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At This Hour

Detainees Possible Release from North Korea; Rudy Giuliani on Robert Mueller Investigation; Impact the World on Opioid Crisis; Rudy Giuliani Reveals Details on Stormy Daniels Payoff. Aired 11:30-12p ET

Aired May 03, 2018 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:30:00]

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: U.S. officials have been negotiating their release. In fact when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo went to North Korea over the Easter weekend as CIA Director, he had mentioned and this has been going on for some time. But U.S. officials very clear they don't want to kind of tie that to the whole issue of denuclearization. They feel these three men should be released on their own. But today the State Department saying while it would be welcomed news if they were released they can't verify those reports.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN HOST: It seems it could -- I mean -- if you say eminent to stay close to the Twitter feed is what it sounds like right now. Elise thank you so much. We'll keep you updated on that. Also coming up for us, no more than two to three hours and he'll need all the questions submitted in advance. Those are some of the demands Rudy Giuliani is making for an interview between President Trump and Special Counsel Robert Mueller. But will Robert Mueller agree to the conditions?

[11:31:01] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:35:12] KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Live look at the White House right there and where they're -- we -- they are holding a National Prayer Day event in the Rose Garden. President Trump will be there, Vice-President Pence, Karen Pence, they will all be there. President Trump will be speaking. When he begins we will bring that to you as soon as it begins. As we wait for that, let's talk about this. A brand new answer this morning to the pressing question. Will President Trump agree to an interview with Special Counsel Robert Mueller? The President's new lawyer and headline maker Rudy Giuliani he know says the ball is in Mueller's court.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUDY GIULIANI, PRESIDENT TRUMP LAWYER, FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY: Before they raided a lawyer's office which will turn out to be an outrageous violation of the Attorney-Client Privilege. Before they but out the -- the -- the questions and to completely soil the atmosphere the chances were pretty good. Now we're going to have some convincing to do. They're going to have to convince us they can be objective and they're not out to get us. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: What does that mean? Here with me right now, Former Federal Prosecutor Steven Levin. Steven, it's great to see you. Thanks for coming in.

STEVEN LEVIN, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: Good morning Kate.

BOLDUAN: So Giuliani when he says that right there, they're going to have to do some convincing now. Is that how this works?

LEVIN: No it's not how it works. And -- and -- and so, look at this situation. I liken this situation to a game of chicken Kate. And on one hand you have Mr. Mueller and his team who have in their arsenal, or depending on your perspective in their tool box, the power of the grand jury subpoena. And so we know Mr. Mueller has threatened to issue a subpoena if Mr. -- if President Trump doesn't sit for a voluntary interview. There are a couple reasons Mr. Mueller's not going to want to do that because it extends the length of the investigation.

And also, you're going to possibly see a Supreme Court decision arising from that. So on one hand you've got Mr. Mueller and the power of the subpoena and then you have President Trump who should not, absolutely should not sit for an all holds barred, free willing interview. And so, in this situation Mr. Mueller has the leverage and so I don't think he has a lot of convincing to do with President Trump and his team.

BOLDUAN: Well let me also play this for you. Because here are some of the conditions I guess you could put it, that Rudy Giuliani is putting out there for any interview to happen. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GIULIANI: Never beyond two or three hours. That will never happen. I think Jay and I will insist that they're going to have to treat him the same way as Clinton. Two and a half hours we end. Walk out. Give us your questions in advance. He's ready to --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Are those reasonable requests?

LEVIN: Well I -- I think it depends on how badly Mr. Mueller needs to interview President Trump. It's really dependent on Mr. Mueller's perspective. If he really needs an interview then to gain information from President Trump. We know he had the leverage because of the grand jury subpoena.

BOLDUAN: Steven, I'm going to interrupt real quick. I'm so sorry to have to interrupt you but I do have to head back over to the White House. President Trump speaking at the National Day of Prayer Event in the Rose Garden. He is there along with Vice-President, many members of the cabinet. Let's listen in.

(APPLAUSE)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you. Please. Thank you very much.

What a day. What a beautiful day. Our country is doing very well. You'll see some very good announcements very shortly.

It's wonderful to be here on this glorious spring morning as we celebrate the National Day of Prayer at the White House in the Rose Garden.

(APPLAUSE)

I want to thank Vice President Mike Pence and Karen for joining us. Very special people.

Thank you very much.

(APPLAUSE)

We are truly blessed to have a vice president and a second lady who believe in the power of prayer and the glory of God. And they do believe.

(APPLAUSE)

I'm with them a lot; they believe.

Thank you, Mike.

Thanks also to the members of the Cabinet who have joined us today, along with so many amazing faith leaders from across the country, including my good friend, Paula White, who's done such an incredible job.

TRUMP: Paula? Paula, stand, Paula.

(APPLAUSE)

Thank you, Paula.

And the president of the National Day of Prayer, Dr. Ronnie Floyd.

