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Trump Speaks in New Hampshire; Clinton Speaks in Nevada. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired August 25, 2016 - 14:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:00:23] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Hi there, I'm Brooke Baldwin, and you're watching CNN on this Thursday. Thank you so much for being with me.

We have a lot to talk about in the next two hours, and specifically two very important people we're going to be listening to live. Two different pictures. Two very different stories here on both the left and the right hand sides of your screen. We're watching and waiting for Donald Trump. He'll be the first who will take the podium there on the left side in Manchester, New Hampshire, any moment now. And just a little while later, his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, will speak to the crowd there in Rio, Nevada.

Now, Hillary Clinton has announced she will attack Donald Trump by going after a very specific kind of Trump voter, people who belong to what's referred to as the alt right movement or the alt right philosophy. You know, members say they are about promoting white identity. Critics, including Hillary Clinton herself, call the alt right racists. And she just sent out this tweet, a preview of her speech today in Reno, which is happening just a short time from now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The reason a lot of Klan members like Donald Trump is because a lot of what he believes, we believe in.

ON SCREEN TEXT: These people support Trump because they believe Trump supports them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald Trump would be best for the job.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For president?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am a farmer and white nationalist. Support Donald Trump.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sending out all the illegals. Building a wall. And a moratorium on Islamic immigration. That's very appealing to a lot of ordinary white people.

DAVID DUKE, FORMER KKK GRAND WIZARD (voice-over): Running against Donald Trump at this point is really treason to your heritage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That's from the Clinton campaign.

Meantime, Mr. Trump, he's launching his own counteroffensive, calling out Clinton, he says, and her bigotry. Here he was in Mississippi.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Hillary Clinton is a bigot who sees people of color only as votes, not as human beings worthy of a better future. She's going to do nothing for African-Americans. She's going to do nothing for the Hispanics. She's only going to take care of herself, her husband, her consultants, her donors. These are the people she cares about. She doesn't care what her policies have done to your communities.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: CNN's Maeve Reston is following the Clinton campaign today in Rio.

But first, Jason Carroll, I'm coming to you, because any moment now we are set to hear from Mr. Trump. He is running a little bit late, as several of these candidates often do, I know. But, I mean, the fact that he flat out called Hillary Clinton last night a bigot. How much of this speech do you think will be a pre-buttal to her alt right speech?

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, he's definitely going to address it when he takes the stage hopefully any moment from now. The campaign telling CNN that he will directly address that alt video that Clinton has just put out when he takes the stage here in Manchester. He will also, once again, go after Hillary Clinton on many of the issues that we've seen before. But specifically when it comes to those alt right movement video that Hillary Clinton put out, the Trump campaign put out their own statement a little earlier this afternoon. Let me read part of it to you.

It says, "Hillary Clinton and her campaign went to a disgusting new low today as they released a video tying the Trump campaign with horrific racial images. This type of rhetoric and repulsive advertising is revolting and completely beyond the pale. I call on Hillary Clinton to disavow this video and her campaign for this sickening act that has no place in our world."

That statement on behalf of the Trump campaign coming from Pastor Mark Burns. He is African-American. He is a very big Trump supporter. We heard him speak earlier this week in Austin. He's been very critical of the Democratic Party, Brooke, in the past, basically saying that the Democratic Party has failed the African-American community.

This echoes what we've heard coming from Donald Trump on the campaign trail lately saying basically the same thing, that the Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton specifically has failed African-Americans. So, once again, expect him to address that issue.

Also expect him to go over that e-mail controversy. The Clinton Foundation controversy. And finally, Brooke, expect him to briefly address also the issue of immigration. As you know, this has been a controversial issue as well. Some say Trump's critics have been saying that he's been softening his stance on this issue. The Trump campaign says he has not been doing that, that he is holding firm on the issue of illegal immigration.

[14:05:10] So a number of topics when Trump eventually takes the stage here in Manchester.

Brooke.

BALDWIN: Right. Well, I think he's close because I'm hearing the cheers behind you and they're cheering for this man here on our screen, Dr. Ben Carson, a formal, you know, rival during the primaries of Mr. Trumps. Someone who sat around the roundtable with him this morning actually in Trump Tower when Mr. Trump was speaking to a number of different African-American voters.

CARROLL: Right.

BALDWIN: As his outreach is continuing. And I know they're also going to Detroit -- he, Dr. Carson, from southwest Detroit -- to, again, reach out to that particular voting group.

For now, Jason, thank you very much. We'll return to those pictures there in Manchester as soon as we see that.

