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Israeli Ambassador: Iran Deal "Paves Path To Nuclear Weapon"; Poll: U.S. Jews Support Iran Deal; Poll: Clinton Dips Below 50 Percent For First Time; Hackers Publish Data From Cheating Website; Clinton Versus Trump: Daughters' Friendship Tested. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired August 19, 2015 - 07:30   ET

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

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: -- being influenced by Israel's staunch opposition to the plan. So let's the inside on why that is. Joining us is Ambassador Ron Dermer. He is Israel's ambassador to the United States. Ambassador, thank you for being on the show. Why is this not the right deal for this time?

RON DERMER, ISRAEL'S AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: Because this is a deal that doesn't block Iran's path to a weapon, it actually paves Iran's path to a weapon. That's if Iran complies with the deal and if it doesn't violate. We're not sure if that's the case.

What you have here, at best, in the second decade, Iran could have an entire nuclear arsenal. It's a very heavy price to pay if it were a deal where you are actually blocking Iran's path to a weapon and then dealing with this foremost terror sponsor in the world that would be one thing.

But here you are not blocking the path to the weapon. You are going to give them hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade, which Iran is going to use to finance their terrorism throughout the Middle East and they are saying they are going to continue their policies.

They are getting no change in Iran, no change in their behavior. The same regime, the same behavior and you are leaving them with a very big nuclear capability that they are going to use to build nuclear weapons.

CUOMO: How can the allies, who were at the table, specifically of Secretary Kerry and President Obama have it so wrong? Because they say Iran has the capabilities right now. It was never about if, it was always about when.

This was the best way to check their capabilities, put in place a process that did not exist. We now get to see what's going on, on some level, and there is a snapback provision for all of the sanctions, which people put a lot of priority on as to why they sat at the table.

DERMER: Well, look, that's news to me is the policy of the United States is not if, it's when. That means that Iran has accepted that there will be a nuclear armed Iranian state. That's not what the president is saying. He is saying our policy is containment. Our policy is to

prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. That's been the policy of the entire world and why Israel is so opposed to the deal because you just made an agreement with a regime calling for Israel's destruction, by the way, calling for the United States' destruction.

We're just a little Satan, America is the great Satan and you haven't gotten rid of their nuclear weapons program. Iran came into these negotiations wanting to remove the sanctions. The price for removing the sanction should have been to take away Iran nuclear weapons capability.

CUOMO: They say they have done that. For this period, they won't be able to do it or check if they do try to.

DERMER: But the price that you are paying to invest, if Iran does not violate this deal and this inspection regime is very poor and Iran can violate the deal, at best, you are delaying it for a few years. The price for delaying it for a few years is to legitimize Iran as a nuclear weapon state a few years later. That's a very bad deal.

CUOMO: What was the better deal?

DERMER: A better deal is to actually hold firm to keep crippling sanctions on Iran.

CUOMO: The allies didn't want to do it.

DERMER: The allies didn't want the sanctions a few years ago. If you listen to Senator Menendez's speech yesterday, he will tell you that the administration opposed the very sanctions that brought Iran to the table.

They went to Senator Menendez and they went to his committee and they said don't put these sanctions on because it's going to make it more difficult with our allies. They were wrong then and are wrong now. You can get a much better deal, Chris, than the one you have on the table. This deal is unacceptable.

CUOMO: But why wouldn't they do a better deal if it was so readily available?

DERMER: They I think pull the rug out from under the sanctions regime and wanted to get a deal so badly. Understand, the Iranians need this deal. They are the ones under pressure. There's no reason for the United States and the P5+1 to accept a deal that was put forward. They should have held firm.

They can still, Congress, if it rejects it. You're not going to see all of sudden everyone run away. You're not going to see the sanctions regime unraveled. That's just not true.

The only alternative is not at war to this deal. Go back, start again and get to a good deal that actually prevents Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and doesn't give the foremost terror sponsor in the world a clear path to the bomb. CUOMO: But help me understand why they would have done this then on the ally side. If they didn't have to take this deal, if Iran were desperate for a deal, why would they accept this deal if they could have gotten a better deal?

