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Donald Trump Makes Immigration A Defining Issue In Election Cycle; Sanders Holds News Conference Year After Campaign Launch; Obama Slays Media, Critics, and Himself; Senator Sanders Holds Press Conference In Indiana; Ted Cruz Campaigning in Lafayette, Indiana; New Developments In Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl's Court Martial; History Being Made In Miami Today. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired May 01, 2016 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:00] SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: A man who despite all of the scientific evidence thinks that climate change is a hoax. A man who thinks we should not raise the starvation wage minimum wage of 7.25 an hour. I think in the general election no matter who runs against him, this guy will not be a strong candidate. Now, I know and you should know what Trump is trying to do. He is trying to --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's saying it's your voice, you as her rival helping him make the argument, it's not the research, the fact you are saying --

SANDERS: No. I think that's nonsense and I'm glad to see that, you know, he manages to get through to some media making that point. What is a campaign about? A campaign is supposed to be about not just political gossip, it's actually supposed to be about the differentiating the points of view candidates have.

Secretary Clinton and I have different points of view on a number of issues. And I have tried my hardest to run an issue oriented campaign, explaining to the American people the differences that we have. Now, I may be old fashioned but that's kind of what I think democracy is supposed to be about.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: And we will continue to monitor this Q&A and bring you any updates.

Meanwhile, the Republican race for a nominee is over. At least according to Donald Trump, anyway. Riding high off of this new poll out of Indiana showing a 15-point lead, Trump told FOX News Ted Cruz should just quit now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you win Indiana Tuesday, is this race over?

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes, it's over. I think it's over now. But it's over. Cruz cannot win. He has no highway. He has nothing. He is way behind. I'm leading him by millions and millions of votes and I'm leading him by 400 or 500 delegates. He can't win. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SAVIDGE: Trump is holding back to back rallies today in Indiana. So let's get straight to Jessica Schneider who is in Fort Wayne where Trump holds a rally just about an hour from now.

And Jessica, Friday we saw a huge protest at Trump's speech there in California. And I'm wondering, any protesters there today in Indiana?

JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Martin, the protesters out here in Fort Wayne paling in comparison to the California contingent. Outside now just about two dozen protesters, though, largely staying very peaceful. Inside the arena here, a 13,000 seat capacity that's been flowing and steadily filling up since the doors opened here at 12:30 this afternoon.

Just behind, some local lawmakers are warming up the crowd before Donald Trump gets here in about an hour. Donald Trump now enroot from Terre Haute, Indiana, where he is likely riding high like you said given that 15-point lead in the latest poll over Ted Cruz. Donald Trump saying this morning the race essentially over, that you heard him say Ted Cruz has got nothing.

One thing Ted Cruz does have, however, the endorsement of Indiana Governor Mike Pence that happened on Friday. A bit of a tepid endorsement, Mike Pence, actually as part of that endorsement praising Donald Trump saying he praised him for a strong support of Hoosier jobs and Donald Trump saying this morning Governor Pence's own endorsement didn't quite seem like he was loving it -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: Trump was a major punch line last night at the White House correspondents' dinner. Historically, Trump just can't let things lye. I wonder, did he respond in any way to what was said last night about him?

SCHNEIDER: Well, Martin, interestingly, it's actually one of the reasons why Donald Trump did not go to the White House correspondents' dinner. Last night he is saying this morning that he didn't go because he didn't want to be one of those stupid people sitting there and not being able to say anything. However, he did somewhat praise President Obama saying that Obama did a good job. That it was comedy. That it was a nice job that he did. President Obama, of course, poking fun on both sides of the aisle, bipartisan comedy show. But he did wonder aloud why Donald Trump wasn't there given the fact that there were so many cameras and journalists, all things that Donald Trump loves, especially the big crowds just like we're seeing right now in Fort Wayne, Indiana -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: All right. Jessica Schneider, thanks very much. She anticipates Donald Trump there.

Let's go back to Bernie Sanders. He has been speaking in Washington.

