Return to Transcripts main page

At This Hour

Two Points Separate Trump and Clinton Nationally; Trump Hits Clinton On Avoiding News Conferences; "Never Trump" White Knight Emerges As Potential Third-Party Candidate; Trump To Visit U.K. Amid Tensions; Ex-Clinton Pollster Says Hillary Could Lose Nomination; California Governor Endorses Clinton; Ex-Employees Say Trump University Preyed On Uneducated and Elderly. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired June 01, 2016 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:30:04] JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Athena Jones, thanks you so much.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's bring right now Kristina Schake she's Deputy Communication Director for Hillary Clinton's campaign. Kristina, thank you so much for coming in.

KRISTINA SCHAKE, DEPUTY COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, HILLARY FOR AMERICA: Hi, it's such a pleasure to be here.

BOLDUAN: Thank you. Obviously talking about how the president will be weighing into the race, taking a look at the state of the race. CNN has new poll pulls out and it has Clinton and Trump in a very tight race right now. 45-43 is with the averages.

So for someone who's Secretary Clinton has started to brand and instead over and over again she describes him as unqualified loose cannon. Why is the race so tight then?

SCHAKE: Well, you know, I think we have put this on prospective. Trump has now the Republican nominee and we're still in a primary side on the Democratic side. We have few more primaries to go. And then we think let's see our party unify. You know,. I think in 2008 at this exact same time McCain was the Republican nominee and Obama and Hillary were still in a spirited contest and the polls at that time showed John McCain beating Obama and we saw that wasn't the case in November.

So I think we've got a ways to go and as the president is going to layout today, the stakes are so high in this election and American voters are going to have a really important choice to make.

BERMAN: And we'll note that the Hillary Clinton herself has said that she is going to be the nominee.

SCHAKE: Yeah.

BERMAN: There's no question about that anymore. So she disagree that the characterizations still a race on. But Doug Schoen, who did work for Bill Clinton for a long time on Democratic pollster, wrote in Wall Street Journal today. He thinks there's more than a race right on now with Bernie Sanders. He goes there as now more than a theoretical chance that Hillary Clinton may not be Democratic nominee for president. He cites a whole lot of reasons, he's close in California. Bernie Sanders who won in California, the e-mails and what not. What's your response to Doug Schoen?

SCHAKE: We absolutely don't agree with that. You know, Hillary is coming into California with a commanding lead. And that's a reflection of the huge win she's had in big divers, states like, Texas, Ohio and Florida. She's 270 delegates ahead. She's more than 3 million votes ahead of Bernie Sanders, 2 million ahead of Donald Trump.

So she's coming in those the commanding lead but, you know, Hillary is treating California with the respect that it deserves. It's my home state and she wants to have a voice in this election and she has said that she's going to honor this primary and finish out all of the rest of the states even though she is in such a commanding lead at this point.

BOLDUAN: You pick up the endorsement of the Governor, California Jerry Brown. Is California a must win? Do you have to win in California?

SCHAKE: You know certainly if you look at the map, she doesn't need to because again, she's so far ahead in this race, but, you know, she is campaigning in California because that's what Hillary does. She never takes anything for granted she does the hard work and she's out there talking to Californians about her plans to make a real difference in their lives.

BERMAN: Let me talk about the e-mails for a seconds of the I.G. report from the state department. You know Hillary Clinton for a long time, including, you know, interviews with all the broadcast networks said that how she used her private server was allowed under the rules of the state department.

The I.G. report says that's not the case, they also say she never asked and they say had she asked they would have said no, it's not permitted under the rules. So do you acknowledge now that the secretary was wrong about the rules (inaudible)?

SCHAKE: What's important here is what Hillary has said, is that report shows that previous secretaries of state set it up that way and they were ...

BERMAN: But she did it much more and use it in a much different way and as we'd like to point out. She's the only one running for president right now. So, again with Hillary Clinton wrong about whether it was permitted.

SCHAKE: Well, what's -- I think is very important here and what I was about to say is Hillary herself has said it was a mistake. And she understands that voters have concern about it. She's answering questions about it because she really wants people to understand that she knows, that it was a mistake.

BERMAN: Whether it mistake because of all the trouble it caused to her mind? It's like my kid is mistake because she gotten trouble or was it a mistake because she broke the rules?

