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Sanders Wins Wyoming Caucuses, Gains 7 Delegates; Reagan's Role in 1976 GOP Contested Convention; Brussels Bomber Caught; Women Tech Companies Struggle for Funding. Aired 7-8p ET

Aired April 09, 2016 - 19:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:00:47] PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Pamela Brown in Washington, filling in for Poppy Harlow.

It is a huge day for Republican and Democratic underdog candidates Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders, who both kept up their momentum against front-runners Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Sanders' day including a win in the Wyoming Democratic caucuses but he'll split the delegates evenly with Hillary Clinton, giving both seven apiece. Still, Clinton's loss means Sanders has won eight of the last nine state contests heading into the crucial delegate-rich primary.

And for Republicans, all eyes are on Colorado. Ted Cruz has scooped up 21 of Colorado's 34-pledge delegates. The remaining 13 will be awarded tonight.

Sanders is celebrating his Wyoming win in New York talking about making the Clinton campaign nervous.

Sara Ganim is with the Sanders campaign and CNN's political producer Dan Merica is in Brooklyn where Hillary Clinton just took to the podium.

Dan, what's going on there? What is Hillary saying about the loss today?

DAN MERICA, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: Actually, Secretary Clinton didn't mention it today, but she did say that she needs to get on the path towards the nomination or she is on the path towards the nomination, and it's important for Democrats to unify around her so she can start to focus on Republicans more forcefully.

This is the belief that is held inside the Clinton camp that it's, you know, it would be nice for them to start being able to focus on someone like Donald Trump, like a Ted Cruz, instead of having to focus on Bernie Sanders. They're actually not too disappointed by the loss in Wyoming, according to a number of senior Clinton aides. They split the delegate count 7-7, which is better than they thought going in. That said, you are right, Bernie Sanders has won a string of states and can claim momentum. But Clinton, the Clinton campaign and Hillary Clinton herself believe

that this is the delegate fight now. It's about racking up enough delegates to get to that point in Philadelphia where you become the party nominee. She thinks and her aides think that with a number of big states coming up -- Pennsylvania, California in June and New York where I am today, that she has the upper hand, and that by California Hillary Clinton will have enough delegates, this is what her campaign aides are saying, will have enough delegates to secure the nomination.

BROWN: OK. Let's turn now to the Sanders camp.

Sara Ganim, you're there with him right now. What's the atmosphere like?

SARA GANIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, the atmosphere all day has been incredibly energized. Bernie Sanders acting like he's back at home in this battle, this continuous battle between himself and Hillary Clinton over who is more of a New Yorker? He's been in four different places across the city of New York today, crisscrossing back and forth in neighbors that are primarily minority neighborhoods. Wrapping up in historic Apollo Theater, he's been talking about a theme of issues important to minority communities.

Just in the last couple of minutes, he's talked about minimum wage. He's talked about racial and social injustice. He's talked about demilitarization of the police. Clearly, courting the minority vote which Hillary Clinton has historically had a lock on in this election so far, this primary election so far, Pamela. He's been talking about very optimistic outlook.

You mentioned his win in Wyoming today and this streak that he has been on. However, he's clearly focused on the state of New York, trying to convince people here that he's in lock step with them and their ideas. He is -- he's putting forth this very optimistic theme, saying that he believes he's making the Hillary Clinton camp very nervous and that they believe that they're within striking distance. That's a quote from him earlier today.

Pamela, you know, clearly a lot of energy. More than we've seen from Bernie Sanders in the last couple of days. It seems like he really feels like he's on his home turf and gaining momentum here.

BROWN: When we projected that he won Wyoming, his wife told him live on the air on CNN, you could see the excitement there from him and from the crowd.

Sara Ganim, thanks for setting that scene for us.

[19:05:00] Dan Merica, thank you.

And as he relishes his Wyoming victory, Sanders is saying his campaign may have started modestly but now he's ready to hunker down and pose a serious challenge to Hillary Clinton. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think that it is very fair to say that we were way, way behind at -- during the first half of this contest, but we are having, to say the least, a very strong second half. And we are closing very fast. And now that Wyoming is behind us, we are here in New York state.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Verbal zingers will be flying when Sanders and Clinton face off at CNN's debate in Brooklyn on Thursday. The Democratic battle for the New York primary promises to be intense.

