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Source: 'Colossal' Mistake Led To Amtrak Crash Outside Philadelphia; Supreme Court Rules In Voting Rights Case; Obama Meets With NATO Secretary-General In Next Hour; Trump Doubles Down On NATO Criticism; Trump Says Japan Should Arm Itself Against North Korea; Dow Opens Flat After Strong Week; Trump Says He Can Eliminate U.S. Debt In Two Terms; California And New York Raise Minimum Wage To $15 An Hour; Yankees Postpone Opening Day Due To Weather. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired April 04, 2016 - 10:30   ET

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


POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: We are following breaking news out of the Supreme Court, on voting rights. CNN's Ariane De Vogue is live on the steps of the High Court with more. What have we learned?

ARIANE DE VOGUE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Supreme Court's just come down with an important voting rights case. It has to do with how states draw their legislative lines. The court said in the 60s, to use the one person, one vote, saying that state districts had to be equal in population. But it never said whether that's based on general population, or the voting population.

Today it came down and said that those lines can be based on general population. That's a loss for conservative challengers who lived in a couple of districts in Texas, who said that their votes were being diluted. They wanted the court to look at voting population.

It's a victory for the Obama administration, and some civil rights groups who came out and said, "Look, this prisoners, undocumented workers, children, they need to be represented, too." So, it's a loss for conservative challengers, and it's a unanimous result from the Supreme Court, today.

HARLOW: Ariane De Vogue with the headline out of the Supreme Court, this morning. That decision just being handed down. Thank you so much. Coming up next, President Obama moments away from meeting with NATO's Chief. A meeting coming as Donald Trump calls the alliance "obsolete."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARLOW: Next hour, President meets with the head of NATO at the White House. They are expected to discuss many things, including the recent Brussels attack, and the latest efforts in the fight against ISIS. And this meeting comes as Republican presidential front-runner, Donald Trump, doubles down on his criticism of NATO. Athena Jones is following the story from the White House for us this morning. Good morning, Athena.

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Poppy. Some could see this as an implicit rebuke of Donald Trump's criticism of NATO, calling it obsolete, questioning its relevance. The White House, of course, would say the President's just doing his job. The purpose of this meeting is to highlight the importance of the NATO alliance at a time when terrorism is at the top of everyone's mind -- or, many people's mind.

I'll read for you part of what the White House has said about this meeting; "The President will reiterate that the United States stands together with NATO in the wake of the horrific terrorist attacks that struck Brussels, Belgium, the site of NATO headquarters, on March 22nd." So, we expect ISIS to be a big topic of conversation, much as it was at last week's Nuclear Security Summit.

We know the pair will talk about the efforts to contain ISIS, efforts to fight ISIS in Syria, and Iraq. This is something that the President brought up in his most recent weekly address. He said that ISIS is losing ground in Syria, and Iraq. They're losing their oil infrastructure and revenue.

The coalition is taking out ISIS leaders, and so the group is low on morale, and is lashing out in areas like Turkey, and Belgium, both NATO countries. So, those will be the big topics on the agenda, in addition to Ukraine, and preparing for the NATO summit this summer. Poppy --

HARLOW: Quite a lot on the table. Thank you, Athena Jones, live for us at the White House ahead of that meeting. We appreciate it.

Meantime, Donald Trump is doubling down on that criticism of NATO. He says it needs a major overhaul.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So, with 28 countries, most of them -- many of them are on for a free ride. We're paying for tremendous amounts, people say 72 percent. With NATO, I don't say, "Get rid of NATO." But, we're going to readjust it. And you know what? If they won't do it, bye bye. That's it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: All right, with me now, CNN Military Analyst, former member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired Colonel Cedric Leighton. Thank you for being with me, and let's get to those remarks, and also more. He says, if NATO breaks up, it breaks up. Then on Sunday, yesterday, he said perhaps some sort of other organization is needed. It could be created to fight terrorism. What are your thoughts on that, in reality, doing something like that?

