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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

Donald Trump Still Driving the Republican Race; Carly Fiorina Will Be in Prime-Time GOP Debate; New Details About Slain Officer's Gunshot Wound; Phoenix Police: 2 More Vehicles Targeted. Aired 8-9:00p ET

Aired September 10, 2015 - 20:00   ET

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

[20:00:20] ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Hey, good evening. Thanks for joining us.

There is a lot going on tonight. Breaking news -- how we begin. The moment that 16 Republican presidential contenders, their campaigns and millions of voters have been waiting for has arrived. It was six days to go until we bring you the next Republican debate. And after crunching the latest polling numbers, some as recent as today, we can now tell you which candidates will be in the primetime event at Reagan library here on CNN and who will take part instead in the place earlier debate. That is the biggest new but fall from the only news in a bruising brawling day within the GOP field.

First though, let's get to the debate lineup. Chief national correspondent John King has got it. He joins us now. So who is in, John?

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, Donald Trump, the man in the middle still driving the Republican race. Have 11 candidates on stage for our debate, a week away. The new face will be Carly Fiorina. Remember, she was the slingshot candidate from the early, the single candidate lesser candidate debate, excuse me, last time. She will join. But the man in the middle will still be Donald Trump. Dr. Ben Carson and Jeb Bush will be next to him. Ted Cruz and Scott Walker, Texas senator, the Wisconsin governor. Again, Carly Fiorina business woman. Marco Rubio, the senator. And to this side, Governor Huckabee and Senator Paul. To this side Governor Kasich and Chris Christie.

Why the line like this, Anderson? This is a combination polls going back several months. But if you take a look at our late numbers releasing just today, look at that. For the first time, Donald Trump above 30 percent. He is far and away now the national front-runner in this race. Ben Carson at 19. Jeb Bush down to single digit, nine percent. Scott Walker down to single digit, five percent.

So if you look at the lineup here for the primetime debate, again, 11 candidates. Donald Trump still the front-runner in the middle. Carly Fiorina the new face. This will be the big primetime dynamic.

I will show you quickly the earlier debate. We will have five candidates. Governor Rick Perry, the former governor of Texas, Senator Santorum, Governor Jindal, Senator Graham and Governor Pataki. Why are they in the earlier debate? Well because they are so struggling in the polls.

If you look at the back several months, they might be a bit higher. But on our most recent poll, Anderson, Santorum at one, Jindal at one. The others just barely register. At some point this field is shrink. Everyone said it is not going to happen soon that this will be the mostly like can, Anderson.

COOPER: And as Trump's support continues to increase, do we know where the growth is coming from? Which groups in particular behind it?

KING: This is what makes the Trump phenomenon. It is coming from the summer into the fall. It is so fascinating.

Let's take a look at it. First, just a raw numbers. Again, he is at 32 percent. That's the first time he cracked 32 percent in our polling. Ben Carson at 19. Governor Bush at nine. Ted Cruz, now watch this, as it plays out, Anderson. You bring these numbers in. Donald Trump is on the upswing. He is going exactly the way you want to go as a political candidate from 12 to 24 to 32. Ben Carson, also on the rise from eight to nine to 19 of the past three months.

This is the man who was the front-runner in the spring. He has cut almost in half. Jeb Bush now down to nine percent. Ted Cruz coming up a bit as we go into this debate. Interesting to watch as he appeals to evangelicals. Whether he can keep the growth going.

Donald Trump remains the man of the moment. Why is that? Let's take a look at support, 71 percent of those who support Donald Trump in our poll say they do so because of his positions on the issues. This is what is going to frustrate rivals. They say wait a minute, he wants to raise taxes. He was once pro-choice. He was for single payer healthcare plan. How can Republican support him that at the moment they say they do, Anderson. His rivals will try to expose that in the debate.

And his support is so broad, 31 percent of Republican men. This is stunning. Tripled from June, 11 percent of Republican women in June for Trump, 33 percent of Republican women now for Trump. Forty one percent of tea party supporter for the Trump, 32 percent of Republicans they say they are neutral on the tea party over Trump. So the support is not only getting bigger, it is getting wider. Deeper. Broader, Anderson.

COOPER: And I understand there has been a switch in terms of which candidate, Republicans believe will end up actually getting the nomination?

KING: The more Republicans hear from Donald Trump, the more Republicans, even those who don't support him think he will be the Republican nominee. Remember, he gets 32 percent in our poll for support for the nomination. But 41 percent of Republicans now, four in ten Republicans believe Donald Trump will be their nominee for the general election in 2016. Only 22 percent believe that about Jeb Bush now. That's down quite a bit. That is more than doubled what it was just a couple months ago. So Donald Trump, likelihood, Republicans thinking he is going to be their nominee as way on the right field.

