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Talk with Some of the Children Left Behind After Deadliest Terror Attack on American Soil; Donald Trump Delivers Remarks. Aired 3-3:30p ET

Aired September 09, 2016 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:34:04] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: While the country decides who would best serve as commander in chief, you are about to hear from a group of young people who says this election is especially important to them. These are the children left behind after the deadliest terror attack on American soil. I spoke with ten members of Tuesday's Children, an organization formed after 9/11 impacted by terrorism. Here are these extraordinary young people.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: This was 15 years ago and this unthinkable thing happened. Then flash forward to 2016. War on terror. What is it like when you see these attacks today?

JULIETTE SCAUSO, 9/11 CHILD: I know personally over the past few months, there's been a sickening amount of terrorist attacks all over the world, and you see the news coverage of it. But once another one happens, the coverage of the past one stops and I don't stop thinking about all of them because there are families behind that coverage that are now in the same exact situation that we were 15 years ago. That will continue to struggle every day for the rest of their lives without the people that they just lost. And even 15 years later, this is something that still affects all of us every single day of our lives.

BALDWIN: Presidential election. Are you all paying little closer attention than, say, your peers? Yes, you're nodding?

[15:35:00] KEVIN HANNAFORD. 9/11 CHILD: Oh, yes.

BALDWIN: You're paying attention? What does our nation need in a leader?

KEVIN HANNAFORD: Someone who can actually lead. Definitely someone we can depend on. Trustworthy. I definitely like one more than the other. We need to trust the person that we choose.

PATRICK HANNAFORD, 9/11 CHILD: I think the people say I'm not very political or very stupid because that means you aren't paying attention to the people that are going to be affecting your lives in massive ways over the next couple of years. Possibly for much longer than that. It's extremely important who is in the oval office and with the wrong person, you could -- there could be horrible things that go wrong.

JESSICA WARING, 9/11 CHILD: There was something very special about the months after 9/11 and the year following 9/11 about the United States.

BALDWIN: You want that again.

WARING: Yes. We need it. Look at this election. Look, we need to figure out what we're doing.

BALDWIN: I want to hear your story though about Boston.

KEVIN PARKS, 9/11 CHILD: 2013. Ran the marathon. Finished. Met up with everyone. We went up to like a rooftop bar to celebrate. Then all of a sudden you hear this big noise and everyone kind of looks at each other and, again, you don't fear the worst, so everyone kind of just keeps carrying on. Casually go to check my phone. I don't have service. Then you start to wonder, it's deja vu, something's not right.

BALDWIN: You're with your best friend who was in your ninth grade class when the speakers went off saying --

PARKS: Yes. I didn't know him at the time but he was with me. Felt like we were deja vu but the days that followed -- it either brings out the best or worst in people. Think collectively it -- that felt good to me how everyone kind of rallied around Boston.

BALDWIN: Rodney, how did you meet Kevin?

RODNEY WOTTON, 9/11 CHILD: My mom suggested that we like go to Tuesday's Children, which I didn't really know anything about it. So she had to explain it to me. I said -- I was kind of like, I didn't really want to do it at first.

BALDWIN: How come?

WOTTON: Because it is the kind of thing that would bring back like memories of how I didn't have a dad and it was just kind of upsetting for me. And then I was willing to try it out later on. We got to pick a buddy. And, you know --

BALDWIN: He was your buddy?

WOTTON: Yes.

BALDWIN: How has he helped you?

WOTTON: He's just been the father since I never meet my dad.

BALDWIN: Father figure. Did you know that?

PARKS: It means a lot hearing that. Yes. I have to always say I think I get more out of the relationship than he does. But I'll take his word for it. BALDWIN: Tuesday's Children. Incredible. You talk about -- you meet

other young people who have lost parents but to all have this common bond which is that, how has that helped you all?

JESSICA WARING: With people that have gone through what you've gone through, it is an unspoken thing. Like you're instantly friends he feel like because you went through the same horrible thing together. I have a lot of close friends who I met through counseling or Tuesday's Children. Some of them that I just met today. You don't really need to say much but you can relate on so many levels.

KEVIN HANNAFORD: People say like I'm so worry, like I get it. Like you don't really get it. Like these people, they get it. They're the ones who have lived through what you lived through, and then some. Like they get what it is like to grow up without a father or lose someone like that in the way that we did out of nowhere.

BALDWIN: I'm also wondering like if you're in school, and if you're in a history class, and someone starts talking about terror attacks, has that ever happened to any of you where you've had to get up and leave the room? Yes?

CAROLINE TUMULTY-OLLEMAR, 9/11 CHILD: Yes. Actually, the past year I -- there was a moment of silence and I was sitting in my math class. I asked the lady right before the moment of silence on 9/11 if I could leave the room. She didn't know the at the time. I'm not really like verbal about it. She looked at me like no, this isn't a good time. During the -- it was like a five-minute moment of silence. I started hysterical crying and I had to leave the room.