Jeff Zeleny has been there asking question and listen. Jeff, how did it go? JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Martin, I

think you heard Senator Sanders quite clearly that he intends to keep going forward here and intends to keep fighting. Interestingly that he is making this argument today on this Sunday, Martin. Several days have gone by where there's been some sort of been disarray and some different points of view between some advisers to senator Sanders, you know, how much he wanted to stay in this race. So clearly, we've gotten -- we've heard from him that he is going to stay in.

But he said so himself that the road is very tough here and the math is just so difficult here. Buy, you know, he is going to keep making his case out there and he handed out some charts that, you know, made point that some of these superdelegates in the states that he won, you know, should be supporting him.

But the reality here is, Martin, even if they did, the math just simply does not exist for him to overtake Hillary Clinton in the fight for delegates here. So that's what he's up against. He -- I asked him if his words contributed to what Donald Trump is saying here. Donald Trump said look, I'm going to use Bernie Sanders' argument in my campaign and he said, you know, essentially that Republicans can fund their own opposition research campaign, that his words will not end it.

And Martin, I think most importantly, he ended it with saying he wants to everything he can to make sure that Donald Trump is not the Republican nominee. I think that is probably what Democratic leaders want to hear. That means he is not going to sort of go nuclear here and keep fighting once this primary calendar is over. But California, New Jersey vote on June 7th. More than a month to go here. Bernie Sanders making the case even though it's a tough road. He says he is still going to try and climb that road. So he will be in Indiana tonight and campaigning in Indiana tomorrow again, Martin.

[15:06:15] SAVIDGE: Yes. And all the way to California.

Jeff Zeleny, thank you very much for that update.

Up next, more from last night's correspondents' dinner. The president didn't hold anything back.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Ted had a tough week. He went to Indiana, Hoosier country. Stood on a basketball court and called the hoop a basketball ring. Sure, I'm the foreign one?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:09:50] SAVIDGE: Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, remember him? You know, the politics, it may have been lost. But there new developments in the court-martial of Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl. He is charged with desertion and misbehavior. That is misbehavior before the enemy for walking away from his post in Afghanistan in 2009. Bergdahl was captured by Taliban and he was held for nearly five years until a prisoner swap.

Now his trial which had been delayed since February in a dispute over classified material can go ahead according to the U.S. Army court of criminal appeals. The defense has won access to hundreds and thousands of pages of classified information that it says it needs for Bergdahl's defense.

The lead attorney is Eugene Fidell and he is joining us now via Skype.

And let me start by asking you sir, thank you very much for joining us. How important is the release of this information? And I understand that there's still an appeal that could block it once more. But should you get it? How important are these documents to you?

EUGENE FIDELL, BERGDAHL'S ATTORNEY: Well, it's hard to tell because we haven't seen the best bulk of these documents. We have been told that there's something like 300,000 pages of classified documents. But the government hasn't indicated to us, you know, how they selected these 300,000 pages. We understand that the government's view is that they are material and relevant. But at the moment it's kind of a needle in a haystack. We don't have a road map to tell us what this is all about except that the government says there's a great deal of it.

SAVIDGE: Certainly hundreds and thousands of pages there. Clearly, there must be what -- this covers the entire period which he was held? And does it sort of describe the circumstances of how he was held or the efforts to try to reclaim it?

FIDELL: Well, I can't tell you what it describes because number one, it's classified --

SAVIDGE: But I imagine you wouldn't go after it if you didn't at least have an inclination of something?

FIDELL: Well, what I can tell you is what we understand, which is these are materials that relate in some way to the entire period that the government has said is of concern under the second charge, which is the misbehavior before the enemy charge. I will say that much if not all of this could have been avoided if the government had not decided to add that second charge and go with desertion charge.

SAVIDGE: The second charge is the most serious. It carries what, a potential of life in prison, right.

FIDELL: Yes, that's what it carries.

SAVIDGE: Well, let me ask you this. Why do you think the prosecution did not want you to have all of these documents?

