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Trump: Chicago Rally Violence Was "Planned Attack"; Cruz Blasts Trump For Violence At Chicago Rally; Primaries In Key States Just Three Days Away; Latest Campaign Happenings; Hillary Clinton Rally. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired March 12, 2016 - 12:00   ET

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


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: -- were pouring into the arena, good arena, everything nice and all of a sudden a planned attack, just came out of nowhere printed by -- and it was printed by people that were professional people.

If you look at the posters, they're all printed, they have a mark on them who made them. All done by a group. All very professionally done, a disgrace if you want to know the truth. We cannot let our first amendment -- we just can't.

We cannot let our first amendment rights be taken away from us, folks, we can't let it happen. We can't let it happen. We have a right to speak. We are law-abiding people, we're people that work very hard.

We're people that have built this country and made this country great and we are all together. And we want to get along with everybody, but when they have organized professionally-staged wise guys, we've got to fight back. We've got to fight back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right, you can hear the crowd there very fired up about Donald Trump, but also in the crowd we were able to see right there it appears that something was thrown at Donald Trump. His security hustling over to try to protect him.

We are still trying to find out details of what happened. Our Phil Mattingly and Mark Preston were there at that hangar earlier as well and describing there were other disruptions. There were some protesters, some who simply got noisy and were escorted out.

But as far as we know, no other incidents, but you did just see that moment right there, something apparently thrown. We don't know what. And you see his security very quickly getting to his side to protect him for the unknown there.

Let's bring in reporters, Phil Mattingly who is following the Trump campaign, and Jeff Zeleny who was talking with Trump protesters last night in Chicago.

So Phil, let me begin with you because there were a few disruptions, if there's a good way of putting it. There were some people who were escorted out. What more do we know about the moment of what appeared to be something thrown at Donald Trump?

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There was a jarring moment. It wasn't just something that might have been thrown at him. There was actually a person that headed towards the stage, rushed towards Donald Trump that's when you saw Secret Service collapsed around Donald Trump as they're trained to do.

Kind of a jarring moment for somebody who covered the White House or political candidates. That's something you don't see very often on the trail. What was most interesting is that was the opposite for what we saw for the majority of the rally compared to last night.

It was very calm. It's a very enthusiastic crowd. There were a few pockets of protests who were quietly led away with little disruption at all, but there was that one moment where it looked like somebody was in the process of rushing the stage that caused that reaction by Trump's security.

Trump gave a thumb's up afterwards and joked around he could have taken the person himself, but it was a lot easier to just let the cops do it. So overall a different tone and tenor at this rally save for that one moment towards the end, which I think was a little bit jarring for everybody that was watching -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, but Donald Trump not at all backing off of any of the rhetoric. His composure still very confident there in Vandalia.

So Jeff, last night in Chicago a very different scene. Donald Trump never even made it to the stage there. That event had to be postponed because of the supporters who gathered for Donald Trump and then being met by demonstrators or protesters.

And in some cases the videotape has shown there was some violence, fists flying and people having words, choice words with one another. So Jeff in your view, while Donald Trump said it was very organized, the protests very professional, he said it was also a disgrace, he talked about the signs, professionally printed.

There were signs that we saw said liberation not deportation, we are not rapist, Trump equals hate." What more do you know about whether it was an organized effort? Who were the majority of the demonstrators?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, there's no question that some of the organizers, some of the protesters were organized. This is the city of Chicago where you see protests on a variety of things all the time.

So, yes, some were definitely organized. Moveon.org, the liberal group, was claiming responsibility for getting a lot of its supporters out at the rally outside the rally last evening.

But Fredricka, I was struck by the number of families that were outside this rally protesting. These weren't the people inside throwing punches and things, but very close to the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, which is one of the largest Mexican-American neighborhoods in this very diverse city of Chicago here.

I was struck by the number of mothers and fathers and children who were on their parents' shoulders walking through here and I talked to one man who said he left his house and walked over to this rally because the city of Chicago, he said, strong enough and tough enough to stand up to what he called a bigot, a bully and he called Donald Trump a racist thug.

