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Trump Rally Crowd Chants 'Send Her Back'; U.S. Shoots Down Iranian Drone; Michael Cohen Documents Unsealed; Interview With Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA). Aired 3-3:30p ET

Aired July 18, 2019 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUESTION: But they were echoing what you said in your first tweet, that they should go back.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, I don't think -- if you examine it, I don't think you will find that. But I disagree with it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANA CABRERA, CNN ANCHOR: But watch what happened at his reelection event in North Carolina less than 24 hours ago; 13 seconds lapse before the chants end, seeming to just die out on their own.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CROWD: Send her back! Send her back!

TRUMP: And obviously, and, importantly, Omar has a history of launching vicious anti-Semitic screeds.

CROWD: Send her back! Send her back! Send her back! Send her back! Send her back! Send her back! Send her back!

TRUMP: And she talked about the evil Israel and it's all about the Benjamins. Not a good thing to say.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: And she has apologized for those remarks.

Congresswoman Omar, who represents Minnesota, had not heard that the president disagreed with the chants when she responded to this incident today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ILHAN OMAR (D-MN): I want to remind people that this is what this president and his supporters have turned our country that is supposed to be a country where we allow democratic debate and dissent to take place. And so this is not about me. This is about us fighting for what this

country truly should be and what it deserves to be.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: The "Send her back" taunts come just days after President Trump tweeted that Omar and three of her fellow progressives -- quote -- "go back to the crime-infested places from which they came."

Jake Tapper is anchor of "THE LEAD" and "STATE OF THE UNION." He is also CNN's chief Washington correspondent. He's with me now.

Jake, you have covered politics and Washington for a long time. What do you make...

JAKE TAPPER, CNN CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: You're calling me old.

(LAUGHTER)

CABRERA: ... of the chants? No.

(LAUGHTER)

CABRERA: Not as old as me.

TAPPER: What do I make of the chants?

You know, I think that they are a natural result of a racist attack that the president launched on Sunday, an attack so racist that even Republicans in Congress and the House and Senate, who usually refrain from criticizing the president, went so far as to call them racist, or at least racially charged.

CABRERA: He keeps doubling down on it, though, and now he's disavowing them.

TAPPER: Well, I think because one of the results of last night was more condemnation, even more Republicans. Some of the meekest, most supportive Republican congressmen have even voiced disapproval.

It's unsettling, I think, to have a crowd yell "Send her back" about a woman who, yes, she's made many controversial remarks, remarks people even find offensive. But the idea that a -- somebody who came to this country as a child, as a refugee -- she's a naturalized American citizen. She is a duly elected member of Congress.

The idea that the government, that President Trump should send her back to Somalia is, on its face, xenophobic and racist and offensive. And so there was some brush-back today, with even some people in the White House telling the president -- or thinking to themselves -- I don't know if they told the president -- he went too far.

So now he's trying to dial it back. But, as you demonstrated so ably, he didn't speed up his speech so as to quell the chant. He stopped, and he let it go. And then, once it had died down on its own, as you noted, then he resumed talking, continuing the attack on Congresswoman Omar, who, by the way, is not running for president.

CABRERA: Now, you do have some reporting, though, that House Democrats are growing frustrated, you say, with the drama surrounding these four congresswomen, including Omar, along with Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, and Ayanna Pressley.

TAPPER: There has been frustration behind the scenes.

I will say that every Democrat, every House Democrat with whom I spoke, is united in the belief that President Trump's attacks were racist and went too far, and that he needed to be condemned some way, and that there is horror among Democratic officials today about what happened last night.

Now, that said, there is a division about the so-called Squad, these four Democrats, whether the party should be focused more on bread-and- butter issues, health care jobs. And there is some frustration with some of the things that they have done.

But today, they're -- nobody is -- none of the House Democrats I have spoken to are focused on that. They are horrified by the president's attack.

CABRERA: What is the concern, though, the growing concern, about the disunity among Democrats, particularly around -- the concerns around the moderate Democrats, who are trying to walk a fine line?

TAPPER: Well, look -- I mean, look, the progressive Democrats came, especially these four, to shake things up, differently, but in the same kind of idea that President Trump came to shake things up, and they are not -- they look at the world very differently.