Can Clinton stop Sanders' growing momentum?

Let's talk it over with political commentators Angela Rye and Marc Lamont Hill.

Thanks for coming on to both of you.

Marc, first to you, you just heard Bernie Sanders say we started off modestly but we're going strong the second half. Why is that? What's behind this big wave of momentum for Bernie Sanders?

MARC LAMONT HILL, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Some of it is the luck of the draw and the shape of demographics. I mean, he's in states that play to his advantage. White middle class workers are stronger in those areas. Also, Bernie Sanders has continued to work the polls, he hasn't given up. He's made sure it will be a fight at the very least until the big states, maybe until the convention.

The problem, though, is the numbers aren't in his favor. Even in a day like today where he wins the vote, with 55 to 44 percent, he still splits the delegates and may lose when it comes to super delegates.

So, you know, even though I love Bernie Sanders, I'm just not sure he's not going to run out of fuel sooner than later.

BROWN: And, Angela, from your perspective, why is Clinton failing to stop Sanders' momentum?

ANGELA RYE, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: I think it's quite simple. It's math but in a different kind of way, right? Mark just talked about the delegate map, which is clearly not in Bernie Sanders' favor, especially after today's contest, and despite the fact that he's won 7 of the last 8 primaries, because he does so well with the caucuses.

The challenge that Hillary Clinton has is that if Bernie Sanders map for March, it's the fund-raising match. He is beating every candidate in the race both on the Democratic and the Republican sides. He raised more than $44 million last month and that is outstanding, particularly when you think of what he says almost at every rally, and that is with an average donor at $27.

BROWN: So, Marc, I'm just wondering, you know, Bernie Sanders has really turned out to be a formidable competitor to Hillary Clinton. There were a lot of skeptics in the beginning but he's won the last eight out of the nine contests. Does that help or hurt Hillary Clinton? Does she do better when she has someone who's a formidable candidate or not?

HILL: I think it's important for Hillary to be challenged this primary season. Many of us were worried about a coronation of Hillary Clinton, and no one wanted to see that.

And the other issue here is that Hillary Clinton has issues that have to be resolved by the general election. I'm not sure they can be. One is likability, another is trust. Those are two things that Hillary doesn't do well with.

Now, if you're going up against Donald Trump, for example, those things may become unimportant because he also has strong unfavorables and some trust issues as well. Ultimately, I think Hillary need to be challenged and I'm glad to see that. I think she's finding her voice and I think she's finding her strength. At the same time, she's going to have to figure out how to win outside of those states that play to her natural advantage.

BROWN: I want to ask you both about -- go ahead. Angela?

RYE: Oh, that wasn't me. I don't know what that was.

BROWN: I heard something. I thought it was you.

I'll bring you in on this because Bill Clinton is playing a prominent role in the campaign. And the question is, is he helping or hurting his wife's presidential bid? Earlier this week, the former president stole the spotlight again with the response to Black Lives Matter protests.

Let's listen to that and I'll bring you in on another end.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT: I don't know how you would characterize the gang leader who is got 13-year-old kids hopped up on crack and sent out into the street to murder other African-American children. Maybe you thought they were good citizens. She didn't. She didn't. You are defending the people who kill the lives you say matters.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: So, clearly, some strong words from Bill Clinton, Angela. How do you think that will impacts his wife's campaign?

RYE: Not in a positive way, and I think we've seen all week, right, that this -- or the last come days, anyway, since it happened -- this has been a problem for Hillary Clinton. Bill Clinton is someone who once his ego gets in the way, it becomes a major challenge.

You know, Marc and I have both been on air talking about the super predator language and how dangerous that term is, not just from 1994 and when Hillary Clinton said it in 1996 but today because Bill Clinton just found himself in a situation where he's defending not only the usage of that term, but also the 1994 crime bill and welfare reform.

[19:10:08] He defended all three of those things on Thursday.

The biggest issue I have with this is just last July, also in Philadelphia, he was before the NAACP national convention saying that there were some major mistakes made in the crime bill. So, for him to now backtrack on all of that because he was what we say now in this billing is frustrating and highly problematic. He was way off message.

