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VP Guessing Game Begins for Clinton and Trump; Facebook CEO to Meet with Conservative Leaders; Juarez Residents Worry Over El Chapo's Return; Fake Bomb Causes Soccer Match Postponement. Aired 9:30-10a ET
Aired May 16, 2016 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:30:01] SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So while Clinton is leading Sanders by nearly 300 pledged delegates, going into these primaries for Kentucky and Oregon, Sanders continues to win some contests and he's pledged to stay into the race until the July convention. So right now how does he see this? He believes that Oregon is looking good for another pickup. It's a very progressive state politically which works in his favor but it's also a closed primary. So it's not an open caucus, where he does better. So he's not going to have the opportunity to pick up some of those Republicans and independents as you would in a caucus state.
Now the Clinton team, they believe that they are strong, they are competitive in Kentucky. And that's why we see her there today, Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Suzanne Malveaux, reporting live for us this morning. Thank you.
So Hillary Clinton says her husband, Bill, will be her point person on fixing the U.S. economy. An ex-secretary of state and a former president would make a powerful one-two punch in the White House so says Democrats. But where would that duo leave Clinton's vice president?
Joining me now to talk about this is Mike Purdy. He's a presidential historian.
Welcome, Mike.
MIKE PURDY, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Good morning. Thank you.
COSTELLO: Good morning. So whoever Hillary Clinton picks for vice president, wouldn't that be top most on their mind, what role Bill Clinton would serve in a Clinton administration?
PURDY: Well, I think you're absolutely right. I think this is going to be totally unprecedented. We've never had obviously an ex- president living in the White House and so who Clinton picks is going to be critical. You know, the vice presidency is an important position historically in that, you know, 20 percent of the vice presidents have gone on to become president either through the death or resignation of president.
COSTELLO: Interesting. Some say Clinton needs a vice president who or running mate, I should say, who appeals to Sanders' voters and can attack Donald Trump. It kind of sounds like Elizabeth Warren. Senator Elizabeth Warren. Could an all-female ticket work?
PURDY: I think an all-female ticket for the Democrats would be problematic. I think Hillary Clinton has difficulties in attracting men voters and all-female voter I think would be too risky for her. I think her best bet would be to probably pick Sherrod Brown of Ohio, who appeals to the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, who could be a good attack candidate during the campaign and would bring Ohioans as well.
COSTELLO: Interesting. So let's talk about the Republican side. Donald Trump needs someone who has governmental experience. That's what he says he wants. So who would be a good choice for him?
PURDY: Well, I think the top of Trump's list probably is and should be Newt Gingrich. Gingrich brings, obviously, great experience in knowing Washington, D.C., which is what Trump lacks. And so I think Gingrich is a top candidate, he's an early supporter of Trump. And I think they have similar personalities and would mesh well together.
Maybe second choice might be Chris Christie for some of the same reasons. But Christie doesn't have the federal government experience.
COSTELLO: Why wouldn't a female running mate be good for Trump?
PURDY: Well, I think it would be risky proposition for Trump to do that. I think that he may have difficulty getting along with someone. I mean, one of the names is of course being bandied about id Sarah Palin, who I think brings her own set of issues and I think Trump recognizes that she might not be the best pick. Sarah Palin herself has said that he would be concerned about being a draw down on the ticket.
COSTELLO: What about the Oklahoma governor?
PURDY: She is definitely a possibility. But again if you look at what Trump has said -- and I think Trump, for all you might want to say about him, recognizes where he has weaknesses. And so the Oklahoma governor's challenge would not bringing the federal experience. And again that's where I think Newt Gingrich is probably the perfect fit.
COSTELLO: Interesting. Mike Purdy, thanks for joining me. I appreciate it.
Still to come in the NEWSROOM, the controversial auction is back on. The new price for George Zimmerman's gun, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:38:23] COSTELLO: Stranded drivers are being pulled from floodwaters in Corpus Christi, Texas, this morning. Some areas hit with over a foot of rain, triggering flash flooding.
CNN meteorologist Chad Myers is keeping an eye on what's head. Good morning.
(WEATHER REPORT)
[09:40:01] COSTELLO: All right, Chad Myers, thanks so much.
MYERS: You're welcome.
COSTELLO: Gun buyers have a third chance to buy the gun used to kill Trayvon Martin. George Zimmerman is making a new auction attempt and with a new starting price. $100,000. The owner of the Web site United Gun Group speaking to CNN this morning about his decision to relist the weapon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TODD UNDERWOOD, OWNER, UNITEDGUNGROUP.COM: This is not about George Zimmerman for us. This is about the Second Amendment and standing firm for individual rights as adults to make their own decision.
Let me be clear. We are allowing selling the gun. We are allowing another individual to make his own decision on what he wants to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: A slew of bogus bids led to George Zimmerman to pull the sale Friday with fake bids topping $66 million.
