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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees
Reviewing the GOP Debate. Aired 11p-Midnight ET
Aired January 14, 2016 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[23:00:15] ANDERSON COOPER: Good evening. We expected a fiery Republican debate tonight in South Carolina and got it and more. Welcome to special edition of "360."
The voting starts in just a few short weeks in Iowa, and New Hampshire and then South Carolina. The chances for any candidate to make a big move or take an opponent down the peg or dwindling which made tonight in North Charleston, South Carolina a prime opportunity.
Tonight, along with the political aid team, we'll look at which Republican took advantage of it and show you how it played with undecided Republicans and how it might play in the general election. We'll talk to the candidates, we're going to check the facts, all that and more, but first a look at the key moments from a very key evening.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NEIL CAVUTO, GOP DEBATE HOST: You were born in Canada to an American mother. So you were and are considered an American citizen. But that fellow next to you Donald Trump and others have said being born in Canada means you are not natural born, and that has raised questions about your eligibility. Do you want to try to close this topic once and for all tonight?
TED CRUZ, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, Neil, I'll glad we are focusing on the important topics of the evening. You know, back in September, my friend Donald said that he had had his lawyers look at this from every which way and there was no issue there. There was nothing to this birther issue.
Now, since September, the constitution hasn't changed, but the poll numbers have.
DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There are other attorneys that feel, are very, very fine, constitutional attorneys, that feel that because he was not born on the land, he cannot run for office. Here's the problem. We're running. We're running. He does great. I win, I choose him as my vice presidential candidate and the Democrats sue because I can't take him along for the ride. I don't like that, OK.
The fact is and if for some reason he beats the rest of the field -- he beats the rest of the field into some -- see they don't like. They don't like that. No, they don't like that he beat the rest of the field because they want me. But -- and for some reason, Neil, he beats the rest of the field, I already know that Democrats are going to be bringing a sue. You have a big lawsuit over your head while you're running and if you become the nominee who the hell knows if you can even serve an office. So you could go out and get a declaratory judgment, let the court decide ...
MARCO RUBIO, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I hate to interrupt this episode of court T.V. but the real ...
BEN CARSON, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm very happy to get a question this early on. I was going to ask you to wake me up when the time came.
MARIA BARTIROMO, GOP DEBATE MODERATOR: Senator Cruz, the "New York Times" is reporting that you failed to properly disclose $1 million in loans from Goldman Sachs and Citibank. During your Senate race, your campaign says it was inadvertent. A million dollars is inadvertent?
CRUZ: Well, Maria, thank you for passing on that that hit piece on the front page of the New York Times. You know, the nice thing about the main stream media, they don't hide their views. The New York Times, a few weeks back, had a columnist who wrote a column saying, "Anybody but Cruz" and then actually another -- that same columnist wrote a column comparing me to an evil demonic spirit from the movie it follows that jumps apparently from body to body possessing people. So, you know, the "New York Times" and I don't exactly have the warmest of relationships.
Now, in terms of their really stunning hit piece what they mentioned is when I was running for Senate, unlike Hillary Clinton, I don't have masses of money in the bank, hundreds of millions of dollars. When I was running for Senate just about every lobbyist, just about all of the establishments opposed me in the race in Texas.
And my opponent in that race was worth over $200 million. He put a $25 million check up from his own pocket to fund that campaign. And my wife, Heidi, and I, we ended up investing everything we owned. We took a loan against our assets to invest it in that campaign to defend ourselves against those attacks.
And the entire "New York Times" attack is that I disclosed that loan on one filing with the United States Senate that was a public filling but it was on a second filing with the FEC. Both of those fillings were public.
[23:04:57] And yes, I made a paperwork error disclosing it on one piece of paper instead of the other, but if that's the best hit, the New York Times has got, they better go back to the well.
RUBIO: Unfortunately, Governor Christie has endorsed many of the ideas that Barack Obama supports, whether its common core or gun control, or the appointment of Sonia Sotomayor or the donation he made to Planned Parenthood. Our next president and our Republican nominee cannot be someone who supports those positions.
Governor?
CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know -- I am -- I stood on the stage and watched Marco and rather indignantly, look at Governor Bush and say, "Someone told you that because we're running for the same office that criticizing me, will get you to that office. It appears that the same someone is been whispering in old Marco's ear too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Oh, there's a lot to talk about the candidates make their way to our microphone. Joining us is Chief Political Analyst, Gloria Borger, Chief National Corespondent John King, Senior Political Reporter Nia-Malika Henderson, also Political Commentator Ana Navarro, Jeffrey Lord, Amanda Carpenter, Kevin Madden.
Ana is a Bush supporter, Rubio friend. Jeffrey is Trump supporter and former Reagan advisor. Amanda is a former Communication Director for Senator Cruz. And Kevin is a former top 2012 Mitt Romney advisor. Let's just get initial impressions of the debate. Nia?
NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: Yeah, I thought Ted Cruz probably have the strongest night. He had the most applause lines and most laugh lines. Even when he was attacked, he, you know, he had attacked question, he would sort of laugh at first. And then, I think sort of go into.
I thought a very, very confrontational exchanges with Donald Trump. I thought he put the citizenship issue to bed. I do think he had a bit of a tough go there when he was talking about New York values. And Trump came back at him in talking about 9/11. In some ways, I think, we now can see who the strongest candidates are.
Donald Trump had a great night, up of his best debate night. Ted Cruz, also fantastic. I thought Christie was really great, and I think for Marco Rubio, we're starting to see the limits of Marco Rubio's candidacy. He is kind of the -- the kind of candidate, I think, who gives good lines in a debate but there's not much there, there. Oftentimes he sounds like he is delivering, just talking points.
COOPER: It did feel on this for a moment, Ted Cruz had walked into that New York values, then we saw him clearly had something prepared to say in response to that invoking 9/11 in the spirit of New York.
JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR INSIDE POLITICS: Cruz and Trump knew this was going to be their debate because of their tensions. And so, Trump was ready to play the 9/11 card about New York values very effective. You could tell Cruz's face at end of it, into the debate state, let it go, don't try to get ...
COOPER: He did not response.
KING: Just let it go. However, nationally, Cruz -- Trump got the better of Cruz in that thing. But the people of Iowa and South Carolina think a little differently. So, let's see how it plays to the states.