DERMER: That you have to ask the administration --

CUOMO: I'm just saying. It doesn't make sense. Did they want a deal? Sure, politicians like to be able to show progress especially in an area where everybody seem to be stymied, but why take this on if they knew it was a bad deal. The president and secretary have been saying exactly the opposite and you know, the respect that they have for their Israeli ally and basically brother in this situation.

DERMER: I'm not questioning the sincerity of the president of the United States. He believes this deal is good for America and Israel. We just disagree. Israel is shared across the political spectrum and the security officials and by the way, it's shared between Israelis and the Arabs.

CUOMO: What do you think about of the "LA Jewish Journal" poll, though? You have support among American Jews. Obviously, a strong affinity to Israel, support, 47.5 percent, opposed 27.5 percent, don't know, 24.5, you know, a strong in favor of. Will the deal make the Middle East safe? Will it stabilize the Middle East, more stable, 47.4 percent? These are American --

[07:35:08] DERMER: That poll that you're citing was taken about a month ago. Public opinion has shifted both in the general population and also among the Jewish population because they are learning more and more about the deal. They understand that this deal doesn't block Iran's path to a weapon.

CUOMO: Do you think there was a better way?

DERMER: There's no question that there's a better way.

CUOMO: There's no reason to go soft on Iran. Everybody gets that, if there is one thing to sell on America politically, is that Iran is bad. Nobody is going to have a problem selling that proposition. Maybe it's too easy to sell the proposition if anything.

But, the sanctions, we keep being told by the foreign bodies as well, these sanctions, there's a lot of trade to be had here. There's a lot of softening of the support of them. You are saying that's not true?

DERMER: It's not true. Look, the sanction regime was built based on two things. First of all, you had a credible military threat. You made it clear that they are not going Iran to raise their weapon.

For a lot of those countries around the world, they are of more concern of a military confrontation with Iran than a nuclear armed Iran. They've been in containment for a long time so first is military threat. The second is financial sanctions. You force countries around the world to choose -- CUOMO: Can you force them?

DERMER: Of course, do business with a $400 million Iranian economy or $17 trillion American economy. Do business with a country that accounts for one tenth of 1 percent of global capital flows or a country that accounts for nearly half of the global capital flows in the world.

Which German bank is going to choose to do business with Iran and cut themselves off from the U.S. financial system? The very same arguments that are being made today by the administration that the whole sanction regime will unravel.

CUOMO: China and India wanted to do a deal.

DERMER: Go back and look at the argument that were made three years ago opposing the sanctions that were passed in the Senate, the very tough financial sanctions and Senator Menendez, a leading Democratic senator, he spoke about it yesterday.

The very same arguments were made that this was going to undermine the efforts to build the international coalition to confront Iran. The truth is, this is a very bad deal. If it's scrapped, you will see the sanctions hold. It will not be the case if the sanction --

CUOMO: What happens if it goes through?

DERMER: If this deal goes through, you are going to be stuck with a very dangerous deal that is bad for Israel's national security and bad for America's national security. We have to figure out what to do then.

CUOMO: Mr. Ambassador, thank you so much.

DERMER: Thank you.

CUOMO: This matters enough to have this conversation all the time. I know you respect having the propositions tested because that's how we help the audience.

DERMER: Absolutely.

CUOMO: And we expect you to come back every time as relevant.

DERMER: Thank you.

CUOMO: Thank you, sir.

OK, so now you got to hear from the ambassador about why Israel has such reservations about this. What do you think? Tweet us, using #cnnnewday or post your comment on facebook.com/newday -- Alisyn.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: OK, Chris, well, hackers making good on their promise to release private information stolen from the web site, Ashley Madison. Wait until you hear how many cheaters have been exposed.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. There are lingering questions about Hillary Clinton's e-mail scandal weighing on her presidential ambitions. New CNN poll numbers show she is below 50 percent for the first time.

But within her party, she has a sizable lead over Bernie Sanders and Vice President Joe Biden, who hasn't yet even declared that he is running. Now, Republican Donald Trump is closing in. He's posing a serious challenge for the first time.

