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Crucial Wisconsin Primary Just Six Days Away; Trump Not Backing Down From Cruz Feud; Trump Won't Fire Campaign Manager; Cruz Campaigns for Women's Vote in Wisconsin; Candidates Back Off GOP Loyalty Pledge; Unraveling the Terror Web. Aired 1:00-1:30p ET

Aired March 30, 2016 - 13:00   ET

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

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer. It's noon in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1:00 p.m. here in Washington, D.C., 7:00 p.m. in Brussels. Wherever you're watching from around the world, thanks very much for joining us.

We begin with presidential politics here in the United States. The candidates, they're now fanning out across Wisconsin in a scramble for votes just six days before that state's primary.

For the Republicans, 42 delegates are up for grabs next Tuesday. Donald Trump is hoping to move closer to locking up the Republican presidential nomination. But Senator Cruz, he's battling to stop that from happening. Both candidates held dueling rallies at stops in Wisconsin just a little while ago.

Our Correspondent Phil Mattingly is covering the Trump campaign. Sunlen Serfaty is with the Cruz campaign.

Phil, Trump is not backing down at all from his feud with Ted Cruz. What's the latest?

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, not at all, Wolf. And, look, this was a lower key event, mellow even, at the university. Small auditorium, small crowd. But the attacks on Ted Cruz, they continued -- Wolf.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I wouldn't say that your governor loves me because, no, I knocked him out. I mean, you know, he endorsed lying Ted Cruz. Lying Ted. Lier. He's a liar. Bible high -- bible high, puts it down and then he lies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: Taking a swing at Governor Scott Walker, the Wisconsin governor as well there, who endorsed Ted Cruz a couple days ago. Wolf, Donald Trump continuing to underscore to this audience how important Wisconsin is for the future of his campaign. As you noted, 42 delegates at stake. An opportunity for Donald Trump, really, to try and put down Ted Cruz as his rise has kind of coincided with the establishment starting to coalesce behind his campaign in recent days -- Wolf. BLITZER: What's the latest, Phil, the latest Trump legal -- response

I should say, to the legal trouble his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, is facing?

MATTINGLY: Yes, Wolf, what's most interesting is low key as this event actually was is Donald Trump unsolicited win again into what happened with Corey Lewandowski with the misdemeanor, simple battery charges, asking the audience if they thought that he'd done something wrong, if they thought that he should be charged with something, if they should stand up. Nobody in the audience stood.

So, Donald Trump not trying to avoid this. In fact, going at it head on, as has been the case with all of these types of situations over the course of his campaign. Wolf, he is making clear, Corey Lewandowski will remain his campaign manager and he is more than happy to have this fight in the public forum for the days ahead -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Yes, he's clearly very loyal to Corey Lewandowski. Stand by.

Sunlen, Cruz, meanwhile, he's focusing in on women voters today. Tell us about his latest campaign stop.

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. And then, Cruz today calling this a celebration of strong women. The Cruz campaign was formerly rolling out this coalition of women voters today.

But it was the way that they rolled this out that I thought was most notable. The optics of it, if you will, Cruz appearing on a stage here with his wife, Heidi Cruz, his mother, Eleanor Cruz, Carly Fiorina, who's endorsed him and campaigning with him throughout here in Wisconsin. And also, his daughters were up on stage for a time during his speech today.

And Cruz largely, you know, stood back and just let them talk, largely letting the women in his life give testimonials about how he's treated them and how they think he will treat women as president. You know, this is -- this event is notably coming just one week after that fierce back and forth between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz over their spouses.

And I asked the Cruz campaign today about that and they said it certainly draws a very clear contrast with what Ted Cruz is focusing on and what Donald Trump would focus on as president -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Sunlen, thanks very much. Phil, thanks to you as well.

All three of these Republican presidential candidates, including John Kasich, they got a chance to speak directly to the Wisconsin voters. The candidates appeared back to back in a CNN town hall last night. They tackled a wide range of issues, the personal feud between Ted Cruz and Donald Trump, the legal trouble facing Trump's campaign manager, and the Republican loyalty pledge, as it's called. Here's a 90-second recap. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TRUMP: Frankly, I think this is much better than a debate.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: If Donald Trump is the GOP nominee, would you support him?

SEN. TED CRUZ (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald is not going to be the GOP nominee. We're going to beat him.

