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New Day
New Clinton Emails Released, 125 Retroactively Classified; Obama: Climate Change Deniers "Not Fit To Lead"; Kentucky Governor: All Couples Must Be Given Licenses; Kanye West For President? Aired 7:30-8a ET
Aired September 01, 2015 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: -- portions of unclassified e-mails. Clinton has been criticized for using a private server while conducting government business as secretary of state.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: A rise in murders in big cities across the nation, Milwaukee has seen the biggest spike, 76 percent this year. Officials say 104 people have been killed so far and there were only 86 homicides all of last year. Dozens of cities have also reported increases in murders, notably New Orleans, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and St. Louis.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: A temporary reprieve for former Virginia Governor Bob McDonald. The Supreme Court granted his request to remain out of jail as he appeals his corruption convictions. McDonald was sentenced to two years behind bars in January for doing favors for a businessman who gave him more than $165,000 in gifts and loans.
PEREIRA: Another busy day in politics. Let's turn right to John King and "Inside Politics" to take a look at all things, mountains in Alaska, e-mailing. You have a few things to delve into.
JOHN KING, CNN HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": We do have a few things to delve into. Some of them we could make funny jokes about. We'll see if we get there or not see if we have any humor this morning. Thanks, Michaela.
With me to "Inside Politics" this morning, CNN's Nia-Malika Henderson and Robert Costa of the "Washington Post." Let's start with the Clinton e-mails, 7,000 plus pages, 125 of them retroactively deemed sensitive, therefore, redacted.
And that's what Republicans will say how we told so. They are sensitive material in there, but Secretary Clinton has said, publicly, when they were sent and when they were received, they were not. So far, in all the e-mails released that holds up.
There are still questions, why did you set up a private server? Wasn't that bad judgment? But to the basic point about, can she still look the public in the eye and say, when they were sent and received they were not, the answer is yes, correct?
NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: That's right. That's what you hear her saying over and over again. I didn't send any e- mails that were marked classified at the time. She's much more explaining and talking about requests and saying, even if I had been on a government e-mail, they would have done this review of the e-mail to figure out which ones have been retro actively classified.
We'll see if it sticks. That Monmouth University poll shows that something like 61 percent of Democrats don't really care about this issue, I think it might be the "Bloomberg" poll actually so we'll see how this --
KING: They say they don't care, yet her honesty and trustworthy numbers are down. I do think there is a connection. Democrats are going to stick with Hillary Clinton on that issue when you state the issue.
It's getting (inaudible). Anything, Robert, you look for Republicans going through these, too. I guess the other Democratic campaign. So far, they have resisted going down this road. One e- mail shows they were aware of this.
Huma Abedin, her top aide, says at one point, her e-mail bounced back and somebody didn't know because it came from a Hillary Clinton e-mail address. They didn't know it was actually her. They e-mailed. So, they were aware within the State Department it could cause an issue. Is that a big deal?
ROBERT COSTA, "THE WASHINGTON POST": It's not a big deal within the Democratic primary because her rivals are not making it an issue. Senator Sanders doesn't want to go negative. He's not going to get the nomination by going net on the e-mails.
But this could be a general election concern for the Clinton's and that's what Republicans are hoping with the Benghazi this fall, with the drip, drip, drip on the e-mails.
Can we make her more vulnerable in a general election even though she's got a lot of backing from people in infrastructure nationally?
KING: You do see a lot of the mundane business of government. You do see that she has some outside advisers and a lot of people roll their eyes including Sydney Blumenthal who worked in the Bill Clinton White House who the Obama White House would not allow to get a job at the State Department.
No, no, no, they view him as toxic. This is one is a funny e- mail where she was forwarded about a masked man in a Hillary Clinton mask robbed a bank in Virginia. She said should I be flattered a little bit? It depends on the Secret Service. A little fun in the e- mails there.
HENDERSON: That's right. You saw some of that true before the e- mails that were released where she couldn't figure out the fax machine. There was a Veep-like quality to what's going on here and some mundane government work.
KING: I like that. The iPad, they call it the Hpad. You have to show me how to use that.
All right, let's move on, the president is in Alaska. He was at a climate change conference yesterday. President Obama is on his way out. His final term is winding down, injecting himself in a major way in the 2016 campaign.
The president is making the case for his climate policies and that voters should hold all candidates meaning including the Republicans accountable.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The time to plead ignorance is surely passed. Those who want to ignore the science, they are increasingly alone. They are on their own shrinking island, any leader willing to take a gamble on a future like that. Any so-called leader who does not take this issue seriously or treats it like a joke is not fit to lead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: He's taking issue essentially almost the entire class of Republican candidates for president.
[07:35:09] HENDERSON: I think that's right. You know, this also comes as he's going to open up the arctic to drilling and Hillary Clinton, of course, has been to the left him on that issue. He's had some problems in terms of really rallying the greenies of the Democratic Party. He wants to lay down the marker for Republicans.
