Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

New Woman Accuses Trump of Sexual Misconduct; Trump Mocks Accusers, Denies Allegations; Donald Trump Insisting Election is "Rigged"; Women's Issues Rocket To Center of Historic Election; Your Money, Your Vote: Wells Fargo CEO Steps Down Over Fake Accounts; Nine Women Accusing Trump Of Sexual Harassment; Poll" Trump Tape A "Deal Breaker" For 49 Percent Of Female Voters; Your Money, Your Vote: Battleground Ohio; Conjoined Twins Separated In 27-hour Operation. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired October 15, 2016 - 16:00   ET

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


[16:00:03] POPPY HARLOW, CNN, ANCHOR: You can see Matthew's Positive Peer Pressure Program in action, just go to CNNheroes.com

Welcome, everyone, top of the hour. You're live in the CNN Newsroom. I'm Poppy Harlow in New York. We begin this hour with breaking news with the -- within the last hour. We have gotten word that another woman has come forward accusing Donald Trump of making unwanted sexual advances. This brings the total number of accusers to nine. This new claim comes from a woman named Kathy Heller. She tells "The Guardian" the Incident happened about two decades ago during a brunch with her family and Trump.

The newspaper says that Heller claims that Trump grabbed her, went in for a kiss and grew angry with her as she twisted away. "Oh, come on, she alleges that he barked before holding her firmly and placing her firmly in place and planting his lips on her." That is a quote from "The Guardian." Our own Jessica Schneider, as you heard last hour. Also, reporting this out and speaking with Heller on the phone. "Trump has not responded to this new allegation yet, but he is taking on other accusers publicly and directly."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: How about this crazy woman on the airplane? I mean, can anybody believe that one? How about this? After 15 minutes, we don't know each other, after 15 minutes she said, "Well, that was too much. And I decide." 15 minutes. With the ladies in this place, it would be one second and it would be smack.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: Just last hour at his rally, his second rally of the day, Trump also continued to push one of, if not the boldest statement of his campaign. Listen to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: The election I being rigged by corrupt media pushing false allegations and outright lies in an effort to elect Hillary Clinton, president. But we are going to stop it. We are not going to back down. It's a rigged system, and they take these lies and they put them on front pages. This is a rigged system, folks. But we're not going to let it happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: To be clear, Donald Trump is not just saying anymore that this election looks rigged, he's now claiming this election is rigged. Just three weeks or so away from election day, he says Hillary Clinton, the media and these accusers that have come forward are all in cahoots to derail his campaign. Let's go straight to Phil Mattingly. He's in Bangor, Maine, where trump just spoke. Second speech of the day, he did not, Phil, correct me if I'm wrong, bring up these accusers. Instead he really seemed to stay on message.

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN, CORRESPONDENT: Yes. That's exactly right. I was texting back and forth with a republican official and he said that was kind of Kellyanne Conway, Donald Trump's campaign manager's dream speech, if you will. He talked about the issues. He repeated jobs over and over and over again. Talked about combating ISIS. The types of issues that his team, Poppy, has repeatedly asked him to focus on, not on these issues that have really put his campaign in such a bad place.

This is really the first rally, Poppy, over the course of the last few days where he hasn't gone on offense attacking his accusers, attacking their allegations, attacking their appearance. That was missing from this rally. But I will note, Poppy, as you - as you talked about, the rigged election line is something that is sticking with him everywhere he goes and it's no longer just kind of some issue that he brings up.

This is something that he and his supporters are really clinging to right now. And I think that's been something that's been viewed as problematic as people watch these last couple weeks of the election play out, Poppy?

HARLOW: Phil, stay with us. Phil is live in Bangor, Maine, where Trump just wrapped up. Again, not bringing up the accusers at all in those remarks, but obviously they are at the front and center of this discussion and this election three weeks out. Women's issues rocketing to the top of the national conversation as the presidential campaign enters the final weeks.

First, Donald Trump's vulgar and sexually aggressive comments about women in that 2005 "Access Hollywood" video that surfaced. That triggered a crisis within the Republican Party itself. And then you've got nine women now coming forward and accusing Donald Trump by their sexual assault or unwanted sexual advancements. Trump has fired back calling the allegations, quote, "outright lies, pure fiction and false smears."

