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Sprint to the Finish Line; Clinton Michigan Push; Trumps Final Push. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired November 07, 2016 - 13:00   ET

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

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (live): This is one of those moments. Don't let it slip away. You have the chance to reject a course divisive, mean-spirited politics that would take us backwards. You can elect a leader who spent her entire life trying to appeal to the better natures -- angels of our nature.

You have a chance to elect our first female president. A president who will be an example for our daughters and our sons. And so, after all the noise, after all the negative ads, after all the campaigning, all the rallies, it now just comes down to you. It's out of Hillary's hands now. It's out of Michelle's hands. It's out of my hands. It's in your hands.

The fate of our democracy depends on what you do when you step into that voting booth tomorrow. How many people you bring to make sure they vote. Do not fall into the easy cynicism that says your vote doesn't matter or all politicians are the same. That's what special interests and lobbyists, my opponents, Hillary's opponents, that what they want you to think. So, you don't go vote.

Your vote matters. There are states I won two votes a precinct. That's how I won that state. Your voice masters. Your voice makes a difference. I have heard it.

And for all the tough lessons I have learned during this presidency, for all of the times I have fallen short, I have told Hillary, and I'll tell you, what's picked me up every single time, what has gotten me working as hard as I can, even when I'm discouraged, even when I'm down, it's been you, the American people.

Time and again, you've picked me up. The auto worker in Detroit who won the lottery but didn't kick back and retire. Bought his wife one of the new cars he'd built. Kept clocking away because he loved his work. That's who I think about.

The young woman in Sterling Heights who wrote me seven years ago to say she was worried about her family's future in Michigan, and then checked in again to say, this year that her dad's supply company was hiring. She was working her way through Macomb Community College. She kept me going.

The woman in North Carolina -- the woman in North Carolina who was stripped from the voter rolls a few weeks ago, but insisted on winning her registration back. She wrote me and said, I remember the victories' previous generations won for me and generations after me. I can assure you, Mr. President, I will keep fighting. If I haven't stopped fighting at 100 years old, then neither can you. A hundred- year-old woman, if she's not tired. I'm not tired. She's kept me going.

So, Michigan, I ask -- I ask you to do for Hillary what you did for me. I ask you to carry her the same way you carried me. I ask you to make her better the same way you made me better.

And tomorrow, if you're willing to stand with me again, if you're willing to get your friends and neighbors and co-workers to the polls again, if you're willing to reject fear again, if you're willing to embrace hope again, then we will finish what we started.

We will elect Hillary as president. We will remind the world why the United States of America is the greatest nation on earth. Yes, we can. Let's get to work. God bless you. God bless the United States of America. Let's go vote.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: The president of the United States arousing speech asking all of the young people there, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, specifically, to go out and vote. To vote for Hillary Clinton for president of the United States.

Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer. It's 1:00 p.m. here in Washington. Wherever you're watching from around the world, thanks very much for joining us.

We're going to have full analysis of what we just heard from the president. Up first though, it's the final countdown. We are less than a day away from the presidential election here the United States. Tomorrow is the culmination of one of the most bitter and most bizarre campaigns in American history, and the candidates are in a final sprint to the finish line.

Donald Trump campaigning today in Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Michigan. At a rally in Sarasota, Florida, Trump told supporters, he's done his part. Now, he says, it's up to them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is it, folks. We will never have another opportunity, not in four years, not in eight years. It'll be over. With Supreme Court justices, with people pouring into our country. This is it. This is it. Good luck. Get out there. I did my thing. I mean, I worked.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: His running mate, Mike Pence, joins Trump in New Hampshire and Michigan after solo stops in Michigan, Minnesota and Pennsylvania.

[13:05:02] Hillary Clinton started her day in Pittsburgh. She also campaigns in Michigan and North Carolina. Here's what she told supporters at that Pittsburgh rally just a little while ago. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: -- to think about what we are capable of doing together. The kind of future that we can create if we search for and find common ground. And it is thrilling to have traveled across our country to see the hopefulness, to talk about the positive changes that are occurring. To really see America at its best.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Her running mate, Tim Kaine, campaigns in North Carolina and Florida.

President Obama, meanwhile, joins Hillary Clinton later tonight in Philadelphia after a rally in Ann Arbor, Michigan. We just saw him there. He was introduced by Hillary Clinton's daughter, Chelsea. President Obama was nostalgic while looking ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm feeling a little sentimental. This is going to be my last -- probably my last day of campaigning for a while.

