Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Trump Visits Detroit Church to Appeal to Black Voters; Deadly Storm to Become Hurricane Again; Reaction to Trump's Outreach to African-Americans; 5.2 Earthquake Hits Oklahoma. Aired 5-6p ET
Aired September 03, 2016 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[17:00:13] POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Top of the hour. I'm Poppy Harlow in New York. So glad you are with us. We begin with politics.
And up first, Donald Trump taking his campaign to the streets of Detroit today making an appeal to African-American voters as he attends a service at a predominantly black church this morning.
While scenes of praise and worship played out inside, protesters lined up outside.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CROWD CHANTING)
No Trump! No Trump! No Trump! No Trump! No Trump!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: Some of them demanded Trump leave their city. But an undeterred Trump spoke to the congregation reading remarks he describe as coming straight from the heart. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: The African-American faith community has been one of God's greatest gifts to America and to its people. There is perhaps no action our leaders can take that would do more to heal our country and support our people than to provide a greater platform to the black churches and church goers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: Trump also sat down this morning there in Detroit for an interview with that man, the churches' pastor. This after the "New York Times" reported that the pastor had given the Trump campaign the questions in advance and leaks of the answers from the campaign to those questions were published. But today, the bishop addressed that controversy and he said Trump was not scripted. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were his answered scripted?
JACKSON: No. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was he prepared for the questions you asked?
JACKSON: Yes, he was. It wasn't scripted. I can guarantee you that because I was looking for that. It wasn't scripted. He just sat down like a normal guy and he just answered questions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: After the church service concluded, Trump accompanied his closed advisor Dr. Ben Carson formally a political rival on a visit to Carson's childhood home in Southwest Detroit. You see it there with the media following close in toe. Carson wanted to show Trump areas of Detroit that are now blighted but were prosperous when he was a young child.
Let's bring in our Jeremy Diamond who was in Detroit. And Jeremy, you spoke with Dr. Carson about what this whole visit means to his hometown today. What stood out to you most from what Dr. Carson said?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Well, it was really interesting speaking with Dr. Carson right outside of his childhood home. We talked about a lot of things, including Donald Trump's rhetoric. You know in recent weeks, Donald Trump has said to African- American voters what do you have to lose by voting for me? Here's Donald Trump's -- Ben Carson rather, his explanation of Donald Trump's words.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. BEN CARSON (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What you have to do is listen to what he is actually saying. He is saying that 50 years of these kinds of progressive policies have not led to a good place. So, you know, why would you continue to go down that pathway and expect something different to happen? And you know, there are a lot of people who want to concentrate on well he said this and he said this without actually asking themselves what is he saying? What is the actual message? And it's part of the problem that we have in America today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAMOND: And so that's Dr. Ben Carson there talking about the fact that he thinks the tone matters too much right now in the public eye, that people should focus more on Donald Trump's words. And that's what folks did today. Donald Trump read from prepared remarks before this predominantly African-American church and he made his appeal. You know, he made comments that were very different though from what he said in recent weeks. You know in the past he said that African- Americans have no schools, no jobs, et cetera. And today he was talking about all the positive things that the African-American community has brought to this country.
HARLOW: Yes. I think Jeremy, it was, you know, it was such a different tone. He said I have come here to learn. This was an amazing day for me. He talked about the African-American church as a conscience of this country. You know, we've seen the video of the protests outside, and then him being welcomed inside by the congregation. What are people there in Detroit saying to you in their react to the visit?
DIAMOND: Well, certainly, the people who gathered outside of here to protest Donald Trump were not just random people. You know, they included some very prominent community leaders as well as for example, the president of the Detroit City Council as well as a number of religious leaders who came here to protest Donald Trump's rhetoric. And so what we heard from those people was that Donald Trump's words have been offensive to minority communities from back in the fall when he said a black lives matter protester should have been roughed up until recently when he described African-Americans their daily lives as being one filled with crime and one of complete poverty when in fact most African-Americans don't live in poverty.
So, certainly those are the words that a lot of the protesters and a lot of people in the community when you look at the polls where Donald Trump is doing very poorly with African-Americans, certainly he was trying to change that but the folks here today were saying we are definitely not going to forget those words -- Poppy.
