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President Trump Scores Rare Political Victory; Politics Mixed K-Pop; Macron, Le Pen Enter Final Day Of Campaigning; Trump Wants Churches to be More Politically Active; Prince Philip Retiring from Public Life; Trump Claims Health Care Victory; S. Korean Politicians Turn to Dancers to Drum Up Support. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired May 05, 2017 - 01:00   ET

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

[01:00:00] ISHA SESAY, CNN NEWSROOM ANCHOR: You're watching CNN NEWSROOM live from Los Angeles. Ahead this hour, the final day of the French presidential campaign. We're live in Paris where Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, have just hours to make their last pitch to voters. Plus, the rare victory for U.S. President Donald Trump, but his bid to replace Obamacare still has a long way to go. And later, politics mixed with K-pop. South Korea's presidential campaign has its own unique style. Hello, and thank you for joining us. I'm Isha Sesay. This is NEWSROOM L.A.

Well, France's presidential election is down to its final day of campaigning before Sunday's balloting. This is the last chance for former Economic Minister Emmanuel Macron and Far-right Candidate Marine Le Pen to sway voters. The stakes really could not be higher, as the two layout radically different visions for the future.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (through translator): For around ten days now, we've been bringing about this fight. The fight of the second round, which pits two programs against each other, head-to-head. The national fronts -- no, don't boo! Don't boo them! It won't help. You'll combat them, you'll defeat them. Go vote against them.

MARINE LE PEN, FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (through translator): This European Union is imprisoning us. It's tormenting people. It's preventing them from blossoming. It's locking them into a destiny that they do not want. I want us to emancipate and rediscover the Europe of free nations in cooperation. A Europe respectful of everybody's sovereignty and freedom, and that allows progression on big common projects. Yes, I will give you back your sovereignty, your power, and together we can build, rebuild a new European project.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: Let's go right to CNN's Cyril Vanier in the French Capital for the very latest. And Cyril, can you remember a French presidential election that got so personal and so nasty? Can you remember any other?

CYRIL VANIER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT AND ANCHOR: Isha, that's a very good question. And honestly, in my lifetime, I can't. One that was so unpredictable, one that was so, as you say, personal. I can't. But we're also going to put that question to our Paris Correspondent, Melissa Bell. She's been following the whole campaign, she has spoken to the candidates, in particular, Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, who are in this runoff, the second round, and their voters. Melissa, the first question to you. The world as Isha was saying, is looking to France for this election because it could move markets, it could have a significant impact on the European Union. Do you think French voters feel the pressure? Do they understand that they're voting for a little more than just their own country?

MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think they do. I think that one of the things that's surprising is, anytime you go to any campaign events here, you are surrounded by members of the foreign press. With this particular attention given by European media who's seeing this as the most existential question, will they view the European Union in which they believe or which they are apart, still exists, still have a hope, some hope for itself after Sunday's vote? So, there is this kind of question where everyone's looking in because the whole world knows this will have consequences far beyond the borders of France.

But the French, too, I think are amazed by what's happening around them. We simply have never seen inside France a campaign like this one, its unpredictability. The fact that almost every week there seems to be a change about who was in the lead or who was the favorite. And then this candidature of Emmanuel Macron, which has been extraordinary to us. No one believed he could do it, and it looks as though he could well become the next President of France. I think the French who've watched this campaign, some of them - with a great deal of disappointment. I mean, you can't forget that the fact that the two mainstream parties have shared power since 1958 are entirely excluded now for the second round.

There are a lot of very disappointed people out there, who are having to reimagine their alignments, who are having to reconsider their positions, who are having to look to someone like Emmanuel Macron that they don't quite necessarily have much faith in yet. To see whether he is the best alternative to Marine Le Pen, whether that is what they want to see, the road that they want to see France go down. So, there is this re-questioning for everyone. It's slightly frightening for some people, but it is also tremendously exciting for the country.

VANIER: Another thing that strikes me is the pessimism in the country. And this has been true for a long time. In fact, for as far back as I can remember, and as I've been voting, but it's possibly worse this time around with people feeling that they're living a life that is worse than their parents' lives and that their life is better than their kids' life will be. In other words, things are trending down in this country; why the pessimism in France? And how does it factor into the election?