FIDELL: Well, there's no question that the government has an interest in preserving the sanctity of documents that are properly classified. Sometimes the government, as we all know, classifies things that don't deserve to be classified. But the notion that the government would want to be careful about preserving the country secrets is, you know, that's hardly a surprise in this day in age. We know that it's on the administration's mind, that's perfectly right. And we don't have any heart burn over it. The question is, whether the approach the government took could how these documents are supposed to be protecting was called for and three judges on the U.S. army court of criminal appeals, three colonels, very respected individuals, rejected the government's position as unwarranted.

SAVIDGE: As we go forward now and when this court-martial takes place, do you have a sense what the opening argument will be to the military court?

FIDELL: Not yet. But you know, that's perfectly clear I think, what the general Tener of the battle space is. This is a case involving a person who is held against his will for nearly five years by ruthless blood thirsty adversaries in a rough part of the world. And you know, there's no way of getting around that as a major issue in the case.

SAVIDGE: He did leave his post though. I mean, that is without any doubt.

FIDELL: Well, we never addressed the merits of the case outside of the courtroom. So I'll have to back off of that if you don't mind. But the general outlines I think are probably pretty well known by now. There is going to be a substantial question of whether this extenuation of mitigation related in large part to the fact that he was held as captive for five years. And by the way, he is already lost as a practical matter nearly two more years waiting for this case to come to trial.

SAVIDGE: When do you think he'll see these documents?

FIDELL: Beat's me.

SAVIDGE: Eugen Fidell, we will check back with you. Thank you very much for joining us today.

FIDELL: My pleasure.

SAVIDGE: Coming up, history in the making, after 50 years, the first U.S. cruise ship headed directly to Havana. We'll have a live report from outside the ship straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:18:28] SAVIDGE: History being made in Miami today. For the first time in half a century, a U.S. cruise Ship with American tourists on board is about to leave for Cuba and they are traveling in style, on a carnival cruise ship. The cruise line CEO calls it an historic honor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARNOLD DONALD, CEO, CARNIVAL CORPORATION: To be a part of truly making history and preparing for an even more positive future for everyone is one of the greatest honors any company can have. So to be a part of being the first people to be able to sale from the U.S. to Cuba and back, including those who were born in Cuba is a tremendous privilege and honor. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SAVIDGE: Well, a lot of us fought hard to cover this story, but CNN's Boris Sanchez is the lucky one. He is dockside as the ship is ready now to hoist anchor.

I imagine that there is a lot of excitement there, Boris. Really, this is -- is it a cruise? It's more like a ferry ride. It is not that far, but what's the anticipation like?

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Martin. A lot of anticipation and a lot of excitement, really, as we got in the port today. There was band playing. There was a band playing on a boat. There are all kinds of Cuban themed activities planned. So this is a voyage that almost didn't happen. Part of the reason why is because Cuba has a cold war era law that says that no Cuban is allowed to enter the country via ship. That force carnival essentially to ban any Cubans from buying tickets aboard this cruise. And you might imagine the reception to that news was not welcome here in Miami among the Cuban-American community.

There were protests outside much carnival headquarters and class action lawsuit filed against the company until they eventually relented and said that they would delay any trip to Cuba until the Cuban government changed the law. Less than a week later the Cuban government came out and announced just that. They were changing the law. And so, we are here today with a lot of excitement in the air, but also a lot of tension as well.

Just outside the port, about 10 to 12 protesters were gathered arguing against this voyage. There was a boat a short while ago draped in Cuban flags with anti-Castro signs. The name of the boat of course democracy and it was circling around here. I did speak to a lot of passengers, though, who told me that they did not want politics to interfere in this historic occasion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[15:20:49] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My grandmother went way back in the day before it was ever closed and so just being able to go there and meet the people and see the people, it will be meaningful to us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: And all 600 cabins aboard the Adonia are packed.

To give you an idea, one of these ocean view rooms is about 2500 bucks. So there's a lot of interest in going to Cuba. And this could really be a gauge for relations between the two countries moving forward. If there's smooth sailing ahead here it could mean that we will see more cooperation and interaction between American companies and Cuban government, Martin.

SAVIDGE: Yes. How long does that cruise take, by the way, Boris?