The only caveat, though, I want to add to that. That's a great number for Donald Trump. It helps him, Anderson. But at this point four years ago, it is actually the same percentage. Forty one percent of Republicans said Rick Perry would be their nominee. Didn't turn out that way.

COOPER: Yes. John, fascinating. Looking at those numbers. Thank you.

Perspective now from CNN political commentator Jeffrey Lord and Amanda Carpenter. He is a Trump supporter and former Reagan White House political director. She is former communications director for Ted Cruz. Also with us, Matt Kibbe, senior adviser for concerned American voters, which is a pro-Rand Paul super Pac.

Amanda, I mean, when you look at this debate lineup, you got Donald Trump with the commanding lead, now sparring not just with Jeb Bush as he has been, but also now with Dr. Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina. To say nothing of all the other candidates who want a piece of him to try to get some attention. Does anything in recent memory compare to this kind of political caldron?

[20:05:11] AMANDA CARPENTER, FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR SEN. TED CRUZ: No. This is a unique debate, unique election. And one of the things that is starting to settle in is the notion -- we talked a lot on the program about why are Trump and Carson in particular rising? They're not very much alike.

But let me tell you why, why they are so similar. Both of them are rebukes to the culture of political correctness. We don't have to explain that with Donald Trump. But with Ben Carson, if you go back and look at his breakout moment at national prayer breakfast where he controversially criticized President Obama. His breakout line was I don't believe in political correctness. And so, what's the other candidates need to take from this is that they cannot be afraid to speak boldly and clearly about what they intend to do as president. And until they get that message down and they push for big positive reforms, they're not going to go of the in the polls.

COOPER: Jeffrey, I mean, Trump hitting back against Ben Carson today. The fallout from comments Trump's comment about Carly Fiorina, all of which we are going to get to over the next two hours. It deserves a lot of new stuff on that tonight. Do you see this next debate getting personal in a way that could have real consequences, for better or worse, depending on your politics?

JEFFREY LORD, FORMER REAGAN WHITE HOUSE POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Well, I think he will be fine. You know, what I took particular note of today was Governor Jindal. And his, you know, he went on this, you know incredible rant. Governor Jindal, in fact is at one percent.

COOPER: Well, that seemed to me just kind of a desperate move to try to get some sort of attention.

LORD: Well, that's exactly where I am going. That's exactly right, Anderson. I mean, it was desperation. And I do think that there is beginning to be, you know, the sort of smell of desperation and panic with a number of these campaigns that they just can't make any progress here. And they're trying to figure out if there is anything they can do, you know, in the way of a Hail Mary pass at this debate, to sort of, you know, stop this. I'm not sure that there is but I think that there may be a few - more than a few that will try.

COOPER: Well, Matt, I mean, your candidate, Senator Rand Paul, went after Trump right out of the gate at the last debate doesn't necessarily really seem to have helped him. How do you think candidates can go after Donald Trump if that's what they choose? Is anything effective?

MATT KIBBE, SENIOR ADVISER FOR PRO-RAND PAUL SUPERPAC: Well, I think one of the lessons from the first debate is that Donald Trump is the Jedi master of trolls. And the rule of trolling is you don't feed them. And I think if everybody sort of sticks with their, their game plan, particularly rand Paul who is a reformer, he is an authentic anti-establishment disrupter within the Republican party, I think he needs to be himself and play his game and try as best you can to ignore the Donald because he will just suck up all of the oxygen.

COOPER: Matt, I have to ask you. I mean, you a former tea party leader. When you see the numbers of tea party, you now, people who say they are, you know, tea party supporters, supporting Trump, what do you make of that? I mean, because I know you believe if you are a true tea party follower or believer, Trump is not the person?

KIBBE: Yes, I think Donald Trump is sort of the anti-tea party. He is all about a charismatic person that is going to take charge much look Barack Obama has. But I think what is going on here. This is a paradigm shift in American politics, away from the closed door sessions where the, the GOP phobias (ph) would say, "Jeb it is your turn." That is not going to happen this time. So a lot of this is disruption.

But it is also just a repudiation of the GOP establishment. They have trashed the Republican brand, amongst Republicans. And Donald Trump and Ben Carson and anybody who doesn't have an R next to their name is sort of exploiting that window of opportunity.

COOPER: And I mean, Amanda, the one reliable ally that Donald Trump is going to have on the debate stage is your former boss, Senator Ted Cruz. Everybody seems to acknowledge. He is hoping to somehow build off Trump support. He has even said, you know, last debate was great because so many eyeballs were watching. They heard my message. So if Trump is a factor in the debate, do you see Senator Cruz defending him? Is there any risk in that?

