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The Lead with Jake Tapper
Clinton & Obama Campaign Together for the First Time. Aired 4- 4:30p ET
Aired July 05, 2016 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[16:00:02]
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Everybody's got an opinion.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: But nobody actually knows the job until you're sitting behind the desk.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Everybody can tweet, but nobody actually knows what it takes to do the job until you sit behind the desk.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: I mean, Sasha tweets, but she doesn't think that she, thereby, should be sitting behind the desk.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: So, you can't fully understand what it means to make life-and- death decisions until you have done it. That's the truth.
But I can tell you this. Hillary Clinton has been tested.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: She has seen up close what's involved in making those decisions. She has participated in the meetings in which those decisions have been made. She's seen the consequences of things working well and things not working well.
And there has never been any man or woman more qualified for this office than Hillary Clinton, ever.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: And that's the truth. That's the truth.
AUDIENCE: Hillary! Hillary! Hillary! Hillary! Hillary! Hillary! Hillary!
OBAMA: So, the bottom line is, I know Hillary can do the job. And that's why I am so proud, North Carolina, to endorse Hillary Clinton as the next president of the United States!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Now -- now, I recognize, to some degree, I'm preaching to the choir.
I know I probably don't need to tell anybody here why we need Hillary's steadiness and her level-headedness and her brilliance and her temperament right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now!
OBAMA: Right now, because we have been through some tumultuous times in this new century. And we continue to face all kinds of challenges and change in the years ahead.
And in this November -- this November, in this election, you are going to have a very clear choice to make between two fundamentally different visions of where America should go. And this isn't even really a choice between left and right or Democrat or Republican.
This is a choice between whether we are going to cling to some imaginary past or whether we're going to reach for the future.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: This is about whether we have an America that works for everybody or just a few people.
And Hillary is not somebody who fears the future. She believes that it is ours to shape, the same way it's always been. Hillary understands that we make our own destiny as long as we're together, as long as we think of ourselves not as just a collection of individuals or a collection of interest groups or a collection of states, but as the United States of America. She knows that.
She knows that when it comes to our economy, because she knows our economy works best not when it only benefits a few at the top, but when everybody's got a fair shot at success.
As Hillary mentioned, look, when I came into office, things were not in very good shape, you will recall.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: We were losing 800,000 jobs a month, pursuing, by the way, the same proposals that the Republicans are still peddling. And over the past six years, our businesses have created more than 14 million new jobs, we cut the unemployment rate in half, manufacturing jobs have grown for the first time since another President Clinton was in office.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
[16:05:05] OBAMA: By the way -- and, by the way, because they're always talking
about us being the spendthrift Democrats, I just want to point out, we cut our deficit by nearly 75 percent.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: They didn't. They did not.
Wages for families are finally starting to rise again. But we have got so much more work to do, because, in the 21st century, we're not going to -- we're not going to help families, we're not going to create jobs just by pretending that we can turn back the clock and women are going to somehow not be in the work force anymore, and, you know, people of color suddenly are not going to be competing and wanting a better future for their kids.
We're not going to suddenly ignore all the progress that's been made over the last 30 years. We're not going to build walls around America or put technology back in a box. We're not going to reverse hard-won rights for women or minorities or Americans with disabilities to fully participate in the work force. We're not going to do that.
If we're going to give working families, all families a chance to succeed, we have got to make sure they can afford child care, and they have got sick leave and paid leave, and we have got to make sure women get equal pay for equal work.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: And we should make it easier, not harder, for workers to organize for better wages and working conditions.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: And we shouldn't eliminate the minimum wage. We should raise it high enough so, if you work full-time, you don't live in poverty.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Each of these policies, the policies Hillary mentioned, would help working families feel more secure in today's economy.
She's actually got a plan. It's actually paid for. You can actually look at it.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: Now, the fact that we haven't gotten all these ideas done, it's not the fault of immigrants or unions or some liberal, socialist scheme.
It's very simple. Republicans in Congress and Republican governors have been blocking these ideas for the last eight years. It's that simple.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) OBAMA: So, look, I just want to be clear. Not everybody votes on the economy. I understand. There are other issues.
But if your concern is who's going to look out for working families, if you're voting your pocketbook, if you're asking who's actually going to stand up for the guy on the construction site, or the guy in a factory, or the woman who's cleaning a hotel room, or, well, somebody who's really working hard, the working family, if that's your concern, this isn't even a choice, because the other side has nothing to offer you.