WARING: There were a lot of caring teachers, then there were some insensitive ones. A random bio teacher saying look, you can see the devil's face in the smoke of the twin towers burning as a sophomore in high school. I got up with be took the paper, threw it out and I left.

[15:40:00] TUMULTY-OLLEMAR: We all know it's fake but it is still insensitive I think of some people. There will be like click on this link and you'll see like the planes never actually hit the twin towers. I kind of just want to look at them and be then like where did my father go?

BALDWIN: How do you all honor your dads? How do you spend that day?

SAL PEPE, 9/11 CHILD: We would walk down to ground zero and lay flowers. But I think it was really important that it was mainly that most of the family made like a strong effort to come together because I think that's what made it a lot easier to cope and move forward. Don't just honor him on this one day, but we also take time like throughout the entire year just to pretty much honor him, and make sure we're always constantly thinking of him and -- probably sounds corny, if we are like never forgetting him.

BALDWIN: That's not corny.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BALDWIN: Sat with them for about an hour and a half. They were absolutely incredible. Would love for you to hear more from them. Just go to CNN.com and find the children in the age of terror interactive for extended interviews. You can also find ways to get involved with organizations that support 9/11 victims.

Go to CNN.com/impact. And a programming note for all of you, the documentary "9/11, 15 years later" airs this Sunday night at 8:00 eastern.

Let's take you to Washington now. Donald Trump on the stage.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: ...I'm going to make it up to you, too. You watch. There are no more decent, devoted or selfless people than our Christian brothers and sisters here in the United States. True. I witnessed that incredible generosity all across this land. Gotten to know so many people.

I saw it during my trip to Louisiana where Christian volunteers raced to help their fellow citizens in need. Franklin Graham is an example. People and equipment to Louisiana. And he didn't want anything for it. He's a great plan. It's that spirit of giving that we will need to rebuild Louisiana and to rebuild this country which is in serious, serious trouble.

Yet, our media culture often mocks and demeans people of faith. And you understand that. All the time I hear from concerned parents how much harder it is for a Christian family to raise their children in today's media environment. That is right, isn't it. That is right. Not even close. Your values of love, charity and faith built this nation. So how can it be that our media acts poorly?

One of the reasons is that our politicians have really abandoned you to large extent. And Hillary Clinton, you can forget about her. So let me state this right up front. A Trump administration, our Christian heritage, will be cherished, protected, defended, like you've never seen before. Believe me. I believe it and you believe it and you know it. You know it. And that includes religious are remember.

Remember. I recently had a chance to visit a church in Detroit. Great Faith Ministries International. Stand up, if you're a member. That's good. That was a great -- that was an amazing experience. And the bishop, what a great guy. In my remarks, I spoke about how African American church -- and this is all across the country -- for centuries have been the conscience of our nation.

Their unbreakable, faith and spirit overcame some of the most difficult periods in our history leading us all to a better future. Very true. Amazing. This was such an amazing experience.

[15:45:00] This is the power of faith. It the power to heal. It's the power to unite. It's the power to make all of us live better lives. All of us.

Our nation today is divided. Nobody likes to say it, but we're living in a very, very divided nation. It will be our faith in god, in his teachings, in each other, each of us here today has a role to play in bringing our country together, united in common purpose and in common values. So let's talk today about some of the things -- these are great things -- that we can do together to create the American future for everybody. Not just a certain group of people, but for everybody.

The first thing we have to do is give our churches their voice back. It's been taken away. The Johnson amendment has blocked our pastors and speaking their minds from their own pulpits. If they want to talk about Christianity, if they want to preach, if they want to talk about politics, they are unable to do so. If they want to do it, they take a tremendous risk that they lose their tax exempt status.

All religious leaders should be able to freely express their thoughts and feelings on religious matters. And I will repeal the Johnson amendment if I am elected your president. I promise. So important. Thank you. So important.

And I must tell you from the heart, this started in a building of mine in Manhattan. I had 50 pastors in a big conference room. And we actually had 50 pastors, two rabbis, couple of priests, we were all talking and we were there for two hours. And at the end it was a love fest. We all agreed. It was like a love fest.

And I said to them, we were high up in that building on 5th avenue. And I said to them, I'd love your support. And I know when I can get support. I'm quite sophisticated. And I know they wanted to give me their total support. 100 percent. Just like I had in the primaries. Id, I really would like your support. And they didn't really know what I was talking about. And I said, what's going on here? They said, well, sir, we can't do that because we would be violating the laws. And I said what's the punishment?

Well, we could lose our tax exempt status, which of course is a massive penalty. I said tell me about this. And we sat down, they talked about it. When did it happen? 1954, or so. Lyndon Johnson was having problems. Powerful guy. I actually, you have to give him respect for what he was able to do. This man single-handedly was having problems with churches. There was a church in Houston that was giving him a hard time. Maybe for very good reason.