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And they are far more liberal than a lot of the people that were elected last November that delivered control of the House of Representatives to Democrats, some of whom come from districts that Trump won.

Some of them come from districts that Hillary won, but only narrowly, and they're more moderate. So there is a policy division. There are deep differences when it comes to some issues, like the boycott against Israel.

But, again, like I said, nothing has unified the Democratic Caucus around these four individuals, who are controversial among some in the Democratic Caucus, than President Trump's nakedly racist attacks against them.

Telling people of color to go back to a country -- to the country they came from is literally in the EEOC definition of racist things you're not allowed to say.

CABRERA: All right, Jake Tapper ,I will leave it there. Thank you.

TAPPER: Thank you. CABRERA: We know you have to get ready for "THE LEAD" at the top of

the hour, 4:00.

TAPPER: I do. I have to get back to work.

CABRERA: Make sure you catch him. Tune in.

Thank you.

Meantime, you know tensions are extra high in the halls of Congress when the chaplain's morning prayer sounds like an exorcism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. PATRICK CONROY, HOUSE CHAPLAIN: This has been a difficult and contentious week, in which darker spirits seem to have been at play in the people's House.

In your most holy name, I now cast out all spirits of darkness from this chamber, spirits not from you. Let your spirit of comity, of brother- and sister-hood and love of our nation and of all colleagues in this chamber.

Empower our better angels to be at play.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: And that's not the only sign of a nation edge.

Less than two hours after the president walked off the stage in North Carolina, racism became the most searched word, according to Merriam- Webster's tweet. And look at what rounds out the top six there, socialism, fascism, concentration camp, xenophobia, and bigot, just more proof how much words matter.

Joining us now, Democratic from California Ro Khanna. He's endorsed Bernie Sanders for president in 2020. He is also a member of the Congressional Civility and Respect Caucus.

Congressman, good to have you with us.

For once, the president is not doubling down or tripling down on this matter. He now says he does not approve of these chants. Can you appreciate that? Does that help, I guess, put some of this behind all of us?

REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): Ana, yesterday was one of the most chilling scenes I have seen in politics. To have a crowd chanting about an elected member of Congress that they should be sent back to a country of their origin was just un-American.

The president should have condemned that right away, the way that John McCain, when someone had confronted that Obama was a terrorist, John McCain immediately said, that's uncalled for. That's not how we conduct things in America. The president should have done that. His statement today is a step,

but he needs to be far stronger. And he needs to make it clear that that has no place in American discourse.

CABRERA: What was your reaction when you heard those chants?

KHANNA: I was horrified, honestly.

I never thought I would hear something like that in the United States of America. I mean, I'm the son of immigrants. I was born in Philadelphia. My parents immigrated from India. I went to public school. I grew up in a community that was 99 percent white.

And I grew up in a place that was welcoming, where I had teachers that were supportive, where I had neighbors that were supportive. And I thought to myself, what is happening to our country?

And here we had progress with President Obama and thinking that we were making progress on race. And why are we going to such a dark place? And why do we have a president of the United States who's not standing up to that?

CABRERA: We have some reporting that members of your party have expressed some internal frustration with all the attention surrounding these four congresswoman.

Do you share that concern?

KHANNA: I don't.

Today, our caucus is unified in making it clear that xenophobia has no place in America. I think the frustration that the caucus has is that our positive agenda, where we're talking about health care for all, where we're talking about $15 minimum wage -- we actually just passed it today -- where we are taking steps for infrastructure, that none of that is getting out, and that we are mired in division and anger.

And we need to have an aspirational message and a message that actually talks about what we're doing for the American people. And that's the frustration.

CABRERA: As you know, only four GOP members of the House voted to condemn the president's racist tweets earlier this week, and then, of course, Justin Amash, who recently left the Republican Party.

But I'm curious what you might be hearing from Republican colleagues behind the scenes.

KHANNA: Well, many of them think that the president went too far. They are concerned about speaking out, because they know that one presidential tweet could cost them their primary.

This has been the case over and over again. But I hope that more people will develop the courage to speak out, because if a group of 20 or 30 speak out, then it will become easier.

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CABRERA: Well, do you have any security concerns? Do you yourself have any fears, as a congressman of color?