KING: How big of a deal is the McKinley/Denali debate. The president while he's up in Alaska is going to rename Mt. McKinley. Everybody including Sarah Palin, the Republicans in Alaska want this. They have called it Denali forever. It is their heritage, their culture.
But if you are John Boehner, from the state of Ohio, as President McKinley was, you say this is an outrage and horrible. Donald Trump went on Twitter, "President Obama wants to change the name of Mt. McKinley to Denali after more than 100 years. A great insult to Ohio, I will change this back.
COSTA: It's not a big issue. It's fascinating to watch the Republican field when one person recognizes there is another angle to go at President Obama. Almost everyone, all 17 follow in lockstep to try to take same shot.
KING: We talked at the top of the show, this is fascinating, the poll in Iowa. Don't put too much stock in one poll. The Monmouth poll puts Carson and Trump in a tie. Dr. Ben Carson never held elective office. Mr. Donald Trump never held elective office. Carly Fiorina, the CEO, never held elective office, 53 percent. Sorry, if your name is senator or governor, go away.
HENDERSON: Does that stay in Iowa? Does that stay in the summer or continue into the fall? Those folks couldn't be more different who are bunched up in that antiestablishment field Trump and Carson, I mean, one is very --
COSTA: They are all outsiders.
HENDERSON: That's the thing, but in terms of temperament and style --
COSTA: Maybe Iowa is the place to go if you are an outsider. You are now New Hampshire.
KING: We were joking about math. I don't want the nuns to remember me from my youth and get back with me. It is fascinating to me. My question is the three non-politicians are carrying a huge basket of votes right now. Do they have the infrastructure, the capability to organize it and turn it out?
COSTA: Iowa is always rewarded outsiders, Huckabee in 2008, Santorum in 2012. You can get a bounce there if you are an outsider. How do you carry it forward?
KING: If you are Scott Walker, he was 22 percent in this poll a couple months ago is down to 7 percent. The voters are sending you a message.
HENDERSON: Yes, that's right. You've got to be worried if you are Huckabee. It looks like a lot of Evangelical votes are going to sort of Cruz and Carson and to a lot of Iowa caucus voters. Huckabee and Santorum are old news now.
KING: Here's a funny moment here. Dick Cheney, you know, he know he is a conservative. He was George W. Bush's vice president. You know, he is a Republican and served in the Republican leadership of the House before that. And so Jaime (inaudible) sat down with the former vice president and his daughter. What do you make of this Trump guy? This is fun.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are not endorsing Donald Trump today?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a given, I am not endorsing Donald Trump today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTA: Trump loves it. The Republican establishment doesn't back me. It helps Trump.
HENDERSON: Yes, he says he's not doing it today. I think he could probably add or ever.
KING: There's still room for Dick Cheney.
HENDERSON: Just get in.
KING: He's looking good.
ACOSTA: Someone mentioned Michael Dukakis. KING: I lived that one. That was my first campaign, Alisyn. Young John King covering Michael Dukakis, good job, good wages.
CAMEROTA: You are throwing it out there. Go out on a limb. All right, John, thank you. See you tomorrow.
So another victory for gay marriage, the Supreme Court rejecting a Kentucky County clerk's religious objection to issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. We will talk to one of those county clerks about what he will do next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:43:20]
CAMEROTA: The Supreme Court striking down the case of a county clerk in Kentucky planning a religious objection to issuing same-sex marriage licenses. So this morning, all counties in Kentucky must issue marriage licenses to gay couples.
Casey Davis is a Kentucky County clerk who has refused to do so and he joins us now. Mr. Davis, thanks so much for being here. Last night, you lost the battle. Kentucky must now issue same-sex marriage licenses. What is your plan?
CASEY DAVIS, CASEY COUNTY CLERK, KENTUCKY: My plan, Alisyn, is to keep trying to get the message out that there is a lady presently in danger of jail or fines.
CAMEROTA: You mean the other county clerk who was at the heart of this case?
DAVIS: Yes, Miss Davis. That was the purpose to try to raise awareness of what's going on and the severity of a Christian lady that has done nothing wrong, nor have I, tried to prevent anyone from getting their marriage license. They can go to any other county around and get those.
We have never tried to prevent. We have only tried to exercise our first amendment rights. I think that she's doing that, I'm doing that, we are all doing that. As press, freedom of speech is part of the first amendment right. I think that we are all due that. There are a lot of people that died for that right. I think we should be able to exercise it.
CAMEROTA: Sure.
DAVIS: I have --
CAMEROTA: Sorry, I just want to mention a couple things that you said there. You are on this bike ride. You are traveling across country from Louisville to the west coast to try to raise awareness and you are free to speak your mind, of course.
