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Dole: Trump Has Called Me For Advice; Dole's Advice to Trump on Picking a VP; Dole: Gingrich's Would Be Good Fit As Trump's Running Mate; Dole to Trump: Pick Gingrich as V.P., Apologize to McCain; Rubio Talks Supporting Trump. Aired 5-6a ET
Aired May 28, 2016 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[16:59:58] ANA CABRERA, CNN ANCHOR: You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM on this Saturday Memorial Day weekend. I'm Ana Cabrera in New York. Thanks for being here.
We begin with some breaking news, former Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole making headlines today. I talked to him right here on CNN, and at 92 years old, he is holding nothing back when it comes to the state of this party and on what Donald Trump needs to do to get the GOP back into the White House. The former United States senator spent nearly half a century in public office, he is anything, if not committed to his party, and he is well versed on running against a Clinton.
He has advice to give and apparently Donald Trump knows it. Donald Trump talking with Dole, apparently, twice, in fact, the two talked just last week, and Dole laid it all on the table telling him not only how he should start handling his campaign, but even who he should pick as his running-mate. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB DOLE, FORMER REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: When Donald Trump clenched the Republican nomination, it was an easy call for me. And what's a lifelong Republican supposed to do? Support the opponent?
CABRERA: Some people say they are not supporting either candidate, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, some of other big names in your party are on the anti-Trump train.
DOLE: Well, they still have time to get on the train. It's not moving that fast right now. And, you know, some of these people made pledges in the debates that they would support the nominee, and the one person that hesitated was Donald Trump, but then he signed the pledge that he would support the nominee, and now two others if they support the nominee, whatever, are not doing it. And I think that's unfortunate. And my candidate with Jeb Bush, and he's a wonderful guy, and his dad is a very good friend of mine.
CABRERA: You know, John McCain and other former nominees --
DOLE: I hope they support the Republicans. CABRERA: John McCain and other former Republican Party nominee has
called on Donald Trump to apologize to the comments he made about veterans when he made that comment about John McCain being a P.O.W. and that he wasn't as brave of a man because he got caught. What do you say? Do you believe Donald Trump should apologize for that comment?
DOLE: I certainly do. One of my best friends, you know, one of my closest two or three friends is John McCain, and I'm going to try to get Trump to issue an apology. I mean, John McCain suffered, tortured, broken arms, what do you expect? You know, this young man at the time did everything that you would want a serviceman to do, above and beyond the call of duty. He was tough as you know, he had a chance to go home early, but he stayed there because he knew he was going home early because of his dad who was an admiral and very important admiral, but, you know, Donald -- that's the one area I'd hope nominee Trump would do is start honing down his rhetoric and there's nothing wrong with apologizing to the governor of New Mexico or John McCain or anybody else he's insulted.
CABRERA: What about Mexicans or Muslims or women?
DOLE: Pardon?
CABRERA: Are apologies necessary to all of those groups?
DOLE: Well, they are not necessary, but they are the right thing to do.
CABRERA: Does it bother you that Donald Trump has such heated rhetoric in his offending, and in many cases, demonizing some of these people who are a part of our American fabric?
DOLE: Yes, it bothers me. I mean, I've been around for a quite a while, and I've seen candidates come and go, and I think, you know, this is a real phenomenon, Trump doing what he's done from scratch, so I applaud him for that, but I don't applaud him for the insults, and I, as a supporter, I would like him to issue a blanket apology or individual apologies because these people don't deserve that. They are good, strong Republicans, John McCain, for example, governor of New Mexico, Jeb Bush, I mean, you know, that's how we bring the party together if we want to bring the party together. You try to reach out to those that you've offended.
[15:05:30] CABRERA: How concerned are you that he's done enough damage with some of these groups that traditionally may not have voted Republican including Hispanics, on the majority of female voters have gone Democrat the last couple elections electing Barack Obama. These are groups, an African-Americans that he needs to win in order to win the general election. How concerned are you that it's too late to get the support from these people?
DOLE: No, I think there's still time. It's not too late. And I can already see a sort of a shift in the Trump's tone, and he needs to start talking like he's about to be president.
CABRERA: How does he win over these groups?
DOLE: How does he win over who?