SANCHEZ: It's a 7-day cruise and it is stopping in three cities. They are stopping in Lavana, as well as (INAUDIBLE) and Santiago (INAUDIBLE). The stop in Havana is actually tomorrow afternoon. So they really just going to be drifting in the ocean for quite a few hours which should be a relatively short trip. It seems like they are going to take their time and enjoy it.

SAVIDGE: Well, enjoy it, I hope they do. Hope it's first of many for all.

All right. Boris Sanchez, thanks very much.

Up next, more from last night's correspondents' dinner, the president delivering some harsh words to the RNC chairman. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: GOP chairman Reince Priebus is here as well. Glad to see that you feel that you've earned a night off. Congratulations on all of your success, the Republican Party, the nomination process, it's all going great. Keep it up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:25:23] SAVIDGE: Hello, thanks for joining me. I'm Martin Savidge in for Fredricka Whitefield.

Tuesday is primary in Indiana, may be a make it or break it moment for the Republican candidates. There's Ted Cruz. He is holding a rally in Lafayette in Indiana. So let's just listen in for a bit.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But the real question is, do you understand the principles and values that made America great in the first place?

(APPLAUSE)

CRUZ: The heart of our economy is not Washington, D.C., the heart of our economy is small businesses all across the United States of America. And if you want to unleash economic growth, you have got to take the boot of the federal government off the back of the necks of small businesses.

(APPLAUSE)

CRUZ: Ronald Reagan understood and before him John F. Kennedy understood that when you cut taxes and lift regulations on small businesses, the result is millions and millions of new high paying jobs. I intend to follow the path blazed by Ronald Reagan and JFK.

(APPLAUSE)

CRUZ: If I'm elected president, we will repeal every word of Obamacare.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) SAVIDGE: And you're listening to Texas senator Ted Cruz campaigning there in Lafayette in Indiana, a state that's very crucial to him.

Republican front-runner Donald Trump is also campaigning there today. These are live pictures of his second rally of the day that is about to get started in Fort Wayne. Earlier today he was in Terre Haute. So let's go to CNN's Jeremy Diamond who is there.

And Jeremy, let me ask you this, how critical is an Indiana victory for Donald Trump. We know, you know, of course, it's key for Ted Cruz, but what about for Donald Trump? How important is a victory there?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Well, Donald Trump today certainly raving the stakes for a victory in Indiana. He was talking today about how we have to win Indiana and saying that if we win Indiana it's over. That was a quote from Donald Trump speaking earlier today in Terre Haute.

But Donald Trump certainly suggesting that if he can win in Indiana, he can essentially rally the party and unify the party, you know. We have seen his path to the nomination become increasingly clear and a win in Indiana could increasingly solidify that path. Donald Trump today saying those words as a new poll from NBC/"Wall Street Journal" is showing Donald Trump 15 points up in the state of Indiana. That's his biggest lead yet in the state and he is certainly hoping for that kind of big victory on Tuesday.

And so, he is suggesting that while, you know, a win for him would be a great thing. It's certainly critical for Ted Cruz suggesting that if he wins in Indiana that Ted Cruz and John Kasich, his two remaining rivals in the Republican primary should drop out.

SAVIDGE: And so, I'm wondering as you listen to his campaign speeches today, whether his rhetoric seems to be changing, in other words that he is focusing more on Hillary Clinton, a rival on the fall or is he still focus on his rivals currently?

DIAMOND: Well, it was interesting. He was kind of playing a bit of a double game today. You know, on one hand saying I need to win in Indiana. I need to win the Republican nomination so that I can focus on Hillary Clinton. And on the other hand saying that well, you know, he is hitting Hillary Clinton at the same time. You know he is already doing it. Today he was talking about how crooked she is, that's the new moniker that he has made up for her, crooked Hillary. And he was saying that she is so crooked that she should run the government in Iraq. Those were the words for Donald Trump today.

So he is playing a double game, but he is definitely has not let up on attacking his rivals. He was mocking them today saying that they are essentially hanging on by their fingertips both John Kasich and Ted Cruz are now mathematically eliminated from clinching the Republican nomination on the first ballot. They are now ping their hopes on keeping Donald Trump from reaching the threshold so they in turn can win on the second or third ballot when a lot of these delegates become unbound. SAVIDGE: Right, in Cleveland, we'll see.

