Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Michelle Obama Campaigns for Hillary Clinton; Trump Finally Admits Obama Was Born in U.S. Aired 15-15:30p ET
Aired September 16, 2016 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:00:01]
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Come Sunday, will you be rooting for the "Game of Thrones," "The Americans" maybe "Mr. Robot"?
Because, in just two days, the Emmy Awards for the best in TV will be announced. And years of being ignored by the TV academy, FX's "The Americans" is finally in Emmy contention and in a big, big way, best drama, best lead actor and best lead actress.
But it's up against a parental favorite and multiyear winner "Game of Thrones." It's also got some serious competition from the quirky newcomer "Mr. Robot" and its breakout star, Rami Malek. The Emmy Awards are Sunday night.
And we continue on. You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.
A day of unprecedented events in a campaign season already hailed as unorthodox, historic. Any moment now, first lady Michelle Obama will headline this campaign event for former first lady Hillary Clinton.
We will take that live from George Mason University in Virginia momentarily.
But first to the day that will go down in campaign history for all the wrong reasons, Donald Trump's concession speech, all 61 words of it, the Republican nominee finally admitting after years of pushing this deceptive conspiracy theory that President Obama indeed was born in the United States.
But did Trump apologize? No. Did he explain why he changed his mind? Nope. Did he falsely blame Hillary Clinton for starting the rumor in the first place? Yes, he did.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Hillary Clinton and her campaign of 2008 started the birther controversy. I finished it. I finished it. You know what I mean.
President Barack Obama was born in the United States, period. Now we all want to get back to making America strong and great again.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Now, in admitting the truth, Trump offered up two more falsehoods.
First, he did not finish it, as he said. In fact, he fed into the controversy three years after President Obama first showed his birth certificate. And, secondly, Hillary Clinton did not start it.
So, now that we're clear, for more on that, let me go to straight to CNN's Tom Foreman who will explain how the lie started that the president was not born in the U.S.
Tom, go for it.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Brooke, there are basically three claims in the course of this little speech.
And here's the first one. The birther issue was first raised by Hillary Clinton's '08 campaign. There was some little buzz among some people out there around '07 about the idea of whether or not Barack Obama might be a Muslim. He is not. He is Christian. That maybe he's not American.
BALDWIN: First lady Michelle Obama.
MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY: Hey.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: How are you guys doing? Wow. Thank you, guys. Look at you. Oh, my goodness.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Oh, my goodness.
Well, let's get started here.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: You guys have been standing up for a while, right?
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: So let's start talking about some stuff.
First of all, let me just say, I am thrilled to be here today to support the next president and vice president of the United States, Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Yes.
I have to do a few thank-yous before we go in.
I want to thank Henry for that wonderful introduction, for sharing his story. I want to thank all the members of Congress who are here today, Representatives Bobby Scott, Gerry Connolly, and I also want to recognize our outstanding DNC chair, Donna Brazile.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: I hear she lit it up.
And I want to thank Charity (ph) for her fabulous remarks.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: And, of course, I have to recognize another great first lady, Virginia right here, Dorothy McAuliffe, who is here.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: So glad that she could join us.
And, of course, all of you, our students of George Mason University.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
[15:05:02]
OBAMA: Look at you all. Whew!
Now, whew! Let me say, it is so hard to believe that it is less than two months to Election Day and that my family is almost at the end of our time at the White House.
Yes, it is almost time. And let me say -- I have to say...
AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years!
OBAMA: No. No.
AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years!
OBAMA: Let me say this.
You have me and Barack working on your behalf for the rest of our lives, so no need to worry.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: We are going to be here.
But let me just tell you, this time is really bittersweet for me. It is a time of real transition for me and Barack and our girls. My husband is going to need a new job.
(LAUGHTER) OBAMA: I'm going to have to find a job. We are going to be moving to a new home, so we will have to pack. We have to get the old house cleaned up so we can get our security deposit back.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: But, in all seriousness, this is not just a time of transition for my family, but for our entire country, as we decide who the next president will be.
And transitions like this can be difficult. They involve a lot of uncertainty. And we saw that in 2008, when Barack was first elected. I don't know if you -- you many of you were old enough to remember.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: Do you remember?
But, back then, people had all kinds of questions about what kind of president Barack would be, things like, does he understand us? Will he protect us?
