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Donald Trump's Presidential Candidacy Debated; Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee Makes Controversial Statements on Iran Nuclear Deal; Turkey to Possibly Join War against ISIS; Funerals Today for 2 Victims in Theater Shooting; Teenagers Lost at Sea. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired July 27, 2015 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00] CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: -- Washington, and for those who are dissatisfied, the Donald is the face and the mouth of that discontent.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: GOP voters in particular unhappy with the status quo. In fact a majority saying their views aren't represented at all in Washington. That's nearly double the number of Democrats who feel that way. But the poll also reveals red flags for Donald Trump. Let's take a look at it all. Athena Jones is in Washington breaking down the numbers for us on this Monday. Athena?

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Michaela. Trump's Republican rivals for the nomination have been saying that his tone is offensive, his rhetoric is divisive. He doesn't represent the Republican Party. And yet Republican voters have put him at the top of the pack. You can see there 18 percent support among Republican voters. That's just ahead of Florida governor Jeb Bush.

Trump has risen since our last poll in late June by six points. Bush has lost a couple of points. Third there you have Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.

But Trump's popularity with Republicans does not translate into the broader electorates. You see him with the highest unfavorable numbers there are 59 percent. That's higher than anyone else polled. And so you also, though, have a lot of people talking about whether Trump will last, how long he'll stay in the race. Iowa's biggest paper "The Des Moines Register" saying he should pull out because he's cheapened the discourse. Republicans don't agree. They want to see stay in the race. They want to see him run whether it's as a Republican or as an Independent. We have heard Trump hint at possibly making a third party candidacy. So he has support for staying in the race.

And one more thing I should mention. We've heard Trump get a lot of attention for his remarks about illegal immigration. That was the initial incendiary rhetoric that got him a lot of attention. But when you talk to voters, both Republicans and Democrats alike, they say it's the economy that is the issue that is top of mind for them, far ahead of illegal immigration, you see there in third place, and also ahead of health care. So it may be the illegal immigration issue that has drummed up a lot of support for Trump but it's the economy in the end that most voters say they care the most about. Chris? CUOMO: I'll tell you, one feeds the other. We've been saying all morning that immigration not being as big as big a priority means, 10 and 11 percent, means the message of discontent is looming most large for them. Thank you for crunching the numbers.

Let's bring in former Reagan White House political director and contributing editor to "The American Spectator" Jeffrey Lord. So we also have Ben Ferguson, CNN political commentator and host of "The Ben Ferguson Show." Ben, thanks for popping in on short notice. It's good to have you guys Skype to Skype.

So let's take a look at the bigger picture here, first. Donald Trump is not doing well overall. He has a big built in negative, 80 percent of Democrats, 42 percent of Republicans, 53 percent of independents. Yet what is the real story? It's about his existence, Jeffrey, and inside those numbers if you look at the slice of the GOP that really feels that Washington sucks, Donald is their man. Do you use that as the takeaway, and what does it mean for him going forward?

JEFFREY LORD, FORMER REAGAN WHITE HOUSE POLITICAL DIRECTOR: I do. Bingo, Chris, you are exactly right. Last week I said I thought the big story was Rush Limbaugh talking about the McCain-Trump situation, and he said he didn't think that was going to mean anything, that Trump would survive it in good form. Rush was right.

In terms of that number, it's very important here. I think it was 53 percent in your poll who think Washington sucks and they want something to do with it. My point, and this was perfectly illustrated in that little focus group you just ran that first young gentleman summed up the problem for the Republican Party exactly when he said if Trump wasn't on the ticket, and it was some establishment type, he wasn't probably going to vote. That's a real problem for the Republican Party here. I think that was a problem with Mitt Romney. That was the problem with John McCain. Personally I believe that's the problem when you put moderate Republicans on the ballot for president, because they don't generate the heat that you need to get at your base vote.

PEREIRA: We know, Ben, that Jeff is sort of pro Trump. And I think I understand you're not so much of that persuasion. I think that's a fair way to put it. But I'm wondering, we've heard what the other candidates in the GOP are saying -- or some of them. Not all of them, are saying about Donald Trump. We've heard from Reince Priebus, the head of the RNC talking about the fact that these comments are divisive that he's made and he doesn't represent the base of the Republican Party.

But if we can pull up that one poll about the government in Washington does not represent your views at all, 27 percent of Democrats, 53 percent Republicans. That's a real move I think we have to recognize. Would it be wise for other candidates, Ben, to tap into that mood that Donald Trump effectively has dominated?