Jeremy Diamond, thank you very much for joining us today.

I want to bring in now CNN Republican strategist Brian Morgenstern and columnist and co-author of the party is over, Ellis Henican.

Let me ask you this, both. If Trump, if he wins Indiana and declares that it's all over, is he really right? And let me start by asking you that, Brian?

[15:30:20] BRIAN MORGENSTERN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: No, although it's a good campaign strategy to get that sort --

SAVIDGE: Absolutely.

MORGENSTERN: And try to, you know, get the coverage leaning in that direction so he can kind of steam roll the opponents to the side and get the rest of the way there. So I won't deny that a win for Trump in Indiana would be very helpful in that regard.

Although, I think in terms of the actual math, it's a bit premature because there are a whole lot of states left, including California which is going to have over 50 congressional district based mini primaries essentially because that is how they will allocate their delegates. So there's a heck of a lot more to go in this. But of course Trump is doing what Trump should do strategically which is, you know, play this off as when I win Indiana, this baby is over and try to get that momentum to carry him over the top.

SAVIDGE: And that is the way you would expect that he would play it.

Ellis, it's said that Trump wanted the endorsement of the governor of Indiana. And he didn't get it. It went to Ted Cruz. However, he did get the endorsement from former Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight. Who do you think is the more powerful endorsement to have?

ELLIS HENICAN, POLITICAL COLUMNIST: Bobby Knight throws a chair a whole lot better. You got to give him that. Listen. He is so Trump, isn't he? I mean, Mike Pence is nice but in fact that endorsement of Cruz was lackluster, is that a good word for it? No.

Listen. Donald is romping. It is pretty much over. I mean, maybe lightning will strike but Donald is going to be the nominee.

SAVIDGE: So let's look forward then, Ted Cruz was on "Face the Nation" this morning. He was talking about a prospect of contested convention there in Cleveland. Listen to what he has to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But if in Cleveland your scenario were to go forward the person who has millions more votes, that won't change, he will go to the convention. Donald Trump will, with millions more human being votes, real people, regular folks supporting him and you are hoping to overthrow that with more delegates. In a situation where delegates over people, won't that lead to riots?

CRUZ: No, it won't. Although Donald may do everything he can to encourage riots.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAVIDGE: I wish, you know, all sides would stay away from that.

Ellis, what about this? This comes up repeatedly. Cleveland is going to be the site of great unrest and rioting. Certainly, I'm sure the (INAUDIBLE) when they hear that. But are there real concerns about unrest with this convention? And should they be legitimately taken?

HENICAN: It will be a wild scene. I mean, we are a country that has a lot of verbal (INAUDIBLE) in it, right. People will turn out a lot of badges (ph). But you know what, there's a big police force there. They will keep them in pins. Life will go on.

SAVIDGE: What about inside the convention arena.

HENICAN: That too.

MORGENSTERN: Well, you know, I think there's going to be -- you're going to have passion on both sides from within the party, the people who don't want Trump to be the nominee and also protesters from outside the party. I think in terms of the intraparty strive, if he gets to 1237 on the first ballot, he was going to have a lot of people not go. And so, I think that may minimize the sort of, you know, inside the convention center problems unless the outside protesters are somehow credentialed than able to get in. And you know, that could be a security issue.

SAVIDGE: Let me look at the delegate count so far. Trump has raked in more than a thousand delegates in his pursuit of the magic number. You already said 1237. So are we at that point where the GOP establishment is starting to accept Donald Trump will be the party's nominee, Ellis?

HENICAN: Yes, I mean that's what all of the long faces are about. You'll even notice it among some of those never Trump people and even some of the aides to Cruz I think kind of exulting the notion that they recognize. The slump shoulders, watch the slump shoulder. They recognize it's pretty much done.

SAVIDGE: Yes. The body language says it all right there.

All right. CNN Republican strategist Brain Morgenstern and columnist Ellis Henican, thank you both for joining us and talking to me. Appreciate it.

MORGENSTERN: Thanks, Martin.