[01:05:03] BELL: There's a great deal of pessimism. And we've been following over the course of the last month, of course, this populist anger which has expressed itself in the United Kingdom and the United States. Someone quite senior here in France made a point to me the other day, you know, and said, the anger here in France doesn't go back a few months or years, it's been there for 40 years. The French who've been crossed for 40 years because successive generations of politicians have simply failed to deliver on their promises of reform.

France has not been reformed in, perhaps, the way that it should have economically. It's continued living on borrowed time, on borrowed money, in a way that was not sustainable. The French have a sense of this. So, there is this idea of decline setting in. And politicians not being up to the challenge of getting France back on track. And so, I think that that anger is probably also what's expressed itself and fed into the desire for change which has so shaken up the political landscape already.

VANIER: All right. Melissa Bell, our Paris Correspondent. Thank you very much. And of course, Melissa will be at one of the candidate's headquarters. They're going to be with-

BELL: With Marine Le Pen on Sunday.

VANIER: All right. Melissa will be with us on Sunday. And the world, as we were saying, is watching as France prepares to elect its next president with former U.S. President Barack Obama weighing in, and he backed Emmanuel Macron. Here's his endorsement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES FORMER PRESIDENT: I've always been grateful for the friendship of the French people and for the work we did together when I was President of the United States. I'm not planning to get involved in many elections now that I don't have to run for office again. But the French election is very important to the future of France and the values that we care so much about. Because, the success of France, matters to the entire world.

I have admired the campaign that Emmanuel Macron has run. He has stood up for liberal values. He put forward a vision for the important role that France plays in Europe and around the world. And he is committed to a better future for the French people. He appeals to people's hopes, and not their fears. And I enjoyed speaking to Emmanuel recently to hear about his independent movement and his vision for the future of France. I know that you face many challenges, and I want all of my friends in France to know how much I am rooting for your success. Because of how important this election is, I also want you to know that I am supporting Emmanuel Macron to lead you forward. Viva la France.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VANIER: And a longtime French Journalist, Jean Lesieur, is with us, he's and observer of French politics over several decades. He joins us now with his perspective on this very unusual election. First question about the European Union. There's a great deal of concern, especially among European leaders, and around the world, that if Marine Le Pen were to win this election, she could be dangerous for Europe, it could be the beginning of the end for Europe as some people put it. But what if Emmanuel Macron wins? Can we just switch off our T.V.s? Is it just more of the same for Europe?

JEAN LESIEUR, JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR: No, because Emmanuel Macron is kind of very successful at trying to reconcile the French social model with a modern economy. You know, five years ago, we elected a president who said, "my enemy is finance." And five years later, we have his former Chief of Staff, a former banker at Rothchild, an internationalist as far as the economy is concerned, who is going to become the next President of France. For Europe, it's-

VANIER: And you think it's a done thing?

LESIEUR: It is a done thing. Of course, it's a done thing. I think the latest polls say 62 to 38, I think we'll end up like 59-31.

VANIER: Still a pretty big gap.

LESIEUR: Yes, except that Marine Le Pen, you know, as the far-right candidate, is practically doubling what her father got in 2002. Which is worse, and should be worrisome to Europeans, because she's going to be a nuisance. And all the people who voted for her, she going to be a nuisance for Europe. You know, the future of Europe depends on German-French friendship. If somebody who doesn't believe in that, becomes president, it's a disaster for France, it's a disaster for the French economy, it's a disaster for Europe, and it's a disaster for the whole world, as we've known it since the second world war.

VANIER: Emmanuel Macron casts himself as a liberal. For some that are meant as a criticism, others see it as a positive, but you take issue with that word.

LESIEUR: Well, liberal is one of those beautiful words. They're spelled the same in French and in English and which mean exactly the opposite. You know, in the United States, a liberal is a progressive guy. You know, Trump is not the liberal. In France, Macron, who is progressive is supposedly not a liberal. You know, liberal in French, it means somebody who believes in free enterprise, who believes in the individual. It's you know, more or less somebody from the right. In the United States, liberal is from the left. Well, Macron is trying to do this wonder of reconciling both meanings of the words, you know. Because he is, he's really - he believes in the French social model. You know, which is a very strong-

[01:10:09] VANIER: Very protective of the benefits, you know.

LESIEUR: Yes, and at the same time, he's modern. And that he knows how the world economy works. He knows what creates jobs, which is a fundamental issue for French people. Now, you know we're such a high unemployment rate. And he's going to try and deliver this miracle of reconciling liberal, and liberal.