People in 2008 decided to choose hope over fear. And over the course of these eight years, all across 50 states, I've always seen what made America great. I have seen you. Americans of every faith, every background, Republicans and Democrats, who understand that we're stronger together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Former President Bill Clinton, he's out campaigning with his wife in Greensboro, North Carolina. And vice president Joe Biden, he's rallying Hillary Clinton supporters in Tallahassee, Florida. Live pictures coming in of that event expected to get underway shortly.

Throughout this hour, we will bring you live reports from our team of correspondents covering key battleground states around the country. Two of the states most in play tomorrow, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

CNN Senior Political Correspondent Brianna Keilar is in Pittsburgh. Our National Correspondent Gary Tuchman is in Charlotte. Brianna, what's the confidence level for the Clinton camp in Pennsylvania?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: I think they're feeling pretty confident. They're saying that they're having an unprecedented number of doors that are being knocked on here in the area, not just Pittsburgh, but specifically outside of Philadelphia which is so important to Hillary Clinton when it comes to Pennsylvania. And, of course, Pennsylvania is so key to her overall state strategy and her pathway toward the White House. Something struck me, though, Wolf, as you played the sound of Hillary Clinton striking a positive tone here in Pittsburgh. And that's just that, you know, she also, in the exact same speech -- she also, in the exact same speech was emphasizing that Donald Trump is experientially and temperamentally unfit.

So, it just shows you that even as she has sort of tried to get into this positive message as the campaign has ended, it's really been difficult for her to do in the end, as polls tighten and as that news came out really reigniting her e-mail controversy.

Welcomed news yesterday that the FBI is not changing its conclusion that it came to in July, that there will be no charges. Certainly even though they said she was reckless in the use of e-mail as secretary of state.

But, overall, this is about getting people to the polls. And the Clinton campaign has taken this work very seriously. And they feel that they are in a very good place. Especially compared to Donald Trump who doesn't really have a ground game situation and has been relying very much on the party -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Brianna Keilar reporting from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Gary, you've been talking to voters in Charlotte, North Carolina. That's a key battleground state. What's the enthusiasm level based on the conversations you've had?

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, nationally, a lot of people are not enthusiastic because they haven't liked the tone of the campaigns. But here on the campus of UNC Charlotte and throughout the state of North Carolina, you get the sense of enthusiasm wave because everyone knows the importance of the state.

Hillary Clinton would love to win here but Donald Trump needs to win here. It's hard to see how he can navigate the electoral map if he doesn't win in the state of North Carolina.

So, Trump will be coming here. He's made a lot of stops in North Carolina for the last 17 months. His last visit will be in Raleigh two hours from now.

And Hillary Clinton is coming here, too. She is also coming to Raleigh, the state capital, at midnight. It will be her last rally in Raleigh before Election Day tomorrow.

Now, both, in 2008 and 2012, the races here were very close. But it hasn't been like that in North Carolina for most of the state's history. Between the end of the Civil War in 1964, 26 presidential races, Democrats -- yes, Democrats, won 25 times. The only time a Republican won was 1928 when Herbert Hoover beat Al Smith.

[13:10:01] And then, between 1968 and now, Republicans have dominated. Democrats only winning twice, 1976 when Jimmy Carter, the governor of nearby Georgia, won. And then, in 2008, when Barack Obama beat John McCain by point three of one percent. Four years later, Barack Obama lost to Mitt Romney by two percent.

So, the last two years to election year for presidential races, very close. We expect the same this time around 2016 and the polls close tomorrow at 7:30 Eastern time -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Gary. Thanks very much. Gary Tuchman reporting from North Carolina.

Let's get some perspective right now from our panel. Joining us, CNN's Politics Executive Editor Mark Preston, our Chief Political Analyst Gloria Borger, our Senior Political Reporter Nia-Malika Henderson and our Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash.

Hillary Clinton, she's clearly trying to make sure she has that so- called blue wall, Democratic leaning states on her side. Donald Trump clearly going after that blue wall. He wants to crack it if he can. Can she hold on?

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: We don't know. It looks good in certain states, her team is telling us. But, again, particularly in a state like Pennsylvania or Michigan where she's traveling to today, we don't have early voting. So, we really don't have any indicators of how things are going to go.