KHANNA: I don't think, but there are many people in this country who have a much tougher life, who face much more daunting odds than being a member of Congress.

I have a great honor of being in Congress. And I still have a belief in the fundamental decency and goodness of this country. One of the sad things is that this president, with the division, has highlighted the worst. That's not the America that I grew up in. That's not the America I know.

And I wish the Democrats had someone like Mario Cuomo, like Barack Obama, who has the inspiration to help lead us to the America we all want. And I'm hopeful we will be able to find that voice in the 2020 election.

CABRERA: Do you have somebody in the 2020 election who you think represents that voice?

(CROSSTALK)

CABRERA: I know you're -- we talked about you endorsing Bernie Sanders.

But what you just said makes it sound like you're still waiting to hear the right words.

KHANNA: Well, I think that we need someone who can offer that hopeful vision for America.

I mean, I have tremendous admiration for Senator Sanders, and I think he can do that. But I also think that President Obama should come out and give a speech and Michelle Obama should give a speech. I know they have been on the sidelines.

But I don't think there's anyone who's been better at talking about race and our founding than President Obama. I -- frankly, I miss his voice. I think we need his voice.

And so if he or his people are watching, I hope he could give the same type of speech that he gave when he dealt with Reverend Wright in Philadelphia. We really need some of his wisdom.

CABRERA: All right, Congressman Ro Khanna, I really appreciate you taking the time. Thank you.

KHANNA: Thank you, Ana.

CABRERA: In Illinois today, a glaring example of the climate in this country, a gas station employee refusing to serve Spanish-speaking customers, telling them to go back to their country. We will take you there live. Plus, breaking news on the investigation into the hush money payments Michael Cohen paid to porn star Stormy Daniels. Documents just released today show just how involved President Trump may have been.

And, later, I will be joined by a 9/11 first-responder to get his reaction after two Republican senators tried to block a bill that would pay for their health care.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:17:17]

CABRERA: New today, a judge unsealing FBI search warrant materials in connection to the Michael Cohen case and the effort to buy the silence of women who claim they had affairs with Donald Trump.

The president has denied those claims. But these documents reveal Cohen and then candidate Trump spoke several times on the same day that $130,000 in hush money was sent to Stormy Daniels, just weeks before the 2016 election.

The files also show the mad scramble going on inside the 2016 Trump campaign to try to contain the damage after the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape came out, in which Trump used crass terms, to say the least, about women.

With us now, attorney Seth Berenzweig. He is the founding partner of Berenzweig Leonard law firm.

Seth, what do you make now? We have all these new details in these documents. What do you make of the fact that it was only Cohen who has since faced charges over this?

SETH BERENZWEIG, ATTORNEY: Well, so far.

This -- that's indeed correct. And I think that today was a major development that shows further clarity as to the criminal exposure of the president.

The legal team for the president has really been spiking the football in the end zone and really giving a lot of high-fives, saying that, since the investigation is concluded and there is no further activity, that therefore this case is over.

It is not over. The temperature today went way up and not down. Take a look at the information that you have accurately described that shows the specific information, the granularity and the repetition of the president's direct involvement with Michael Cohen, Hope Hicks, the payment trail with David Pecker.

It's all there. He's already an unindicted co-conspirator in the Southern District of New York. And you also have to view it in the context of where we are today. The president is the only person in the United States that is, according to the Justice Department anyway, precluded from being indicted. So this is very important, very significant. And it demonstrates, in

my view, that on January 21, after the election, if he does not run successfully, they will probably impanel a grand jury in New York.

CABRERA: We do know that, of course, Robert Mueller is about to testify on Capitol Hill in less than a week from now.

BERENZWEIG: That's right.

CABRERA: Do you expect the details of this will now be brought up during that hearing, or should they?

BERENZWEIG: Absolutely.

Not only should they, but they absolutely will, because this shows direct context and meaning into his statement, for example, that if he could exonerate the president, then he would so state, but he cannot do so.

Now, in fairness to the president, prosecutors don't walk around handing out certificates of exoneration. So we have to be a little bit careful with that statement. But it further shows the clarity and the focus with respect to his personal involvement with respect to this campaign finance violation, which is a felony, and also blends that into the context of the other findings in the report.

[15:20:00]

All of these things are now in front of Congress front and center. So that puts the heat on the Mueller hearing coming up in a few days even that much more so.