Meantime, Maeve Reston is in Reno. And I just think this deserves more attention. I don't know how -- how many people really understand, are familiar with the term "alt right." And when we know Hillary Clinton is going to be giving this speech, she's going to be saying that Mr. Trump is embracing this alt right philosophy. Explain it a little more for us, Maeve.

MAEVE RESTON, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER: Well, this is a really kind of amorphous movement that rejects mainstream conservatism and has found a home at places like Breitbart News. And it's a movement that is closely associated with white nationalism, some racist rhetoric, some anti-Semitic rhetoric, misogyny. And so what Clinton is trying to do here, as Donald Trump is reaching out to Latino and black voters, is to reframe the conversation to say that Donald Trump is embracing, you know, the most hateful elements of the right. That he is trying to take a hate movement mainstream. And so she's going to make that case here in Reno.

So this is not only outreach to the Hispanics and blacks who form a very key part of her coalition, but also those more moderate and independent voters who are somewhat alarmed by Donald Trump's rhetoric. She's going to make the case here that he doesn't represent, you know, traditional Republican values and instead has embraced these groups, like white nationalists, and she put out that video this morning with members of the Klan praising Donald Trump. As you heard from Jason, the Trump campaign, of course, says that this is ridiculous and that he has disavowed white supremacists who are supporting his campaign. But she's moving the conversation in to a new sphere. And it will be really interesting to see where that goes, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Certainly she'll be pointing out that the campaign brought on Steve Bannon, the -- now the campaign chief, the head of Breitbart. The website proudly describes themself as the platform for the alt right. So we'll take Hillary Clinton live.

First, again, we're watching and waiting for Mr. Trump. As we do so, let me bring in some voices. I have A.B. Stoddard today, associate editor and columnist at Real Clear Politics, Andre Bauer in here with me on set in New York, former lieutenant governor of South Carolina and supporter of Donald Trump, Mo Elleithee, executive director for Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service and the former communications director for the DNC, and David Catanese, senior politics writer for "US News and World Report."

So, we've got Dr. Carson on your screen. I've got these voices here.

Andre Bauer, let me just begin with you here. I know Mr. Trump has emphasized in recent speeches Hillary Clinton's bigotry. But why last night flat-out call her a bigot?

ANDRE BAUER, TRUMP SUPPORTER: You know, I'm not sure. I -- quite frankly, I want to see both of these candidates move forward. I want more uplifting message. I want --

BALDWIN: Was it wrong of him?

BAUER: I don't know that it was wrong, but it's not the message that I as a voter -- clearly I support him, but I want to see a more uplifting message that's telling people how America's going to be better. I want to -- I don't like this divided states of America. We've got to do more to make people feel good about government again. And that's not the message where I would want to direct the conversation. And what Hillary's doing, it shows that evidently his outreach to minorities is having an effect to come back with this commercial, which, you know, I don't like either.

BALDWIN: We'll come back to that in a second. But, Mo Elleithee, to you. You know, I know you certainly don't think Hillary Clinton is a bigot. I know the millions of voters who voted for her to get this nomination don't think she's a bigot. But are you at all worried -- I mean Donald Trump had been successful labeling people, you know, "lyin' Ted," "low energy Jeb," "crooked Hillary." If he says this enough, are you worried it will stick?

MO ELLEITHEE, EXEC. DIRECTOR, GEORGETOWN INSTITUTE OF POLITICS & PUBLIC SERVICE: I'm not for a couple of reasons. One, it's getting to be -- I mean, you know, there's more than 70 days left in the campaign. That's a long time. But it is still late enough in the campaign that what -- using rhetoric like this, what you're trying to do is shift a pretty widely held perspective and belief. And that is that, one, Democrats have a closer connection right now historically and in current politics to minority communities. And, two, that Hillary Clinton, herself personally, has a pretty strong connection. We're seeing that in the polls where she is getting a higher percentage of the black vote in polling than Barack Obama did eight years ago. That's a pretty big hill to try to overcome. And using this kind of rhetoric, it just kind of flies in the face of what I think a lot of these communities already believe, particularly given his own record and his own rhetoric. It's hard to use some of the rhetoric that he has used and then suddenly call somebody else the bigot. It's just not really going to it connect or resonate I think with the intended communities.

[14:10:45] BALDWIN: Let me just quickly stop and ask the control room, do we -- do we have eyes on Mr. Trump? I see a lot of Trump signs. OK. OK. Let's just take -- here we go. I know when I see a lot -- a lot of signs and cheers in a room, he's coming. Let's just -- let's just go ahead and take it.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. You're the greatest. Great people. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much.