So he said that he believes that their speaking out will embolden the country to speak out more against what they believe are racist comments. So yes there were organized protests inside. Yes there were some violent episodes.

[12:05:08]But that was not the majority of it at all. What we saw yesterday was definitely the beginning and the continuance of people rising up. And Fredricka, I think the worrisome point about this for everyone going forward is what this summer will look like on a campaign trail.

Should he become the Republican nominee, this is an ugly episode, an ugly chapter of politics, there's one person who can change the tone of that, and that's Donald Trump. I think he has to say something, if he keeps doubling down on this, this is only going to escalate.

WHITFIELD: All right, Jeff. Phil, let me go back to you. What more do we know now? I understand there may be additional reporting about the object being thrown at Donald Trump in Vandalia, Ohio?

MATTINGLY: Yes, it was an object, I wasn't totally sure what it was. It looked like a hat or something along those lines, not totally sure about what the actual object is.

I think an interesting point, Fredricka, just quickly off what Jeff said. What we saw today, last night there was some talk maybe this is the moment that Donald Trump kind of has that moment where he rises above and becomes presidential, has a conversation about race.

That didn't happen today. As Jeff said, he doubled down if you talk to his supporters, that's what they want. They want what Donald Trump did today, not the alternative.

One other thing I recognized today, I was talking to law enforcement officials before the rally, also to Jeff's point, just shook their heads. They know that last night probably wasn't the end, it was more likely the beginning and worrisome for folks that are in their profession.

WHITFIELD: All right, Phil Mattingly there in Ohio and Jeff Zeleny there in Chicago. Appreciate it.

All right, let's talk more about what happened last night in Chicago. I want to bring in Tony Fitzpatrick, he was protesting at the rally. He is also a Bernie Sanders supporter. You heard Donald Trump moments ago say that many of the people in the audience there disrupting what was to be his rally were Sanders supporters.

So, Tony, thanks so much for being with us. How organized was this that you and perhaps other Bernie Sanders supporters would go to this Donald Trump rally? What was the plan?

TONY FITZPATRICK, PROTESTER AT TRUMP'S CHICAGO RALLY (via telephone): Ma'am, I went there with my daughter and I didn't punch anyone, I didn't yell at anyone in fact, when a Trump supporter in a wheelchair with a confederate flag in his lap came through, he came through unmolested.

I mean, I was there to basically exercise my right to dissent and tell Mr. Trump that I do not subscribe to his politics of exclusion, division, and bigotry.

This is a man who wants to turn Americans against each other, our Muslim brothers and sisters, our Mexican brothers and sisters. I find his politics appalling and he's nothing new. We've seen him before.

We have seen the Lester Maddoxs. We've seen the George Wallaces.

WHITFIELD: I'm sorry to interrupt, but when you went to the event last night, was it your intention to express that, your sentiment, or was it your intention to go, as you said you were there with your daughter, to simply observe and see a support rally unfold for Donald Trump?

FITZPATRICK: I was there to protest, Ma'am, as is my first amendment right, as is the right to dissent.

WHITFIELD: And how did you protest? What did you do?

FITZPATRICK: I held a poster up that said "no walls with Mexico." And I chanted and I actually talked to a bunch of Trump supporters and I asked them to please reconsider their vote. That his kind of America would be hardest on them.

WHITFIELD: Is it a disappointment to you, quickly, Tony, that any kind of protest of the message of Donald Trump would turn violent? Does it become a distraction? Does it undermine what you're saying?

FITZPATRICK: I think the skirmishes are largely overstated. I mean, for as many people that were there.

WHITFIELD: I'm going to leave it right there, Tony.

FITZPATRICK: The person who can control this is Donald Trump himself. He is the one encouraging to sock people in the head and knock the hell out of him and throw them out in the cold without a jacket.

WHITFIELD: Tony Fitzpatrick, thank you so much. I'm only cutting you off because as we continue to look for the pictures there in Chicago. We also now want to go in Missouri, where Ted Cruz is speaking right now. Let's listen in.