I think moreover, the challenges the next day when he had the opportunity to apologize and walk it back, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He said, "I almost want to apologize for it." So, they need to get him on message and talking about what Hillary Clinton put together, a good solid plan for criminal justice reform.

BROWN: Yes, people are calling it the almost apology.

But, Marc, he's still popular among a lot of Democrats. Do you think that he is still more of an asset to Hillary Clinton or not?

HILL: Absolutely, I think he's an asset. And I'm a lot more cynical than Angela is. I'm not so sure that he's completely off message.

I think what happened the first day was obviously to some extent was just unexpected. You don't know which protesters are going to pop up and what they're going to say. But I think the fact that Bill Clinton is willing to stand up and challenge the apology to super predators, that he's able to defend welfare reform, that he's able to also, quote/unquote, "put black protesters in their place," I think that stuff appeals to a certain sector of the demographic.

I think they're playing the general election game. I think they're deploying a certain kind of strategy if not deliberately, at least subconsciously, Bill Clinton is. And I think ultimately, it may work in her favor, but it works in her favor because the Clintons believe and they're probably right that black Democrats are going to vote for them anyway.

So, he's willing to alienate a few black voters because ultimately they're a capture electorate, they'll vote Democrat anyways, what their calculus is, so if they can appeal to what Joe Biden once calmed the pickup truck-driving, Confederate flag-waving segment of voters, they win on both ends and I think that's what the Clintons are trying to do.

I think Hillary is beginning to move back to center because he's been pretending to be a progressive the entire primary.

BROWN: Interesting perspective there, Marc Lamont Hill.

Angela Rye, we have to leave it there. Thank you very much, though, to both of you for sharing your insight and perspectives on this. And also, a special programming note: the next CNN presidential debate of Brooklyn is coming up this Thursday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. See Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders face off just five days before the New York primary, right here on CNN.

And ahead this hour, flashback to 1976 and the last time the Republicans had a contested convention. We look back to look forward towards what we could see this summer.

Plus, with Republicans looking more and more likely to face that contested convention, we'll find out why some think this could be great news for Ted Cruz.

And later, we turn to terror and breaking news out of Brussels. The man accused of having a role in two of deadliest terror attacks in European history is captured and he's talking. Details coming up.

You're watching CNN. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:15:50] BROWN: A Republican contested convention. Could it happen? Yes. And it wouldn't be the first time. Nearly 40 years ago, Ronald Reagan was the outsider, the challenger, and Reagan almost snatched the Republican nomination from then incumbent President Gerald Ford.

Chief political analyst Gloria Borger explains what happened during those wild days in 1976.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): After millions of votes, dozens of contests, and heaps of mud flung along the way, the Republican presidential race has a bit of everything, except a nominee.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: we will win a majority of the delegates.

BORGER: The last time a contested convention happened was in 1976. When former California governor, Ronald Reagan, was the outsider, challenging the President, Gerald Ford. Both men claimed to have the votes, heading into the convention, but nobody was sure. Not even Jim Baker, who was then Ford's top delegate hunter.

JAMES BAKER, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: We had no assurance whatsoever, that he would get the majority of votes necessary to be nominated.

BORGER: But he did. Winning the nomination, and earning Baker headlines. But it was far from easy.

BAKER: Governor Reagan, Ronald Reagan almost knocked off an incumbent, Republican president. We had to get in there and scramble for it, and fight for it. BORGER: So, as Donald Trump gets ready to rumble at the convention,

Baker has little sympathy for the argument that if Trump is closest to the finish line going in, he should be declared the winner.

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's mathematically unfair.

BORGER (on camera): Is that the way the process works?

BAKER: Well, that's a very good political argument for him to make.

BORGER: Yes.

BAKER: But that's not actually the way the process is supposed to work.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Twenty votes for our fellow Texan.

BAKER: It's supposed to work in a vote, or a series of votes, by the delegates on the floor of the convention. They select the nominee. It is after all, a party's nominating convention.

BORGER (voice-over): The good news for Trump is that his supporters, like Ronald Reagan's 40 years ago, are die-hard.

BAKER: Reagan had the benefit of the movement. I mean, his delegates were really committed to what he stood for.

BORGER: Just the same way Trump's delegates, by the way, are very committed to Donald Trump as the outsider.

