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Drama in Trump Georgia Case; Biden Campaign Focuses on Abortion Rights; New Hampshire Showdown. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired January 22, 2024 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:58]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Granite State showdown. Tomorrow's New Hampshire primary is really do-or-die for Nikki Haley, as she takes on Donald Trump for the Republican nomination. We're going to tell you who has the advantage in a new CNN poll.

And rejecting a Hamas hostage deal, Israel's prime minister refusing to end the war in exchange for hostages held captive, while his opposition to a two-state solution frustrates Israel's allies.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Plus: a potential medical breakthrough, a new test that could make it much easier to diagnose Alzheimer's disease.

We're following these major developing stories and many more all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

Thank you so much for being with us this afternoon. I'm Boris Sanchez with Brianna Keilar in the nation's capital.

And on the eve of the New Hampshire primary, it is officially a two- person race. Nikki Haley now has that one-on-one matchup that she's wanted with Republican front-runner Donald Trump, since Florida Governor Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race over the weekend.

This morning, Haley was asked if she has enough time to capitalize.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIKKI HALEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Absolutely. Look, we started with 13 people. I had 2 percent in the polls. We finished Iowa with 20 percent.

We want to be stronger in New Hampshire. We want to be even stronger than that in South Carolina. I mean, keep in mind, I know the political class wants to say that this race is over. And I know the political class is saying everybody needs to get behind Trump.

This is not a coronation. You had 56,000 people out of three million in Iowa vote for Donald Trump, less than 1.5 percent of that state. We haven't even started with this election yet.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KEILAR: So she sounds pretty confident there, but actually the latest polls show the former president returning to his double-digit lead in New Hampshire.

We're going to break down how those numbers could shift with DeSantis out and endorsing Trump, but first to our reporters on the trail.

Kristen Holmes, Trump is expected to hold a final event before the primary tonight. What are you hearing on that event?

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Boris and Brianna, you just heard Nikki Haley there saying that the political class wants to say that everyone should line up behind Donald Trump.

Well, that's exactly what Donald Trump's campaign is saying and what they're trying to show through their event tonight. They will be on stage, Donald Trump, with Senator Tim Scott, as well as Vivek Ramaswamy, as well as Doug Burgum, all people who are former opponents who have now gotten in line and are following Donald Trump.

This is an observation. This is a way for them to try and show that the Republican Party is uniting behind the former president. Now, obviously, that list is missing somebody big, which is Ron DeSantis. I am told that former President Trump and the Florida governor have not spoken since he dropped out of the race and endorsed Trump.

However, Trump's team did reach out to Ron DeSantis' team and offered somewhat of an open invitation to campaign with the former president at any time. They did not get into specifics on tonight's event, but that's really the name of the game right now. That's their messaging. They're trying to put out that the Republican Party is getting behind Donald Trump, it is time for Nikki Haley to drop out and make Trump the nominee.

SANCHEZ: Kylie, Haley has been stumping throughout the state today. What is her closing message?

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Haley has been competing, campaigning here in New Hampshire incredibly hard today, over the weekend, having so many events at coffee shops, at bars, at schools, everything that she can do to get in front of voters.

And, of course, today is her first full day on the campaign trail as it has turned into this one-on-one race between her and former President Trump. That's what her team wanted. Well, now she has gotten it. But the stakes here are incredibly high for her, because New Hampshire presents uniquely fertile ground for her.

There are independents who can vote tomorrow in the primary. They make up 40 percent of the electorate here in New Hampshire. And that's a group that she does well with. With DeSantis dropping out, her team feels that they might get a little bit of support from her -- his supporters, though we should note, of course, he has already endorsed Trump. So, there are questions about where that support will actually go and if it'll make any difference, given how low DeSantis was polling here. [13:05:20]

Now, when it comes to Nikki Haley's message, we have heard it time and time again focus in on the fact that there needs to be a new generational leader. She is positioning herself, she is casting herself as that leader. And she's also really drawing in former President Trump with President Biden more closely, casting them as leaders of the past.

Listen to what she told some supporters here in New Hampshire earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HALEY: When you hear Trump speak what's he talking about? Grievances, the past. He's talking about vendettas. Today, he's in court. Biden's talking about investigations. Neither one of them is talking about the future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ATWOOD: Now, when it comes to her attacks on former President Trump specifically, we have seen Haley ramp those up in recent days, going after Trump's mental fitness, which is something that she didn't do throughout the course of this -- of the campaign to date.