CARPENTER: Well, I think Senator Cruz will probably take Matt's advice and not feed the troll. Listen. There are issues that you can work with Donald Trump on particularly stopping illegal immigration and stopping this horrible Iran deal that GOP leadership in Washington has completely surrendered on. So if you can find things to work with other people on, I think that is a plus for everyone. And what I am looking for in this debate as well, is also, listen,

there is other candidates who are essentially falling off the map. The earlier debate, we might want to call it the one percent debate because you see people can't break higher in the polls.

So where are those voters going to go? What point in time? I think Senator Cruz can pick up voters. Scott Walker continues to go down in the polls. I can see some of his supporters going to Cruz. So I am interested in seeing how the field is going to change and where supporters from lower tier candidates are going to go because this field has to consolidate at some point in time. If we have so many candidates going so far in this race, Donald Trump could take it with a quarter of the vote. He is dangerously close to winning the nomination with the very small percentage of voters. And I do not think that is good for the Republican Party.

[20:10:20] COOPER: Yes. That the only group, that one percent, that nobody wants to be a part of. Go ahead, Jeffrey.

LORD: One of the things, Anderson, that I think we are beginning to see evolve is the possibility of a Trump-Cruz ticket. Or, you know, if the Carson thing settles down and Trump-Carson ticket. In other words, in all outsider ticket here to really drive home the message. I mean, that would be a complete and total repudiation of the Republican establishment. And when you look at these numbers and these internals here, where the candidates are getting, you know, 60 percent of the vote combined in some of the cases, that's pretty emphatic.

And I think the message would be, if Donald Trump emerges as the nominee, is you know, don't pick some establishment, you know, don't sort of do a unification thing, quote- unquote "by picking Jeb Bush." You know, stick with the outsiders. They are the ones who brought him to the dance. And I think that's what the people want.

COOPER: But you know, Matt, I mean, to Jeffrey's point about Trump- Cruz or Trump-Carson, I mean, this thing changes so quickly. I mean, couple weeks ago, people talked about a Trump-Fiorina ticket. That seems hard to imagine now that, you know, he has gone after her face. Although, he claims he went after her persona. Who knows where two weeks from now, I mean, if this Carson thing continues to be a back and forth, you know, over their faith. They're both polling well with voters who call themselves evangelicals.

KIBBE: Yes. I think the game is for authentic outsiders like Rand Paul or Ted Cruz to stay in the game. The assumption has to be that Trump and Carson eventually lose team, much the way that Rick Perry or Rudy Giuliani in the 2008 cycle did. That has to be the focus. And it's got to be a long term game for candidates like that because the new rules of politics allow for more candidates to stay in the game longer. They are going to raise money independently at the party and they are going to be able to reach their own constituents. So I don't think we should make any profound pronouncements at this point about who might be the nominee.

COOPER: Yes. Well, that's for sure. Even people make pronouncements like the day before the election usually get it wrong.

Matt, it is always good to have you. Amanda Carpenter and Jeffrey Lord as well.

In our next hour, because we are on for two hours tonight, we have more breaking news. Our first look at new polling on the Democratic side and what it says about just how big a challenge Hillary Clinton now faces.

Coming up next, we touch on this in the conversation already. What Donald Trump said about Carly Fiorina, specifically her face? We will talk to the reporter who broke the story and show you how Mr. Trump is now explaining himself today.

Also tonight, breaking news on the flooding in Japan where riot police are on patrol. New emergency warnings are up right at the doorstep of those crippled nuclear power plants. We will take you there and we will show you some incredible rescue efforts as the water just keeps on rising.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:16: 59] COOPER: Look at that face would any one vote for that. In a moment the "Rolling Stone" reporter who listened to Republican front-runner Donald Trump say that about challenger Carly Fiorina. The story broke last night. The controversy quickly grew.

By this morning, talking to "New Day's" Chris Cuomo, Mr. Trump has already taking fresh shots at Miss Fiorina while trying to explain that the word quote "look at her face" didn't actually have anything to do with her face. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So, but Carly, the same at Carly, I'm talking about her persona. Her persona is not going to be -- she not going to be president. She is terrible, terrible failed time.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I don't know about that. I tell you why. I hear everything you are saying about the record. They are all legitimate bases for criticism that you can level against one of your opponents. But I'm just reading a quote for what it is.

Look at that face. Why would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that is the face of our next president? I mean, she is not a woman. I am not supposed to say bad things. But really, folks, come one. Are we serious?

TRUMP: Of course. I'm talking persona.

CUOMO: How? Where is persona in that?