The other side's got nothing to offer you.
AUDIENCE: Hillary! Hillary! Hillary! Hillary! Hillary! Hillary! Hillary!
OBAMA: I'm going a little off-script here, but I just want to repeat this.
If your concern is working people, then this is not a choice. I don't care whether you're white, black, Hispanic, Native American, polka dot, male, female. I don't care. If what you care is who's going to be fighting for ordinary folks who are fighting for a better life for themselves and their children, then I don't know how you vote for the guy who's against the minimum wage, against unions, against making sure that everybody gets a fair shot, against legislation for equal pay, against sick leave and family leave, and against all the things that working families care about.
So, if you're voting for the other team, it's not because of the economy. It's not because of the economy. You have got to be -- you have got to be clear about that.
[16:10:05]
I mean, even -- even the Republicans on the other side don't really know what the guy's talking about.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: They really don't. They really don't.
You ask them, they're all like, I don't know.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: Then they kind of duck the other way.
Am I joking? No.
AUDIENCE: No!
OBAMA: So, you can choose a path that divides us with harsh rhetoric and pits working people against each other, all the while pushing policies that will just help folks at the top do even better, but that's not helping working families. Or we can transform our politics, so they're responsive to working
families, so that all people of all races and all backgrounds just get a higher wage, and all folks get quality health care and a decent retirement, and all children in this country get a better education that lets them dream bigger than their circumstances!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: That's what Hillary Clinton believes, and that's why I'm supporting her for president of the United States. And that's why you should, too.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Now, to me, that, in and of itself, would be enough to make the choice.
But we have got some other choices. You can go the path that denies climate change is real, or you can choose a path where American jobs and businesses lead the world to combat it.
Over the last seven years, we have doubled renewable energy in this country.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: We have -- remember -- remember when we were all concerned about our dependence on foreign oil? Well, let me tell you, we have cut the amount of oil we buy from other countries in half.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Remember when the other team was promising they were going to get gas prices down in, like, 10 years? And we did it. Did it.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: So, we have been able to shape an energy policy that's good for families, good for your pocketbook.
And with Secretary Clinton's help, America ultimately led nearly 200 other nations to an agreement to save this planet for future generations.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Now, maybe you don't care about this. Maybe you think, 99 percent of scientists are wrong.
Or you can -- you're welcome.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: But the point is, we're not done with this. So, where we go from here is up to you. You can vote with the climate deniers who want to tear up the agreements we have crafted and doom our kids to a more dangerous world, or you can vote to keep putting people back to work building a cleaner energy future for all of us.
That's part of what's at stake in this election. That's one of the reasons I'm supporting Hillary Clinton for president.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: You know, Hillary mentioned how we operate on the world stage. Now, let me just say, I know the other guy talks about making America great again.
America's really great.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: And just the other day, somebody was writing about, wow, when you look at the surveys in the world, turns out that, when Obama came into office, the world didn't think we were that great. But now they think we're the greatest. They think we're the strongest. They think we're the best-positioned.
We were in a hole before I came into office, but, right now, the world, the rest of the world thinks we're pretty darn great.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: And, by the way, you can look that up. That's a fact. That's not, like, just something I just made up and tweeted.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: So, there are actually, like, surveys done. They poll people, so you actually know what people think. You don't just assert it. And it turns out that's what they think. You can look it up.
Part of the reason for that is because we had an outstanding secretary of state.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
[16:15:05] OBAMA: Part of the reason is, is that Hillary understood and continues to understand that a bunch of tough talk doesn't replace the hard work of diplomacy. A bunch of phony bluster doesn't keep us safe, and she understands that we can't retreat from a world that needs American leadership. That's why she offers a smarter approach that uses every element of America power to protect our people and to protect our allies. She is and will be a stateswoman who makes us proud around the world. She will deploy diplomacy whenever possible, but she also knows what it takes to be a commander-in-chief and I know she will never hesitate to use force when it is necessary to protect us.
And she'll know how to mobilize the world around the causes that we believe in, that we know are right and make sure other countries pull their own weight. That's strength, that's leadership. And that's why Hillary Clinton has to be the next president of the United States of America. (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(CHANTING)
I'm with her! I'm with her!
