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Trump, Clinton in Dead Heat in Ohio; 3 Democratic Veterans/Lawmakers Ask House Speaker to Un-Endorse Trump; DNC CEO Resigns in Wake of Hack. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired August 02, 2016 - 13:30   ET

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

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[13:31:24] WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: The battle is on right now for the key swing state of Ohio. Recent polls show Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in a dead heat there and both candidates are spending countless hours on the ground to try to win over the hearts of Buckeye voters.

Jessica Schneider takes a closer look at this critical contest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do believe that my vote matters. I want it to matter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So goes Ohio so goes the country, yeah.

(SHOUTING)

JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These are the voters Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump hope to capture. No Republican has ever won the presidency without winning Ohio. The last time a Democrat took the White House without the state, John F. Kennedy in 1960.

Both campaigns are fighting hard for the battleground. Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine traveled by bus through the state as part of their post-convention push.

HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: We'll be back. We'll be in the valley. We'll be all over Ohio.

SCHNEIDER: Donald Trump rallied in Columbus Monday.

DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & CEO, TRUMP ORGANIZATION: I'll be back so much you'll be sick of me. But November 8th, you have to go and vote. We've got to win this election.

SCHNEIDER: The Buckeye State is getting a barrage of attention in person and over the air waves.

ANNOUNCER: A steady leader in an unsteady world.

SCHNEIDER: Clinton and her super PAC spending $13 million on TV ads since June 7th. Trump's campaign hasn't spent anything while his allies have shelled out $1.6 million in TV time.

ANNOUNCER: We're going to have great jobs again.

SCHNEIDER: 7.6 million voters are up for grabs, but there's push and pull over registering even more. Federal judges have struck down voter I.D. laws and those reducing voting time as unconstitutional.

Now the state's purge of voters who haven't cast a ballot in six years is under review by the courts.

DR. JOHN GREEN, DIRECTOR, BLISS INSTITUTE OF APPLIED POLITICS; UNIVERSITY OF AKRON: The ground game really matters, particularly in a year where both of the major candidates have a lot of negatives.

SCHNEIDER: Clinton's team has field offices sprouting up around the state. Her camp courting suburban women.

AARON PICKEREL, SENIOR ADVISOR, HILLARY FOR OHIO CAMPAIGN: I think there are a lot of people, especially in suburban Ohio, who may have voted by Mitt Romney, will be turned off by the toxic rhetoric of Trump. They're going to look this way and they're going to take a strong look at the candidates, and I think they're going to come our way at the end of the day.

SCHNEIDER: Ohio GOP officials say Trump's field offices will start opening next week, insisting Trump's tactics mean they haven't lost any ground.

ROB FROST, CUYAHOGA COUNTY GOP CHAIR: You take the Clinton operation, I think they're trying to do a lot to compensate for a weak candidate. What we have with Donald Trump is a candidate who is taking his message right to the people through his rallies, through Twitter, through the media.

SCHNEIDER: But Trump is in an ongoing feud with the top Republican in the state. Governor John Kasich refused to appear at the Cleveland convention after taking on Trump during the primary season.

JOHN KASICH, (R), OHIO GOVERNOR: You nominate the wrong Republican candidate, who divides the country, we'll lose the United States Senate as well as the White House. They will not win Ohio.

FROST: I know the Trump team isn't happy. And it looks like neither side is happy right now. But while the bridge wasn't crossed, it also wasn't burned.

SCHNEIDER: The feelings among voters are strong for both candidates.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would like to see Trump because he does come from outside Washington. I cannot stand politicians. Like I said earlier, they say one thing and they go do another.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I watched the Republican -- and it was just -- I didn't hear anything positive. I didn't hear anything platforms. I didn't hear anything. All I heard is, man, cutting down everybody and making our country hate one another. I just don't agree with that. I just -- it makes me sick.

SCHNEIDER: But some Ohioans are frustrated with their choices.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not sure about Trump. I'm not sure about Hillary. And I don't know -- I think I'm going to make my decision that day.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[13:35:12] BLITZER: Jessica is joining us now live from Cleveland.

Jessica, what does the get-out-the-vote effort look like on the ground in Ohio?

SCHNEIDER: Well, Wolf, the voter push is coming from all sides and both campaigns. The secretary of state's office is teaming up with the election registration center. They'll be putting out mailings to 1.6 million eligible voters encouraging them to register by the deadline of October 11th. In addition, both campaigns are having people sign promise postcards. The campaigns will then mail them out in the days before the election reminding people of their pledge to vote -- Wolf?

BLITZER: Good report. Jessica Schneider, from Cleveland.

