Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Protesters Disrupt Trump Appearance. Aired 3-3:30p ET

Aired April 29, 2016 - 15:00   ET

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


[15:00:02]

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: But, listen, you're watching this live right along with me, thanks to our affiliate there out in San Francisco.

We have some pictures from the skies just to try to judge how many people are there. The question, why are they there, why some of them feel so vehemently opposed to Trump? Obviously, as we have been covering this race for the last couple of months, they have said it's bigoted, it's misogynist, it's racist rhetoric. That's the opinion of some folks in this country, certainly not everyone.

We have seen the picture of Donald Trump's Trump plane on tarmac. That's officially there. That is just down the road. And not too far away here the Hyatt Regency, where you are seeing crowds. And we have been watching this picture over the course of the last hour or so, more and more people gathering. Again, watching and waiting to see even how Donald Trump with his Secret Service and certainly law enforcement, his motorcade, will be approaching this location.

We have seen some of these protesters holding hands and sitting in the middle of the streets. Certainly, there are multiple ways to get inside of this building. And police will help Donald Trump do so. These people exercising their First Amendment rights to protest. And Donald Trump, obviously, has every right and intention to speak in front of this crowd inside this hotel here in Burlingame, California.

Let me just be totally you. We're trying to get some voices. I know Jeremy Diamond is one of our correspondents who have been covering for months and months these different Donald Trump rallies. He was there last night as things got very, very violent in Costa Mesa, punches thrown between folks who support Trump and folks who do not.

I know I have Jeremy now with me.

Jeremy Diamond, are you outside? There we go. I see you now.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I'm outside, Brooke. We are in front of the sea of protesters that have gathered here at the California State GOP convention, where Donald Trump is set to address people. What we just saw was about two dozen protesters just try to rush the barriers. They actually got over the barricades that were blocking protesters from coming up to the Hyatt Regency Hotel here.

What they were able to do is about two dozen of them pushed forward and police officers had to rush to the doors to try and block the protesters from actually getting in. They were able to do so successfully. Once they started pushing the protesters back, what happened was is you had a lot more protesters, dozens and dozens more join the first group of protesters that had tried to rush the doors and they then pushed back against police.

We saw -- I witnessed a couple of pretty violent altercations between police officers and protesters. There was a lot of shoving. Police officers were using their batons to push protesters back and keep them from getting inside of this building where Donald Trump is set to speak. He's supposed to be speaking right now, actually. We believe he is running a little bit late, but certainly it's a pretty hectic scene outside here.

You have several hundreds protesters really gathered here. They were initially speaking, chanting various chants, talking about Donald Trump's positions on illegal immigration. And they were also chanting about other things like Wall Street and income inequality. But right now things have settled down a little bit.

Police officers have essentially regained control of the situation, but certainly everything is very fluid here. Protesters may try again to rush over. We will just have to wait and see exactly what happens here -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Jeremy, stay with me. Take a breath.

Let met just let everyone know, now we have two boxes on the screen. Right? This is Jeremy's picture. This is on the right side. You see the protesters. Now officially on the left, we have seen his plane and now we see his motorcade. These are the SUVs heading from this airport just down the road to Jeremy Diamond's location at the Hyatt Regency, the home of the California GOP Convention, which starts today.

Again, let me reiterate all the different Republican candidates will be speaking through the course of the weekend. It just so happens that Donald Trump is the first to speak. Obviously, all of this has -- this is no surprise to anyone. Schedules slide. Right? Perhaps this is because of whatever Mr. Trump has to do today. Perhaps this is because of the sort of full force of protesters outside of this event location.

Obviously, safety on both ends is the number one priority for law enforcement. That said, we all have eyes on both sides of the screen.

Jeremy Diamond, let me follow up with you, because I think our language is very important. You have covered these Trump rallies for months. When you're talking to some of these protesters, is it specifically Donald Trump they're protesting or is it the Republicans in general?

[15:05:00]

DIAMOND: So, certainly this is a pretty significant moment here on the campaign trail. I have been covering Donald Trump since he announced his bid for

president back in June 2015. This is definitely one of the more combustible events that we have seen here, one of the more combustible protests, confrontations between police officers and protesters, several hundred protesters, in fact. This does however compare to what we saw to last night.