[17:05:17] HARLOW: Jeremy, thank you very much live for us in Detroit. Let's bring in our political panel, the talk about it all. With me, CNN political commentator and Donald Trump supporter Kayleigh McEnany. And journalist and activist, and Hillary Clinton supporter Krystal Ball. Thank you, ladies, for being here.
KRYSTAL BALL, SENIOR FELLOW, NEW LEADERS COUNCIL: Thanks for having us.
HARLOW: Let's pull up the poll that Jeremy just talked about. Because Donald Trump is at two percent right now in the Suffolk University U.S.A. Today poll against Hillary Clinton. He is actually polling lower than the third party candidates, Joe Stein and Gary Johnson.
Kayleigh, as a Trump supporter, what tone do you think will work best for him in the African-American community? What heard today in the church or what we've heard for the past weeks on the trail, saying, and I'm quoting, what the hell do you have to lose?
KAYLEIGH MCENANY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, for the past few weeks he had emphasized that the African-American community has contributed a lot to this country. He said they fought in every war, they raised a national conscience. Since today he emphasized those more positive points to the speech. And I think that's the tone that works. I mean, what I saw --
HARLOW: Today's tone.
MCENANY: Absolutely. What I saw today, he's been saying, I want to learn, I'm here to listen. Ben Carson said that he is very engaged whenever Ben Carson brings up the inner city and wanting to remedy some of the (INAUDIBLE) he asks questions, he wants to be involved. And this tone of unity. You know, we have seen both campaigns go back and forth with this term racist and bigot. And today he said, look, we are all brothers and sisters and it's time to unite. And I think that's a winning message.
HARLOW: It's interesting. He did not say and he said a week ago, he said Hillary Clinton is a bigot a week ago. He did not say that today. Are those words we should ever hear from Donald Trump again or do you think he should stick with today's tone?
MCENANY: I think he should stick with today's tone. But look, there was -- in the FOX News poll, more than a majority of Americans though Hillary Clinton's campaign's attempt to define Trump as a racist was unfair. Likewise they thought Trump's attempt to define Hillary as a bigot was unfair. So, I think this tit for tat back and forth, voters don't like that. They like the unity message we saw today.
HARLOW: Krystal, look, he is going there.
BALL: Uh-hm.
HARLOW: And some look at it and they say, we're 60 days after the election, it's too little, too late. But he is going there, just like he went to Mexico this week.
BALL: Right. He is going there, that's true. And, you know, the words today were perfectly fine. They were clearly very carefully chosen, and scripted reporting and said the RNC was involved and they were kind of surprised by the harsh tone of his immigration speech. They were very carefully involved in the drafting of the speech but you know --
HARLOW: But there is nothing wrong with that. Hillary Clinton's remarks are often drafted as well.
BALL: Sure. Absolutely. But you know, this is the guy who is supposed to be from the heart off the cuff guy. But my point here is this, you know, if he really wanted to be serious about reaching out to minority voters, he could start by firing the essentially white nationalist that he hired to run his campaign. He has got a long record not just --
HARLOW: You are talking about? Steve Bannon?
BALL: Steve Bannon of Breitbart, the platform for the outright as he described it. He's had a long history not just in this campaign what she wants by calling Mexicans rapist and stereotyping them, of dividing people. But also in his career. He got his start in real estate by being sued by the federal government for discriminating against African-Americans. So, you know --
HARLOW: He settled that claim with the Justice Department.
BALL: Yes. But the accusation was that the remarking fee for -- and denying.
HARLOW: Yes.
BALL: I mean, there's a long history here. And he also of course was the leader of the birther movement and accusing President Obama of not being born here. So, I think it's very hard for him at this point to get past those things to really appeal to the African-American community. And that's not what this is really about. This is about getting back the suburban white women, the college educated men who are saying that he is racist and won't vote for him.
HARLOW: Kayleigh, let's unpack this one at a time. The first is your response to what she, I mean, she does bring up, he was, you know, sued by the Justice Department for discriminatory housing actions against African-Americans and he did settle.
MCENANY: And that was settled without an admission of liability. So it was never proven in a court of law. And look, we could do the same thing with Hillary Clinton and go back and dig up her past with Robert Byrd or the fact that the NAACP excoriated Bill Clinton for golfing on an all-white golf course. Or the fact that Bill Clinton, you know, had to keep the confederate star in our flag. But I just don't think any of that is helpful to voters. I think, look, he is standing in a city today where 40 percent of the people are in poverty, where half are jobless. I think the voters deserve answers. You know, what is Hillary Clinton going to do that is different from what President Obama has done to let these communities --
HARLOW: So, Krystal, to you.