And I want to thank Dr. Ben Carson, a friend of mine, and a great, great gentleman. And it is an honor to have him with us. Believe me.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: It is terrific to be back in New Hampshire. Really a very special place to me because this is where I won my first primary, my first victory. Who knows? If I didn't win here, who knows where I'd be. Maybe I'd be building buildings or something. But who knows.

But I want to just thank everybody. It is an honor. And I made you a promise. I made the people of New Hampshire a promise. Because you heard me talking about it and I talk about you all the time.

I said that we are going to stop the epidemic of drugs pouring a across our southern border, heroin in particular, where you have a massive problem. We will stop it and then we will work hard to get all of those people that are hooked, we'll get them off it, one way or the other.

We're going to work very hard. I made you that promise. You watch. I fulfill my promises. I've developed such a deep affection for this state and let me just tell you, you're going to be very, very happy if I win. That I can tell you.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Over the next 74 days -- that's what we have, 74 days. Started on June 16th of last year. And it seemed like such a long, long ways. And now we're down to 74 days. We're going to work very hard together.

We're going to win this state just like we did in the primaries and we are going to win the White House. We are going to win for the American people. Our victory is going to be a victory for the great majority of

Americans whose voice has not been heard for many, many years. Year after year we live under a Washington regime, and that's what it is, it is a regime, that ignores your demands, rejects your cries, and they are cries for help in many cases.

And they are being rejected. And that always puts your needs first. Your needs are going to come first.

The real divide in this election is not between left and right. But between everyday working people and a corrupt political establishment that works only for itself.

(APPLAUSE)

This election is a chance for the great majority of decent citizens to end the rule of a small group of special interests and to return that power to the voters or, as we would say, to the people.

(APPLAUSE)

Hillary Clinton believes only in government of, by and for the powerful. I am promising government of, by and for the people.

(APPLAUSE)

And this fight, which will be a big one, we are taking on...

(APPLAUSE)

... let's just win on November the 8th.

(APPLAUSE)

That would be the ultimate and that's what we're going to do because in this fight, we're taking on some very entrenched and well financed interests. Money is pouring in to her campaign by the special interests, the lobbyists, the donors, the people that own the companies that are moving your jobs to Mexico and other places.

These are the same people who pay Hillary $10,000 a minute for a speech. Not a good deal.

(AUDIENCE BOOING)

Not a good investment. These special interests are the same people who own the newspapers that cover up her crimes. They're covered up. These are the same Wall Street firms who paid Hillary Clinton a quarter of a million dollars each time she delivered her secret remarks, that nobody knows what she said.

They're the same people who paid Bill and Hillary Clinton over $150 million for speeches since Bill left the office.

(AUDIENCE BOOING)

And who donated countless millions of dollars more to the Clinton Foundation.

(AUDIENCE BOOING)

But you have the power, with your vote -- and by the way, New Hampshire is a very, very important state in this election; very important.

(APPLAUSE)

And if I win New Hampshire -- OK, when I win. OK.

(APPLAUSE)

OK, when I win. Just remember this. This is a promise. New Hampshire is staying right where it is in terms of primary. It's an unbelievable state and an unbelievable tradition. And there's a lot of talk of moving you to the back of the pack. That's not going to happen. It's not going to happen.

So, I give you my word, New Hampshire stays right where it is. OK?

(APPLAUSE)

So you have the power, with your vote, to defeat those special interests and put the people back in charge once more like it's supposed to be. This has been a very historic week in American politics. The voters have always known that our leadership in Washington, D.C. is corrupt, and that the system is very badly rigged -- a word that I believe I used first, that has been copied all over the place.

It's badly rigged and it's broken. But this week, the curtain was truly lifted. The corruption was revealed for all to see. The veil was pulled back on a vast criminal enterprise run out of the State Department by Hillary Clinton.

(AUDIENCE BOOING)

As the Associated Press documented, more than half of the meetings Hillary Clinton took as secretary of state with people outside government were Clinton Foundation donors.

(AUDIENCE BOOING)

TRUMP: Hillary's chief of staff received more messages from the Clinton Foundation's chief operating officer than just about anybody else; 85 donors alone that she met with as secretary gave the foundation $156 million.

And I know many of these people. I know many of these people. These are not people that are going up to pay their respects and say, "Madam Secretary, how are you feeling? Isn't it a beautiful day? The weather is so beautiful."

These are people that want things for their donation. These are people that expect things for their donation. And when you follow it out and you see the people that left her office, you take a look at what those people, those companies, and those countries got, believe me, you will find out it is plenty.