Last night Costa Mesa, just outside of Los Angeles, California, Donald Trump was speaking there. And out there, we had some pretty violent protests take place. Some protesters damaging at least one police car, smashing in its window and attempting to flip it over, actually. And we also saw some scuffles between Trump supporters who were exiting the rally and protesters at the same time.

I saw one Trump supporter whose face was bloodied after he was punched in the face. There was a scuffle that had broken out between some supporters and some protesters. We saw several of those last night, so certainly this is a notable event. Again, this is not totally a surprise. You know, this is what happens when Donald Trump comes to big cities and especially what happens when Donald Trump comes to cities like San Francisco.

You know, this is a very liberal area, of course, in the country and certainly, you know, Donald Trump is stirring up a lot of emotions over here.

BALDWIN: OK. Jeremy, thank you so much.

We're gong to rerack video and we're going to show some of these protesters as we keep an eye on this Donald Trump motorcade. You can see a number of these protesters rushing police here. This happened moments ago.

As we stay on this, Susan Page, let me bring your sort of wise, politically veteran voice in, Washington chief here for "USA Today" here in Washington, Covered many, many different presidential protests.

When you see, Susan, crowds this amass outside of the California Republican Convention there in Burlingame, you saw the violence last night outside that Trump rally, we're watching this all play out right now, what do you think?

SUSAN PAGE, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, "USA TODAY": I think we better get used to it, because for the first time in modern American history, we again have a campaign we believe between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, two candidates, each of whom have negative ratings above 50 percent.

Polarizing figures. They have fervent supporters and fervent opponents. I think we're going to see this is going to be a campaign year where we see a lot of big protests at events. Also, things are going to be mixed up this year and we will have some different states in play than we traditionally have, so the violence is one thing. Of course we decry that. The idea that people are going to be excited about this election and

really want to get out there for their candidate or against another candidate, that's something we just better get used to.

BALDWIN: You know, on your note about the polarization, both of the let's just say perhaps the nominees being Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, we have seen violence at rallies, Donald Trump rallies. You know, to your point about Hillary Clinton, do you think we will see protesters there as well?

PAGE: Yes. I think we will. And it's one of the things that campaigns have to calculate what kind of forums to put their candidates in, because they would like to get their own message out. Right? They would like a forum where there aren't people who are heckling them.

They would like rather controlled forums. That's just a tradition of political campaigns. But to some degree, that's not possible, because when you're campaigning, you are trying to reach swing voters, not only your own supporters, but also people who are in the middle.

So, I think we're going to see how these candidates, both of them, can handle getting heckled from an audience or having demonstrators come up when they're trying to speak, give their own message to a campaign audience.

That's not -- you know, that's not necessarily a bad thing. That's something presidents have to do. So, in that way, it's not a terrible thing the presidential candidates have to do, although it is, I think, complicating for campaigns.

BALDWIN: Susan, I'm listening to you, and stay with me, Susan Page, Washington bureau chief for "The USA Today."

We're watching this together. I'm no expert here, but something is going on, on the side of the road as we were watching this Trump motorcade. There he is, Donald Trump in the middle of that. Looks like a pink, red tie in the middle of this surrounded by Secret Service. Different men. Bodyguards. We saw the motorcade pulled a U-turn on the side of the road.

There's California Highway Patrol on foot making their way. Wow. I have never seen anything like this before. I don't know how close they are. Let's just obviously stay on these live pictures and see if these men are going to cross over and head to the Hyatt Regency on foot.

Wow. Unbelievable. All these guys in ties supposed to be -- so, again, if you're just joining us, this is something. So about nine minutes ago, Donald Trump was supposed to be standing inside of the Hyatt Regency not too far way from where they're walking now, the Hyatt Regency home to the California Republican Convention, which starts today.

[15:10:00] It is obviously the most ideologically conservative, all gathering in

one place, proud, excited about how California truly, truly matters as far as their primary goes. That's June 7. This is the first time in decades that California's truly mattered on the Republican side.