Thank you. Thank you, Doctor. Thanks, Ronnie.

(APPLAUSE)

I especially want to recognize Cissie Graham, and I will now add that word Lynch because I always call her Cissie Graham, but it's really Cissie Graham Lynch. You like it that way better, right? Don't you think we -- I like it that way, too. I like it that way because you're married to a great gentleman, a fantastic man.

So, Cissie, thank you very much for being here. We appreciate it very much.

(APPLAUSE)

Priest Narayanachar, Sister Bingham, Chaplain Agbere, Rabbi Shemtov, Cardinal Wuerl and the Hope Christian Church Choir -- I heard you, by the way, right inside the Oval Office. That was beautiful. That was great music. Thank you. Thank you very much.

(Applause)

As we gather this morning, our thoughts also turn to the memory of a man who awakened the light of God in the hearts of millions of America's pastors, and that's the great, legendary, wonderful Billy Graham. Great, great man. Great.

(Applause)

So, Cissie, I want to thank you for carrying on your grandfather's incredible towering legacy.

Today we remember the words of Reverend Graham: "Prayer is the key that opens us (sic) the treasures of God's mercies and blessings." Always beautiful. And when he said it, it meant so much. When I say it, it means something but I like when he said it better, right?

(LAUGHTER)

I think he did that a little better than I do.

Reverend Graham's words remind us that prayer has always been at the center of American life, because America is a nation of believers, right?

(APPLAUSE)

So true.

The prayers of religious believers helped gain our independence, and the prayers of religious leaders like the Reverend Martin Luther King -- great man -- helped win the long struggle for civil rights.

Faith has shaped our families and it's shaped our communities. It's inspired our commitment to charity and our defense of liberty. And faith has forged the identity and the destiny of this great nation that we all love.

(APPLAUSE)

Americans of faith have built the hospitals that care for our sick, the homes that tend to our elderly, and the charities that house the orphaned, and they minister -- and they really do -- they minister to the poor, and so beautifully and with such love.

We are proud of our religious heritage. And as president I will always protect religious liberty. We've been doing it.

(APPLAUSE)

We've been doing it.

Last year on this day I took executive action to prevent the Johnson Amendment -- a disaster -- from interfering with our First Amendment rights. I was so proud of that. I've been saying from the beginning. You know that.

(APPLAUSE)

I mean, I was saying for a long time we're going to do that.

TRUMP: Across the government we have taken action to defend the religious conscience of doctors, nurses, teachers, students and groups like the Little Sisters of the Poor.

(APPLAUSE)

In January of this year, I was proud to be the first president to stand here in the Rose Garden to address the March for Life. A very special day.

(APPLAUSE)

And my administration has spoken out against religious persecution around the world, including the persecution of many, many Christians. What's going on is horrible, and we're taking action. We are taking action.

(APPLAUSE)

We condemn all crimes against people of faith. And today we are launching another historic action to promote religious freedom. I will soon be signing an executive order to create a faith initiative at the White House.

(APPLAUSE)

The (inaudible) -- thank you, very much.

The faith initiative will help design new policies that recognize the vital role of faith in our families, our communities and our great country. This office will also help ensure that faith-based organizations have equal access to government funding and the equal right to exercise their deeply held beliefs.

We take this step because we know that in solving the many, many problems and our great challenges, faith is more powerful than government and nothing is more powerful than God.

(APPLAUSE)

With us today is a living reminder of this truth. His name is John Ponder from Las Vegas, Nevada.

Where's Jon? Come on up here, Jon. Get up here, Jon.

(APPLAUSE) Jon grew up without his father. As he tells it, "My mother was strong but she wasn't able to keep us out of the gangs and off the streets," right? Jon was in and out of jail for years, until at age 38 he was arrested for bank robbery.

You don't look like a bank robber, Jon.

(LAUGHTER)

He's come a long way.

Jon soon ended up in federal prison, relegated to solitary confinement. That's where God found him. Jon began to read the Bible and listen to Christian radio, right?

(APPLAUSE)

One morning at 2 a.m., he woke up to the voice of the great Billy Graham. Reverend Graham's words came through the airwaves: "Jesus wants to be lord of your life." That night, Jon dedicated his life to Christ.

(APPLAUSE)

He spent the rest of his time in prison praying, studying the Bible, and bringing the Lord to his fellow inmates.

TRUMP: The day after Jon's release, a visitor knocked on his door. It was the man who put him in jail, FBI Special Agent Richard Beasley, who's here.

Richard? Come on up, Richard.

(APPLAUSE)

"I want you to know that I have been praying for you very strongly." He said that. "God called me to the FBI in part because of you, Jon."

The two are now lifelong friends.

Jon, do you like him?

JON PONDER, FOUNDER AND CEO, HOPE FOR PRISONERS: I love him.

TRUMP: You love him. That's nice.

(APPLAUSE)

That's beautiful.