So, where do female voters stand after what has been an extraordinary week, and where does the national conversation go on gender roles, power and equality from here? Let's talk about this with our panel. Ryan Lizza is back with me. He's a Washington Correspondent for the "New Yorker." And Rebecca Berg is with us. National political reporter for Real Clear Politics. As well as Jay Newton-Small, Washington Correspondent and a contributor to "Time" magazine and author of "Broad Influence: How Women are Changing the Way America Works."Guys, thank you for being here.

Ryan, let me begin with you because you wrote about this and you wrote an extensive piece in the New Yorker about Trump's female campaign manager.

[16:05:05] Notable, because Kellyanne Conway Is the first woman to ever run a Republican campaign. You write this: "Kellyanne Conway had a history of sanding the rough edges off Republican men in order to appeal to moderate women.

You know, when you look at Donald Trump and her ability to do that, it seems like she was succeeding in that in August and In September. What happened?

RYAN LIZZA, WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Yes, she does have that history. She worked for Newt Gingrich, who had some trouble appealing to women. I mean, look, there's always been a gender gap among -- for Republican men. They do better among men than women. So, Kellyanne Conway who grew up in this very male-dominated business of republican consulting, her kind of area of expertise was, you know, how do you break through to women, especially for socially conservative men who didn't -- weren't With them on the issues.

And there was that period from about mid-august when she was made the campaign manager up until the first debate where they, kind of, you know, he was using a teleprompter, he had a disciplined message. He was talking about outreach to minority communities. He was talking about child care deductions in the tax code. And he was-- I don't want to say he was a model of a professional politician, because he wasn't. There was a lot of stray, you know, Trumpian comments along the way. But they took him from about 10-points down in the polls to about two to four points down in the polls, not bad.

That all changed with the first debate, Poppy. That's what happened. He didn't perform well in the debate. All those scientific polls showed that people thought Hillary Clinton won. And he started going off the rails in terms of his messaging. I think this came to a culmination last night when he literally disassembled his teleprompters and basically said, you know, "That's it. I'm not going to listen to these consultants."

But as Phil pointed out, today in that speech, he's back a little bit more on message. The problem is a one-off speech doesn't do it. In politics, you need to have sustained discipline to keep your message on track.

HARLOW: I mean -- well, and we heard something we've never heard before from Donald Trump this morning, just a few hours ago. He suggested that he and Clinton take drug test.

LIZZA: All right. So that's going to overwhelm anything he said in that one speech where he read -

HARLOW: Before the next debate?

LIZZA: Yes, yes. So it's a - yes.

HARLOW: Yes. Rebecca, Rebecca, to you. You know, it's not like Hillary Clinton has had a ton of success among millennial women, right? Many of them have said through this campaign, I want to see a woman president in my lifetime, I believe I will, but she's not the one I want. Does this turn the tables for her among millennial women at all?

REBECCA BERG, REAL CLEAR POLITICS, REPORTER: Well, the challenge still for Hillary Clinton among Millennials is going to be actually bringing them out to the polls and ensuring that they don't vote for a third-party candidate. Throughout this election, we haven't really seen any threat that millennial women or any millennial voters would vote for Donald Trump. He's lagged among that group for the entirety of this general election. But for Hillary Clinton, she really needs to persuade them that they shouldn't log a protest vote with Gary Johnson or with one of these other third-party independent candidates.

And she needs to persuade them that she does understand their concerns and is actually, sort of, a real human being. Millennial seem to really value that authenticity, and that's why Bernie Sanders in part did so well during the Democratic Primary among that demographic, was he was so authentic. He seemed very rooted in his personal beliefs and consistent over the course of his career in that respect, and many millennials still feel that Hillary Clinton lacks that same authenticity and that same consistency ideologically.

HARLOW: You wonder if the developments of this week with the accusers coming out against Trump with the 2005 "Access Hollywood" tape may push some of them grudgingly into her camp? We'll see.