And he put in an amendment that basically stopped our great pastors and ministers and others from talking under the penalty of losing their tax exempt status. So we were looking down on to the sidewalk and there were people walking on the sidewalk. I said, so, folks, what you're telling me is those people walking way, way down there on the sidewalk have really more power than you do because they're allowed to express their feelings and thoughts openly and without penalty. And one of the pastors who I knew very well -- these are powerful people. These are strong people with magnificent voices and magnificent hearts, much more importantly.

They looked at me and they said, that's actually right. They have more power than we do. We're not allowed to express. That's what I said. We have to start thinking about this. I thought about it. Then we had a large group of pastors. Again I said I have thought about it. If I become president we are going to knock out the Johnson amendment. We are going to do that. They have more power than we do. We're not allowed to express. That's what I said.

[15:50:00] We have to start thinking about this. I thought about it. Then we had a large group of pastors. Again I said I have thought about it. If I become president we are going to knock out the Johnson amendment. We are going to do that. It is not going to be hard. It is not going to be hard. Say men are 50%,

And I believe that is one of the reasons why you have not seen Christianity and other religions in the United States going like a rocket ship like our polls have been going in the last four weeks, a rocket ship, right? Because you're great people. The people you rely on all day during the week, they have been stopped from talking and speaking by a law. And we're going to get rid of that law so fast.

And I'm so proud to say, honestly, I don't want to take credit, but you have 50 people in that first meeting, many more who say, "that was my idea. I figure it's the only way I'm getting to heaven." So this -- the only way. So we're going to get rid of it. We're going to let people speak very, very good. That means you have to get out and vote on November 8th. You didn't vote four years ago. You didn't vote. You didn't -- well, you did, a few of you did. I know, I look at the stats.

But this time you really have to this is your last chance. We will never have this opportunity again. Get your family and your friends and get out. That's not even going to be a close election. If you don't, it could be a very unhappy November 8th. We're also going to repeal and replace disastrous Obamacare that gives the government the control over the lives of everyday citizens and the numbers are horrendous.

Premiums going up, the deductible so high you never get to use it unless you have a long period. It is a disaster and it will die of it's own weight anyway. We will get rid of it and replace it with great alternatives.

Hillary Clinton wants government run health care which would be a disaster for the liberties and freedoms of Americans. You see how bad this is. But one of the big issues in this case is the issue of school choice. And I can't possibly emphasize this enough. Millions of poor and disadvantaged students are strapped in failing schools. None more so than the African American community. Now, the Democratic party has run the inner cities of America for 50, 60, 70 years. In some cases, the politics.

People like Hillary Clinton have produced only poverty, when she was running for the senate. She said she would produce jobs, jobs, jobs in upstate New York. Going to produce jobs. A big thing, a catastrophe. Tens of thousands of jobs, and never did a thing. All talk, no action. All talk, nothing bad will happen, only good will happen. She won because of them. And she produced absolutely nothing. Jobs left.

[15:55:00] It is today, one of the worst, one of the most depressing places in this country. Just remember that when you hear her talking about jobs. I know jobs, she doesn't know jobs, that I can tell you. I have outlined a new civil rights agenda for our time. The right to a safe community, a great education, and a secure job. And I say to African American parents, I say to Hispanic-American parents. I say it with great respect.

Our inner cities are a disaster. Crime, no jobs, education is the worth in many cases almost worldwide ban. In many cases actually a worldwide ban. I say with great respect, what do you have to lose. It can't get any worse. You choose Donald Trump I will fix the problem. You will have safety, good education, jobs. We will bring our jobs back. Mexico is taking our jobs, so many other places are taking our jobs, what China is doing to us is horrible.

I'm going to fix it. I'm going to fix it. School choice at the center of the civil rights agenda. I want to provide every single inner city child in America trapped in an inner city school to attend the school of their choice. Competition, the schools will get better a better and better. And that means a private school, a religious school, charter school, a magnet school. It also means that parents can homeschool their children. Hillary Clinton opposes school choice because she is controlled, totally, totally, like a puppet by special interests, she will force African American and Hispanic children to remain stuck in failed government schools leading to higher unemployment and more poverty. Something nobody will believe.

My plan will break the monopoly and make schools to compete to provide the best services or including every African-American and Hispanic child in this country. Every single one of them. $20 billion block grant for states to pursue school choice programs. However, that is good, right?

Sponsor every disadvantaged student in America. What a difference this will make, it will follow the student to the public, private, or religious school best for them and their family. My administration will partner with the leadership of any inner city willing to run a pilot program, and there will be a lot of them, to provide school choice to every child in that community. In Baltimore, for instance, that means more than $15,000 available in funds for students. As your president, I will be the biggest cheerleader for school you have ever seen.

This means a lot to me, I know it can turn things around. Common Core, we're going to end it. We'll bring in education. I'll fight for every child in this country. Who deserve better futures. The African American community heard my message that I am going --