So, again, Donald Trump addressing these Republicans inside this hotel and he's been thrown a bit of a curve ball. Wow. Is he going in the back entrance? It appears that way. Pulled over to the side of the road. Hopped out of the car. Crossed over the median. And into the Hyatt Regency he goes. And he's in.

And all these protesters, I don't know if they're waiting for some kind of confrontation or not, exercising their First Amendment rights there outside of this hotel. Again, this is the Bay Area, Burlingame, California.

Watching and waiting.

Jeremy Diamond, I know you can't see what we just saw, but, my goodness, Donald Trump and company hopping out of their big SUVs and walking in the back door of that hotel. How about that?

DIAMOND: Yes. That is definitely something that we haven't seen Donald Trump do before.

You know, typically, he is, you know, chauffeured into these events with the motorcade rolling right up to the door wherever he is going to be speaking or sometimes even rolling into the building if it's a convention center where they can actually do that.

But outside, protesters obviously don't -- aren't aware that Donald Trump has just come into the building. It doesn't seem that way, but what we're seeing is that there is a stepped-up police presence. Police officers here with helmets, riot batons in the hands, essentially standing in front of the Hyatt Regency Hotel here, more police officers than there were before when protesters were initially successful in actually pushing over the barricades and rushing towards the doors.

So police officers, certainly a stepped-up presence here and protesters are now not just gathered in front of the hotel, but they're kind of along the whole block here where police officers have blocked off the road and nobody is coming through here. But protesters are milling about. And we're kind of just waiting to see what will happen next.

BALDWIN: Wow. Well, Jeremy, thank you. I see you. We will stay close to you.

Again, these protesters, to your point, probably have no idea that Donald Trump and crew were able to just slide on in the back door of this hotel. He is supposed to speak, just a reminder to you. This is the California Republican Convention starting today. All the different Republican candidates will be addressing this crowd over the course of the week. Donald Trump happens to be first. It's lunchtime there in California. Folks are seated and they're

probably little confused, as well, as far as why this has been slow to begin, although many of them probably saw some of the protesters outside and put two and two together.

I have Jason Carroll, who is inside the location and can talk to us a little bit about what's been discussed as they have been waiting for their featured speaker today.

Jason Carroll, to you.

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, I have to tell you that a number of people that we have spoken to here inside, they're well aware of what's going on outside.

And, in fact, Brooke, when you try to even get to the front of the lobby, you're met by armed police who are standing there watching and making sure everyone who comes in are supposed to be inside and anyone who wants to get outside for whatever reason can get outside, as well.

In talking to a number of people here, this is just sort of adding to what Trump has to try to overcome when he addresses the crowd here in this room. He's got to try to convince people that he can not only unite the party, but unite the country and beat Hillary Clinton. And it's going to be a tough hurdle to overcome when you come into the room here -- when he comes into the room here later on today with all of the protests we're seeing outside the hotel yesterday, the protests we saw in Costa Mesa last night, that he is someone who can unite as opposed to divide.

But certainly there are a number of his supporters here inside today and I want to bring in two of them.

They're sisters Katherine (ph) and Sabina (ph). And they wanted me to point out that they're also of Latina descent. They're Mexican Americans who support Donald Trump.

We have been talking about what is going on outside. Obviously, the issue of illegal immigration, a very divisive issue here in the state, one that both of you have very strong feelings about.

First of all, I want to talk about the protests outside before we get to that issue. Very quickly, you see what's happening outside. You have heard about what about's going on outside. Some of your thoughts about what's going on with your candidate.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I want the know what they want. We know that they think that he's racist. We know that they...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Like, just really don't like him. We get it. But how's protesting stopping him speaking to us, people who want to hear him speak, how's that furthering their movement? Why don't they try supporting the candidates a little bit more and buttressing their own arguments, instead of trying to belittle us?

[15:15:02]

I feel like it's almost just like they're just under pressure and they're just reacting.

CARROLL: Are you concerned at all because he is so divisive in some ways, he causes these types of reaction, that you're not going to be able to get to the issues that are most important to you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that he wants to do that. And it's really up to them to try to listen. And if they do not, that's their choice. And I feel like it's...

