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Trump Stumbles On Foreign Policy Questions; Trump Accuses Radio Host Of Gotcha Questions; New National High For Donald Trump; Bush States He Will Push Back; Biden Emotional About Presidential Run; Refugees Set Out On Foot; Clinton Apologizes for E-mails; Migrants Walking to Border. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired September 04, 2015 - 13:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Hi there, I'm Brianna Keilar reporting from Washington. It is Friday. Wolf Blitzer is off today.

Up first, Donald Trump stumped by detailed questions about U.S. foreign policy. Trump blames his stumble on what he calls gotcha questions from a conservative radio host. And at one point during this interview with Hugh Hewitt, Trump misinterprets the question. Listen.

(BEGIN AUDIOTAPE)

HUGH HEWITT, HOST, "THE HUGH HEWITT SHOW": Are you familiar with General Soleimani?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes. Go ahead. Give me a little go ahead, tell me.

HEWITT: He runs the Quds forces.

TRUMP: Yes, OK. Right.

HEWITT: Do you expect his behavior --

TRUMP: And I think the Kurds, by the way, have been horribly mistreated by us. I think that they're --

HEWITT: No, not the Kurds. The Quds forces, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds forces. The bad guys.

TRUMP: Yes. Yes, right.

HEWITT: Do you expect his behavior to change --

TRUMP: Oh, I thought you said Kurds. Kurds.

HEWITT: No, Quds.

TRUMP: Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you said Kurds.

(END AUDIOTAPE) KEILAR: Hugh Hewitt is a popular, respected radio host. He joins us now live from Denver. You -- Donald -- you did this interview, Donald Trump trying to explain the mix-up of his interview with you in another interview this morning. Listen to what he said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe".

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

TRUMP: When you say Quds versus Kurds, I thought he said Kurds, this third-rate radio announcer that I did his show. It was, like, gotcha, gotcha. Every question was do I know this one and that one? And, you know, it was like he worked hard on that.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

KEILAR: OK. What is -- what is your response to that, Hugh, that accusation that you asked him gotcha questions? Also there was a personal attack there but the gotcha question part.

HEWITT: I asked him about gotcha questions because I hate them. And in the course of the interview which actually lasted 20 minutes and Donald Trump did very well throughout most of that interview, including some very tricky questions about China and Israel, very important answers and all of those are transcribed and posted over at the Web site. But come back with a third-rate announcer, that's my Trump tattoo. You know, you earn that in this business. And I'm always interested in critiques. I take them under advisement.

I don't think it's a gotcha question to ask about the forces surrounding Israel. And that's where the interview was going and eventually got to. General Soleimani who came up in the first debate, because he'd gone to Russia to meet with Putin. I think it's important to know what the Republican candidates are going to do about this ring of terror that is surrounding Israel right now, especially after this catastrophic, in my opinion and the opinion of most of the Republican candidate, deal with Iran.

And Soleimani basically has proxies that he commands in Hamas, in Syria and in Lebanon. And Nasrullah has been running Lebanon, the south of Lebanon, for 20 years or so. So, I'm not trying to catch anyone out on the names. I get confused on the names. Carly Fiorina came on to the show later and said she gets confused on the names.

What I'm looking for is not a pop quiz, and it wasn't really a pop quiz, but does the candidate stand by Israel as this ring of terror closes in on it? And Donald Trump said, yes. And, by the way, he remains the best interview in the business. And if he wants to come back on, I'd lead every show with him. I really would because he's a terrific radio guest.

KEILAR: Does it matter how important the answers are? Certainly I -- it's embarrassing for a candidate to not know the answers. A lot of people point back to November of 1999 kind of about the same time period leading into the 2000 election when George W. Bush was asked, it was a bit of a pop quiz, to name four leaders of key countries, India, Pakistan, Taiwan and Chechnya. And he was really only able to partially name one with the surname of the leader of Taiwan. Is it really -- he went on to be president. Is it really important, at this point in time, for someone who doesn't have a lot of foreign policy experience to be able to know those names? Can they catch up?

HEWITT: Actually, I don't think it's important at all to know the names and I want to distinguish. I thought that was a gotcha question from 1999. I gave Donald Trump the names because I don't believe in trying to pop quiz people on names. I want to know about the concept of Islamist terror and especially the merging of Shia-backed Islamist terror out of Iran with Sunni-backed Islamist terror coming out of Hamas and Gaza. I expect the Republican candidates to understand the distinctions between Al Qaeda and the Quds forces. And I expect them to speak about how we have to have a two-front strategy in this war against Islamist terror.

