Return to Transcripts main page

Legal View with Ashleigh Banfield

Canada's Prime Minister Visits; Clinton Holds Tampa Rally; Democrats Focus on Economy and Jobs. Aired 12-12:30p ET

Aired March 10, 2016 - 12:00   ET

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


[12:00:00] BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And to provide continuing momentum on efforts, even if they didn't start under your administration. So there were a whole host of initiatives that began under the Bush administration. Some that I was very enthusiastic about, like PEPFAR, that, you know, has saved millions of lives and prevented HIV/AIDS or prevented vital drugs to those already infected with HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa and other parts of the world. Something that President Bush deserves enormous credit for. You know, we continued that.

But there are also some areas where, when I was outside the government, I questioned how they were approaching it. I might have tweaked it to the extent that it involved foreign policy. I might say to my foreign policy partners, look, we have a problem of doing it this way, but, you know, here's a suggestion for how we can do the same thing or meet your interests in a slightly different way. But you're always concerned about making sure that the credibility of the United States is sustained, or the credibility of Canada is sustained, which is why, when there's turnover in governments, you know, the work that's been done continues. And particularly when you have a close friendship and relationship with a partner like Canada, it's not as if work we're doing on the Arctic or on entry and exit visas vanishes when the next president comes in. Of course, I intend to make sure the next president who comes in agrees with me on everything, but - just in case that doesn't happen, the U.S./Canadian relationship will be fine.

All right, thank you, everybody. Thank you.

ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Barack Obama and Justin Trudeau, prime minister of Canada. The president of the United States wrapping up a lengthy news conference. And this is the first official visit of a Canadian prime minister in 19 years. And if you think it's odd, because you've seen a Canadian prime minister at a podium or somewhere in the United States, you have. That was Stephen Harper. He was a conservative. This is the first official visit, which is a bigger deal. They have a dinner. They have conversations. It's paid for. There's a lot of differences and distinguish - things that distinguish this visit. And it effectively, by many onlookers, outlines a great relationship between the liberal Justin Trudeau, and the Democratic Barack Obama.

There was a significant moment in this news conference that highlighted climate change, it highlighted trade between the countries. Canada is America's largest trading partner if you look at an annual basis. I know there's been some overtake by China and Mexico lately, but on average, annually, Canada is America's largest trading partner. And on the campaign trail, this has been hammered away by Republican candidates. Also by Bernie Sanders, the Democratic candidate, hammering away at NAFTA, free trade agreements between not only Canada and the U.S., but also the rest of North America. And the TTP has also come under the microscope too.

So this is significant because one of the reporters in the gaggle also decided to ask the president about the candidate, Donald Trump. And whether Barack Obama himself feels any responsibility for the creation of what has become, as Barack Obama called, a circus. Listen to his answer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have been blamed by Republicans for a lot of things, but being blamed for their primaries and who they're selecting for their party is novel. Look, I've said - I said at the State of the Union that one of my regrets is the degree to which polarization and the nasty tone of our politics has accelerated, rather than waned over the course of the last seven and a half years. And I do all kinds of soul searching in terms of, are there things that I can do better to make sure that we're unifying the country.

[12:04:47] But I also have to say, Margaret, that, objectively, it's fair to say that the Republican political elites and many of the information outlets, social media and news outlets, talk radio, television stations have been feeding the Republican base for the last seven years a notion that everything I do is to be opposed. That cooperation or compromise somehow is a betrayal. That maximalist, absolutist positions on issues are politically advantageous. That there is a "them" out there and an "us" and "them" are the folks who are causing whatever problems you're experiencing. And the tone of that politics, which I certainly have not contributed to, I have not - you know, I don't think that I was the one to prompt questions about my birth certificate, for example. I don't remember saying, hey, why don't you ask me about that? You know, why don't you, you know, question whether I'm American or whether I'm loyal or whether I have America's best interests at heart. Those aren't things that were prompted by any actions of mine.

And so what you're seeing within the Republican Party is, to some degree, all those efforts over a course of time, creating an environment where somebody like a Donald Trump can thrive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: And there you have it. The Republican contest making its way to the front steps of the White House in that news conference that was just wrapping up moments ago between the new Canadian prime minister and the outgoing United States president.