And there are questions about if she should have gone after the former president more aggressively out of the gates. Earlier today on FOX News, she was asked about that, and she doubled down on her strategy, saying that there were so many other candidates in the race. She had to get it down to a one-on-one race. Her job wasn't to go after Trump from the beginning.

She said, this is a marathon, not a sprint. And when you talk to her supporters here in New Hampshire, they say that she needs to do well here. They don't think she needs to win to keep her campaign alive, but, listen, she's got to come within really a competitive -- because the future of her campaign could depend on it.

KEILAR: This could really be it.

Kylie, Kristen, thank you so much to both of you.

Let's head now to CNN's Omar Jimenez.

And, Omar, after weeks of Haley really just cutting into Trump's New Hampshire lead, the latest polls there have Trump expanding his lead a bit. How does DeSantis exiting the race impact things?

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well, of course, one would think that DeSantis exiting the race would -- all that support would go to Trump.

It does seem that, based on changes in polling, that there might be a little bit of both, but it still does not change the fact that Nikki Haley, based on the latest CNN polling, is still down by double digits. Again, this is polling that has happened with a select group of voters in this final week.

But when you look at that support that accounts for Ron DeSantis not being on the race, meaning -- not being in the race, meaning people that backed him, but then also these numbers reflect support going to their second choices, Donald Trump 54 percent, Nikki Haley 41 percent.

But what's interesting -- and we saw this dynamic play out in Iowa, but also in previous polling -- is their difference in support between Nikki Haley and Donald Trump. With Donald Trump, 71 percent of conservatives polled or self-identified conservatives polled backed Donald Trump, while 71 percent of self-identified moderates backed Nikki Haley.

And then, when you look at the first choice for primary nominee among undeclareds or independents here, Nikki Haley carries that, close to 60 percent, while Donald Trump takes 67 percent of people who are within the GOP.

So that's really the split here. It's also why some may worry that this -- because of this unique dynamic in New Hampshire, where independents can vote in the primary, will that translate to later states on down the line?

Former President Trump is trying to make sure it doesn't, stacking up endorsements from key figures in South Carolina, which is the next major primary contest after this, and, of course, Nikki Haley's home state, trying to stack that deck against her.

For her part, she has said she is not letting that intimidate her. She's raised $500,000 in the last 24 hours, her campaign says, since DeSantis got out. She is ready for that fight, but, of course, a major task once this primary gets under way tomorrow.

KEILAR: Yes, certainly is.

Omar, thank you so much for that. We do appreciate it.

And let's discuss this now with conservative New Hampshire radio host Jack Heath.

Thank you so much for joining us to talk about what's happening up there, all eyes trained on New Hampshire.

Jack, what are you hearing from conservatives about DeSantis dropping about -- out and how this is affecting who they may be casting their ballot for?

JACK HEATH, CONSERVATIVE NEW HAMPSHIRE RADIO HOST: Well, Brianna, as your last reporter said, it cuts both ways.

I would not overread the DeSantis departure. I think the timing was all that is surprising. I have sat here before on the eve of primary days. The secretary of state here is calling for a record turnout, 322,000 votes tomorrow in the Republican primary. That's a lot of non- Trump voters, as well as Republican primary voters. [13:10:15]

I remember John McCain, independent kind of firebrand candidate, with George W. Bush sitting in a Manchester hotel room the eve of the primary, expecting a 20-point, 30-point win. McCain clocked him. Last time around, I think Biden thought he was going to do better here in a big Democrat showing. Bernie Sanders and the team beat him.

I'm not saying there's a surprise, Brianna, but what I'm saying, is New Hampshire likes to send a surprise, a lot of independents voting. The surprise would not be a big Trump win. Your own poll has it at about 18 to 19 points. My suspicion, that's a little aggressive. If I had to say, I think Trump goes into tomorrow with about a 10-, 11-, maybe a 12-point edge.

But if Nikki Haley can get it to single digits, that would be a big showing. And Governor Sununu here has changed his tune going to tomorrow from, she doesn't need to win, she needs to do well to get momentum. Last week, he told me she could win.

I think it's Trump's to lose, but New Hampshire likes to send a surprise.

KEILAR: So, since Trump -- and it is a good reminder certainly, Jack, that we should not have the hubris to think we have an idea what voters are going to do. We have been taught that lesson a time or two, and it's always important to remind ourselves.