Their get out the vote operation Is vaunted. And they say that they knocked on 14 1/2 million doors over the weekend. They made voter to voter contacts. The RNC has a really, really upgraded get out the vote operation this year. Their data analytics are miles apart from where they were in 2012. So, they believe they're in the hunt here and they're handing that over to the -- to the Trump campaign.

I think what we're seeing in the travel today is that each of these candidates are going to states that they feel like they have a shot at and in -- and in -- and in Donald Trump's case, must win. Trump is going to Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Michigan. He's got to win a couple of those if he is going to win this election.

BLITZER: Can he do it? Can he win a Democratic state like Michigan, for example, or Minnesota, or Pennsylvania? These are states that, for years, have gone Democratic in presidential contests.

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Right. I mean, it look -- it's going to be difficult, no question. But, I mean, this is a campaign that none of us could ever explain or a year ago even say where we would be right now.

You know, I was thinking about this the other night just -- you know, this has been such a surprise and a roller coaster ride where you have your ups and down which you would see in a normal campaign, but we've never seen someone like Donald Trump.

Now, I just wonder if Michigan is an overplay by him. But, you know, the fact of the matter is the fact that we're seeing Hillary Clinton in Michigan says something, right? So, they must be seeing internal numbers, themselves, where they need to, you know, keep that blue wall stabilized.

And, you know, the fact that they're in Pennsylvania, of course, it's a really big state. We should all be watching tomorrow because, as Gloria says, no early voting in that state. So, they're trying to go in very hard into that state. Hillary Clinton has two stops. One in the west, as we saw, on the western side of the state. And then, you know, one in Philadelphia tomorrow.

BLITZER: OK.

PRESTON: Or rather tonight.

BLITZER: Trump thinks he can get those blue collar Democrats. Those so-called Reagan Democrats to come over to his side. Can he?

PRESTON: Well, you know, he talks a lot about trade and the economy and bringing jobs back. We'll see. I mean, I don't know. The question is -- I don't know. I would say this, though, the path for Donald Trump is still difficult. OK? The path for Hillary Clinton is a lot easier than for him.

BLITZER: I think what's really helping -- what's really helping Hillary Clinton, the Latino vote.

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: Yes.

BLITZER: In all accounts. They have been very, very motivated. And they're coming out in big numbers in states like Florida, Nevada, other states as well, North Carolina, for example.

HENDERSON: Yes, they are. The Trump effect, right, in many ways. And it's also, I think, a testament to Hillary Clinton's team. They're organizing in states like Nevada, in state like North Carolina and in states like Florida. If you look at Florida, all the Hispanic vote is up 103 percent from 2008. In North Carolina, it's up 85 percent from 2012. And in Clark County, which is in Nevada, it's about 30 percent Hispanic. That vote or early voting turnout is up about eight percent. This is probably going to be the story of the election.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICA CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely.

HENDERSON: You saw in 2012 and 2008, the surge in the African- American vote, record numbers. I think we're going to see the same thing this go-round with Hispanic voters. Hispanic voters in previous elections were about 10 percent of the electorate, about 11 million voters. I think we're going to see 12 percent, 13 percent, maybe 13- 14 million voters this time.

And again, this is about Trump. You remember what he said in that first speech when he was announcing his campaign, talking about illegal immigrants. And even in his speech there, when he was talking about people flooding into the country, that has very much aroused this Hispanic electorate that, for many years, had been rumored about as a political force. But I think, finally. we're going to see it in this campaign. BASH: And, Wolf, to marry what Mark and what Nia were just saying. The answer to I think your question, what Mark was saying about white working class voters, will he get them? Probably. Probably more than a Republican in recent history has.

[13:15:00] DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: The answer to -- I think you question -- Mark was saying about -- about white, working class voters, will he get them? Probably. Probably more than a Republican in recent history has. But it's unlikely given what Nia was just talking about, the surge of the Latino vote, that that's going to be enough.

And that speaks to something that we have been talking about, cycle after cycle, the changing face of the country, the changing face of the electorate. And it is why three and a half years ago the Republican National Committee, in its autopsy report, which is what they called it after they got their clocks cleaned in 2012 on the presidential level, went to look at how they can change, what they need to do to change, and the number one thing was reach out to Latinos, do a better job in the off years, but also policy wise was recommending to Republican leaders in Congress, get immigration reform off the table. And they couldn't do it. for lots of reasons, they couldn't do it.