I will tell you this. That new Canadian prime minister shares a name with his dad, who was the old Canadian prime minister. And he also shares something else. Something called Trudeau mania, it seems. I want to go right to the White House where national correspondent

Suzanne Malveaux is standing by, and also in Washington, senior national security correspondent Jim Sciutto.

Now, to the two of you, as I grew up in Canada in the '60s, '70s, and '80s, it was all about Trudeau mania. Women swooned over Justin Trudeau's father. And, once again, women are swooning over Justin Trudeau, the junior. But there's much more on the agenda than just this friendship and both of their good looks.

So I'm going to start with you, Suzanne. If you could just walk me through what they touched on in this news conference and then, Jim, I'll get to you for the significance of it.

Go ahead, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Sure. Well, you know, Ashleigh, we did actually see that swooning occur earlier this morning. There were some women at the - on the lawn of the White House, and we saw that firsthand. So certainly the son has the same effect as the father.

But I do want to bring a couple of things that I thought was very important. The sound bite, of course, that you played when the president flatly denied that he has any responsibility for what he is calling the circus environment and the Republican crackup, if you will, during this primary season. It is not surprising that politics is dominating and dominated that press conference because the most important question came up as the last question, and that is, despite the fact you see these two leaders who are announcing policy changes when it comes to climate change, as well as trade, it may all just be for naught if you have a leader, the president of the Republican Party, who essentially decides that this is not what we want and goes opposite of what the prime minister, Trudeau, is espousing. And that is why what we are seeing here, and it's why that Trudeau call is dubbed the anti-Trump.

That's why we got those questions about Trump. Because if you look at the policy differences here, you're talking about a country that is accepting 25,000 Syrians. We have seen the prime minister personally actually greet some of those folks once they enter the country, taking selfies, given them parkas. And you've got Donald Trump on the other side, and as well as Marco Rubio and Senator Cruz, talking about, we don't want those Syrian refugees inside of the United States. So that is a big, big difference. A contrast.

You talk about Trudeau, who we've seen publicly at a mosque during Ramadan praying with Muslims versus a Donald Trump, who says he does not want Muslims entering the country.

We have seen the climate change issue, as well. Trudeau saying that there needs to be a lowering of methane, and also taking a look at regulations with fuel and with emissions from cars, vehicles, things like that. We have heard from Donald Trump saying he is not a believer. [12:10:05] So there's so many differences, so many contrasts between

the Republican side and what we see as really kind of a symbiotic relationship between this president and the Canadian prime minister that it's very clear, a lot of these questions are going to come up and a lot of concerns from the Obama administration and those who want a Democrat in the White House, whether or not any of these policies will survive if the Republicans do, in fact, push forward and are successful in this political season and their agenda.

BANFIELD: Yes. They couldn't be more diametrically opposed from Justin Trudeau, that's for sure.

So, Suzanne, hold that thought for a moment because part of what you said, actually, there's a jig in that jag, and that's where I want to go to Jim Sciutto.

Jim, Justin Trudeau campaigned partly on drawing down Canadian troops in the Middle East, and yet this great new friend of his in Barack Obama has somehow been able to get him to be convinced to help more in the coalition against ISIS. So maybe that's where Suzanne's track can change with regard to how the Republicans view the Canadians. And let's not even jump ahead of ourselves yet, because we don't have anybody in office yet that we know of that's going to be, you know, working with Justin Trudeau, with the prime minister. So maybe walk me through a little bit about the national security issues between our two countries.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, they started with a very big difference because Justin Trudeau made a campaign promise to end Canadian air strikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, and he fulfilled that campaign promise once he was elected and in office. Now, to make up for that to some degree or to keep demonstrating U.S./Canadian cooperation against ISIS, he took other steps to increase Canada's role in the anti-ISIS coalition. He tripled the number of Canadian soldiers who were training, advising and assisting counter ISIL forces. In the Canadian cases, particularly the Kurds. They're based largely in northern Iraq. They're continuing to do refueling operations, which not a lot of other coalition partners do.