SAVIDGE: And we have this reminder. Don't forget, don't miss tomorrow's CNN special, we got him. That's our Peter Bergen. He has spoken exclusively with the president on the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: After the discussions with the principals it was clear to me that this was going to be our best chance to get bin Laden, that if in fact we did not take the action, that he might slip away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAVIDGE: Decisions like this are why voting for president is so important. Make sure to watch CNN's "AC 360 special, we got him, President Obama, bin Laden on the war on terror." That will be tomorrow night 8:00 eastern time only on CNN.

We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:38:39] SAVIDGE: With an ever expanding delegate lead, Donald Trump has pretty much proclaimed himself a presumptive nominee. But rival, Ted Cruz, well, he would beg to differ touting two reason high profile endorsements. In an interview with Jake Tapper on CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CRUZ: Well, it's been a very good week for us. We are seeing Republicans continue and to unite behind our campaign. Obviously, and Indiana Governor Pence is incredibly well respected and having his support I think is very, very meaningful as voters head into Election Day on Tuesday.

Here in California, having Governor Pete Wilson's support is a big, big deal. He is someone who had earned a lot of respect this this state and it's very meaningful. California is likely to decide this entire battle. And then of course, earlier this week, announcing my vice presidential nominee of Carly Fiorina, the energy and excitement that we have seen from that has been incredible. And our focus really, we've got to unite the party if we're divided we lose. And so, we are working to bring the party together. And I think this week was a big manifestation of that.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Senator, as you know there are those who look at you bringing on Carly Fiorina as your running mate and say that this is a desperation move.

CRUZ: Well, look. That was certainly the attack of Donald Trump and nobody was surprised to see Donald attacking. You know, he really has four responses to any outside stimulus. He either yells or screams or curses or insults. And so, it's no surprise that he went with insult there.

The reality is simple. This is an unusual election but I think it is important to give the voters a clear contrast, a clear choice. And I think you could not have a clearer choice between Carly and me on one hand and Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton on the other. Hillary and Donald, they are flip sides of the same coin. They agree

with each other on issue after issue after issue. They are both big government New York liberals. They are both Washington insider. Hillary has made millions selling power and influence in Washington. And Trump has made billions buying politicians like Hillary Clinton.

I think people are fed up with the bipartisan corruption of Washington that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton embody and they want instead a positive forward looking optimistic campaign. And the similarities between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, you know they were highlighted this week when John Boehner as you know took a shot at me.

TAPPER: That's right. He called you Lucifer in the flesh.

CRUZ: Well, you know, I think Boehner kind of let out his inner Trump and, you know, he has some colorful imagery there. But it's interesting when Boehner was attacking me, he praised Hillary Clinton. He thinks she is terrific and he praised Donald Trump. HE said Donald Trump is his friend, is his golfing buddy, his texting buddy. And there's a reason if you like -- if you want to see the next president as John Boehner Republican, then Donald Trump is your man.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SAVIDGE: And speaking of Donald Trump, don't miss him tomorrow morning on CNN. He joins "NEW DAY" at 7:00 eastern time. That's one day ahead of that all-important Indiana primary.

In the meantime, we will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:45:28] SAVIDGE: President Obama is getting rave reviews -- not everybody loved him, but a lot of people did for his performance at the final White House correspondents' dinner. This so-called nerd prom is Washington's yearly meeting of the political insiders and the press and of course the president and president for him it was his last chance to take a few shots media. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: I don't want to spend too much time on the Donald. Following your lead, I want to show some restraint because I think we can all agree from the start he has gotten the appropriate amount of coverage, befitting the seriousness of his candidacy. I hope you all are proud of yourselves. I would be remiss, let's give it up for our host Larry Wilmore.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: Also known as one of the two black guys who's not Jon Stewart. You're the South African guy, right? I also would like to acknowledge some of the award winning reporters that we have with us here tonight. Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Maria Shriver. Thank you all for everything that you've done. I'm just joking. As you know, Spotlight is a film, a movie about

investigative journalists with the resources and the autonomy to chase down the truth and hold the powerful accountable. Best fantasy film since "Star Wars."

