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Gary Johnson's Presidential Run; Paul Ryan News Conference. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired June 07, 2016 - 09:30   ET

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


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[09:32:41] CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.

I want to take you back out to Washington, D.C., to Anacostia. This is where Paul Ryan is holding a round table. It's in a predominantly African-American community, and Paul Ryan is expected to unveil his policies when it comes to fighting poverty in America and present us with a new economic plan. Of course he'll also be taking questions from reporters, and I would presume some of those questions will have to do with one Mr. Donald Trump. We'll take you back as soon as Paul Ryan pops out of that building.

In other news this morning, Hillary Clinton clinches the Democratic nomination and makes history, but snagging Bernie Sanders supporters is a whole other battle for the presumptive nominee. And that's where libertarians Gary Johnson sees an opening. He says voters dislike Clinton and Trump so much, he's got the most to gain.

With me now, libertarians presidential candidate Gary Johnson.

Good morning, sir.

GARY JOHNSON, LIBERTARIAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Carol, thanks for having me on here this morning.

COSTELLO: Thank you so much for being with me.

So you say that's one of the big advantages you have, because voters dislike both of the presumptive nominees so much that they'll -- they'll cast their vote for anyone?

JOHNSON: Well, no. Offering -- look, I -- I present a unique package and I do have a running mate, Bill Weld. We all -- we present a unique package, being fiscally conservative, socially liberal and, hey, let's stop with these military interventions that are having the unintended consequence of making the world a less safe place.

COSTELLO: Well, tell me why you're better for Democratic voters and progressive voters than perhaps Bernie Sanders would be?

JOHNSON: Well, I do believe in small government. I think that government tries to do too much and in that process it taxes too much. And when it takes taxes away from me, that's money that I could be spending on my life. But on the social side, look, people should be able to make their own choices in their own lives. Marriage equality, woman's right choose, legalizing marijuana. Look, let's stop dropping bombs. Crony capitalism is alive and well in this country. Legislation passes that gives unfair advantage to those that have money. Government can really play a role in leveling the play field. Something that is not currently taking place. Equality is something that government can strive to achieve.

[09:35:08] COSTELLO: So -- but there are differences with Sanders that you have on some issues. And I'll give you a few examples. According to insidegov.com, when it comes to expanding Obamacare, Senator Sanders strongly agrees, while you strongly disagree. And then there is the question of your economic policies and implementing higher taxes on the wealthy. I know you got into that a little bit, but that's an issue Sanders strongly agrees with and you strongly disagree with. So I'm kind of confuse on that issue. Can you explain?

JOHNSON: Well, when it comes to taxes, just count on -- look, I'm looking to be president of the United States. I will sign legislation that makes taxes easier, more equitable. What I would propose, though, is that we eliminate income tax. We eliminate corporate tax. And that we could then abolish the IRS. Let's replace all of that with one national consumption tax. I suggest that people look at the fair tax as a template for how you dot the i's and cross the t's to accomplish one --

COSTELLO: See, that sounds nothing like what Bernie Sanders supporters would support.

JOHNSON: Well, no --

COSTELLO: (INAUDIBLE).

JOHNSON: Like I say, we -- we come to a T in the road when it comes to economics. But if you're looking to create tens of millions of jobs, everything else being equal, no corporate tax will create tens of millions of jobs in this country.

COSTELLO: So Bernie Sanders supporters are also young and they're passionate. You know, if they don't like the candidates presented to them, they just won't vote. Don't you have to get over that hurdle as well?

JOHNSON: You know, Carol, I -- I want to encourage everyone to get on the website isidewith.com. Get on the website isidewith, take the political quiz. At the end of the political quiz, you get paired up with the presidential candidate most in line with your views. Interestingly for me, I side with myself 99 percent of the time. But next in line is Bernie Sanders at 73%. So that's why I say that Bernie and I are simpatico on so many things. Economics, no, we go different directors. I'm for smaller government. He's for bigger government. When anything is free, somebody's got to pay for it. And, look, I don't want to be paying for -- I don't want to be paying for other people. I want to pay for the things that I want in my own life.

COSTELLO: All right, I have to leave it there. Gary Johnson, thanks for stopping by.

JOHNSON: Hey, Carol, thank you.

COSTELLO: You're welcome.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, building bombs from the ground up and working around the clock. It's all in a day's work for the crew of a U.S. warship taking aim at ISIS.

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[09:41:53] COSTELLO: Any minute now the Republican leader, Paul Ryan, will address the media. His goal, to talk about defining the Republican Party. But the press will likely hammer him about questions about Trump's recent attacks on the judge, who is set to decide the Trump University civil case.