This just coming in to CNN. More fallout of the e-mail hack of the Democratic National Committee. We've just learned the CEO from the DNC is going to resign today, according to a senior Democratic Party official. Amy Deacy is submitting her resignation letter in the wake of those leaked e-mails. Deacy is the highest-ranking person at the DNC to step aside, not the only one. DNC chair, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, as you know, resigned as well.

Tomorrow night, we'll hear from the other choices for president of the United States. Don't miss CNN's town hall with Libertarian candidates, Gary Johnson and William Weld. The program will be hosted by our own Anderson Cooper. Wednesday night, 9:00 p.m. eastern, right here on CNN.

President Obama says Donald Trump keeps proving he's unfit to be president of the United States. And he's joining a group of military veterans in Congress in calling on House Speaker Paul Ryan to withdraw his endorsement of Trump. We're going to speak to one of those lawmakers.

Plus, how is Donald Trump responding to all of this? Much more coming up right after this.

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[13:41:18] BLITZER: There's breaking news. We just received a statement from Donald Trump. In it he says, "Hillary Clinton is unfit to hold the office of president of the United States." This comes immediately after President Obama said that the Republican nominee, Donald Trump, is unfit to serve as president of the United States. Trump said this: "Hillary Clinton has proven herself unfit to serve in any government office. She is reckless with her e-mails, reckless with regime change, and reckless with American lives. Our nation has been humiliated abroad and compromised by radical Islam brought onto our shores. We need change now." That statement from Donald Trump.

Three freshmen lawmakers are urging the House speaker, Paul Ryan, to dump Trump. The reason? Trump's ongoing feud with the family of a fallen American soldier. The congressmen are all veterans, all Democrats. They wrote a letter to Speaker Ryan saying, among other things, this, "As veterans who previously served on active duty, we are horrified by Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump's slander of parents whose son died serving our country." The letter goes on to say, "We were heartened by your first instinct, which was to not endorse Mr. Trump. We respectfully request that you follow what we believe your heart is telling you and withdraw your endorsement of him now."

Congressman Ted Lieu, of California, is one ever the lawmakers who wrote that letter. He's joining us.

Congressman, thanks for joining us.

Have you received any response from the speaker?

REP. TED LIEU, (D), CALIFORNIA: Thank you, Wolf, for your question. I have not received any response from the speaker, but I urge him to put country over party and withdraw his endorsement of Donald Trump now.

BLITZER: During a news conference just a little while ago, President Obama also questioned why GOP leaders are sticking by Donald Trump even after criticizing comments he has made. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And the question I think that they have to ask themselves is, if you are repeatedly having to say in very strong terms that what he has said is unacceptable, why are you still endorsing him? What does this say about your party that this is your standard bearer?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: You're a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. You did active duty. What's your biggest complaint? What's your biggest concern about Donald Trump?

LIEU: My biggest concern is that in November we're not just electing a president. We're electing a commander-in-chief. And a president who proposes stupid laws, for example, such as banning Muslims, Congress can stop that or the courts will strike it down. There are checks and balances. But when a commander-in-chief decides to take action to defend America such as launching air strikes or god forbid launching a nuclear first strike, that person needs to have temperament, judgment and knowledge. Those are the checks and balances. Because Congress is not involved in those issues as much, it's very important that our commander-in-chief can be trusted. Donald Trump fails all those elements of leadership.

BLITZER: Why do you think he doesn't have the temperament to have his finger, let's say, on the nuclear button?

LIEU: Because he goes after anybody that goes under his skin, even a little bit, including Gold Star parents, the mother of a son who died serving our country. He plays footsie with Russia. He praises America's enemies, such as Saddam Hussein. And he has shown that he is incapable of having actual knowledge about the world. He didn't even know, for example, that Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014.

BLITZER: Your letter says that Trump's attack on the Khan family, whose son died in war in Iraq, dishonors all Americans, and in your words, "is an attack on America." So what impact do you think it will have on down-ballot candidates in the fight for control of the House and the Senate?

[13:45:15] LIEU: I think it will have a significant impact. Having served on active duty in the military, it's been difficult for me to watch Donald Trump attacking our military, for saying it's a disaster, attacking our veterans, such as John McCain. But when he went after parents of a son who died serving our country, that crossed all acceptable norms of human behavior. And if Speaker Ryan does not withdraw his endorsement, then he owns it. Anyone who endorses Donald Trump endorses his vision of America, which is dividing us rather than strengthening us. We are "Stronger Together." That's what Hillary Clinton believes. That's why she's going to win. And you're CNN polls that. She's now up nine points on the poll?

BLITZER: She's definitely got a bump out of the Democratic convention. He got a bump out of the Republican convention. Let's see what happens down the road.