BAKER: Provided Trump can get them selected as delegates, and not have his delegate slots filled by a Kasich or Cruz person.

BORGER: In other words, just winning the most votes on primary night is not enough.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Another win for Donald Trump.

BORGER: Winning states is one thing, but keeping your state delegates is another entirely. Not only on first ballot but hanging on to them if there are multiple votes, leaving delegates free to roam. Even defect. And that's where Trump's anti-establishment campaign is playing catch-up.

(on camera): If you were running the Trump delegate selection process now, what would you be doing?

BAKER: Well, I think they need to be ramping up a sophisticated delegate selection process. I'm not sure that they've been paying very much attention to their ground game.

BORGER: So, how do you keep track of it?

BAKER: What you have to do, you have -- first of all, you need to know everything there is to know about a potential delegate or a delegate. Most important thing to know is what turns them on, what turns them off, what they believe in, what they favor, what they disfavor, who they are sleeping with, the whole schmeer, OK?

You make a point to learn everything you can about each delegate. And then you just massage that delegate, you stay in touch with them. You work 'em, protect them to keep them from being stolen by the other side. It's a zero-sum game, and as people say all the time, it ain't bean bag.

[19:20:00] BORGER (voice-over): With very few rules.

BAKER: Now, you've got to be very careful. You can't buy votes.

BORGER (on camera): So, what can you do?

BAKER: Well, there's some things you can do, and, of course, we can't -- we took great advantage of it in 1976, the head of the party was the president of the United States.

BORGER: That helps.

BAKER: Yes, that helps a lot. There was a dinner for the queen of England, OK? So you have -- get an uncommitted delegate, invite him to the White House for a state dinner for the queen of England. You don't think you have a good chance of getting his vote? You have a good chance of getting his vote.

BORGER: Did you?

BAKER: But it was -- yes, we did. I bet I went to more state dinners than anybody in the Ford administration with possibly exception of Betty and Gerald Ford.

BORGER (voice-over): And some delegates brazenly asked for favors, some crossing the line.

BAKER: We got a lot of inappropriate requests and there are some outrageous ones like jobs, federal jobs.

BORGER (on camera): Federal jobs?

BAKER: Yes, federal jobs. If I'm not mistaken, there was a request to lay off a relative of one of the delegates who had been prosecuted for federal crime. I mean, things like that.

BORGER (voice-over): And proper requests aside, what's to stop a few friendly plane rides to Mar-a-Lago, or a hunting trip --

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He shot the wrong kind of bird.

BORGER: -- to Texas.

BAKER: The game wasn't only played on our side. It was played on their side, too. We just had some better inducements we could offer.

GERALD FORD, FORMER PRESIDENT: America is at peace.

BORGER: Still, it was close when it came to a head on the convention floor, Ford beat Reagan outright by just 117 votes.

RONALD REAGAN, FORMER PRESIDENT: We must go forth from here united.

BORGER: But this fight could be more bitter and last longer. And Baker warns that if it does, and the rules start changing in the middle of the game, there could be hell to pay, for the entire Republican Party.

BAKER: If you have a candidate who is within 100 or 150 delegate votes of getting the majority and you start changing the rules to screw the candidate out of the nomination, I think you're going to get -- you're going to buy yourself some grief. You're going to buy yourself some grief in the general election, because his supporters, all of whom thought they were voting for significant change might stay home.

BORGER (on camera): Pamela, that sounds pretty ominous for the Republican Party, doesn't it?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: Sure it does. A lot up in the air. Gloria Borger, thank you so much.

If Republicans do hold a contested convention in 2016, my next guest says he already knows the winner's name. Why his confidence is so high that only one man can win a GOP brokered convention. We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:26:04] BROWN: Republicans are moving closer and closer to a contested convention. Many politicos are predicting a brokered convention filled with chaos, backroom deals and last-minute maneuvering between Trump, Kasich, and Cruz.

My next guest is predicting a winner already. I want to talk it over with "New York Times'" opinion writer Ross Douthat.

So, Ross, you're coming out of the gate and saying you know who's going to win, Ted Cruz. In fact, you write that Cruz's path to victory at a contested convention looks very clear indeed.

Why do you think Cruz is the clear winner of a contested convention?