BEN FERGUSON, HOST, "THE BEN FERGUSON SHOW": Yes, and I think that's where he has been so strong since the very beginning. [08:05:00] He is a guy that has been filling a void with people that

feel like there are too many people that are out there talking about issues and they're not really listening to the people. Donald Trump sounds like he's listening to people that are angry and upset.

The problem is that so many people also hate Donald Trump at the same time. These are the maximum poll numbers I think you're going to see out of him. And 50 percent of registered Republicans also said they are not interested -- more than 50 percent, in Donald Trump at all under any circumstance. So when you look at Donald Trump, this may be his best numbers ever. And guess what, 18 percent will not win you the nomination?

CUOMO: Well, but remember, it's such a big field that that's why the number comes so impressive, 18 by itself.

FERGUSON: Think about all the attention he's had. He's been the center of conversation now for literally the last month, and you're still just at 18 percent. You've got Marco Rubio and others that have not been the center of attention, that have not --

CUOMO: Right, but that's because they're --

FERGUSON: They're at 12, 15.

CUOMO: They're not as impressive telegenically (ph). He's a big celebrity. He's got a big voice. And if people are upset at politicians, he isn't one.

My question is this, Jeffrey, he has become relevant enough -- in this period of examination everything is hyperbolic, everything is exaggerated, but they are comparing him to Ronald Reagan. Whose they? Not a lot of people, but you're starting to hear it more and more.

(LAUGHTER)

PEREIRA: Ben's going to have a fit of laughter right now.

CUOMO: You worked with Reagan. You knew him very well. Do you see that, or do you just see that as a reflection of trying to boost Trump's significance?

LORD: I do see that. In terms of the critics of both men, I mean, obviously, no two people are the same. But that said, their critics are saying the same thing. I went back and took a look at this. It's eerie. Sometimes it's exactly almost word for word, that he's not a serious man, or this candidate is a fantasy, et cetera.

I remember in 1980 Jimmy Carter's people were just salivating at the chance to run against Ronald Reagan because they were totally convinced that he was so far out there, that he was an extremist nut, that Jimmy Carter would clobber him. And, of course, Ronald Reagan carried 44 states that year, and they still thought this four years later and he carried 49. So I would just suggest that all the sort of groupthink on the part of the Republican establishment and media and all this sort of thing is not in touch with the American people. I mean, they really need to think about what they're talking about here.

PEREIRA: What do you think? I think the parallels there are a few. I think I see them, but how do you see it?

FERGUSON: Well, you look at Ronald Reagan, and Ronald Reagan actually was elected to something before he was elected president of the United States of America. So there is massive difference. One actually had to run campaigns. Ronald Reagan had also lost before he won the presidency as well when he was running at that level. He also understood issues at a completely different level on a totally different playing field than Donald Trump. In the Screen Actors Guild when he was taking on communism in Russia and the USSR, and this is something he was hyper-focused on. He was also focused on the Iranian hostage crisis as well. So he was involved with politics from his time at the Screen Actors Guild all the way through governor, all the way through his first loss and winning and going to the White House.

To compare the two men, the only thing they may have in common is they both do really well on camera. That's it. And here's another thing, Ronald Reagan was not out there writing six figure checks to Democrats just four or five years ago before he ran for the White House.

LORD: Ben, let me say if you go to YouTube, you'll find Ronald Reagan -- it's an audio tape of Ronald Reagan giving the 1948 speech endorsing Harry Truman for president and Hubert Humphrey for the United States senator for Minnesota in which he sounds like Barack Obama. So all I can tell you is this business that, well, Trump gave to Democrats. Ronald Reagan was a Democrat.

FERGUSON: Ronald Reagan had an actual change to the other side and it took time to do it and he was consistent. Donald Trump does not have that on his resume.

CUOMO: The man, the ideal of Ronald Reagan, Ben Ferguson, versus the man who worked with Reagan is making the opposite point. You can't make this stuff up.

One last thing. Jeffrey, what Huckabee said about pushing Israel to the door of the oven, you know, in so many words, and putting out as a tweet. We live in a -- the idea we had one of Trump's proxies on today, Michael Cohen, and he says Trump is not offended by that. He gets it. It seems so repugnant for its ugliness at bringing up the holocaust, but is that just the new level that is considered acceptable political rhetoric?

LORD: You know, Chris, in all candor I think this is not unlike the deal with Donald Trump and McCain. I think that there are a lot of people, certainly in the Republican base that really aren't concerned about this. And they do see that and they do think that.