BERG: And so, that's the challenge she really needs to keep making a positive case for herself and not just an anti-Donald Trump case.

HARLOW: Right. No question. Jay, to you. I want you to listen to some sound. OK? This is from Donald Trump's speech on Thursday, and he was talking about the "People Magazine" writer who did a 2005 story about him and his wife, Melania's, first wedding anniversary. The "People" writer said that Trump made inappropriate advances towards her, shoved her against the wall, tried to kiss her. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Think of it. She's doing a story on Melania who's pregnant at the time. And Donald Trump, our one-year anniversary. And she said I made Inappropriate advances. And by the way, the area was a public area, people all over the place. Take a look. You take a look, look at her, look at her words. You tell me what you think. I don't think so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[16:10:07] HARLOW: Jay, he's talking about her look. He's saying look at her basically. You know, why would I make advances to her? What is behind that strategy?

JAY NEWTON-SMALL, WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Certainly not Kellyanne Conway, I can tell you. Because Kellyanne Conway would be the first person to tell you that going after women's looks is not the way to win the women's vote. And Ryan was right earlier on when he was talking about how Donald Trump had been gaining in the polls under Kellyanne Conway because he had been gaining ground with women.

And when she took the helm of the campaign, she looked around and tried to figure out where he might gain the most ground and they really started to target, especially non-college educated white women and he had made some progress with them. But notably, in this week, there is an Atlantic poll that came out that showed that he lost that ground that he gained in the last month or so with those women, with those voters. They -- at one point he was ahead and now - and now they're tied 40-40, Hillary Clinton/Donald Trump.

And to give you an idea of how serious that is for his campaign, non- college educated white women is a demographic that has gone for a Republican candidates, basically since the beginning of polling under Eisenhower. They went for Mitt Romney by 20- points. And so the idea that he would even be tied with this demographic is pretty catastrophic for that campaign.

HARLOW: Catastrophic for the campaign. Guys, thank you very much. Ryan Lizza, Rebecca Berg, Jay Newton-Small.

BERG: Thank you.

HARLOW: Coming up in the next 20 minutes, I will speak with women who took a special road trip to show their support for Donald Trump, women stumping for Trump. They just finished that bus tour In North Carolina. They are going to join me live shortly.

Up next, Congresswoman Maxine Waters joins me live. Her take on Donald Trump's recent comments and the allegations against him. Also, her take on the CEO of what was the biggest Bank in America, Wells Fargo, resigning after she and other members of congress went after him on Capitol Hill. Don't miss this. And later, you've heard from the candidates, now you will hear directly from the voters in key battleground states who will decide who the next president will be. Your money, your vote. I spoke to voters in battleground states across the country. Their thoughts, straight ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hillary.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hillary is the best candidate.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's a no-brainer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the democratic platform is saying the same thing we have heard for about the past 50 years.

(END VIDEO CLIP) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:15:48] HARLOW: The CEO of Banking giant Wells Fargo this week stepping down amid fallout from the fake account scandal, but filings show he's still walking away with $130 million, much of it in his company's stock. John Stumpf's fortune comes even after federal regulators accused the bank of scamming its customers. Millions of accounts and charged fees were opened without customers' consent and more than 5,000 Wells Fargo employees were fired as a result.

You may recall the tense hearing that Stumpf endured on Capitol Hill just a few weeks ago. Members of congress took turns grilling him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MAXINE WATERS (D), CALIFORNIA: I appreciate your apology. I appreciate the claw back and all of that, but Mr. Chairman and members who are left, I have come to the conclusion that Wells Fargo should be broken up. It's too big to manage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: That was Democrat Maxine Waters of California. She joins me now. Thank you for being with me, Congresswoman.

WATERS: I'm delighted.

HARLOW: We're going to get to the breaking up the banks argument in a moment, but let's talk about John Stumpf. I mean, this is the man who led this bank for many, many years. He survived running it through the financial crisis. He's walking away with a $130 million. Much of it in company stock. At the same time, you've got 5,000 plus employees who lost their jobs. Do you consider this a win?