Since Trump no longer and kind of unexpectedly has court today, how should he be spending that time? Should he be in New Hampshire holding court?

HEATH: Well, he was here a lot this weekend. He's going to be on my show in the morning live right out of the gate. We have the top morning show from 9:00 to noon. Nikki Haley is going to be on as well, obviously not together.

But, Brianna, while your last reporter was talking, I think this is important for your team to look at this tomorrow, and you have a great team, is, Trump is Trump. He hasn't moved much here. He's had a solid Republican primary base.

But we have never seen a time recently where the Democrat National Committee has -- doesn't want New Hampshire to count. They're not encouraging Democrats to vote. In fact, they're telling them not to. So, you got about 88,000 Democrats may vote. Phillips may do better than people think.

But that leaves a whole swathe of independents and undeclared who can vote. And they're not really doing a happy dance to vote for Biden. So, if they come over and vote for Nikki Haley, one of your folks had it about right. I think Haley needs about 65 percent of all of those to go with Trump's hold in that Republican base, primary base -- his voters are like concrete -- to make this tighter.

I suspect it's going to get a little tighter than 18 or 19 points, still Trump's to lose, but different dynamics at work this time.

KEILAR: But so, if she does have a strong showing, as you say, that would be in the single digits. But it is because of that, what you just have delineated there.

HEATH: Yes.

KEILAR: A lot of sort of even maybe Democratic-leaning independents and independents showing up for her.

What does that say really about what New Hampshire means in the national picture?

HEATH: Well, New Hampshire is an independent state, used to be a Republican state. Then it became purple. Our entire federal delegation here is Democrat. We're a very independent state.

A lot of people moved into this state and brought their politics with them. But we have a Republican governor, but he appeals more in a general election than our primaries here. Donald Trump doesn't lose any votes. You know that. It's like concrete. He's like a goal post on the football field.

So, the question is, New Hampshire is more like a general election this time around. A lot of independents can vote. That's Nikki Haley's only chance to make this thing really be questioned going further. If Trump wins big tomorrow -- and I would equate big to 15 points or more, 50 percent or more -- then this thing is probably over, even though it goes into South Carolina.

So I think the only real test of Trump going forward, ironically, is not South Carolina. It's New Hampshire tomorrow with a lot of independents and undeclared who can vote. If he wins big here, I think he's off and running.

Conversely, anything less than 10 points, you folks in the national media are going to look at that and say, wow, maybe Nikki Haley's got a chance here, long shot, but maybe she has a chance.

KEILAR: Well, we will wait and see what this independent state determines tomorrow, as you will too.

Jack, looking forward to seeing what both of these candidates say on your show in the morning. Thank you so much for being with us.

HEATH: Thank you, Brianna.

KEILAR: The Biden campaign putting abortion rights front and center in the 2024 race. And any minute now, Vice President Kamala Harris is going to mark the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade with a speech in Wisconsin. We're going to bring that to you live.

[13:15:01]

Meantime, in Georgia, a judge is hearing arguments on whether the Fulton County DA, Fani Willis, should be forced to testify in a divorce proceeding. Why that could have a major impact on the election subversion case that she's pursuing against Trump.

We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Happening right now, the Biden campaign is beginning its full-court press on protecting reproductive rights on this 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

SANCHEZ: Now, that push is already under way in the battleground state of Wisconsin.

You're taking a live look at the podium there where Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to speak in just moments as part of her nationwide Fight for Reproductive Freedoms tour. She is expected to go right after former President Donald Trump directly. She wants to link him to abortion bans and the overturning of Roe back in 2022.

[13:20:03]

Of course, we will bring you her remarks live as soon as she takes the stage.

We also have an update for you out of Fulton County, Georgia. A judge has just ruled to put on pause the deposition of the DA there, Fani Willis, in the divorce proceedings of her lead prosecutor in that Georgia election subversion case against Trump.

KEILAR: Yes, Willis' testimony has been sought by the wife of special prosecutor Nathan Wade. Wade was hired by Willis several years ago to pursue the criminal case against former President Donald Trump and his allies.

We have CNN's Nick Valencia outside of the courthouse where this hearing took place.

Nick, tell us what you have been learning.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Boris and Brianna, Fani Willis will not have to testify for now, but she's not entirely in the clear.