[08:10:02] And I'm not always in agreement with Governor Huckabee, but I have to say I don't think he said it to get attention. I think, you know, he's a Baptist minister. I think he believes this to his core. I think a lot of other people, I think Donald Trump probably believes some version of this himself. So I don't really think this is going to be much of a controversy.

CUOMO: All right, Jeff -- give me a last quick button, Ben.

FERGUSON: Huckabee when he said this was not shocking at all. He understands that Iran has been saying even as recently as a week ago death to Israel and, oh, by the way, death to America. This is a very real thought of his. I don't think it's controversial. He's a guy that has gone to Israel so many times I can't even count and taken pilgrimages to Israel with people who are close to him including listeners when he had a radio show.

So I don't think this was anything about trying to somehow steal the center stage. I think he believes it and I think he has facts to back it up that Israel is at real threat for Iran if they are able to get a nuclear weapon. Iran has said we want to push them into the sea. They've been consistent for 30 years.

CUOMO: Ben, Jeffrey, thank you very much. We appreciate the perspective. Nice to see you again on NEW DAY.

FERGUSON: Thanks.

PEREIRA: All right, some other news for you here. President Obama is overseas currently in Africa and Ethiopia specifically. Moments ago he responded to controversial comments made by Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee saying that Obama is marching Israel to the door of the oven. Let's turn to CNN White House correspondent Michelle Kosinski who is traveling along with the president live from Ethiopia. Good morning to you, Michelle.

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Michaela. So he's in this press conference. It's all about trade and countering terror. But then President Obama is asked a question about the Iran nuclear deal. And that opens up this opportunity to deliver a major slam on Republican rhetoric on that issue and others, especially those highly controversial comments by Mike Huckabee that Obama is, quote, "leading Israelis to the door of the oven." Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The particular comments of Mr. Huckabee are I think part of just a general pattern that we've seen that is -- would be considered ridiculous if it weren't so sad. We've had a sitting senator called John Kerry Pontius Pilate. We've had a sitting senator, who also happens to be running for president, suggest that I'm the leading state sponsor of terrorism.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSINSKI: The president called some of these comments outrageous, including Donald Trump's criticism of Republican Senator John McCain. He said the American people deserve better. Presidential debate deserves better. And he called for decorum, seriousness, and honesty leading into this race. Chris?

CUOMO: Michelle, thank you for bringing that to us, very pivotal to today's news cycle.

So also new this morning, Turkey calling for a special NATO conference on Tuesday in the battle against. Turkey has reached a tentative deal with the U.S. to allow use of Turkish air bases to fight the terrorists. CNN senior international correspondent Arwa Damon live in Istanbul with the very latest. You've been telling us for a while about the humanitarian situation, but Turkey had been on the sidelines militarily. That seems to be shifting. What is your take?

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It really has shifted. Turkey is not only at this stage opened up an active front when it comes to the battle against ISIS bombing, and ISIS positions inside Syria, but also at the same time going after the Kurdistan Workers Party, the PKK, that Turkey has long considered to be a terrorist organization, bombing their positions deep in the mountains in northern Iraq.

And all of this is unfolding, Chris, as you have the agreement beginning to solidify itself about the use of Turkish bases and air space by the United States and other coalition allies, something Turkey had been under quite some pressure to do. And it is against this backdrop that Turkey has now called for this NATO meeting, on the one hand to perhaps try to explain some of its actions but also to ensure that it is being supported by critical NATO allies at a time when, Michaela, perhaps Turkey does feel if at least security-wise it is in a very vulnerable position.

PEREIRA: All right, Arwa, thank you for the latest there. Certainly a situation that is changing and we'll keep an eye on it.

Surveillance video has captured the final hours before the Lafayette gunman opened fire inside a crowded movie theater last Thursday night. This is being revealed as two young women killed in the shooting are laid to rest today. Investigators are revisiting the crime scene today. That's the plan.

[08:15:00] CNN's Ryan Nobles is live in Lafayette, Louisiana with more for us. Ryan?

RYAN NOBLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Michaela, police have learned quite a bit about the background of the shooter John Russell Houser, including his potential for violence. But they haven't been able to figure out is why he targeted this theater on Thursday night.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NOBLES (voice-over): This morning as the community mourns new details are painting a darker picture of John Houser, the 59-year-old who shot and killed two women and injured nine others in this Louisiana movie theater four days ago. In this exclusive surveillance video obtained by CBS News, you can see Houser staying at the local Motel 6 seen walking the halls, stopping by the check in desk.

On Thursday at 6:41 p.m., you can see his Lincoln town car pulling out the motel parking lot. Less than an hour later, Houser used a handgun to shoot nearly a dozen people at the 7:15 showing of the comedy "Trainwreck."