TRUMP: I know that is OK. Because my hair, you know me well enough, it is my hair. But when somebody --

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: Somebody comes on and says that he shouldn't be president because of his hair, look at his hair. I will say shut up. Let's talk about something else.

TRUMP: Well, I don't know. You know, you don't have to defend me. I'm not looking for anybody to defend me. I'm just saying, when she and other people hit me on things, nobody ever comes to my defense. So I'm just saying this.

CUOMO: You come to your defense.

TRUMP: Carly had a terrible time in business. She destroyed a company. You have to get the report from Jeffrey Sonnenfeld of Yale. He is the expert on Carly. It is a disaster. And check out lucent beforehand. So you have Ben saying what he said. You have Carly saying these are two people that will not be president.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Just is a sample of Chris Cuomo's conversation.

By the way, in the next hour, we are going to bring you the entire interview and get Chris' impressions of that interview. It is fascinating.

First, the author of the "Rolling Stone" cover story taking Trump seriously on the trail with the GOP's tough guy, Paul Solotaroff joins us.

Thank you so much for being with us.

First of all, I just to ask you about the most obvious question, Donald Trump saying that he was talking about her persona. Is there anything that wasn't in the article that would indicate he was talking about her persona and what he said, which is her face?

PAUL SOLOTAROFF, CONTRIBUTOR, ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE: I don't know. I want to the Yale school of drama. And I thought I meant what persona meant. Perhaps it has a broader application than they taught us in new haven.

No, I was there. I was sitting across from, as he was finishing his meal. And you know, Donald for all of his energy, for all of his way of charm has this 12 to 14-year-old boy sort of permanently affixed to his inner life. And in moments, you know, where he is sort of flush with success, which is come from this enormously impactful and successful rally, 2,500 people in a tiny little school. He was positively floating. And so, he was feeling loose and playing to the room. And the room was the six or seven people sitting behind --.

[20:20:08] COOPER: So for the record, you are saying, absolutely, he was not talking about her persona.

SOLOTAROFF: He was not talking about his persona. COOPER: How did it -- of the six or seven people, I assume they were

sort of Trump people in the room. How did, was it received? Did anybody - you know, for sometimes the handler will sort of, give some sort of indication like, ooh, that, my candidate shouldn't have said that. Was there any of that?

SOLOTAROFF: You do that with Donald Trump at your own physical peril. Nobody shuts up Donald.

COOPER: So yes men around him or yes women or yes people.

SOLOTAROFF: Yes. Yes. In a word, yes. There's this quality of a kind of mobile echo chamber around Donald. But you know there is a certain kind of brilliance to that. This is a guy who has attacked and won, attacked and won, ever since he left military academy at the age of 18. And you know, the idea that he suddenly now in his late 60s going to start taking life instruction from, you know, some hack political operative, he hasn't hired that guy. He has hired functionaries, and those are the people he surrounds himself with, not strategists.

COOPER: So, that's interesting because, I mean, one you know, one wonders if his campaign is a reflection of how he would actually govern. And if that is how he would actually govern, that's something voters may want to think about.

SOLOTAROFF: Yes. I mean, if voters are dying to have folks like Henry Kravis and Carl Icahn run the defense department, the state department, U.S. department of treasury, you know, then by all means, step forward and, you know put your thumb print on the ballot. But, you know, to, you know, the extent of my experience around Donald there isn't a serious wise man in the room with him.

COOPER: And his organization is actually pretty small, isn't it?

SOLOTAROFF: It is tiny. And, you know, one of the questions I asked him, after we had got done gallivanting around was, you know, here we are now, late August, early September, and you are way out in the lead. A, did you expect to be here? And b, what provisions have you made? What contingencies have you built in to mount a national campaign competitive in 50 states? And he said, well, we are hiring people really quickly now. We hired seven people in New Hampshire. We got a bunch of people in Iowa. But, you know, there is 50 states to contend for. And as you know, this is a particularly front loaded cycle. So, you know once the poor over in February suddenly everybody is voting.

COOPER: Although, he sort of rewriting the rules. I mean, the rules in the past you have to be on the ground in Iowa, New Hampshire all the time. He is doing a lot of stuff out of New York and it seems to be working for him.

I have got to ask you about what he said on CNN today to Chris. Because he said that you called him and said that you were upset with the article. That they added a lot of quote "garish stuff" and Jann Wenner who is the publisher of "Rolling Stone" quote "screwed it up." Did you, did you call him, is that true?

SOLOTAROFF: I spoke to Donald I think the last time, ten days ago.

COOPER: Before the article.

SOLOTAROFF: Way before the article.

COOPER: Article came out, leaked, or released last night?