So let's talk about this while we await Paul Ryan. Senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta joins me. He's in New York. Also, Phil Mattingly joins me, a CNN correspondent. He's also in New York, sitting beside me. And Scottie Neil Hughes, who is a Trump supporter.

Welcome to all of you.

Phil, I want to start with you because this setting of this Paul Ryan news conference is very interesting. It takes place in a predominately African-American neighborhood. He's -- and it takes place inside a drug addiction center. Why there?

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, in Anacostia. And this is the first plank of what Paul Ryan has made very clear over the last couple of months as speaker would be the Republican agenda, the House Republican agenda. And Paul Ryan over -- really over the course of the last three or four years, has made focus on reforming welfare programs through better -- through conservative policies to better address poverty in the country. A central theme of his policy prescription.

So this isn't new for him. But what this actually lays out here is really kind of a point by point plan of conservative principles dealing with poverty issues. Now, Paul Ryan has, behind the scenes and sometimes publicly, gone to centers like this, which is based in Anacostia, talking to people who are actually on the ground, trying to figure out not just what the top line conservative philosophy would be related to this, but actually what would work effectively on the ground.

What they're trying to do today basically is address that and show it with their members. Talk about the Republican agenda in the House, not about Donald Trump. And I think one of the issues here that you're going to see today is, this is part of a six point plan that the Republicans are going to be laying out over the next couple of weeks. Of note, House advisors made clear, immigration not a part of the plan, trade not a part of that plan. These are policies that they think Donald Trump would actually agree to and sign into law if he was president. However, as you noted, the problem is, this will turn into a Donald

Trump press conference really quick with those questions.

COSTELLO: Oh, absolutely. And it's interesting the contrast, Jim, because Donald Trump, during his campaigning, he likes to do these big, giant rallies, right? He rarely goes to places like this to talk to people, right?

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Donald Trump has done a lot of events in urban centers. Now, one of those events in Chicago had to be canceled because things got so out of hand. But he has been doing that. And Donald Trump has been trying to make the case that he wants to have positive relationships with minority communities. Obviously, this controversy over Judge Gonzalo Curiel has thrown, you know, a serious wrench into all of that and he's having to answer questions about that. And so is Paul Ryan, by the way. I mean they are expecting Paul Ryan to take questions at this events, and I imagine, as you just heard, you know, he is going to take questions on Donald Trump.

But the political problem for Paul Ryan is this. He is of the mindset, as are many people inside the Republican Party, that they have to expand the tent. They have to expand the base. They have to reach out to minorities. They have to show people other than, you know, Caucasian conservative Republicans that the Republican Party cares about their issues too. And this has been a project on Paul Ryan's agenda for a very long time, how to fashion conservative principles, how to fashion conservative solutions to appeal to, you know, other types of voters, other demographics out there who are not gravitating to the Republican Party now for all of these different problems that they're dealing with.

[09:45:26] And so Paul Ryan has -- has a very big challenge on his hands, as he's trying to deliver this policy proposal this morning on poverty, he's going to have to answer questions about Donald Trump. And so, Carol, it's a crystallization of the -- of the problem inside the Republican Party right now, how do they get beyond Donald Trump to appeal to voters across the country. And it is just something they're going to have to work through this entire campaign cycle. You know, it's not just at the top of the ticket they're worried about, they're worried about election consequences down ballot as well. You know, congressmen are running for their lives in some districts.

COSTELLO: And, Scottie, I want to ask you, so Donald Trump's comments about Judge Curiel, this sort of makes it more difficult for Congressman Ryan, doesn't it?

SCOTTIE NEIL HUGHES, TRUMP SUPPORTER: It does to a certain extent, but I think this is actually an excellent platform. I think this is one of the areas that Congressman Ryan and Donald Trump agree with. That they believe that if you go into these urban neighborhoods in order to revitalize it, you need economic community development, which is something that Donald Trump has had a long track record with. In '88, '89, he donated to Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Coalition, the storefront or their building on 40th Wall Street because he believed that that was the best way to sit there and encourage business within these urban areas, in these (INAUDIBLE). His tax policy plan also encourages these kinds of incentives for businesses to go into these urban areas, create jobs and revitalize from the inner city out. And so I think this is an excellent place for him -- this is one of those places where Paul Ryan and Donald Trump agree is a great way to outreach and expand the tent of the Republican Party.

COSTELLO: All right, we're going to talk more about that, but I've got to take a break. So, Phil, Jim, and Scottie, stay with me. I'll be right back.

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[09:51:30] COSTELLO: All right, I want to take you back to Washington, D.C., to Anacostia. You see the House speaker, Paul Ryan, there. He just gave over the podium to another member of Congress and they're -- they're rolling out a series of policy -- it's called their -- they're kicking off a series of policy rollouts, and this one in particular has to do with how we fight poverty in the United States. This is taking place in a low-income neighborhood in Washington, D.C. A predominantly African-American community. And we expect that Paul Ryan will then take questions from reporters, and those questions will probably center around Donald Trump.