But I don't expect them to know. That's why I always give the names. So, that's why I argued with Donald Trump in the course of the interview, quite politely, that I didn't think it was a gotcha question but I'm open to other people thinking that it was because I think those detract from the most important issue which I began my interview with Trump with which is I'm going to ask you some commander-in-chief questions.

[13:05:10] Because, to me, my job in the debate next week on Wednesday night is -- or the week from Wednesday, is to take the part of a Republican primary voter who is looking for someone who will, A, be able to beat Hillary Clinton and, B, be a terrific commander in chief and a conservative president. So, that's what --

KEILAR: So, --

HEWITT: -- my job is is to try and separate people out on that basis, not to trick people by gotcha pop quizzes and I didn't do that yesterday.

KEILAR: So, aside from knowing the names, the distinctions that you talk about that you do expect someone who is running to be commander in chief to know, did you feel like he had a grasp of those? And how do you see other candidates, particularly outsider candidates, say like a Ben Carson or Carly Fiorina, grasping those concepts?

HEWITT: Well, let's go all the way back. I've done almost 70 interviews, almost 70 interviews with Republican presidential candidates. And the first one I did with Jeb Bush, I asked him if he'd read, I think the seminal book on this, "The Looming Tower" by Lawrence Wright, and he hadn't. And I asked him about the General Soleimani, and I asked him about the Ohio class submarine. I ask all the candidates tough foreign policy questions because I think that's what a commander in chief requires. I worked for Reagan. I worked for Nixon. I think it's important that people have a grasp on the dangers that confront America.

Donald Trump's answer, if I can paraphrase it, is, I'm not worried about the details now. I will find the Petraeus of our time, the McChrystal of our time, the Macarthur of our time and that's enough. I don't know whether or not a Republican primary voter will accept that. It's not for me to decide. It's for me to ask fair questions and not be biased against one or for another in the course of the debate.

And I think if anyone looks at all of the interviews I've done, and I hope every journalist does going forward until the end, they will press every candidate. Andrea Mitchell was pressing Hillary Clinton earlier today and I hope that everybody presses Hillary Clinton on the e-mails. I think that Benghazi presents real questions that need to be pressed on.

So, I think our job in the media is to ask anyone who wants to be president questions that go to their ability to be the top commander in chief in a nation at war with thousands of American men and women deployed in harm's way. And I ask my questions from that perspective.

KEILAR: Yes, I certainly think -- I agree with you on that. Hugh Hewitt, thank you so much. As always, a pleasure to have you on with us here. Appreciate it.

I want to bring in now CNN Political Commentator Patti Solis-Doyle. She was a former campaign manager for Hillary Clinton. And we have Amanda Carpenter, CNN Political Commentator, conservative writer and former communications director for Senator Tec Cruz.

So, Patti, gotcha questions or not? What did you think? This was -- this was fair?

PATTI SOLIS DOYLE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: No, I mean, I don't think it was a gotcha question at all. And if you're running for the president of the United States of America, you should not only expect to get these questions but, more importantly, be prepared to answer them.

I think Donald Trump has gotten really far by bluster and bravado, but now that he's the solid front-runner, not just nationally but in the states, and he got a little bit more establishment when he signed the pledge yesterday, he should expect to get these questions more and more. And either he's going to be able to answer them or not. And then, I think we'll see what kind of effect that will take on his candidacy.

KEILAR: What did you think, Amanda?

AMANDA CARPENTER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, who knew Hugh Hewitt was such a bimbo? I mean, we've seen this movie before. If Donald Trump doesn't like questions he's asked or he doesn't know how to answer it, he goes into attack mode. He did it with Megyn Kelly, now he's doing it to Hugh Hewitt.

And let's be honest, Hugh Hewitt is a very fair dealer. There was a political story a few days ago saying that these are the subjects he's interested in. He's been very up front that these are questions I will ask you and I expect you to know the answers to.

So, either Trump wasn't paying attention, wasn't prepped, there's any number of reasons he couldn't answer this question, but the net effect of his answers show that he really doesn't have what it takes to be commander in chief because he doesn't take it seriously.

KEILAR: OK. So, Carly Fiorina appeared on Hugh's show and she was asked very similar questions, the same question. She said, quote, in response to what's happened here, "The questions you're asking are at the heart of the face -- of the threat that we face, that our ally, Israel, faces that the world faces. It is critically important that we have a leader in the White House who understands the world and who's in it and how it works.

But, also, let me sort of put this out there to both of you. There's so much appeal for an outsider. We've seen Ben Carson's stock rise in the polls.

CARPENTER: Right.

KEILAR: No one's going to argue he's not a smart man. He's a brilliant neurosurgeon. But even he admits he needs to work on his foreign policy chops. Can someone, like that or Donald Trump, can they get there, Patti? Can they get to the where they need to be to be president?