You know part of the reason why we're here is we all share the believe that this country only lives up to its potential when every single one of us get a chance to succeed. Black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, young, old, rich, poor, Turkish American, gay, straight, male, female, all of us matter. All of us share the same creed. All of us pledge allegiance to the same flag.
That doesn't mean we have to agree on everything. We all have different ideas and beliefs and that's part of what makes America great. But I agree with Hillary that our democracy works best when there are basic bonds of trust between us. When we recognize that every voice matters, and the people who disagree with us love our country just as much as we do.
You've never heard Hillary Clinton demonize other people. You haven't heard her not be willing to engage in folks even when they disagree with her. You ask about folks in the Senate who are on the other side, they like working with her, even though some of them had done everything they could to tear her down when she was first lady, she still worked with them.
And that brand of leadership is how we're going to get things done. That's how we're going to protect more of our kids from gun violence. After Newtown --
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
After Newtown, the other side blocked any new gun safety reform. After Orlando, they blocked any new gun safety reform. They're not listening to 90 percent of the American people, Democrats and Republicans who support background checks and making sure someone on a no fly list can't go out and purchase an automatic rifle.
Hillary knows how to build coalitions and she knows we can take smart steps to protect both of our rights and our kids. So, they can go to the movies, or to a church, or to a nightclub, or to a school, and if you believe that too, there is no choice, you've got to vote for Hillary Clinton.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
Her brand of leadership can fix a broken immigration system, so that it lives up to our tradition as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. Unless you're a Native American, someone brought you here. Someone came here.
You came from some place else now, so I just want to be clear about that. And not everybody had their papers straight when they came. I'm just saying. And, you know, there are millions of striving young people whose lives hang in the balance. And they want to give something back to this country they love. They want to serve in our military, they want to be doctors and cure diseases.
And for years, the Republicans who run this caucus, they talk a good game about immigration reform and then they don't do anything.
[16:20:01] And now, they picked a nominee who is only plan is to build a higher wall. That's not a plan. No, no, no, hold on. I was waiting for this opportunity.
Don't boo, vote. Don't boo, vote. Booing doesn't help. You need to vote.
But if you care about a smart immigration policy that controls our borders and gives everybody opportunity, this is your candidate. You have to vote in this election. And you know what, if you don't think your vote matters --
(VIDEO GAP)
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to THE LEAD. I'm Jim Sciutto, in again today for Jake Tapper.
You have been listening there to President Obama speaking alongside Hillary Clinton, the first campaign appearance with the presumptive nominee. We just lost the audio and video feed there in North Carolina. The president was about 20 minutes into what was a very resounding endorsement for the presumptive nominee.
The president seeming fired up, ready to go, giving Clinton this resounding endorsement and, quote, "going off script", he said, to bash Donald Trump, without mentioning his name, painting him as an enemy of the middle class, who would take money out of the average Americans' pockets.
Of course, this comes on the same day -- we're back to President Obama, we have the signal back, let's have a listen.
OBAMA: The Supreme Court is no joke. The people who sit on that --
(VIDEO GAP)
SCIUTTO: We're losing it again. Just as a matter of explanation, they're having thunderstorms down there in North Carolina, and that is why we've had some difficulty getting the president's comments there, the signal there.
But just to reiterate, this comments come as FBI Director James Comey said earlier today that the FBI is not recommending charges against Hillary Clinton for using a private email server while she was secretary of state. That said, the former secretary of state in his words was extremely careless in handling classified information.
Our senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny, he's with the Clinton campaign in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Jeff, as we saw the president there -- actually, we don't have Jeff Zeleny. We're also having trouble with his signal as well. Again, keep in mind viewers, there's some thunderstorms down there where the president is appearing for the first time alongside Hillary Clinton, the secretary of state.
So, let me bring in our panel, Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign manager, Patti Solis Doyle, Donald Trump New York campaign chair, Joe Borelli, and conservative columnist and anti-Trump voice, Bill Kristol, here with me in Washington as well.
If I could go to you first, Patti, there. That was an ebullient, energetic President Obama that we saw there. How powerful of an endorsement for her?
PATTI SOLIS DOYLE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think it's a huge endorsement for her. As you said, it was really a strong ringing endorsement. And this is coming from someone who is the current president of the United States.
SCIUTTO: Hold that though, Patti. We are going back to you. We do have the president back. We have some signal difficulty. Here he is speaking.