The Republican-led House of Representatives didn't even take it up. Whether it was a comprehensive bill or even in baby steps because the base didn't have the stomach for it. So this is the conundrum that the Republican Party is in.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: You know, high on that list also that you're talking about, Dana, was gender.

BASH: Yes. Exactly.

BORGER: Because in the last mid -- in the last 2012 election was the war against women. Remember that phrase? And so they also understood that they had to appeal to a broader group of women. The other story of this campaign, so long as we're talking about demographics, we've been talking about Latinos, is women voters.

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: Yes.

BORGER: And women vote in larger numbers than men generally. And we're going to have to see how the gender card plays here. And whether women turn out, for whatever reason, not necessarily because Hillary Clinton is a women, but ironically perhaps because of Donald Trump.

HENDERSON: Yes.

BORGER: We'll have to see how large -- how large a gender gap that is and whether Donald Trump can make up that gap with white men, whom he is doing very well with, as we see in a lot of the polling.

BLITZER: And we'll see if President Obama is really working hard to recreate that -- that base, that coalition that got him twice elected president of the United States, working very hard, so is his wife Michelle, all of them are going to be in Philadelphia with Hillary Clinton later tonight.

BASH: And Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen.

HENDERSON: And Bruce Springsteen.

BASH: Yes. Don't forget the Jersey love.

BLITZER: Let's not forget Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen, two guys from New Jersey.

Remember, you can get the latest on tomorrow's presidential election all day right here on CNN.

Coming up, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton making their final push, working to seal the deal, lock in votes over the next 24 hours. we're going to talk to representatives from both campaigns. That's next.

Also, caught in the middle of an ISIS ambush. An incredible report from the front lines of Mosul.

But first, let's see what's happening in the battleground state of Ohio. Our Martin Savidge is standing by in Cleveland.

Martin.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, here in Ohio they have been voting for nearly a month. Early voting will end in nearly one hour. Turnouts here in Cleveland over the weekend, very high. That's good for Hillary. The bad news is, the overall projection is down from four years ago. It means Ohio's still a tossup. That's the picture here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:22:49] BLITZER: You're looking at live pictures coming in from Traverse City, Michigan. That's where Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Mike Pence is making a push for the Republican ticket in a Democratic-leaning state. Hillary Clinton will be in Michigan later this afternoon as part of her final flurry of campaign stops. Four of them -- four of them in all -- in three different states.

Joining us now from New York State is Joel Benenson. He's the chief strategist for the Hillary Clinton campaign.

Joel, thanks for joining us.

JOEL BENENSON, CHIEF STRATEGIST, CLINTON CAMPAIGN: Happy to be here, Wolf. Thank you for having me.

BLITZER: I know you set a lot of the strategy for the campaign. Why so much emphasis in Michigan at this late moment? Michigan is a state that almost always goes Democratic in a presidential race.

BENENSON: Yes, because where the map is right now is there are three states we've always called "game day state," Wolf. These are states that have very little or no early voting. So, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire are such states. So we're relying on traditional ways to turn out our vote. We've got,

you know, a powerful day here lined up. We've got to make sure, 24 hours to go, we leave no stone unturned. And so we're getting our folks revved up by doing what we do the old-fashioned way, going to those states that are voting heavily tomorrow to get those folks jenned (ph) up and get them to the polls.

BLITZER: But are you really worried about Michigan and, for that matter, Pennsylvania as well. That's another state that usually goes Democratic in presidential contests?

BENENSON: Well, the strategy isn't about whether we're worried, Wolf, it's -- the more we make it harder for Donald Trump to penetrate any one of those states, it makes the mountain he has to climb that much steeper. So, for example, you know, if we win Pennsylvania, Donald Trump would have to win all four of the remaining big states, including Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Florida. I don't think he can run the table like that. And so the strategy here has been for us to play offense continually, make sure that he can't play on our side of the field. That's what we're doing, while we're able to play in some states like Arizona, et cetera, and states like North Carolina, which Democrats have only won one out of six times. We're seriously playing on their side of the field. That's the name of the game here. We've never wanted to be in a position, Wolf, where we were trying to thread the needle or draw to an inside straight on Election Day, and we're not. We're playing the strong hand going into tomorrow and that gives us the opportunity to do everything we can to turn our voters out in the states that matter to us.