WATERS: Well, I consider that he is retiring a win not only for the bank but for the people. I think what they have revealed about Wells Fargo is, without close oversight, they will tend to take advantage of their customers and their clients. As we saw in 2008 when we had the big subprime meltdown.

This business that they were involved in, creating these fraudulent accounts for over two million people, creating fees, et cetera, is just unconscionable. The bank is too big to manage.

HARLOW: What do consumers get? I understand you guys wanted him out and he's out. But now the question is, "Now, what?" Right? What is the net-net end result that is beneficiary to the American public? What needs to happen next? You've got this DOJ investigation, you've got the department of labor investigating labor practices there because there are accusations that they made. Some of those hourly employees work many, many hours overtime to meet these numbers with no pay. What needs to happen?

WATERS: Well, the consumer financial protection bureau that was created by the Dodd-Frank Reform is involved in this. They were involved in investigation. They determined the $185 million fine and now they're going to oversee compensation and some justice for the employees. But we've got more work to do as members of congress who have the oversight responsibility.

We've got to make sure that this kind of fraudulent action does not continue throughout the banking community. We've got to make sure that we take a look at the size of these banks. Yes, I talked about breaking up the bank because it's too big to manage. You have over 265,000 employees. They have about 8,700 branches. They operate in 40 states in the United States and 30 outside of The United States in other countries.

20:04

And when we talk to him, he kept saying, "Well, I don't know that level of detail. Yes. You don't know that level of detail because the bank is too big for you to know. You don't know what's going on and that's the problem with the banking system where we have too much consolidation. Yes.

HARLOW: I understand that, right? And look whoever is at the top of the bank needs to know what's going on, especially when this was happening for years and two million fake accounts got opened. The question is, though, it resonates certainly with, sort of, with the American public when you say "Break up the banks, break up the banks," but in actuality, Congresswoman, how are you going to do that? Because that is an incredibly difficult uphill battle with Congress to be able to actually execute on that.

WATERS: Well, as you know, the Dodd-Frank Reform really does give us the formula for doing that.

[16:20:01] They have to do something called living wills. And with the living wills, we learn how the banks are organized. And because it is very complicated, not only are they doing banking in the United States, but in foreign countries. we are now having them reveal exactly how they're organized with these living wills. So that If we get in the business of downsizing or breaking up, we'll know exactly what we're doing. We have a road map for that.

HARLOW: But you - I mean, you don't have the authority right now to break up these banks.

WATERS: Yes, we do.

HARLOW: If they fail those living will tests.

WATERS: Under the Dodd-Frank Reform -

HARLOW: If they fail those living will test. But just because of this scandal, you can't go in and break up Wells Fargo.

WATERS: None of the - none of the big banks have passed the living wills test at this point. And we're saying to the feds, "We don't want to continue to give them more room to come in here with these living wills that -- not complying with the law." And so none of them have passed them at this point. We are working on that. Yes, we do have the authority. There may be some tweaking that needs to be done, but we have the road map to be able to do that.

HARLOW: What is your message to consumers? I mean a lot of people have their, you know, their mortgages, checking accounts, banking accounts, savings accounts, what's your message to the customers of this bank?

WATERS: My message to the customers of the bank is, first of all, I want you to read your statements and know what kind of business you are doing with the banks. What Wells Fargo did was to create these fraudulent accounts, deposit accounts, credit card accounts, and many people were not paying attention. So we want people to pay attention. We want them to report not only to someone at the bank but to members of congress when they see and feel fraudulent activities.

And I want them to tell their members of congress, "You have a responsibility for oversight. You cannot allow these banks to continue with fraudulent practices. We did reform after 2008, but wehave to keep working at it.

HARLOW: Final question to you. I know you're still concerned somewhat about the new CEO of Wells Fargo, Tim Sloan, a long-time employee and senior ranking executive at Wells is now the CEO. You're concerned about that. Why?

WATERS: I'm concerned about it because Tim Sloan was right there with Mr. Stumpf and he was in a management position. He knew what was going on in this bank. He can't come in and say all of a sudden I'm going to clean it up because I didn't know what was going on." He's just as culpable as Mr. Stumpf is. And I don't think that he should be the CEO. I think they should have someone who was not in a management position at the time that all of this was taking place.