SOLOTAROFF: Right. The article publishes tomorrow. So a post publication phone call between me and Donald would have been impossible according to the laws of science we currently live by. I did call him eight, ten days ago, at Jann's insistence to get some further sort of lifestyle detail and ask a couple of questions.

COOPER: So when Donald Trump says you called him, said you were upset with the article, that there was garish stuff, that Jann Wenner quote "screwed it up" in your words, that didn't happen?

SOLOTAROFF: No. What happened was I told Donald that Jann took him seriously enough to edit the story himself which he hasn't done in many years. And that he was being very tough diligent editor of this piece. And then I asked him the questions that Jann had asked me to ask him. And, you know, some of them involved the layout of the plane, you know, this kind of rich guy stuff. And Donald didn't like that. But, you know, that's -- those were my marching orders. The rest is just Donald being Donald.

COOPER: I mean, you worked for "Rolling Stone," what, for more than 20 years, right? And you have broken a lot of huge stories. Interviewed tons of people. Just as an experience, could you spent a lot of time with him on and off for some ten days. What is he, how did you find him?

SOLOTAROFF: So I found Donald to be two people. I found him first of all to be an extraordinarily shrewd predator. Someone who as I describe in the piece, is a top of the food chain killer. He is a guy with two extraordinary senses. One is something I call clairvoyance, the ability to read a market way before it is formed and get there first. The second is clairaudience, hear what is in people's hearts and minds.

[20:25:18] COOPER: Clairaudience.

SOLOTAROFF: Clairaudience. What do I mean? Why do I say that? Because there is Donald on the 26th floor of his massive office in the Trump tower, and somehow he read and saw and heard into the hearts of disaffected underemployed white people in Coatsville, Pennsylvania, in, you know, West Virginia, in Ohio. And not only was he able to hear that seething rage, he was able to read it back to them word for word in ways that no Republican has ever done before.

COOPER: And that came from him. That wasn't some clever adviser.

SOLOTAROFF: Absolutely not.

COOPER: These polls show this which is what happens with a lot of politicians.

SOLOTAROFF: Sure. But he doesn't have those people. So Trump does not the formal apparatus around him. Nor would he trust it for a second. What he has always relied on, and has always been borne out by are this sense of smell and his taste for the kill. And he is unfailingly shrewd about being on the attack at all times. I have never seen a candidate on his toes rather than on his heels every second of the day.

The second guy in the room with us, was this guy whose emotional development I think stopped quote around 13 or 14. The kid that made the crack about Carly. The guy who made the crack about his daughter. The guy who got tossed out of the posh prep schools in Queens and sent to a military academy upstate where no son of a rich man ever wind up unless he really deserves to be there.

COOPER: It's fascinating piece. It publishes you said tomorrow. Paul Solotaroff, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

SOLOTAROFF: My great pleasure.

COOPER: Coming up next, more perspective. Three prominent women, including Hillary Clinton's former campaign adviser, and a leading Republican strategist on what Donald Trump said, what Paul recorded. What he is saying about what he said, and what it could mean if he wins the GOP nomination?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Talking tonight about something Donald Trump said, which is not exactly surprising. What is surprising, at least, in the context of virtually every modern presidential campaign up until now is how nothing he has said so far has put a dent in his support among Republicans. On the contrary it has only grown stronger as our latest polling shows. Now, this time, he was talking about Carly Fiorina's face, or as he tried to explain on CNN's "New Day" this morning, her persona. He had another chance to explain tonight with Greta Van Susteren on Fox News.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP: I am talking about persona. We were watching television. Her persona is all tied up when you think about it. She's had a tremendous failed business. If you look at Hewlett- Packard, if you look at lucent before Hewlett-Packard. She hasn't done well. And the only reason I even bring it up is, frankly, she picked me, she attacked me. And I therefore have to respond. And I have responded. And we're really talking about not a physical thing. We are talking about the persona. This is a woman that gets tremendous publicity mostly on Fox to be honest with you, and I don't know why. Because I guess in that poll that you just quoted she is at a very low number. But she gets tremendous amounts of publicity. But her past doesn't go along with the publicity she is getting. So she mentions something about me. She knocks me. And, when somebody knocks me like Jeb Bush or anybody else, I at least decide that I think it is appropriate to fight back. But we're talking only about her persona.

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN: All right, I just don't want to beat a dead horse. But just that I'm on the record. I don't think you are a first time offender making a personal crack at a woman. That's the first thing. And second thing is, is that you didn't - the remark was about her face and not about her persona. So ...