That was maybe a cheap shot. I understand the news business is tough these days. It keeps changing all the time. Every year at this dinner somebody makes a joke about Buzzfeed, for example, changing the media landscape and every year the "Washington Post" laughs a little bit less hard.

Key staff are now starting to leave the White House. Even reporters have left me. Savannah Guthrie, she has left the White House press corps to host the "Today Show." Nora O'Donnell left the briefing room to host CBS "This Morning." Jake Tapper left journalism to join CNN.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAVIDGE: I'm joined now by historian and Princeton University professor Julian Zelizer and "Washington Post" columnist Alexandra Petri.

Julian, let me start with you. High expectations placed on President Obama after his previous showing. So how would you say he did? It was the last one.

JULIAN ZELIZER, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: It was very good. He was very skilled at these events. He took some good shots at, you know, Republicans and he took some shots as we just saw at the press, which is something I think actually matters for him so the jokes were laced with a little anger as well. But I thought he was very effective.

SAVIDGE: Alexandra, you know, President Obama took a few shots not just at the media but also your newspaper in particular. So how did they go over with the reporters at the "Washington Post" at the table? You know, you were looking at these reporters. You see people laughing but you wonder, do they really think that's funny?

ALEXANDRA PETRI, COLUMNIST, THE WASHINGTON POST: Well, I have to clarify. I was not at the table but I believe the Post knows how to laugh at journalism as sort of dying relative rolled out at the dinner table. The newspapers gets skinnier and skinnier each morning as we are watching it (INAUDIBLE). But we're part of the whole buzz feed innovating things and in journalism of the future. But I think President Obama should host again next year. Honestly, he was terrific.

SAVIDGE: Yes. I do find that his sense of timing and his ability to deliver a line is not just they are written for him, his delivery is phenomenal.

Julian, this has become a marquee event in recent years with the public paying a lot more attention to it. So how has this dinner evolved over the years? Originally, it was just supposed to be the press and president and, you know, sort hang out and have a few drinks. ZELIZER: It was. First, it was the press and president. It was all

male event and that changes in the 1960s. But since the 1980s it's been a little bit Grammy and Oscar more than politics. You have the mix of celebrities there, including celebrities who play reporters, the press and president. This is all covered.

So I think it become a high profile event. It certainly not informal. And that's why the jabs that he took on Republicans like Trump, even a little on Hillary Clinton and on the press actually, you know, might resonate and gets some airtime out there. So this is an event now that matters.

[15:50:17] SAVIDGE: It does. I mean, I enjoy it because I get o to see a different side of the president of the United States I don't normally get to see.

Alexandra, you know, the other person up there was the comedian Larry Wilmore. I got to say, you know, of course it's a tough act to follow the president of the United States. But he did not get a very good reception, did he?

PETRI: Well, the poor room was full of groaners. And I think the president, he is hard act to follow as I'm sure Donald Trump will discover ultimately. But I always wonder who is sitting in the audience because back in 2011 when Seth Myers was, grilling Donald Trump so (INAUDIBLE), that was sort of the genesis for Trump 2016. He was sitting there getting more and more indignant as these jokes are made at his expense. And I kept wondering who is sitting in the audience that Larry Wilmore making his jokes sort of shaking their fist at the heavens. I'm thinking I got to return to (INAUDIBLE) and take over this comics joke show on stand like is Don Lemon going to have the candidacy now?

SAVIDGE: Well, I'm just shock at how many correspondents who are apparently covering the White House these days because that place was packed. Who all is there, Julian?

ZELIZER: Well, you know, the press right now, which we talk as the singular thing is quite vast from the internet to cable to the newspaper. So just packing all the White House correspondents from the various outlets there already takes up a lot of room. You have guests but now you also have celebrities. So you have, you know, people from television shows that play politicians like the president on "Scandal" or who played reporters. And so, you know, again, as this becomes an elevated event, more people are coming into this beyond the White House correspondents.

SAVIDGE: Well, I'm with you, Alexandra. I think that maybe President Obama should just become the annual host.

Julian Zelizer, thank you very much. Alexandra Petri, thank you for joining me.