HARLOW: I think their counter-argument could be, "Do you need someone who knows the mess to fix the mess?" But we will watch and we will see what happens. Congresswoman, thank you very much.

WATERS: You're so welcome.

HARLOW: Coming up, women in battleground states are taking sides over the controversy surrounding Donald Trump's campaign.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He wasn't saying what he does to women per se. I think he was just bragging.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A number of people have said to me that what was sort of a "I'm going to hold my nose and vote for Secretary Clinton," has now turned into steadfast support.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: With Pennsylvania on the line, Donald Trump's daughter tried to rally women to get behind her father. What did she say to do that? Next. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Filled with Centuries old buildings with styles ranging from gothic, baroque, Art Nouveau and more, the city of City of Prague and the Czech Republic is like visiting an architecture museum.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Many people believe that the Prague is top architectural place in the world. It is competing with the big cities like, Paris, Barcelona.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And while traveling there, you can see it all from the luxury of one of its finest antiques, a Czech-made vintage car.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People enjoy being in a city like this. And enjoy feeling the mood. Driviing the old car in the old city work on better.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Originally built in the 1920s and '30s, the cars have been restored and are available for hourly ride. Cars can usually be found waiting for riders in many of the tourist hot spots. The guided rides give travelers a quick chance to see some of Prague's most famous landmarks and also provide some historical context on the city in its site.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, I'm about to show you the king route.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All while enjoying a little bit of first class treatment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Off the Clock is brought to you by Residence Inn. It's not a room. It's a residence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:28:22] HARLOW: Female voters in America's suburbs are getting some extra attention from both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, especially women who live in the suburbs around Philadelphia. Many strategists believe the entire Pennsylvania race may come down to four suburban communities right near Philadelphia.

To court women voters there, Trump is sending one of his most reliable females in his inner circle. Our Dana Bash has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump gets the raucous crowds, but his daughter's trip on the trail is speaking volumes. Ivanka Trump's whirlwind schedule is targeting the areas likely to determine whether her father becomes president. The suburbs of Philadelphia.

IVANKA TRUMP: I wouldn't be able to go into the office every day if I didn't have a safe place to bring my child.

BASH: She played it very safe, fielding several of the same softballs at multiple events, like why she thinks her father would make a good president and then darting out, ignoring our attempts to ask questions. First in Chester County.

BASH: Ivanka, what was your reaction when you heard your father's tape?

BASH: And again, later in Delaware County. Ivanka, can you answer a question? She preaches to the choir. Pennsylvania women already all In for Trump, despite his lewd language caught on tape and the new multiple allegations of groping.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm voting for Donald Trump.

BASH: You sound a little reluctant when you say that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I think it's just been a hard road.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hhe wasn't saying what he does to women per se. I think he was just bragging.

BASH: Team Trump is hoping local media coverage will help with the political reality, not reflected inside these suburban Philly events. GOP officials privately tell us that Donald Trump's 2005 comments hurt him big time here especially among women. A new poll shows Trump trailing Hillary Clinton by a whopping 43 percent among female voters right here in the Philly suburbs.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The suburbs of Philadelphia because we've got to get that vote. We want to get that vote.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Donald Trump is the change candidate and the right person to get things done.

BASH: A group called Women for Trump is feverishly trying to do just that, even those who are not thrilled with his behavior.

MARLENE FURGIUELE-MENTZER, MEMBER, WOMEN FOR TRUMP: I'm a feminist and of course, it bothered me. However, the topics that are facing this country are far greater than the words on that tape.

BASH: On the suburban Philadelphia streets, some female Trump supporters say they're motivated by their opposition to Hillary Clinton.

COLLEN GREEN, PENNSYLVANIA VOTER: I think she's a liar. I think she's a fraud. I think she covers up a lot of things.

BASH: But the owner of this yoga studio in West Chester, P.A., says her female client are now more likely to vote Hillary.

SUSAN SLUK, OWNER OF EAT, PRAY, OM: I'm hearing a lot of women that are really starting to dig their heels in and feel empowered about themselves based upon what's happening in the campaign. BASH: Even some who say she is hardly their first choice.

