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Trump in Milwaukee; Ailes Helping Trump; Russia Now Launches Missions from Iran. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired August 16, 2016 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:06] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Brianna, thank you so much.

Great to be with you on this Tuesday. I'm Brooke Baldwin. You're watching CNN.

First up, Donald Trump, he's expected to make a stop in Milwaukee in the next hour to meet with members of law enforcement there and veterans in that particular community. But keep in mind, you're looking at the pictures, I mean this is the backdrop of this visit here, racial tensions, violent protests gripping the city after the shooting death of what police say was an armed black man by a black officer.

After Mr. Trump's meeting this afternoon, he will then be holding a rally there later tonight. Critics say the meeting is polarizing, inflaming the growing divide between police and the African-American community. Others calling it a surprising move politically considering the latest polling has Trump at just 1 percent approval. Let me say that again, 1 percent approval among black voters in this country.

Meantime, Hillary Clinton, she's facing problems all on her own. She is speaking at a rally in Philadelphia. We are learning that any minute now the FBI is expected to send Congress a copy of the report explaining why it did not recommend charges in the Clinton e-mail investigation, why the DOJ said ultimately there was not enough evidence to pursue. And this report will include interview notes taken during the Clinton investigation.

But first, let's begin in Milwaukee with my colleague, Ana Cabrera, who is there, beginning with, I see, you know, the crime tape behind you. Give me a little bit more on the backdrop, figuratively speaking, and about Mr. Trump's visit today.

ANA CABRERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, first, let's talk about what's happening behind me. ATF investigators, local arson investigators are on scene here at this BP gas station. This is one of six buildings that were burned down on Saturday night at the really heart of the unrest in a neighborhood just a couple of blocks from where the shooting took place that seemed to spark the anger, outrage and emotional overflow in this community.

Now, Donald Trump is not necessarily expected to come to the ground zero, so to speak, of where those protests happened. What we're learning is, he is coming here this afternoon, sometime in the next couple of hours, and will meet with veterans and law enforcement members as some specified event. Right now the campaign holding the cards pretty close to the vest about exactly what we can expect from that event, but we are working to get more information on that.

It comes as he has a whole day of events here in Wisconsin. Started his day in Lacrosse. He'll come to Milwaukee this afternoon. After that meeting with law enforcement, with veterans, he has a couple of other events, a fundraiser, as well as a town hall with Fox News in downtown Milwaukee this afternoon before he ends his day at an 8:30 rally in West Bend, Wisconsin, which is about 45 minutes from here in Milwaukee.

I had a chance, Brooke, to talk to some of the residents here in this community that has been so affected and ask them what they thought about Trump's visit. And there was a sense of apathy on their end, saying they don't really see how he might be able to make their lives any different. But they would welcome anybody who can help them get on a track of opportunity for the future.

Brooke.

BALDWIN: We'll talk a little bit more about that apathy and about how perhaps, you know, never too late with my panel here in just a moment.

Ana Cabrera, in Milwaukee, thank you so much for setting that up.

Let me pivot though now to some other breaking news we have this afternoon and what's reportedly happening behind the scenes within the Trump campaign. So sources telling CNN that Roger Ailes, the former Fox News chief who resigned last month over allegations of sexual harassment, is helping Donald Trump with debate preparation.

So let's go straight to Dylan Byers, who has the scoop. He is our CNN senior media and politics reporter.

Tell me exactly, Dylan, what your sources are telling you and what you're also hearing from the Trump campaign.

DYLAN BYERS, CNN SENIOR MEDIA AND POLITICS REPORTER: Sure. Here's what we know. There's no formal role or formal title for Roger Ailes in terms of how he's helping or advising Donald Trump as the debates - the presidential debates approach late next month.

What we do know is that the two of them are longtime friends and they speak frequently. And what we have learned from our sources now is that one of the things that has come up during their many conversations is, of course, how Donald Trump will handle Hillary Clinton on the debate stage, what sort of tact he should take.