CABRERA: These groups that we've just been talking about? The Hispanics, the African-Americans, the women, the younger people.
DOLE: Oh, well, you know, in my long time in politics, the only way to turn people around is to, you know, meet with them and speak with them and lay out a plan that's attracted to them. Not always we're going to kick everybody out of the country, and, you know, that isn't the way I reacted while I was in the Senate for 28 years, and Republican leader for ten. You know, you have to have friends in this business. You can be Ds and Rs, but if you want to win, you need friends.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CABRERA: Don't go away. Because coming up live here in the CNN NEWSROOM, our conversation, my conversation with Bob Dole continues, and without hesitation, he talks about who he thinks Trump should pick as VP.
Plus, after Dole lost the presidency to Bill Clinton in 1996, he shares his advice to Trump on how to take on the Clintons. We are live in just a moment with more on this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:10:47] CABRERA: Breaking news here live in the CNN NEWSROOM. A short time ago, I spoke with Bob Dole, the only former Republican presidential nominee who will be now attending the GOP convention. And he shared his words of advice to Donald Trump. I want you to hear thoughts on a potential Trump vice president. The name might surprise you, and also what Bob Dole thinks that Hillary Clinton's chances going forward. Here again, Senator Bob Dole.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CABRERA: As you watch this election play out, a question that remains is who might be Donald Trump's running mate. Who would you like to see him choose? Maybe somebody with military experience? Or what are the characteristics and qualities, and skill sets that are still needed on a Donald Trump ticket?
DOLE: You know, my view is Donald Trump needs someone who understands Congress, who can help him work with Congress, who understands foreign policy, domestic policy, economic policy, you know, someone like Newt Gingrich, and Newt, you know, none of us are perfect, but Newt Gingrich I think is a good fit for Trump because he can help him in all those areas, and then Trump has to listen. You know, you got to have some people you trust if you're the candidate that you can confide in and they can tell you Donald, you're making a mistake. You shouldn't do this. You shouldn't do this, or whatever.
CABRERA: Have you reached out to Donald Trump to offer advice or support? DOLE: Have I --
CABRERA: I'm sorry. Did you reach out to him? I didn't hear?
DOLE: I didn't hear the question.
CABRERA: Have you reached out to Donald Trump or has he reached out to you for advice?
DOLE: Yes. He's called me twice. He's called me last week. He would be calling me again this week. We just had a nice visit, a nice suggestion, maybe cool the rhetoric, and I put a plug in for Newt Gingrich because I know Newt I've watched him. Newt and I didn't always get along in Congress, but I watched Newt the past several months, and I believe he'd be a real aspect and you know, he's -- he knows people. People in politics, and the House and the Senate respect him, and he would be a big, big help of Donald Trump because he's going to need it. He's never been a legislator, he's never been elected to anything.
CABRERA: You talked about Newt Gingrich and the vice presidency and who might be on the Donald Trump ticket. You talked about Donald Trump's rhetoric. What else did you talk about or advice did you give?
DOLE: Well, I just said I was -- he thanked me for my support. That was the purpose of the call. I said, well, it was not a problem for me. I can't figure out some of these other people who are holding back or saying they will not endorse you, but then we talked about, I told him we talked about the last presidential selection would be very important. Normally, they are not, but I think in this case where you have not -- a nonpolitical nominee, you're going to need a vice president who can help you, and I don't know whether he listened or not, but I hope he's going to keep calling me and I hope he does, I'm a supporter, and I want to give him good advice and maybe since I lost in '96 maybe, you know, not '96 but maybe since I lost, I'm not the best person to give advice.
[17:15:16] CABRERA: But sometimes you learn more from your mistakes than your successes. At least that's how I feel in my own life. I'm wondering since --
DOLE: Yes, I learned a lot by losing, and you make a lot of friends, and it's how you handle it, and you know, Bill Clinton and I are friends, and we ran against each other, a nasty campaign as all campaigns seem to be. You have to move on with your life. You have to turn the page and do the next thing.
CABRERA: I know that you probably have an opinion about running specifically against a Clinton. What kind advice do you think you would give Donald Trump specifically focused on a strategy against the Clintons?