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, Poppy, I think that the way in which he's characterized it, of course, has caused a lot of alarms in Europe, to go off. And, what you're looking at here is an alliance that has been in existence since the end of World War II, basically. And, what it has done is, it has not only served as a bulwark against first, the Communist bloc, the Warsaw Pact in the Soviet Union, but then after the demise of the Soviet Union and the Communist bloc, it also served as a way in which the US could leverage European help for other things such as Afghanistan. So, yes, there are problems with NATO, there are problems with the way people have paid for NATO, and the fact, there's certainly a lot of bipartisan support for ramping up other people's contributions to NATO. But, NATO, as an organization itself, has really proved its value, even in recent times.

HARLOW: So, can you walk us through how that would really happen? Let's put ourselves in a hypothetical situation. Let's say Donald Trump is in the oval office, and he says, "That's it, I'm done, NATO is not benefiting us. Enough." How would he actually separate the United States from NATO? What would that process look like, what would it take. And then, what position would it put the US in, on a global scale?

LEIGHTON: First of all, it would involve aggregating treaties for -- the NATO treaty, number one. And then there also are bilateral treaties with various NATO members, such as Great Britain, Germany, France, other countries. And, those treaties would probably be called into question, as well. So, in a case like this, it could very well diminish the standing of the United States. This would be Europe, and the rest of the world. So, if that's the case, then you have a situation where we have even less leverage than we currently have, on the world stage.

HARLOW: On Sunday, just yesterday, Trump doubled down on these comments, that the US should, "do a better deal," when talking about Japan, and South Korea, and other allies, and them protecting themselves, or the US protecting them from say, North Korea. And, he talked about America's protection, as well. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Nobody has them. So, North Korea has nukes. Japan has a problem with that, I mean, they have a big problem with that. Maybe they would, in fact, be better off if they defend themselves from North Korea. --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With nukes?

TRUMP: -- Maybe they would be better off. Including with nukes, yes, including with nukes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In South Korea, with nukes?

TRUMP: South Korea is right next door, just so you understand --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But that, sir, is a nuclear arms race in the Korean peninsula --

TRUMP: -- South Korea -- excuse me -- you already have it, you already have it because you already have a nuclear arms race.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: What do you make of that? What is your reaction to what he's saying, "We already have a nuclear arms race," there? LEIGHTON: Well, we really don't. If we have an arms race on the Korean peninsula, what you have is a race of, one, the North Koreans are the ones that are doing that. You could possibly say, "OK, because the Chinese have nuclear weapons, they're kind of part of that mix in Northeast Asia," and that would be true.

However, the South Koreans do not have nuclear weapons. They have nuclear power, but that is very different from having nuclear weapons. So, when you look at this in its totality, what you are doing there, what Trump would be doing there, is actually aggregating the treaties that we have with Japan, and South Korea.

They would, in essence, come out from under the US nuclear umbrella, and coming out of the nuclear umbrella means that they would go their own way. And, that would increase the chances of nuclear proliferation. Which has been something that is completely antithetical to US foreign policy over the past 50 years, or so.

HARLOW: A GOP representative, over the weekend, who is a Kasich supporter, told me on my show that he does believe that President Obama, a democrat, is stronger on foreign policy than the republican front runner. Do you think there are concerns within the party on this?

LEIGHTON: I do believe so, Poppy. Because, historically, the republicans have touted their national security credentials. They have been part of a great consensus on national security issues. They have taken policies such as containment, which was started under a democratic administrations, and moved them further along.

And then, of course, the policies of Detente, under Nixon, for example, were started really under republican administrations. Although they furthered goals that previous democratic administrations had had.

So, what this risks is the fraying of the bipartisan consensus on national security, and that could also have some significant implications, not only to our internal politics, but also to our foreign relations.

HARLOW: Colonel Cedric Leighton, thank you so much for your service, and for your time today. We appreciate it.

LEIGHTON: You bet, Poppy. Anytime.