SENATOR TED CRUZ (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: -- the alphabet soup of federal agencies that have descended like locusts on small businesses killing jobs all across this country. And we're going to stop amnesty, secure the borders, end sanctuary cities and end welfare benefits for those here illegally.

[12:10:13]And the effect of all of that is going to be millions of high-paying jobs. It's going to be wages rising for everybody. It's going to be young people coming out of school with two, three, four, five job offers. It will be morning in America again.

The second critical issue is freedom. You know, just a few weeks ago the passing of Justice Scalia underscored the stakes of this election.

We are one liberal justice away from a radical five wing leftist majority the likes of which this country has never seen. It's not just one branch of government but two that hang in the balance.

We are one liberal justice away from the United States Supreme Court stripping away the religious liberty of every American. We are one liberal justice away from the Supreme Court effectively erasing the second amendment from the Bill of Rights.

We are one liberal justice away from the Supreme Court making us subject to the world court and the United Nations and international law, and giving up U.S. sovereignty.

Now, know, a couple of debates ago we were asked a question about the Supreme Court and religious liberty. And Donald Trump turned to me and he said "Ted, I've known a lot more politicians than you have."

He's right. He's been supporting left wing Democratic politicians for 40 years. I have no experience with that. But Trump continues, he said, Ted, you've got to learn when it comes to religious liberty, when it comes to the Supreme Court, you have to learn to compromise.

You've got to learn to cut a deal and make a deal with the Democrats. Well, let me be very, very clear to the men and women here, I will not compromise away your religious liberty.

And I will not compromise away your second amendment right to keep and bear arms. Donald Trump has told us he's prepared to go toe to toe with Chuck Schumer and Harry Reid and the Democrats to agree on Antonin Scalia's replacement.

Any judge the Schumer and Reid sign off on will be a left wing judicial activist who will undermine our rights. I give you my solemn commitment that every justice I put on the Supreme Court will be a principled constitutionalist, faith to feel the law who will ferociously protect the Bill of Rights.

WHITFIELD: All right, Ted Cruz there in Baldwin, Missouri. We'll continue to monitor his comments there as he continues to try to drum up support ahead of this week's primaries coming up. We'll have much more straight ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:17:53]

WHITFIELD: All right, more live pictures there of Ted Cruz talking in Ballwin, Missouri, trying to drum up support ahead of this week's primaries in key states, among them Florida and Ohio.

In fact, as it pertains to Florida, a CNN/ORC poll showing that it's Donald Trump who is in the lead over Florida Senator Marco Rubio.

Let's bring in Jeffrey Lord. He is a CNN commentator and a Trump supporter. He's also written the book "What America Needs, The Case For Trump." All right, good to see you, Jeffrey.

JEFFREY LORD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Hey, Fredricka, how are you?

WHITFIELD: So how confidently should Donald Trump be going into Florida?

LORD: I think he's pretty confident. I mean, it is Senator Rubio's home state. One of the interesting things about Senator Rubio, Senator Cruz, and Governor Kasich is they there's sort of this double- edge sword.

If they win their home state they get credit for carrying their home state that made them a senator or governor and if they lose it everybody says you can't carry it so it's a problem.

Senator Cruz won his Texas primary, but one should not be shocked at that. The fact that Senator Rubio was behind in Florida is a bit shocking. If he wins it, frankly, you have to say so what, he should. He's the senator from Florida and ditto this goes with Governor Kasich in Ohio.

WHITFIELD: Why do you suppose that is? What is the Trump campaign's explanation as to why Donald Trump's should be doing so well in Florida and going into Ohio thinking that he may be confident there?

LORD: Well, in terms of Florida, that's his second home. He does have the Maro Lago place down there. He spends a lot of time in Florida so I think he's got a lot of friends in Florida. That's one thing.

But in a broader sense when you look at these exit polls of people who voted so far in these primaries and caucuses, he's got a pretty broad appeal across all areas and I think that applies in Florida and Ohio as well.

WHITFIELD: So how potentially might it harm Donald Trump or his momentum that there was this disruption last night in Chicago and that Donald Trump would tweet out that, you know, these were thugs or today he would say it was disgraceful.