SOLIS DOYLE: Sure, if you do your homework. If you actually do the work to become president of the United States. I mean, Carly Fiorina is the perfect example of that. She was prepared for this interview. She did her homework. She gave great answers. And when you compare Donald Trump and Carly Fiorina in that, you know, specific interview, you know, Carly won, big time. So, --

[13:10:12] CARPENTER: Well, let me make a point that I think will be of interest to Patti. I think what Hugh Hewitt is doing right now is such a great service to Republicans. Because think of someone going into a presidential debate against Hillary Clinton, former secretary of state who, without a doubt, knows the stuff inside out. She will make mincemeat out of someone that doesn't know these answers and let's find out where all of the Republican candidates are now rather than later.

KEILAR: And they seem gunning for Donald Trump, I will say, especially Jeb Bush. He's really stepped up his rhetoric against Donald Trump. This is what he said at a campaign stop in New Hampshire yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm going to push back when he -- when he says things that are ugly that I think will damage our brand, damage our ability to be successful. And I'm sure as hell going to -- when he attacks me personally or disparages my family, you're dam right I'm going to fight back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: OK, I think Jeb is putting the exclamation point in Jeb, finally, right? Is this -- is he going to be able to really meet Trump, though, with this rhetoric and this, I guess, newfound pizazz, should we say? CARPENTER: I find this act so unbelievable. If you look at him, his

shoulders are up. It looks like somebody is putting the words in his mouth. Jeb isn't being himself and I think it's because the political ground has shifted underneath him. He's the guy that has all the money, all the consultants. He should be up in the polls and, for some reason, this guy is upsetting the apple cart and this reaction shows that he just doesn't have the demeanor to handle it.

KEILAR: OK.

SOLIS DOYLE: Well, Trump is clearly better skilled at the theatrics and the bravado here and Jeb is, you know, under water when it comes to that. But Jeb actually not only has the money but he also has the ideas. And so, I think this is good for him. This is good for him to fight back on Trump, because he'll win on the ideas.

KEILAR: All right, Patti, Amanda, thank you, guys, so much.

Don't go anywhere. Coming up, Joe Biden gets emotional about a possible presidential run. We'll be talking about that. Hear what he says is the single biggest factor affecting his decision.

And then, later on, tired of the terrible conditions, a group of refugees starts walking, walking toward the Austria-Hungary border. CNN's Arwa Damon is with them. She will join us live to bring their story to us. I'll ask the State Department spokesman what the U.S. is doing to help them.

[13:12:31]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:16:34] BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Another of Hillary Clinton's top State Department aides is on Capitol Hill today facing e-mail questions from the House Select Committee on Benghazi. Moments ago, talking with MSNBC, Clinton spoke about the e-mail controversy at length and what she should have done differently.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I certainly wish that I had made a different choice and I know why the American people have questions about it and I want to make sure that I answer those questions. Starting with the fact that my personal e-mail use was fully above board. It was allowed by the State Department, as they have confirmed. But in retrospect, it certainly would have been better. I take responsibility. I should have had two accounts, one for personal and one for work related.

At the end of the day, I am sorry that this has been confusing to people and has raised a lot of questions. But there are answers to all these questions and I will continue to provide those answers and those answers have been confirmed and affirmed by the State Department and by other government officials and eventually I'll get to testify in public and I'm sure it will be a long and grueling time there but all the - all the questions will be answered. And I take responsibility and it wasn't the best choice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: I want to talk about these Clinton comments with our CNN political commentators Patti Solis Doyle and Amanda Carpenter.

So I heard that interview and I definitely think Hillary Clinton is showing more contrition, but she also said that she is sorry it's been confusing for people. She didn't say she's sorry for using a private e-mail server, although certainly she expresses her regret in doing it the way she had. What do you make of this treatment of the e-mails from Hillary Clinton this time?

AMANDA CARPENTER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think she's trying her best to put it behind her. I think she's been forced out into doing interviews. Most of the Democrats I've talked to seem very happy that she's going to Capitol Hill to testify because I think this is a big - almost act of theater to try to say, OK, I answered all the questions and by December we're going to put this scandal away.

I don't think that will be the case because at the end of the day, she admits she made a mistake and that's a mistake that potentially compromised national security and that is disqualifying for someone who wants to be commander-in-chief.

KEILAR: Patti?

PATTI SOLIS DOYLE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, look, I think there's no question that the handling of the e-mail controversy has not been great. I mean her numbers have taken a real hit over it. But I think last week we saw the beginning of a shift in tone, and more importantly I think a real acknowledgment that she did make a mistake in using a server for her communications at the State Department.