Now, I want to state this again, Roger Ailes, Donald Trump have spoken frequently, so this is not the only thing that they talk about. Roger Ailes, of course, is an expert, you know, political media strategist going back to advising Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush. This is really his bread and butter. And in that regard, for Donald Trump, especially at a time when Donald Trump is sort of lagging in the polls and facing a worst case scenario come November, his advice here is truly invaluable. So they've had these conversations. They've had these discussions. But it stops short of a formal role.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump's campaign has issued a full-throated denial saying he has no formal or informal role. Is he not advising. He's not helping. Of course, having spoken to our sources, also "The New York Times," who initially had this report, we know that that is not the case. He is indeed helping Donald Trump think about how he's going to prepare for these debates.

[14:05:08] BALDWIN: Helping, not a formal role, so says the campaign.

Dylan Byers, thank you. If you get more, let us know.

Meantime, let me just bring in my panel. Lots to chew on, on this Tuesday. We've got Jackie Kucinich here with me in New York, CNN political analyst and Washington bureau chief of "The Daily Beast," Eugene Scott is here today, a CNN politics reporter, David Catanese, a senior politics writer for "US News & World Report," and also with us on the Clinton e-mails and what's being given to Congress today, we've got Evan Perez, our justice correspondent.

So, let's just begin, David Catanese, with you on this notion that, you know, even broadly talking about Mr. Ailes giving Mr. Trump some help when it comes to these upcoming debates, is that like the worst PR move ever or is that brilliant given Roger Ailes' political chops?

DAVID CATANESE, SENIOR POLITICS WRITER, "U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT": Look, I don't think it's the best PR move right now for Donald Trump given the cloud that is hanging over Roger Ailes. But, look, this is plausible deniability. He can say he's talking to him but not getting formal or informal advice, right? They can have this sort of both ways. I mean Trump has been out there and called Ailes a friend in the midst when that story was breaking, in the midst of controversy, he stood by him. He has said that he's had a long-time relationship to him.

And we know that Trump - I mean just from my own reporting, we know that Trump goes to ulterior sources to talk about his campaign. He goes outside and talks to a lot of people that he's had relationships with. You know, but for a guy who is underwater with his own party, underwater with every demographic group, women, minorities, the - this news, I don't think, is helpful to him in the short term or the long term, no matter how brilliant a piece of advice that Ailes could dispose.

BALDWIN: Jackie Kucinich, what say you?

JACKIE KUCINICH, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: This doesn't seem like a terribly good move. And, yes, he has a lot of experience, but so do a lot of people that don't have this scandal hanging over their heads. But, you know, Donald Trump has defended Roger Ailes throughout this scandal. So it's not necessarily surprising that he would bring him in because -

BALDWIN: I mean they go way back, with Rudy Giuliani and his failed bid in the late '80s. So they've been in communication, who knows how long though. KUCINICH: Well, no, and that's absolutely true and they've probably

been talking for quite a while. But again, formal/informal, I think is - it's not really - there's no real difference there. You know, maybe he's not on the payroll. But having Roger Ailes associated with his campaign, considering the problems he's having with women - Donald Trump, women aren't flocking to Donald Trump's campaign right now. So having Roger Ailes sort of as a presence there can't help with those numbers.

BALDWIN: You're nodding.

EUGENE SCOTT, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Yes, I think something we see both with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton is that they both have a high view of loyalty. And if you were good to them and faithful to them, they will stand by you, probably sometimes, their critics say, beyond when they should. And this could be an example of it. For someone who's having the trouble that he's having with women voters, this is perhaps not the best look considering the options.

BALDWIN: You mentioned women voters and let's pivot to Milwaukee.

David, I mean, if you read this "New York Times" piece, it talks about how - and I just said it before, he has like a 1 percent, you know, approval with - or 1 percent of the black vote in this country here. That was the NBC News/"Wall Street Journal"/Marist. One percent. You know, "The Times" points out that in the last year he hasn't been to a single event aimed at black voters and their communities, shunned the traditional stops, hasn't been to historical black churches, colleges, barber shops, salons, you name it. What can he, what does he say given the backdrop of Milwaukee to help start?

