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Wolf
Ad Wrongly Implies Relationship between Trump, GOP Rep; Trump Speaks in Ohio, Clinton Speaks in North Carolina. Aired 1:30-2p ET
Aired October 27, 2016 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[13:30:00] WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee paid for that advertisement. They issued this statement. I'll quote the statement: "House Republicans are so desperate to keep voters from discovering their ties to Donald Trump and their support for his dangerous agenda that they're threatening to sue television stations. Voters will see through their threats of frivolous lawsuits, just as they are seeing through their craven attempts to separate themselves from their standard bearer despite standing with him during his long, hate-driven campaign."
"The Tampa Bay Times" reported that Jolly's former opponent, Governor Charlie Crist, eventually asked the DCCC to take down the ad after the paper published an editorial severely criticizing it. We reached out to the DCCC, the Crist campaign, some television stations that ran the ads for response. So far, we've not heard back.
I'm joined by the Florida Congressman David Jolly, who's featured in one of those ads.
Congressman, thanks very much for joining us.
REP. DAVID JOLLY, (R), FLORIDA: Yes.
BLITZER: The problem you have, the ad is no longer being run, you've never met Donald Trump or been photographed with him. Those pictures were Photoshopped, right?
JOLLY: They were Photoshopped. It is false imagery. Reporters called profoundly misleading, one of the sleaziest ads of the cycle.
Look, we know why they did it. I have never met Donald Trump. I called on Trump to drop out of the race over his Muslim ban. But we know why they did it. Donald Trump may have inspired millions of Americans but he has created great head winds politically among Independents and Democrats.
And so in this race, I'm the one Republican in the country running against a Democrat, Charlie Crist -- Chain Gang Charlie as he's known to the African-American community -- who has a 20-year relationship with Donald Trump. Trump supported him politically. Charlie called him gracious and hospitable. The DCCC is trying to mislead voters by tying Trump to me. We know why. It is politically toxic in a democratically leaning district, in the one I have the good fortune to represent. BLITZER: Your opponent Charlie Crist, the former Florida governor, he
called for the ad to be pulled from those TV stations. It seems to have coincided when the ad was scheduled to end. So what's your beef with Charlie Crist right now?
JOLLY: That's right. Well, listen, I want people to know about Charlie Crist's relationship with Donald Trump. Crist called him gracious and hospitable. This is a district that President Obama went out and won by 12 points. Charlie has abandoned his own friend, Donald Trump. He's hiding from his past and trying to attach it to me. The hypocrisy is Charlie waited until the very last day of the media buy to say he had a change of heart. He had an opportunity in front of a college student when the ad first came out. Charlie claimed the First Amendment.
Listen, candidates can bicker over misleading ads but this has misled voters. When I hear from African-American pastors saying, wait, you told me you don't support Trump, but I'm seeing all these photos of you and Trump. Charlie Crist is responsible for that. It's a failure of leadership. It's why we are tired of Charlie in Florida. But we know why --
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ran the ad, paid for the ad. Charlie Crist didn't. We asked for a statement from Crist. We didn't get it. Are you still going to sue these TV stations for running these ads?
JOLLY: The way it works in a political season, the attorneys immediately recognized it as false imagery that is not protected for a political committee like it is for a candidate. That was the legal ground by which we contacted the stations. One station said they took it down for a day, but it ended up going back up. Look, at this point, there's no reason for the Jolly campaign to file legal action.
What I want to know is make sure the voters understand the truth here. The truth is I don't support Donald Trump. I respect the millions of people who do. But I've been open at great political risk within my own party for the last year speaking out against his foreign policy, his economic policy, his tone at times. And running against a candidate with a 20-year relationship, listen this is a one-county race. This is my home. Lying to voters is personal to me when I see Charlie do it because these are personal relationships. And I want to make sure people understand the truth. That's it.