We're going to have a conversation tonight about how it might have played in the national debate. What happens on the national state? So might play a little differently if you go state by state. So let's see how that goes.
But clearly, look, they came -- few weeks ago, they were in a bromance. This last week they became frenemies. Tonight, I think they're enemies. And we know there will be enemies now until Iowa votes and we'll see what happens because they have the most stake as the two guys on top.
I think the interesting that an under card who in the establishment Jeb doubt, you know, Jeb Bush tried to get in on the issue of strength, and both Christie and Rubio gave essentially the same answer but with more passion. And I think that's one of the things people are watching and most like. I'm not sure how that would shake out.
And John Kasich seemed out of step throughout the night in many places, talking about jobs and everything. But if you talk and his people in New Hampshire, they said very happy, because they said that's what comes up in his town halls and he's trying to protect the only place where he's running decent and right now it's New Hampshire.
So, again, we look at things and how they fit in the context of the debate. These guys are trying to play state by state chess and what they're -- what they're looking for might be a little bit differently than how we're scoring this.
GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: I think everybody sort of played to form. I mean, the fights that they had were the fights really we anticipated. The interesting thing to me in looking, as Neil was saying, in looking at Marco Rubio, it seemed to me an awful lot like every response was robotic or canned.
And now that we're used to seeing Marco Rubio, you might want to see a little more spontaneity than you saw tonight. And I don't think that really plays well. I think Trump had his best debate. And I think this will be very good for Trump, if we look at the national ...
COOPER: Definitely more comfortable as a debater this time around.
We're going to take a short break. Coming up next, Republican voters and more of our analyst saw this as well. Did anyone change their minds tonight or maybe you made a choice based on what they saw tonight? Gary Tuchman did a Grandal (ph) viewing party tonight, he joins us.
Also Harvard Law Professor Laurence Tribe is going to join us. He was brought up, during this debate. He heard the comments that his former student Ted Cruz made about him. We'll talk to him about that. We'll be right back
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[23:13:24] COOPER: Well, before the break, Gloria said that Donald Trump had a good night on stage night in South Carolina. Extremely a lot of viewers no doubt agree. Here is one key moment for him. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: There are other attorneys that feel, a very, very fine, constitutional attorneys, that feel that because he was not born on the land, he cannot run for office. Here's the problem, we're running, we're running, he does great. I win, I choose him as my vice presidential candidate and the Democrats sue because we can't take him along for the ride. I don't like that, OK?
The fact is, and if for some reason he beats the rest of the field, he beats the rest of the field into some -- see they don't like that. They don't like that. No they don't like that. He beats the rest of the field because they want me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Let's go back with our panel. And I'll start with you. How did you think the evening went?
ANA NAVARRO, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIES AND COMMENTATOR: You know, I may break into hives on national T.V. for saying this but I think that Donald Trump had a very good night tonight. I think it's the best debate he's had of all of them. I think -- I don't not agree with Nia, I don't think that Ted Cruz put an end to the eligibility and citizenship question. I think the question still lingers (ph).
I think Ted Cruz was good but I think he has a problem. Which is, this was a longer answer debate, it was 90 seconds and Ted Cruz totally misses the point of less is more, and feels he has to go up to the 90 seconds maybe to past it. And he just throw so much into an answer that it gets long-winded and convoluted and very hard to follow.
[23:15:00] You know, I did not see the kind of crossfire. I was dispensing from the three big dogs feeding out of the same bowl, Chris Christie, Jeb Bush and John Kasich. I think they went after some of the other folks on the stage a little bit more.
And I think pretty much everybody frankly other than Ben Carson for whom I need a translator act in order understand what he is saying, had a pretty good night tonight.
COOPER: Jeff.
JEFFREY LORD, FR. REAGAN W.H. POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yeah, I think that Donald Trump did have a very good night. I mean you could just tell he was very passionate.
NAVARRO: You're always saying Donald. You think that Donald Trump have a very good life.
LORD: But he was passionate, very engaged. He was talking about trade which is a subject that he is familiar in, and this is in his will house as he says. So I thought he did very well.
One of the things that I have to say surprised me is that Governor Christie said that he didn't support Justice Sotomayor. He did in fact, I just happen to written a column about this a week or so ago, and I found the headline in the New Jersey paper. What he said was, "She wouldn't have been his choice if he repent (ph) that President. But now that he heard the hearings he supported her". So he just, you know, was out there giving a deliberate, you know, representation of something that wasn't so. So I think that will catch up with him.
And one other thing, I thought that Jeb Bush had a good line about Hillary when he talked about the FBI investigation.
COOPER: White house to court house.
LORD: White house to court house. And you saw the applause that came from there. And I think earlier in the week I saw our friend Van Jones on here saying there is an open revolt in the Democratic Party over Hillary. And I suspect that, you know, these things were tied in together and there is more to come in.
COOPER: Amanda, do you think your former boss put to that the eligibility issue?
AMANDA CARPENTER, FR. COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR FOR SEN. TED CRUZ: You know, I think it was a good answer. It was a good mix of facts, sarcasm and humor. And he really did have to give a full fledged answer because that's been such a big deal. That isn't something that could go away with the pity quote.
He tried upon Youtube response. These deserve some more time on the debate date. And he was very comfortable talking about it. I think there is an interesting debate style contrast which means Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, Cruz is very comfortable on stage even when ...
COOPER: And he was also using humor, I don't lose more than normal bed but really effectively about tonight.
CARPENTER: Yeah. He is very comfortable in his own skin, kind of owning the presence on the stage, whereas Rubio had some very good moments but he was almost too scripted and came up a little nervous. I kind to like the cadence (ph) because it seems like he knows his facts but when it's always like that, there's a sense of nervousness.
COOPER: Kevin.
KEVIN MADDEN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I disagree with that respectfully. I think that Cruz made a strategic mistake in how he went about the broader issue. I don't think at all he has put it to rest.
By bringing -- by talking about it in a legal way and trying bring in Donald Trump's own history with his -- with Donald Trump's mother. I think all that did was really prolongness.
So I think a lot of the folks that are going to see this, the atomized version of this debate. It's going to be that exchange between those two candidates. And I think it's going to be on way that's simply prolong and Donald Trump is going to continue the use it, to try and draw Ted Cruz into distracting it off of his core message.