CATANESE: Well, this could be a presidential moment for Donald Trump if he is able to grasp it. To go in there and sort of be a healer for once, not inflame the tensions already on the ground that you - that, you know, the visuals out there are again horrible. And, look, regardless of the facts in this particular case, this isn't - this doesn't look like the same incidents that we had in Ferguson or in other areas, Trump is probably going to go back to his law and order pitch, which is a pitch, frankly, to white male voters. The question is, does he surprise us in this meeting. Does he try to elevate the debate? Does he try to acknowledge the pain and in the African- American community with these events, but also praise police and law enforcement? Does he have that ability for uniting a community in a time of strife? We haven't seen that from him. We've seen more often than not him try to inflame the situation. And I just don't think that is smart - that it's not good for the country, and it's also not smart politically.

BALDWIN: OK, let's talk about Hillary Clinton. And to do that first, Evan Perez, let me just go to you on your reporting today on what Congress has been handed, this investigative material, from the FBI, on a case that was - that was then found not enough evidence. What's the news today?

[14:10:02] EVAN PEREZ, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brooke, it's kind of like "Groundhog Day" with this investigation, right? I mean the FBI had concluded that it wouldn't bring any charges. And in his testimony last month in front of Congress, Director James Comey of the FBI was asked if he would provide some of the investigative material to members of Congress who want to see exactly how the FBI came to make the decision that there were no charges to be brought in this case. And so that's exactly what's happening.

I got to tell you, though, you know, I've done this for a long time, covered the FBI, and this is almost without precedent, the idea that an investigation in which you don't bring any charges. You know, typically, the FBI would never turn over that type of material, especially if it's a politically charged investigation. An investigation that really could affect the outcome of this election. But, you know, obviously, this is not a -

BALDWIN: But - but -

PEREZ: This is not a normal investigation that has happened here. And so what we expect to happen in the next, frankly, probably right as we speak, that report is being sent over to members of Congress. It's going to be provided in a classified format and they're going to have to go read it in a skiff (ph), what's basically a secure room, so they can see exactly how the FBI came to its decision, including those - the 302s, the notes that the FBI took from their three and a half hour interview with Hillary Clinton and all of her aides.

BALDWIN: OK. So the politics then of this, Eugene and Jackie, let me turn to you, is that now we know this is classified, Evan just said this is classified, yet we've just heard now that Hillary Clinton and her campaign, they want this material made public. I don't know if there's any chance in you know where that that would ever, ever happen since this is material coming from the FBI. What do you think?

SCOTT: Well, I think one thing that critics are going to harp on is that the Clinton campaign seems to be very selective when they want to be transparent and with what they want to be transparent. There have been calls for her to release speeches and to release other bits of information -

BALDWIN: That she's cherry-picking.

SCOTT: And she's cherry-picking.

BALDWIN: From critics.

SCOTT: And so while she may want this release, I think some will be glad to see that she wants to be more open, but others will say there are other things we've been asking for that you have not commented on at all.

BALDWIN: You agree?

KUCINICH: Yes, I mean, you've seen - she's asked for all the e-mails to be released immediately. The Clinton campaign doesn't want this drip, drip, drip with these e-mails. And, yes, even though the public is sick of it, we'll see what leaks out of this, honestly, because if something is in there that may draw pause or that Republicans can have some kind of political -

BALDWIN: A little bit of red meat for them?

KUCINICH: Yes, exactly.

BALDWIN: Yes.

KUCINICH: You have to imagine they'll make hay of it.

BALDWIN: OK.

And then just quickly, I was just told - handed this piece of paper. I love always getting lots of news here, 24/7. Donald Trump will receive his first classified intelligence briefing tomorrow in New York. That's two sources telling CNN. Which is, you know, David Catanese, you know, it's par for the course. We've talked to other people who have been part of these briefings. It's not like - I mean it's not like he's receiving any sort of mega classified state secrets, correct? I mean it's just bits and pieces of what exactly?