CAMEROTA: In Thailand, an arrest warrant issued for the suspect in this week's deadly blast in Bangkok. Take a look at this brand new police sketch. Police believed the suspect is a foreigner. Authorities say he placed a bomb at a popular shrine killing 20 people.

Thai police is saying overnight that he did not act alone. Reuters is reporting this morning that detectives are looking for two other men who were spotted on surveillance video at the blast site.

CUOMO: A first, for the first time President Obama has appointed an openly transgender official to his White House staff to lead recruitment of presidential office personnel. Raffi Freedman-Gurspan is a former policy adviser at the National Center for Transgender Equality.

A spokesperson says she knows the kind of leadership the administration champions and has done a great deal of work to better the lives of the LGBT community.

PEREIRA: They have done it. Hackers made good on their threat to release users private information all stolen from that infamous cheating web site ashleymadison.com.

CNN's Money correspondent, Laurie Segall is here with the latest on this huge breach. We are calling you the dark web correspondent right now because you had to dig deep on this one.

LAURIE SEGALL, CNN MONEY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, definitely. I was looking at a lot of this information, very, very alarming. We are talking 10 gigabytes worth of data. That is a lot, 33 million accounts leaked, 36 million e-mail addresses. Take it with a grain of salt. A lot of people put fake user names and e-mails.

So what they can't fake is the payment information. We are talking real names and addresses, possibility of identity theft and also internal corporate data, lots and lots of internal corporate data.

I was talking to a security researcher said these hackers essentially owned Ashley Madison services. This is a big deal. The people behind it, we don't know a lot about. They call themselves the Impact Team.

I want to read you a little bit of their manifesto. They said, "Find yourself in here? Learn your lesson and make amends. Embarrassing now, but you'll get over it."

They are really hacking for what they say are moral reasons. Guys, I will say this. This information is available in the dark right now. People are beginning to take this in the dark web now and put them on the open web.

They are categorizing it by dot gov, dot military or Harvard email addresses, can't independently confirm that these are real, but obviously a lot of folks are nervous now.

PEREIRA: My goodness, a matter of time before people are Googling that information.

CAMEROTA: Absolutely.

CUOMO: Although I'll tell you it's a big hypocrisy. These hackers are stealing information, putting it out there, compromising people's lives and saying they are doing it because they have moral high ground.

PEREIRA: Shaky.

Target is still paying for its huge data breach back in 2013. Time for CNN money now, chief business correspondent, Christine Romans, in the money center. They tallied it all up?

[07:45:00] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: They have. Target will fork over $67 million to Visa because of that huge 2013 data breach. The money goes to banks that issued Visa cards to cover their expenses related to the hack. How many of you got new credit cards, remember? The 2013 breach exposed about 40 million credits and debit cards.

Higher interest rates, folks are coming. You have heard me say it a million times. They are coming at a time when the housing market is showing some big signs of strength. New single family home construction is booming.

All cash sales in the housing market are falling. That means first time home buyers, regular people, are getting a chance into this housing market now. Home Depot says the housing boom is boosting its sales. Higher interest rates are coming at a time the housing market is solid -- Chris.

CUOMO: Keep saying the rates are going to go up. Eventually you will be right.

You know that you matter in politics when the late night guys give you the business. The Donald is the focus in a really big and arguably funny way. Want to see? Stay here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:50:11]

CAMEROTA: Listen to this interesting tidbit. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, as you know are at odds on the campaign trail, but that does not mean that their children have to be. In fact, Chelsea Clinton and Ivanka Trump have been close friends for years.

Whether they'll stay that way throughout the presidential race is another story. CNN's Sunlen Serfaty is live in Washington, D.C. with more on this political odd couple. What do we know about this friendship?

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They are, Alisyn, and people are very surprised to learn that Ivanka and Chelsea are friends, but they have been for quite a while. For this next generation of Trumps and Clintons, things are a little different.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's pretty pathetic that Hillary Clinton just blamed me for the horrendous attack that took place in South Carolina.

SERFATY (voice-over): As their parents sling insults at each other on the campaign trail --

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have just one word for Mr. Trump, basta, enough!