ROSS DOUTHAT, OPINION COLUMNIST, THE NEW YORK TIMES: I don't want to say I know it because anytime we say we know anything --

BROWN: That is true.

DOUTHAT: -- something comes along and makes us look like idiots.

But let's just say that it's easier by far to see how Cruz wins than how any other candidate coming in sort of a white knight or last- minute entrant could possibly win. Basically -- and you guys were talking about this a bit before the break -- Cruz is doing a really good job around the country of making sure not only that he's electing his own people as delegates in situations where they're actually bound to him and supposed to vote for him on the first ballot, but also that lots of the delegates who are officially Donald Trump delegates are actually Ted Cruz supporters and will presumably switch to Cruz whenever they're freed up to do so, which for some states happens on the second ballot, for some on the third and so on.

So, this means Cruz goes into the convention with a big bloc of supporters who are officially his and then a large contingent of supporters who are going to vote for Trump on the first ballot and gradually swing over to him. That gives him an edge over any other candidate. If Trump can pull off the numbers he needs to win on the first ballot, then he'll beat Cruz and that will be the end of it, but it looks more and more like he doesn't. There just isn't going to be a clear opportunity for someone else to come in and have the kind of organization that you need.

I mean, this is what -- this is what we're talking about here with a contested convention. It's all about organization. It's all about knowing who the delegates are and massaging them and so on. And that isn't going to happen. You know, Paul Ryan isn't out there doing that right now. You know, all the talk about the convention could nominate Ryan on the sixth ballot or Marco Rubio on the ninth, it could, but someone would have to be organizing a real bloc of support for one of those men or some other candidate and it's unlikely to happen.

BROWN: So, it's interesting because you're basically saying for Cruz to win, some of those Trump delegates would then switch over and throw their support behind Cruz. But wouldn't that be controversial to sort of go against the will of the people, the voters?

DOUTHAT: Well, yes. I mean, look, this is why there's no good outcome here for the Republican Party, right? There's no scenario where at the end of the day, everything is sweetness and light the end of the convention and, you know, Donald Trump gives a powerful speech nominating Ted Cruz and saying he's the best man for the job. No.

I think it goes out saying in the scenario I've outlined, Trump will, you know, storm out of the convention and he probably won't run third party but he'll probably barnstorm the country talking about how lying Ted Cruz stole the election from him and milking that idea for all it's worth. But that doesn't mean it won't happen, right? I mean, just --

BROWN: That is true.

DOUTHAT: That doesn't mean that that isn't how it plays out. And if you look at -- again, if you look at the people who are being selected as Republican delegates, this isn't true everywhere. The Trump campaign is doing an OK job in a few places. But like Indiana was selecting delegates today. The Indiana slate of delegates, these are people who could be bound to Trump if he wins that state on the first ballot. The slots of delegates are filled with people who are explicitly saying, I will never vote for Donald Trump if I have the freedom to do so. He's not the right choice for the party and so on. [19:30:00] There's almost no possibility for Trump, given how

polarizing he is and how little so many Republicans, especially sort of activists and professional Republicans like him, there's almost no scenario where he wins after the first ballot.

BROWN: Wow. You know, I remember a few months ago when this notion of a contested convention arose, people were, like, no, that would be the worst thing, the Republicans don't want that. And now here we are.

DOUTHAT: Here we are.

BROWN: It looks we're headed toward a contested convention. Ross Dalton (ph), thank you very much. Go ahead. What?

DOUTHAT: Just that the only thing worse than a contested convention, many Republicans have decided, is nominating Donald Trump and that's why we're headed there.

BROWN: All right. We'll leave it there. Thanks so much, Ross. Appreciate you coming on.

DOUTHAT: Yes, have a good one.

BROWN: Authorities meantime are facing some tough questions today after it's revealed a fugitive in the Paris attacks went on to strike again in Belgium. How did authorities miss Europe's most wanted man right under their noses? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: A terror suspect has just confessed to his role in the Belgium bombings. Federal prosecutors say this man, Mohammed Abrini, the last known fugitive in the Paris attacks, has admitted to being the man in the hat, seen in the Brussels airport with the two bombers right here just moments before two explosions rocked the terminal.

After leaving the airport, Abrini says he threw his light coat in a trash can and, get this, later sold his hat.