DOLE: Oh, that's a tough question because I think Hillary has a lot of baggage, and while she doesn't admit it, it's there.
CABRERA: But the public has already probably known about a lot of --
DOLE: Things she shouldn't have done.
CABRERA: The family is been in the spotlight for so many decades.
DOLE: Right. And she's been there a long time, and people are looking for fresh faces. That's why Rubio was so attractive for a long time, because he's a new generation, and, you know, she's been around, what, 30 years? I don't know, but a long time --
CABRERA: Uh-hm.
DOLE: -- and Bill Clinton who would be a great asset has had this health problem, and doesn't look strong and robust like he has been in the past, and that affects his voice. He's not going to be able to go out there like the fire and brimstone he would have had earlier.
CABRERA: But he could be an adviser, certainly, if not in official capacity, if he's in the White House with his wife, should she be elected as president, he would be along her side. So, it almost sounds a little bit like you could see them making a play and being a decent couple to run the country.
DOLE: Yes, well, I think that's another problem for Hillary because she's advertising that Bill Clinton will be in charge of the economy, and the economy is probably the number one problem if you really get down to it in the United States, and people want jobs. They want to find a good paying job, and that would help Trump with women, of course, everybody, Latinos, whoever might not feel kindly towards them now, but I don't think you can have a shared presidency even though you trust your wife, and I assume she trusts him.
CABRERA: Well, let me ask you one last question before we let you go. Because we've taken a lot of your time on this Saturday. You also, I know, have a close relationship with the Bush family. You talked about Jeb Bush. Do you think he needs to fall in line and get behind Trump?
DOLE: You know, I believe Jeb is a man of integrity and honesty. I just hope he keeps his word when he said he would support the nominee, and I know Trump didn't make it very easy for him because of all the things he said about Jeb, but Jeb is bigger than that, and I do hope to see him on board. It would mean a lot in states like Florida and Jeb has friends all over the country, so does his dad and brother and mother.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CABRERA: Dole didn't hold back as you just heard.
Coming up, live in the CNN NEWSROOM, Newt Gingrich for Vice President, Bill Clinton too old to help Hillary win, time for Donald Trump to apologies to John McCain.
Up next, reaction to that interview with Senator Bob Dole, and the only former Republican presidential nominee heading to the convention, a man who Donald Trump called just last week, stay right there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:23:30] CABRERA: We're live in the CNN NEWSROOM, and moments ago, a CNN exclusive, former Republican presidential nominee, Bob Dole, revealed his picks for Donald Trump running mate. Dole says Trump should talk to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and Dole made a series of stunning revelations about his private conversations with Donald Trump. Also, Dole, a World War II vet, tells CNN Trump should apologize to Senator John McCain for his P.O.W. comment. And Dole also had some interesting things to say about Democrat frontrunner Hillary Clinton and his former rival, Bill Clinton.
I want to get right to my political panel, Trump supporter and national political commentator for USA Radio Networks Scottie Nell Hughes, also with us, CNN political commentator and CNN reporter Maria Cardona, she is also a super delegate, her firm by the way has done work for a Clinton Super PAC. And with us, CNN political reporter, Tom LoBianco.
Scottie Nell Hughes, I'm going to start with you. Dole says, he told Trump Newt Gingrich should be his guy, should be his running mate. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOLE: Someone like Newt Gingrich. You know, Newt, none of us are perfect, but Newt Gingrich I think is a good fit for Trump because he can help him in all of those areas and Trump has to listen. You know, you got to have some people you trust if you're the candidate that you can confide in, and they can tell you, Donald, you're making a mistake, you shouldn't do this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CABRERA: Scottie Nell Hughes, just how much influence does Bob Dole really have with Donald Trump? Do you think will he take his advice?
SCOTTIE NELL HUGHES, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: He might. And actually what Bob Dole is saying is, what a lot of conservatives are saying. And Bob Dole has been a good part of the campaign from the very beginning. Let's remember, in January, he actually said that if Ted Cruz is our nominee, we would have cataclysmic losses amongst the GOP. So, Bob Dole is I think had a long track record for as long as his campaign in advising Mr. Trump, and I know Mr. Trump probably respects a lot of what he said. And I do agree with him.
