all of them have weighed in. So I don't know what exactly a Mitt Romney endorsement would give him at the end of the day other than saying to donors, you know, give this guy money, help him out and keep him - let him hang in there so he can win a couple states.

Also, you know, this might be a signal to donors to pony up for the - some of these anti-Trump events that we're starting to see rising in the last couple of days.

BALDWIN: You know, we talk so much about this, and there is this sort of anti-Trump movement, but I am reminded the people are speaking. Talk about the Republican - you know, the turnout is historic. Let me play some sound. This is from former candidate Governor Mike Huckabee.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE HUCKABEE (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The establishment Republicans are all, you know, bed wetting over this - UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

HUCKABEE: And they don't seem to understand that we have an election. Look, I just believe that at some point we need to recognize, if you want to oppose Donald Trump, do it, but don't pretend that somehow that all these voters who have gone out and voted for him are stupid. They're not stupid. I'll tell you what they are. They're angry. And they're angry at the very establishment who is going nuts because Donald Trump is doing so well.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

HUCKABEE: And they don't get it, that they're the problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So then, Ryan, how would a Mitt Romney or any other establishment Republican try to take those, you know, historic turnout, Republican or perhaps first-time voters who really like Trump and not, you know speak down to them or disparage them but turn them their way?

WILLIAMS: Look, I think everyone needs to respect the will of the voters certainly, but, you know, more needs to be said about who Donald Trump is and what he - he's selling a con to the voters right now. He's a guy who's saying he's going to bring back jobs from China, yet he produces his tawdry (ph) clothing line in China. He's a guy who says he's going to protect American workers, but he employs illegal workers to help build the Trump Tower.

So this is a candidate whose message is appealing to people, but it's a con. And this is what this man has done his entire career in both business and his limited time in politics. He's said one thing, he's marketed himself well, but it's all an act and I think that that needs to be discussed more before more people cast their ballots.

BALDWIN: Since we don't have a pro-Trump supporter, I feel the need to say, obviously that person would say it's not a con, that he's a businessman. And as we heard from him earlier this week, everything is negotiable.

That said, A.B., Ted Cruz - Ted Cruz won his big home state of Texas among a couple of others, lost to Trump in the deep southern states. They were supposed to, you know, really galvanize from his base. Rubio, he won one state. Trump calls himself a unifier. Here they were last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am a unifier. I would love to see the Republican Party and everybody get together and unify. And when we unify, there's nobody - nobody that's going to beat us.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: For the candidates who have not yet won a state, who have not racked up significant delegates, I ask you to prayerfully consider our coming together, united. SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If we nominate Donald

Trump as our nominee for the Republican Party, it will be the end of the modern Republican Party. Hillary Clinton will smoke him in the general election. And the next four years are going to be no different than the last eight for our country. I will fight as long and as hard as it takes to save this party and the conservative movement from someone like Donald Trump.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So, A.B. and Jackie, you know, when I hear specifically from Cruz and Rubio, they're sort of pointing at the other guy, essentially saying, get out. Is there one voice in the Republican Party that could get them on speed dial and say, hey, for the sake of the Republican Party in 2016, dude, you need to bail?

STODDARD: No, there's not one voice. Money's going to talk and unity behind one of the - one of the candidates would mean something. But right now there are critics of Cruz staying in the race, critics of Rubio staying in the race and critics of Kasich staying in the race, not to mention Dr. Ben Carson. So there's no - those candidates want unity behind their candidacies, but no one - not one person would tip the balance. It would have to be a full force, you know, everyone gets behind and coalesces behind one person effort.

[14:10:03] BALDWIN: Jackie, I want to hear from you, but let me ask all of you to stand by. We are getting some breaking news. I'm being handed it right now. The magic of that.

This is what we have now. This is from Ben Carson for President 2016. Official statement from Dr. Carson. Quote, "I have decided not to attend the Fox News Republican presidential debate tomorrow night in Detroit. Even though I will not be in my hometown of Detroit on Thursday, I remain deeply committed to my home nation, America. I do not see a political path forward in light of last evening's Super Tuesday primary results. However, the grassroots movement on behalf of we the people will continue. Along with millions of patriots who have supported my campaign for president, I remain committed to saving America for future generations. We must not depart from our goals to restore what God and our founders intended for this exceptional nation. One more graph. I appreciate the support, financial and otherwise from all corners of America gratefully. My campaign decisions are not constrained by finances, rather by what is in the best interests of the American people."

That is the news here from the Dr. Carson campaign. Do not see a political path forward.