Police say Houser's attack was methodical, explaining that the drifter from Georgia checked in to the motel three weeks ago, and scouted out other theaters in neighboring towns. They say he also switched his car's license plate, kept wigs and glasses in his motel room for disguises, and wrote about his plan in his journal.

COLONEL MICHAEL EDMONSON, LOUISIANA STATE POLICE: This man was certainly of sound mind because, you know what, he wrote it down. He said he's coming to this movie theater at 7:15 on Thursday night.

NOBLES: Police say Houser had a long history of reported mental and legal problems, refueling the heated debate about how he was clear to legally buy the .40 caliber pistol he used to unleash terror in the movie theater that night.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO: Ryan Noble is reporting on the role of mental illness on what happened in Louisiana.

We have other news for you:

One of the reasons President Obama is in Africa is to deal with al Shabaab and the terror group, sure enough, claiming responsibility for a new deadly suicide attack at the hotel in Somalia, saying it was targeting Western diplomats. The attack ramming a vehicle loaded with explosives into the gate of the Jazeera Palace Hotel in Mogadishu, killing at least 15 people. Al Shabaab also claimed responsibility for a series of assaults earlier this month, which targeted two Mogadishu hotels and a stadium housing peace keepers.

PEREIRA: A very shaky landing for some airline passengers over the weekend. The KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight pushed around -- look at that by a powerful 70 miles per hour winds as it was landing in Amsterdam. Fortunately, no one was injured.

That video, obviously, goes viral. Those things do. Some 2 million people viewed it since it went online on Saturday. Boy, credit to the pilots there. That was a bumpy, bumpy landing.

CUOMO: They did a good job dealing with the role. I'm trying to figure out the smoke.

PEREIRA: It looks like it might be raining, so it could be --

CUOMO: Oh, just water spray?

PEREIRA: It very well could be, because it doesn't look like anything is on fire.

CUOMO: And remember, it doesn't look like big movements on your screen --

PEREIRA: Sure feels like it when you're inside!

CUOMO: But if you were on the tube, you'd be feeling it.

PEREIRA: The tube, huh? Technical speak.

CUOMO: That's right. That's what we insiders call it.

PEREIRA: OK.

Ahead, we're going to give you the latest on the rescue crews that are scrambling to find these two young boys. They have been missing at sea since their boat capsized on Friday. They haven't been seen since.

Ahead, the public information office from the Coast Guard is going to join us. We'll get an update on the ongoing search efforts.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:22:05] CUOMO: Two 14-year-old boys are missing at sea. And the search is still very active. They were last seen Friday afternoon. Their boat, a 19-foot motor boat not meant for deep sea trips, found capsized and damaged Sunday about 70 miles off the central Florida coast. Both boys are said to be avid fishermen and both families are clinging to the hope they're alive in the water.

CNN correspondent Alina Machado is live in Florida with the latest.

Alina, what do we know?

ALINA MACHADO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Chris, these families are living a nightmare. They spent the weekend searching for the boys asking for the publics' help and hoping the children will be found safe.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MACHADO (voice-over): The desperate search for two teen boaters missing off the coast of Florida since Friday evening intensifying overnight. Their capsized 19-foot single engine vessel found overturned 67 nautical miles off Florida's Ponce De Leon Inlet, with no trace of 14-year-old Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos.

CARLY BLACK, AUSTIN'S MOTHER: As a mother, the worse feeling ever, not knowing where your child is.

MACHADO: Cohen and Stephanos, both avid boaters, embarked on a fishing trip Friday morning. The pair was last seen about 1:30 p.m. in the Jupiter, Florida area, buying $110 of fuel. A few hours later, vanished. Early reports indicated the boys had told others they plan to travel to the Bahamas.

The coast guard's search efforts on the sea and from the air now spanning more than 26,000 square nautical miles.

PETTY OFFICER FIRST CLASS STEPHEN LEHMAN, PUBLIC LIFE OFFICER COAST GUARD: It can be very tricky, especially searching from the air. It's a needle in a haystack out there. MACHADO: The effort to find the teams getting big name support from family friend and neighbor NFL Hall of Famer Joe Namath, who helped the family raise $100,000 reward for the boy's return.

JOE NAMATH, NFL HALL OF FAME QUARTERBACK: We're optimistic. We're praying. The Coast Guard is wonderful. The history of the high sea shows survival rates over the years that have been miracles out there and we're planning on finding the children.

MACHADO: The teen's families praying for a miracle.