The only candidate in my race with a relationship with Donald Trump is Charlie Crist, and he's hiding from it because he knows it will hurt him in the African-American community, a community by which we're going to win this on Tuesday.
BLITZER: By the way, we reached out to those TV stations for comment. We have not received a comment yet from three of those TV stations running the DCCC ad.
Who are you going to vote for? JOLLY: I'm one of those millions of Americans still struggling with
that decision. I know I can't support Hillary Clinton based on some strong policy differences. My reservations with Donald Trump are the fact that he wants to revisit our NATO relationship. That he flirts with Putin. He once said he wants to be neutral on Israel. I disagree with renegotiating the debt or not paying off the debt. I disagree with mass deportation. For policy reasons, I can't support him.
Listen, Wolf, I understand millions of Americans inspired by Donald Trump saying he wants to change Washington. I've only been there two years. I'm the guy who pulled the curtain back on the fundraising scandal. I took a pledge to no longer raise money. I've tried to take on hard issues as a Republican, from climate science to marriage equality, to say let's fix this, let's get past the dogma of the partisanship in Washington.
I've got no interest in being part of a broken Washington. I know millions of people are tired of it as well. They find an answer in Donald Trump. I respect that. I simply don't find my answer in Mr. Trump.
[13:35:47] BLITZER: One final question -- I know you've got to run -- when the DCCC put the word "dramatization" over those Photoshopped pictures of you and Trump, clearly that was not satisfactory?
JOLLY: Listen, anyone who knows Washington, knows by DCCC, you mean a bunch of kids in the basement of the headquarters who are laughing about this ad today, knowing they got away with it. In my community, they're not going to get away with it. We're going to beat Charlie Crist because this ad has backfired and it landed right in the lap of my opponent, Chain Gang Charlie.
BLITZER: We're going to leave it on that note.
Congressman David Jolly, in Florida, thank you so much for joining us.
JOLLY: Thank you, Wolf. Appreciate it very much.
BLITZER: Coming up, bring in the closer. The First Lady Michelle Obama about to make her pitch for Hillary Clinton, why she should be elected president of the United States. Looking at live pictures coming in from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, right now. We'll have live coverage of Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton.
We're also standing by momentarily. Donald Trump, he's in Ohio right now. And we'll have live coverage of his speech.
We're here in Washington. Our coverage continues right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:40:43] BLITZER: We're standing by to hear from Michelle Obama, the first lady of the United States, getting ready to deliver what they're describing as a closing argument for Hillary Clinton. You're looking at live pictures from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where we will witness this historic moment. The first lady campaigning with her predecessor, Hillary Clinton, in an effort to get her back into the White House, this time, as president of the United States.
The two have had a friendly relationship since President Obama took office almost eight years ago. Well, let's take a look back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FORMER CNN HOST: Speaking of Hillary, are you happy with the way she's supporting your husband?
MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: She's been phenomenal.
HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I know a little bit about the role that --
(LAUGHTER)
-- Michelle Obama is filling now. And I have to say, in a very short time, she has, through her grace and her wisdom, become an inspiration to women and girls.
OBAMA: Let me thank my dear, friend Senator Clinton -- Secretary Clinton.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: I almost said President Clinton.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: All right, let's bring in our panel, Carol Lee still with us from the "Wall Street Journal"; David Gregory, our political analyst; CNN chief political correspondent, Dana Bash; and Zeke Miller of "Time" magazine.
Dana, I'm told, this could change, the first lady will stress the positive nature of why she wants Hillary Clinton to be the first woman president of the United States and avoid too much of the criticism let's say of Donald Trump.
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, right. She's the one be who said first, when they go low, we go high, right, so she's got to stick with it. She went off a little bit in one speech, really going after Donald Trump.