Still to come in the NEWSROOM, not a pair you'd expect to see together. Glenn Beck and Mark Zuckerberg. That's just one of the conservatives the Facebook founder will meet with later this week.
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[09:45:26] COSTELLO: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is ready to clear the air. On Wednesday he will meet with top conservative leaders at company headquarters. The invite list includes the big names Glenn Beck, Dana Perino and CNN commentator S.E. Cupp.
Facebook has been under fire from conservative groups when a contractor said the company was censoring conservative use from its trending topic section.
So let's talk. CNN's senior media correspondent Brian Stelter is here.
So why were these particular conservatives selected, do you think?
BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Well, Facebook reaching out to prominent conservatives, thought leaders but not politicians per se. They're not inviting congressmen but they are inviting media figures.
And also we've just learned a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, Barry Bennett, who was Ben Carson's campaign manager, now working with Trump, Facebook just telling me that he's been invited and he'll be attending as well. So they have a pretty A-list -- list of names here for this meeting.
And this is really about Facebook trying to regain some ground, regain some trust in conservative media circles. You know, this story last week -- this time last week published on the blog Gizmodo has had wide ranging ripple effects. A lot of questions about how Facebook does what it does, whether it is fair to all news outlets and all sort of opinion outlets. And so even if there's no evidence, as Facebook says, no evidence that conservative news was suppressed, there's a perception problem Facebok has and they're trying to address that.
COSTELLO: Trying to address that . So like how long will the meeting be? Do we know anything more about it?
STELTER: Facebook says it will be --
COSTELLO: Who will be with -- is Mark Zuckerberg alone?
STELTER: It will be Zuckerberg as well as his aides. It is notable that the CEO of Facebook is doing this directly. And it's the first of several meetings the company says it will be having. The company has been very clear that it is a neutral platform. It does not suppress conservative news or liberal news for that matter. It wants everybody to use Facebook. However, I think the story has put a real spotlight on how the algorithm works, how the editors work, exactly what Facebook does and what actually determines what shows up on your newsfeed and in that trending topics box.
It's probably a good thing that this controversy has happened because it is maybe clearing the air and creating more awareness of how Facebook works. But make no mistake, there's also a deep mistrust especially in some conservative circles about how Facebook does what it does. And maybe these meetings will help address that.
COSTELLO: Brian Stelter, thanks so much.
STELTER: Thanks.
COSTELLO: Still to come in the NEWSROOM, imagine calling out -- imaging calling off an NFL game minutes before kickoff. That's kind of what happened in England. The very latest, next.
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[09:51:55] COSTELLO: The city of Juarez, Mexico, once known as the murder capital of the world is now a different place. Drug-related crime has dropped and U.S. investments have made a comeback. But locals fear that Juarez might go back to its violence filled days with the return of a local prison -- with the return to a local prison of the Mexican kingpin Joaquin El Chapo Guzman.
Nick Valencia has more for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK VALENCIA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Life goes on in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, once desolate streets traded for a semblance of tranquility in the city just across the river from El Paso, Texas.
Not so long ago it was infested with drug cartels. At its violent peak, there were more than 3,000 people murdered in one year. Most of those deaths were attributed to the war between the local Juarez cartel and the infamous Sinaloa Federation, popularly known for its leader, Joaquin Guzman, aka, El Chapo.
While life on the streets has changed in Juarez, with El Chapo's return, the bloody past seems very much present. His presence has re- imagined the nightmares for many.
Sergio Velez lived through the violence brought to Juarez by El Chapo between 2009 and 2012. He says he still mourns the death of one of his construction workers, killed inside his business.
SERGIO VELEZ, LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER (Through Translator): There are many people very hurt by that war. There are many still mourning what happened during the narco war, and there's still a very latent sense of insecurity bred by the delinquent group of El Chapo Guzman here in Ciudad Juarez.
VALENCIA: Painful memories Velez buried deep in his mind have been unlocked by the return of El Chapo. Even with the kingpin behind bars, some fear of a return of impunity with the cartel foot soldiers still in the city.
However the mayor of Juarez tells CNN the drug lord's transfer to Juarez has had no impact or relevance on the daily life of most residents.
MAYOR JAVIER GONZALEZ MOCKEN, JUAREZ, MEXICO (Through Translator): Juarez now finds itself peaceful, working, and dedicated to produce goods and services. Juarez is dedicated to creating better life conditions for its residents.
VALENCIA: There are obvious concerns that El Chapo will escape prison for a third time. There have also been questions about the penitentiary's infrastructure. Is it capable of holding him?
With the spotlight back on Juarez for the moment, residents would prefer to discard the unwanted attention and move on from its violent past.
