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Sara Palin Threatens to Campaign Against Paul Ryan in Congress; Ted Cruz Campaign Revealed a Supposed To Be Dream Team Against Donald Trump; The fires Did Not Grow As Large As Firefighters Feared in Canada; Protest at the Republican Convention in Manhattan. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired May 08, 2016 - 15:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[15:00:00] SARAH PALIN (R), FORMER VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think why Paul Ryan is doing this, it kind of screws his chances for the 2020 presidential bit that he is gunning for. If the GOP were to win now that wouldn't bode well for his chances in 2020 and that's what he's shooting for.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: And she was a little coy about a VP spot.

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JAKE TAPPER, CNN CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump is turning his attention, he says, to picking a running mate. Are you willing to be vetted for that job?

PALIN: I think pretty much as vet the as anybody in the country could be vetted already. So I think there are so many great people out there in America who can serve in this position. I think if someone wanted to choose me, they already know who I am and what I stand for. They wouldn't be in for any surprises.

TAPPER: So if he wanted to talk about the gig, your phone is right there?

PALIN: I want to help and not hurt, I'm such a realist that I realize there are a whole lot of people out there who would say anybody but Palin. I don't I wouldn't want to be a burden on the ticket. And I recognize that in many, many eyes, I would be that burden. So you know, I just want the guy to win. I want America to win. And I don't know if I would be the person that would be able to help him win, Jake.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's bring in CNN politics reporter Eric Bradner.

So Eric, would Trump be able to win with Sarah Palin on the ticket? ERIC BRADNER, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Well, vice presidential nominees

typically play the role of attack dog but it's usually attacking the other party's front-runner or candidate, not people within their own party, right.

Palin and Trump really sort of play to the same part of the Republican electorate. So it may not be a great match. But Palin is an effective attack dog because she really does sort of have the same sort of populist appeal that Trump does. We don't know what direction Trump is going to go with his vice presidential choice. Later on Jake's show this morning, Jan Brewer, the former Arizona governor kind of volunteered herself for the job. He could look for someone with some ties to Washington or maybe a governor or something like that.

WHITFIELD: Well, he says he wants someone with political experience because he says business, I got that but I with political experience.

BRADNER: That's right. He seems to know that he needs someone who can help him make deals on Capitol Hill. That's something that Trump talks a lot about a lot lately. He knows he is going to need to negotiate with legislators even if it his brand is strength and this idea he can get anything done through force of will.

WHITFIELD: And negotiation, the power of, you know, "the art of the deal," the negotiation. But then if he is the candidate that represents the anti-establishment, right, or the non-establishment, even if he says he wants a running mate, he would bring somebody in would have more political experience, does he essentially turn off the people who have been voting for him as the one who represents, you know, something other than Washington politics, politics as we know it?

BRADNER: Right. That's a great question because it would be sort if going off brand, right. But Trump also has this ability to sort of sell the decisions he makes. He reversed his position on the minimum wage, on taxes for the wealthy, that sort of thing just today. So he might be able to sell this idea that, you know, look, I'm the one who is this the sort of like anti-politician figure that can really shake things up. I need somebody to work behind the scenes.

He might be able to sort of sell his voters on the idea that something like that could help him but it's also a big risk to take if you're a sitting member of Congress or the Senate. We have seen a lot of members sort of resist getting on the Trump train so far. So it's a bit risky on both sides.

WHITFIELD: And then here is another example of kind of changing his own game plan, Eric. He has, you know, professed and has served him well that he is self-funded. That he doesn't own, you know, his vote and his persuasion isn't owned by anyone or any organization or any super PAC, et cetera. But then now he is saying in the general election and race for general election, now he is willing to raise money to take donations.

BRADNER: Right. WHITFIELD: What is the translation on that? Why is that not going

back on his word or is it a totally different race now and those who elected him in primaries would excuse that kind of change of plan?

BRADNER: Yes. Trump sort of foreshadow this before. He really does seem to be sort of setting this up as an entirely different race in the primary, right. He was actually able to win the primary not only by spending his own money but by doing kind of on the cheap. He was able to dominate media attention in every city he flew to for these mega rallies while other candidates were dwarfing him on the air waves. But the argument at least for Republican primary voters is that Hillary Clinton is an entirely different animal.