BALL: Yes.
HARLOW: I've spent a lot of time, years covering Detroit very closely.
BALL: Yes.
HARLOW: And it is an incredible population, I mean, the grit, the determination against all of the hardships they have faced now for decades is extraordinary. They have had Democratic mayors since 1962. So the argument that Trump makes saying that Democrats have failed you, does he have a point there when you look specifically at Detroit?
BALL: You know what? He does have a point about that. And I would argue that Democrats have not done enough and have not focused on communities of color to the extent that they should. But you have to look at the alternative that is being offered here. I don't see how another tax cut for the rich is going to help folks in Detroit. Hillary Clinton to her credit from the very beginning has focused on a detailed plan. You can go and look at it.
I mean, she has been criticized for being down in the weeds. But the fact of the matter is, she has laid out a plan to help families in Detroit, to help families across the country. Donald Trump has changed his own tax plan I think three different times. And his latest ad that's up doesn't even make sense and isn't even consistent with his own plan. So, even if you wanted to evaluate his policies and what they would do for Detroit, you don't even know where he stands.
[17:10:19] HARLOW: All right. You're all going to be with me more. So, let's keep it there for now. We got to get a quick break in. Krystal, Kayleigh, thank you very much.
A lot ahead this hour. Coming up, I will speak with a woman who was inside of the church in Detroit this morning who listened to Donald Trump address that congregation in person. What she thought of what he said.
And later, on a holiday weekend, 40 million people right now in the path of a very dangerous storm, one set to become a hurricane again. Our meteorologist Jennifer Gray is live for us in Atlantic City. Jennifer.
JENNIFER GRAY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's right. We are going to see the wind --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's no audio.
GRAY: And we are going get some pretty nasty weather for this Labor Day weekend. We'll break it all down for you coming up after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:14:22] HARLOW: Donald Trump today taking his message directly to African-Americans in Detroit. He attended a church service at a predominantly black church this morning. He then spoke to the congregation. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: For centuries, the African- American church has been the conscience of our country. So true. It's from the pews and pulpits, and Christian teachings of black churches all across this land that the civil rights movement lifted up its soul and lifted up the soul of our nation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: So, let's bring in a woman who was at the service this morning, Bishop Corletta Vaughn joins me now. She is the senior pastor of the Holy Ghost Cathedral in Detroit. She's also a Hillary Clinton supporter. Thank you so much for being with me Bishop Vaughn. And let me begin with this. You met Donald Trump before his speech to the congregation. What was your impression of the remarks that he made there today?
BISHOP CORLETTA VAUGHN, SENIOR PASTOR, THE HOLY GHOST CATHEDRAL: They were very brief. The pre-meeting was of course for special guests, leaders of Bishop Jackson and they were very brief. He was very kind. He was very gregarious among the people. He shook hands. He kissed babies. And comments were very small. He really didn't say much until he got into the sanctuary.
HARLOW: But what about what he said in the sanctuary. I mean, I listened to it. Certainly a different tone. And we usually hear from Donald Trump, it was not off the cuff. It was definitely scripted. You know, it was a much more -- it was a much softer tone. I mean, he said I mean this from the heart. These are my own words. He said the African-American church has been the conscience of this country. He called it an amazing day. He said I am here to learn. And he talked about Detroit specifically and he talked about creating a civil rights agenda for our time focusing on education and jobs for the black community. Your take on that, even as a Clinton supporter?
VAUGHN: Well, the first thing I want to say is that that was his very first time in a black church experience. And it was quite tender to watch him as he was absorbing it. You know, our churches are not like everybody else's churches, we are very demonstrative, the dancers were dancing, the music was amazing. So, I think that he was kind of taken aback first in terms of the spiritual presence of God. And then I think I saw him softening.
I actually saw what was going on externally begin to impact him internally. And so it was not the context for the normal Donald Trump that we have seen before. That context was very spiritual. And he was very constrained. And almost in tears. There was a point in the service when Bishop Jackson actually put a pressure around him and presented him with a bible. And he will never be the same again. He will never be the same.