Joining me now, CNN global affairs analyst Kim Dozier for analysis. So Kim, the first thought that comes to my mind with this confession and knowing now that he was involved in this, was that if this was someone who was involved in the Paris attacks, then he was operating right under the noses of Belgian authorities to launch the second attack. Are you surprised?

[19:35:05]

KIM DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, I think Belgian authorities were surprised and they're learning about the new game plan of these sorts of cells. You know, it used to be that they talked about looking for someone who was communicating with ISIS online, watching their social media habits, watching their social habits in that do they suddenly stop going to bars and start going to the mosque. These guys, this ring, broke a lot of those rules. They frequented bars and nightclubs. There were also childhood friends. Mohamed Abrini, the man who has admitted to being the man in the hat, grew up with the Abdelsalam brothers and he was thought to have visited Syria because his brother was fighting on behalf of ISIS and died there a couple of years ago.

So these are people you wouldn't have normally looked at before. And because they were in a criminal network already, all suspected of various types of petty crime, they'd already come pre-vetted. They knew how to keep secrets, they knew who they could trust because they trusted each other in other criminal situations.

BROWN: We see in so many of these terrorist suspects they have this criminal background. What do you think it is? Do you think he was just practicing really good operational security and had this network protecting him or intelligence officials in Belgium just totally dropped the ball or a combination of both?

DOZIER: Probably a combination. Look, from his behavior, he was much like any other young man who was part of that sort of semi-criminal underworld, a few brushes with the law, that goes for a lot of the plotters suspected of carrying out the attacks. They didn't have anything in particular that would draw authorities' attention.

It speaks to the scope of the problem. Now, we have already had the head of Europol say more than a thousand foreign fighters have gone to Syria and returned to Europe with a couple hundred going back to Belgium. But it means - it's as if there's almost no one you can eliminate from your suspect list as you're going down what sort of behavior might point to radicalism or militancy.

The militants are getting smart. They're learning to hide, to camouflage their behavior, and that's going to make this much tougher. That's why the Belgian prime minister today was saying yes, this is a victory, but we got to stay on alert.

BROWN: Right. Imagine the terror alert continues to stay high even with these arrests. I just have to quickly ask you about the fact that what he told authorities that he sold his hat. Not only is it strange. It seems really brazen that he did that considering he's one of the most wanted men in Europe.

DOZIER: Well, think about it. All this time he has been watching pictures of himself on TV and no one has tracked him down. He probably thought he was going to get away with it. And it was as we later found out only when the investigators presented him with evidence of the facial recognition that he copped to being the guy.

He probably thought maybe he could get away with this, and that shows you the mind-set that enables them to carry out violence like this.

BROWN: That would go along with what we saw him doing two hours after the attack, calmly walking down the street of Brussels.

Kim Dozier, thank you very much for that analysis. We appreciate it. DOZIER: Thanks.

BROWN: Coming up in the "Newsroom" -

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ASHTON KUTCHEN, ACTOR: A lot of people that aren't being represented or they're probably more undecided voters at this point in time in an election than there have been in years and years and years. And I think what's being forgot is actually the perspective of the people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Up next, we visit actor Ashton Kutcher on the set of his new show to find out what he has learned about Donald Trump voters.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:42:05]

BROWN: Well, actor Ashton kutcher has a new Netflix show that aims to bring a voice to a group of people he sees as forgotten, conservative middle Americans.

CNN's Laurie Segall sat down with some of the show's cast to get their perspective.

LAURIE SEGALL, CNN MONEY: Hey, Pamela. I sat down with Ashton Kutcher and the cast of his new sitcom "The Ranch." Now Kutcher plays a former high school football star who comes home to take care of the family ranch. It's a funny show, it takes place in a small town, blue-collar setting out west.

Also, Pamela, it's a show with conservative undertones. You'll hear a political joke every so often. So I talked politics with the cast and I asked them if they thought the show would speak to that same demographic of voters that Donald Trump had spoken to.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SAM ELLIOTT, ACTOR "THE RANCH": I don't think those people are out there between here and the East Coast are necessarily just because they're there are in Donald Trump's camp. I mean, you're talking about them not being very smart if they're getting in that camp as far as I'm concerned, and I think we're going out of our way on this show to say the opposite of those people.