PAMAELA COHEN, PERRY'S MOTHER: None of us are giving up hope. Obviously, it's a terrifying experience to be living through, but I have 100 percent faith that they will find our boys.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MACHADO: The coast guard tells me their search right now is focusing on an area just off of Jacksonville, Florida. That's north of where the capsized boat was found. So far, the area they've searched is about as big as the state of Indiana and it's expected to grow as the search continues today -- Michaela.

PEREIRA: All right, Alina. Thank you so much for that.

Joining us on the phone now is Coast Guard Petty Officer Mark Barney who joins us from Miami.

Good morning to you, sir. Hopefully, you can give us an update on the search area. It sounds like such a tremendous effort.

PETTY OFFICER MARK BARNEY, COAST GUARD (via telephone): Yes. Good morning, Michaela. Yes. Thank you for having me, first. Right now, the search efforts are focused off the coast of Jacksonville.

[08:25:00] Based on weather conditions, we believe that if the boys are in the water, that the current has gone to the north.

PEREIRA: Give us an idea of the conditions you're facing. We understand there was some stormy weather over the weekend. What are conditions like now?

BARNEY: Yes, ma'am. There was stormy weather over the weekend, however, it cleared up the past 24 hours. Right now, the weather looks like 78 degrees, partly cloudy, seas about 3 feet. It's not bad. It's not the most preferable conditions right now.

We prefer everything cloudy and seas -- I'm sorry, everything clear, and the seas flat. However, this is something we can get through. And like I said, we'll do everything to bring the boys home to their family.

PEREIRA: So, give us an idea what the effort entails. Obviously, you're putting your full weight into this. What kind of resources do you have assisting? BARNEY: Absolutely. Well, through the night we've had air crews out

Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater flying throughout the entire night. Right now, we also have an Air Station Clearwater searching now and we have a Coast Guard of Fort Clarke searching in the water.

PEREIRA: What is keeping you so hopeful? Is it the fact these two young boys were fit and able bodied and the fact they were avid sportsmen. They spent a lot of time on the boat and on the water. Is it the fact that the temperature of the water is more favorable for survival?

BARNEY: Well, it will be hard for us do our jobs and hold on to some hope.

PEREIRA: Good point.

BARNEY: We are pleased to know these boys, you know, they pretty much spent their lives on the water fishing, recreational boating. So, if anything, that would help that's something we're glad to hear. But, yes, absolutely, we still have hope we can possibly find these boys.

PEREIRA: We understand they told others they were looking to travel to the Bahamas. We understand another boater saw them gassing up their boat and wondered why they were going out in stormy weather.

Do we know if there was distress call placed? Were there any radio transmissions at all from their craft?

BARNEY: That's my worry that's related to this case. We get distressed calls on a constant basis but nothing that resembles anything leading to Austin or Perry.

PEREIRA: You can identify if it came from their craft, from their water craft?

BARNEY: It would have been difficult to identify it completely, especially if they didn't pass any information or names or where they're at. Especially their location. We've been searching since Friday afternoon since 5:00 and searching until right now nonstop.

PEREIRA: We know there's a lot of water craft out there. We know there's a lot of boats in the area and obviously the call has gone out to other mariners that are out there, other craft on the water. What is the message that you want to tell other boaters who might be around there?

BARNEY: For the other boaters out there on the water now, we just ask that they stay alert and aware. We put out the pictures of Austin and Perry. Put their names out there.

So, if they see somebody to resemble that, to see people in the water report it as soon as possible to the authorities, whether they do it with 911 or contact the coast guard directly. We just hope people out there are paying attention.

PEREIRA: I suppose and I hate even going there, we know these boys didn't tell their parents they were going. This is a cautionary tale for other parents and young people that like being on the water.

BARNEY: It is, it is. It's one of those things, when people go out there, we want people to have fun and enjoy themselves. However, we want people to be safe. Hopefully one of the boys has a life jacket on, hopefully. And this is one of the things, unfortunately, one of the situations that can happen out there to anybody at sea.

PEREIRA: Yes, to anybody. We know that all too well. Even the most seasoned this can happen to. We are going to join the prayers that a miracle will happen.

Thank you for joining us, Petty Officer Mark Barney of the Coast Guard. Thanks for joining us with the information.

BARNEY: Thank you, ma'am.

CUOMO: We've seen people live through a lot worse. I know, it sounds dire when you're hearing that. It if they jackets on, that could make all the difference. We'll stay on that and wish the best to those boys and families.

We're going to take a quick break. When we come back Caitlyn Jenner's show debuted last night -- big ratings and a big surprising statement on the show. We have the details ahead.

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