[12:20:12]LORD: Yes, I mean clearly they were thugs. I mean, I have minute extensively about -- I'm a big, if you will, first amendment freak. I believe in this totally. I do not believe that "anybody," quote/unquote, in Donald Trump's case that something he says incites people.

I think that's the political equivalent of the short skirt business that -- you know, if a woman wears a short skirt --

WHITFIELD: So what is the best defense? How is it his language, his rhetoric does not incite, especially when you hear from protesters who say that's the springboard that brought them to those events?

LORD: Right. Because this is what the American left has always done long before Donald Trump was on the scene. They were doing this to Hubert Humphrey at the Democratic National Convention in 1968. They did in the People's Park in California when Ronald Reagan was governor and they tried to blame Ronald Reagan.

WHITFIELD: So then just out of nowhere people are protesting and have problems with -- the language or the promise of deportation or you heard from some of the protesters who are now putting the Trump name, an equals sign and hate?

LORD: Yes, I mean, they are the haters. They are the bigots and this has gone on throughout the history of the American left. This is what Occupy Wall Street was about, smashing windows, vandalizing places.

Black Lives Matters took over a microphone from Bernie Sanders and said "unless you let us speak right this minute your rally comes to a halt right now." They are thugs. This is what they do.

It could be Donald Trump, it could be anybody else. It just happens to be his turn in the chamber at the moment.

WHITFIELD: All right, Jeffrey Lord, thank you so much, good to see you.

LORD: Thanks, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, so we'll hear more from Donald Trump and John Kasich tomorrow morning on "STATE OF THE UNION" with Jake Tapper. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:26:12]

WHITFIELD: All right, welcome back. Three days before the Florida Republican primary and Marco Rubio spoke earlier today, not sounding that confident about whether he will become the Republican nominee. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SENATOR MARCO RUBIO (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I still that the moment continue to intend to support the Republican nominee, but it's getting harder every day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And tough for him to decide who to throw his support toward if he doesn't do so well in Florida. Let's talk about this with Rachel Campos-Duffy. She is a Rubio supporter and the national spokesperson for the LIBRE Initiative. All right, good to see you.

RACHEL CAMPOS-DUFFY, NATIONAL SPOKESPERSON FOR THE LIBRE INITIATIVE: I've not endorsed anyone. I have not endorsed anyone.

WHITFIELD: You're not really a Marco Rubio supporter?

CAMPOS-DUFFY: No. Well, I think Marco is a great candidate. I have not endorsed Marco Rubio and I work for a nonprofit that's non- partisan.

WHITFIELD: All right, we will keep it there then. All right, as you try to evaluate Marco Rubio and his chances and three days away from the Republican primary in his home state, that Marco Rubio that we just saw looked defeated, did he not?

CAMPOS-DUFFY: A little. I think maybe what he's -- I don't think it's over for him. I think what he's eluding to with the statement like that is that he's very much wanting to have a contested convention situation and realizes that might be his best shot.

WHITFIELD: And I wonder how devastating in your view it might be for him if he doesn't do well in Florida since that really is the next contest for him.

CAMPOS-DUFFY: There are a lot of delegate votes there, it will be devastating, no question.

WHITFIELD: How soon thereafter if he does not do well since some of the recent polling shows it's Donald Trump who has businesses from Doral, Maro Lago, his residence there in Florida that according to polling he's doing much better.

So how soon after a possible defeat for Marco Rubio -- I hate to put it that way because we are not at that day yet. But his folks have to be talking about the road ahead. What are plans "a, b and c" look like. What do those discussions are like?

CAMPOS-DUFFY: Well, I think, again, he's hoping he can get to the convention. I think Kasich is hoping the same thing and, frankly, so is Cruz. And it will be very interesting to see based on the events of this weekend and how Trump is now dominating the media once again with the events that have just happened.

How that will affect the numbers and just will Trump win and if he does by how much? If this is a blowout, I think you're going to see people decide between the two top front-runners.