PETRI: Thank you.

ZELIZER: Thanks. SAVIDGE: Good to see you.

Donald Trump's expected to hold a rally in Indiana. That will be at the top of the hour. We're there and we'll take you there live so stay here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:55:55] SAVIDGE: Donald Trump launched his presidential campaign nearly a year ago with an anti-immigration that inspired a wave of protest that continues to this very day. His campaign also gave rise to something unexpected, Latino activists supporting Trump.

CNN's Nick Valencia has that story.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump has a complicated relationship with Latinos. No doubt about that. He's angered immigrants' rights groups, but at the same time he has also done something that you are about to see is somewhat surprising. He's inspired some Latinos to speak up and speak out things that they had been thinking for years.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TRUMP: We went under a fence and through a fence. And oh, boy, I felt like I was crossing the border actually.

VALENCIA (voice-over): You've heard it before, a controversial comment on immigration by a Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

TRUMP: They are bringing drugs, they bringing crimes, they are rapists and some I assume are good people.

VALENCIA: Its remarks like this about Mexico that's inspired a new wave of Latino activism, both for and against the candidate.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Yes.

VALENCIA: Trump event in Janesville, Wisconsin in March we meet Miguel Fajardo, an adamant Trump supporter.

What do you say to those, Miguel, who are going to watch this and say I cannot believe that he is supporting Donald Trump? What do you say to those people?

MIGUEL FAJARDO, TRUMP SUPPORTER: All those people because those people around them, that is illegal immigrants in United States. So illegal that both --

VALENCIA: Fajardo says he emigrated from Mexico to the U.S. quote "the right way," legally. Now a U.S. citizen, he says Trump has empowered him, embolden him, even to speak up and speak out against illegal immigration.

FAJARDO: Yes, go build the walls. I have key to come in the right way. You have to come in the right way.

JORGE FLORES, ACTIVIST: I can't believe those Latino people support Donald Trump because those people, they forgot what they come from, you know.

VALENCIA: For the Flores family with Donald Trump surging they say it is a battle of survival. While four children were born in the U.S., parents Jose and Maria entered the country illegally. Under a Trump presidency, they fear their family will be broken up.

Because of Trump, the Flores family and many others like them have stepped up their activism for undocumented immigrants in an act of symbolism and pride, they say. At rallies they wave both the Mexican and American flags.

JESSIE FLORES, ACTIVIST: I think that everyone just wants to be proud where they came from but also wants to be part of the United States.

J. FLORES: And I would represent, we are united.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The next president of the United States, Mr. Donald J. Trump.

VALENCIA: Should Trump actually become the next president, he will likely do so with the help of Latinos, something Mexican supporter Miguel Fajardo says won't be a problem.

FAJARDO: He is the only one who can open the door and take it out all of the bad stuff for the White House.

VALENCIA: The Flores family couldn't disagree more.

J. FLORES: I want to send a message to Donald Trump, my children make America great.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not Donald Trump.

J. FLORES: Not Donald Trump.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA: Very poignant message there from Jose Flores saying his children make America great again not Donald Trump. Without question in 2016, Donald Trump has inserted immigration as a defining issue in the presidential cycle. There's 11 million undocumented immigrants in this country. Latinos make up more than half of those. And at 17 percent of the overall U.S. population, Latinos now are present in every state. They are the largest minority and half of those states. Latinos certainly have the capacity to reshape the American political system and they are using their voices to be more vocal both for and against Donald Trump -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: Just real quick, you know, Latinos we talk about immigration, of course. But they are more than just one sort of issue that affects them. VALENCIA: Not monolithic. We talked about that last hour. Right now

it's economics. Those that are supporting Donald Trump, those Latinos I should say, they want jobs. And they think a businessman will be the best person for this country as you heard there from Miguel Fajardo. It's also health care, it is also education. High rates of Latino dropout rates in high school. So they want somebody, a president, anybody, who can help change that.

SAVIDGE: Nick, thank you very much. Good to see you.

VALENCIA: Thanks, Martin.

SAVIDGE: Well, the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM, you are in luck, starts right now.