HANNAH COLLINS, PENNSYLVANIA VOTER: If it were any other Republican candidate, maybe I would. Like try to write Bernie in, but it's just not the time for a protest vote.

BASH: Democrats at this Clinton phone bank say Trump is making their jobs easier.

DR. VAL ARKOOSH, COMMISSIONER OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA: A number of people have said to me that what was sort of a I'm going to hold my nose and vote for Secretary Clinton has now turned into steadfast support.

BASH: The question is whether Ivanka or any Trump can turn that around in under four weeks. Dana Bash, CNN, Malvern, Pennsylvania.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Dana, thank you for that.

Coming up next, first there was the "Access Hollywood" tape and now numerous women have come forward with sexual misconduct allegations against Donald Trump. He says they're lying, but he's taking a hit with women voters, a big hit. Some, though, are standing by him and we will hear why, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:35:18]

HARLOW: In the last week the presidential campaign, this election has been upended. It started with this "Access Hollywood" tape, which revealed Trump making vulgar remarks about women. Now nine women claimed that Trump made unwanted sexual advances on them.

A new Fox News poll shows just the impact this tape has had on voters' views. Nearly half of likely female voters say the "Access Hollywood" tape alone is a deal-breaker in terms of whether or not they'd vote for the Republican candidate.

Suzanne Conaway however is part of the other half who says this tape is not a deal breaker for her. She is married to Congressman Mike Conaway who is on Trump's Agriculture Advisory Committee. She has been on a bus tour across this country, Women Stump for Trump and she joins me now. Thanks for being here.

SUZANNE CONAWAY, PART OF "WOMEN STUMP FOR TRUMP" BUS TOUR: Oh, it's my pleasure. Thank you for having me.

HARLOW: Let's talk about your reaction to the tape, because we heard in the last block in Dana's piece, one woman for Trump saying I'm a feminist, I didn't like those words. but I'm standing by him. Where do you fall on this?

CONAWAY: Oh, yes, ma'am. First of all, I'd like to say I'm not an accomplished speaker. I'm not a politician. I'm a mom. I'm a housewife. I'm a grandmother. I just happen to be married to a representative of Congress.

So that allows me to have a voice in some of these things. But most of all, I'm a proud American and I just want to say that I stand with Donald Trump. I am all about the policies that these two candidates put forth, not the personalities and not what has been said.

HARLOW: Do you think it matters what a candidate has said in the past about women?

CONAWAY: I think women are smarter than that. I don't think that we're giving women enough credit to look past some lewd remarks that somebody might have made to get onto the policies that affect our life in America.

The way we have in America, the America that my father and my mother and my grandparents gave to me. That's the America that I just -- I want to keep. And I don't think we're on that path.

And it concerns me that we're getting off in the weeds about he said/she said, he did/she did and we're getting off the policies of what we need to do to make America great again.

HARLOW: Do you think nine women coming forward and saying that the Republican candidate for president sexually assaulted them or made unwanted sexual advances towards them is not important in this election?

CONAWAY: It's an unsubstantiated allegations and I'm not willing to look at that. I'm not willing to get in those weeds, like I said. They're unsubstantiated, they're allegations. He say they're not true and so I choose to believe him. I choose to stand by that because, like I said, I think women are smarter than that. I think we have a bigger brain to think for ourselves and look forward to the policies of our country, not what a particular candidate did or did not say.

HARLOW: Do you believe that these women are lying? Because you say you believe him. Does that mean you don't believe them?

CONAWAY: I'm saying I don't know. I'm not there. These are allegations that were said.

HARLOW: So let's talk about --

CONAWAY: There's been allegations said against -- well, there been allegations that's been said against me that are not true, like that I am deplorable. Like I'm irredeemable. Those are allegations but I'm smart enough to know my own mind and to know that's not true and so what a political candidate --

HARLOW: Let's talk about the policies.

CONAWAY: OK, I'd love to.

HARLOW: You bring up the policies that are the reason you're supporting Trump. Suzanne, what is the number one policy that Donald Trump has proposed that would make your life better that you are supporting him because of?