And then, of course, there were those who questioned and continue to question for the past eight years up through this very day whether my husband was even born in this country.
(BOOING)
OBAMA: Well, during his time in office, I think Barack has answered those questions with the example he set by going high when they go low.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: And he has answered those questions with the progress that we have achieved together, progress like bringing health care to 20 million people.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Creating 15 million private sector jobs, helping millions of young people like all of you afford college, expanding LGBT rights and marriage equality.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: So, marriage equality is now the law of the land.
And we just learned that last year, the typical household income rose by $2,800, which -- which, by the way, is the largest one-year jump on record.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: And 3.5 million people were lifted out of poverty. That is the biggest one-year decrease in poverty in nearly 50 years. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: You hear me?
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: All right.
But, even after all of this progress, it is understandable that folks are feeling a little uncertain as we face the next transition. So the question is for all of you and all of us, for the nation, is, how do we sort through all of the negativity and the name-calling in this election and choose the right person to lead our country forward?
Well, as someone who has seen the presidency up close and personal, here is what I have learned about this job. First and foremost, this job is hard. OK, this is the highest-stakes, most 24/7 job you can possibly imagine. The issues that cross a president's desk are never easy, none of them. They're never black and white.
I mean, just think about the crises this president has faced these last eight years. In his first term alone, Barack had to rescue our economy from the worst crisis since the Great Depression. He had to make the call to take out Osama bin Laden.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: He had to work to stop millions of gallons of oil that were gushing into our Gulf Coast. He had to respond to devastating natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy and so much more.
[15:10:07]
So, when it comes to the qualifications we should demand in a president, to start with, we need someone who is going to take this job seriously, someone who will study and prepare, so that they understand the issues better than anyone else on their team.
And we need someone, not with just judgment, but with superb judgment in their own right, because a president can hire the best advisers on Earth. But let me tell you, five advisers will give five different opinions. And the president and the president alone is always the one to make the final call, believe me.
We also need someone who is study and measured, because when you're making life-or-death, war-or-peace decisions, a president can't just pop off.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Finally, we need someone who is compassionate, someone who is unifying, someone who will be a role model for our kids, someone who is not just in this for themselves, but for the good of this country.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: See, at the end of the day, as I have said before, the presidency doesn't change who you are. It reveals who you are.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: And the same thing is true of a presidential campaign.
So, if a candidate is erratic and threatening, if a candidate traffics in prejudice, fears, and lies on the trail, if a candidate has no clear plans to implement their goals, if they disrespect their fellow citizens, including folks who made extraordinary sacrifices for our country, let me tell you, that is who they are.
That is the kind of president they will be. Trust me, a candidate is not going to suddenly change once they get into office. Just the opposite, in fact, because the minute that individual takes that oath, they are under the hottest, harshest light there is.
And there is no way to hide who they really are. And at that point, it is too late. They're the leader of the world's largest economy, the commander in chief of the most powerful military force on Earth.
With every word they utter, they can start wars, crash markets, change the course of this planet. So, who in this election is truly ready for this job?
AUDIENCE: Hillary!
OBAMA: Who do we pick?
Well, for me, I'm just saying, it is excruciatingly clear that there is only one person in this election we can trust with those responsibilities, only one person with the qualifications and the temperament for that job.
And that is our friend Hillary Clinton.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: We know that Hillary is the right person because we have seen her character and commitment, not just on the trail, but over the course of her entire life.
We have seen her dedication to public service, how, after law school, she chose to be an advocate for kids with disabilities. She fought for children's health care as first lady, for quality child care as a senator. And when she didn't win the presidency in 2008, she didn't throw in the towel.
She once again answered the call to serve, keeping us safe as our secretary of state.
And let me tell you, Hillary has the resilience that it takes to do this job, because, when she gets knocked down, she doesn't complain or cry foul. No, she gets right back up and she comes back stronger for the people who need her the most.
And here is what is also true. And I want you all to think about this. Hillary is one of the few people on this entire planet, and clearly the only person in this race, who has any idea what this job entails, who has seen it from every angle -- hear me -- the staggering stakes, the brutal hours, the overwhelming stresses.
And here is the thing. She still wants to take it on, see, because she believes that she has an obligation to use her talents to help as many people as possible. That is why she is running.
[15:15:10]
Now, let me tell you, that is what dedication looks like. That is what love of country looks like.