CARROLL: All right, thanks very much.

We're going to send it right back to you, Brooke -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: OK, Jason Carroll, thank you so much. Thank those two ladies for us.

I just want to be balanced and make sure we're hearing from folks inside obviously and those outside, as well.

Let's bounce back outside to Jeremy Diamond.

Jeremy, I'm looking at a lot of crowds that are walking toward that hotel. What are you seeing?

DIAMOND: Yes. We have about a couple hundred of protesters have now walked around. They tried to get in a different way.

They essentially ran over the barricades that were blocking a different section. They walked through the parking lot of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. They're now on the private property of the hotel and they're now trying to get in. They're standing at the door. They amassed near the door here. It's one of the doors to the hotel. Police officers are trying to block it.

I'm behind all the protesters so I can't exactly see what police officers are doing in front, but we're starting to see some protesters throwing eggs now in the direction of police officers who are blocking, again, the entrance to the hotel here where Donald Trump is set to speak momentarily.

We have several hundred protesters. They're chanting now. They're chanting, they're clapping their hands. They're trying to make some noise here as they try to get into this building or certainly at least make their voices heard, get their message across that they oppose Donald Trump coming to San Francisco, coming to this area and speaking here and spreading his message, a message that a lot of protesters here have told me they view as a message of hate, as a message of bigotry and division.

So, certainly the protesters are making their voices heard and they are now on private property again of the Hyatt Hotel here and they're trying to get in. BALDWIN: No, this is truly coming to a head. Again, we saw Donald

Trump able to slip in a side door. Again, he's supposed to address the crowd, this state convention there, Republican Party state convention.

But you are seeing the crowd, the protests, the chants ringing out just outside, as Jeremy mentioned, a couple hundred. Jeremy, by the way, has been covering Donald Trump since he announced his candidacy, since last June.

So, Jeremy, again, I think it's important to reiterate how this crowd compares to what you have seen over the last however many months.

DIAMOND: Yes. It certainly is up there as far as the kinds of protests that we have seen at Donald Trump events. Again, not uncommon at all for these protests to happen at Donald Trump events. They happen at almost every one of his events, but they're sometimes just a dozen people chanting outside of where he is speaking.

Today, we are in the San Francisco area, a very liberal area, liberal part of the country, and you have several hundred, perhaps (AUDIO GAP) hundred people out here now and they're protesting and it's certainly a significant development. Again, this is not like what we saw last night where Donald Trump speaking outside of the Los Angeles area.

We saw some violence actually erupt there. We saw several scuffles break out between protesters and Trump supporters, including one Trump supporter whose face was bloodied after he was punched in the face. We also saw police cars damaged. One police care at least had its window smashed in, the back window of the police car.

So certainly not the same scene here, but, again, we saw some confrontations between protesters and police officers. When those protesters tried to rush over the barricades, what we saw was police officers pushing them back stiffly, using their batons and trying to get these protesters away from the hotel, keep them from entering this hotel where Donald Trump is supposed to speak today and John Kasich and Ted Cruz will speak tonight and tomorrow.

Of course, these protesters protesting Donald Trump more than any oft other Republican candidates. A lot of signs here talk about Donald Trump, talking about dump Trump, one of the slogans of the anti-Donald Trump protest movement. And so that's what we are seeing right now.

BALDWIN: Donald Trump was supposed to be speaking 20 minutes ago. This crowd perhaps a curve ball, although, listen, this is -- protests in politics is nothing new. We know they had to anticipate this. But Donald Trump did, and let's show the video as we were watching it all happen live -- we saw it on the motorcade pulled a U-turn, pulled off to the side of this highway here in Burlingame, California.

Look to the center of the screen and you will recognize him in a second there, Mr. Trump himself surrounded by presumably Secret Service, bodyguards, et cetera, all heading up terrorists ramp, crossing over this grassy median and into the side door, slipping into the side door to attend the California GOP Convention, where again he was supposed to speak 20 minutes ago.

[15:20:11]

Let's pivot back to Jason Carroll, who is inside where Mr. Trump should take to that podium.

But I understand, Jason, an announcement was just made. What was said?

