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At This Hour
Fact-Checking Debate Answers; Donald Trump Takes Aim at Debate Moderator; Ferguson, Missouri, Braces for 1-Year Anniversary of Brown Killing. Aired 11:30-12p ET
Aired August 07, 2015 - 11:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:30:00] JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Don't open that e-mail. Don't let that virus in. Change your passwords. All sorts of easy stuff like that, which seem so basic. Nonetheless, they can really protest the system.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Chances are Russia@spy.com is not actually writing you. Do not open it.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
BERMAN: Juliette, thanks so much.
KAYYEM: Thanks.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Coming up for us -- of course. Coming up for us, it was a big night for the Republican presidential candidates and there were a lot of bold facts thrown around. How much was really fact and how much was actually fiction? We will do some fact checking coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLDUAN: Last night's debate was two hours of fiery exchange with Republican hopefuls taking jabs at each other repeatedly. How much is true?
John did not sleep last night. He stayed up doing fact checks.
BERMAN: That is true.
BOLDUAN: I always tell the truth.
Let's start with Trump. He made claims, one about campaign donations.
BERMAN: He made claims about money, his money and the other candidates. Let's listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & CEO, TRUMP ORGANIZATION: Most of the people on this stage I have given to, a lot of money.
SEN. MARCO RUBIO, (R), FLORIDA & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Not me. Not me.
(LAUGHTER)
But you're welcome to give me a check, Donald, if you like.
TRUMP: Many of them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:35:00] BERMAN: So what exactly is the claim right there? The claim is most of the people on stage I've donated money to. What are the facts? He has donated to three of his opponents directly. These gentlemen: $5,000 to Ted Cruz in 2014; and he gave $500 to Jeb Bush in 2002; and he gave $10,000 to Scott Walker in 2014. Indirectly, he has giving to two more candidates; $2500 to Huck PAC, Mike Huckabee's PAC; and $250,000 to the Republican Governors Association when Chris Christie was in charge, allegedly, a personal request of Chris Christie. Of the nine here, Donald Trump has given money to roughly five of them. We are rating that as true.
BOLDUAN: He always said, when he gives money to people, it makes them do what he wants, other than Hillary Clinton. We can get into that later.
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: Exactly.
BOLDUAN: Marco Rubio, he got a lot of criticism about his stance on abortion. Was it evolving or did it change?
BERMAN: Last night, Marco Rubio said he opposes abortion, which he does. He also said he has never favored an exception for rape or incest. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEGYN KELLY, DEBATE MODERATOR: If you believe that life begins at conception, how do you justify ending a life just because it begins violently through no fault of the baby?
RUBIO: Megyn, first, I'm not sure that is correct assessment of my record. I would go on to add that I believe all --
(CROSSTALK)
KELLY: You don't favor a rape or incest?
RUBIO: I have never said that and I have never advocated that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Let's look at that claim more carefully, never advocated for rape or incest exceptions to abortion ban. There is no question that Marco Rubio is an avid abortion foe. The question, exceptions for rape or incest. Look at this. In 2013, he did sponsor Senate Bill 1670, which is called the Unborn Child Protection Act. That legislation would ban abortions in most circumstance, with exceptions for rape or incest against a minor. Remember, the claim he never advocated exceptions, we will rate that as false. He supported this bill. That's advocating for exceptions. He did say later, I oppose abortion of all kinds, that any restrictions on it are better than none, that's why he said he supported this bill.
BOLDUAN: Right. Some things are better than nothing in his view. That is rated false.
Then, the breakout star from the happy hour debate. Carly Fiorina was the star of that, the hands-down winner. She took on Trump. She took on a lot of folks, especially Trump, claims on his evolving positions.
BERMAN: She was one of the first to take on Trump. One reason I think so many people reviewed her debate performance well. This is what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLY FIORINA, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER CEO, HEWLETT- PACKARD: Since he has changed his mind on amnesty and health care and abortion, I would ask, what are the principles by which he will govern.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: All right. Let's look at that more carefully. Trump changes his mind on amnesty and health care and abortion. Let's review. On amnesty, Donald Trump, at one point, did say he supports allowing people to stay. In 2011, could stay in America on a case by case basis. He just told Dana Bash he would deport all of the illegal immigrants and let the good back in.
BOLDUAN: He just said he'd build a beautiful door in that wall.
BERMAN: Exactly. There's a change on that. On health care, in the past, he supported a single payer. It said it works well in Canada and Scotland. But now Trump believes socialized medicine, he's against it. On abortion, at one point in 1999, he said he was very pro-choice. And last night, that position changed because he met a family considering having an abortion. They did not. The child turned out to be a superstar. So he changed his mind. Donald Trump has evolved. Carly Fiorina, her claim that he has flip flopped, true.