Joining me again, senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta, CNN correspondent Phil Mattingly, and Scottie Neil Hughes, a Trump supporter.

Jim, I want to toss a question to you because I know that Reince Priebus, the Republican chair, called Donald Trump this morning to talk about what he's been saying about Judge Curiel. Do we know at all what Reince Priebus said to Mr. Trump?

ACOSTA: We don't. And we don't even know that the call was this morning. We know that they've had a conversation about Trump's remarks on the judge. And, you know, I think sources are being very tight- lipped about this for a reason, and that is because I don't think Reince Priebus wants to be in the business of having to, you know, talk to Donald Trump every time he makes a -- you know, an ill-advised comment. And, you know, but that is -- that is partly his role as party chair. He has to put out the fires. He has to be the fireman.

But at the same time, you know, I think what you're seeing inside the Republican Party right now, and perhaps Scottie can address this, is this near universal condemnation of the presumptive Republican nominee. I mean it's just unprecedented. We haven't seen anything like this in modern political times where you have the speaker of the House, where you have the Senate majority leader, where you have top Republicans from, you know, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to Marco Rubio, to you name it, all saying, you know, hey, wait a minute, this is -- this is way over the line.

And Donald Trump, you know, on the conference call yesterday saying, I'm not backing down, I'm doubling down, no apologies, keep going, let's keep up this criticism of this judge. You know, it's just sort of unbelievable really to see this, you know, back and forth going on inside the Republican Party. I was talking to somebody who just stopped by here earlier this

morning, was giving, you know, Carol, was giving me some -- some grief over, you know, how we don't cover the Clinton Foundation. Why don't we cover the Clinton Foundation? And my response to that -- and I've talked -- I've talked to top Republicans who say the same thing is, well, if Donald Trump wasn't talking about Judge Curiel, he would have an opportunity to go after Hillary Clinton on all sorts of different things. I talked to a prominent GOP House lawmaker earlier this morning who said, you know, these are unforced errors.

And so, you know, this is something that Reince Priebus is going to have to deal with. This is something Paul Ryan is going to have to deal with. I'm sure Paul Ryan doesn't want to take questions on Donald Trump this morning, he wants to talk about his policy proposals.

COSTELLO: Absolutely. And it -- and it does put the House speaker in a rough spot, right? It took him a month to express any kind of support for Donald Trump and yesterday he came out and said this about Donald Trump's comments about Judge Curiel. This is Paul Ryan. Quote, "look, the comment about the judge, it was just out of left field, in my mind. It's reasoning I don't relate to. I completely disagree with the thinking behind it. So he clearly says and does things I don't agree with and I've had to speak up time to time when that has occurred, and I'll continue to do that if that's necessary. I hope it's not."

[09:55:01] So, Phil, just talk a little bit about this weird place that Paul Ryan now finds himself in.

MATTINGLY: Well, look, in an ideal world, the day after Paul Ryan announced his endorsement would have started two or three weeks where Donald Trump did absolutely nothing controversial and really kind of added some backing to why Paul Ryan eventually came around. The expect opposite happened. And I think you talk to Republicans who are kind of in two camps here. One group that says, no kidding, why do you think he's going to change? This has been his persona throughout the entire 11, 12 month campaign process. And then you talk to the others and there's a lot of -- the rationale behind endorsing Trump has been, he will pivot to the general election. He will shift. If you talk to him behind closed doors -- I hear this a lot. I know Jim does as well. You talk to Republicans who have met with Donald Trump behind closed doors and they describe a very different individual. An individual who's open to compromise. An individual who's talking about things that appeal to the Republican Party establishment, if you will. Not that he's going to change how he campaigns or his policies, but somebody who they feel like they can work with. And then he goes back on the campaign trail and says things that they all have to condemn the very next day.

Carol, I think it's really important, if you look at the other side of the screen right now and you look at what Paul Ryan is doing today, Paul Ryan is doing what the Republican Party said after Mitt Romney was going to be the basis of all of their campaigns. It was Marco Rubio. It was Jeb Bush. It was what all of their candidates except for Donald Trump were going to do. Instead, Paul Ryan is going to have to answer questions today about Donald Trump. COSTELLO: OK. I'm going to have to leave it there for now. We're still

awaiting Paul Ryan to take that microphone and answer questions from reporters.

I'm going to take a break. I'll get to you after that, Scottie Neil Hughes.

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[10:00:05] COSTELLO: And good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.

Allow me to take you out to Washington, D.C., to Anacostia.