TRUMP: I'm not asking for his support.

COOPER: Would you put --

TRUMP: I want -- I want the people's support.

COOPER: Do you continue to pledge whoever the Republican nominee is?

TRUMP: No, I don't anymore.

GOV. JOHN KASICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: All of us shouldn't even have answered that question but it was the first debate and, you know, what the heck.

COOPER: If he was your campaign manager, would you ask him to resign?

CRUZ: Of course. Look, it shouldn't be complicated that members of the campaign staff should not be physically assaulting the press.

TRUMP: But look what she says, Michelle Fields, and, oh, by the way, she's not a baby. OK?

KASICH: Well, I haven't seen the video, but they tell me the video is real. Of course I would.

TRUMP: She was grabbing me. Am I supposed to press charges against her?

[13:05:02] COOPER: Are you suggesting --

TRUMP: Anderson, my arm is just killing me. It's never been the same.

CRUZ: If these terror attacks in Europe are a result of failed immigration policies.

COOPER: Do you trust Muslims in America?

TRUMP: Do I what?

COOPER: Trust Muslims in America.

TRUMP: Many of them, I do. Many of them, I do. And some, I guess we don't.

KASICH: So, when you come in the country, I say, well, are you a Muslim? Raise your hand if you're a Muslim. I mean, come on, Anderson, that's not going to work.

TRUMP: I didn't start it. I didn't start it.

COOPER: Sir, with all due respect, that's the argument of five year old.

TRUMP: I didn't start it.

COOPER: You don't know for a fact that Donald Trump planted that story?

CRUZ: Of course I do.

TRUMP: I watched Ted Cruz.

COOPER: How though?

TRUMP: So phony.

KASICH: If name calling, bringing in spouses and ripping each other below the belt and wrestling in the mud is the new politics, we all need to stand against it. Our children are watching.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: As you heard the candidates, they are abandoning their pledge to support whoever becomes the Republican presidential nominee.

Joining us now to talk about that and more, our CNN Chief Political Analyst Gloria Borger and our CNN Senior Political Reporter Nia-Malika Henderson.

All three of these guys now say, you know what? Maybe we shouldn't have made that so-called loyalty pledge.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Right. And it's very clear to me that lots of them wouldn't vote for the -- for the other candidate. In fact, Trump came out and said, I don't want Cruz to vote for me. I don't need his -- I don't need his support. This is a party that is divided in so many ways, it's hard to count.

And the candidate -- it's very hard to see, Wolf, how you come up with any kind of a unity ticket at a convention. You know, people were talking about Trump and Cruz. I don't see a unity ticket if Trump is at the top of it with anybody else who has been running because of what has occurred in the last -- in the last few weeks. Particularly regarding these questions of Corey Lewandowski and the Heidi Cruz- Melania stuff which actually goes to the question of the support of women voters. And I think that's very difficult to get around.

BLITZER: It's now been about 24 hours since the charge -- the charge against Corey Lewandowski, the Trump campaign manager, has come forward. How is it playing out and how is it likely to play out, let's say, over the next six days between now and that crucial primary in Wisconsin? NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: Yes, and that's

the big question and, in some ways, that's been the big question of the Trump campaign so far. You know, it's sort of yet to be determined. We'll have to see what happens with those returns in Wisconsin. Polls seem to show a tight race. You can find a poll that shows Cruz ahead. You can find ones that show Kasich in second place.

So, Wolf, I do think this issue of women voters is so key. And that's why we saw Trump -- Cruz out there with his wife, with his kids --

BORGER: A little obvious.

HENDERSON: Yes, a little obvious there. So far, Trump has led among women by something like 12 points. We'll see if he's able to close that gap.

One of the most interesting things that happened last night was the woman who stood up and she said, listen, my father looks at you on television, my 93-year-old father looks at you on television, and says, listen, I wish -- I wish that he -- that Trump could be more like his sons. And his sons are very well mannered. They're very calm.

And Trump also talked about Melania, wishing that he could often be more presidential. And that is what these candidates are saying, right? That this kind of cloud of controversy really kind of gets at whether or not Trump is presidential enough to be president. And also, what would he be like not only as the nominee but as the president.

BLITZER: One Wisconsin voter asked Trump about the three most important roles of the government.

BORGER: Yes.