SCHAKE: Well, as that report made clear, previous secretaries of state did the same and the rules weren't really clarified until after she left. But she said in that retrospect she wouldn't have set it up that way and if she had to understand if the rules have been cleared at that time.

But again, she's apologized for this. She said it was a mistake. You know, I think is really important here is that voters have known about this for more than a year. It's been extensively reported on in the media. And she's still winning primary after primary and 3 million votes ahead. So when I'm out there with her on the campaign trail, this is not really something that people are asking her about. They are more interested in what she's going to do as president to have a real effect on their lives.

BOLDUAN: And you said she's answering questions about, she's out there answering questions about the e-mails. She told CNN yesterday that she's done nearly 300 interviews in 2016. Her last gaggle with reporters though, may 9th, last formal press conference was December 4th, of some six months ago. This is something that Donald Trump is hitting her on all the time and just did yesterday. Why does she not hold press conferences?

SCHAKE: Well, at Hillary said, we take yesterday's she does so many interviews, she does town hall. She's literally taken thousands and thousands of questions. And reports but also ...

[11:35:04] BOLDUAN: Does she not like press conferences?

SCHAKE: No, you know, you heard her say to Jake yesterday that she understands it's really important and you'll see her doing a lot of things going forward, press conferences and town halls and interviews, she'll do a lot to answer people's questions. You know, Hillary knows how much is at stake in this election and she wants to talk to voters directly about her plans how to make college more affordable, how bring down the cost of prescription drugs.

BOLDUAN: Right, she just (inaudible) on press conference.

SCHAKE: Showed me out there doing it.

BOLDUAN: When do you think the next press conference will be?

SCHAKE: Well, you know, right now she's just working her heart out in California. She's going to spend the next few days campaigning in California and then she looks forward to the campaign beyond that.

BERMAN: Will you guarantee there will be a press conference before the California primary?

SCHAKE: Oh, you know what? At this point what we're planning to do in California is do what Hillary does best, out there talking directly to voters, listening to their concerns and talking to them what she would do a president. But, you know, she answers questions all the time she does interviews all the time. She's doing a lot of interviews with local reporters in California and she was on CNN yesterday and MSNBC yesterday.

So she is doing a lot of interviews and she understands how important it is. And I would say there's a real difference between Hillary and look how Donald Trump treated reporters yesterday and anyone who disagrees with him, he just belittles and insults.

BERMAN: She's welcome to belittle us ...

(CROSSTALK)

BERMAN: ... but we ask him on a press conference ...

SCHAKE: You know, but she understands the important role of the press. She is always respected that. And she said yesterday, right on CNN she'll do more of that in the future.

BOLDUAN: Pre-California, don't hold your breath. Kristina it's great to see you. Thanks so much for joining us.

SCHAKE: Great to see you. Thank you.

BOLDUAN: All right. So, coming up for us, House Speaker Paul Ryan, he is speaking out about why he has not yet endorsed Donald Trump, what's the hold up? His reasoning coming up.

BERMAN: Plus we do have breaking news. Officials have detected a signal from one of the black boxes belonging to missing EgyptAir Flight 804. We'll going to have those new details ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:41:12] BERMAN: All right, the never Trump movement is hoping conservative writer David French could be an alternative to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Could he have an impact on this race?

Let's discuss with our CNN Political Commentator Kayleigh McEnany of Donald Trump supporter. Errol Louis Political Anchor for Time Warner Cable new. Ana Navarro a Republican Strategist and Edward Espinoza former Bill Richardson campaign field director and former DNC superdelegate.

Ana Navarro, I want to start with you. Because, you for a long time have been saying you don't know what you're going to do next November on Election Day given the choice between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Is David French the answer to your prayers?

ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITIAL COMMENTATOR: I need to pray a little harder maybe, you know. I was hoping Mitt Romney would be the answers to my prayers. Frankly, I don't blame god for not listening to me, I haven't been the best of Catholics, you know, I've got to get back into Catholic shape.

But -- look, you know, Running for president is very, very difficult getting in at this late time. It's even more difficult. You need to be able to have a fundraising network. You need to be able to have a network of seasoned political veterans that could put a campaign together. You're going to be doing things like legal challenges to ballot rules or trying to do write-in ballot campaigns.