So, when I hear folks saying that they don't feel inspired in this election, well, let me tell you, I disagree. I am inspired, because, for eight years, I have the privilege to see what it takes to actually do this job.
And here is what I absolutely know for sure. Listen to this. Right now, we have an opportunity to elect one of the most qualified people who has ever endeavored to become president.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Hillary -- Hillary has been a lawyer, a law professor, first lady of Arkansas, first lady of the United States, a U.S. senator, secretary of state. Do you hear me?
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: See, that's why I'm inspired by Hillary.
I'm inspired by her persistence and her consistency, by her heart and her guts. And I'm inspired by her lifelong record of public service. No one in our lifetime has ever had as much experience and exposure to the presidency, not Barack, not Bill, as he would say, nobody.
And, yes, she happens to be a woman.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: So, we can not afford to squander this opportunity, particularly given the alternative, because here is what we know, that being president isn't anything like reality TV.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: It is not about sending insulting tweets or making fiery speeches. It is about whether or not the candidate can handle the awesome responsibility of leading the country.
So, George Mason, Virginia, as you prepare to make this decision, I urge you, I beg of you to ignore the chatter and the noise and ask yourselves, which candidate really has the experience, the maturity and demeanor to handle the job I just described to you? Which candidate's words and actions speak to the future we want for our country and the values we share, values like inclusion and opportunity, service and sacrifice for others?
Your answers to these questions on Election Day will determine who sits in the Oval Office after Barack Obama. And let's be clear. Elections aren't just about who votes, but who doesn't vote.
And that is especially true for young people like all of you. In fact, in 2012, voters under the age of 30 provided the margin of victory for Barack in four key battleground states, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida and right here in Virginia.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Right here.
Without those votes, Barack would have lost those states and he definitely would have lost that election, period, end of story. So, for any of you who might be thinking that, my vote doesn't really matter, that one person can't really make a difference in this election, I want you to consider this.
Back in 2012, Barack won Virginia by about 150,000 votes. Now that may sound like a lot, but when you break that down, the difference between winning and losing this state was only 31 votes per precinct, 31 votes.
He won Ohio. The difference there was...
(SHOUTING)
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: In Ohio, the difference there was just nine votes per precinct.
Do you hear me? In Florida, the difference was six votes per precinct. Take that in for a moment. Take that in. Those are real numbers. That's how elections, especially the presidential election, are won and loss, on a handful of votes.
So, there are plenty of states where each of you could swing an entire precinct and win this election for Hillary Clinton just by getting yourselves, your friends, and your few family members registered and out to vote.
[15:20:05]
But it is going to take work.
Yes, we can.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: It is going to take work. It is going to take work. AUDIENCE: Yes, we can! Yes, we can!
OBAMA: We can do this. We can and we must.
But here is the thing. It is not enough to just come to a rally. It isn't. It is not enough to just get a few selfies.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: It is not enough to just get angry and just speak out. We also have to work and make that change and take action. And that starts with electing folks who will stand with you and fight with you.
And that is why you need to get yourself and everyone you know registered to vote today. And we have got volunteers here. I want you all -- if you're not registered, I want you to find them. Before you leave, find them and get registered before you leave this building.
And then we need you to roll up your sleeves and get to work making calls, knocking on doors, thinking about those handful of votes that you could carry and get people out on Election Day.
Again, you can sign up to volunteer with any of the staff who are here. So, get it done, right, George Mason?
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Work your hearts out. And as you're working your heart out for Hillary, if you start to feel tired or discouraged by all the negativity in this election, if you want to just hide under the bed and come out when it is all over, I want you to remember what is at stake.
The choice that you make on November 8 will determine whether you can afford college tuition. It will determine whether you can keep your health care when you graduate. On November 8, you will decide whether we have a president who believes in science and will fight climate change or not.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: You will decide whether we have a president who will honor our proud history as a nation of immigrants or not.
You will decide whether we have a president who thinks that women deserve the right to make their own choices about their bodies and their health or not.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: And here is the thing. At a time when incomes are rising by thousands of dollars, when millions of people are being lifted out of poverty, ask yourselves, is now really the time to fundamentally change direction, when we're making so much progress?
AUDIENCE: No!
OBAMA: I mean, do we really want to go back to the way that things were before Barack was president...
AUDIENCE: No!