Again, I think plan "A" for them is to get to the convention and so we'll see what happens. But this weekend and the events of this weekend I think will prove to be very, very critical. Because it will affect -- it could possibly affect the numbers. I mean, this is a very interesting development because it puts somebody like Cruz, who is a -- has really staked his political career on -- and this political campaign on his love of the constitution.

And suddenly he's taking the side of Black Lives Matters and billionaires and many on the left against people who are exercising their free right to speech at a Trump rally.

So I think it puts Trump -- it puts Cruz in an interesting position and sounds a little bit like somebody I know at the White House, another constitutional scholar, who seems to love the constitution until it's not politically expedient for him.

WHITFIELD: You use the word "interesting," but some might say all this is very baffling, too. Rachel Campos-Duffy, good to see you, thank you so much.

CAMPOS-DUFFY: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Just a reminder, CNN is hosting the next Democratic town hall. We'll be live from Columbus tomorrow ahead of the event. Catch the town hall live at 8 p.m. Eastern.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, welcome black. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

President Obama is slamming the rhetoric coming from Donald Trump's campaign and he's mocking establishment Republicans who are now trying to prevent Trump from securing the party's presidential nominee, nomination rather.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES: We're shocked that somebody could be loose with the facts. Or distort someone's record. Shocked. How can you be shocked? This is the guy, remember he -- who was sure that I was born in Kenya.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[12:35:07] WHITFIELD: All right, let's discuss this with CNN Commentator Bill Press who is a Bernie Sanders supporter, also with us is CNN Political Commentator Maria Cardona, a Hillary Clinton supporter. Maria's firm does work for a pro-Clinton Super PAC and she is a super delegate and former Republican Congressman Bob Barr also with us. He's a supporter of Senator Ted Cruz. All right, good to see all of you.

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Good morning.

BILL PRESS, CNN COMMENTATOR: Hey, hi Fredricka

CARDONA: I guess good afternoon, Fred.

WHITFIELD: That's right, good afternoon.

OK, so Representative Barr, what do you hear when you, you know, see the president is, you know, making fun of the Republican Party that it is acting as though it didn't really know the candidates at hand. Is the party in trouble in your view?

BOB BARR, (R) FMR. GEORGIA CONGRESSMAN: The party is in trouble, not because of anything that Obama says, I means that's utterly irrelevant at this point. But what is troubling is you have, for example, the head of the RNC, Reince Priebus, essentially admitting the other night that the party means nothing when he goes out and says whoever the nominee is, implying even if it's a candidate who's never been a Republican, who's given money to Democrats almost his whole professional life and has changed positions on virtually every position there is to change is just as good as a candidate such as a Republican senator who has given their life have been very consistently for the Republican Party.

That's the danger here. There does not seem to be at the top of the Republican Party any concept of what the party means anymore.

WHITFIELD: Interesting. So is there a greater concerted effort to, you know, amongst, you know, the establishment Republicans who say, you know what, at this point just we're throwing our hands up. There's nothing we can do at this point. Or is the concerted effort, what can we do to try to harness support -- better support of someone that we think is more -- a better representation of the Republican Party?

BARR: The answer of that really rests not with Reince Priebus, he's almost irrelevant at this point but with the people who support candidates, you know, Ted Cruz is running hard, Marco Rubio, John Kasich are still in the fight. But that's going to answer the question. There needs to be leadership from somewhere. It's not coming from the top of the RNC certainly. It's not coming from Donald Trump it has to come from the people that support these other candidates that actually stand for something, something positive.

WHITFIELD: So Bill, I'd love to hear your reaction of that. You know, the lack of leadership is what we're hearing the representative say that's sizable.

BILL PRESS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I always get nervous when I find myself agreeing with my friend Bob Barr. But that's the case today. Look, where has been the leadership?

You know it was nice to hear Paul Ryan -- first of all, there is a concerted effort Fredricka, to get to your point, as we all know with these ads that are being run with people saying now you got a vote against -- in this state or whatever you vote for anybody but don't vote for Donald Trump. But where these people been? It was nice to hear it from Paul Ryan last week. It was nice to hear from Mitt Romney last week. WHITFIELD: And what's the explanation of the silence? Why is that?