TRUMP: It often goes - it all goes hand in hand. And much of the - many of the statements. And if you notice I am leading with women.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Greta, pushing back Donald Trump just a short time ago. Tonight, joining us now, chief political analyst Gloria Borger, also CNN political commentator's Patti Solis Doyle, and Margaret Hoover, service company manager for Hillary Clinton's last presidential run. Margaret is president of the conservative-leaning advocacy group American United Fund. Margaret, you know, Donald Trump who calls, sees himself as the tell it like it is guy, not politically correct guy, just says what is on his mind. For a guy who is portraying himself as that, when he, when he says something like this, he sure does seem to try to make everybody else sound stupid by thinking he actually said what he said. I mean what he said was, about her face, the idea that he was talking about his persona is just frankly, it's a lie. It's just not true. And he can try to, you know, shine object, bright objects and make people distracted and stuff, but if he was really a standup guy, he would say, yeah, that's what I said and that's what I think. Or that's what I said. And I - you know what - I went too far. But instead, he tries to act as if, we're all stupid.

MARGARET HOOVER, REPUBLIAN STRATEGIST: Right. And just continues to repeat what he wants you to believe that he actually intended, which then becomes the story. Now clearly it's all about her persona, right, it's not her face. He is the only person in American politics who can spin his way out of controversy without having to say he is sorry. I mean look at how Hillary Rodham Clinton now, everybody is saying, she just has to say she is sorry. She just has to say she's sorry. Jeb Bush, also have to say he is sorry for whatever he said about -- everything. Everything. Everybody has to say that they're sorry. Except Donald Trump. And it's, what's remarkable is that he is actually crafted this image of himself more than being a businessman. H's a marketer. Right? He's crafted this image of himself, but he is this straight talker who is going to be the honest guy. The honest broker. He doesn't speak in a polished way. He speaks like ordinary folks. He went on "The View" today and said he was going to defund Planned Parenthood and had Joy Behar invite him back to talk in person.

COOPER: Gloria, I mean I just think, if you are going to be the straight talk guy, be the straight talk guy.

[20:35:01]

COOPER: And, you know, don't try to pretend as if everybody else is stupid for understanding what you actually say. If you say, you know, you're saying to a bunch of your cronies and according to the reporter, kind of yes men, that, you know, talking about her face. Just own up to it.

GLORIA BORGER: Yeah, but he knows the consequences of owning up to it, perhaps, right? I mean look, he can say he is doing really well with Republican women. Which he is. But if you look at the poll numbers of women overall, favorable, unfavorable, he has got a 58 percent unfavorable. He is underwater by 27 points with women overall including, of course, Democrats. But also, independent women. So he is smart. He knows the consequences of what he says. So he has to try and spin his way out of it. I don't think he expects anyone to believe it. It's clear you don't believe it. I don't believe it, Greta Van Susteren didn't believe it. I mean, you know. Nobody really believes it. Chris Cuomo, of course, this morning, didn't believe it. But he still insists on doing it. Because, he feels he has to.

COOPER: Patti, I mean in this new CNN poll, and Gloria eluded to it, Trump, he wins big among Republican women voters, at 33 percent. But that's up 13 points from the last month. So, not only does he have a lot of support from Republican women, that support is growing.

PATTI SOLIS DOYLE, FORMER CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR HILLARY CLINTON: Right. I have to till you, Anderson in all honesty. I just don't get it. I mean this is a guy who refers to women as dogs and pigs. This is a guy who because Megyn Kelly asked some pointed tough question in a debate, which is her job to do by the way, he assumed, it was because she was menstruating. This is a guy who in a legal deposition, you know, told the opposing female attorney, that she was disgusting because she needed to take a break in order to pump her breast milk. I mean, I just don't understand who these 33 percent of Republican women are who are supporting a man who is clearly sexist and not only sexist, but misogynistic.

COOPER: Well, Margaret, I mean is it possible the women who are supporting him just, you know, feel, well he is that way with everybody. This is just part of his persona. It's not, he is not politically correct. And they sort of spin that to something they like and they like his other policies.

HOOVER: Yeah, this entirely - Look, 33 percent isn't a majority. I mean keep in mind, this is like - that means that 67 percent don't like him. Also be clear. He has the highest negative and he has the highest like sort of - people say they will never vote for Donald Trump. It's higher than anybody else in the Republican field. So he has polarized the debate, even though he continues to lead. There are 16 other people on the stage. And he is the celebrity. He is the one that everybody knows. And it's not just Republican primary voters. Nationally, people know him. They know "The Apprentice." They know Trump buildings. They know Trump golf courses. They know this branding, this marketing empire that he's created. This is, at this point, with 17 people on the stage, still an I.D. name game.