CATANESE: Well, it's bit and pieces of intelligence that's being collected at high levels. I think this is what committee chairman of the United States Senate get. But the question is, can he keep his mouth shut about it coming out of there because, again, it's a question - it will be a question of presidential temperament. Is he briefed on something that he feels like he will then go at a rally and use as a (INAUDIBLE) against Hillary Clinton or the Obama administration, rather than taking the information to try to form a policy. I think that's the big question for this Trump briefing. It's not really what he gets in private. We probably should never find out what he gets. The question is, can he keep that concealed and private to himself and not release it to the masses.

BALDWIN: Evan, what kind of information will he be getting and how often will he get these briefings?

PEREZ: Well, it's really just one briefing, Brooke. And I think it's a little bit - this story's a bit overblown, frankly, because the type of stuff that they give them is not operational. There's really nothing here that's going to put operational details of intelligence matters, you know, in danger. It's really mostly of a primer of a situational awareness of where, you know, where things stand in the world. And so obviously it's valuable to the candidates. It helps them sort of, you know - you know, makes sure that their messages are in line with U.S. international policy, foreign policy. But, you know, he's not going to get the keys to the kingdom. Neither will Hillary Clinton in this - in her briefing when that happens.

BALDWIN: Right.

PEREZ: And we expect that that one will follow on shortly after Trump's. They want to make sure that they give both candidates the same type of briefing so there's no favoritism that is shown to either side.

BALDWIN: Yes, fair and square. Evan Perez, thank you. Eugene Scott, David Catanese, and Jackie Kucinich, appreciate all of you.

And a quick note to you. Tomorrow night, don't miss your chance to get to know the Green Party candidates. Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka will answer questions in a live CNN town hall tomorrow night at 9:00 here on CNN.

Coming up next here, a new first, Russian fighter jets launching their bombing raids from within Iran. What that says about Russia's expanding influence in that region and how the U.S. and Russia are working together. We have that for you.

[14:15:07] Also ahead, breaking news. CNN with an up-close look at the devastation - look at these pictures - oh, this is Baton Rouge, Louisiana. More than 20,000 people have been rescued from these floodwaters. Our crews are embedded with rescuers who are currently searching for those in need. We will take you there live.

You're watching CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Welcome back. You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

A Red Cross official calls it one of the most devastating urban conflicts in modern times. Our own correspondent, Clarissa Ward, describes it as an apocalyptic wasteland. What am I talking about? Aleppo, the Syrian city where activists say at least 19 more people were killed in air strikes today. And there is now word from Moscow that Russia and the U.S. may join forces to end the fighting in that particular part of Syria.

[14:20:00] That is not the day's only major development concerning this five-year-old conflict. Russian warplanes bound for Syria are now taking off from bases in Iran.

So I have Fred Pleitgen. He is standing by. He's following the developments for us out of Berlin. And we also have retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Rick Francona, he's a CNN military analyst.

So, gentlemen, welcome to both of you.

And, Fred, specifically first on Iran, no major power has been allowed to use its territory for a military staging ground since the Iranian revolution back in '79. Why now?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Well, because the Iranians really need that Russian air power. Look, one of the things that we've seen, Brooke, in the past couple of days, past couple of weeks with those rebel advances around Aleppo, you've seen that even with Iranian forces on ground, with Hezbollah forces on ground, and the Syrian military, that it simply wasn't enough to hold the rebels back. And so now it seems as though the Russians are really upping the ante.

You know, these aren't regular jets that they're flying with there. Those are heavy long-range strategic bombers that the Russians are flying there out of Iran. So one of the things that I think that you're going to see in the next couple days is possibly a real escalation of the Russian air campaign not only against ISIS but also against other rebel groups, some of them actually allied with the U.S. as well. And it could even go further than that. The Iranians have also announced that there's an understanding between the Russians and the Iranians that military facilities in Iran will be shared by the two sides and the Russians have also asked the Iranians to fly cruise missiles over their territory to hit targets in Syria.