SEGALL (on camera): What role do you see them playing in the current political climate?

KUTCHER: There are a lot of people not being represented or there are probably more undecided voters at this point in time in an election than there have been in years and years and years.

I think what's being forgot is actually the perspective of the people, the perspective of conservative middle America. And, you know, one of the reasons to make this show is to show that I think one of the responsibilities of entertainment is to create balance between, you know, news, media, and politics and reality.

And, you know, this show is real as we see it. I mean, granted it's entertainment and it's funny and we push the envelope of, you know, comedy and content, but I think that the perspectives and values and beliefs of this collective on this show may be more accurately represent the masses than what the political candidates do.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SEGALL: Now the first 10 episodes just released on Netflix. Kutcher told me that Netflix was their first and only choice for the show. He said it gave them the freedom to do a more unconventional sitcom and experiment with things like the length of episode and also topics.

What you'll see is there's a lot of humor in the show, but there are also some heavier moments that aren't really that typical for sitcoms. Pamela?

BROWN: All right. Laurie Segall, great report there. We appreciate it.

And by the way, don't forget, CNN's Anderson Cooper will host a town hall with Donald Trump, his wife, Melania and daughter, Ivanka, this Tuesday night at 9:00 Eastern.

Up next

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): You think it would be easier for you to raise that kind of funding if you were male?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I do. I 100 percent do think it would be easier, but what's interesting is there are also advantages to being a woman and I believe that too.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: Poppy Harlow sits down with the CEO of Birchbox. She talks about overcoming sexism in Silicon Valley to eventually lead a wildly successful beauty venture. That's coming, up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:48:25]

BROWN: In today's "American Oppounity," venture capital still causes a big problem for women. According to data compiled by "Fortune," fewer than six percent of all decision makers at U.S. venture capital firms are women. But breaking that barrier is Kirsten Green of Forerunner Ventures. She is the lead investor behind cult favorite retail and tech companies like Birchbox, a subscription service for beauty products. Why did she bet big on Birchbox when the company kept getting turned down by male investors? Poppy Harlow found out. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARLOW (on camera): How big is the U.S. beauty market right now and the global beauty market right now?

KATIA BEAUCHAMP, CEO AND CO-FOUNDER, BIRCHBOX: The global beauty market is estimated to be over $500 billion. The U.S. representing at least a billion of that, even though online still represents less than seven percent of beauty shopping today in 2016.

HARLOW: Because people want to feel it, try it, touch it, and you've merged the two.

BEAUCHAMP: That was our insight. Every category we're seeing so much disruption and there was a huge movement of consumption onto the internet and even though everybody had small penetration, all the categories that we were looking at had massive growth except for beauty.

Low penetration, low growth in 2010 and we thought someone's going to figure this out. Why couldn't we figure it out?

HARLOW: We should do it first.

BEAUCHAMP: Let's figure out how to bring the beauty industry online for more than just replenishment.

HARLOW: Kirsten, how do you judge the success of Birchbox?

KIRSTEN GREEN, FOUNDER, FORERUNNER VENTURES: Incredibly successful. To go from 600 boxes to a million boxes and have a thriving online business in 4 1/2 short years is pretty incredible.

[19:50:05]

HARLOW (voice-over): Kirsten Green is a rarity in the venture capital world because she's a woman. She's founder of Forerunner Ventures and has invested millions in Birchbox.

In fact, it was her firm's first major investment, a much needed boost for Katia Beauchamp. As she was getting the company off the ground. She says she was turned down by many male investors she pitched.

(on camera): Sexism in Silicon Valley it has made a lot of headlines last year, it has made the cover of many magazines. Is it real? Do you live it.

GREEN: It is real. I think in some ways it makes it more challenging to be a woman in the environment. There are capable women working in the industry that are making good investments, giving good advice being strong voices in the boardroom and really starting to be part of this conversation and bring it to light.

I think hopefully that will inspire more women to do it. It will inspire more women entrepreneurs. It will inspire women investors. I think you really do need to get both of those going to get a flywheel effect.

HARLOW: When you look at some of these numbers, it is appalling that they exist in 2016, this Babson study came out in 2014. It showed women led tech companies get less than five percent of VC funding. Why is that still happening?