HARLOW: Still to come in the newsroom, Donald Trump saying that he can eliminate the nation's $19 trillion national debt in just 8 years, if he's President. Economists say, "Not so fast." Also, big gains in the stock market last week. Will it continue? Let's take a look at the DOW right now. Market open for just about an hour, and right now we're down slightly - 6 points. One stock surging this morning, that is Virgin America, after Alaska Air Group agrees to buy them at a $4 billion deal. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HARLOW: Like all candidates, and all presidential hopefuls, Donald Trump is making a lot of promises. But, his latest promise is a very big one. He told the Washington Post in a 96-minute interview, that if he is President, he will be able to eliminate the $19 trillion US national debt in 8 years. To do that though, you'd have to cut the annual budget of $4 trillion in half, basically, to $2 trillion. And that's not all. Christine Roman's our Chief Business Correspondent, here with me to break down how realistic -- how can I even ask if that's realistic --

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: It's not realistic, it's not realistic.

HARLOW: It's not realistic at all.

ROMANS: Look, the -- cutting the national debt would be a good thing. There are a lot of people who have wanted to do it for a very long time, and we just haven't been able to. Nineteen trillion dollars is a lot of money. But, I've heard this called fabulous fiction, fabulous not being a good word. Psychotic, impossible, I'm calling it the magical mystery tour of math.

It just is impossible -- 8 years, $19 trillion. If you sold all the oil in the strategic petroleum reserve right now, where some of the people who support Donald Trump are saying --

HARLOW: Like you told them last hour.

ROMANS: -- That offense. OK, so all of that -- by the way, it's a terrible time to be selling all of your oil into the global market -- you'd raise $5 billion. Real estate, all this real estate, all these assets, who would buy it? The Chinese maybe, it would -- well isn't Donald Trump --

HARLOW: He would be able to get his worth back.

ROMANS: -- Could it be at odds with the Chinese. I just think it is a good thing to think about how to cut America's debt. Because, the more debt we have, the less room we have after paying for interest on the debt for other things -- important things to do. But, cutting it in 8 years, it's just impossible.

HARLOW: So, yesterday on my show I said "He's not an economist." I got a lot of flack on Twitter for that thing. Economists aren't the only ones who can predict it. But presidential candidates almost always steer away from saying things like this, because it does risk rattling global markets.

ROMANS: It does. And none of these things he said this weekend rattled global markets, in part because they are so outrageous that no one thinks that they could ever happen. People don't think he really could cut the debt, eliminate the national debt, in -- $19 trillion national debt -- in 8 years.

But, you're right. I've never seen a presidential candidate, a serious presidential candidate make such claims. Trashing the US economy, saying that, heading for a massive recession, saying that the stock market is a terrible place to put your money. You don't hear that kind of language from presidential candidates, usually.

HARLOW: What about the unemployment claim? He says 5 percent unemployment is not correct, it's more in the 20s. He's previously said 42 percent ...

ROMANS: Yes.

HARLOW: And I get that 5 percent is not reflective of the pain of unemployment in this country, it's not. But, 20s and 42 percent also isn't.

ROMANS: Let me show you these numbers I brought for you. So, when you look at the working-age population, people above 16-years old, 37 percent of them are not working. Those are students, retired people, the disabled, stay-at-home parents, people going to graduate school, people who have been elbowed out of the labor market, right?

So 37 percent not working, that's not -- also because a lot of people are retiring, we've got the baby boomers. Five percent are unemployed, those are people who are actively looking for work. This is a better number, the underemployed. I know you like to use this number, too.

HARLOW: Yes.

ROMANS: Those are people who are unemployed, or working part-time, marginally attached -- might be better for those. That number has suddenly been coming down. Donald Trump is wrong on the 20 percent number. If you want a number that reflects more of the pain of the American people in the job market, that 9 percent, 10 percent in perspective --

HARLOW: Well, as long as it's at 10 percent, than in the 20s.

ROMANS: Right.

HARLOW: Setting it all straight, thank you so much. It's very important when you're talking about the US economy, and what it can do to global markets when you're talking about all of this. Thank you so much.

Still to come, totally switching gears here to peanuts and cracker jacks, and maybe some hot chocolate, and maybe a few beers. It is baseball's opening day, but some teams not throwing out that first pitch today. Look at that snow. Next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARLOW: Second top story, two state governors will sign bills today gradually raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. California passed the first bill, New York shortly thereafter followed. California's bill will applied statewide. It calls for the $15 mark to be reached after several years. In New York, the bill will raise minimum wage to $15 an hour in New York City, it will be raised to $12.50 an hour upstate.