OBAMA: That's some of what I've learned while serving as your president. That's some of what Hillary's learned as a senator and as a security of state. And that's why I'm voting for Hillary Clinton to be the next president of the United States.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
So, let me -- you know, I know I've gone on too long. This is what happened when you have not campaigned in awhile, you start, you know, just enjoying it too much.
So, let me simplify this. And let me blunt, I want to be blunt. Can I be blunt?
AUDIENCE: Yes!
OBAMA: You know, Hillary has got her share of critics. That's what happens when you're somebody who is actually in the arena. That's what happens when you fought for what you believe in. That's what happens when you dedicate yourself to pubic service over the course of a lifetime.
And what sets Hillary apart from so many others is, she never stopped caring. She never stopped trying. You know, we're a young country, so we like new things. And I benefited for that culture, let's face it.
When I came on the scene in '08 everybody said, oh, he is new. They don't say that now because I'm not. But sometimes, we take someone who has been in the trenches and fought the good fight, and been steady for granted.
[16:25:00] Sometimes, we act as if never having done something and not knowing what you're doing is a virtue. We don't do that, by the way, for airline pilots. We don't do that
for surgeons, but somehow we think president of the United States. Let's just get -- I don't know, who is that guy, come on.
And so, as a consequence, you know, that means that sometimes Hillary doesn't get the credit she deserves. But the fact is, Hillary is steady. And Hillary is true. And she has been in politics for the same reason I am, because we can improve other people's lives by doing this work.
We don't care about the slings and arrows that are thrown at us, because that is how real change and progress happens, and that we, if we're willing to work hard, can finish -- can bring about changes that can make life better for some kid out there, some senior out there, somebody who's unemployed out there. And it may take more than a year. Sometimes it takes more than a term, sometimes it takes more than one presidency or even one generation. And yes, that's old fashioned, I think she will fess up to that.
But we want people to believe their government can work. And their president cares, and that child in this country should have the same change that this country gave us, because we weren't born with a silver spoon. And we know that behind all the division and sometimes angry rhetoric of this election year and all the pity bickering and the points scoring, and the punditry, the ordinary American, Americans are good, and they are generous and they are hard working and they got an awful lot of commonsense.
And we share a certain set of common values and hopes and dreams. That's why I ran in 2008, and I believe in those values and those ideals more than ever. I believe in you, the American people, more than ever. I'm more optimistic about our future than ever. That is why my faith is stronger about the simple American ideal as old as our founding, the people who love their country can change it for the better.
I have seen it happened. I have run my last campaign. And I could not be prouder of the things we do v done together, but I am ready to pass the baton. And I know that Hillary Clinton is going to take it. And I know she can run that race, the race to create good jobs, and better schools, and safer streets, and a safer world. That's why I'm fired up, and that's why I'm ready to go, and that's why I'm with her, and I need you to work just as hard to make sure that Hillary Rodham Clinton is the next president of the United States of America.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
God bless you, North Carolina. God bless you. Good bless the United States of America.
SCIUTTO: You have been listening to President Obama there, an exuberant President Obama. As he just said then, fired up and ready to go, recalling that campaign chant from eight years ago. This, though, in support of Hillary Clinton, her run for president, the first time he has been out on the campaign trail, really a resounding endorsement there from President Obama. CNN senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny is with the Clinton
campaign in Charlotte.
Jeff, the essential message from an energized from President Obama there was, she's got the goods to be president.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Jim, that was exactly the message, but it was more than that. I believe that this endorsement here today, these words from the president, you can still see them behind me here living stage now, one of the most significant developments of this campaign, and here's why. Hillary Clinton has not excited some Democrats as much as some of her supporters would like. President Obama today is essentially saying, if you liked me, you must vote for her to continue my legacy.
They used Donald Trump as a foil throughout the speech. But I was so struck by how he broke down her argument. So reminiscent of four years ago right here in Charlotte, when he accepted the nomination for reelection when Bill Clinton made a very similar argument giving a long speech in prime time, explaining why Barack Obama should be reelected. That was this speech was here today.
And President Obama plans to deliver it again and again and again until Election Day making that case to fire up his coalition, African- American voters, young voters and others. Let's take a listen here to a bit of their message earlier this afternoon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have also known him as the friend that I was honored to stand with in the good times and the hard times.