BOLDUAN: True. The supporters, that is not bothering him. He's still getting a lot of support. And a lot of what last night was about was not about the facts.
(CROSSTALK)
BERMAN: No. The personality and style. BOLDUAN: Yeah, I think that's it.
BERMAN: It is all a precursor to the more important debate.
BOLDUAN: Which is our debate coming up next month.
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: Then the Democratic debate, the first Democratic debate will be on CNN. That is Tuesday, October 13th. Do not miss either one.
BOLDUAN: The debate is over, but the sparks are still flying. Donald Trump taking aim at moderator, Megyn Kelly. What's his beef? We'll tell you.
BERMAN: Where's the beef?
(LAUGHTER)
Ferguson braces for protests one year after the deadly Michael Brown shooting. Is the city prepared? Our reporter has talked to all the key players.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:43:33] BOLDUAN: New this morning, Donald Trump going on the attack during and after the first Republican debate. The GOP frontrunner making the media rounds and firing back through social media at one of the event's moderator, especially Megyn Kelly.
BERMAN: After she asked about the controversial comments Trump made over the years about women. This is what Trump this morning had to say about the question.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP (voice-over): Number one, I'm not sure and I'm checking this out. Some of the statements she made about the women, I don't recognize those words whatsoever. We will look at that very carefully. I don't recognize those words.
CHRIS CUOMO, ANCHOR, NEW DAY: So you take them back if you did say them?
TRUMP: She came up with words I did not recognize. We will see what happens. We will take a serious look at it.
But when I said the Rosie O'Donnell thing, that got the biggest laugh and applause of the evening. That was a startling noise in the arena.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Is he right? Did he score points or lose voters? Let's talk about this with a debate expert. Brett O'Donnell has
worked a lot of presidential campaigns over the years. He is working with Senator Lindsey Graham right now.
Brett, thank you for being with us.
Donald Trump, in the debate, went after it was a brash style and Megyn Kelly and went after politicians with a language we are now used to. He was asked about his claim that criminals and rapists are pouring over the border. This is how he justified that claim. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Border Patrol, people that I deal with and talk to, they say this is what's happening because our leaders are stupid. Our politicians are stupid.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:45:12] BERMAN: All right. Leave the substance of the immigration debate aside for a second. Leaders are stupid and politicians are stupid. Going after Megyn Kelly. Does this make sense for Donald Trump in a debate?
BRETT O'DONNELL, POLITICAL DEBATE COACH: It is Donald Trump. In any other universe and other rational universe, a candidate who performed like Donald Trump last night would be in big trouble. Because Donald Trump has struck such a chord with a segment of Republican primary voters, I am not sure that he will face the same judgment that a normal candidate would have.
BOLDUAN: It sure doesn't seem so, at least to this point.
Brett, we will see what people say when they get to see him challenged on the stage for the first time. Another candidate everyone had their eye on is Jeb Bush. One question that is plaguing him is the question of his family. How he will differentiate from his brother and father. Here is how he answered it last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEB BUSH, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER FLORIDA GOVERNOR: I'm going to have to earn this. Maybe the barrier -- the bar is higher for me. I have record in Florida. In Florida, they call me Jeb because I earned it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: So did he get it right this time, finally, do you think with that answer, Brett?
O'DONNELL: I think he is headed down the right path. I think the one big thing that Jeb has to do is show that he's not his brother and his dad rather than keep reminding people that he's not. I do think that when he's talking about his record in Florida, talking about things he accomplished, that's a way for him to show that. The other way to show it is for him in discussing policy. When he's talking about policy, show he's different from his brother and father, that will also reassure people that he's not the same as his brother or father.
BERMAN: You know, one thing that people said about Jeb's performance last night, it was fine. It wasn't bad. It was fine. This is a ten-candidate field here. Is fine enough? I was thinking about Scott Walker. Was Scott Walker even there last night? Can you afford in a debate like this not to shine through at least at some level?
O'DONNELL: I thought Scott Walker had one of the best lines of the night. His line about the Russians and Chinese knowing more about Hillary Clinton's server than the American Congress does. That was a pretty good line. The big thing about these early debates, especially near the front of the pack, is do no harm. You cannot win the election in a debate, but you can certainly lose it. So, you don't want to be in a debate and take a risk that could cost you the election. They didn't -- neither of them did any harm to themselves. I think Walker had a great line last night. I actually thought that Jeb got a lot better as the debate moved on, especially when it came to education. That is an area where he is particularly strong. His answer was one of the best of the night.