Now, one big negative about self-funding in the primary is that Trump didn't build a big list of potential donors, these people who have been coming out to his events. He can't now sort of turn and start tapping into them saying look, I don't want big, you know, lobbyist contributors. I want you all to give me a little bit of money. It's a little bit more difficult.

[15:05:48] WHITFIELD: He is hoping to jump on the bandwagon so to speak?

BRADNER: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Yes. All right. Eric Bradner, always good to see you. Thanks so much.

BRADNER: Thank you.

All right. And now to new and exclusive details CNN is learning about how serious the Cruz campaign was about a Cruz/Rubio ticket. And this image of what might have been a powerful picture, of what some who would call a dream unity ticket, Cruz/Rubio, 2016. Well, CNN has learned that top officials in the Cruz campaign are convinced that if Rubio would have agreed to be Ted Cruz's running mate, the presidential race would be a very different one today. The Cruz campaign even poll tested a Cruz/Rubio ticket in five states, Illinois, Arizona, Wisconsin, and North Carolina and Missouri. The results according to a Cruz source, blowout. Cruz/Rubio 65 percent. Trump, 35 percent. Representatives from the Cruz camp were sent to feel it all out but Rubio never expressed any interest.

Let's bring in Julian Zelizer. He is an historian and professor at Princeton University. Good to see you.

JULIAN ZELIZER, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right. So a lot of Monday morning, you know, quarterbacking here, a Cruz/Rubio ticket. Would that have helped stop that Trump movement?

ZELIZER: I'm not convinced. Look. As we saw Rubio did not do well in, you know, most of these primaries including in his own states, so I understand what Cruz is saying and you could imagine the possible excitement. But you know, it's not clear Rubio would have given in that balance and you could imagine a two senator campaign would actually play directly into Donald Trump's argument about being the anti-Washington candidate. So I don't think we can take the speculation as reality as simply speculation.

WHITFIELD: All right. And Trump seems to continue to hammer the GOP. He said this morning on ABC that he doesn't think the party needs to be unified. In other words, can he win even without the party's support in a very big way?

ZELIZER: Well, it is difficult. I do think he is going to need more Republicans to buy into his campaign. I think he wants their support. But I do think more Republicans will also come along at least to support the party ticket even if they are not supporting Trump personally. So I think right now you have a negotiation taking place where both sides are being tough with each other and trying to leverage as much as they can get going into the convention.

WHITFIELD: And then you write this in an opinion page for CNN this morning that Democrats should be extremely careful about becoming overconfident. There are many reasons the Democrats should fear Trump and anticipated campaign that is much closer and much tougher than they are expecting. What do you mean?

ZELIZER: Well, look. One scenario is take Democratic blowout and the Democrats do well in the White House and Senate and even the house. But as we see, Trump has proven to be a very good campaigner. He has a real constituency out there. And there's a lot of vulnerabilities that Hillary Clinton faces.

Look. Everyone said a few months ago this is someone who would not to be the nominee. He is now going to be the nominee. So now we are hearing predictions he can't win the general election. And I think we have to understand the electorate is more dynamic and uncertain than we expected. And I think certainly Democrats should think about that as they make their plans for the fall.

WHITFIELD: Julian Zelizer, good to see you. Thanks so much.

ZELIZER: Thank you. Thanks for having me.

WHITFIELD: All right. Coming up, we will turn to the Democratic side as Sanders is not giving up. So what is his political future looking like? And how are his supporters responding?

And SNL at it again. Dana Carvy (ph) re-prizing his role as the morally superior church lady at the expense of Ted Cruz.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Has anyone ever told you you're just a little preachy? Just a little bit. We like ourselves, don't we? Look at that face. We love ourselves because we think we're just a little bit -- there it is. That's that happy superior face because we love Jesus more than anybody.

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[15:12:54] SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, right now, we are focused on winning the democratic nomination. If that doesn't happen, we're going to fight as hard as we can on the floor of the democratic convention to make sure that we have a progressive platform that the American people will support and then after that certainly secretary Clinton and I can sit down and see where we go from there.

Senator Bernie Sanders leaving open the possibility of talks with Hillary Clinton about the path forward. But not before every state has had a chance to vote. Sanders is holding a rally in New Jersey in a couple of hours and CNN's Rachel Crane is there.

So Rachel, he is facing an uphill battle. Does that seem to be weighing on supporters at all there?