HARLOW: Let's listen to some more of what Donald Trump did say today there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I am here today to listen to your message. And I hope my presence here will also help your voice to reach new audiences in our country and many of these audiences desperately need your spirit and your thought. I can tell you that. Christian faith is not past, but the present and the future. Make it stronger. We'll make it stronger.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: Do you believe, Bishop Vaughn, that Trump changed minds inside that church today? I mean, what did people tell you who were there?
VAUGHN: Well, let me just say this. Detroit is primarily African- American. And for the most part, it was a very new experience for a lot of us. Those of us that went in endorsing our candidate who is Hillary Clinton, not many were changed. It wasn't even, I think, a speech to change us. It was more or less a speech to embrace and to engage a community that he was totally unfamiliar with. We are still waiting for policy. We are still waiting for plans to be presented. But he had never been in that experience and neither had we, to be honest. So it was more of an engagement. It was not an endorsement. It was an engagement.
And he was definitely change -- and we saw him. We really touched him. He took time to shake hands, and he hugged people. He was very friendly. He wasn't at all a brash guy. And he was clear. It was clear to me that he was in a church service, and that it was having a definite spiritual impact on him. What we changed -- did we change our minds? No. Those that I heard talking were just -- we're glad that we met him but we are still not going to vote for him.
HARLOW: All right. Bishop Corletta Vaughn, interesting perspective from someone who was inside the service this morning. Thank you very much.
VAUGHN: Thank you, Poppy.
[17:19:08] HARLOW: All right. On Monday night, Labor Day, starting at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, a CNN special report takes an in-depth look at the lives of the two major party candidates for president, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Here's a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I accept your nomination.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: For the presidency of the United States.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The essential Hillary Clinton.
CLINTON: We are stronger together. It's charting a course toward the future.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The essential Donald Trump.
TRUMP: I love you. And we will make America great again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All on one blockbuster night. Clinton has been called the most famous person no one knows.
CHELSEA CLINTON, DAUGHTER OF HILLARY CLINTON: I never understand that. It's so clear to me who my mother is. She never forgets who she is fighting for. And she is fighting first and foremost for children and for families.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trump has a passion for business and the spotlight.
DONALD TRUMP, JR., SON OF DONALD TRUMP: No one is going to outwork him. No one has more energy than him.
IVANKA TRUMP, DAUGHTER OF DONALD TRUMP: He always said to us, find what it is that you're passionate about and pursue it with your full heart.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Their stories from the people who know them best. CNN's special report, Hillary Clinton at 8:00, Donald Trump at 10:00. CNN, Labor Day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [17:24:04] HARLOW: Very severe, very dangerous weather pounding the East Coast this weekend. And just -- we just found out things are going get worse before they get better. The storm Hermine. It was a hurricane. And it is likely going to become one again tomorrow. That is the latest. Powerful straight line winds and driving rain all headed right now for the Jersey Shore, New York City, and parts of Connecticut.
Our meteorologist Jennifer Gray is in Atlantic City. You are in a county where they have now Jennifer declared a state of emergency. You have got 40 million people under severe weather watches and warnings there. So, it is died down a bit but then will turn into a hurricane again tomorrow? Is that the latest?
GRAY: Yes. It you should regain hurricane strength winds by tomorrow afternoon. That is the latest, Poppy. And we are already feeling significant winds. Not tropical storm force, but definitely gusty here. And the storm is about 175 miles southeast of ocean city Maryland. We are going to see it continue to grow as we go through the next 24 hours. The biggest takeaway with this storm is, it is going to slow down. Look at the track. It could have those hurricane force winds by tomorrow afternoon and stay that way until Tuesday.
So we could see a period of about 72 hours, even more, where this storm is going to have the hurricane strength wind. And it is going to sit just to the southeast of us, right off the coast of Maryland and Delaware until Tuesday. That's going to bring all of these winds out of the east on shore, pushing all of that water in. And that's why storm surge is the biggest concern. Also, the wind field is very, very large. The tropical storm force winds extend about 200 miles from the center. And so even though the storm is going to stay offshore we are going to get those winds on-shore.