PRESS: Well, I think they underestimated or misunderestimated Donald Trump. On day one when he came down that escalator and started his campaign, which has been a campaign of hate from the beginning and talking about calling these illegal immigrants rapists or criminals or whatever, they should have stood up and said this guy does not represent our party, we will not support him, we do not want him to be the nominee.

Instead they thought he would disappear. Well guess what? Here he is. They made their bed, they're going to have to sleep in it.

WHITFIELD: And so Maria, how does this help the Democrats? I mean you heard from the president there, you know, he's making fun but it's a very serious issue. You know, it's a serious job here. But how do these Democratic candidates use this moment to their benefit?

CARDONA: Well, I think it's obvious the huge contrast between the parties right now. and, you know, as passionate and as competitive as the Democratic primary has become and I love it, I think it's terrific for the party, I think it's great for the nation. It is a tremendous contrast between what a civil conversation looks like and what an all out civil war looks like on the Republican side.

And the dangerousness of what -- or the danger of what's going on, on the Republican side is that they have been operating in this fact-free demagoguery zone for so long and they have been letting it fester and Bill is right. When Trump came out and called undocumented immigrants and people coming over from Mexico criminals and rapists, the Republican Party leadership should have said from that moment on "That is not appropriate, that is not acceptable rhetoric in our party." And it took them more than a month to come out. And so that has consequences.

WHITFIELD: So I wonder representative, is that moment happening right now is the party reflecting saying "This is where we went wrong or this is how we salvage or this is what we can do next go round." What are these conversations right now?

[12:40:05] BARR: You can't really do it in the middle of a very active primary campaign. It should have been done before. And now, it'll have to be after it, if there's any pieces to be picked up by the Republican Party.

WHITFIELD: So then what is happening right now just kind of?

BARR: Well it -- first of all, it's not all the Republicans. I mean you look at the rhetoric of a Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the head of the DCCC. You look at the rhetoric of Chuck Schumer, senior member of the party. You look at the rhetoric of Bernie Sanders, I mean there's plenty of anger to go around on both sides. It's not just the Republicans that have poisoned the environment.

And yet you look at some of the Republican candidates like the candidate that I support, Ted Cruz, and he's trying to talk about real substantive issues. And yet the media keeps pulling away from that to focus on Donald Trump's bullying and bombastic rhetoric.

WHITFIELD: And so Bill ...

PRESS: Oh, please, can I just -- I mean

WHITFIELD: ... I'd love to hear from you.

PRESS: well, please. Comparing what Bernie Sanders is talking about to this ugly hate-filled rhetoric from Donald Trump.

CARDONA: I was even going to jump in and defend Bernie. I mean that's ridiculous. There's no comparison.

PRESS: Whatever Chuck Schumer is saying or the last thing I heard him is say is we ought to have a nominee to the Supreme Court. OK, that's his opinion. There's no hate coming from the Democratic side at all.

WHITFIELD: So I hate to interrupt. But, you know what, let's go to a Hillary Clinton who's addressing this right now in St. Louis, Missouri.

Let's listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: From Donald Trump and the encouragement he has given to violence and aggression is not only wrong, it's dangerous my friends.

You know, if you play with matches, you can start a fire, you can't control. That is not leadership, its political arson. The test of leadership and citizenship is absolutely the opposite in our country. If you see bigotry, you should oppose it. If you see violence you should condemn it. And if you see a bully you should stand up to him.

Now, look, I know it is no secret many people are angry on both the left and the right. And for good reason. Many people haven't recovered great recession. Many people have gotten a raw deal for a long time. Our economy and our politics have failed to deliver the results the way we should expect.

But I believe with all my heart we can only fix what's broken if we stand together against the forces of division and discrimination that are trying to divide America between us and them.

And so what is that mean?

That means finding common ground wherever we can and holding our ground wherever we must. That means working for real solutions to our problems, not making promises we can't keep or proposals that don't add up.

You know, we are here in a union facility and I know that carpenters understand and members of the labor movement understand. You built this country. You built the American middle-class. And as Nathan said we look out for each other. We're all in this together. So we do have to bargain together, stick together and resist together wherever anyone comes along who tries to divide and conquer.