RACHEL CRANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, it certainly is an uphill battle. It is mathematically impossible that Sanders secures the nomination before the convention. But let me tell you, Sanders supporters there incredibly passionate as you can see behind me. There are thousands of people we're told that there are thousands more still in line outside. And when we asked some of the supporters whether their support for Sanders was waning because he's behind, we heard an adamant no. Take a listen.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bernie is, he is an amazing candidate for coming this far from coming from zero percent rating and now he is like head to head with Clinton. So I think it's an amazing battle. And I think it is going to be a contested convention. So I'm with him all the way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I saw there was an actually an honest man running for president, there is not enough I can possibly do to try to help. And I'm not wavering in the slight rest.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CRANE: This is not Sanders only event being held in New Jersey. Tomorrow morning he will be holding another rally in Atlantic City before the primary and for the Garden State on June 7th.

WHITFIELD: And so Sanders sharply criticized Clinton last week in Indiana. Are there concerns that his supporters may not vote for her in the general election if she were to win the nomination?

CRANE: Well Fred, it certainly is a mixed bag here. We spoke to a handful of people that did say the majority that Clinton was there sure second choice. But the majority of the people that we spoke to said that they are thinking about a third party candidate if Sanders does not win the nomination. We spoke to one more woman that said that she would go as far as to write in Sanders name on the ballot. And we even spoke to one man that said he is contemplating moving to Canada and that he was not kidding about it.

[15:15:22] WHITFIELD: OK. Rachel Crane, thanks so much. We'll go back to you.

All right. Coming up, tornadoes tear through Colorado and a massive twister is caught on camera. The latest next.

Plus, a wildfire larger than New York City. Why firefighters are having trouble containing it. We'll have a live report.

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[15:19:19] WHITFIELD: All right. Good news this afternoon about massive wildfires raging in Canada. The fires did not grow as large as firefighter fear they would. The burn area is still larger than the size of New York City and smoke is billowing as far away as Florida.

CNN's Paul Vercammen is live for us now in Edmonton, Alberta.

So Paul, people in the ground describing this as Armageddon.

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, they have, Fred. It was just amazing how that fire whipping through Fort McMurray. But the good news, as you highlighted, Fred, was that it is slowing down slightly despite the wind blowing all around me right now basically burning away from Fort McMurray toward (INAUDIBLE) border. Some have said they thought it would get to (INAUDIBLE) today but it has not as of yet. Firefighters really up against it hitting it with everything they have. Some 1500 firefighters in Alberta and many people praising them for their great work.

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[15:20:17] CAPT. ADAM BUGDEN, FORT MCMURRAY FIRE DEPARTMENT: And I have met more heroes in this experience than I've ever thought existed. Sorry.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's OK, Adam. It's OK.

BUGDEN: More firefighters and more emergency responders and police, and everybody that have given up their own homes that are safes, their own families that are waiting for them to come up in the middle of this beast help protect my home. They are heroes to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERCAMMEN: And talking to one fire official off camera, he is saying to me how they have been fighting these blazes nonstop. They are tired. They can use relief. And some relief is coming and going to come in. They have firefighters on ground now from Ontario and they are going to come in from New Brunswick and Quebec because they desperately need a rest after being at it for so long. But again, the highlight as they say, it did not double as expected, Fred. So that's the silver lining in all this.

WHITFIELD: All right. Paul Vercammen, thank you so much.

All right, turning now to the weather in this country. At least five people are recovering from injuries after tornadoes touched down in Colorado. Take a look at this incredible video out of the town of Wray. The tornado on the ground for six miles causing significant damage to several homes there. Police there spent part of the evening rounding up cattle wondering on the highway. And amazingly there have been no reports of any serious injuries.

And he has escaped before so what are officials doing now as they move him to a new prison near the U.S.? We'll talk with someone who has been covering El Chapo.

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[15:25:05] WHITFIELD: Today, Mexican drug king pin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is sitting in a new prison cell in Juarez, Mexico. And that prison just a few miles across the border from El Paso, Texas. Mexican officials say he was transferred from the maximum security facility, the same one that he escaped from just last year. They are saying it all had to do with what they are calling prison renovations, meaning his move as a result of prison renovation. But Guzman's lawyers say he wants to be extradited to the U.S. because he wants to get away from the prison conditions in Mexico.

I want to bring in Malcolm Beith. He is the author of the book "the last Narco inside the hunt for El Chapo."

All right, good to see you. So what does this mean to you? I mean, how does this translate to you, that this drug king pin who is escaped and then found again and then escaped and found again would be moved because he is uncomfortable in a prison?