But I think Newt Gingrich would be a very good vice presidential running mate because it probably take some of those conservatives who are still a little bit weary of Mr. Trump and whether or not he's going to have a conservative record and definitely confirm it. Because Newt Gingrich is one of those that appeals to that base.
CABRERA: Let me ask you, are you, Maria, afraid if there were to be a team of Trump and Newt Gingrich? I know you're a Hillary supporter. MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Not at all. And I think
that that would be something that Democrats would welcome. Newt Gingrich is not a very popular national figure, not a very popular national politician, and it would also harken back to the '90s when he was actually ousted as speaker of the house because he gave Republicans such an incredibly bad name as he led the effort to close the government in the '90s. And so, you know, all of that will be on the table if Donald Trump does pick somebody like Newt Gingrich, and Newt Gingrich has also been a very divisive figure in American politics, and that's exactly the opposite of what Donald Trump needs right now.
You know, elections are all about addition, and the only thing that Donald Trump has been able to do other than consolidate the support of a lot of the conservatives, not all of the conservatives, but many of his supporters during the primary, is essentially just add that to the reason why he got to be the nominee. He needs to add many more voters from the groups of demographics that he has insulted, so I agree with Bob Dole, but the problem is, Donald Trump has never apologized for anything in his life, at least publicly. I don't think he's going to start now.
CABRERA: Oh, we're going to talk about that, but I want to talk still about Newt Gingrich as a possible vice presidential pick. Pat Buchanan talked to CNN's Michael Smerconish today, and I quote, "he says, "The Republican Party is under a demographic death sentence.
So, Tom, this question to you, would Newt Gingrich be advantageous to Trump when you hear something like that?
TOM LOBIANCO, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Well, it's -- I mean, we're talking about a return to the '90s, right?
CABRERA: Right. Exactly.
LOBIANCO: I don't know -- I don't know it does anything for him in the broader demographics. I'm not sure if he needs to or not. If you're in the Trump campaign, I don't know if that's how you play this. You know, what's interesting, especially for Gingrich, is that he is really been inside that circle now for at least a few months, and possibly longer, he's one of the few Washington mainstays. I don't know if you want to call him an insider or what, but he's definitely a Washington politician who actually been able to get in there, has Trump's ear, there a great write up recently in the National Review about this -- about Gingrich's rise inside the campaign, and they talk as equals, at least according to this story, and you could see his influence before he ever formally came out in support of Donald Trump, and, you know, with the shakeup that he had recently where he had Rick Wiley depart under, you know, auspicious circumstances --
CABRERA: Right.
LOBIANCO: We found out that the Trump campaign and Trump in particular really values loyalty, so you know, in the broader demographic, I don't know that that would get him anything, but you also have to consider that the VP, the running mate, has to mesh with the top of the ticket. It has to mesh with who your candidate is.
CABRERA: Scottie Nell Hughes, Maria Cardona, Tom LoBianco, stay right there. I want to get your reactions on the other side of the break to Bob Dole saying Donald Trump should apologize for insulting John McCain. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:32:34] CABRERA: Thanks for staying with us in the CNN NEWSROOM. Bottom of the hour now.
Moments ago, we had a CNN exclusive, my conversation with former Republican presidential nominee, Bob Dole. He's now supporting Donald Trump. In fact, he's the only former GOP presidential nominee attending the convention in July.
I want to bring back our political panel with us, Scottie Nell Hughes, Donald Trump supporter; and Maria Cardona and Tom LoBianco.
(CROSSTALK)
CABRERA: Now, I'm sorry, what was that?
HUGHES: I can't hear.
CABRERA: Oh, OK. We just lost connection with Scottie Nell Hughes. We'll work to get her back.
Let's me turn to you, Maria Cardona, a Hillary Clinton supporter. I wonder what you think about what you heard from Bob Dole when it comes to advice to Trump in taking on the Clintons. He said the Clintons have a whole lot of baggage.