In fact, the attorney for the estranged wife of her lead prosecutor argued that DA Willis has unique and relevant information to this divorce proceeding. Meanwhile, the attorney for Ms. Willis in an attempt to try to get her out of this deposition argued that the allegation of adultery is irrelevant and that, as a high-ranking public official in Fulton County, she should be protected from having to be deposed.

Ultimately, the judge in this case that's overseeing these divorce proceedings ruled that he did not have sufficient evidence to make a ruling one way or another and that Mr. Wade needed to be deposed first before he made a decision whether or not Willis had to testify in this case. Another significant development and something that could be a major

development is that the records for these divorce proceedings in Nathan Wade and his former wife, or his estranged wife, I should say, have now been vacated to be sealed. So now they're unsealed.

And this is important because these allegations of an improper relationship, they first surfaced in a motion by Ashleigh Merchant. Merchant is the attorney for former Trump campaign official Mike Roman, and she alleged that this case should be dismissed because of this improper relationship, and in that motion signaled that if she could get these divorce proceeding records unsealed, she would further be able to prove that claim.

So those records should be posted sometime later today. What's in them and how relevant they will be, will there be a bombshell or how significant they will be, that's anyone's guess at this point, but we will be watching that docket closely.

We should mention that DA Willis has yet to directly address the claims of this improper relationship, but about two Sundays ago, speaking from the pulpit, she did defend the decision to select Nathan Wade as a lead prosecutor in this case -- Boris, Brianna.

KEILAR: All right, Nick Valencia, thank you for that report from Marietta, Georgia.

SANCHEZ: The New York civil fraud -- civil defamation trial against Donald Trump has been delayed. I almost confused it with another case that Trump is involved in New York.

KEILAR: There are many.

SANCHEZ: The judge canceled court today because of a sick juror and possible COVID exposure within Trump's legal team.

Now, we'd been waiting to see if Trump would take the stand, and his lawyers say that he still plans to testify, but now the question is, when?

KEILAR: Let's go live now to CNN's Kara Scannell.

Kara, Trump's attorney is asking the judge if the former president can testify on Wednesday because he will not be in court tomorrow, of course, because of the New Hampshire primary. Is the judge going to consider this schedule change?

KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, Boris, Brianna, the judge said he was not going to decide that today, although he did say to Trump's lawyers that the circumstances may lead her to get what she wants.

And just as the backdrop here, he brought everyone into court about a half-hour after it was expected to begin, informing them that a juror who was coming in reported feeling nauseous and sick, and so the judge sent the juror home and told the juror to take a COVID test.

He asked both sides if they wanted to go ahead with eight jurors because they can do that in the civil case. Now, Carroll's lawyers said that they did. Trump's attorney said they didn't. They wanted to wait and see how this played out with the juror.

Also, Trump's lead attorney, Alina Habba, said that she was exposed to COVID three days ago. Her parents -- she had dinner with her parents. They tested positive. Now, she tested positive this -- excuse me. She tested this morning. Her test results were negative, but they were saying -- she was saying that she wanted to wait and see how it played out, and the judge saying, we will have everyone go home and test.

He told all the jurors to go test and have everyone report that back. But when Habba was addressing the judge, saying that she wanted to wait another day, Trump leaned over and whispered in her ear. She then stood back up and told the judge that her client reminded her of the New Hampshire primaries tomorrow and that she wanted another day off.

And the judge said he wouldn't decide that now, waiting to see what the jurors' results all come back. But, again, Habba herself had tested negative for COVID today.

KEILAR: All right, Kara Scannell, thank you. Things obviously can change very quickly with COVID. We all know that.

Nikki Haley racing all across New Hampshire, unleashing as well a fresh round of attacks on former President Trump, despite pressure from within her own party to unite around the former president.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:29:27]

SANCHEZ: Within an hour or so of Ron DeSantis suspending his presidential campaign, Senator Steve Daines of Montana tweeted this -- quote -- "Donald Trump is the presumptive nominee. I am encouraging every Republican to unite behind him, because it'll take all of us to defeat Joe Biden, take back the Senate, and hold the House."

Of course, Daines is the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. His stated mission is to return the chamber to a Republican majority.

Now, this morning, Nikki Haley hit back at a campaign stop in Franklin, New Hampshire. Listen to this.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

HALEY: I have watched the entire political elite yesterday and today, I've watched the entire media elite yesterday and today say