CONAWAY: I am all for America being the strongest country in this world. When America is stronger, the world is stronger and the world is safer. And I think --

HARLOW: But what policy, what policy proposal of Donald Trump has given you the confidence and made you support him? You said it's because of his specific policy proposals. Which one?

CONAWAY: OK. I like the fact that he is for our military, that he believes in building up our military. I believe that his political incorrectness is really a good thing for him. I think that's what people are voting for.

And I think that the American people are looking to have a strong leader. Mike and I travel a lot across the world, and when we sit down with world leaders, they are crying. They are pleading for us to be a strong America. They are saying we're behind you, we're with you, but we need a leader.

[16:40:07]And I think Donald Trump's policies will do that. I think he wants a strong trade. I think he wants a strong economy and we've got to get our economy back working. We've got to make money. We've got to be a world leader in the world for us to be effective.

HARLOW: Suzanne, I wish I had more time, I'm out of time, but I know you're making your case to other female voters across this country as you guys stump for Trump. Thank you for joining me and sharing your thoughts.

CONAWAY: Thank you. I appreciate you having me and vote for the person -- don't vote for the personality, vote for the policies. And I think women across this country are smart enough to look at the policies and see and determine which one would make a better future for my seven grandchildren. Thank you.

HARLOW: Thank you.

All right, coming up next, the economy top of mind for voters across this country. We're just talking about the issues. Well, I heard about it a lot when I hit the road in the key battleground state of Ohio to speak with the voters there. Don't miss it, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARLOW: You've heard from the candidates and the pundits, but what about the voters? We traveled across the key swing states to hear firsthand from the voters.

For our special report airing tonight, "Your Money, Your Vote" here's what he heard in Ohio. A state so critical no candidate has won the White House without winning Ohio since 1960.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[16:45:08]HARLOW: This neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio, was one of the strongest for President Obama in 2012. Mitt Romney did not get a single vote from people living in these homes, not one. People living here have been struggling economically for a long time and they still are, so the question is will they come out in droves for Hillary Clinton the way they did for President Obama.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hillary.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hillary is the best candidate.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's a no-brainer.

HARLOW (voice-over): There have been decades of economic despair and a dwindling faith that politicians will help.

JEFF CROSBY, CLEVELAND PEACEMAKERS ALLIANCE YOUTH MENTOR: I think the Democratic platform is saying the same thing we have heard for about the past 50 years.

HARLOW (on camera): Over and over.

CROSBY: Over and over.

HARLOW: Since the war on poverty was declared.

CROSBY: Yes.

HARLOW (voice-over): Jeff Crosby used to be in gangs. That landed him in prison. Now he's working to keep kids from the same life he lived.

CROSBY: It's one of the highest crime areas in Cleveland.

HARLOW (on camera): This is.

CROSBY: Yes. About ten gangs over here. Oh, what's up? You good?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

CROSBY: I think the Democratic Party is taking us for granted. The Republican Party literally ignores us except for Trump. Trump is striving to make inroads, but he is a polarizing figure.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just don't trust Donald, that's all.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because he got money, that ain't everything.

SIERRA LESLEY, CLEVELAND VOTER: I'm willing to vote for a clown before Donald Trump.

HARLOW: Really?

LESLEY: Yes. With a red nose. I do agree with Republicans sometimes, but I don't agree with nothing that Donald Trump stands for.

HARLOW (voice-over): And that brings us to the second part of this Ohio chapter, 200 miles south.

(on camera): We're in Pike County, Ohio and this place matters a lot. Not for the number of votes here, but because of what it represents. It used to be solidly blue, but it's been moving more and more red.

In 2012, this was the closest county in the country. Mitt Romney won here by a single vote, just one vote. It's 96 percent white, largely blue collar, and unemployment here is high. These are exactly the voters Donald Trump has been speaking to. So if his message isn't resonating here, he's in trouble.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd say right now you're looking at a coin toss.

HARLOW: A coin toss among union workers who until now have been solidly blue? Have you ever seen anything like Donald Trump say he's the one to bring these jobs back? He's the one to build up your industry.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald Trump is saying that. That's total propaganda. Where's his merchandise made? What does he have to offer to American industry? Nothing.