We will rejoin with the panel and chat about that and that affect, if anything, on this race moving forward. Lots to talk about on this day after Super Tuesday. A quick break. We're back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:15:24] BALDWIN: You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Breaking news here. Back to what I have just been handed. This is from the Ben Carson for President camp. Essentially saying, and I'm quoting the doctor, Dr. Carson saying, "I do not see a political path forward," will not be attending the Fox Republican presidential debate tomorrow night in Detroit.

Let's go straight to our CNN political director David Chalian with more on what exactly does this mean? Is this officially dropping out or not taking it that far?

DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Well, when you say that you don't see a path forward for yourself and you say that you're not going to attend the debate, it's everything but officially dropping out. Dr. Carson says he'll have more to say on this in a speech at CPAC, the conservative gathering here in Washington area on Friday.

But, Brooke, this is all but suspending his campaign. He said, unlike other campaigns, this is not due to financial constraints. He has been able to raise a lot of low dollar money throughout this race. Instead, he says, this is what is best for the party, for the country going forward. So it certainly sounds like, in every word there, that he' not going to be an active candidate going forward from here.

And you have to remember, Brooke, he was one time the national frontrunner in this race. Back in the fall, there were polls out that showed him ahead of Donald Trump. And this was about October. So he was the one-time national frontrunner in this states - in this race. And then there were questions about his biographical background that got asked that sort of started his decline. And then as he himself said often, Brooke, when the attacks happened in Paris and San Bernardino, there were real questions about his ability to serve as commander in chief. Again, Ben Carson acknowledged that there were questions about that. And that was part of the cause of his decline in the polls. He never regained real traction after that.

BALDWIN: OK. Let me just pivot and ask you about the other piece of big news today about Mitt Romney and his speech tomorrow at the University of Utah on the state of the presidential race here. We know it is not an endorsement. So what more do we know?

CHALIAN: Right. So CNN's Mark Preston and John Berman have spoken to various sources very close to Mitt Romney and they have learned, you're right, it is not an endorsement, nor is it going to be an announcement of his own political future, if anybody was expecting that. instead, these sources close to Romney are telling Mark and John and others that he's going to go after Trump tomorrow in this speech. That's - that is what he's aiming to do. That should, of course, come as no surprise to anybody who follows his Twitter feed or his recent appearances on television. He's made it quite clear that he is not a fan of Donald Trump, nor at all supportive of his candidacy.

And I think what you're seeing here is something we've heard from folks close to Romney for the last several months, which is that Mitt Romney really was seeking in some way to play the role of sort of adult supervision in this very chaotic Republican presidential field. And I think now that Donald Trump is clearly on a march towards the nomination and Romney clearly sees that as not good for the party, he wants to set out a path that might take the party in a different direction. I think that's what we'll hear tomorrow.

BALDWIN: OK. David Chalian, thank you.

The speech, 11:30 a.m. Eastern. We will certainly take that.

Meantime, much more on our breaking news here on both fronts, on the news from Dr. Carson's campaign and the news on this political speech that Mitt Romney will be giving tomorrow, we will speak with a former House majority leader, Tom Delay, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:23:15] BALDWIN: Never a dull moment in the world of politics. Two pieces of breaking news. Let me just relay to you before I bring in former House Majority Leader Tom Delay.

Number one, we're learning from Ben Carson's camp that he will not be attending the Republican debate tomorrow night in Detroit and that he, quote, "doesn't see a political path forward." All but saying he's dropping out of this presidential race. That's number one.

Number two, we know that Mitt Romney, a man who certainly wanted to be president, he will be speaking tomorrow at the University of Utah. He will be addressing the state of the presidential race. He will not be throwing his hat in the ring according to our reporting from Mark Preston, will not be an endorsement, but it will certainly be a strong message with regard to the Republican Party.

With that said, former House Majority Leader Tom Delay is joining me now.

Congressman, welcome.

TOM DELAY (R), FORMER HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER: Thank you, Brooke. Great to be with you.

BALDWIN: So I am glad we have you on such the busy day. So let me just ask you about, first off, you know, this news from Mitt Romney. Listen, is this not too little too late?

DELAY: Well, a lot of people are saying that, but I think a lot people, including myself, thought that Trump would implode on his own. We keep shaking our heads.

BALDWIN: And that hasn't happened.

DELAY: The thing - yes, and that hasn't happened. And so people are now, as I am, very concerned that Trump may be the nominee for the Republican Party. And so they're - they're speaking out. I hope that's what Romney's doing tomorrow.