[07:45:04] But according to the Supreme Court you must now issue marriage licenses to couples who come to you in your county. While you say you have not stood in anybody's way, but you have refused licenses. Will you now abide by the Supreme Court?
DAVIS: What I want to -- what I want to say is, I cannot go against my conscience or my convictions. I cannot. There is a solution. There is a simple solution that that's part of the reason for the bike ride, to let people know there is a way that everyone can be treated fairly in this.
CAMEROTA: OK, what is it?
DAVIS: There's an idea that I have pitched over and over again and going to share it with you right now. There's a way that marriage license can be received in the county of which ever county it may be that these folks live in, that check get the marriage license without someone having to issue them, that may have an objective to it.
CAMEROTA: Yes.
DAVIS: It's already in Kentucky, there is the law. There has to be five people present at every wedding. There has to be a person that does the wedding, and two witnesses at every wedding. The person that solemnizes the wedding has the discretion to say yes, I will perform it or no, I will not.
Simply, what I'm asking is that the legislative body be allowed to convene so they can -- so they can change the statute, take the issuance of marriage license out of the state all together.
Let the person that does the wedding, authorize the wedding. At which time, they would bring the license back to the county clerk's office for recordation.
CAMEROTA: Yes, and I hear you. I understand your alternative. You are suggesting that this might be a win/win for everybody. However, the Kentucky legislature already took up this issue. They banned gay marriage and the Supreme Court has now overruled that.
So the Supreme Court, your idea may make sense, but the Supreme Court is higher than that authority and they have decided in Kentucky, you must issue gay marriage licenses. Your idea, it's too late, in other words, for your suggestion.
DAVIS: That's the whole -- that's the whole idea of the governor doing his job and letting the legislative body convene. If he would do that, they could take the issuance of license out of the hands of a human that would have an objective to this. That could be done simply and quickly. We have it on paper.
CAMEROTA: Mr. Davis, do you have a feeling that you are above the law?
DAVIS: No, ma'am, I do not. I do have a feeling there is a power above whatever man may put on paper and I think that authority is of a godly nature and of a nature itself.
I think that none of us can -- none of us can say when we are leaving this life and none of us can predict how long we are going to live. We are not going to live forever. Nature's law is going to prevail, eventually.
CAMEROTA: I want to read you to what your governor has said about this and about you. "I advise Mr. Davis that I respect his right to his own personal beliefs regarding same-sex marriages. However, when he was elected, he took a constitutional oath to uphold the United States Constitution.
One of Mr. Davis' duties as a county clerk is to issue marriage licenses. The Supreme Court now says that the United States Constitution requires those marriage licenses to be issued regardless of gender."
So again, Mr. Davis, when you get back from your bike ride, will you adhere to the oath that you took or will you fight it?
DAVIS: I will adhere to the oath I took. That was that I would support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the Commonwealth. The Constitution of this Commonwealth says marriage is between one man and one woman. Section 26, I would suggest that people take time to look at Section 26 of the Constitution.
CAMEROTA: That's been overruled. It's been overruled by the Supreme Court's decision.
DAVIS: That is, however, our state constitution and Section 26 clearly says that no higher power, no higher authority shall interfere with what is in our state's constitution.
[07:50:03] Anything that they do rule on that's contrary to the state's constitution shall be deemed void. That is the language in Section 26. And I think that needs to be looked at.
House Bill 279 that was passed 2013 says that the government has a duty to when someone has a conscientious objective, has to find a way that they don't go against their conscience.
CAMEROTA: We'll follow what happens when you do return from your bike ride. We appreciate you being on NEW DAY. Casey Davis, thanks so much.
DAVIS: All right, Alisyn.
CAMEROTA: Thank you. Let's get to Michaela.
PEREIRA: Kanye West says the darnedest things. He announced he wants to run for president in 2020. Plenty of fodder for the late night comics, that's ahead. You know, you do not want to miss this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:55:02] PEREIRA: Some jokes about the 20 race already. Thanks to Kanye West's presidential ambitions Jimmy Kimmel massed up some of Donald Trump and Kanye, their biggest hits to date together.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kanye says he's running for president in 20. He has a great deal in common with another famous person who wants to be president.
KANYE WEST: I have decided in 2020 to run for president.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am officially running for president of the United States.
WEST: I'm not no politician, bro.
TRUMP: How stupid are these politicians?
WEST: I just wanted people to like me more.
TRUMP: I think they like me in a certain way, which is nice. It's nice to be liked.
WEST: They got them more rates.
TRUMP: The only thing they care about is ratings.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN: There you go.
So is Donald Trump's frontrunner status in trouble, not because of Kanye West, but a new poll showing Ben Carson sneaking up. What is behind the Benmentum, if that's a word?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two guys who have never held political office leading the race.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ben Carson now tied with Donald Trump in Iowa.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "AC360": How concern should the Republican establishment be at this point?