CARDONA: Well, if what he means by that is that Donald Trump should continue to hit the Clintons on whatever he believes that baggage is, I think that would backfire. You know, again, we were talking about, earlier about addition versus subtraction, and what Donald Trump did in the Republican primary process to win, it's very different than what he needs to do in the general election with a general electorate for different from the primary electorate for the Republican Party. These tactics will backfire. You can see even Republican strategists saying those tactics backfire, specifically with an incredibly important demographic, which is women. Women get turned off by those kinds of personal attacks. And let's remember, that Donald Trump lives in a glass house when it comes to this type of baggage, if you will. So, you know, if he goes down that road, he has probably baggage that's much bigger and much heavier than either of the Clintons when it comes to this.
(CROSSTALK)
CARDONA: And I think the general electorate is looking for is substance and issues.
CABRERA: Maria brings up a good point there, Scottie Nell Hughes, because the Clintons have been through this over the decades, clearly. They have had all their baggage laid out before the American people. Donald Trump, on the other hand, because he's not been a nominee or a politician, as he likes to say, all this time, all these years past, could have a lot that becomes exposed through this election process. Is that a concern?
HUGHES: Well, I think a lot has already been exposed. This primary season, I mean, you have 20 reporters assigned by "The Washington Post" to comb through everything. It's not like Mr. Trump has been under a rock. He has been in the public eye for 30 years. We know a lot about what people consider skeletons. They actually made reality shows and there have been articles written about it in the '80s, and '90s. So nothing is new.
I agree with Maria, yes, to an extent, the Clinton baggage has been out there, but as we're finding, because we're finding out about investigations, into her e-mails, into her servers, it's more due to her recent work that will do more damage to the likeability factor in the polls, and that leaves Sanders' fans cheering now. It's not the past that has the Clintons concerned now, as much as the present and exactly what will come out with the FBI scandals or the FBI investigation into the e-mail and her server.
[17:35:54] CABRERA: Tom, let's listen to what Bob Dole said specifically about a possible Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton team in the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB DOLE, (R), FORMER SENATOR & FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (voice- over): She been around, what, 30 years, I don't know, but a long time. And Bill Clinton, who would be a great asset, has had this health problem and doesn't look strong and robust like he has been in the past and it affects his voice, so he's not going to be able to go out there and -- as a fire and brimstone he would have earlier.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CABRERA: Tom, is Bill Clinton effectively not effective for the general election and being on Hillary Clinton's right-hand man?
LOBIANCO: You know, I think it was so fascinating when they finally got him out on the trail, you know, about four or five months ago, you can tell he just loves it. You got to let the big dog out, and he loves politics.
But Dole brings up a really great point. His voice is starting to go a little bit. I mean, that traditional classic Clinton rasp is even more pronounced than it was before. You know, I don't know if it's disappearing. I don't know if that's a liability in any way. I mean, you know, it may be more pronounced, might bring up more nostalgia.
You can see when Hillary Clinton talks about the economy and bringing up Bill Clinton to be the economic czar in this case, obviously, they want to play on that nostalgia. I'm not sure it hurts them politically, but you have to wonder, he's been doing this for decades now. It takes an incredible amount of stamina. He loves it, but you can see a little bit of wear.
(CROSSTALK)
CABRERA: We don't have much time, and I want to make sure we address the issue of whether or not Donald Trump is going to apologize to John McCain for the POW comments he made very, very early on in the primary, essentially saying John McCain was not a hero because he had been caught.
Will Donald Trump apologize now that he's been called out by Bob Dole?
HUGHES: I understand why Bob Dole said that, they were constituents, I understand that. Let's let the American public decide whether Mr. Trump needs to apologize. He has not yet. It has not affected him in the polls. They understand it. The only people who call for that are the media or other politicians. The people who he is representing that are engaged in the election have yet to say, Mr. Trump, you have to apologize for things, starting with Senator McCain.
(CROSSTALK)
CARDONA: I actually agree. I agree. I agree.
(CROSSTALK)
CABRERA: Scottie Nell Hughes, Maria Cardona, Tom LoBianco --
(CROSSTALK)
CABRERA: We've got to leave it there, Maria.
(CROSSTALK)
CABRERA: We got to go, got to go.
Thank you so much to all three of you.
Up next, I'll ask an old advisor to five presidents what he thinks of Bob Dole's advice to Trump, and whether he likely Republican nominee is really listening.
First, we have "Fit Nation." I want you to meet a man who holds the Guinness world record for the furthest distance traveled on a skateboard in 24 hours.