You know, you don't make America great by getting rid of everything that made America great in the first place.

And I believe that we have work to do because our values, our diversity, our openness, those are strengths, not weaknesses. So we're not here to erect more walls except when they hold up a house or a commercial building. We are here to break down all the barriers that are holding people back and to build those ladders of opportunity and empowerment, so every American, especially our young American have the chance to live up to their god given potential because then and only then can America live up to its potential too.

[12:45:29] You know, my opponent in the primary has decided to close this election by attacking me and misrepresenting my record and his own.

Now, that's his choice. But I believe strongly that I'm the only one in this campaign on either side who has a plan to create good-paying jobs and raise incomes so people can get ahead and stay ahead. That is my goal.

That's why ...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, Hillary Clinton there in St. Louis trying to talk about the counter message to Donald Trump saying that divisions do not heal this country and you heard her talking about a great nation and how what Donald Trump is proposing would be the opposite of what makes this nation great.

We're going to talk more about this with my guest Bob Barr, Maria Cardona as well as Bill Press.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, welcome back, our continuing coverage live event right now out St. Louis -- Hillary Clinton there. She took a moment before their break talking about Donald Trump and his rhetoric and accusing him of inciting discourse and saying that's not leadership but political arson.

Let's talk more about this Maria Cardona, Bill Press and Bob Barr back with me. So a former congressman Barr, I'd love it, you know, just kind of pick your brain on whether the action or lack thereof from a Donald Trump as Hillary Clinton spelled out, does it damage the brand of the Republican Party?

BARR: I think what Mrs. Clinton is saying is a little bit over the top. I mean Donald Trump did not incite people to riot, he's not directly responsible but I think ...

WHITFIELD: She said he's using incendiary language and doesn't come out and claim responsibility for that. That provokes incites the discourse.

BARR: I think the more appropriate and measured response which guess here question also is what Ted Cruz said last evening about it. He said certainly there's never an excuse for people to commit violent acts whether they're on the right or left or somewhere else.

But Ted Cruz said certainly the rhetoric, the way the Trump campaign comports himself, to where the candidate comports himself some the words he uses clearly increase the chances for that sort of thing to happen and in that respect the candidate himself, that is Donald Trump, has to assume responsibility for creating and fostering the environment in which these sort of things happen.

WHITFIELD: So I wonder Bill, you know, how worrisome is it that all of these discussion, you know, about, you know, a dissecting or trying to understand the message of Donald Trump, how it's influencing everybody else's candidacy, how much that undermines the value, the process of the most, if not the most, important job in this country?

PRESS: Well, it's an appalling turn of events but picking up on what Bob just said, look, there's only one person responsible for that what's going on and that's Donald Trump. I would slightly disagree. He does incite violence. I've heard Donald Trump say that "I remember the good old days when protesters were beat -- people in the crowd beat up their protesters. I'd like to punch them in the face myself. I'd like to see them carried out on a stretcher." I'm sorry, words do matter and people hear that and act out.

[12:55:04] This is not happening at Marco Rubio rallies or Ted Cruz rallies or John Kasich or Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders. It's Donald trump. He's responsible and only he can fix it.

WHITFIELD: OK. And quickly, Maria?

CARDONA: And I think this does have a huge impact on the whole Republican Party's brand because even now -- even right now they're desperate to get rid of Donald Trump. It took them, what? Seven months to realize this was somebody doing damage to their brand? He is somebody who's speaks to the darker devils of our psyche and not a real leader who is supposed to speak to the better angels of our nature and that's the problem.

WHITFIELD: All right we'll leave it there. Maria Cardona, Bob Barr and Bill Press. Thank you so much.

CARDONA: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Appreciate it.

PRESS: All right thanks Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, just a reminder CNN is hosting the next Democratic town hall and we we'll be live from Columbus tomorrow beginning at 2:00 eastern time ahead of the event. The town hall live at 8:00 p.m. eastern.

We'll be right back.

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[13:00:13] WHITFIELD: Hello again and thanks so much for tuning in.