It would have been better off if he just hit it and moved on and talked about the bigger issues that brought him to the top of the polls in Iowa like immigration, like national security.
COOPER: We're going to talk more about this in a second. I do want to just got another quick break, and we also going to talk to Harvard Law Professor Laurence Tribe about the citizenship issue, and his perspective which Cruz talks about on the debate for tonight. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[23:22:10] COOPER: Welcome back. We've been talking about the -- Donald Trump-Ted Cruz does stuff over Cruz's Canadian birth. Here's a short portion of the exchanges.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUZ: Well, Neil, I'm glad we are focusing on the important topics of the evening. You know, back in September, my friend Donald said that he had his lawyers looked at this from every which way. And there was now issue there. There was nothing to this birther issue.
Now, since September, the constitution hasn't changed but the poll numbers have. And I recognized, I recognized that Donald is dismayed that his poll numbers are falling in Iowa but the facts and the law here are really quite clear.
TRUMP: You just saw the numbers yourself. NBC Wall Street Journal just came out with a poll headlined Trump way up, Cruz going down. I mean, so don't -- so you can't -- I didn't like the Wall Street Journal, didn't like NBC but I like the poll. And frankly, it just came out.
And in Iowa now, as you know Ted, in the last three polls I'm beating you. So, you know, you shouldn't misrepresent how well you're doing with the polls. You don't have to say that.
In fact, I was all for you until you started doing that because that's a misrepresentation, number one. Number two, this isn't me saying that I don't care. I think I'm going to win fair and square, and I have to win this way. Thank you.
Laurence Tribe and numerous of Harvard said there is a serious question as to whether or not Ted can do this, OK? There are other attorneys that feel and very, very fine constitutional attorneys that feel that because he was not born on the land he cannot run for office.
CRUZ: Well, listen, I have spent my entire life defending the constitution before the U.S. Supreme Court and I'll tell you I'm not going to be taking legal advice from Donald Trump. TRUMP: You don't have to, take it from Laurence. You don't have to.
CRUZ: Well, I will tell you all.
TRUMP: Just take it from your own professor.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got to you one thing ...
CRUZ: If the chances of any litigation proceeding and succeeding on this are zero and, Mr. Trump ...
TRUMP: Wrong, that's wrong.
CRUZ: ... is very focus on Larry Tribe. Let me tell you who Larry Tribe is. He is a left wing judicial activist Harvard Law professor who was Al Gore's lawyer in Bush versus Gore. He is a major Hillary Clinton supporter and there's a reason why Hillary supporters are echoing Donald attacks on me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Well before going, Professor Tribe is on the phone with us. Let's get some quick thoughts from our panel about this particular exchange.
[23:25:00] LORD: He doesn't answer the question because he can't answer the question. The fact to the matter is, there are people out there. We've talk about that a man on risk. There are people out there. We've talked about Congressman Alan Grayson who say they will in fact sue. So I mean ...
COOPER: But Anybody can sue but doesn't mean it has legitimacy.
LORD: Right, right. I mean I -- what all Trump is saying here is that somebody will do it, and somebody will do it for sure. I don't think it's going to get anywhere. I'm no lawyer, no constitutional lawyer but I -- and I don't think it's been (inaudible). I think he is a natural born citizen.
But the question is, will this become a political liability in the case of, you know, headlines over a lawsuit and all of this kind of thing. That much, I think, is true.
BORGER: So look, I think Cruz is, you know, Cruz's point that the constitution hasn't changed but the polls have, it's exactly what it's what about and it's obvious to everybody who is watching this, you know, play out and it's working for Trump.
NAVARRO: Here's the problem to that answer though. That, you know, Ted Cruz is right. The constitution did not change in the last six months but neither did Donald Trump and his New York values, who he was talking up to six months ago.
BORGER: Exactly. NAVARRO: ... posting for pictures and trying to be his BFF forever.
KING: This is a conversation Donald Trump wants to keep going for 17 more days to keep Ted Cruz's number down in Iowa. Even if Cruz wins, the Trump wants to be right behind him so he can say essentially it's a tie.
And if Trump can't keep him down and passive and beat him, then Ted Cruz, you know, needs an Iowa win to -- that doesn't mean he is out race but an Iowan for Ted Cruz would get him off to the start he is looking for.
This is not a six-month conversation or a six-year court challenge or, yes -- if Ted Cruz is the nominee, no question that Democrats will sue. We'll deal with that if we get there. For Donald Trump, the value of this 17.
BORGER: And he's a politician because this is exactly what a politician would do. And Donald Trump who says his not a political, there's a great political move for him in the short term.
HENDERSON: Yeah, I mean if you look at those, the recent Des Moines register poll, 85 percent of likely caucus goers, or GOP caucus goers didn't think this was an issue, it didn't bother them.
But 15 percent said, "Yeah, this didn't bother them". And if you think about other margins there in Iowa where, you know, it could be 100 votes. As it was last go round, I was with Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum this could work.
I do think Ted Cruz was smart to kind of say, "Listen, if you really want to get into the weeds of the constitution, maybe Bobby Jindal himself even though he's not in his race anymore wouldn't be eligible either. Marco Rubio might not be eligible either. If you talk to some legal scholars about this and of course dragged Donald Trump into it as well.
So, he kind of made it seem like, you know, it was sort of like a conspiracy theory. I was not (inaudible) so that was a smart move on his part.
KING: You can't do it in the Republican primary, you can't. But a better national argument would have been, you try this against Barack Obama and now you try it against me, Mr Trump. But you can't do that in Republican primary.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah.
MADDEN: He's in disparate need of a more efficient answer on this and he has to get back to his core message. I know he said this earlier but, this is a critical time where we are in the closing argument stage where when folks get to the caucus, they want or they don't want to remember your last plea was, "Trust me, I'm eligible for the presidency".
And don't pay any attention to that loan from the bank. So, he has to get back on message now. And I thought on the -- I actually thought on some of the issue on the bank issue, for example, he was more efficient than he had been in the past days and he did moved quickly to address it and move on.
COOPER: >> And try to put it on Hillary Clinton is saying look ...