Here's Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Andrew Andras is a giant in the small, but competitive world of long- distance skating.
ANDREW ANDRAS, LONG-DISTANCE SKATING COMPETITION COMPETITOR: You can say it's between say a cyclist and a runner. GUPTA: At 39 years old, Andras is the ultra skate world record
holder, skating 300 miles in 24 hours. How to skateboard for 24 hours.
ANDRAS: There's no books out there on how to skateboard for 24 hours. It was a lot of figuring out how to feed the body and your training program.
GUPTA: Andras is a firefighter paramedic in Miami.
ANDRAS: It's a very physical, demanding job, a very stressful job, and you need forms of stress relief from that. Being out on a long board was my answer.
I love the competition in sport and pushing yourself past the limit that you really didn't think you could do mentally or physically.
The human spirit just wants to be challenged.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:43:58] CABRERA: Welcome back. Breaking news tonight, Bob Dole, the 1996 Republican nominee for president, talking about the presumptive 2916 Republican nominee, Donald Trump, saying Trump should pick Gingrich as V.P. and Trump should apologize for comments about another former nominee, John McCain.
David Gergen in joining me on the phone now.
You advised four U.S. presidents back to the Nixon administration. Listen to Bob Dole's advice to Donald Trump, and then I want to get your reaction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOLE: He's called me twice. He called me last week, said he'll be calling me again this week. We just had a nice visit, a nice suggestion, maybe cool the rhetoric. And I put a plug in for Newt Gingrich, because I know Newt.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CABRERA: All right. That was him saying Newt Gingrich, he thinks, should be the V.P., at least on the ticket with Donald Trump. David, does that surprise you that Donald Trump reached out?
DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): Good interview. No, it does not surprise me. He's been reaching out to other people like Henry Kissinger. He reached out to Jim Baker. I think it's smart. It's one of the ways, if he is going to reunite our fractured party, he needs to reach out and unite. And I think that's the spirit in which Bob Dole spoke to him today, and offered his advice in public versus what he tells him in private.
[17:45:19] CABRERA: Right. Do you think Donald Trump really will take to heart advice he gets from Bob Dole?
GERGEN: Well, look, I know Donald Trump had made his way by being a maverick, and, of course, that's been very helpful for him, but I have to tell you, on policy advice and personal advice to Trump -- and you just had someone on the air who insists, well, Trump has done so well without doing these things, and these people were not with him to start with, and, therefore, why the hell should he bow and ask for their blessing? Well, truth is in politics, it's all about addition and creating new friends and bringing people on board. And Donald Trump, if he's going to win this -- I think he's still the underdog, no matter the polls showing him closing in closer. Hillary Clinton has distinct advantages against him. The Democratic Party is, you know, has claimed many more inherent than the Republican Party. If he wins this, he has to enlarge his circle. The way to do that is don't listen to the people who say, just stick a finger in their eye. You know, they were not with you, they have not been helpful.
Bob Dole is a lifetime Republican, run for vice president, run for president, and he has a lot of friends in the party still. He's very influential with the Bush family. And when he says that you look at someone like a Newt Gingrich -- he didn't say he was the only one, but said he would be a good fit. He knows legislation, legislature, worked hard in it, and he knows policy, both domestic and foreign, all of that is true. And it's clear that Newt Gingrich is talking to Trump and supports him. And, by the way, seems very interested, so I think that's smart advice.
What I think has not been much discussed in the interview is what he said about the Bush family, and that is that they he a lot of supporters around the country, and they are -- obviously, Jeb Bush is strong in Florida, time to bury the hatchet with him, and do that by in effect by calling him, saying we had rough things in the campaign, but I really appreciate your support. And Dole also pointed out that Bush is a man of integrity, as he said, and he thinks that he will eventually do what he said he would do and that is support the nominee of the party.
CABRERA: We shall see.
David Gergen, thanks for your thoughts tonight.
GERGEN: OK, Ana, thank you so much. Bye.