CABRERA: And the messages revealed today also show how Hope Hicks was very much in contact with Michael Cohen...

BERENZWEIG: Right.

CABRERA: ... working very closely at the time with her at the time that "Access Hollywood" tape came out and the backlash that we saw after that.

Hicks said she doesn't believe anything in these documents contradict what she has previously said or testified to. But do you think any of these messages open her up or anyone else to legal trouble?

BERENZWEIG: It could, because the Southern District of New York in the Cohen case has already made it clear that the framework of their theory in the case is based upon a conspiracy, where two or more individuals are acting in furtherance of a felony.

This brings her closer into the heat. And remember that, when she was asked questions on Capitol Hill recently, she almost universally refused to answer the questions. Who instructed her not to answer those questions? President Trump.

So she's always trying to distance herself away. But I think it's going to make a little bit more complicated. At a minimum, she's going to have to consider whether or not she needs to be a cooperating witness.

CABRERA: Seth Berenzweig, great to have you with us.

BERENZWEIG: My pleasure.

CABRERA: Thank you.

Breaking news from the White House, the president speaking about a military incident with Iran. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: ... the Strait of Hormuz today involving USS Boxer,a Navy amphibious assault ship.

The Boxer took defensive action against an Iranian drone, which had closed into a very, very near distance, approximately 1,000 yards, ignoring multiple calls to stand down, and was threatening the safety of the ship and the ship's crew.

The drone was immediately destroyed.

This is the latest of many provocative and hostile actions by Iran against vessels operating in international waters. The United States reserves the right to defend our personnel, our facilities and interests, and calls upon all nations to condemn Iran's attempts to disrupt freedom of navigation and global commerce.

I also call on other nations to protect their ships as they go through the strait and to work with us in the future.

Thank you very much. I thought you should know that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Let's go straight to Ryan Browne at the Pentagon.

Ryan, what more do we know about all this?

RYAN BROWNE, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ana, not much at this point in time.

We are -- Navy officials are confirming that this incident did in fact occur, that an Iranian drone was destroyed as it approached the USS Boxer. That's an amphibious ship that's been operating in the region for some time. It carries aboard a contingent of U.S. Marines. It is part of the U.S. military presence in the Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz, which has been ramped up in recent weeks as part of this effort to deter what the U.S. says is provocative activity by Iran.

Now, of course, in the past, Iran has flown drones in close proximity to U.S. Navy ships in the region. Oftentimes, those are warned off. But this has been a tense situation for some time. Of course, just a few weeks ago, a run downed a U.S. drone operating in the same area. So, again, the tension is very high between the two military forces,

which often find themselves sailing and flying in close proximity to one another there.

CABRERA: OK, Ryan Browne, we know you're working your sources there at the Pentagon for us. Thank you for that reporting.

Up next, as President Trump tries to distance himself from the "Send her back" chants, the sentiment seems to be gaining steam.

We are live at an Illinois gas station where an employee has just been fired for telling Spanish-speaking customers to go back to their country. You will see the video for yourself.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:28:34]

CABRERA: As the country continues to digest the president's incendiary remarks this week encouraging four congresswomen of color -- quote -- "go back to where they came from," a suburb of Chicago is now seeing a new example of that racist taunt.

A cashier at a Bucky's convenience store in Naperville, Illinois, was caught on camera questioning the citizenship of customers there and threatening to even call ICE.

Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Undocumented.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm an American.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is the problem?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's illegal.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's not illegal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you talking about?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is your problem? What is your problem?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you a citizen?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. What is your problem?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't you know the rules?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is your problem? What is your problem? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They need to go back to their country.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's illegal.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You -- you be quiet.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hate you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ICE will come.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hate you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bye. God bless you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stupid.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: God bless you, too. God bless you, too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're in the wrong country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: CNN's Ryan Young is following this story.

Ryan, what exactly led up to this exchange?

RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you think there would have been some sort of conversation, maybe an argument that led up to this.

But, apparently, this 15-year-old was just inside trying to buy something when this conversation started.

Look, we're an hour outside of Chicago, and this has definitely gotten some people's attention. That is the convenience store that we're talking about. That is the Bucky's.

There was a protest out in front.

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