For the 18th straight year, Atlanta's international airport remains the world's busiest. Data just back from the Airport Council International shows more than 100 million people passed through the sprawling facility last year. It is up more than 5 percent. China though, China's Beijing Airport could become the world's busiest in just the next few years.

And at least 370,000 customers from Wisconsin and Maine lost power over the weekend due to those very high winds. Two people in Massachusetts were killed when that tree fell on their car. Wind gusts reaching 60 miles per hour, at times. The cold front also bringing in snow and freezing temperatures. A winter advisory in effect right now from New Jersey through Connecticut.

And it takes a nasty rainstorm to hold back the Yankees. That, unfortunately, is exactly what's happening today, though, in New York. Opening day at Yankee stadium postponed until tomorrow, thanks to the rain and possibly snow heading into the Northeast. On deck we have Coy Wire, talk about opening game and opening days. But first, Chad Myers. Yuck, it is Spring, and now the Yankees aren't playing.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It does not feel like opening day. Although it never feels like opening day. I spent so many frozen days at Tiger Stadium waiting for the home opener to go. Although winds like 30 miles an hour, and the wind chill around 10, the problem in New York City today is the rain. And, it's 41. Just an ugly day to play baseball and you're not going to get enough dry time in between there to even get it going. It's going to rain all afternoon long. Here is what it looks like now.

Rain coming into New York City. Here is what the camera looks like right around central park. Yes, that's the Trump Hotel over there, Columbus Circle right here in CNN Center, looking out our window. And there's a shot across into the -- looks like that's a reservoir across Central Park. There you go, you can barely see the other side.

Clouds, rain, low clouds, and also very slow airports there across Northeast. Now there is a game in Baltimore later today. Here we go to 1:00, here's Baltimore, 3:00 Astros, you're going to see some rain coming into that, though I don't see many hours of dry. If you're going to sit there for a while, make sure you have a poncho on, there may be a 3-hour rain delay, even there for Baltimore.

The rest of the country looks high and dry, maybe not high temperatures, but at least dry. Poppy.

HARLOW: We'll take some of that heat and dry weather here, as well, as soon as you can bring it our way. Thank you, Chad.

Coy Wire, to you. All right, no opening game today for the Yankees. What else are we seeing across the country?

COY WIRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well let's talk a little bit about yesterday. How about Pittsburgh, they had their opening day. And last year at this time it was in the 70s, yesterday it was snowing. In the mid-30s at the start of the game, check out the scene. They had to get the plows out.

And we're not talking Pittsburgh Steelers, this is not football season. It's the Pirates. They were hosting the St. Louis Cardinals yesterday. And we're talking about the two teams with the highest win totals in all of Major League Baseball last year.

Standing room only. Almost 40,000 fans came out to weather the cold and boy did they get quite the show. The Pirates would end up winning this game 4 to 1. As you can see, it turned out to be a pretty nice day to look at at least. It was freezing though.

How about the defending World Series champs, who had their opening day yesterday? The Kansas City Royals. And what are the chances that they would get to play the team they beat in the World Series, on opening day? The Mets.

The schedules came out before the World Series even happened last year. So, it was a great coincidence and a great game. The Mets have waited 6 months for redemption against the Royals, but no. It was Yoenis Cespedes whipping there, in the end as Wade Davis, the closer, shut down the Mets with the tieing run on third, Royals end up winning, 4 to 3. Poppy, your Twins --

HARLOW: Yes.

WIRE: -- start today, at 3:05 in (inaudible).

HARLOW: How are they going to do? How's Joe Mauer going to do, how are the Twins going to do this year?

WIRE: They're a young, up and coming team. They're looking pretty good, I think we're going to be having lots of good conversations about them this year, Poppy.

HARLOW: I love to hear that, my friend. Go Twins. Thank you so much, Coy. And thank you all for being with us today. I'm Poppy Harlow in for Carol Costello. Carol is back tomorrow.

"AT THIS HOUR" with Foreman and Baldwin begins right now.