CABRERA: Still ahead, in the CNN NEWSROOM, another CNN exclusive. He one called Donald Trump a dangerous con man, so why is Marco Rubio now supporting his former rival? He opens up about it, and the big question about his own political future.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:51:50] CABRERA: Remember a few short months ago, insults flying back and forth between Senator Marco Rubio and Donald Trump? Now, a stark contrast. Rubio says he isn't going to run for re-election in the Senate seat. In his corner now is Donald Trump, urging Rubio on Twitter to, quote, "Run, Marco."
Our Jake Tapper is speaking with Senator Rubio on "State of the Union," and Jake is joining us now for the preview -- Jake?
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR, STATE OF THE UNION: Ana, one of the first questions Senator Marco Rubio got after dropping out of the presidential race was whether or not he'd be willing to serve as Donald Trump's vice president. Mr. Rubio offers a lot for any ticket, youth, energy, and he's from the battleground state of Florida, he's Latino. But in an exclusive interview with me, Rubio tells me why he will not serve as Trumps V.P., as well as discussing his plans for future.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TAPPER: So you're willing to go to Cleveland, you're willing to speak if appropriate, you want to do whatever you can to defeat Hillary Clinton, and you like public service. Is the door still closed to being Donald Trump's vice president?
SEN. MARCO RUBIO, (R), FLORIDA & FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is because, in my view, this wouldn't be the right choice for him. Donald, I think, deserves to have a vice president during the nomination and he deserves to have a running mate that fully embraces some of the thing his stands for.
TAPPER: We should definitely think that those of White House cover politics and those of your fans watching this right now, that this is not the end of it for you. Like you will -- you think you will likely run if not for president again, something that will --
(CROSSTALK)
RUBIO: I think that's a safe assumption. But, I don't know where I'm going to be in two years. I don't know. I can tell you I enjoy public service. There's an opportunity to serve again, and in a way that I feel passionate about. I'll most certainly think I'll explore it. But I don't where I'll be in two years. I don't know what my life will look like then.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TAPPER: Rubio certainly leaving the door open to running for president again, whether Trump loses in the fall or eight years from now. But his supporter for Trump and the party in the fall will be critical to show loyalty and perhaps to strengthen his position with in the Republican Party -- Ana?
CABRERA: Jake, we look forward to hearing more of your interview.
Watch Jake's interview with Marco Rubio tomorrow on "State of the Union," tomorrow, 9:00 eastern, on CNN.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:57:58] CABRERA: As we remember our military heroes this Memorial Day weekend, we want you to tell us about the everyday people, you know, doing heroic deeds.
Anderson Cooper explains how you can nominate a "CNN Hero."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, A.C. 360: Tonight, we're recognizing some incredible acts of compassion and kindness.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen, please join me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Please join me in honoring.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please join me in honoring --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- in honoring --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "CNN Hero."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: "CNN Hero."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: "CNN Hero."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "CNN Heroes."
COOPER: This year marks the tenth anniversary of "CNN Heroes," celebrating everyday people changing the world. How do we find these extraordinary people? With your help. You can nominate someone right now at CNNheroes.com. Maybe they're caring for children. Helping our veterans, or protecting the environment. Whatever their cause, nominating a "CNN Hero" is easier than ever. Go to CNNheroes.com on your laptop, your tablet or your Smartphone. Click "Nominate," fill in the form and tell us what makes your hero extraordinary. And be selective. Those honored as "CNN Heroes" are truly dedicating their lives to serving others. When you're finished, click "Submit." You'll see this message that confirms we received it.
UNIDENTIFIED CNN HERO: I mean, this is great. Yes.
COOPER: Being recognized the "CNN Hero" can help the person you admire continue their life changing work. But it all starts with you. So nominate someone deserving today.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CABRERA: That's right. You can nominate someone right now at CNNheroes.com.
Finally tonight, tonight's number is one. That's how many times Dr. Henry Heimlich has used the life-saving maneuver that bears his name in a real-life situation. It was just this week Heimlich finally got a chance to save a life at the age of 96, after a woman next to him began choking while eating. The Heimlich Maneuver is credited with saving more than 50,000 lives here in the United States alone. You learn something every day.
Coming up tonight, here on CNN, Fareed Zakaria investigates hate, radical Muslims and the United States in the CNN special "Why They Hate Us," at 7:00.
Right now "Smerconish" gets under way.
I'm Ana Cabrera. Have a great night.