COOPER: So, you don't really buy the polls in a way. You are saying a lot of it is, you believe sort of celebrity driven when push comes to shove, and people actually are in the voting booth.

HOOVER: Here is what I buy. You are right. Here is what I buy. I buy what I know about Iowa and New Hampshire voters. Which is that you have to go and visit with them and talk to them over and over again. You can't just phone in. You can't just parachute into the Iowa state fair. You have to get to know the folks.

COOPER: That's what people have always said. Yet, Gloria, he is leading in the polls, and he's doing a lot of it from New York.

BORGER: He is. But there are interesting numbers in our recent polls. One recent poll in Iowa, was there are 66 percent undecided voters. Okay. So people are window shopping right now. They're looking around. Donald Trump voices their anger. Which is really widespread. People, men and women, believe he speaks truth. And they kind of like that. They like the fact that he's an outsider. Hasn't been involved in elective office. And he is a celebrity, right. You put that all together. He has got high name recognition. But are these commitments? I am not so sure at this point. They just have to see who else is on the stage with him. You know. They want someone who will win.

COOPER: And my point is I just don't understand if you are selling yourself as the straight talking guy, why, why you don't just say, you know what, yeah, I said it. You know what, sometimes I talk off the, off the top of my head. And I say things I don't really mean. But you know what, I am telling it like it is and owning up to it. A big difference between that and saying, no, what I was talking about was her persona, or, I don't know, or --

BORGER: Have you heard him apologize during this campaign cycle? Never, not once.

COOPER: No, I don't think it is a question. There is apologies, but there is also just saying, just admitting what you said as opposed to pretending like we are all idiots. People actually do understand what you said. It's not that we misunderstood it. We actually understood it. Gloria, good to have you on. Patty Solis Doyle, Margaret Hoover, as well, thank you.

Just ahead. Breaking news in the investigation of the killing of an Illinois police officer, new details about the shots fired at him. Also breaking news in Arizona, where police are scrambling to figure out who is shooting vehicles in Phoenix. Two more incidents reported today.

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[20:44:00]

COOPER: There is breaking news tonight in a deepening mystery, who killed Lieutenant Joe Gliniewicz. The 30-year police veteran was just week from retiring when he was fatally shot. His body was found in a remote resort area north of Chicago, minutes after he was, as he told the dispatcher, he was chasing three men on foot. Tonight there is new information about the bullets that were fired at him. Our justice correspondent, Pamela Brown, joins us. What are your sources telling you about the gunshot wound? PAMELA BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We've learned, Anderson, that two

bullets hit him. One of the bullets, according to sources, came at a downward angle and hit him in the torso. We're told that is the devastating gunshot wound that killed him. According to the medical examiner's office. And there was another bullet that hit him, apparently his bulletproof vest, Anderson. He was not injured from that bullet.

COOPER: Do we have any idea if the shots actually came from the officer's gun?

BROWN: That is still the big question. We know his gun was found at the scene, very close to his body. We know from sources that have (inaudible) there were shell casings from the gun at the scene. But whether it was actually used to kill him is still unclear. And ballistics testing is still going on in the lab. And until those results are finalized, we really won't know the answer to that.

COOPER: Is there any kind of timeline about when we might know the answer? When the medical examiner makes a final determination about what happened?

BROWN: We are being told that, that it is still being tested. We are not being given exact time by Fox Lake police. And, it is important, Anderson, as you point out. The medical examiner has said we know he was killed from one devastating gunshot wound. But he is not ruling out anything. He is not ruling out homicide. Suicide. Accident. Anything else. Until he gets those other results from the lab, the ballistic testing, fingerprints. DNA testing, critical lab results that will help the medical examiner determine what happened.

COOPER: We appreciate the update, Pamela Brown. We have more breaking news. Whoever is shooting at cars and other vehicles in Phoenix is still at large tonight and still at it. Police say two more vehicles were hit by bullets or other projectiles today. That makes at least 13 vehicles hit in the last 11 days. Many of the shootings, though not today's, have been along a busy stretch of Interstate 10. Authorities don't know if they're dealing with one gunman or more. Sara Sidner joins us now with the latest. Two more incidents today. What are the authorities saying?

SIDNER: This is interesting, Anderson. We talked to a source with knowledge of the investigation telling us that indeed, there were two more reported incidents. Those incidents though are being reported as copycat incidents. That does not make people here feel any better. Especially those who are driving along the freeways here in Phoenix. They are now saying that they do have 11 incidents they believe are potentially linked. Shootings. We're talking about cars, trucks, any time of the day or night. It is seemingly random. We can't figure out a pattern. Police are saying they have some evidence. They have been able to find bullets, for example. And in some cars, they're saying it is projectiles because they're not exactly sure what hit the cars, but they do know their windows shattered or there are nicks in some of the outside hull of the car. So they are really looking for whoever might be responsible for this. Anderson, a lot of folks here pretty worried about it. We talked to some drivers who said if we don't have to take I-10, we're going to take surface streets to avoid it.