But, yeah, it's going to be a moment. I think the fact if she does follow through on that, the fact she's going to be emphasizing seeing the gender issue it's not talked about, the fact she would be the first female president, to sort of bring it back to that, to sort of pull on those heart strings among men and women about the historic nature of a potential Clinton candidacy, is quite interesting. Just the fact -- we saw the little clip, series of clips you just other, it's nice to hear that. But remember, they were very, very fierce rivals because, of course, Michelle Obama's husband beat her the last time Hillary Clinton --
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: Eight years ago, for the Democratic presidential nomination.
The fact they're appearing together, David, in North Carolina, a key battleground state. Right now the polls show it's pretty close in North Carolina. If Trump doesn't win North Carolina for all practical purposes, it looks like it would be over. This giant appearance is designed to get that base out, that Barack Obama base that got him twice elected president of the United States.
DAVID GREGORY, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: It's young people, minorities, particularly African-Americans, it's women. It's the fact they're early voting. So they're already voting. They're trying to strike while she's in such a commanding position. So much of this race has been about Donald Trump. As Dana said, I think we have to make a pivot. I think the Clinton team feels they have to make a pivot to really make it about her, the historic nature of her candidacy, what she'll do for the country, but get people thinking about voting for her, and not just against him.
BLITZER: Voter turnout is going to be critical right now, Carol. She' got to really generate that base to get out there and actually show up.
CAROL LEE, WHITE HOUSE REPORTER, WALL STREET JOURNAL: Right. It's critical. Michelle Obama is a good tool for them to get out the vote, particularly in a state like North Carolina, with African-American women. And one of the things that's interesting, if you look at all of the big surrogates for Secretary Clinton, they came out and did her initial event with her. Now they're campaigning together. And it just adds this extra punch to their appearance today.
BLITZER: Zeke, it's interesting, President Obama's approval rating is about 50 percent, maybe 55 percent. That's sort of in line with where Ronald Reagan was at this stage at the end of his second term, where Bill Clinton was at this stage at the end of his second term. Does that translate automatically into a boost for Hillary Clinton?
ZEKE MILLER, POLITICAL REPORTER, TIME MAGAZINE: Absolutely. It's a much better position for her to be in than, say, John McCain coming after George W. Bush, where his approval rating was quite awful. I don't recall the specific number there, but Barack Obama is one of the most popular politicians in this country right now. Michelle Obama is not a politician, per se, but is certainly far more popular than her husband. And, you know, that's an asset.
[13:45:32] GREGORY: It also says something about the Democratic brand, the Democratic coalition. You have young people, minorities, women and college educated voters, that's an expansion of that Democratic band. That's part of what Barack Obama ushered into his victories in 2008 and 2012. She's in a position to seize on that, help, of course, that Donald Trump is so unpopular. BLITZER: Dana, I think everyone's been impressed with how effective
Michelle Obama's been out there on the campaign trail for Hillary Clinton. She's really fallen into it and seems to enjoy what she's doing.
BASH: Look, even Republicans will say she's a rock star. She can get out there, deliver a speech pretty much better than anybody at this point, even maybe including her husband. He was, of course, known for his great orator skills. There's no question about that.
I do think it is interesting, obviously one of the big reasons they're in North Carolina is because of early voting. But North Carolina actually did not go their way four years ago. It was one of the --
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: Narrowly, narrowly.
BASH: -- flipped now. Now, the Obama campaign at the time just kind of gave up on it because they saw other paths from other states. The fact they still think there is a reservoir of good will and love for the Obamas, which obviously there still is, that they want to tap in to that before it's too late, because they're still in the White House, is quite telling.
BLITZER: She's got really, Hillary Clinton, a strong bench, a reservoir of surrogates, like the first lady, the president, who will go out there and actually try to help her.
LEE: She does. Also the vice president. She -- and Trump doesn't have that on his side. It's just really him. And Hillary has a number of people she can go to and they've deployed them in strategic ways.
The other thing I would say about Michelle Obama, it's really remarkable to see her doing this because she came in as not wanting -- does not like politics. The president, I was traveling with him this past weekend, and he was telling stories about how it would be great if you -- I think you'd be a great president. She's really leaned into it.