VANIER: He's 39. He had never run a political campaign until now. And now, he finds himself poised to become France's next president. Was he brilliant, or is he lucky?

LESIEUR: Well, he's both. I mean, he was brilliant because he really believed that France was at such a crossroads in its history. Where people are - who are still very attached to their social model, realize at the same time that we can't afford it anymore. You know, taxes are the highest in the world. And we have a great life. We have great protection. We have great social protection. But you know, it costs a lot of money. And France, I think, has just overcome Denmark as the country that, you know, if you add the total of taxations, we are number one.

VANIER: In taxation?

LESIEUR: In taxation. You know, direct and indirect taxations. And we can't afford that anymore because, you know, the economy doesn't work, businesses are not very dynamic, and Macron has realized that the French people have realized that. Then you know, we usually say that a presidential election is the meeting of the man and the moment. And Macron is the man for this time. At the same time-

VANIER: Because people who've had this sort of bright idea that I'm going to be a centrist, that I'm going to take good ideas from the left and from the right and I'm going to rule in a bipartisan way and just be Mr. Fix-it, solve problems. People have done this in France before and usually, it gets you about 5 percent. It gets to nowhere near the president.

LESIEUR: Yes, but at the same time it's an old dream of French politicians. Valery Giscard d'Estaing, who was president between '74 and '81.

VANIER: Back in the '70s.

LESIEUR: Wrote a book - wrote a book called "Deux Francais Sur Trios," "Two French Out of Three." His dream was to unite and reconcile the right and the left. He never was able to do it because maybe he was right too soon. Macron, you know, with this kind of youthful looks and youthful ideas, and with his - he's totally innocent as far as politics is concerned, which is great at the same time it might be his handicap because who is he going to govern with starting Monday.

VANIER: All right. Two and a half days to find out. And as you say, his youthful looks, I'm reminded of a line by Marine Le Pen during their debate, "your ideas are twice as old as you are." We'll leave it at that. We'll see you again, Jean Lesieur. Thank you very much for your insights. Back to Isha Sesay in Los Angeles.

SESAY: Cyril, thank you so much. Time for a quick break now. And chalk up a win for Donald Trump as the U.S. House takes a major step toward health care reform. Why the path to victory may be a little more difficult in the senate. Plus, Mr. Trump takes another shot at the news media, accusing reporters of exaggerating a tense phone call he had with Australia's leader. Details coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:15:27] KATE RILEY, CNN WORLD SPORT HEADLINES ANCHOR: I'm Kate Riley with your CNN WORLD SPORT Headlines. Manchester United in Europa League, action against Celta Vigo in Spain. It's the first leg of the last four. Jose Mourinho and his men looking to take a major step towards silver this season. It took 66 minutes for special set peats from Marcus Rashford to break the deadlock for Man U. That's the youngster's second Europa League goal in the competition, United take a huge advantage back to England.

On Wednesday, Lebron James reached another milestone in his career. The Cavalier's superstar passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the all-time playoff scoring resting Cleveland 125-103 victory over Toronto which gave the Cavs a 2-0 series lead. Lebron's 5,762 points second only to Michael Jordan. Lebron has averaged over 33 points in the Cav's two victories; Tony Parker landed awkwardly, collapsing in the floor in pain;

And San Antonio Spurs may have even the series against the Houston Rockets in a 121-96 win, but they lost their point guard in the process.

Also on Wednesday, the four-time NBA champion from France, Tony Parker, landed awkwardly, collapsing in the floor in pain. An MRI confirmed the 34-year-old ruptured a tendon in his quad. He will require surgery and will miss the remainder of the playoffs.

And that's a look at your Sports Headlines, I'm Kate Riley.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SESAY: Hello everyone. The future of Youth Health Care Reform is now in the hands of the U.S. Senate. The House passed the bill to repeal and replace Obamacare by a narrow vote, Thursday. And although the battle is far from over, President Trump and the Republicans are celebrating. CNN's Jeff Zeleny reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN WHITE HOUSE SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: President Trump savoring a victory tonight.

DONALD TRUMP, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: The bill has passed.

ZELENY: The first major legislative victory of his young presidency.

TRUMP: Make no mistake. This is a repeal and replace of Obamacare. Make no mistake about it. Make no mistake. And I think most importantly, yes, premiums will be coming down. Yes, deductibles will be coming down.

ZELENY: The President taking an impromptu victory lap in the rose garden, surrounded by House Republicans who narrowly passed the plan to remake America's health care system. A new era of confidence for the President, and new promises to voters.