On top of that, Bill Clinton's total speaking fees rose 44 percent while Hillary Clinton was secretary of state, often raking in money from people who had business or matters before the State Department. Very simple. As I said weeks ago, Hillary Clinton ran the State Department like a personal hedge fund. It's hard to tell where the Clinton Foundation ends and where the State Department begins. Access and favors were sold for cash. It's called pay for play.

Over and over and over, people who donated to the Clinton Foundation, or who gave money to Bill Clinton got favorable treatment from Hillary Clinton's State Department. The examples are too many to name here in full. And I've gone over, I will tell you, I've looked at so many over recent days, but they include the deal to sell 20 percent of United States uranium to Russia.

(AUDIENCE BOOING)

Or the very favorable treatment given to UBS, big bank giant. It includes -- we're all sick of it.

(AUDIENCE BOOING)

It includes the exemption of telecom giant Ericsson from government sanctions. It includes efforts to put a foundation donor with no national security experience at all onto a highly sensitive national security panel that he wanted to be on, with access to top secret information. It includes foundation donors getting lucrative contracts in Haiti, all while the people of Haiti suffered horribly and are not, by the way, big fans of the Clintons.

TRUMP: But these examples are only the tip of the Clinton corruption iceberg. Hillary Clinton's actions constitute all of the elements of a major criminal enterprise. You know it. The government knows it. And she knows it. She created a private -- she created a private, illegal mail server in order to hide her corrupt dealings.

That's all it is, folks. Very simple. She knew what she was doing 100 percent. She did so knowing full well it would put American lives at risk by making classified information highly vulnerable to foreign hacking. And that's what happened.

And by the way, people that do two percent of what she did, their lives have been destroyed. But she didn't care, as long as it helped her get away with her crime. No risk to America was too great. It didn't matter to her. And now she's running for president.

Then to further cover up her crime, she deleted 33,000 e-mails to keep them out of the hands of the authorities and the American public. As a further element of the criminal coverup, she claimed under penalty of perjury that she turned over all of her work-related e- mails.

We now know this to be one more massive Clinton lie and deception. The FBI found thousands of work-related e-mails she failed to turn over, including the new discovery this week of 15,000 more work- related e-mails she did not disclose.

What is being uncovered now is one of the most shocking scandals in American political history. It's Watergate all over again. It's Watergate. And she's being totally protected by our government. Our secretary of state sold her office to corporations and foreign governments, betraying the public trust, putting innocent lives in danger, and then she went to great lengths to hide, delete, destroy and lie about the evidence.

Just like her lie that she never sent any material marked "classified." Total lie. Lie after lie after lie. This is the corruption we expect to see in a third-world country, but not in the United States of America.

Just imagine the damage to our security, to our integrity, to our standing in the world. And believe me, the world is laughing as they watch.

If Hillary Clinton is allowed to sell the Oval Office in the same way she sold her office as secretary of state, and she can't help herself. She cannot help herself. We cannot let this happen, can't let it happen. We must vote on November 8th to keep the American government from being sold to the highest bidder.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: Vote to save your country. So important. So important.

You folks have no idea how important you are in this room and this state. So important.

And by the way, folks, if you're looking at the poll numbers, take a look. We're doing very well. They're very well.

(APPLAUSE)

Very well. So vote to protect your family. Vote for honesty, integrity, and accountability now, as all of these revelations have been discovered -- some this week, many this month.

Hillary Clinton has been hiding. She's been hiding. Where is she? Although I hear for the first time in a long time she'll be making some kind of a quick statement tonight, but she's emerging, not to take the responsibility for her unethical and criminal conduct, but instead to make one of the most brazen attempts at distraction in the history of politics.

Now, I've not seen what Hillary is going to say, but I've heard about it. And in a sense, I don't want to dignify her statements by dwelling on them too much.

But a response is required for the sake of all decent voters that she is trying to smear. The news reports are that Hillary Clinton is going to try and accuse this campaign, and all of you, and the millions of decent Americans at record levels. There has never been anything like this. This is a movement we have.

This was set up. This event was set up late last night, and look what happens. Look how many people.

(APPLAUSE)

It's a movement, folks, like they've never seen before.

And going to accuse decent Americans who support this campaign, your campaign, of being racists, which we're not.

(AUDIENCE BOOING)

It's the oldest play in the Democratic playbook. When Democratic policies fail, they are left with only this one tired argument: You're racist, you're racist, you're racist. They keep saying it. You're racist.