MADDEN: And he use it as -- exactly. He used it to draw a contrast with Barack Obama in a much more effective way. He's got to get more efficient in the --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is it --
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I don't know what the attention is ...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The answer to Marco Rubio gave on the citizenship (inaudible) question.
COOPER: Yeah. I do want to bring in -- I want to bring in Professor Tribe who was a topic of conversation. Professor Tribe, thanks very much for joining us on the phone.
I do want to read what your former law student, Cruz, said about you. He said your left wing judicial Activist Harvard Law Professor Al Gore's lawyer in Bush versus gore, and a major Hillary Clinton supporter. He didn't mention that you're also his former professor at the university, that he went to the Law School of Harvard. What did you make of being brought up in that way tonight and also do you think Cruz does need to answer? Does a court need to answer this eligibility issue?
LAURENCE TRIBE, HARVARD LAW PROFESSOR: Well, I think Cruz certainly needs to answer it. I agree with those of your guest who said they hasn't really put it to bed. If he did put it to bed he is certainly sleeping alone because real serious scholars think there's a serious question. It's just obvious.
I think what's really interesting is that he is much more interested in kind of playing games, sticking daggers into people who are criticizing him, often untrue daggers.
I mean, it turns out I'm not a Hillary Clinton supporter. I didn't endorse her in 2008. I didn't endorse her this year. But it makes a good talking point. But most of what he said is nonsense. I mean all of these examples about Rubio and Jindal are simply distractions.
He said the constitution, you know, I think he said hasn't change since September of course not. But the question is how you interpret that document. It isn't a joke, it isn't funny, it matters a lot. Regardless of whether he is or he's not kicked off from ballot because of his birth outside the United States.
I mean, his whole approach ...
[23:30:00] LAURENCE TRIBE, HARVARD LAW SCHOOL PROFESSOR: But, the question of how you interpret that document, it isn't a joke. This is funny. It matters a lot. Regardless of whether he is or is not kicked off some ballot because of his birth outside the United States.
I mean, his whole approach on issues where he likes the result of a very rigid view of the constitution is that it hasn't changed since 1788 not only in the last six months. It's a rigid document. It always means what it meant before.
Well, in 1788, I assure you, natural born citizens did not mean simply citizens from the time of birth. All the laws he talks about since 1788 that have said you don't have to get naturalized if it turns out that you were a citizen at, you know, if your parents sometimes they required in these laws both parents other times they require just the father.
You don't have to get naturalized. But they weren't talking about this odd phrase natural born citizen.
(CROSSTALK)
TRIBE: ... as whole in the constitution. We don't know quite what things ...
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Well professor, you're essentially saying that there's two kinds of ways to interpret the constitution, one is as a living, breathing document that changes with time and can be interpreted. And you're saying, if you believe it to be that, then Cruz stands on pretty firm footing.
TRIBE: Right.
COOPER: But, if you believe the original intent, if you believe it to be what the founders actually wrote, then he doesn't. Can you explain those interpretations?
TRIBE: You got it. You got it, Anderson. And the fact is I'm one of those people that Cruz has long criticized. When he says I'm a judicial activist, what he means is that I believe its meaning isn't static.
Over time we come to new understandings, we have new experiences and the meaning changes somewhat. We have a constitution that is formerly been amended only 27 times, but it certainly means something very different in words like equality which is never been amended to include women but now we understand it does include women.
The odd thing is that if you read the constitution the way Ted Cruz has always insisted on reading it in a way that it doesn't help gays, or women, or a reproductive freedom, then, and that's, you know, that's kind of the originalist view, then he loses and he loses the lawsuit, which could easily occur.
I mean, if some secretary of state refuses to put his name on the ballot if he's the nominee there's no way out of it other than just have Cruz or that we have Republican National Committee sue the secretary of state. And that issue would then have to go all the way to the Supreme Court.
But the fact is, you know, it's a serious cloud. It has to be taken seriously. It's not just a matter of coming up with great talking points or winning some debate. I think he does a disservice to the constitution and the country when he thinks he can slide his way, slip slide his way around this serious constitutional issue.
COOPER: Professor Tribe, I appreciate you being on. I would have loved to have sat in your class when you were teaching Ted Cruz. You must have had fascinating discussion.
TRIBE: It was even more fascinating when I was teaching Barack Obama or John Roberts. But, we'll talk about that another day.
COOPER: I would like to very much. Put cameras in your classroom and put them online. It will be great to watch. Professor Tribe, thank you so much.
As we wait to hear from the candidates themselves, let's get some quick thoughts from our panel and also about Professor Tribe. Talk about because it is interesting, and perhaps that's one of the dilemmas that Cruz has in answering this that, I mean, his interpret -- the way he interprets the constitution by those -- by that way of interpreting it, it doesn't really back up what he is saying.
JEFFREY LORD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: The moral of the story, Anderson, is if you're running for the president of the United States don't tick off your old law professor.
ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: This is isn't the last time ...
(CROSSTALK)
LORD: Because he will come on CNN and right and explain in some depth. I happen to be an originalist as they say. He is perfectly right in his analysis of this. So, to the political point at hand, what is Ted Cruz going to do?
AMANDA CARPENTER, FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR SEN. TED CRUZ: Well, I find it funny that Laurence Tribe now wants to be an originalist when it comes to the constitution when it comes to the question of Ted Cruz.
COOPER: Well, he doesn't know.
CARPENTER: But, he's trying to switch around the box Cruz into saying something differently. Listen. The easiest answer to the question in my mind, I don't need the Supreme Court to tell me that the sky is blue and that this month is January, but now Donald Trump on Ted Cruz marching into the Supreme Court is settle this question, to most people agree that Ted Cruz is a natural born citizen.
What I like about Cruz's answer during the debate was that he explained that Donald Trump's cookie conspiratorial view would not only disqualify, Ted Cruz that it's disqualified Bobby Jindal, Mitt Romney, John McCain and Marco Rubio. That is Donald Trump's view of the world. That is not in line with what we believe in American and not inline with the truth.
GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Congress could vote on this, right? Congress could vote and say ...
CARPENTER: They could pass a resolution.
BORGER: ... that Cruz is a natural born citizen, right?
[23:35:05] Except that he doesn't have a lot of friends in the senate.
CARPENTER: They did that in the senate once John McCain ...