Its very challenging and this is a person who I'm sure is a wonderful person, he's a veteran. I respect that tremendously but I've never heard of him. And you know, it's very hard to start in June with such little name I.D. miracles do happen, and, you know, maybe this was one of them, you know, but I was hoping for somebody I thought was more of a ready made candidate. This one is like, you know, starting from scratch and it's a little late in the game.

BOLDUAN: Little late in the game. So Errol, Donald Trump has announced he's going to the U.K. this is to see his new golf course but could he -- it's his first foreign trip since becoming the presumptive GOP nominee and Romney he made his infamous trip to London in July of 2012. So what could go wrong?

ERROL LOUIS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I mean, we already saw the beginnings of a spat between Donald Trump and some British politicians. We know that to the extent but he's been feuding with the new mayor of London, that's another opportunity for some bad press and so forth.

And unlike here, where, you know, I think Trump has been very adept and masterful even at sort of picking and choosing and getting his way as far as how he presents himself to the media, he could sometimes go wrong as he did yesterday.

BOLDUAN: Right.

LOUIS: But his very good at that. The British press is whole other animal. I mean, it's a different kind of thing ...

BERMAN: They have accents.

BOLDUAN: They have accents for what?

LOUIS: They have accents, they have agendas. They are connected to political parties. They are playing a game and trying to get things other than, you know, say rating points or other things that Donald Trump might understand. And as far as what could go wrong, yeah, a lot could go wrong.

BERMAN: I want to Ed Ramos (ph) shift gears to the Democratic race for once second Edward Espinoza, something happened in the last 24 hours that could have a big impact in the California primary right now. Jerry brown, the four-term governor split over many decades of California who doesn't endorse a hell of a lot has endorse Hillary Clinton in this race. Despite a checkered history with the Clintons. You've worked on a lot of campaigns and California, you know, it's a tough place to run. What kind of impact do you think that will have there?

EDWARD ESPINOZA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PROGRESS TEXAS: So it is a tough place to run and Jerry Brown is very popular. One thing that's really interesting about him is he's not necessarily Democratic establishment. Maybe he served four terms as governor, maybe he's a Democrat. But to say that this guy is the same old same old with the party and goes along the play along is not to understand Jerry Brown very well.

[11:45:00] This is someone who is an outsider who plays by his own rules and it was built a very strong career. And for someone like Jerry Brown to be able to endorse Hillary Clinton that is a very important endorsement. Not only for her in California but for all of those voters who like the idea of outsiders supporting major candidates this year. And it's really important in a one on one with Bernie Sanders.

BOLDUAN: So that's what Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are up against right now, their California primary. Kayleigh, what Donald Trump is up against right now is this -- the documents coming out relating to Trump university. This isn't going away, even with this document release, these lawsuits are still out there. There are going to continue through the summer, into the fall. A testimony from one of these sales managers calling it a fraudulent scheme. How do you say that is good for you guys to have this lingering?

KAYLEIGH MCENANY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, you're right, there are three cases open. You look at the one in California, for instance, that's a class action lawsuit and the Trump campaign had a major victory back in September when the judge, the federal district court in California decertified, partially decertified part of the class because this found out that the lead plaintiff is actually on tape praising Donald Trump, saying what a great university that is. University had 98 percent approval rating by its students.

There are a lot of counter facts that go to Donald Trumps side of the arguments. So I think there are two sides of the story like everyone who wanted to say Corey Lewandowski was guilty of battery before there is ever court case. In fact there was never a case. This could easily go away and I'm more concerned about that behind investigation into Secretary Clinton than a civil suit against Donald Trump.

BERMAN: And Navarro, I'll give you a quick last word here. Based on what you saw yesterday with Donald Trump and the interaction with the media based on what you saw from Donald Trump with the and the promise that its continue to hit Republicans going forward. You know, what do you think the effect of that will be between now and Cleveland, the convention?

NAVARRO: Well, look, you know, there's still a faction that our Republican holdouts I'm part of that. And I think when you see Donald Trump behaving the way he did with the free press with Tom Llamas (ph) that ABC News, who is a genuine good reporter, who was asking a legitimate question about a legitimate issue. Regarding the donations to the veterans and he gets treated and goes on this, you know, and Donald Trump goes on this tirade against him and then he says he's going to attack Republicans who aren't supporting him.

Well, you know, people like me say, OK. Well, tell you what. You're giving us all of the justification we need not to back you up. Because you're not acting any more presidential today than you were six weeks ago, six days ago, six months ago. It's still the same old Trump that are conscious just cannot, you know, allow us to support.