CARROLL: An announcement made just a few moments ago, Brooke, basically coming up and saying that Donald Trump is here. He is inside the Hyatt.

He is inside a VIP room. The man who got up there telling the crowd, he said, look, basically we know what's happening outside and we know there are a number of protesters who are outside this venue. But he said Donald Trump will, in fact, speak, that he is here. But there's going to be a slight delay.

And, you know, I have to tell you after speaking to a number of people here in the room, this just sort of feeds into those who are sort of on the fence between Trump and a Cruz and a Kasich, concerned about whether or not this is the man to unite the party when he causes things like what we saw last night in Costa Mesa, like what we saw in Chicago and now what we're seeing here with the number of protesters who are outside.

So this is what Trump is going to have to overcome in the room. He will have to convince people here in the room that he is a uniter. Also, within his own party, as you know, many of the people who are sitting at many of these chairs are GOP insiders, many of the people he's been so critical of in the past.

So, he's got that hurdle to overcome here as well, a tall order as we now await Donald Trump to take the stage and address the crowd -- Brooke. BALDWIN: Great reporting, great color from the room. Jason Carroll, hearing from both obviously Republicans and those outside who are protesting.

Watching and waiting to see and, by the way, we will absolutely take it live when Donald Trump addresses this audience there in Burlingame, California. Even see if he addresses this scene outside and the lengths that he and his crew went to, to make sure they were there in attendance.

I have Susan Page, who has been good enough to sit along with us here, Washington bureau chief for "USA Today."

Susan Page, to you point, I'm sitting here and I'm looking at folks and to Jason's point, people are fed up on both sides of the political spectrum. Right? And so is this -- is what we're looking at just the beginning of what could come here this year?

PAGE: You know, I think that's right, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Wow.

PAGE: You know, Americans have a very high tolerance for protests. We're a country that was founded on protest. But they have a low tolerance for violence, either violence by protesters or violence against protesters.

And I think this may be one oft challenges that we will need to see from both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump as if they turn out to be the nominees on what approach they take, what rhetoric they take, what tone they take toward the big protests that I think they both are likely get when they're out there campaign.

Susan Page, stay with me. Let me bring in another voice, Michael Smerconish, host of CNN's "SMERCONISH."

Michael, I don't know how long you have -- I don't know if you have been glued to the TV, obviously, as I have been, hosting the show in the last hour and 20 minutes, but what a scene in California. Donald Trump sort of slipping in the side of this building set to speak momentarily at the California state convention for Republicans. What do you make of this?

MICHAEL SMERCONISH, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I guess I would amplify what Susan just said, which is to say that protests, there's a healthy tradition of it in the country, but if it crosses a line, if it becomes violent, if people now start to behave in a bad fashion, it will be politically to his benefit.

BALDWIN: Why?

SMERCONISH: Because I think that it will stir his base. He is winning this thing, Brooke, based on passion. You know, he may not have the numbers. The irony is that he's a relatively unpopular candidate within the Republican Party when you look at some of those negatives among women in particular.

But what he has going for him is a core constituency that thus far has shown a willingness to walk through fire. And if they see protesters playing dirty with their candidate, I think it will harden that base even more if that's possible and guarantee that they're there on Election Day.

BALDWIN: Susan was making the point it could be a Donald Trump vs. Hillary Clinton, two figures who are deeply polarizing in this country.

Let me follow up with you, Michael, in just a second, but I want to pop back outside and in the middle of all of this has been Jeremy diamond, who's been phenomenal through it all.

Jeremy Diamond, I understand you have an update on the protests. Go for it. I think he just dropped. Let's have him -- do we have him?

Jeremy Diamond, it's Brooke. Can you hear me?

OK. We will check back in a minute, because I want to make sure we get that update. We're going to stay on these pictures.

Mr. Smerconish, We saw last night -- listen, we have seen violence in protests in this cycle before. Last night, though, it seemed to hit a new level in Costa Mesa, California. It was outside of a different Trump rally.

[15:25:05]

Jeremy Diamond happened to be in the midst of that as well. Some bloody protesters, windows shattered. I just -- I don't know. I almost sit here speechless. You know, it's fascinating covering politics. Obviously, politics and protests have been hand and hand and a tradition in this country for years and years, but I'm worried this might get worse.