Look out here. You can see the rough conditions. The beaches are closed. This would normally be packed on Labor Day weekend. But you can see, no one allowed in the water. Couple of people trying to still get out here. You notice everyone wearing their jackets though. Temperatures are in the low 70s and with the wind, it is a bit cool out here to be out there on the beach. A lot of people, though, Poppy still in town. They say they are going to ride it out. A lot of people at the boardwalk right now. They are just doing to stay in the casinos, the restaurants. But keep in mind, storm surge is going to be huge problem, two to four feet possibly here along the Jersey Shore -- Poppy.
HARLOW: And you just remember past hurricanes what we've seen in Atlantic City, just had an extraordinary flooding there.
Jennifer Gray live for us tonight.
GRAY: Yes.
HARLOW: Thank you so much for that.
All right. Coming up, the small town Southern pastor who has become a prominent and controversial surrogate for Donald Trump, he is new to national politics now. And now there are serious questions about his resume in the past.
Our Victor Blackwell sat down with him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is from my piece but what I'm saying is -- obviously this has been manipulated or either hacked or edit --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:30:12] HARLOW: This morning, Donald Trump visited an African- American church in Detroit. He sat down to speak in an interview with the church's pastor as well. The man who helped arrange that, Pastor Mark Burns. He has been one of Trump's surrogates as the candidate reaches out to African-American voters. Burns also spoke at the Republican convention. Most recently, he made news for posting a tweet of Hillary Clinton in black face, which he later apologized for and took down. But questions did arise about his resume.
CNN's Victor Blackwell asked for an interview and burns agreed to an on-the-record conversation -- Victor?
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Poppy, Pastor Mark Burns has been a fervent supporter of Donald Trump's campaign. He's relatively a new face on the national stage. He agreed to sit down for an on- camera, on-the-record interview, but as you will soon see, he quickly wanted to take that conversation off the record.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BURNS: We need a warrior, we need a champion, we need a winner, and that is Donald.
BLACKWELL: He's a small-town preacher who has become a major surrogate for Donald Trump's campaign for president.
BURNS: The last thing I wanted to do was draw away from Mr. Trump's policy --
BLACKWELL: Pastor Mark Burns, frequent cable news guest, the crowd favorite at Trump rallies, even a speaker at the National Republican Convention.
BURNS: From the great state of South Carolina!
BLACKWELL: Before the campaign, he was virtually unknown.
BURNS: I think Donald Trump is a great judge of character, you know. You would think he would just choose the greatest names but Donald Trump values character more so than popularity or name. And I think I fall in that category.
BLACKWELL: Pastor Burns' Harvest Praise and Worship Center in Easley, South Carolina, has a small operation. The church just a few folding tables, chairs and cameras for his televangelism.
BURNS: -- the wisdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.
BLACKWELL: After attending Trump's November meeting with black pastors in New York, Burns says former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, asked him to speak on Trump's behalf at Bob Jones University, and he's been a favorite of the campaign ever since.
BURNS: He just came out of the blue.
BLACKWELL: Virginia Beach Navy veteran, Damon Davis, says he's a Republican but had never heard of the fiery southern pastor. Neither had his friends.
DAMON DAVIS, KAPPA ALPHA PSI MEMBER & NAVY VETERAN: They looked him up and he had web pages up and they saw one of the claims was he was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi.
BLACKWELL: Davis, who is a member of the predominantly African- American fraternity, says he first saw the claim in Pastor Burns' bio on his church's website. Davis says he captured this screen grab in July just days after Burns spoke at the RNC. Then he started investigating.
(on camera): What did you find?
DAVIS: There's no one named Mark Burns, John Mark Burns, or any variation thereof in the fraternity ever.
BLACKWELL (voice-over): Davis says he contacted Pastor Burns. Soon after, Davis says the web page disappeared.
CNN called Kappa headquarters, too. There is no record of him.
When we sat down with Burns, we asked about that.
BURNS: I did, without question, say that I had crossed -- I had not crossed, but I started the process of being a part of that organization. But that's the furthest I've got.
BLACKWELL (on camera): Is that the bio from your website?
BURNS: It is. But it's not -- it is the bio but this is not an accurate depiction of the bio. The information has obviously been added. I'm pretty -- I own up to any mistakes that I've made, but obviously in this case, that's not --
BLACKWELL: So this is not from your page?
BURNS: No, this is from my page. What I'm saying is, obviously, this has been manipulated or either hacked or added.
BLACKWELL (voice-over): CNN asked the site's host, Wix, about the possibility that someone could have tampered with the church's web site. The company tells CNN there is no evidence of a hack.