And you heard the president there say that they announced new or they agreed in this meeting to new cooperation in terms of stopping the flow of foreign fighters from the west into Syria and Iraq. And, of course, the great worry is that the flow back, when they come back with combat training, like the attackers in Paris - and keep in mind, Ashleigh, as you know well, Canada has its own home-grown terror problem. There have been a number of Canadians who have gone to join the fight. There are concerns in Canada about ISIS sympathizers, about lone wolves. And, in fact, we've seen some of them. That shooting in Ottawa a number of months ago. A Canadian soldier killed. There have been other instances where ISIS lone wolves have used their cars to attack members of the Canadian forces.

So on that issue, the U.S. and Canada have a shared threat and they're working together on it. And you see the Canadian prime minister kind of doing a bit of a delicate balance there, keeping his campaign promise to stop those strikes, the air strikes. But on the flip side, increasing its cooperation against ISIS in other ways.

BANFIELD: Yes. I mean it's great to see just this official visit between the two countries. Also nice as a duel citizen to see the maple leaf flying beside the U.S. president, as well.

SCIUTTO: Sure.

BANFIELD: Suzanne and Jim, thank you both. Appreciate it.

SCIUTTO: Thank you.

MALVEAUX: Thanks, Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: Lots more ahead too and CNN's going to continue the coverage there.

But then there's this. Got some live pictures for you. Hillary Clinton. This is a rally in Tampa. She's getting ready to take to the mike just ahead of Tuesday's big primary vote in Florida. And then also in Florida, Bernie Sanders, fresh off his stunning win, total upset in Michigan. He's got a warning for Hillary. And then there's this. Has the message completely been taken over by rustbelt politics? We're going to find out, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:17:30] BANFIELD: This hour, Hillary Clinton's holding a rally in Tampa, Florida. We've got some live pictures of that for you. In fact, she is getting ready to take to the mike pretty darn soon. And this is critical, because Florida is just five days away, the primary there. Clinton also has her sights set on two of next Tuesday's other big contests with rallies scheduled today in North Carolina and Illinois. Just imagine the frequent flyer miles if you're trying to keep that schedule.

And Bernie Sanders is no different. He's on the campaign trial today, as well. He's got a rally at the University of Florida in Gainesville, in hopes of operating - repeating a big win over Hillary Clinton in Florida, like the one that he had in Michigan. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We just pulled off a major upset in Michigan the other day. And on Tuesday, we've got five states coming up, including Florida. If you guys come out to vote, we're going to pull off an upset here, as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: Our CNN senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny is following the Clinton campaign. He joins me now from Tampa.

As I watched last night, here is my guess, Jeff, and I'm guessing it might be your guess, too, she's going to open with a brand-new, finely tailored message directed at the rustbelt. JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ashleigh, she

is here in Florida, as you know. But you're right, there's no doubt about it, that the focus of the next five days of this Democratic campaign are squarely on the rustbelt, on Ohio, on Illinois, on Missouri. Now, of course, she needs to win Florida, because it's the biggest collection of delegates next Tuesday.

The Clinton campaign actually feels pretty good about Florida for this reason. It is a closed primary. That means that only Democrats, only registered Democrats, can vote in the primary next Tuesday. And you had to register one month ago. That means so any new Bernie Sanders fans cannot show up on Tuesday and actually vote. It's a closed primary. So Bernie Sanders is campaigning here to make sure he gets some delegates. But it is the central part of the country, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, where they believe that that message, like in Michigan, can actually work.

And you can see behind me here, someone's warming up the crowd. Hillary Clinton will be here soon. But really what I expect her to do is continue what she started last night at that very contentious debate in Miami. She went squarely after Bernie Sanders on a variety of things, but including the auto bailout. She says he was against the auto bailout, which, of course, is not entirely true. He voted for it in one instance and then he voted against the money for it in another instance. But he says he's totally for the bailout overall.

[12:20:12] So, Ashleigh, this is what's going to be happening over the next five days or so. He will be campaigning in North Carolina and Illinois, as well. But this is going to be focused on the rustbelt states, like you said. And the Clinton campaign certainly was hoping this would be a different moment. At this point, they thought they would be looking ahead toward Donald Trump, toward the other Republican candidates. But now they know they have a Democratic fight still on their hands. Even though they lead mathematically, this is still a contentious fight and they have to put Bernie Sanders away, in their view, next Tuesday.

Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: Yes, so no more jumping ahead to the general election and give me more time now to work on the Republicans, if I could just be your nominee. I sense that that one will disappear from the stump.

Jeff Zeleny, thank you for that. We'll jump back in when we get a chance.

Both candidates were on their game last night at the debate, looking ahead to this crucial day on Tuesday. I want to bring in senior - CNN senior political commentator Sally Kohn and columnist for "The Daily Beast" and a supporter of Bernie Sanders, as well as CNN commentator Bakari Sellers, a former South Carolina state representative and a supporter of Hillary Clinton.

OK, first things first. Bakari, I want to ask you about the opening statement that Secretary Clinton made last night. It was so significant in terms of how tailored she has made her new stump. Let me play it, and then I want to ask you about it in a moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Tonight, I am looking forward to the opportunity to discuss how we knock down the barriers that stand in the way of people getting ahead and staying ahead, starting with the economic ones. My focus is on more good-paying jobs with rising incomes for families.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: And then she went on to say, and I want to stop those jobs from going overseas, which is a direct nod to the trade pact issue. It sounds almost, Bakari Sellers, like Hillary Clinton took a page right out of Bernie Sanders playbook, because it worked so well in Michigan. Am I wrong?

BAKARI SELLERS, CNN COMMENTATOR: Well, I think you are wrong on this fact. I just think that what you're seeing now is that Hillary Clinton's message is directly pointed towards Ohio and some of these rustbelt states. It's not something that she hasn't been talking about. In fact, she has been talking about these issues. But now as we're making progress, as we're moving further along, you do see that this is a - this is a theme that's emerged to be a popular theme in the campaign for president on the Democratic side. We're talking about jobs. We're talking about trade. We're talking about these issues. And she would be neglectful as a candidate if she wasn't addressing that. And Bernie Sanders is - has been talking about it, is talking about it. I'm just happy that both candidates on our side are driving home that point. I don't think it's a new plank in her platform by any stretch.

BANFIELD: But, I mean, it was right off the top, Bakari. The reason - no, no, but this was the opening statement out of the gate, talking about jobs, income inequity, and, you know, trade and the concerns about jobs going overseas.

SELLERS: Well, I think - I think that showed that Hillary Clinton is paying attention to the voters, which is what you're supposed to do. What we learned in Michigan is that one of the top priorities of voters and Democratic voters are jobs and making sure that jobs don't leave. If my candidate wasn't paying attention to the voters, then I think that she would be in a bad state.

BANFIELD: Yes, she's polling really well in Florida, Sally Kohn. She's polling better than Bernie Sanders. And so maybe - I mean, I just wanted to get your reaction, as well. I know you're a Bernie backer. But did you, all of a sudden, think you were hearing Bernie Sanders' speech when you heard her open last night?

SALLY KOHN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I remain on the fence, technically. I lean Bernie. But, you know, look, I - this is a testament to Bernie Sanders. It's a good thing if Hillary is going to move on some of her economic policy, which has been historically more toward the center and out of touch with the sort of populist wing of the Democratic Party. That was the reason for Bernie Sanders' candidacy in the first place. And he's making her not only a better candidate by making her have to show up, but he's making her policy more sound, and as Bakari said, more reflective of where voters, by the way on the right and left, are right now.

So, you know, and, look, I think it's OK for candidates to change their minds. It's a good thing. I'd rather her change her mind and end up on the corrected side of an issue. I'd like to see more from Hillary of the kind of other moment of transparency. I thought it was the best moment of the debate last night where she said, you know -

BANFIELD: I'm not a politician.

KOHN: She copped to the fact that she's not a good candidate. You know, and it's OK to say, look, we learned a lot about NAFTA. We learned a lot about CAFTA. We learned about these things. They didn't work. They hurt workers. As your president, I wouldn't make that mistake again. Good. Honesty.

BANFIELD: I thought that really stood out. I thought that, I'm not a politician moment really did stand out because I sort of shook my head and I thought for a moment I think I get what she's saying.

KOHN: Yes.