HARLOW: Many here do believe Trump and see him as their best shot as getting ahead. Since 2000, Ohio has lost nearly a third of its manufacturing jobs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's got a lot of things that is amazing that he was telling us he can do for us.

HARLOW: Angie Shanks runs a real estate firm here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It needs more jobs, better paying jobs.

HARLOW (on camera): You voted for President Obama in 2008.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I did.

HARLOW (voice-over): But her faith in the Obama administration has faded.

ANGIE SHANKS, PIKE COUNTY, OHIO VOTER: I think Trump is a businessman and the country is a business and needs to be run as a business.

HARLOW: When we met Angie, she was leaning towards Trump. Now, after the "Access Hollywood" tape surfaced, she's reconsidering.

(on camera): You're a lifelong Democrat?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

HARLOW: So you're voting for Hillary this time around?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I'm not.

HARLOW: No?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My dad was a coal miner. They put the coal miners out of work.

HARLOW (voice-over): We left Ohio asking this question, why does economic pain from one town to the next push some people left and others right?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARLOW: We should note this was filmed before that 2005 "Access Hollywood" tape of Donald Trump surfaced so we called back all of the Trump supporters we interviewed. Nearly everyone with the exception of just a few are still supporting Donald Trump and planning to vote for him.

You can see much more tonight on our special report tonight "Your Money, Your Vote" 7:30 p.m. Eastern right here. Quick break, we're back here in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:52:54]

HARLOW: It has been an emotional week for the parents of two boys who were born conjoined at the head 13 months ago. But after 27 pain- staking hours of surgery, Anias and Jadon McDonald were able to begin a new life apart yesterday. Our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, has their incredible story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At 7:15 a.m., this is the day they have been waiting for the last year, to hope that Jadon and Arias, 13-month-old conjoined twins will be separated at last.

(on camera): What was going through your mind?

NICOLE MCDONALD, JADON AND ANIAS' MOTHER: That it's not even real. To me it's like another surgery from before.

GUPTA: Are you talking to me?

(voice-over): Jadon and Anias were born sharing 1.5 centimeters of brain tissue. They are known as craniopagus twins and have undergone three complex operations over the past five months to slowly separate them. Today is the fourth and final stage.

DR. JAMES GOODRICH, THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AT MONTEFIORE: Here is the model of our twins and we have -- this is Anias on this side and Jadon on this side.

GUPTA: No one in the world has operated on more twins like Jadon and Anias than neurosurgeon, Dr. James Goodrich.

(on camera): When you first met the McDonalds, did you lay out any specific statistics? Did you -- how did you approach it? Was it more of a scientific discussion or an emotional one? GOODRICH: Ideally we wanted the children to come out without neurological issues. But one has to be realistic, you cannot separate two brains without the potential risk of something happening.

GUPTA (voice-over): Helping improve those chances of a good outcome, 3-D models like these, life-like, anatomically perfect, and available in the operating room. They act as a blueprint to practice and review before the operation begins.

(on camera): We want to give you a little idea of what is happening here. In order to do this operation, they have to continuously move Jadon and Anias.

[16:55:04]So this is the position that they are in beforehand and they essentially put like this and then like this. So now they will focus on this part of the bone and now this part of the brain.

(voice-over): At 4:30 p.m., about seven hours after the operation began, Nicole, Christian, and their entire family are playing the waiting game.

(on camera): Do you feel anxious, settled, how do you feel?

CHRISTIAN MCDONALD, JADON AND ANIAS' FATHER: I have a little nervous energy.

NICOLE MCDONALD: What is waiting in my stomach is that phone call. We're in the land of the unknown.

GUPTA (voice-over): An hour later, a surgical team hits the land of the unknown, and then well past midnight they continue to work through the twin's brains, vein by vein, and then 2:11 a.m. --

(on camera): It's about 17 hours now since they've started operating and you can see for the first time, Jadon and Anias are on two separate operating room tables. They still have a lot of work to do. There was a spontaneous round of applause when the separation finally occurred.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)