And CNN obtained the pastor's full bio on the church's website through an Internet archive.
(on camera): You also claim that you served six years in the Army Reserves? Is that accurate?
BURNS: Yes, it is.
BLACKWELL: OK. We called the Army and they said that you had no active Army or --
(CROSSTALK)
BURNS: No, no. I never part of that. No, no. I wasn't part of that. The South Carolina National Guard.
BLACKWELL: I asked you about Army Reserves. That was my question. You, in this bio, claim six years in the Army Reserves.
BURNS: Which is -- it is Reserves. It is the Army. The Army of South Carolina National Guard is Reserves.
BLACKWELL (voice-over): In a statement, the U.S. Army says Burns served in the South Carolina National Guard from 2001 to 2005, was discharged in 2008. He has no active Army or Army Reserve service time.
(on camera): Did you attend North Carolina University?
BURNS: I did attend North Carolina University.
BLACKWELL: Did you graduate from North Carolina University?
BURNS: No, I didn't obtain a degree at North Carolina University.
BLACKWELL (voice-over): In fact, the university tells CNN he was here one semester.
[17:35:04] (on camera): Again, the bio on your website claims that you earned a Bachelor of Science Degree. Did you make that claim?
BURNS: I actually, just a moment ago, as we were opening up this -- and first of all, I said we were off the record.
BLACKWELL: I didn't agree with that.
BURNS: Yeah, but I did, I did.
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: We're still rolling and I'm asking you questions on the record.
Did you make that claim --
BURNS: I'm off the record.
BLACKWELL: -- that you graduated from North Carolina University? BURNS: I'm off the record because it's not fair -- this is not fair that you. This is not fair at all. This is not what I agreed to. I thought we were doing a profile and, all of a sudden, you're here to try to destroy --
(CROSSTALK)
BURNS: -- my character.
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: I'm not coming here to destroy your character. These were claims made on your website that were lies while you were speaking at the Republican National Convention. My question is, are those claims accurate?
BURNS: I understand this is what the media does and I understand when you finds someone that is speaking out their heart and speaking out their desire to bring people together and to get past a political correctness of society that the job of the investigative journalism or, in this case, is to try to destroy the character of the individual so their voice is silenced.
What I'm saying is this. In reference to my website, if there is inaccurate information on there, that -- that can easily be manipulated by other people and can be manipulated by hackers. People can do and say and do and create whatever they want to create.
BLACKWELL (voice-over): Again, the website's host says there's no evidence of a hack.
BURNS: I don't feel comfortable at all. This is not --
BLACKWELL (on camera): You also claim to be --
BURNS: This is --
BLACKWELL: -- studying at the Anderson Theological Seminary.
BURNS: Theological Seminary. Yes, I did.
BLACKWELL (voice-over): Currently working on his master of theology and pastoral leadership, according to the church's website.
(on camera): We called them, and you are not enrolled there. You were enrolled in 2008 and never advanced.
BURNS: Right. You know how old this is? This has been up there -- I think there's an updated -- I think there is an updated profile of me on the website --
BLACKWELL: So is it old or is it tampered?
BURNS: These are old information. This is extremely, extremely old information.
BLACKWELL (voice-over): Seconds later --
BURNS: This is a -- thank you, thank you so much. I really appreciate you coming. You just take this.
BLACKWELL: Pastor Burns walked out, leaving us in his church.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLACKWELL: CNN submitted questions to the Trump campaign about its vetting process, particularly the vetting of Pastor Burns. We've not yet received a reply.
But Pastor Burns says, to his knowledge, he was not vetted by the campaign. He believes they simply like his message and his character -- Poppy?
HARLOW: Victor Blackwell reporting there.
Thank you so much, Victor.
In response to that story, here is what Pastor Mark Burns said. Quote, "As a young man starting my church in Greenville, South Carolina, I overstated several details of my biography because I was worried I would not be taken seriously as a new pastor. This was wrong. I wasn't truthful then and I have to take full responsibility for my actions.
Since that time, I should have taken steps to correct any misrepresentations of my background. We all make mistakes, and I hope that the measure of my character and the quality of my words speak for what kind of person I am.