MALCOLM BEITH, AUTHOR, THE LAST NARCO INSIDE THE HUNT FOR EL CHAPO: Yes, my first instinct when I heard the news was to believe that in the Altiplano and Pointe Grande, two prisons he has escaped from before, there are a lot of very high ranking cartel members. I don't -- we don't know exactly how much they are allowed to interact but you could presume that there's more chance that he stays connected with the cartel world in those prisons. So my first instinct was perhaps they are moving him around to a different prison to keep him out of the loop as it were. The other thing is it could be a strategy just to keep him moving. They do this in Mexico this do this with the military, where the military is fighting the drug war. They move the military round to a whole corruption. And they may be doing the same thing with Chapo, just keeping him moving mobile to a point to risk escape.

WHITFIELD: Right. So if you move him around, that reduces the chances of him being becoming too familiar with the setting or his people. His plan, too familiar with how to potentially break him out again.

BEITH: Exactly. Sorry, go on. WHITFIELD: So El Chapo's lawyers are saying that in concert with

that, he is now OK with being extradited to the United States. And the attorneys explaining in large part because the U.S. prisons are likely to be better equipped than those in Mexico. Would that be a -- I guess a reason behind why El Chapo would cooperate with extradition?

BEITH: I think there are several reasons he might -- it's impossible to read his mind, right, or the legal minds behind his. One thing I have long thought about in Mexico in 2009, there was a drug trafficker who joked. He said he wanted to be extradited. Chapo, if he comes here for trial, there are various charges. They could try him and prosecutors have said that there's a desire to charge him on narco terrorism charges which would raise the possibility of life imprisonment. But there's also the possibility that he'll get 10 or 15 years and then be free. He's not that old.

In Mexico, he's likely to serve forever, you know, a life term barring escape. So it's possible that he's putting -- he may be thinking, I'll put my faith in the judicial system that actually you know, may serve me better in a weird way.

The other thing is we have no idea what is going on behind the scenes in terms of intelligence that you know, these guys know like Chapo -- I've always joked and said that if you -- if Chapo were to talk, we could really get -- law enforcement could really get to the roots of the problems in Mexico. And not just sort of deal with the superficial. We could get into the corruption and why it happens and how exactly it happens.

WHITFIELD: Interesting.

BEITH: So it would be very beneficial to all parties.

WHITFIELD: So Malcolm, there are seven U.S. states that want to, you know, prosecute El Chapo. If you were indeed to go to Brooklyn, there's one line of thinking that there is charges, you know, would be consolidated so he would be tried one time. What's your view as to whether he would be charged and tried one time, one place or whether he would end up dotting the map so to speak in the U.S.?

[15:30:02] BEITH: I hate to admit it on air, but I don't know enough about the judicial system to know how a multiple trials would work. I do know from my reporting that there is sort of push for having him tried in Brooklyn or Chicago. Chicago because of the damage that's the Sinaloa cartel has done in the city and the DEA's tough work there against them. And Brooklyn, Brooklyn because you know, lower Manhattan and Brooklyn have been the seat of a lot of organized crime and terrorism trials in recent years. And they are tough for what they are dealing with.

WHITFIELD: Sorry to interrupt. But quickly, Malcolm, since you do know that the kind of trappings of how his cartel works, et cetera. Without El Chapo, somebody else naturally steps in. So because he has been arrested or detained or will be extradited or charged or prosecuted, etcetera, does not necessarily mean that the Sinaloa cartel, you know, disappears or dissolves. So quickly, you know, what happens?

BEITH: Not at all. And what we have seen, you know, it's under reported but it is happening, is increased violence when a cartel leader of his magnitude falls, that is a very big downside of our king pin strategy. We know that. The U.S. authorities know that.

It is our strategy. I do believe the title of my book was the last Narco. I don't believe we'll ever see a guy or woman of his stature who has benefited from such corruption and lawlessness to rise into that position again. Others will follow. There will be drug traffickers. That's not going to end.

WHITFIELD: And we are going to leave it right there.

Malcolm Beith, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

BEITH: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Getting the Republican National Convention should have been a coup for the city of Cleveland. But with protests following Donald Trump around, the city is so concerned about violence that it's now taking out riot insurance. We'll speak to the head of the city council straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:35:47] WHITFIELD: A year ago Donald Trump wasn't even the president in the conversation of who could be president. But in June, he jumped in the race throwing political machine on its ear and then it was a quick and controversial rise to the top of the Republican Party. And campaign that left us with some rather unforgettable moments.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm officially running for president of the United States and we are going to make our country great again.