BLITZER: And he offered this answer. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Well, the greatest function, by far, is security for our nation. I would also say health care. I would also say education. I mean, there are many, many things. But I would say the top three are security, security, security. We have to have security for our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Now, everybody agrees national security is the most --

BORGER: Sure.

BLITZER: -- important.

BORGER: Yes.

BLITZER: Keeping America safe is the most important responsibility of the commander in chief. But when he talked about health care and education, that raised eyebrows.

BORGER: Well, let's just say it's not Republican orthodoxy to say that the government should be in charge of your health care, ala Obamacare, or in charge of your education, ala common core, which is what Jeb Bush promoted and lots of conservatives disagree. In fact, I would have to say for people like Cruz who have been complaining -- and Jeb Bush before him, quite honestly, who have been complaining that Donald Trump isn't a true conservative, this provides you with a lot more fodder because it is anti-conservative. I mean, health care run by the government and education run by the federal government, --

HENDERSON: Yes.

BORGER: -- I don't think so.

HENDERSON: It also goes against Trump who apparently, if he were president, wants to eliminate the Department of Education.

BLITZER: And Obamacare, too.

HENDERSON: And Obamacare. He says he wants to replace it with something beautiful, I imagine. But I do think this has been Trump's signature move. I mean, it's kind of a mish-mash of all of these different sort of liberalism, libertarianism. Some he draws from conservative orthodoxy, as well. And so far, it's worked for him.

[13:10:01] BORGER: (INAUDIBLE.)

HENDERSON: And Trump hasn't -- and Cruz hasn't been able to make the point stick, that, listen, he's a fake conservative.

BORGER: But that it's -- and also what he says, as we saw last night, can often be contradictory. You're against more nukes --

HENDERSON: Yes.

BORGER: -- yet you want Japan and South Korea.

BLITZER: Well, let me play that clip. Here's Donald Trump saying that maybe it would be a good idea for Japan and South Korea to have some sort of nuclear capability in the face of the threat from North Korea.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: At some point, we have to say, you know what? We're better off if Japan protects itself against this maniac in North Korea. We're better off, frankly, if South Korea is going to start to protect itself.

COOPER: Saudi Arabia nuclear weapons?

TRUMP: Saudi Arabia, absolutely.

COOPER: You would be fine with them having nuclear weapons?

TRUMP: No, not nuclear weapons but they have to protect themselves or they have to pay us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: That, among foreign policy specialist, that raised some eyebrows as well.

BORGER: Well, yes, everything. Everything he has said has raised eyebrows because what foreign policy experts are saying is that you have to think down the road. You know, each action has a -- has a consequence. And he also called about removing our troops, right, from Asia. That has a consequence. And allowing -- encouraging South Korea to get a nuclear weapon, that has a consequence.

We want to a -- we want to be the people who sort of control that. And we want -- we -- you know, we don't want loose nukes running around. And I think that -- and I think John Kasich got it last night in calling, you know, Trump's plan to stop funding NATO as much as we do, he said it was ridiculous. You know, and I think that the more the campaign goes on, the more Trump will be questioned.

However, I will also say, --

BLITZER: All right.

BORGER: -- that is not why people are voting for him.

BLITZER: OK, hold your thoughts. We're going to get back to this. A lot more coming up.

Also coming up, the Democrats make a play for delegate rich New York state. How Bernie Sanders is now upping the pressure on Hillary Clinton to debate him there.

Plus, her brand new targeting, not of Bernie Sanders so much but of Donald Trump, in a new campaign ad.

And investigators are trying to untangle a terror networks' web that sprawls far beyond Brussels and Paris. We have new information coming in. We're going live to Brussels. Stick around.

[13:12:16]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:16:04] WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: At this point in the primary season, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton had hoped to turn her focus to the general election, but her Democratic rival, Senator Bernie Sanders, he's putting up a very strong fight, as evidenced by his recent wins in three states over the weekend. Speaking in Wisconsin, he criticized Hillary Clinton and her fundraising once again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This issue of where you get your money is extremely important, because it means who you are beholden to. I am proud to be beholden to people who send me a check for $27. And I am proud not to be beholden to Wall Street or the drug companies or the fossil fuel industry.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: All right, let's bring in our CNN political commentators, Donna Brazile and Ana Navarro.

Donna, she's in New York today, but next Tuesday there's a big contest in Wisconsin. Why is she in New York? And I'll play this clip from a rally she just had.

DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: All right.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When some say we can solve America's problems by building walls, banning people based on their religion and turning against each other, well -

It's about breaking down the barriers that are holding people back from sharing in the promise of America. And here's what I believe. Anyone running for president this year faces three big tests. First, can you deliver results that improve people's lives? Second, can you keep us safe? Third, can you bring our country together again?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: All right, earlier, that was a little bit of the clip of the - the new ad she just released in New York state, going after, of all people, Donald Trump. We'll get to that in a moment.

But - so tell us why she decided to skip Wisconsin at least for part of today and head to New York. New York is a couple weeks out.

BRAZILE: She's live at the - Wolf, she's live at the Apollo. I mean can you imagine any other historic place you would like to be.

BLITZER: The Apollo Theater in Harlem.

BRAZILE: It's a wonderful theater.

Look, Hillary Clinton spent the beginning of this week, Monday and Tuesday, in Wisconsin. I'm sure she will be back before the end of the week. I haven't talked to anybody in her campaign. But New York has over 247 pledged delegates at stake on April 19th. The empire primary is going to be very important to her candidacy, as well as Senator Sanders' candidacy. He's - he's in Wisconsin today. There's no question. With over 85 delegates at stake next Tuesday, that's an important place for both of them to be. But right now she's in New York because she wants to remind voters in New York, she was their senator and that she has the values that will take the country (INAUDIBLE).

BLITZER: The New York primary April 19th.

ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: (INAUDIBLE).

BRAZILE: Yes.

BLITZER: And, obviously, critically important. But April -

NAVARRO: Yes, let's -

BLITZER: Next Tuesday is Wisconsin. You wanted to add something.

NAVARRO: Yes, let me translate into a Republican for you. The reason she's in New York and not in Wisconsin is because she doesn't think she's going to win Wisconsin. And she wants to downplay the fact that in all likelihood Bernie Sanders is going to get a big win out of Wisconsin. It will build on his three-state win from last week. It will be his fourth win.

And, listen, the bottom line is, she's got a heck of a horse race on her hands. She wants to be on friendlier territory in New York where she was a senator. And, you know, she's trying to shift the focus on to Donald Trump and look as - portray herself as a general election candidate. But she's got trouble in her hands (ph).

BLITZER: Is that true, she doesn't think she can win Wisconsin?

BRAZILE: I don't know. I haven't talked to her campaign. But she has to compete. She cannot -

NAVARRO: Do you think she can win Wisconsin?

BRAZILE: IT's going to be tough. It's going to be - I mean look - look at the terrain. Look at the fact that it's an open primary. Independents have been more favorable to Bernie Sanders. Look at the kind of campaign he's running in Wisconsin. He's spending three times the amount of money, three times the amount of time. He wants a big win in Wisconsin because he wants to continue to erode her support among pledged delegates. So Hillary Clinton is doing what she has to do to win the bulk of the delegates that will be available in the month of April. We talk about March madness, but April - April is really going to be very important.

[13:20:19] BLITZER: Yes, the Democratic side, the delegates are distributed proportionately as well.

BRAZILE: That's right.

BLITZER: All right, let me play that clip now. This is the new ad she has - she's released it in New York state going after Donald Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: When some say we can solve America's problems by building walls, banning people based on their religion and turning against each other, well, this is New York. And we know better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: She may be going after New York, but clearly this is designed to help her, as well.

NAVARRO: Look, I think they're both being very strategic. I think Bernie Sanders is playing a very strategic game in Wisconsin. And I think Hillary Clinton is playing a very strategic game in New York. And going after Donald Trump is a very popular thing to do within the Democratic base. These topics, these themes she's hitting on, you know, the discrimination, are things, you know, be - she's sounding like the unifier. She's sounding like the anti-Trump. All of that helps her portray herself as a general election candidate.

BRAZILE: But if - but if even if you didn't hear the sound, you look at the pictures, the wall, a reference to Donald Trump, building a wall, you look at the faces, a Muslim woman or someone with an American flag, a family, an African-American being punched, again, going back to what's happening on the Republican side. I think this is a very effective ad, just like Bernie Sanders had a very effective ad earlier (INAUDIBLE).

BLITZER: Why is she resisting his request - I'll use that word - for a debate in New York state before the April 19th primary?