TRUMP: As far as I'm concerned, your premiums, they're going to start to come down. We're going to get this passed through the Senate. I feel so confident.

ZELENY: Presidential promises on health care can be hard to keep. Just ask President Obama.

BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES FORMER PRESIDENT: If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor under the reform proposals that we put forward. If you like your private health insurance plan, you can keep it.

ZELENY: Under his watch, Democrats lost control of the House and Senate, largely over health care. The health care debate now a mirror image from nearly eight years ago, with Republicans trying to make good on one of their biggest campaign pledges. The question ultimately facing voters is Trumpcare better than Obamacare.

TRUMP: We suffered with Obamacare. I went through two years of campaigning, and I'm telling you, no matter where I went, people were suffering so badly with the ravages of Obamacare.

ZELENY: The President basking in the moment. Vindication from failing to pass the bill more than a month earlier. He delayed a trip To New York for a few hours to meet with the Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull.

TRUMP: How am I doing? Am I doing, OK? I'm President. Hey, I'm President. Can you believe it, right? I don't know. I thought you needed a little bit more time, they always told me. More time. But we didn't.

ZELENY: Jeff Zeleny, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SESAY: Robin Swanson is a spokeswoman for the California Democratic Party, and John Phillips is a CNN political commentator, talk radio host, and a Trump supporter. Good to have you with us once again. John, you know, big win. There's no doubt about it. Big political win. But some are pointing to the manner of the win and how this bill got passed. And a lot of people are pointing to the words of Paul Ryan back in 2009. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[01:20:03] PAUL RYAN, UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SPEAKER: I don't think we should pass bills that we haven't read, that we don't know what they cost. And if you rush this thing through before anybody even knows what it is, that's not good democracy. That's not doing our work for our constituents.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: I mean, he made the statement. That's not good democracy.

JOHN PHILLIPS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: And the media and in Washington, D.C., we care about the process a lot. And look, there's a lot that was involved in this process that didn't work. But when you say words matter, I think that's absolutely true. And let's go back to the President Obama quote where he said, if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. Well, people lost their doctors all over the country. I mean, not only their primary physician but their specialist. I mean, practically, Doctor Dre albums were taken out of people's homes. Everyone lost so many doctors. But this is something that Republicans used to win two national elections. Actually, three. They won the 2010 midterm elections, 2014 midterm elections, and the Presidential election this last time around in 2016, largely on the issue of Obamacare. They had to do something. Today they got a bill through the House. It's a big day.

ROBIN SWANSON, CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY SPOKESWOMAN: We're not litigating President Obama anymore. This is Trumpcare. This is 24 million Americans potentially losing their health care. This is people with pre-existing conditions, not being able to get health care. This is people, you know, getting kicked off of plans that they have had for years. And I think this is a new day. And I think it's going to be different when it goes to the Senate because they're going to have a CBO score, and I think it's a real problem for Trump because he's actually going to have to answer for those promises. And I think part of what we've seen is that Trump voters haven't held him accountable yet. And I think part of that is they haven't felt the pain. When they lose their health care, they're going to know that he's betrayed their promises. And I think it's going to come to that.

SESAY: I understand what you're saying, but how much is the Democrats' argument undermined by the fact that Obamacare is in such a difficult spiraling situation in certain parts of the country? How much is your argument against Trumpcare undermined by the reality of what's happening on the ground for some people?

SWANSON: Yes. I mean, I think Democrats have said there's lots to fix about Obamacare but actually, in the state of California, 5 million people are insured through the Affordable Care Act and covered California. And I think it depends on who your governor is, and whether or not they're willing to work with the administration to make that happen. So, you know, I think you could litigate that but the truth is, Trumpcare is taking ten steps backward for people who have health care for the first time in their lives.

SESAY: Before you speak to the benefits of Trumpcare, listen to what President Trump had to say when he was speaking to the Australian Prime Minister. And then you can give me some context on the comments. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Premiums are going to come down very substantially. The deductibles are going to come down. It's going to be fantastic health care. Right now, Obamacare is failing. We have a failing health care. I shouldn't say this to our great gentleman, my friend from Australia because you have better health care than we do. But we're going to have great health care very soon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: Now you can go.

PHILLIPS: He's a salesman. He says nice things to the guy that's sitting across the table from him.

SWANSON: I think Bernie Sanders would agree with that.