Nick Valencia, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Checking some other top stories at 54 minutes past, a Navy SEAL instructor has a new assignment this morning after a sailor dies during training. Seaman James Lovelace died May 6th after struggling in a swimming pool while participating in a rigorous training program. No reason for instructor's reassignment was given. It is not clear whether the instructor is still involved with the SEAL units.
The search for a missing Carnival cruise ship passenger in the Gulf of Mexico has been suspended. The U.S. Coast Guard says planes spent 20 hours searching for Samantha Broberg covering more than 4300 miles.
[09:55:07] According to surveillance footage Broberg fell overboard from the 10th deck early Friday morning. She was sitting in a deck railing and fell backwards into the water. That's according to Carnival.
A private memorial service for Prince was held over the weekend at the late musician's place of worship. Nearly 500 guests were in attendance at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Minnetonka. That's according to CNN affiliate WCCO. The church honoring the life of the man they knew as Brother Nelson.
Take me out to the brawl game. This hard slide led to a shoving match and a right punch that fans could almost feel in the cheap seats. Both benches cleared and the Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays mixed it up on the field. Both the second baseman and the runner who triggered the fight were ejected. No one was seriously hurt but wow.
A big soccer match in Britain will be played tomorrow after it was suddenly canceled on Sunday. Soccer fans were all fired up for the match to begin when officials made everyone leave. It turns out there was a good reason. A device found in a stadium restroom looked an awful lot like a bomb.
CNN Sports correspondent Coy Wire has more on that. Good morning.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. We're talking Manchester United, a marquee team in the world's most popular league, the Premiere League in England. And this is just hours before the globally televised key match, they're being told to evacuate Old Trafford Stadium.
This is a big deal. Players were out in the field warming up, fans are getting pumped up and a suspicious device is found in a bathroom. They evacuate, bring in bomb-sniffing dogs, police forces, but what they thought may have been an explosive device turns out was just a harmless training device that was left behind by a private security firm. They actually brought in British bomb experts who conducted a controlled explosion to neutralize the potential threat.
The mayor of Manchester, England, has called for full inquiry into what he's calling a fiasco. Here is Greater Manchester Mayor Tony Lloyd on the importance of making sure this doesn't happen in his city ever again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR TONY LLOYD, GREATER MANCHESTER: There is a gap in the security, and that gap has now got to be recognized. That gap has now got to be filled to make sure that in the event that somebody trying to place a device, that that will be discovered.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Now you have to give some credit to the fans here. They calmly evacuated the scene, especially on the heels of the Paris and Belgium attacks which is still fresh in the minds of so many of us. Manchester United's match with Bournemouth has been rescheduled for tomorrow.
But, Carol, a huge scare. This just shows how sensitive we've become, and rightfully so, to potential situations such as this. Imagine if you're at a Sunday NFL in the fall, your Detroit Lions lining up against the Packers, that's scary to think about. But let's finish on a positive note.
Carol, you are going to absolutely love this. Quite possibly the play of 2016. Kasey McCravey goes airborne. She scores -- I mean, is this incredible? That's some Jackie Chan, Jean Claude Van Dam, Spider-man type stuff. Love the creativity. Where there is a will there is a way. The catcher blocking the way but Casey came to play.
COSTELLO: She didn't leave the baseline. It was perfect.
WIRE: I know you got to love that, Carol. Let's watch this one more time.
COSTELLO: Yes. Let's watch it again.
WIRE: I mean, this is against Lehigh, so you're talking heated rivals here. Here -- I mean..
COSTELLO: Yes .
WIRE: Never seen anything like it. That's quite possibly the greatest slide you have ever seen on the diamond. I mean, watch that over and over again.
COSTELLO: That's awesome. Coy Wire, thanks.
WIRE: All right.
COSTELLO: The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Happening now in the NEWSROOM, President Obama takes aim at Donald Trump.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Ignorance is not a virtue.
COSTELLO: And members of Trump's own party not giving up hopes for a third-party candidate.
REINCE PRIEBUS, CHAIRMAN, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: They could try to hijack another party to get on the ballot but look, it's a suicide mission.
COSTELLO: Plus, veepstakes 2016. Who's got the chops? Who's on the chopping block? And how a veep pick could shape this race.
And monster bite. A shark attacks a Florida swimmer and won't let go. Let's talk. Live in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thanks so much for joining me.
Donald Trump tried to talk issues. He warned that Syrian immigrants using cell phones with ISIS flags will stage another 9/11, and he admitted he will not have a great relationship with one of America's strongest allies, Britain's David Cameron. But those things were overshadowed by Trump's past with women. The "New York Times" interviewing 50 women in six weeks and what some of them had to say was not so flattering. And this morning another bombshell, one of the women says the "New York Times" story got it wrong.
CNN's Phil Mattingly is here with more on that. Good morning.
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Donald Trump has been pushing back hard over the last 24 hours on this front page "New York Times" story that really exposed relationships with women.