OBAMA: ... a time of economic crisis, stagnant wages, when we were losing nearly 800,000 jobs a month?
OBAMA: Or do you want a president who will keep moving this country forward?
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Well, that is what is at stake. So we can't afford to be tired or turned off, not now, because while this might feel like a time of uncertainty and division, I have never felt more hopeful about the future of this great nation.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Let me tell you, I feel this way because for the past eight years, I have had the great honor of traveling from one end of this country to the other.
And let me tell you, I have met just some of the most amazing people, people from every conceivable -- and Ellen.
(LAUGHTER)
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: But people from every conceivable background and walk of life.
And time and again, I have seen proof of what Barack Obama and I have believed in our hearts. That we, as Americans, we are fundamentally good folks and we all truly want the same thing. I mean, that is the thing. We're not that different.
Time and again, Barack and I have met people who disagree with everything we have ever said, but they still welcome us into their community. They keep their minds open, willing to listen. And while we might not always change each other's minds, we always walk away reminded that we're really not that different.
Folks in this country are working long hours to send their kids to college, just like my mom and dad did for me. They're helping raise their grandkids, just like Barack's grandparents did for him.
[15:25:05]
They're teaching their kids the exact same values that Barack and I are trying to teach our girls, that you work hard for what you want in life and you don't take shortcuts, that you treat people with respect, even if they look or think differently from you, that when someone is struggling, you don't turn away, and you certainly don't take advantage.
No, you imagine walking a mile in their shoes. And you do what you can to help, because that is what we do in America.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: We live in a country where a girl like me from the South Side of Chicago, whose great-great-grandfather was a slave, can go to some of the finest universities on Earth.
We live in a country where biracial kid from Hawaii named Barack Obama, the son of a single mother, can become president.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: A country that has always been a beacon for people who have come to our shores and poured their hopes and their prayers and their backbreaking hard work into making this country what it is today. That is what makes America great. Don't ever forget it.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: And here is the thing. I know in my heart that we deserve a president who can see those truths in us, a president who believes that each of us is part of the American story and we're always stronger together.
We deserve a president who can bring out what is best in us, our kindness and decency, our courage and determination, so we can keep on perfecting our union and passing down those blessings of liberty to our children.
Let me tell you this. I have never been more confident that Hillary Clinton will be that president.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: So, here is what I'm pledging. From now until November, I'm going to work as hard as I can to make sure that Hillary and Tim Kaine win this election.
I need your help to do that as well. Are you with me?
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: I can't hear you. Are you with me?
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: You are going to roll up your sleeves?
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: You have to get to work, make it happen. Virginia will make the difference in this election.
Are you ready, Virginia?
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Thank you all. God bless.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
BALDWIN: She is called the closer for a reason. She helped, as the campaign referred to her some years ago, for her husband, because of her high approval ratings, because of the way she can just reach through the screen, fire up these crowds, young and old, Michelle Obama there at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.
You heard the chants early on, "four more years, four more years," and she said no.
But also significant here, that she addressed the birther controversy head on.
Let me bring in -- I have a lot of smart voices here.
Gloria Borger, let me just begin with you, as we stay on these picture pictures, as she takes some of those selfies with the students at George Mason.
The way she addressed -- what she said was those -- "There are those who question and continue to question whether my husband was born in this country."
And she said, "Well, during this time, his time in office, I think Barack has answered those questions with the example he set by going high when they went low."
How do you think she handled that?
GLORIA BORGER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: I think she handled it perfectly, actually. She had the right tone on that, the right pitch on that.
She also made the case that a candidate is not going to suddenly change once they get into office. And what she is clearly saying is that Donald Trump isn't going to change, and that this was a base- motivating speech to get people out to vote, not only in the battleground state of Virginia, but also all over the country.
It was a call to arms. And, as you point out, Michelle Obama is terrific at this. But I think that what we see is this kind of a closing argument that is for the next 50 or so days, and that Donald Trump kind of inadvertently walked right into that, because by trying to settle this question and not have it raised ever again, most particularly at the debate on September 26, with his one-sentence explanation or non-explanation today, what he did was assure that this will not go away.
BALDWIN: Kate Andersen Brower, we have talked many times about first ladies. You wrote "First Women: The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies."
I mean, this is a first, correct, that you have this first lady, you know, out stumping...