PHILLIPS: But going back to Obamacare, even with Obamacare, even with the exploding costs, there's still 30 million people that don't have health insurance. They're largely young people who prefer to pay the penalty rather than buy into these expensive policies. And for those that do purchase health plans, and those who do purchase Obamacare plans, there are a thousand counties in the United States where you have one option. There are five states where you have one option with exploding costs. Washington, D.C. has to do something about it. Now, this bill is imperfect. There are a lot of problems with it. I'm sure whatever comes out of the Senate is going to be very different from what we saw here. But they had to do something.

SESAY: OK. Well, I want to bring up the Democrat's response. Vice President Joe Biden tweeted, this is what he said. Let's put that up on the screen. "Day of shame in Congress. Protections for preexisting conditions, mental health, maternity care, addiction services, all gone." And Hillary Clinton, she also weighed in. Let's put that up on the screen. "A shameful failure of policy and morality by GOP today. Fight back on behalf of the millions of families that will be hurt by their actions." This question to you, Robin. Hillary Clinton, calling for a fight. What does that fight look like on the part of Democrats on Capitol Hill?

SWANSON: Yes. I think members of Congress today are going to be standing with Donald Trump for better or for worse. And in their districts, I think it's going to be for worse. Next week, they come home for their recess and they're going to be answering to constituents who are about to lose their health care. And I think that reality has to sink in for them. And you know, the 2018 elections are going to be ugly.

SWANSON: John, Robin, stand by. I want to bring Anna Coren. She is in Hong Kong. Let's get her perspective on the situation of the meeting between the Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull and Donald Trump. As you well know, Anna Coren, Donald Trump downplaying reports of a testy phone call between the two in January saying it was a big exaggeration. In fact, there was glowing praise. There were - I mean, I would say more than friendly look between the two. How is this budding romance, how is it going to be viewed back home in Australia?

[01:25:24] ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think it will be received very well, even though I think some people would have liked to see Donald Trump, perhaps a little bit more remorseful for the phone conversation that took place back in January shortly after he was sworn in, that testy phone conversation which Donald Trump described at the time as the worst call that he'd had of foreign leaders. That, of course, was in reference to the refugee deal that he had inherited from the Obama administration, the United States taking on 1,250 of Australia's refugees. Donald Trump describing it as a done deal on twitter, but it looks like all of that has now been ironed out. That obviously has been taking place behind the scenes over the past three months, which has now led to this meeting, his first face-to-face meeting between the Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull and Donald Trump in New York.

It was supposed to take place at a hotel several hours earlier, however as we know, the President got held up in Washington, obviously trying to repeal Obamacare and that then got moved to the meeting taking place on the intrepid aircraft carrier on the Hudson River which is where this dinner was held to mark the 75th anniversary of the battle of the coral sea, which America helped Australia fight off Japanese invasion. It was a real turning point in the Second World War. And really, that is what this relationship, you know, to the heart of it, what it really means is this alliance between America and Australia. And even though there was this spat between the two leaders a few months ago, it really stands very solid and very firm. Journalists asked about that phone call. Let's have a listen as to what both leaders had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We had a good telephone call. We had a great call. You guys exaggerated that call. That was a real exaggeration. We had a great call. I mean, we're not babies. But we had a great call, right? We had a very, very good call. That was a little bit of fake news.

MALCOLM TURNBULL, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: That's exactly right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Are they trying to convince each other, or us? No. I guess those are the awkward press moments. But certainly, they reaffirmed the commitment that America and Australia shares and that that will continue for a very long time, Isha.

SESAY: We'll see how this relationship develops. Anna Coren, joining us there from Hong Kong. Thank you, Anna.

Well, President Trump is blurring the line between religion and politics. He signed an Executive Order, Thursday, meant to allow churches and other religious organizations to become more politically active. CNN's Rene Marsh has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TRUMP: This financial threat against the faith community is over. No one should be censoring sermons or targeting pastors.

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: Under the Federal Tax Code, the Johnson amendment says the IRS can investigate churches and they can potentially lose tax-exempt status if they engage in politics. Trump's Executive Order intends to weaken that law, but only Congress can repeal it. During his campaign, Trump told catholic television channel EWTN he was upset that the law was preventing him from getting religious endorsements.

TRUMP: And I said, when are you going to endorse me? And they said we can't do that. And I said, why can't you do that? They said we're not allowed to do that. If we do that, we'll lose our tax-exempt status. And I said why is that? And then they told me about the Johnson Amendment, 1954. And then I said, we're going to get rid of the Johnson Amendment.