I do also want to set the record straight about why this attack is happening -- because I'm a black man supporting Donald Trump for president. For too long, African-American votes have been taken granted by Democratic politicians, and enough is enough. It's a shame that the political insiders and the media chose to attack me because I'm not going to stay silent about Hillary Clinton's pandering to our community. Instead, I'm going to tell people that there is another option, an option that represents a positive vision that will unify our country. That's why I have and will continue to tirelessly support Mr. Trump."
Just a short time ago, our Victor Blackwell asked Boris Epshteyn, a member of the Trump campaign, how the campaign vets people who speak on their behalf.
Here's part of what he told Victor.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
EPSHTEYN: I was not affiliated with the campaign when Pastor Burns started his affiliation. He was not an employee of the campaign. He was a volunteer. He was not part of the campaign so I can't speak to that. But we have very strong vetting in place now. And there was a story out yesterday I believe about the fact that we have all people affiliated with campaign sign NDAs. That's a question for folks -- but here's what I'll tell you --
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: But let me ask you this -- I'll let you finish that answer but I submitted this question about vetting two days ago. When the campaign offered someone to answer questions, my hope was that they would be able to answer the only question that I asked.
EPSHTEYN: My answer to you is everybody who becomes affiliated with the campaign very thoroughly and we know everything about them and now --
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: What does that entai1?
EPSHTEYN: What does that entail, Victor?
BLACKWELL: Yeah.
[17:39:48] EPSHTEYN: Well, that entails going through the background, et cetera, et cetera. Again, Victor, we're 35 minutes in to this hour. You spent about eight minutes destroying the career of this individual, of this volunteer, and you haven't once focused on the fact that Hillary Clinton has been lying to the American people, lying to Congress --
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: Boris, listen, we've only got three minutes together and this is a 24-hour news network --
EPSHTEYN: Well, it's interesting because you just spent eight minutes --
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: -- this is a six-minute story.
Let me get to the next question. How has Donald Trump responded?
EPSHTEYN: Donald Trump doesn't have to respond to this. This is about the two candidates, about Hillary Clinton versus Donald Trump. Donald Trump is in Detroit today, reaching out to African-American voters, with whom, by the way, he's doing better than any Republican presidential candidate in recent history. We should be talking about the issues facing the African-American community, not the background of one volunteer.
(CROSSTALK)
BLACKWELL: Did you say Pastor Burns is with him?
EPSHTEYN: Pastor Burns is not in Detroit, as far as I'm concerned.
(END VIDEOTAPE) HARLOW: Next, Donald Trump today in Detroit, taking his message and his campaign director to black voters in that black community. Will it work?
You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARLOW: Donald Trump takes his campaign message directly to the African-American community in Detroit today. He spoke at a predominantly black church and participated in the service. This was certainly a softer tone. He really sticks to script, reading from his prepared remarks.
Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[17:45:02] TRUMP: For any who are hurting, things are going to turn around. Tomorrow will be better. It will be much better. The pastor and I were talking about riding up the street, and we see all those closed stores, and people sitting down on the sidewalk, and no jobs and no activity. We'll get it turned around.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: Let's talk to Donna Brown. She joins me live from Cleveland, Ohio. She is a big Trump supporter. She sat down with me when I was in Cleveland around the RNC for our panel there, and she's also the founder of the Inner City Republican Movement.
Nice to see you again, Donna. Thanks for being with me.
DONNA BROWN, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER & FOUNDER, INNER CITY REPUBLICAN MOVEMENT: Thank you.
HARLOW: What did you think of Mr. Trump's remarks today, the venue he chose, a predominantly African-American church in Detroit, what's your response as a Trump supporter?
BROWN: Well, I was glad that he took the first step in going to the black churches. Because it used to be a time that the black churches pretty much controlled the community. But in today's time and in the city of Cleveland, a lot of our black pastors don't live in our inner cities. So with them not having the same zip code, they don't actually get the harsh reality of the struggle of just every day life in the inner city.
HARLOW: You wanted to see more from him. I mean he went with Dr. Ben Carson to Dr. Carson's childhood home, spent time there in Detroit. What would you have liked to see him do today, what should he do on the campaign trail for the next 60 days?