SERFATY: Ivanka Trump and Chelsea Clinton's long-standing friendship is about to be put to the test. It's a test their parents have failed. After once being close friends themselves, Hillary Clinton attending Donald Trump's wedding, Trump making donations in the past to the Clintons and their foundation. They are now rivals not holding anything back.

CLINTON: I think the guy went way over board, offensive, outrageous, pick your adjective.

TRUMP: She's the worst secretary of state in the history of our country.

SERFATY: But Ivanka and Chelsea have a private relationship, one that has grown more intimate over the years. The two women, both in their 30s, new moms, and living in Manhattan, finding bonds in their similarities.

Their unconventional upbringing in the spotlight -- their career path from high profile TV gigs to big roles now in their respective family businesses. And their family ties, both marrying men of the Jewish faith, Ivanka converting with marriage.

On social media, they both seem to be president of the other's fan club effusive in their praise on Facebook and tweeting out compliments.

Ivanka quoting Chelsea in a tweet with #wisewords. Chelsea telling "Vogue" magazine there's nothing skin deep about Ivanka, saying she's always aware of everyone around her.

Quote, "It's an awareness that in some ways reminds me of my dad in his ability to increase the joy of the room." But their biggest connection could also become their friendship's kryptonite. Both are fiercely loyal to their family and big boosters of each of their parents' presidential bid.

IVANKA TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP'S DAUGHTER: I can tell you that there's no better person than my father to have in your corner when you're facing tough opponents or making tough decisions. He is battle tested.

SERFATY: A battle that could now become a rivalry for this Trump and Clinton too.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SERFATY: Both Ivanka and Chelsea are seen as having a huge potential to help boost the image and humanize each of their parents. So it's very likely we'll see both out on the campaign trail, Chris, even more in the many months to come.

CUOMO: All right, Always a dicey proposition to get the kids involved, even in Their 30s now that they're adults and all that. It's always a dicey proposition to reveal them to the poisons of politics.

CAMEROTA: It's sounds like you know something about that.

CUOMO: Yes, I do.

So late night hosts getting huge laughs at Donald Trump's expense last night, in case you were sleeping, here's a little bit of what you missed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Speaking of Trump, experts are saying during the debate he actually spoke at a fourth grade reading level. It seemed like the longer Trump is in the race the more he seems to be dumbing it down.

TRUMP: You know, I know the smartest negotiators in the world. I never took any of your money. You have no control, bye-bye. Bing, bing, bong, bong, bing, bing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald Trump said this weekend that while he doesn't think workers should be fired for being gay he still does not support marriage equality. He believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman and then a younger woman and then an even younger woman.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: My guys are loves this, though. It's perfect. The writers must be so happy.

CAMEROTA: They are. They hope he stays in the race all the way.

CUOMO: They're not alone. Look at the polls.

CAMEROTA: Hillary Clinton, not as much of a sure thing as she once was. New poll numbers shows the Democratic frontrunner's support is eroding. Should she be worried? We will show you all the new numbers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now she is in the driver's seat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's struggling to fend off a campaign controversy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you wipe the server?

CLINTON: What, like with a cloth or something?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bernie Sanders is definitely a threat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This agreement of war, is that the choice?

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": President Obama is losing more Democratic support.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If Iran is to acquire a nuclear bomb, it will not have my name on it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The 19-year-old Owen Labrie pleading not guilty to allegations of rape.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO: Good morning. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Wednesday, August 19th, 8:00 in the east. Hillary Clinton is in the news this morning. She's strong poll numbers, but not as strong as they once were.

For the first time, support for top Democratic candidate falling below 50 percent in a brand new CNN/ORC poll. Favorability numbers also flipping. A potential reflection of the e-mail driven trust issue she's weathering.

CAMEROTA: Also for the first time, the Republican frontrunner, Donald Trump, poses a threat to Clinton. The new numbers show the Donald within striking distance of the Democratic frontrunner.

CNN's senior Washington correspondent, Jeff Zeleny is live in Washington to break down all the new polls for us. Tell us what you're seeing, Jeff --