BOLDUAN: They did hit him with all of the questions on not all of the inconsistencies, but what the voters thought.
BERMAN: They hit him, but the others did not.
BOLDUAN: So true.
BERMAN: That maybe Jeb is benefiting from the presence of Donald Trump.
BOLDUAN: A lot of hitting over there.
Brett O'Donnell, great to see you. Brett, thank you.
O'DONNELL: Thank you.
BOLDUAN: Coming up for us, police are bracing for protests in Ferguson, Missouri, this weekend. Sunday is the one-year anniversary of the killing of Michael Brown. We will talk to police about what they are doing to prepare.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:51:23] BOLDUAN: It's set to be an emotional week end in Ferguson, Missouri. This Sunday marks one year since the shooting of unarmed teenager, Michael Brown, by former police officer, Darren Wilson. The violent protests that followed thrust Ferguson into the national spotlight.
BERMAN: A year later, the city's government looks different than it did last year. New police chief, new city manager among the changes.
Joining us now, CNN's Sara Sidner.
Sara, what is in store for this weekend and how it is being anticipated?
SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There's a lot of events in store. The last and most poignant is a moment of silence and a march commemorating what happened here and what everyone agrees started a move that spread across the United States, which brought up the issue of the way police treat African-Americans in America. But there is still a divide here in Ferguson. Those who are looking to the future, saying we don't see the changes we want to see, and others who say the changes are real and present.
One of those changes, the new interim chief. Though he's right now only on loan from the Glendale, Arizona, Police Department, where he worked for 24 years, we talked to him in a candid conversation about what he wants to do with the police department and the changes he thinks need to be made.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDRE ANDERSON, INTERIM POLICE CHIEF, FERGUSON POLICE DEPARTMENT: I'll be honest with you. I just need the people to get on board. The folks that are unwilling to accept and move in the right direction, they don't need to be here.
SIDNER: They're gone.
ANDERSON: The citizens do not want police officers that are not community oriented. I do not police officers that are not community oriented. I will not tolerate police officers that don't want to work well to move this community in the right direction. So now everyone is aware of that. And we're working steadfast to identify the folks that are moving forward. As we do that, we may identify folks that don't want to. And they will not be here with this department.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIDNER: And the city is still pockmarked with some of the scars from those days and days of protests that ended up at times blowing up into violence, however people here say they want to see change. Some say not enough change has happened.
BERMAN: Important weekend.
Sara Sidner, thanks so much.
BOLDUAN: Big job ahead for that police chief.
Coming up for us, a bounty hunter raid goes wrong, very wrong. 11 bondsmen mistakenly raid the wrong home. Not only was it the wrong home, it was the police chief's home. This cell phone video shows some of the men surrounding the house, thinking they were cornering an Oklahoma fugitive wanted on a drug charge. Not so much. They banged down the door and had a verbal confrontation.
BERMAN: A tough thing to have ensued. Officials think they were led to the house by a misleading social media tip. The owner of the bail bond company is facing criminal charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct and more charges will come.
BOLDUAN: Ouch. Not good.
BERMAN: No.
We'll be right back.
BOLDUAN: Not too much.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:58:18] BERMAN: Today's "CNN Hero" has dedicated her life to saving wild animals.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MONIQUE POOL, CNN HERO: Sloths are very cute because they're very slow animals. They like to hang out and they have always a smile on their face.
Here in Suriname, we have the most pristine rain forest of the whole world but sloths are facing loss of habitat in the urban area.
10 years ago, we started doing sloth rescues. When sloths are in trouble, all the telephone calls come to us.
(SHOUTING)
POOL: My biggest rescue ever was a plot of land that was going to be cleared.
We rescued in total 200 animals, mostly sloths.
There was sloths all over, in my living room, in the cage. I was slothifIED.
I still have a lot of sloths.
He came in with his nails cut. That's why he has to stay with us.
It's a lot of work, but wherever I go in my house, I may see a sloth.
What does a sloth do all day? It sleeps, it grooms, it eats.
Your whole face is yellow.
And it sleeps a little bit more.
It's ridiculous the way he's laying. My life with sloths.
(LAUGHTER)
The best part of a rescue is when we release the animals. Sloths are not pets. Wild animals belong in the wild.
Find yourself a safe spot, huh?
My work is about the environment. We should value it and protect it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[12:00:06] BOLDUAN: If you know one who deserves to be a "CNN Hero," head to our website at CNNheroes.com and please let us know about them.
And please --