As you know, the Arizona Senator John McCain, the Republican nominee in 2008, he's been the focus us of some of Trump's criticism. He issued a very strong rebuke saying Trump, when he went after the parents of that fallen American soldier, he said that, "Trump disparaged a fallen soldier's parents." Those were his words. What do you think of Senator McCain's response?

LIEU: I respect Senator McCain. And what Donald Trump doesn't understand is that our military is great because it doesn't matter what color you are, who you love, or what religion you practice. All we care about is, can you do your duty to our nation with excellence? Captain Khan went above and beyond his duty by telling his troops to stay back, walking 10 steps forward and then a car blew up. That is the kind of sacrifice that should be honored, not disparaged. And Donald Trump by saying the words he said has shown Americans that he is, at heart, a very cruel and intemperate person, someone who is unfit for president of the United States.

BLITZER: Congressman, thanks very much. Congressman Ted Lieu, of California, joining us.

Up next, the CEO of the Democratic National Committee is resigning now in the wake of that massive e-mail hack. We're getting new details. Stay with us.

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[13:51:15] BLITZER: New York City's top cop is leaving his job. The police department commissioner, William Bratton, is resigning after nearly three years on the job. Mayor Bill de Blasio made the announcement a little while ago. The mayor thanked Bratton for his service, praised New York police for driving down the crime rate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL DE BLASIO, (D), NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: We remember what the city used to be like. A lot of us lived it. Over 2,000 murders a year. Disorder was common. Quality of life offenses almost went without notice they were so common. It wasn't enough just to end the bad. We had to start working toward our good, towards as our status towards the safest big city in America, towards the goal of real harmony between police and community.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: James O'Neal, who rose through the ranks to become the NYPD chief of department, will be the next commissioner.

And this just coming in. One of the leaders of the Democratic National Committee is now out. This in the wake of the e-mail hack, subsequent information that -- of leaks on WikiLeaks that appeared to show the party favoring Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders in the primary. The party supposed to be neutral. Amy Deacy, CEO of the DNC, has announced her resignation.

Our senior Washington correspondent, Joe Johns, is with me right now.

Joe, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chair of the DNC, she resigned immediately after the Democratic convention. So what prompted this resignation?

Quite frankly, from what we can tell -- sounds like it is just getting started. But the DNC apparently is moving in the direction of a bit of a house cleaning here and I think it needs to be made clear in the first place that Amy Deacy and the CEO has resigned. She has not been fired. We do know Donna Brazile, the CNN contributor, as well as the interim chair of the DNC who was brought in to replace Debbie Wasserman Schultz is at the helm of all of this.

Are trying to upright the ship, as it were, after the embarrassing episode that occurred right before the Democratic National Committee when this allegation and appearance, if you will, Wolf, of partiality on behalf of Debbie Wasserman Schultz, appearing to try to help out Hillary Clinton, or at least being inimical to Bernie Sanders. It doesn't sound like Amy Deacy's being fired, nonetheless we are told there is potential for other people to move on or have jobs changes somewhere.

BLITZER: Those e-mails that were leaked were very, very awkward, embarrassing, damaging for the DNC. Is it just the start of a house cleaning that Donna Brazile, who's now on leave -- she is no longer a CNN contributor for the time being. She is the interim chair of the DNC, replacing Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Is this just the start of a house cleaning over there?

JOHNS: It sounds like the start of a housekeeping. At least that's what sources are telling CNN. Our Jeff Zeleny has gotten some information on that, suggesting that it is the beginning of the House cleaning. It doesn't suggest to us how many people are being shuffled, moved around. But it appears that the DNC thinks there needs to be changes made -- Wolf?

BLITZER: Let me -- Joe Johns, thanks very much.

I want to get one or story in. The Centers for Disease Control and Miami-Dade County officials are ramping up their efforts right now to control the spread of the Zika Virus. Right now, the focus is in one Miami neighborhood. The number of cases caused by local mosquitoes rose to 14 people, up from the four announced on Friday. That prompted the CDC to issue a travel advisory for pregnant women, telling them to stay away from that neighborhood. Experts think there will be more cases to come.

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[13:55:22] DR. THOMAS FRIEDEN, DIRECTOR, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL: Anywhere in the U.S. where this mosquito is present, there is a risk. That's why we need to track. That's why we've developed and distributed test kits for public health labs to use throughout the U.S. But that's also why it is important that we invest in better tools to diagnose Zika and better ways to stop these mosquitoes, because they're tough mosquitoes to stop.

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BLITZER: The CDC advises pregnant women living in the affected area to apply insect repellant and wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. They're also advising residents to remove any standing water.

That's it for me. I'll be back 5:00 p.m. eastern in "The Situation Room."

For our international viewers, "Amanpour" is next.

For our viewers in North America, NEWSROOM with Brooke Baldwin starts right after a quick break.

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