When Mexico sends its people, they are bringing drugs, they are bringing crime, they are rapists. I will build a great, great wall and I will have Mexico pay for that wall.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not going to pay for that (bleep) wall.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, SITUATION ROOM: How are you going to make them pay for the wall?

TRUMP: I will and the wall just got 10 feet taller, believe me.

MEGYN KELLY, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: You call women you don't like, fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals. Your twitter account --

TRUMP: Only Rosie O'Donnell.

There was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her wherever.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump said the following about you quote "look at that face, would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that the face of our next president?"

CARLY FIORINA (R), FORMER REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said.

TRUMP: I think she's a beautiful woman. My first wife thinks I'm great. And my second wife and I have a great marriage.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He believes and inspiring women and empowering women.

TRUMP: If Hillary Clinton were a man, I don't think she would get five percent of the vote. The only thing she has got going is the woman's card.

I don't know what I said. I don't remember.

I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and wouldn't lose any voters, OK?

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: And you know how you make America great again, tell Donald Trump to go to hell.

TRUMP: You have this guy, Lindsey Graham, a total light weight. And he gave his number. And found the card. Let's try it 202- --

JEB BUSH (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think he believes he can insult his way to the presidency.

TRUMP: The world trade center came down during the reign of George Bush. He kept us safe. That's not safe.

Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.

I'm the worst thing that has ever happened. I would bomb the (bleep) out of them.

With the terrorists, you have to take out their families.

Would I approve water boarding? You bet your ass I would.

If and when the Vatican is attack by ISIS, the Pope would have only wished and prayed that Donald Trump would have been president. For a religious leader to question a person's faith is disgraceful. Two Corinthians, right, two Corinthians 317, that is the whole ball game.

And he walks in with the bible held high, right. It's lying Ted. He puts the bible down and then he lies.

She said he's (bleep) that's terrible.

I didn't start it. I didn't start it. ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Sir, with all due respect, that's an

argument of a 5-year-old.

TRUMP: This guy, I call him little Marco. It's Rubio.

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Have you seen his hands? And you know what they say about men with small hands.

TRUMP: He referred to my hands if they are small, something else must be small. I guarantee you there's no problem. I guarantee you.

You know, Hillary, crooked Hillary, right, he is running for a lot of reasons, one of them is because she wants to stay out of jail.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump finally a candidate whose hair gets more attention than mine.

TRUMP: I don't wear a toupee. It's my hair.

TAPPER: Will you unequivocally condemn David Duke and say that you don't want his vote or that of other white supremacists in this election.

TRUMP: I don't know anything about David Duke, OK? I don't know anything about what you even talking about with white supremacy.

TAPPER: Would you just say unequivocally you condemn them and you don't want their support?

TRUMP: Well, I have to look at the group.

There's no rally like a Trump rally and nobody gets the people. That I can tell you.

[15:40:03] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a fight going on down here. This is a very sad scene that we're seeing.

TRUMP: Here's a guy throwing punches, nasty as hell screaming at everything else, like to punch him in the face. I tell you.

I'm best on terrorism, best on the economy and best on trade. I have all these things. Let's call off the election today. Let's put the country back in shape.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Wow. With Trump now the presumptive Republican nominee some are worried the national convention in Cleveland could look like this.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYING)

WHITFIELD: Or the 2004 protest at the Republican convention in Manhattan, New York police were criticized for how they handled those protests and city paid out around $18 million over civil rights violations. Kevin Kelly is the president of Cleveland city council. Good to see

you. Your city is taking out insurance against potential lawsuits stemming from how riots potentially could be handled. What fueled that decision? Where did this come from?

KEVIN KELLY, PRESIDENT, CLEVELAND CITY COUNCIL: Thanks, Fredricka.

First off, thank you for having me. And just, I'm very familiar with the inflammatory rhetoric. But any delegate or guest to the city of Cleveland should know they'll have a safe and enjoyable visit to Cleveland.

On the insurance, that is not riot insurance, it is liability insurance against protesters and against that claims, against the city or law enforcement officers. But it is nothing that other city, other convention cities haven't taken out. It's not unusual and not in response to Trump. It's just part of what we do to keep the city safe, to keep the delegates, the visitors and our citizens safe.