But today's interview I thought she was, you know, more affable. She was ready to answer questions. Her shift in tone is good. And between the shift in tone, the acknowledgment of the mistake, more interviews, I think we could probably turn the coroner in the next couple of months.

KEILAR: She also talked about Donald Trump. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: I think it's an unfortunate development in American politics that his campaign is all about who he's against, whether it's immigrants or women broadcasters or aides of other candidates. He is the candidate of, you know, being against.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: All right, that's a little - I'm going to say that's a little tepid. And I wonder what you think, Patti? Just because, admittedly, for Hillary Clinton, it works politically to have Donald Trump roiling things up on the Republican side. [13:20:10] DOYLE: I think Donald Trump is a huge gift to Democrats and

nothing would be better for him to be the nominee. I mean it will be a clear win for Democrats if Hillary's the nominee or someone else is the nominee. So, yes, sure, of course, keep it going.

CARPENTER: Hillary's not going to go after him and take him out because he's taken all the focus off the e-mail scandal. If it weren't for Donald Trump, we'd be talking about those e-mails 24/7.

DOYLE: (INAUDIBLE).

KEILAR: Some of it -

CARPENTER: OK, fifty percent. It's about even now.

KEILAR: Well, there is a lot of speciation now about whether Joe Biden's going to get in the race and he added to it saying this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Unless I can go to my party and the American people and say that I am able to devote my whole heart and my whole soul to this endeavor, it would not be appropriate. And everybody talks about a lot of other factors, the other people in the race and whether I can raise the money and whether I can put together an organization. That's not the factor. The factor is, can I do it? Can my family?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: That was a really somber response to this issue from Joe Biden last night in Atlanta. What is your take on that, whether he will get in?

DOYLE: Well, look, running for president is always a very personal decision. It always has a huge impact on not only you, but the people that you love, your family, your children, your spouse, your brothers and sisters. And I can only imagine what kind of decision this is now given the tragic death of his son Beau. So I don't know. I mean I just can't put myself in his shoes. As a mother I couldn't do that. But I do know that if he does decide to get in, that he will be a very formidable candidate.

CARPENTER: I can see Joe Biden getting in the race just to help the Democratic brand and party and ultimately help Hillary Clinton because when I think going ahead to the debates, Hillary Clinton is essentially on stage the only defender of the Obama legacy. I think that kind of foresight could just pull Joe Biden into the race because otherwise you're going to have Hillary Clinton there, Martin O'Malley, Bernie Sanders and Jim Webb beating up on the Obama/Clinton/Biden legacy. So that might get Biden into the race after some healing.

KEILAR: We will see and hopefully soon. Patti Solis Doyle, Amanda Carpenter, thank you guys so much. Appreciate it.

Don't forget, CNN is hosting the next Republican debate on September the 16th. CNN will also host the first of the six Democratic debates. That is October 13th. And we will bring that to you from Nevada live. It will be right here on CNN.

Still ahead, police on edge, people pushed to the brink. How the refugee crisis in Europe is spiraling out of control.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:27:48] KEILAR: Europe is facing a moment of truth. Those are words from the head of the United Nations refugee agency. He is urging European countries to find a common strategy to fix the migrant crisis. And now it seems the British prime minister, David Cameron, is trying to do just that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Given the scale of the crisis and the suffering of people, today I can announce that we will do more, providing resettlement for thousands more Syrian refugees. We will continue with our approach of taking them from the refugee camps. This provides them with a more direct and safe route to the United Kingdom rather than risking the hazardous journey which has tragedy cost so many their lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: But in Hungary, it is a different story. Earlier today, Hungary's parliament passed a series of laws to protect their borders. This includes giving police more authority and strict punishment for illegal border crossings. But as you can see from these pictures here, tensions are high.

This is a migrant camp. This is violence breaking out at a migrant camp in southern Hungary. This is near the Serbian border. Police using batons and tear gas to control the crowd there. And in a town right outside of Budapest it's day two of a standoff between refugees and police. This was a train bound for western Europe when it was halted. Passengers saying they don't want to go back to Hungary. They say they've already been treated badly at camps like the one you saw just before this. And as CNN was reporting on this crisis earlier, another train moving in there on our reporter Frederik Pleitgen to block the view and stop CNN from communicating with the refugees and showing their flight.

Meanwhile, at the train station in Budapest, a large group of refugees and migrants have had enough. They have set off on foot in the direction of the Austrian border. CNN's senior international correspondent Arwa Damon is walking with them. I want to bring her in now live.

[13:30:00] Arwa, what's the plan here? How far do they think they're going to get? How far do they want to get?

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, if they have to walk all the way to Germany, that's what they are going to do.