BORGER: For John McCain.
(CROSSTALK)
CARPENTER: And it's a matter of whether we beat Hillary Clinton or not, I think he said the senate ...
BORGER: So, John McCain is now raised questions about ....
CARPENTER: I think he's having some fun, right now.
COOPER: Yeah.
(CROSSTALK)
LORD: That's what we call the Irish Revenge fans.
BORGER: I think John McCain ...
LORD: That a revenge best served cold.
(CROSSTALK)
ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I remember that that the difference between John McCain and Ted Cruz is that John McCain was born in a U.S. territory.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right, U.S. military -- right.
NAVARRO: From U.S. military base, Ted Cruz wasn't. So the issue -- the legal issues are different. I think Ted Cruz have got to stop talking about the legal issues and I think he has to say exactly what Marco Rubio said.
Let's discuss who is more qualified to be commander-in-chief. If he becomes the nominee, we'll cross that bridge when we get there. JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR, INSIDE POLITICS: But, Trump is going to keep talking about it. He believes he's being effective. And look, this is what the lawyers say settle law. You know, there has never been a case and Ted Cruz wishes there had been a case. He wishes someone had denial today, he was just someone had taken John McCain to court.
You know, or John McCain have gone to court himself because if you remember, at the beginning of the campaign, the man I know this person I do, they didn't take some steps where Cruz, you know, have said, "Oh, I am a Canadian citizen, well I am, I renounce that.
NAVARRO: Yeah, that's right.
KING: You know, because they knew this was going to come out to some capacity. So, he can do that and they did do that. So, the clear of it -- so, nobody can say, he's a dual citizen or where are your loyalties, but he can't hold up a piece of paper and say the Supreme Court has said I'm fine because it doesn't exist.
COOPER: Who do you think had the best night tonight?
KING: I don't think you can answer that question. It's not an open -- it's not a direct question like that because they all have different interests.
COOPER: Right.
KING: I think Trump is a leader nationally and is someone who is way ahead in New Hampshire and at least in a tie or statistical tie or very close in Iowa had a perfectly fine night.
He has not had great debates in the past. He's always had sort of flat debates and then dropped the bomb either right before or right after. He had a pretty good debate tonight. We can pick moments where he wasn't so great but it's a pretty strong debate.
Cruz, I think ahead of, again, speaking to his audience had a good debate. The others, I disagree about Rubio and I think later when the debate after we came on the air, Rubio had a Cruz -- Rubio-Cruz did have a pretty feisty exchange. We'll see how that plays out.
BORGER: I'm going to revise and extend.
KING: With 11 or 12 candidates on the ballot and with some candidates needing Iowa badly, other candidates not so much in worry on New Hampshire, it's a difficult question to answer.
I though I agree with this conversation earlier that a lot of, you know, if you look at the conservative conversation online, everybody is like, why is Ben Carson still in this race?
NAVARRO: Yeah.
KING: However, he's got 9 percent or 10 percent in Iowa right now. They think about his answers. We need to go back to right and wrong. We need today our Christian values. He is talking to his people. He's not going to be the republican nominee, but if he can hold those people he is a factor in the race.
COOPER: That he's been in our 8:00 hour, that 10 percent when Ben Carson, you know, when and if he drops out that's a big block that would -- could -- you should go to Trump or to Cruz.
BORGER: Cruz because of the evangelical support that, you know, and ...
KING: They're very evangelical.
BORGER: ... where most of his supporter is not with Ted Cruz. Another interesting thing, which is I thought Jeb Bush had a pretty good night.
LORD: Yes.
BORGER: But, it was almost as if it didn't matter, right? I mean, he had a pretty good night and he went on the attack when he needed to. He said, you know, this is a serious job on the issue of tariffs with China. I think he did a very good job taking on Donald Trump on that. I know that suppose to his area of expertise.
COOPER: You know, speaking under Cruz and Rubio, there was another key moment where they clash over immigration among other things. Let's play that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Ted Cruz used to say you supported doubling the number of green cards, now you say that you're against it. You used to support a 500 percent increase from the number of guess worker, now you say that you're against it.
You use to support legalizing people that were here illegally, now you say you're against it. You use to say that you were in favor of birthright citizenship, now you say that you are against it.
And by the way, not just on immigration. You used to support TPA, now you say you are against it. I saw you on the senate floor flip your vote on crop insurance because they told you it would help you in Iowa. And last week we all saw you flip your vote on ethanol in Iowa for the same reason. That is not consistent conservatism. That is political calculation.
When I'm president I will work consistently every single day to keep this country safe, not call Edward Snowden as you did a great public servant. Edward Snowden is a trader. And if I am president and we get our hands on him, he is standing trial for treason.
And one more point. Every single time that there has been a defense bill in the senate, three people team up to vote against it, Bernie Sanders, Rand Paul and Ted Cruz.
TED CRUZ, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I appreciate you dumping your oppo research folder on the debate.
RUBIO: No, it's your record.
CRUZ: But, I will say ...
RUBIO: If you think they like each other?
CRUZ: At least half of the things Marco said are flat out false. They're absolutely false. So, let's start with immigration. Let's start with immigration and have a little bit of clarity.
Marco stood with Chuck Schumer and Barack Obama on amnesty.
[23:40:02] I stood with Jeff Sessions and Steve King. Marco stood today -- standing on this stage, Marco supports legalization and citizenship for 12 million illegals. I opposed and oppose legalization and citizenship.
And by the way, the attack he keeps throwing out on the military budget, Marco knows full well I voted for his amendment to increase military spending to $697 billion. What he said and he said in the last debate, it's simply not true.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right gentlemen ...
CRUZ: And as president, I will rebuild the military and keep this country ...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, and we have to ...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Oh, that was an exchange.
BORGER: So I take -- I revised and extend my remarks and because I think that this was the best moment for Marco Rubio.
LORD: And it's an important ...
(CROSSTALK)
KING: The consistent conservative is -- they're trying to get at Cruz. One of the conversations in the race is Rubio's doing fine in the -- maybe Rubio is doing fine or just as well as Bush, Kasich, Christie, et cetera.
COOPER: Let's listen to Dr. Carson.