BOLDUAN: Let's wait for next press conference. We see what he's like then. Thanks guys. Thanks so much. Really appreciate it.

So he is he top Republican in the House. He's also the top Republican elected -- top elected official in the United States right now. He is still not endorsed the presumptive Republican nominee. House Speaker Paul Ryan giving new details on what's holding him back from fully supporting Donald Trump.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:52:02] BOLDUAN: Republicans not jumping on to support Donald Trump, you have been warned. The presumptive GOP nominee said he has no reason to play nice or be friendly to fellow Republicans. Excuse me, who do not endorse his campaign. Listen here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: The real story is how fast we're getting together. Now, if I have a Republican that's not on my side, I'm not -- why should I be particularly nice to that person. I'm not going to go after like I would Hillary or crazy Bernie but, you know, why should I be nice to that person, if I have a person that's not going to support me, I have no obligation. Now, politically, I may be right. I may be wrong, but that's who I am.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: He's not changing. Joining us now to discuss Republican Congressman from New York. Lee Zeldin, he has endorsed Donald Trump for president. Congressman, thank you so much for joining us.

REP. LEE ZELDIN, (R) NEW YORK, SUPPORTS TRUMP: Happy to be with you.

BOLDUAN: So you heard it right there. That contradicts what we've heard was said behind closed doors for Republican on Capitol Hill that they wouldn't hold a grudge. Donald Trump would not hold a grudge if you had to separate yourself. If you had to show some distance. But now he says he can go after. I mean, he has no reason to be nice. Are you comfortable with that?

ZELDIN: I think as the convention gets closer, there's more of a need for the Republican Party to be unified. You want to go into and come out of the convention unified. For some people, it may just require a discussion on policy, where you want to take the party, where you want to take the country.

For others, you know, it seems like, you know, publicly, we hear certain things being said that might be trying to force some hands. At the end of the day, there's no way you're going to get everyone on board.

BERMAN: But he's saying stuff in this case about Republican elected officials like Suzanne Martinez. And as a Republican elected officers, so does it bother you, make you uncomfortable when you hear him do that?

ZELDIN: I don't think so because you can stand your own ground. You know, there are people who are supporting Donald Trump who don't agree with him on everything that he says. If you are -- if you do not wanting to support Donald Trump for president, be willing to articulate that position, understanding that ultimately, the decisions between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton at this point. So, you know, holding out hope for this other Republican to emerge to be the next president, at this point, it's not to happen.

BOLDUAN: When talking about who's getting behind Donald Trump is not getting behind Donald Trump, Paul Ryan is still not supporting Donald Trump, fully very against support behind Donald Trump. You clearly work with Paul Ryan.

He said in an interview, that it comes down to principles, principles are what matters to that matter the most to conservatives like me, like myself. He says that why he hasn't gotten behind Donald Trump yet is principles. What are the principles that separate these two men, do you think?

ZELDIN: Well, so I was in the room when the two of them had a meeting but knowing Paul Ryan, he was the chair waiting me (ph) he wanted tax reform. He wants to know not just that you're going to repeal Obamacare, but what does that replacement strategy look like. You want to bring back the jobs. Well, you know, Paul Ryan was the one as chair voice it means of pushing that the TPA through Congress. Trans-Pacific Partnership ...

[11:55:05] BOLDUAN: Right, but if he hasn't heard what he needs to hear from Trump yet, is he going to?

ZELDIN: Everything I heard as far as the minute they had was that it was a good meeting but it was only about 40 minutes. So, hopefully, that dialogue continues so that when you're trying to figure out envision what 2017 America should look like, well, Congress should like with a future of our country should like, that's not going to get done in 40 minutes.

Now, what I hope is that as we get closer to the convention, that the speaker and Mr. Trump are united in our cause of winning in November and ensuring their country goes in the right direction this January.

BERMAN: Ten seconds or less and I mean that. We'd be disappointed if Paul Ryan doesn't endorse Donald Trump?

ZELDIN: I think he will. It's a hypothetical I don't see playing out.

BERMAN: Congressman Lee Zeldin, thanks for coming in. We really appreciate it.

BOLDUAN: Thank you so much Congressman.

BERMAN: All right, breaking news right now. Search cruise detecting a signal from EgyptAir Flight 804: The black boxes. We've give details next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)