Jon runs a ministry that has helped more than 2,000 former inmates rejoin society. And he's the talk of the country. The job Jon does is incredible.

Jon and Richard, you are a living testament to the power of prayer.

(APPLAUSE)

Your story reminds us that prayer changes hearts and transforms lives. It uplifts the soul, inspires action and unites us all as one nation under God. So important, and we say it here. You know, a lot of people --

(APPLAUSE)

-- they don't say it. But you know what? They're starting to say it more, just like we're starting to say "Merry Christmas" when that day comes around. You notice a big difference between now and two or three years ago?

It was -- Paula was going in the other direction rapidly, right? Now, it's straight up.

Our country was founded on prayer. Our communities are sustained by prayer. And our nation will be renewed by hard work, a lot of intelligence, and prayer.

(APPLAUSE)

Today, we gather to remember this truth. We thank God for the faith of our people. We praise God for the blessings of freedom. And we ask God to forever bless this magnificent land that we all love so much, America.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States.

Thank you, everybody. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Jon.

(APPLAUSE)

[11:52:07] BOLDUAN: All right President Trump speaking at signing an Executive Order and also speaking at the National Day of Prayer event in the Rose Garden at the White House. Saying among many things, I will always protect religious liberty. Much more to come from us. Also -- including this, speaking of Rudy Giuliani because that's who we've been speaking about quite a bit today. Quite the headline maker.

Did he just draw a new red line in the Russia investigation? What he says would leave the country up in arms. That's coming up. But first, more than 115 Americans die from opioid overdose each day and CNN's ongoing series "Impact Your World". Former NBA Player Chris Herren takes a shot at ending this tragic epidemic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS HERREN, FORMER NBA BASKETBALL PLAYER: My story led me to the NBA and the Boston Celtics but behind all that was this addiction, so heroin and oxycontin. Being a professional athlete hiding this addiction was a full time job. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In 2008, Chris Herren was found near death with a

bag of heroin. An old NBA trend and his wife pushed the fallen hoops star into rehab.

HERREN: Liz and Chris Mullen reached out to me and gave me the greatest gift, you know, a chance to get well. When I started "The Heroin Project" it was all about covering the spectrum, bringing in family support groups, recovery coaches as well as helping them sustain treatment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A service which helps Susan Duffy (ph) get her sons sober.

SUSAN DUFFY (ph): It really does increase the possibility of your loved ones surviving.

HERREN: We all get sick in this process. Family members have broken hearts and people who are suffering have broken souls.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE That's why Herren offers free virtual support groups with licensed counselors. Something that's helping James Franchech (ph). His daughter Emma (ph) died from an overdose in 2016.

JAMES FRANCHECH (ph): The support allowed me to get through it and not fall apart. It literally saved my life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[11:54:07] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:58:24] BOLDUAN: Welcome back to this day of contradictions. Who knew what and when with regard to that payment to Stormy Daniels to keep quiet. Let's get some more perspective. Former Obama Campaign Manager and CEO of the Messina Group Jim Messina's here. Co-chair of the Pro-Trump Super PAC Great America Alliance Eric Beach is here as well. Lighting round gentlemen. Let's get to it. Jim Messina, Rudy Giuliani, the headline maker, what did Democrats do with this today?

JIM MESSINA, FORMER OBAMA CAMPAIGN MANAGER, CEO OF MESSINA GROUP: We just sit there and watch them drown themselves. Right? We're 187 days before the election and the President's lawyer just admitted he lied to the American public about not buying off the porn star and he did obstruct justice by getting rid of Comey because of Russia. I mean, now every single Republican candidate out there in America today is going to be asked by you, the reporters, what they -- what their comments are? And this is going to change the complexion of an election six months before it.

BOLDUAN: Eric, two questions. Is Rudy Giuliani still the Co-Chair of your Super PAC after taking the job with the President?

ERIC BEACH, CO-CHAIR OF PRO-TRUMP SUPER PAC GREAT AMERICA ALLIANCE: He's not. He hasn't -- hasn't been for quite a while. But I -- full disclosure, I love Rudy Giuliani. You know he's a mentor of mine.

BOLDUAN: Yes. BEACH: -- and a friend of mine. And I think there's nobody better to negotiate this with Robert Mueller and -- and what I think Rudy's trying to do is really kind of narrow this down to what is supposed to be about, which is collusion. There's been no evidence of collusion and -- and -- and really the narrative out there --

BOLDUAN: Do you really think that Rudy Giuliani writ-large helped Donald Trump today?

BEACH: Listen, what I think is that there's nobody better than go up against Robert Mueller to get -- redefine what we're supposed to be after and that's the collusion here. And trying to get to the facts of, was there collusion that happened during the 2016 election. And that's what so -- that's what's frustrating to us as Trump Republicans is that we don't see any collusion. And there's a wide -- there's a --

BOLDUAN: Well -- oh -- and we lost your satellite. Eric Beach you're coming back. Jim Messina you are too. That's it for us today.