WHITFIELD: So now, is this liability insurance something the city already has or are you telling me it's an additional liability insurance to protect the city just as any city would do for a large event like this?

KELLY: Thanks, Fredricka. We're taking -- this is above and beyond we normally do. We do not have, this is a standing - we are self- insured quantity. This insurance is for those events, it's liability insurance for the city of Cleveland. Now it is professional liability insurance, essentially against --.

WHITFIELD: And when this happened? What was the, you know, catalyst for this?

KELLY: The catalyst is our preparations for the RNC. And we looked at what, you know, other cities have done. We looked at what should we do? What is a smart decision for the state of Cleveland to run a first class convention? What are the preparations that we need to do? And this was one of many items that we thought would have been wise, would be wise to do to run a first class convention.

WHITFIELD: So, in addition to this then, is there anything you can share that represents the protections put in place, the preparation, you know, put in place in anticipation for a convention of this magnitude?

KELLY: Absolutely. Our city of Cleveland intelligence unit is very good. And we have been dealing with situation of unrest for many months. And we are now, you know, working with secret service, homeland security. If it were, very welcome to have them. You know, our counsel held hearings with the RNC committee on arrangements who have been through many of these conventions and they told us no less than three times. They were very comfortable with the security arrangements that have been made thus far. They are very confident in the security plan that's being put forward. And I'm very confident in our counsel is confident we're going to run a first class convention and it's going to be safe and safe for everybody who visits our city. WHITFIELD: Would these security arrangements that are overt, that

people can, you know, they could visibly be made aware of, reinforcements in place because of this convention?

KELLY: I'm sorry, Fredricka. Could you please repeat?

WHITFIELD: Are these reinforcements going to be very overt, things that are very obvious, you know, in mind of sight. People can see, you know, there has beefed up security as a result of this convention?

KELLY: Yes, it is going to be both overt security. There is also going to be plenty of undercover security. There's going to be every provision that needs to be taken from a security perspective to make sure that this convention is a first class convention. That it is safe, that is free, you know. There's always protests at these conventions. We are not going to get away from that. But that the protesters are safe, that the delegates are safe, that the citizens are safe, and that the police officers, the law enforcement officers are safe are all priorities. I'm very confident that we are going to be meet all expectations.

WHITFIELD: All right. Kevin Kelly, thanks so much for your time.

KELLY: Thank you, Fredericka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Still ahead, a memorable moment when President Barack Obama singles out a student for her amazing achievements.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have learned about some of the young people graduating here today. A young woman named Ciearra Jefferson is graduating with you. I'm going to use her as an example. I hope you don't mind see her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[15:40:02] WHITFIELD: Well, you are going to meet Ciearra and her mother on this mother's day next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:48:48] WHITFIELD: All right. Today is mother's day and what better way to celebrate than to honor the hard work in one family in particular. A Howard University graduate received the ultimate shout- out yesterday during her commencement. President Obama singled out Ciearra Jefferson for her amazing achievements.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: Young woman named Ciearra Jefferson is graduating with you. And I'm just going to use her as an example. I hope you don't mind, Ciearra. This daughter of a single mom who works on the assembly line turned down a full scholarship to Harvard to come to Howard.

(APPLAUSE) OBAMA: And today like many of you, Ciearra is the first in her family to graduate from college. And then she says she is going to go back to her home town like Thurgood Marshall did, to make sure the working folks she grew up with have access to the health care they need and deserve. And as she puts it, she's going to be a change agent. She is going to reach back and help folks like her succeed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And joining me right now is that student, Ciearra Jefferson, and her mother, Youlandrier Sheldon.

Good to see you all. And congratulation my fellow (INAUDIBLE) mom.

(CROSSTALK)

[15:50:09] WHITFIELD: Wow, what a moment. I mean, it's enough that here it is, your graduation day, class of 2016, the president is the commencement speaker. And then Ciearra, he singled you out as you just saw. That had to come as a surprise. Did you have some kind of inkling that he knew your story?

CIEARRA JEFFERSON, HOWARD GRADUATE: No, it was definitely a surprise. I have spoken with speechwriters previous to help them with the how it experienced. And then, of course, they asked for my consent to use my comments. But I didn't know at all that I would be used as a personal reference or example.

WHITFIELD: That's incredible. And so, for you, Youlandrier, what was that like to hear your daughter being singled out like that?