MARSH: Trump's Executive Order is intended to give the IRS more discretion to ease up on any enforcement against religious groups who get political. Minutes after the new Executive Order was signed, the ACLU said it would file a lawsuit. But once the text of the order was released, the language was noticeably scaled back, and some on the left say the order actually won't change much at all.

DAVID SAPERSTEIN, UNION FOR REFORM JUDAISM'S RELIGIOUS ACTION CENTER, DIRECTOR AND CHIEF LEGAL COUNSEL: The churches of America, the clergy of America, they have free speech now. They can say and do whatever they want.

MARSH: Some conservative religious groups said the Executive Order didn't go far enough. Others applauded the President.

TONY PERKINS, FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL PRESIDENT: This Executive Order and the statements by the President today say that the hostility that we've seen toward religious freedom at the hands of our own government in the last eight years is coming to an end.

[01:30:00] Rene Marsh, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SESAY: Let's bring Robin and John back into the conversation.

John, I want to read you this quote by Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, an umbrella group representing about 45,000 churches. He said, "I don't actually know anybody who has endorsed or who wants to endorse a politician from the pulpit. My idea is that church is about teaching the Bible. It's about discipleship and evangelism. It's not about politics."

Help us understand who the president was really trying to please with this executive action?

JOHN PHILLIPS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: This was largely ceremonial. It is not going to change the way business is done in churches and in Washington, D.C. Let's not forget, evangelicals were important to Donald Trump, particularly in the primary states when people thought they would do him in, and Ted Cruz would leapfrog him and win the nomination. I do think it's a mistake to spend any decent amount of time on these subjects, because that's not why these voters voted for him. That's not why he got the Catholics in Michigan and Pennsylvania and Ohio. They didn't vote for him because they thought he would be the moral majority candidate. They voted for him because they thought he would build the wall, because they thought he would kill TPP, because they thought he would be good for them on the lunch- pail issues where they thought that people like Mitt Romney and John McCain were lacking. So I'd ignore all this stuff and focus on the wall.

SESAY: All right. Robin, we're almost out of time. I can just -- yes or no, this is pointless, or just --

ROBIN SWANSON, SPOKESWOMAN, CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY: I just find the rhetoric disingenuous.

SESAY: I'm sorry, I have to cut you off.

SWANSON: OK.

SESAY: We'll be right back. Quick break here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:35:03] SESAY: You're watching CNN NEWSROOM, live from Los Angeles. I'm Isha Sesay.

The headline this hour --

(HEADLINES)

SESAY: Well, he is one of the world's most recognizable and enduring royal also. After decades in the spotlight, Prince Philip is retiring from public life. From the Second World War, all the way to the Brexit vote, the 95-year-old consort to the queen has had a front-row seat to modern history.

Here's CNN's Nick Glass

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK GLASS, CNN LONDON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 95, going on 96, still affable, still curious, with that unforgettable hawkish look of his. But his energy is dimming, and the duke of Edenborough is retiring. And why not? Who else besides the queen has done so much for the monarchy over such a long time. In his own inimitable way, Prince Philip has more than done his bit.

HUGO VICKERS, ROYAL BIOGRAPHER: I think, in a way, it is a transition. The queen has been a little bit worried about him at certain times over the last couple of years. I have heard people say that. And I think that, you know, she doesn't want him to get overly tired. And so I'm sure there is an element this is a sensible thing to do.

PRINCE PHILIP: You are now seeing the world's most (INAUDIBLE).

GLASS: Here he was in Lord's cricket grounds in London this week wearing the famous egg-and-bacon tie of the MCC. He's an honorary member of the club. And doing what he's done on countless occasions, opening something, and chatting. On this occasion, about old cricket bats. He apparently told the ex-England captain that his bat looked like an offensive weapon. Then, on to the ribbon cutting.

(LAUGHTER)

"Are you ready," he asked the photographers.

Prince Philip has been around so long, we sometimes forget about his glamorous arrival in 1947, a handsome groom for a post-war royal bride. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She never looked at anybody else, ever. I think

he truly has been a rock.

(CHEERING)

GLASS: Then, an unstinting royal double act for 65 years. He's always been his own man, a thoughtful man, a family man.