BLITZER: Everybody stand by.
We have a lot more coming up. Donald Trump, he's about to take the stage. We're told in the battleground state of Ohio, one of three events. This is the first one he's got planned today. He's being introduced. We've got live coverage of that.
Also, live pictures from North Carolina right now. Hillary Clinton, she will be speaking there with a very special guest, as we pointed out, the first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama. We'll have live coverage of that as well.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [13:52:24] BLITZER: Take a look at live pictures coming in. Donald Trump getting ready to speak in Ohio, a key battleground state. Hillary Clinton getting ready to speak in North Carolina. She's got the first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, with her. We'll have live coverage of all of that.
Dana, I'm going to be anxious to see and hear Donald Trump and see if he sticks to teleprompter or deviates and just starts speaking sort of off the cuff.
BASH: You and his aides both, we'll be waiting to see that. Look, I think that they -- that even he -- I mean, I spent a little bit of time with him yesterday about I get the sense that even from listening to the remarks he did make it was mostly about his hotel. But he talked a little bit about the race there that he -- it's becoming more clear to him this is potentially getting closer and that a lot of whether or not he can pull it off in some of these key states is banking on, relying on, whether he can focus on some of the things he has been talking about. The Obamacare issue, we talked about it over the past few days, the fact premiums are going up so much nationally and more so in some swing states, you cannot underestimate how powerful a message that is, considering how powerful the Obamacare message was going back to 2010, allowed remembers to get the majority. If they can keep it up and show, look, we told you so.
BLITZER: David, what will you be looking for?
GREGORY: Direct appeals to conservatives to come home to the party. I think a real dynamic to look for here is where Hillary she's campaigning and how she's playing a more Sunshine-State strategy, Florida, North Carolina, Arizona, to expand the map. It says something about how the Democratic Party can reshape the electoral map and give the Rustbelt, more white working class voters who a candidate like Trump can appeal to.
BLITZER: Carol.
LEE: I'm look for whether -- we saw a lot of the Clinton campaign moving towards we need to not just win, but win big. There was a lot of confidence focusing on down-ballot races and I wonder if they're worried about complacency and if you'll see that reflected in her remarks.
MILLER: And it's the discipline for Donald Trump, how does he make that message about bringing Republicans home? We've seen his running mate make that argument. Donald Trump hasn't found a way to do that effectively. He's still taking spot shots at party leaders. Will he stop? Can he stop? I'll look for that.
BLITZER: Is there an update, Dana -- Donald Trump told you he's going to spend $100 million of his own money. He spent so far close to $60 million. Is there word that money is being to flow out, being transferred?
BASH: Not yet. No, no. He still claims at the end of the day he's going to do that. There is pressure on him to do so. I was talking to more strategists who are familiar with what's available in terms of airtime in a lot of these key states and that the markets are saturated. In a lot of them, if he wanted to go big, he could do a big national buy for millions and millions of dollars, but that would be going really big.
[13:55:17] BLITZER: In these final days, it looks like the Democrats have a better ground game and more money, right?
GREGORY: They have money, ground game, surrogates, and the best entertainers in the country willing to go out there and sing for Hillary Clinton.
BLITZER: 12 days to go. We'll be watching every step of the way.
Remember, we're standing by. Donald Trump will be speaking in Ohio momentarily. We're getting ready to hear what he has to say.
Hillary Clinton is in North Carolina. She has a major, major supporter, the First Lady Michelle Obama. They will be speaking there. Of course, CNN will have live coverage.
In the meantime, that's it for me. Thanks very much for watching. I'll be back 5:00 p.m. eastern in "The Situation Room."
For our international viewers, "Amanpour" is coming up next.
For our viewers in North America NEWSROOM with Brooke Baldwin will start right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:00:13] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Here we go. Top of the hour. You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.