So it looks like it could be a major escalation and also a real alignment now between the Russians and the Iranians. Both of them have been on the same side. Both of them have been supporting Bashar al Assad, but they haven't always been on the same page as far as how to move the conflict forward, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Russians and the Iranians and also Russia and the U.S. I want to get to that in a second.

But, colonel, first to you, what do you make of Iran's role here?

LT. COL. RICK FRANCONA (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, I think this is a smart thing to do. If you're a Russian, you want to limit the amount of flight time you've got between your base and your targets. This is very similar with what we do with Incirlik (ph). We've moved planes much closer to the target.

BALDWIN: In Turkey.

FRANCONA: It cuts down flight time and more importantly allows you to carry a much larger payload. The Russians have been able to triple the payloads on those strategic bombers. They've used them in the past in Syria, but now they're carrying three times the weapon load and they're doing one-third the flight distance. So as Fred says, they are really upping the ante. The cruise missiles are yet an added part of that. We saw that early on launching cruise missiles out of the Caspian Sea. And the Iranians, their Hezbollah allies, the Syrian army, they are really at a disadvantage in Aleppo. Surprisingly, the rebels are doing very well. So I think we're going to see additional Russian power because now you've got the prestige of the Russians and the Syrian government. They cannot let the rebels take Aleppo.

BALDWIN: So, on Aleppo, and, Fred, back to you, we know that Russia's defense minister, he says that his country may join forces with the U.S. to end the conflict there. The U.S. State Department, you know, they won't - they won't confirm that. What are you hearing? What might that entail?

PLEITGEN: Yes. Well, I think it's still a pretty long ways off. I think there are discussions that are going on. I'm not sure how close they are to actually reaching an agreement. The Russians certainly seem to think that it's closer than the Americans actually think that it is. And the big issue that the U.S., of course, has with the Russian air strikes that are going on in and around the Aleppo region, especially over the past couple of days, is the large number of civilian casualties. There's obviously a lot of people who say that they believe that the Russians are specifically targeting civilian areas, specifically targeting Russians. The Russians - civilians. The Russians are denying that. But at the same time, those casualties make it so difficult for the U.S. to go into any sort of agreement with the Russians and to work together more closely with the Russians.

There are certain areas where the two countries have the same interests. For instance, fighting organizations like the former Jabhat al Nusra, which was in line with al Qaeda, also fighting ISIS as well. But specifically in Aleppo, it still seems as though an agreement is pretty far off, at least from the American point of view.

BALDWIN: So if it could be far off, nevertheless it - it's possible that it could happen.

So, colonel, to you, how would you see that playing out, you know, militarily for the U.S.?

FRANCONA: Well, for right now, we are doing some de-confliction. In other words, we're going to fly here, you can fly there, just so you don't have the same pilots in the same airspace at the same time. But I don't see it going much further than that. I think Fred's right, the United States, especially the Defense Department, does not want to be seen partnering with the - with the Russians. I think it goes much further than just civilian casualties. We see almost what looks like deliberate targeting of these civilian areas, hospitals in particular, bakeries, mosques. It's - and schools.

BALDWIN: By the Russians.

FRANCONA: So it's very problematic for us to be involved with the Russians.

BALDWIN: OK, Colonel Francona, thank you. Fred Pleitgen, thank you both so much, on what's happening in Syria.

Meantime, we have to talk about Louisiana and the devastating floods there. It just seems like you read these reports, there's no relief, rain in the forecast tonight, in the forecast tomorrow. We're live in the flood zones as crews are rescuing families and, as you can see here, delivering supplies to those just totally cut off by the rising floodwater.

[14:25:15] Also ahead, could we talk about this today? Did she dive? Did she trip? The amazing ending, or not so amazing depending on your perspective, of the woman's 400 meter final in Rio. Can you win by falling over the finish line? Let's discuss.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:29:57] BALDWIN: Welcome back. You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

Let's talk about the breaking news out of Louisiana. Just absolute catastrophe there. The deadly flooding sweeping through the state capital of Baton Rouge. The scenes you see right here eerily similar to the destruction left behind by Hurricane Katrina. Thus