PRINCE PHILIPS: Like all families, we went through the full range of bringing up children. I'm naturally somewhat biased, but I think our children have been done rather well under difficult and demanding circumstances.

(APPLAUSE)

GLASS: It was at his urging that Prince William and Prince Harry joined him in walking behind Princess Diana's coffin at her funeral.

He could also be a confident man. He could be visibly furious, not least with the press. But more often than not, he saw the funny side.

PRINCE PHILIP: I'm sorry to hear your standing down. I can't stand up much myself.

GLASS (on camera): He's 95, going on 96. She's 91. Is there implication she herself might step back?

VICKERS: I don't think the queen is going to step back. To be honest, I think we're living at the tail end of a golden age and we should enjoy every minute of it. I think she's bestowed an incredible calm over this country. I have no hesitation in saying I cast think of a reign in history that I would have preferred to live.

GLASS: From the autumn, Prince Philip will only appear at a few events of his own choosing.

Nick Glass, CNN, in central London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[01:39:46] SESAY: Well, be sure to join us later today for our new show, "CNN Talk" with Max Foster. It features 30 minutes of thoughtful debate with some of the U.K.'s sharpest talkers. What is Brexit going to look like? Will Trump change the world? And is Europe going oh survive? You can get involved, too. It will be streamed live on facebook.com/CNNI. "CNN Talk" premiers, Friday at noon U.K. time.

We'll pause for a quick break. Republicans are claiming victory in the years-long fight over American health care. But is it a win for their constituents? We'll speak to a doctor who says millions of lives could be at risk.

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SESAY: Donald Trump will meet with Pope Francis later this month, part of a trip that will take him to Israel and Saudi Arabia. Mr. Trump will visit the pope on May 24. The White House says First Lady Melania Trump will accompany the president for the entire trip. Comments from the pope during the 2016 campaign, that society should build bridges not walls, was seen by many as a thinly veiled swipe at Donald Trump.

U.S. House Republicans scored a major legislative victory, narrowly passing a bill to revamp the country's health care system. The fight over repealing and replacing Obamacare is just beginning. The bill heads to the Senate now where it is likely to undergo major changes in the Senate. President Trump is claiming victory all the same.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Premiums will be coming down. Yes, deductibles will be coming down. But very importantly, it's a great plan. And ultimately, that's what it's all about.

We knew that wasn't going to work. I predicted it a long time ago. I said it's failing. And now it's obvious that it's failing. It's dead. It's essentially dead. If we don't pay lots of ransom money over to the insurance companies, it would die immediately. So what we have is something very, very incredibly well crafted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: For more, I'm joined by Dr. Lashawn McIver, a senior vice president of government affairs and advocacy for the American Diabetes Association.

Doctor McIver, welcome to the program.

DR. LASHAWN MCIVER, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT. OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS & ADVOCACY, AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION: Thank you.

SESAY: According to President Trump, the bill that was passed in the House on Thursday is a great plan. But the American Diabetes Association has already come out and said the passing of the American health care act is a disappointing day. Help us understand why.

MCIVER: For people with diabetes, having access to care is important. And under this bill, if enacted, and it becomes law, many people who have diabetes will lose coverage.

SESAY: Many will lose coverage. Republican lawmakers and supporters say it will lower premiums and deductibles as well as give consumers more control over their health care. Go into detail why this is bad and how they go about losing coverage.

MCIVER: Well, according to the Congressional Budgets Office's report, we know 24 million Americans will lose coverage under this proposed bill, or law, if it becomes law. In the United States, nearly 116 million children and adults either have diabetes or at risk of developing diabetes. There's a significant number of people who would be at risk of losing their care. Why is this important for people with diabetes? Diabetes is a chronic

condition that requires ongoing care. And so we're concerned for Americans who will lose coverage if this becomes law.

[01:45:21] SESAY: Now, to be clear, the numbers, the Congressional Budget Office gave, based on the previous iteration of this bill. Part of the issue for critics of what just passed on Thursday is that the CBO didn't get to look at this bill. They didn't get to scrutinize it or score it, or tell us how much it's going to cost, or how many people will lose care under these provisions. What does that say to you that the CBO didn't get to look at this version of the bill?

MCIVER: Well, it's concerning. Because, ultimately, we don't know the impact that this bill will have. You know, as I said, people require ongoing care. And so if more Americans are impacted, it will have an even more significant impact on people with chronic diseases, like diabetes.