KING: Sure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEN CARSON, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I felt very, very comfortable with all the issues. I always want to have more time to go into depth, but, you know, you take what you can get.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You were not asked to weigh in on one of the -- sort of most intense moments of the night, questions about whether Ted Cruz is eligible to be president. What do you think?
CARSON: Of course he is eligible. You know, he's -- he was born to an American mother and, you know, this happens constantly, hundreds if not thousands of times a day. I have a son who was born in Australia but he is an American citizen, natural born.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, do you think Donald Trump is barking up the wrong tree? What do you think the reason is that he is doing this?
CARSON: To raise doubt, of course. That will be the only reason. And he admitted it himself. He said, you know, Ted's numbers were getting better that's why he did it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And to be fair or to be actually clear, Ted Cruz is doing better in Iowa and it's a large part at your -- it hurts you because you have been going down in Iowa. He has been doing better but you still don't want to jump on the Trump band wagon on this?
CARSON: I don't see any reason to and if you have been observing carefully my numbers are certainly creep back up in Iowa and I think you're going to see them continue to do that over the next few weeks and everybody should be pretty surprise at the end of the result.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: On that issue, your finance director left today. What's the state of your campaign?
CARSON: State of the campaign is better than ever. It is absolutely spectacular. You know, he was not interested in creating further controversy. That was the reason for his departure.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Spectacular when your poll numbers are dropping, what is so good ...
CARSON: Well, they're actually on the way back up. Have you analyzed them lately?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do you think is the night with tonight's that will help you ...
CARSON: I think it will help.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How so?
CARSON: Because it continues to reinforce the fact that foreign policy is not a problem for me. And that's something that people worried about and that, you know, all the things that they are worried about, domestic terrorism, things like that the more people hear me the more they recognize that I know certainly as much as anybody else on this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you don't continue ...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The evangelical support in Iowa right now, do you find -- is there any way for you to get in on that, to ... CARSON: Well, let me just ...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: You're hearing comments from Dr. Carson. I mean, it's interesting whether this is just spin or whether he actually believes it that the more people hear from him on foreign policy the better things it get.
LORD: I think the first line that went through my mind was for "The Wizard Oz" pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. There's a problem here.
NAVARRO: Yeah.
LORD: He's not aggressive.
KEVIN MADDEN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I have never seen a candidate make more negative declarations against himself on an issue like Carson does on national security and foreign policy. At a time where national security and foreign policy is competing with the economy ...
COOPER: And you have no doubt that's behind his slide.
MADDEN: It is. And look, I think he had some really good moments tonight. I don't think he had a bad debate. I think he had some strong moments that reinforced people's willingness to like him and relate to him but his number are not going to recover.
COOPER: Because he then -- and you pointed this out I think when we were, I don't think if you're on error take commercial break that his likeability is still very high. It's just that ...
MADDEN: You haven't seen favorability or likeability decline, but his numbers of support, I don't -- I think he had a really hard problem getting over that final question that many voters ask themselves when they go through your presidential contest which is, can I picture this person in the Oval Office and I picture them as president.
He never really overcame that some of the doubts that voters had about him.
NAVARRO: I have to tell you, I don't get the Ben Carson thing at all. But, you know, he's just raised $23 million in this last quarter which was incredibly impressive while he is confusing Hamas and Hummus, while he saying the additional pyramids were grain silos, while we're all watching his campaign fall apart in front of our eyes and yet he is still there on the main debate stage when other that are much more seasons are not and he still raising $23 million and selling his book.
[23:45:00] LORD: He has a constituent.
(CROSSTALK)
MADDEN: And that favorability at some point, he may not be a candidate in this race but he will be a force still as John pointed out. That 10 percent that he's going to hold is going to be a monolithic block that could go with another voter should he ...
NAVARRO: Yeah.
NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: He was just did Ted Cruz a big favor tonight, right when he said, listen, this is silly. He's a natural born citizen just like my son who is in Australia. So, I think, you know, we might see the beginning of a new bromance here.
(CROSSTALK)
KING: So, if you travel in small town America way before this campaign, way before this. You go into an evangelical church in small town America almost all of them have bookstores. You go into the church and if you go to church over here, there's a bookstore that's an education center and Dr. Carson's books have been front and center for years.
They know him. They like him. They believe him and he was authentic. I think Kevin is just right. They have turned away form him because they don't think he is up to the commander-in-chief test.
So that doesn't mean they don't like him, they don't respect him and they don't like him in debates saying, you know, today on Christian values and stand up for right and wrong and let's not stop being politically correct and let's get Washington out of our lives. They love that.
BORGER: But, after San Bernardino when you saw the issue of terror go up and up and up in both Democratic and Republican Parties, you saw the beginning, I think, of Carson's numbers starting to go down not because of anything he did, but because of this question you're talking about of the commander-in-chief.
NAVARRO: He's also been off the trail for weeks at a time doing on a book tour.
CARPENTER: Yeah, which is right?
NAVARRO: He's barely been in Iowa.
CARPENTER: And it had a very hard time staying relevant in the presidential race giving the other personalities getting the other people going into polls and going into this debate everyone was looking at Donald Trump versus Ted Cruz.
Going out of it, I think the bigger conversation is going to be Ted Cruz versus Marco Rubio. And I think this is incredibly important because it so rooted in substance. That truckload of attack that Rubio dumped on Cruz was incredibly manipulative.
I do not think it will look nearly it's good in the morning light tomorrow when people go through the fact checks than it did tonight. With that said, I like of reviewing their senate records just because they both have externally important records. There is vote, there is substance you can look at. And the senate has been such a great place to fight the Obama agenda with the extraordinary expansion of federal power. Really, it's the only place that someone can. You can't do that from a governor's mansion.
And so I think there's going to be -- we're going to become experts on the senate. You know, Chris Christie will hate every minute of it and it will be good for everyone
NAVARRO: Amanda you're so good because you're like the only person that would argue that, you know, emphasizing the fact that they are both rookie senators is actually ...
CARPENTER: Yeah.
NAVARRO: ... as opposed to being in the field of the state ...
COOPER: Our Gary Tuchman spend the night watching television watching people watch T.V. He's with about 120 Republicans that are watch party not far from the debate venue. I want to go to him.
Gary, what did the people in the audience see and hear tonight?
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, this wasn't the scientific sampling but it was a large sampling in this movie theater. Normally Motion Pictures, but today politics.