GREEN: I imagine it's a complicated answer. It's a complicated situation. I think that one of the things that at least for our team that really resonates when we're meeting with founders is that ability to connect with the problem and the issue that you're solving and for that to also translate over to your investors. I think that as an investor, hopefully one of the goals is that you're seeing as many things as possible.

And so -

BEAUCHAMP: I think Kirsten is being generous. I think it's not a complicated answer. I think that money is controlled by men in the public and private sector. And that if you are pitching a business oriented toward the female consumer, that is a sting because that is not the consumer.

Now if you are a woman, catching, a business oriented to the female consumer, (INAUDIBLE).

HARLOW: How many men did you pitch?

BEAUCHAMP: It would be embarrassing to say how many men that we pitched that really immediately said that they didn't understand it, that they. Why did it have to come in a box, why did it have to be samples, all of the fundamental things that we really - wait a minute, sampling is actually the core thing that we believe will get someone to buy the product on the internet.

HARLOW: You think it would be easier to raise the next round of funding if you were male?

BEAUCHAMP: I do.

I 100 percent think it would be easier. But what's interesting is there are also advantages to being a woman. I believe that too. I believe that I am invited into the conversation often because I'm a woman.

HARLOW: They need the woman voice.

BEAUCHAMP: They do. But I'll take it.

HARLOW: This fascinates me. You're saying even if you get invited to the table just because you're a woman and they need the token woman, you're going to grasp it and do everything you can with it.

BEAUCHAMP: Oh my gosh, the only thing that is going to change the conversation we're having is for hundreds of thousands of women to have extraordinary success, to become billionaires and to start investing in other people's (INAUDIBLE). HARLOW: Is that where you're going?

BEAUCHAMP: I mean I want to change the whole conversation that we're having. I want to change what it looks like to be a success story.

HARLWO: You once said that one of your strengths is the relationship aspect of the business. But that is a strength that you down played for a long time because you saw it as a more feminine strength. Now you are happy to bring it to the table, happy to be sort of forthright with it. When did that comfort level change for you?

GREEEN: I think that really was an evolution for myself, kind of coming of age in my career, getting comfortable in my own skin, sort of being increasingly cognizant of my own strengths and weaknesses and learning to play to them.

And I think that it's one of the things that led me to early stage investing.

HARLOW: You told me earlier that you were angry, angry that your company had been treated the way it had in the beginning by some potential male investors. It seems like you've taken that anger and translated it into success and just sort of see?

BEAUCHAMP: I would hate to be depicted as angry but I think -

HARLOW: Were you ever angry?

BEAUCHAMP: I think it's fair to say that sometimes I get angry. It's not because I'm an angry person, it's because I'm disappointed that it's 2016 and we have to be having this conversation. I am shocked and sometimes that makes me really angry that we are still having the conversation about equal pay, that we are still having the conversation about women transitioning back to work after having kids. That we are still having the conversation to less than 10 percent of women are a public company. It is a painful truth.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: And you can watch more of Poppy's report at cnnmoney.com/americanopportunity. We'll be right back.

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[16:58:00]

BROWN: It's safe to say that tension is rising for all the candidates in this election. But lucky for them some stops are a little sweeter than others. Before we go, we want to show you Hillary Clinton making a stop in Brooklyn earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Hi, dear. How are you? Good to see you. Nice to meet you. Hello. Hello.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you do it to Melva?

CLINTON: Oh sure.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: M-E-L ...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hillary for president! Hillary for president! Hillary for president! Hillary for president! Hillary for president!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're sitting here? OK.

CLINTON: You want me here? Hello. Oh my goodness, look at all these people. Nice to see you. Once you got all your pictures, you'll have to move elsewhere so we can actually eat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: She ate some cheesecake there, a huge slice of cheesecake from Junior's in Brooklyn. Making me hungry there.

Clinton didn't win big in Wyoming today but clearly she took the cake.

A programming note, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton will be Jake Tapper's guests on "STATE OF THE UNION". Watch it tomorrow morning at 9:00 Eastern.

Up next on CNN, relive the decades of "THE EIGHTIES". Watch back to back episodes of CNN's new series.

I'm Pamela Brown in Washington. Have a great night.