[13:25:17] BLITZER: Based on all the indicators you're getting, and you guys do a lot of internal polling, a lot of question and answer sessions with voters, how much of an impact did the FBI's -- the FBI director's decision, what, 12 days ago to announce he was taking another look at the Hillary Clinton e-mail story and yesterday when he came out and said he looked and they're still sticking by the bottom line conclusion of last July, no recommended criminal charges, how much of an impact did that have during these final days of this campaign?

BENENSON: Not really much, Wolf. The truth is, and I think you've probably heard me say this before on your show, people made up their minds a long time ago about e-mails. And there are some people who may have decided to not vote for Secretary Clinton because of that and some people who looked at the totality of the picture. I think what most voters do is they factor everything in about these two people. And that's how they made this decision. I think there are some, you know, minimal things on the margins around both of these events, but not any kind of structural change in the race based on -- based on them.

BLITZER: And the decision clearly, based on everything we see over the past 24 hours, Hillary Clinton, she's not going to address this issue any more at all, is that right?

BENENSON: Well, look, this campaign is about the American people. With voters, anybody who's in this race and paying attention to it or deciding over the last 24 or 72 hours, they want to hear what you're going to do for them. They what to hear what your vision for the country is and what kind of country are we going to be and how are you going to make my life better, my family's life better and make sure that my children live in a country with a bright future, which is what the hope of, you know, most people are for themselves and for their families. So you want to keep talking to the American people about their lives. That's what Hillary Clinton has done throughout the majority of this campaign every single day. And that's what she's going to do at the end here.

BLITZER: Joel Benenson from the Hillary Clinton campaign, thanks for joining us.

BENENSON: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, let's take a look -- a closer look now at Donald Trump's final push. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is a senior adviser for Donald Trump.

Sarah, thanks for joining us.

SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, SENIOR ADVISER FOR DONALD TRUMP: Great to be here. Thanks for having me.

BLITZER: All right, your candidate, Donald Trump, making a final swing of battleground states today. Why no stop in Ohio. As we know, no Republican has ever been elected president of the United States without carrying Ohio. Do you think Ohio is so much in your lead right now you don't have to worry about that anymore?

SANDERS: Look, we've spent a lot of time in Ohio over the last couple of weeks. We feel really good about that. And now we're going on the offense in places like Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and securing up our base and our voters in Florida.

Look, Donald Trump has got all the momentum on his side. This is going to be a very close race. But when you factor in the amount of momentum and enthusiasm behind our candidate and the fact that this race is still a change election and we've got the change candidate. I think we're in a great position to move forward and win on Tuesday.

BLITZER: Well, these states like Minnesota, for example, Pennsylvania, for that matter, Michigan also, they almost always go Democratic, at least in recent decades, in a presidential contest. Why are you upbeat or at least even thinking that you have a chance, let's say in Minnesota?

SANDERS: I think it's real simple, Wolf, working families are sick and tired of business as usual and there's nobody that represents business as usual in Washington more than Hillary Clinton. They're looking for somebody to come in and turn Washington upside-down and nobody other than Donald Trump can do that in this race. And people have been impacted more, working families have been impacted more in places like Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, than just about anywhere else in the country. Those people have hurt a lot under the Obama administration and they know what a Hillary Clinton administration would do to them and they don't like it and they like what Donald Trump's message of positive job creation, economic growth and frankly just security for our country and not apologizing for America. He wants to come in, take that message directly to those voters, and I think it's going to pay off tomorrow.

BLITZER: The Hispanic, the Latino vote, apparently have been record numbers by all accounts in states like Florida, North Carolina, maybe in Arizona, Nevada. How worried are you that the Hispanic vote is really coming out in much bigger numbers this time than opposed to for Hillary Clinton than it did four years ago and eight years ago?

[13:29:45] SANDERS: Look, I still think, based on the numbers that we've seen, particularly in early voting, Donald Trump is outperforming where Mitt Romney and McCain were in places like Florida, in places like North Carolina. We're very good position to do extremely well tomorrow. And you have to remember that a lot of the Florida Hispanics, Cuban-Americans, are Republicans. And I think they will be supporting Donald Trump. So it's not just a given voting bloc that Hillary Clinton owns and gets to claim as her own.