Hello, everybody. Did you enjoy the debate, first of all?
There are a lot have gone home to go to bed because it's been a long time, but these are people who have stuck around and because this is a very important state.
The first primary after New Hampshire on February 20th, Republican February 27th, the Democrats, we want to see how these people felt. A straw poll was taken and I was cut the folks about who won the debate. Not about who do you support but who you think won the debate.
According to you, the people at the Cinnabar Theater in Charleston County, South Carolina in the first place with 38 votes was Donald Trump. In second place, 36 votes, Ted Cruz. Third place, 28 votes, Rubio, Marco Rubio.
And then no one else came close according to this audience, Ben Carson, six votes, Jeb Bush, six votes, John Kasich, two votes and Chris Christie, despite a lot of applause launch from the live audience to short drive from here got zero votes from all 120 people in is this theater.
Now, back here, you have some of the prudent Trump supporters who gave them the victory. What's interesting, this is the third time we have been to this theater. The first time we came here, two debates ago it was Ben Carson who got the most votes. The second time we came here, it was Ted Cruz and now Trump.
What is your name? SHERRY: Sherry.
TUCHMAN: Sherry, you have a big thumb.
SHERRY: I know.
TUCHMAN: Yeah, it's red and white, too.
SHERRY: Yeah.
TUCHMAN: Why do you think Trump did a good job?
SHERRY: I think he just did great about laying it out about, you know, the unfair trade deals we're making and how we're losing jobs because of the tax rates.
TUCHMAN: What do you think he have to do to impress some other people here who don't like Trump very much?
SHERRY: I think the price you just read up more. Maybe go to his website, donaldjtrump.com.
TUCHMAN: Oh, advertising the website. Who supported Cruz here? These are the Cruz supporters. You may not have agreed with that?
Real quick. Did Cruz did a good job?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He did. He's dependable and he's credible and I believe everything he says.
TUCHMAN: All right, well, you can see, these are loyal Republicans. That's the important thing. They like different candidates but they are all -- we ask before them, any of you support the Democrat to the presidential election? Oh, we got a person over there. Anyway, most of this people are very loyal Republican.
[23:50:01] Anderson, back to you.
COOPER: Gary, did anybody change their mind over the course there's a bit about who they are supporting?
TUCHMAN: Anderson is asking me right now has anybody changed their mind while they were here? The candidate you walked in is not the candidate you support today? Anybody change their mind? Yell if you change your mind. Nobody here changed their minds Anderson just cemented their views.
COOPER: All right. Gary, thank you and please thank everyone for sticking around for us. We really do appreciate it.
We are expecting to hear momentarily from Donald Trump himself. Our Dana Bash is we believe is going to be talking to him in just a moment. So this is obviously the time when the candidates now try to make their way into what's called the spin room. And I guess they do actually call the spin room. It's one of the most honest things in politics. Good luck where they go to tell how great they did during debate. I mean do you think at this stage there are a lot of people who still are ready to -- or able or willing to change their minds?
BORGER: Well I think in the Republican primaries now, you do have a group of undecided voters. And we've seen that in recent polling in Iowa. You have people who say they are uncommitted and I think that there are people who are changing their minds. The closer you get to a primary or caucus the more people focus on it. And so what you look at -- oops ...
COOPER: Let's just listen in.
BORGER: ... here we've got Dana.
DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Very good I thought it was a great night. I had a lot of fun.
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You got very good -- you are getting pretty good reviews. Can you explain why you think this was a different night from the past? You've been getting good reviews. Can you explain why you think this felt different than in the past?
TRUMP: Well I think we've had all good debates I mean I think every one of them was good that's why I'm leading, if i didn't have good debates I wouldn't be leading. But a lot of people said this was my best debate. And I don't know if it was or not but I felt very, very good.
BASH: Let's talk about New York values. Do you think Ted Cruz explained what New York values were when he was asked about it?
TRUMP: No I don't think he did and i think he insulted a tremendous number of people. And you can't insult New York is in front of me. I mean, you know, with what we all put up with the World Trade Center and that whole thing and the death and travesty of the World Trade Center and then to come back like we came back. I just don't think we should be hitting on New Yorkers and I think he realizes he made a mistake but we'll find out.
BASH: On the birther issue he talked about your mother. When you heard him talk about your mother what was going through your mind?
TRUMP: Well, I have a great mother. I had a great mother who born in Scotland. And but she had to be here and she was a citizen. So it's a very simple thing I was born in Queens, Jamaica, Queens.
BASH: And when you hear him talking about the fact that he believes that this is not an issue and won't be an issue.
TRUMP: Big issue. The reason it's a big issue and to me this is a bigger issue than his financial, you know, his million dollars, his financial dealings. This is a very big issue because even if there is a 5 percent chance or a 2 percent chance. And you've been seeing the same people as I have, you probably interview them we have many lawyers that feel that he can't run because of the fact that he was born in Canada. And was a Canadian citizen until 15 months ago. I mean he was Canadian citizen I don't know how you can be a Senator and a Canadian citizen.
BASH: What is your strategy here? I mean you admitted that you didn't go there on this issue until he started doing better in the polls. Are you trying to just sow seeds of doubt?
TRUMP: See you understand on the polls I'm doing much better that he is, and actually I'm beating him by a lot so I didn't think it was appropriate when he said he is like doing better. He is not doing better. And even the last Iowa polls.
BASH: No,no,no, I just mean what you said in the debate.
TRUMP: I thought that his answer was, you know, it was a false answer and everybody knew it in the room. And on top of that we just came out as you know NBC, Wall Street Journal just came out, the poll. And the headline is how well Trump is doing so he shouldn't be using false poll numbers, you know, I don't use them and he shouldn't be using them.
BASH: But on the issue -- can I just follow up ...
UNIDENTFIED FEMALE: You always call yourself a counter puncher Ted Cruz really took the gloves off today are you going to be going after him harder now?
TRUMP: That doesn't matter I think I did a good job tonight. I think everybody saying if you look at Drudge if you look Time Magazine, if you look at everyone of the online polls, I won the debate and won it easily. A lot of people think this was my best debate. I don't know. I really don't care.
BASH: Can you explain the vice president comments?