BALDWIN: Well, we know specifically, this is from Mark Preston, he will emphasize, quote, "the choices facing the Republican Party and the country in this presidential election." What does that mean to you? What does he really need the say to all these voters? Record turnout of Republican voters this primary season.

DELAY: Well, I think right now he needs, number one, to let the American people know, and particularly the Republican voters know, that this race is not over. That even though many in the media are calling it over and Trump has a path to the nomination, it's not even close to being over. And people need to understand that.

[14:25:22] And, number two, what kind of man Trump is. And talk about the policies he's talking about because, you know, having a trade war, for instance, with China, India and Japan, the three major economies in the world, does not benefit us, does not make America greater. Letting 11 million illegals leave the country and then come back does not benefit us. I could go on and on and on. So I'm hoping Romney will point all that out.

BALDWIN: You have said this from -

DELAY: Because people are going to be listening to him.

BALDWIN: They will definitely be listening to him. We'll take it live here. But let me just - let me just jump to something you said. Quote, "all you guys that are saying Trump is now the nominee, you're going to have egg on your faces." But you, you know, again, and you're correct, this is - this is not a done deal for Mr. Trump. But, again, just going to last night, he swept those seven states. Are you giving enough credit to these voters who are clearly speaking up at these polling places?

DELAY: Well, Brooke, not you, but the media for three weeks now have been telling us he's going to sweep all 12 except for Texas, and he's tied there. I look at the -

BALDWIN: Let's not throw the media under the bus. Forgive me, it's a sensitive -

DELAY: OK.

BALDWIN: We're not saying that. That's not the truth. That's not a done deal. That said, please continue.

DELAY: Well, Brooke, I think the people understand what I said.

The - what's happened, and Trump ought to take pause, he lost four states last night, which shows he is vulnerable. And he lost the biggest one, Texas, other than California. He only got - he only has right now 300 delegates. He needs 1,237. And there's 20 more states that are proportional. And there's only 12 states that - and 871 delegates that are winner take all. He's got to run the table from now on in order to be the nominee because every time one of the other candidates take a state or comes close, he loses delegates that would give him the nomination. We could very well go to a convention.

BALDWIN: We - we could, but, Leader Delay, you know, I'm reminded of a quote that I read this morning in the paper from Governor Tim Pawlenty and it went something like this. He was talking about an airplane and he said, you know, if the Republican Party were an airplane and you're sitting there, here you go, "you're looking out the window, you'd see some pieces of the surface flying off. And you'd be wondering whether the engine or a wing is next."

If, sir, if, if, if Donald Trump were to become the nominee, would the Republican Party be dead?

DELAY: I think - I think he could do great damage to the party. He already has. The in-fighting that's going on within the party is not helpful. But when he becomes president, if he becomes president, and he starts governing, the first thing out of the box, he wants to appoint someone like his sister, who's a pro-abortionist, to the Supreme Court. That would split the party right down the middle. I mean it would just tear it to shreds. And then you go on. Like I said, if he starts a trade war with the top economies of the nation, the first people that have to defend him or fight him are the Republican elected officials, not just in the House and Senate, the governors and otherwise.

BALDWIN: Is it possible that all of this - listen, I don't have Donald Trump sitting here, but would it be possible that he's saying a lot of this to, you know, get people fired up? Clearly he has, when you look at all the people coming out to the polls, but he's also said he's a businessman. He said everything's negotiable. Is it possible that he walks some of this back later and that, you know, you would sit down at the table and potentially support him?

DELAY: Well then if that is the case, Brooke, and he doesn't mean what he's saying -

BALDWIN: Is it a possibility?

DELAY: He's just trying to get people fired up, then he is a con man.

BALDWIN: He's a con man.

DELAY: You've got to say what you believe and tell - and tell the American people what you would do so that they can make a decision, not based on getting fired up, but based upon what you truly believe and where you want to take this country. And he's not doing that.

BALDWIN: Let's move - let's move off him and we just reported the news that, you know, Dr. Carson won't be at the Republican debate tomorrow night. He doesn't see - what was phrase - I don't see a political path forward, all but saying that he's dropping. Who else do you think needs to drop now?

DELAY: No, I think all three have to stay in.

BALDWIN: You do?

DELAY: And if you -

BALDWIN: All three being which?

DELAY: Yes.

BALDWIN: Being Kasich, Rubio, Cruz?

[14:30:02] DELAY: Yes, especially Kasich. Kasich needs to win Ohio. If Kasich wins Ohio, then Trump will not have a majority -

BALDWIN: But wouldn't that help Trump?

DELAY: Trump will not have a majority of the delegates going into the convention.