YOULANDRIER SHELDON, MOTHER OF CIEARRA JEFFERSON: I'm still in shock, to be honest. I think I probably blacked out. I fell over went to screaming, that's my daughter, that's my daughter. I had parents crying around me, I was crying. It's unbelievable. I will never forget this experience for the rest of my life.

WHITFIELD: Wow. How incredible.

And you know, Ciearra, you're very accomplished, you know, as a graduating senior there just looking at your personal web site and then just hearing your bio provided by Howard University. You did not take your education lightly. And the president even acknowledged the fact that your woman, you know, working seven days a week to help get you through school. And your GPA was so impressive that you had two competing, at least two competing universities. So how did you make that decision to go to Howard over Harvard?

JEFFERSON: Well, I have always wanted to go to Howard. My family always encourages that excellence. I knew that I wanted to pledge a sorority. And the environment for Howard was immaculate when I saw the campus. So Howard was always my first choice. So when I was awarded for (INAUDIBLE) scholarship, it offered me that opportunity. The scholarship pays for me to go and continue my studies all the way through my doctoral program. So I knew from my undergraduate career, if I could, I was going to Howard. WHITFIELD: So you were recognized as a high school student and then

at Howard, you studied abroad in South Africa. You have been a volunteer. You majored in legal and management communications with a minor in public health and you have vowed to work as hard as you can so that your mom won't have to. So what is your life plan, Ciearra?

JEFFERSON: My life plan is to be successful. And there is no amount of money that claims success for me. Success for me is when my mother can rest, when I can now provide for her. I plan to continue onto Detroit. I will be the executive coordinator of community affairs for the Detroit Medical center. I have offered and accepted at Emory University to receive an executive masters of public health with a focus of prevention science (ph). I plan have to take my PhD under the (INAUDIBLE) scholarship by the age 30 continue to make change in this community.

WHITFIELD: I'm exhausted. What a plan. That's fantastic.

So Youlandrier, how does that make you feel? I mean, what an incredible achievement. I'm congratulating your daughter. But really have to congratulate you, too.

SHELDON: Thank you. First of all, I give praise to God. I'm speechless. When she speaks it's just overwhelming. I'm so happy. I'm so blessed, so pleased, so proud. Every word you can think of, I'm feeling it. This is my baby.

WHITFIELD: What a moment.

SHELDON: What a mother's day. I want to scream.

WHITFIELD: Well, what an accomplishment, what a beautiful story for both of you and what an inspiration you both are. Thank you so much for being with us and all the best to you Ciearra and Youlandrier. Appreciate it. Happy mother's day.

WHITFIELD: Happy mother's day to you too. And all you mothers, happy mother's day. I'm so happy.

WHITFIELD: So nice. Thanks so much. All the best.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:58:03] WHITFIELD: All right. There's no question this year has been an unprecedented one in politics. The drama, the moments of comic relief, the larger than life characters, the heroes and villains depending on your points of views. And since the first Saturday in May is national free comic book day, that's how our Jake Tapper inspired to create this week's state of the cartoon-ion.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TAPPER (voice-over): Yesterday was national free comic book day which make us all wonder what would be the best venue for comic book version of this pending general election match up. Donald Trump constantly reminds us --. TRUMP: I don't need anybody's money. I'm really rich.

TAPPER: So would Harvey comics' icon Richie Rich be a decent way to memorialize this election? Or is Trump more like Richie Rich's nemesis, Reggie Bando (ph).

There was a time when the Clinton/Trump relationship wasn't so bad. She attended his wedding in 2005. Maybe that would be more fitting of the quaint world of Archie comments.

But there is nothing sweet about it now. It will be a super hero matchup. Hillary Clinton, just a young crusading attorney in little rock when she got bit by the bug for politics.

Donald Trump, a young millionaire playboy in Gotham when presidential mochary gave him something to prove.

An epic super battle coming soon. But be sure to check out your local comic bookstore today. Those fictitious matchups will probably be more enjoyable than the one we are about to experience.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: It all has been very comical.

All right. The next hour of the NEWSROOM starts right now.

And this is a CNN NEWSROOM. Thanks for being with me. I'm Fredricka Whitefield.

The growing rift in the Republican Party over Donald Trump's rise to the top reaching epic levels today.

Sarah Palin dropping a bombshell saying that she will work to end the political career of house speaker Paul Ryan all because Ryan is not ready to support the presumptive Republican nominee.