UNIDENTFIED FEMALE: You know what New York values are or do you think he was pondering ...
TRUMP: I don't know if he knows what New York values are. But I mentioned a couple of things. Number one, Fox is in New York. Fox tends to be on the conservative. And I mentioned the great name of William F. Buckley was a proud New Yorker. Plenty of conservatives in New York.
And of course if you look at somebody that did little changes, Ronald Reagan was a Liberal person fairly Liberal and he became quite conservative. And, you know, people change but I thought it was inappropriate when he hit New York.
BASH: Did you mean to offer him ...
TRUMP: I think a lot of people were upset with him today when he took that stance against New York when we went through such tragedy so recently with the World Trade.
[23:55:00] BASH: Did you mean to offer him the V.P. slot if you become the nominee?
TRUMP: No not at all. I was just doing that as a joke. I said it is a joke but you couldn't do it, I mean look he has a serious problem. We'll find out what happens but he has a serious problem. I honestly think he should go for declaratory judgment. But his law professor is the one that says he's got the serious problem but beyond that and you have had him on your shows there are many, many lawyers, great constitutional lawyers that say he can't run for president. So look he's going to have to solve that problem.
BASH: What is your angle here? Are you trying to associate doubt, is that what's happening?
TRUMP: Bromance is over because he hit me. I don't hit him. I hit him after the fact and so I guess the bromance is over. I know there is no reason for him to go that aggressive but he started to talk about New York in a very negative way. And I thought it was inappropriate.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you trying to sow the seeds of doubt in voters' lines?
TRUMP: Well there is doubt. It's not a question of doubt and it is not a question of seeds. There is a doubt. And if it was a 1 percent chance and it is much more than that. But if there is a 1 percent chance you just can't run. He cannot solve the problem like him but you can't run. If there is a 1 percent chance and there is a lot more than that. OK.
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: Well, right now I'm going to do "Morning Joe" and we are going to be at 6:30 in the morning and I am heading out to Iowa and then I am doing a nice rally in Iowa and then we're going the New Hampshire and we're all over.
BASH: The Cruz campaign says that they have the winning ground game in Iowa. Why do you think you do?
TRUMP: Well I have to see -- I mean let just wait to see. I mean in February 1 we are going to see what happens. Then new poll that came out yesterday is you know I am winning in Iowa.
BASH: But do you think you can actually get the people to go to caucus if the different thing it is not easy there?
TRUMP: I have the most people showing up. I mean I have the most people showing up I have I think by far the most spirit, and you see in this room. Everybody said I won this debate tonight and I want to handle it.
BASH: Can I ask about you the audience? Your campaign manager thought that maybe the audience was stacked to get against you. It wasn't exactly a pro -- wasn't didn't sound like a pro Trump crowd. How did you feel being on the stage? TRUMP: It's totally pro. I thought they were great. The audience and I, thought it was fantastic. In South Carolina, I'm winning the polls by a tremendous amount. This has been a great state for me and I think ...
BASH: So you thought the audience was pro Trump?
TRUMP: I think the audience was great tonight.
(OFF-MIC)
TRUMP: ... especially with the New York answer. I mean the audience gave me a standing ovation. What?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why do you think that people are going to caucus when they never have before?
TRUMP: Well we are going to have to see. I mean we have great job. I'm spending a lot of time in Iowa and I have friends from Iowa. I think they are going to go out, I think they are going to caucus, I think we are going to do very well.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: February 2 if for somebody you do not do in Iowa. Are you going to have enough momentum or you can (inaudible)?
TRUMP: I'm right to the end.
BASH: How do you ...
TRUMP: Let's put it this way. I'm leading every national poll. I'm leading every state. Now including Iowa. In fact the real clear poll just came out. All the averages where I'm leading and I am sure if I wasn't you would tell me. So I'm leading every single state and I am leading every national poll. I think I'm going to do very well. We're going to find out.
BASH: And you are the front runner, obviously. What do you -- what ...
TRUMP: And, by the way, you know what the key is? We're going to make America great again. That is the key.
BASH: Can you tell me as the leader of the Republican party?
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: Donald Trump talking about his perception -- his view. Hey Dana, can you hear us? If you can, what did you make of what Trump says?
BASH: Hey there. Hey, I hear you now, Anderson.
COOPER: What would you make of what Trump said?
BASH: He's a happy man, as you can see. If you can hear me, yes, I mean clearly he is a happy man, sort of surprised me that he thought that he had the audience with him because particularly on the exchange that he had with Ted Cruz on the issue of Cruz's citizenship. He didn't seem to have the audience.
But you know, he's Donald Trump and he always when it comes to people being with him or without him. He always makes sure that people think that he's got support everywhere as we've seen.
COOPER: Yeah.
BASH: But, look, I mean, he's riding high. And that's the bottom line. And I think anybody who says that he is not a threat to the establishment and not a real potential winner in Iowa and New Hampshire and beyond they're in denial.
COOPER: Yeah, Dana, standby. I want to bring in our panel. I think ...
CARPENTER: It is to continue the birther discussion. You know, I thought it was interesting I caught in that conversation he kind to set offhandedly. I don't know how Ted Cruz is a U.S. senator. Well that news to me. I want to disqualify Cruz as senator as well I just wanted to qualify Marco Rubio as a senator. I mean this gets cookier and cookier as time goes on.
NAVARRO: Marco Rubio unlike Ted Cruz did not have double citizenship. Remember that Ted Cruz di not renounce
(CROSSTALK)
NAVARRO: That's the point that he was trying to make. If he is good at anything, Donald Trump is that, you know, sowing the seeds of discord and planting questions.
COOPER: Planting but barreling forward with it. No matter what.
LORD: He plants the seed and keeps on going. Just never look back. That's exactly him.
COOPER: Right.
KING: I mean he is -- he likes you as he plants the seed.
NAVARRO: And he doesn't know he was bringing up ...
(CROSSTALK)
[00:00:01] BORGER: But you know, I think on the New York values point, it was such a clear win for Donald ...
LORD: Yes, right.
COOPER: Yeah. Without a doubt.
BORGER: ... I mean Cruz is talking about, you know, in New York they're socially liberal, they're pro-abortion, they're pro-gay marriage, there focus is on money and the media. His wife works for Goldman Sachs, albeit out of Texas.