COOPER: It's a little confusing. On the one hand they're saying they have enough information to say well the ones that happened today were copycats. And that there is some linkage between the others although they haven't really specified exactly what. Is there any understanding publicly that is known about how close to or how far from, from the vehicles this, these projectiles were coming from?

SIDNER: We asked that very question to the head of the Department of Public Safety. He said we can't tell you all that information. We were asking about trajectory. Where should people be looking? He gave us a little information we have not yet been able to report and are reporting right now. He said people should be looking around not just on the interstate. We are talking about places like this, you can see just behind me, a fence there. Very easy to get a firearm through it. There are plenty of holes. Plenty of places for people to perch. But they are not giving details as to where these shots are potentially coming from. And they're not sure about a few of them. Three of them they say are projectiles, they are not exactly sure what they are, whether they are BB's or whether they are rocks. But certainly cars are being hit. And they're very concerned they are linked in some way, at least 11 of them.

COOPER: Sara Sidner, appreciate the update. Up next, breaking news out of Japan. A disaster unfolding. Deadly floods have swept houses away and left hundreds stranded on rooftops. The race to rescue survivors is on. More than half a million people are told to evacuate. A live shot right there. Walter nearly submerging cars. A full report next.

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[20:52:50]

COOPER: More breaking news tonight, disaster unfolding in Japan, where raging floodwaters have swept away homes, forcing many people to rooftops for helicopter rescues in eastern Japan. Riot police are now at work. Nearly half a million people are being advised to evacuate. At least one person is dead. Nine others are missing right now. With those developments, you can tell the danger is far from over. Will Ripley is there.

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WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A wall of water in eastern Japan, leaving many stranded on rooftops, balconies, anywhere above water. Japan activating its military. Bringing in helicopters, rescue teams, pulling people to safety. Searching flooded buildings for anyone trapped inside. Japan prone to all kinds of natural disasters, but the rapidly rising Kinegana (ph) river took many by surprise Thursday. This is the first time this has happened, says one long-time resident. Tens of thousand got evacuation orders. Many had just minutes. Carrying what belongings they could. Unsure of what to do next. And the Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, warning the region could see more unprecedented heavy rain, meaning potentially more flooding at the already waterlogged Fukishima power plant. Heavy rains from Tropical Storm Atal (ph) overwhelming the drainage systems, causing radioactive water to leak into the ocean for several hours Wednesday. Power company Tepco says the situation is contained. Outside, radiation levels normal for now.

The full scale of this disaster unknown. Also unknown, how many people may still be waiting for rescue. Surrounded by floodwaters. Hoping their house won't be the next one dragged away.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Incredible how fast that water is moving. Will Ripley joins us now from the flood zone. How prepared was Japan for this, Will?

RIPLEY: Well, keep in mind, Anderson, it has been raining pretty much every day for the last month. In many parts of eastern Japan. In fact, this is the first sunny day we have seen here in quite a while. That combined with the fact there was a tropical storm moving in, they had some time to prepare. They set up the evacuation centers. They had the self-defense force, the Japanese military, on stand-by. Keep in mind these are highly trained troops. We'll show you video we took a couple of hours ago of a rescue operation at a shopping center nearby here, where people had to spend the night at the shopping center. They were landing on the roof, picking them up, and taking them group by group to one of the evacuation centers.

[20:55:00]

So, Japan, given how prone this country is to natural disasters, everything from earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and flooding and landslides. They were able to mobilize in a couple hours, Anderson.

COOPER: There is more rain in the forecast, right?

RIPLEY: There is more rain in the forecast. Especially as we head up farther up Japan's eastern coast. So, they just put out a new evacuation advisory for Sendai, almost half a million people there. The concern is that because the ground is so waterlogged, this type of water could rise up very quickly. The people who were stuck on this road here say they at one moment thought this was a dry, safe spot. High enough that they wouldn't be affected, and then within seconds they were inundated, and you can see all the vehicles that were trapped. Entire neighborhood have been cut off. The fear is this could become a widespread problem further up the east coast, which is why they're telling people to at least be prepared to leave their homes if not do so, if they have somewhere else to go on higher ground.

COOPER: Incredible pictures. Will Ripley. Coming up next, more breaking news. It could shake up the Democratic primary race. New signs of serious challenges ahead for Hillary Clinton. Fresh polling. You will see it here first.