BRAZILE: Well, again, I'm not a part of the negotiations. I like to spend my time with you, Wolf, and Ana, of course. But -

NAVARRO: You're - you're a part of everything. Don't even pretend.

BRAZILE: Yes, well - well, it's early, Ana.

NAVARRO: You are - you are stirring every pot (INAUDIBLE).

BRAZILE: It's early. All right. So, look, here's what I'm thinking. She wanted to do it in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There was still some consternation -

BLITZER: Which is a week after New York.

BRAZILE: Right, week after. The Sanders people wanted to do it in New York. So I still believe that they're going to negotiate and come up with another quote/unquote debate or a town hall forum. I really do think it will happen.

NAVARRO: She should debate him. She has been very good in every single debate. She is good at debates. And, frankly, where he is right now, he deserves the dignity and respect of debating and so do Democratic voters.

BRAZILE: You know what they're saying - you know what they're saying, they say that he's not playing nice. You don't play nice after kindergarten if you're in politics.

NAVARRO: Girl, take a look over at the Republican side and then we can talk about playing nice.

BLITZER: Some people have suggested that she doesn't want to do the debate in New York because New York is the home of Wall Street. What is Bernie Sanders talking about all the time? How she's beholden to Wall Street, to the big investment companies, Goldman Sachs and all of that.

BRAZILE: Right.

NAVARRO: That's why -

BLITZER: And she wants to get away from that issue, give him that kind of issue, which presumably he would play up in a debate in New York.

BRAZILE: He's going to play it up regardless if -

NAVARRO: Right.

BRAZILE: If it's in New York or Pennsylvania because that is part of Bernie's message and his appeal. Look, I - I've given money to both candidates and Bernie today said, I want $27 from you because he said Hillary wants 27,000. So, hey, it's cheaper to get him.

BLITZER: All right.

NAVARRO: Maybe you need some money back.

BRAZILE: Hell (ph) yes.

BLITZER: All right, ladies, thank you very much. We'll see if that debate takes place in New York, Pennsylvania. Good to debate.

BRAZILE: Wolf, I think you would be a great moderator, by the way.

BLITZER: Thank you. Thank you very much.

NAVARRO: OK, a bipartisan endorsement here.

BLITZER: Coming up, chilling new images from inside the airport targeted by the bombings in Brussels. We're going to get a closer look at the destruction. Plus, how a computer abandoned in a trash can could provide major clues about where the terrorists were planning to strike next. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:28:05] BLITZER: Investigators looking into the terror attacks in Brussels make a chilling discovery. A computer with photos and plans of Belgian government buildings that may have been future targets. The news comes as we get a new look inside the Brussels airport that was hit. It shows just how extensive the damage is. Our correspondent, Alexandra Field, is joining us now live from Brussels.

Alexandra, tell us about these latest developments.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the discovery of that laptop could be key to helping investigators understand what this cell was plotting or what members of the cell could still potentially be plotting. They found the laptop outside the apartment where they believe that the bombs, which were used in the attacks at the metro station and the airport, were made. They've taken a look at what's inside that computer. They found not just photos and plans of the prime minister's office, but other government buildings, which, of course, investigators are trying to determine whether or not those other buildings could have been potential targets.

These computers are really important, of course. Those cell phones as well. Belgium authorities collected a number of these pieces of hardware in the aftermath of the attacks. They've done their own analysis, but they're also getting some assistance from the FBI. The hardware's actually been sent back to the U.S. where there will be further analysis. Investigators will try to retrieve any data that Belgian authorities were not able to access, Wolf.

BLITZER: And we're getting some new pictures from inside the Belgium airport. I want to show those pictures to our viewers. But also, when will that airport reopen?

FIELD: That's the question on everyone's mind because 60,000 people a day use that airport and still more than a week after these attacks they have not been able to set a date when you'll have flights coming into and out of the airport. The pictures show the level of destruction created by those merciless attacks. The airport authority has said that they are trying to find a way to get it at least partially open, but it could be months before the airport is fully returned to regular service. At the same time, Wolf, worth saying that, of course, investors are continuing to search for the third suspected bomber from that airport and also a second possible bomber from the metro station.

[13:30:05] BLITZER: In those two terror attacks, 35 people confirmed dead, hundreds, hundreds of people injured.

Alexandra, thanks very much.

Coming up, we're just getting in some brand-new numbers.