SESAY: What we're talking about here, essentially, when we come to something like diabetes, is a preexisting condition, correct?

MCIVER: Correct.

SESAY: Now, the authors of this bill, Republicans, say, well, they're not going to lose care. They're not going to lose coverage. Because there will be these high-risk pools that will exist in states to cover people with preexisting conditions. Why is that an inadequate way for providing coverage for people with these diseases?

MCIVER: States will have an opportunity to waive access to care under this scenario. So although there's some rhetoric that people with preexisting conditions will be protected, you know, if things move forward, people will either not have access to care, or it will be unaffordable. So it doesn't solve that problem. And it will still create problems for millions of Americans.

SESAY: Dr. McIver, I wish you the best of luck. Thank you for joining us this evening.

MCIVER: Thank you for having me.

SESAY: Next on NEWSROOM L.A., it's not disco fever. It's politics as usual in South Korea. Why candidates have turned to dancers to drum up support. That's ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

[01:51:19] SESAY: So, it looks like "Saturday Night Fever" in Seoul but this ain't no disco. It's actually part of South Korea's presidential race. K-pop candidates go to extremes to win and dancers take to the streets to drum up support.

Our Ivan Watson explains. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(SINGING)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a basement studio --

(MUSIC)

WATSON: -- young dancers practice their steps.

(SINGING)

WATSON: Enthusiastic, but not exactly professional.

(SINGING)

WATSON (on camera): Have you ever been a dancer before?

UNIDENTIFIED DANCER: No.

WATSON: No?

UNIDENTIFIED DANCER: It's my first time to dance.

WATSON: You look like you're having fun.

UNIDENTIFIED DANCER: Yes. It's very fun to support a person who I like.

(SINGING)

WATSON: Believe it or not, this is politics Korean style. These young volunteers are part of a campaign for a politician who's running for president.

(LAUGHTER)

WATSON (voice-over): These dancers are supporters of Moon Yae-in, the front-runner in the South Korean presidential election.

(SINGING)

WATSON: And in this unique political culture --

(SINGING)

WATSON: -- song and dance go hand in hand with politics, especially in a crowded field of 13 presidential candidates.

ANDREW SALMON, AUTHOR: This is a country where you go to any extreme to achieve your aim. And if your aim is to become president, you have to field divisions of singers and dancers out on the street doing anything they can to grab public attention and seize those votes.

(SINGING) WATSON: Look at the scene outside a TV station, ahead of a presidential debate. Cheerleaders for each candidate side by side at full volume, welcoming each politician as their motorcades roar in for the main event.

(SHOUTING)

WATSON: Korea's flashy approach to politics may sometimes look silly, but the issues at stake are very real.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm very worried about North Korea. Because other big countries, and we are a small country. Korea is a small country. And I'm afraid.

(SHOUTING)

WATSON: Voter concerns about North Korea's nuclear threats, and growing youth unemployment also shared by politicians, like Yoo Song- min.

(on camera): What's the most important issue of this election?

YOO SONG-MIN (ph), SOUTH KOREAN POLITICIAN: Right now, economic -- overcoming economic crisis and national security crisis. That's the most important issue right now.

(MUSIC)

WATSON: Even in times of crisis, candidates are expected to put on a show. This one includes a dancing Smurf.

(SINGING)

WATSON: It's all part of business as usual when it comes to South Korea and its K-pop style of politics.

(SINGING)

WATSON: Ivan Watson, CNN, Seoul.

(SINGING)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SESAY: What a unique political system.

Well, you know you have an iconic movie franchise when it has its own international holiday. For lovers of the "Star Wars" library, it's May 4th, as in, may the fourth be with you. I grew organically when fans grew into events like parades and other festivities. One of biggest names in "Star Wars" even got in on the May 4th fun, pranking franchise fans while raising funds for charity.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK HAMILL, ACTOR: Obi-wan never told you what happened to your father.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He told me enough. He told me you killed him.

HAMILL: Even more frightening than that. I am --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mark Hamill, oh, my god! What?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[01:55:05] SESAY: That's Luke Skywalker masquerading as Darth Vader there.

And late-night TV host, Jimmy Fallon, capped off "Star Wars" Day with a lip dub of all-star by Smash Mouth. Check this out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(LAUGHTER)

SESAY: I'm willing to wager that's the coolest thing you'll see all day.

You're watching CNN NEWSROOM, live from Los Angeles. I'm Isha Sesay. I'll be back with more news right after this.

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