SMERCONISH: Well, I had a different reaction. I share what you just said. But I had a different reaction based on the venue. I just spoke a month ago in Orange County, California. Orange County, California, is the traditional origin of modern conservatism.

You mention Orange County, California, I think of Richard Nixon. I think of the rise of Nixon in Yorba Linda. I think of the John Birch Society, a more extreme element within the conservative movement, having once called it their home.

And it used to be among the most reliable Republican counties in the nation, Brooke, and yet, when I learned as I spoke to the Orange County Business Council a month or so ago, Orange County, if it's not already, is in the process of becoming majority minority.

And I just -- I thought that there was some significance to the changing demographics of the country that of all the locales, 3,100 counties in the United States, of all the counties where Donald Trump, who is the front-runner, could go and receive a hostile reaction, it was Orange County, which 30 years ago would have been where you would expect the GOP front-runner to be welcomed with open arms, if that makes sense.

BALDWIN: It does. It does. And to your point, as you point out, Orange County, L.A. Area, that was the reception last night.

And, again, you know, Burlingame, this is Bay Area, this is San Francisco, this is a very liberal population here.

Stay with me, Michael Smerconish.

Let me try once again here, technology willing.

Jeremy Diamond, if you can hear me, I understand you have an update.

DIAMOND: I can hear you, Brooke. Can you hear me, Brooke?

BALDWIN: I can hear you. I understand you have an update on all of these protests. Go ahead.

DIAMOND: Yes. Yes. So the protesters have now worked the way to a third door. By the main entrance first. Then they moved to a door around the side after they were able to get across the barricades and on to the parking lot.

And now they have moved to a third door where they're again staking their claim, trying to get through a line of police officers still able to keep the protesters from getting inside of the building. We hear (AUDIO GAP) Donald Trump, using an expletive, saying "F Donald Trump."

That's one of the (AUDIO GAP) protesters out here have been chanting. A lot of them have signs. They have a lot of signs about Donald Trump saying dump Trump. Some of them have Donald Trump pinatas as well and some Mexican flags as well.

So, certainly, these are the kinds of signs from protester who protest Donald Trump events around the country. But this is a little bit different because you have really several hundred people here truly well-organized protesters as well, I have to (AUDIO GAP) the fact that they were able to cross over barricades not once, but twice actually, and move to three different doors of this hotel (AUDIO GAP) significant in scale and also in organization as far as the protests are concerned, not what we saw last night in Costa Mesa, California, where you did see some violence.

Here -- you know, last night, we saw some scuffles between Trump supporters and protesters, as well as some damage to police cars. What we see here today, we saw some scuffles between protesters and police officers. But that was mainly police officers pushing protesters back as they were trying to storm the entrance, using their batons, of, pushing the protesters back to make sure that they couldn't get into this event where Donald Trump is speaking.

BALDWIN: Jeremy, do me a favor, because we're all hanging on your every word.

If you could move a little closer to the camera, your microphone, it's breaking up just a bit. And I just want to make sure we hear everything crystal-clear.

Let me follow up with you. If you're telling me that they're now at a third entrance, obviously, they're trying to breach the building, what essentially -- we're talking about a couple hundred protesters. Ratio of law enforcement to protesters there, what are you seeing?

DIAMOND: It's hard to judge right now, but there certainly more protesters than there are police officers.

A number -- most of the police officers that I can see from my vantage point are still around the main entrance of the hotel. That's a main entrance that has several doors, of course. You have another group of police officers, hard to see from where I am how many exactly, but there's a smaller group of police officers blocking the door where most of the protesters are right now.

But definitely police officers here prepared for the situation. They are out here in riot gear. They have helmets on, and they have their batons at the ready. Protesters making a lot of noise out here. Some of them even had groggers. And they were chanting very loudly.

And now we can hear some drums as well. So, protesters, even if they're not able to make it inside of the hotel, they're certainly going to make sure that they can be heard as loudly as they can protesting Donald Trump, saying that they do not believe that he should be allowed to spread his message.