BROWN: I would have liked for him to have had a town hall meeting. Particularly, I hope he stops in Cleveland and have a town hall meeting with groups that have been supporting him here in Cleveland, and with black Republicans who he been supporting him and other -- fellow other Republicans. But definitely when we are talking about the black community, I would like for him to come and sit down with groups that have black groups that have been supporting him, and black Republicans. We would like to speak to him and let him know what our agenda specifically is because we actually live in the inner city. Unlike some of the ministers across the countries that, you know, they live on the suburb or the outskirt of the inner city.
HARLOW: It is an interesting point. Let's see, perhaps if his campaign holds that town hall you are talking about.
And let me ask you about some remarks that struck me. He called for a, quote, "civil rights agenda of our time." He talked about focusing on education reform in Detroit, which desperately needs it. He said he would include a focus on jobs in the black community. He said he would make this city the economic envy of the world, talking about rebuilding factories and schools. Are those enough specifics from him or would you like to hear more specifics on how he would do that?
BROWN: Well, you know, his first 100 days, I would actually like for him to pass an executive order eliminating the reauthorization process for blacks regarding black Voter Rights Act of 1964. So when you talk about real civil rights, that would be a starting in letting me know that he was really concerned and involved and listening to the black community.
HARLOW: Let me read you something from the "Detroit Free Press," an opinion piece this week. They wrote, quote, "Even in coming to Detroit, he's not going to address black voters or deal with our issues. He has not interested in that. Instead, he's aiming to use his appearance in a black city, with black people, to boost his stock among white middle-class voters, a swelling number of whom also believe he is a racist and whose votes he is more likely to recapture with a softening of that image."
Do you see merit in that argument that in speaking to African- Americans he is actually trying to convince white voters that he is not racist?
BROWN: I really don't think white voters care whether or not he's racist or not. I think when we talk about racism -- I think him coming to the black community, the black church, that was a start. And, you know, when you look at McCain and Romney, you didn't have them coming to the black churches. So I'm just looking at the fact that he took time-out of his campaign. At least they are trying to make a start. I just don't want them to get comfortable and take the black vote for granted because you went to a black church. You actually have to talk to black people in town hall meeting.
HARLOW: Yeah. We'll see if he does have that town hall meeting in the next two months we have to go into this election.
Donna Brown, nice to have you on. Thank you so much.
BROWN: Thank you, Poppy. [17:49:57] HARLOW: Switching gears here, it was certainly a rude
awakening for many in the middle of this country. An earthquake hitting Oklahoma, waking this man up from his sleep. We'll have the latest on the damage and what caused this. Wait until you hear what they think it was, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARLOW: All right. People in Oklahoma today awoke to a magnitude 5.2 earthquake. Not something you typically see in Oklahoma. It was so strong it woke up this man from a deep sleep. It struck by Pawnee, Oklahoma. It was felt in Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, Nebraska and Iowa. So far, no injuries reported, but at least one historical building was damaged.
Our Meteorologist Allison Chinchar has more on what happened.
ALLISON CHINCHAR, AMS METEOROLOGIST: So, Poppy, here's what we know. It was a 5.6 magnitude quake 70 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, an hour west of Tulsa. Now, a 5.6 has it tied with the strongest earthquake ever for Oklahoma's recorded history. But the depth is what's most important with this particular earthquake. It was only 6.6 kilometers or 4 miles deep. That is incredibly shallow. That allows for some of the structural damage. This is from Stillwater, Oklahoma. This is 30 miles away from the epicenter of the quake. Again, that's due to the fact that it was very shallow. It allows the damage into what we call to be felt to spread very far from the origin. In fact, take a look at this. Over 3.7 million people felt some type of light shaking, and about 200,000 people felt moderate shaking away from the epicenter. Again, for a total of seven states. Incredibly impressive how far this was able to stretch. But, Poppy, again, it all comes back to the fact that it was very shallow for the depth of this particular earthquake.
[17:55:39] HARLOW: All right. Allison, thank you so much. Appreciate it.
Coming up after the break, his city, the venue that Donald Trump chose to court black voters this morning, what did the mayor of Detroit think about the candidate's visit? He joins me next live.
You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARLOW: Our "CNN Hero" this week is introducing students from high poverty neighborhoods in San Diego to a possible career in the sciences.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED CNN HERO: These are barnacles and they attach with their heads.
You can study technology, engineering, mathematics, all through studying the ocean. This is a career field that students from very diverse communities
don't pursue. And our students are pursuing them at unprecedented rates.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