BANFIELD: But let me move on to something. I think Bernie -

KOHN: Well, and she's not a great politician.

BANFIELD: Well, that's for you to say.

KOHN: Good to admit it. All right.

BANFIELD: I want to move on to the other politician who I think many people have adored for his anti-politician behavior, the shaking of the hands, the pointing of the fingers, the - all the rest. But Bernie Sanders took it on the chin last night about his previous stand on Fidel Castro and Cuba. I want to play that moment. I want to play something from what he said originally and how he responded to it last night. Take a look.

[12:25:16] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You may recall way back in, what was it, 1961, they invaded Cuba and everybody was totally convinced that Castro was the worst guy in the world. All the Cuban people are going to rise up in rebellion against Fidel Castro. They forget that he educated the kids, gave them health care, totally transformed the society.

What that was about was saying that the United States was wrong to try to invade Cuba. It would be wrong not to state that in Cuba they have made some good advances in healthcare. They are sending doctors all over the world. They have made some progress in education.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BANFIELD: So those were comments, Bakari Sellers, from 31 years ago about Fidel Castro. And no matter whether they were 31 years ago or not, Hillary Clinton has had to, you know, eat it on a crime bill -

SELLERS: Correct.

BANFIELD: From decades ago, as well. And I'm wondering if in Florida, where there is such a heavy Cuban demographic, if that is really going to pound him despite what he said? I mean it almost sounded like he was - he wasn't really refuting it. Is it going to be tough for him to overcome that in Florida?

SELLERS: Well, I think it will be tough for him to overcome that in Florida. I mean there are more tangible things that are going to be even more difficult for him to overcome, which is the fact that it's a closed primary and Bernie Sanders hasn't won the majority of Democratic voters in any state we've been through so far.

But this is a moment, this is a classic moment because what we're beginning to do now is vet the legend that has become Bernie Sanders. And it's not just these comments from 30 years ago. Because Hillary Clinton's having to fend off issues of her husband's presidency, statements she's made before. But we can even go back to the immigration bill, which Bernie Sanders voted against and made some comments that I thought were just distasteful with Lou Dobbs. And then he said that the reason he didn't vote for it was because of the fact that it was akin to slavery. Well, it was a Kennedy bill. It was supported by Kennedy and Barack Obama. There's nothing that they would support that's akin to slavery. And so he's having to deal with those issues. And as he's having to navigate this minefield of ethnic voters, he's stumbling a little bit. And that's going to hurt him in Florida. That's going to hurt him in North Carolina. And we'll see what happens in Illinois, Ohio and Missouri.

BANFIELD: Yes. And, Sally, just really quickly, button that up with the closed primary issue. Do you think that's going to be a really big problem for him considering he's had such crossover appeal?

KOHN: I mean, yes, and, look, I agree - I want to say I agree with everything Bakari just said. And, look, Bernie Sanders is to the left of Hillary Clinton. That's why the part where she tries to sort of say she's just like him and as progressive, you know, her argument to voters and certainly in the general election would be, I am the moderate candidate. Yes, I share your values. Yes, I believe in these things. But I can get things done. And I have to be honest, you know, it's moments like the Cuban moment, it's moments like watching Bernie Sanders stumble on race, things you hope he'd be better at talking about right now, that makes a voter like me worry also about the general election, what else is sort of - you know, he - I like having a leftist running for office in the primary and making Hillary Clinton more accountable to the Democratic base. Do I think he can win in the general, that's the question voters are now asking.

BANFIELD: OK. Sally Kohn, thank you. Bakari Sellers, thank you. Nice to have you both. Do appreciate it.

We're continuing to watch our live cameras around the country as the events continue to roll out.

And then there's this. The live camera inside our debate hall at the University of Miami. You can see some of the last-minute preps getting underway. Those chairs will host our moderators as they ask questions of the remaining Republican candidates. It's going to be yet again another very steamy, steamy room full of hot air, I suppose you could say. But also, will the tone change? Ahead of tonight's showdown, Donald Trump maybe hitting at which candidate is going to take the brunt of his attacks and Marco Rubio is making what may be his last stand in that sunshine state. We're going to talk strategy, take you inside the date hall, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)