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Hillary Clinton Jokes About Disappearing Snapchat Messages; Air Traffic Control Down in Washington; Donald Trump Arrives Iowa State Fair Via Helicopter; U.S. Restores Diplomatic Ties with Cuba After 54 Years. Aired 1-2p ET
Aired August 15, 2015 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[13:00:01] WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: These are the names of those who are still missing. Dozens missing. Many of them firefighters. Their families, angry, storming a press conference earlier today that we attended. Screaming in the hallway, demanding answers, answers that they still don't have about the whereabouts of their loved ones. All of these names just a reminder of the human toll of this tragedy -- Fred.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Hello, again, everyone. And thanks so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
Hillary Clinton arrives in Iowa for the state fair there, and immediately on the defense. As the controversy around her use of e- mail swirls, Clinton facing tough questions on the issue from reporters ahead of her tour of the fair with Iowa senator and political power broker, Tom Harkin, coming out of retirement to throw his support on her.
It was last night in Clear Lake, Iowa, that Hillary Clinton made a joke about Snapchat and disappearing messages, and so our Jeff Zeleny was among the reporters who asked her some questions about whether it was appropriate to kind of make light of the e-mail controversy given she has given up her server to the Justice Department upon the request, and then last night making a joke out of disappearing messages.
So, Jeff, let's talk about how she handled that and how she took that as an opportunity to say and reiterate that she did not send nor receive material marked classified.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Fredricka. That's right. I mean, last night at the Clear Lake -- in Clear Lake, Iowa, at the Surf Ballroom, Hillary Clinton gave a very defiant speech. And she talked a lot of about those e-mails and was really sending a message to Democrats that this is all part of what she called the same partisan witch hunt that's been going on for her and, you know, her husband Bill Clinton for so many years. But some Republicans are raising questions of whether that Snapchat, saying her e-mails have disappeared, is actually appropriate.
But the reason this matters, Fredricka, is this. Even some Democrats, even some supporters of hers are wondering whether this whole controversy over her e-mail server could be a problem in the general election. So just a few moments ago she took questions from reporters, including us, and this is what she said. Let's take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think, first, I have said in the past that, you know, I used a single account for convenience. Obviously these years later it doesn't look so convenient, but the facts are the same as they have been from the very beginning of these questions being raised, and most importantly I never sent classified material on my e-mail, and I never received any that was marked classified, so I am going let whatever this inquiry is go forward and we'll, you know, await the outcome of it.
The State Department has confirmed what I just said to you, but I do think that if you look at the Republicans in Congress the ones running for president, there is an unfortunate tendency to try to make partisan a tragedy in Benghazi, which I just fundamentally disagree with. I don't think it's right and I will not participate in it. So we'll see how this all plays out. But it's not anything that people talk to me about as I travel around the country.
It is never raised in my town halls, it is never raised in my other meetings with people. I think what people are interested in is what Senator Harkin just said. You know, who's going to get the economy moving to create more good paying jobs, who's going to get the cost of college down and refinance people's student debt, who's going to open up the workforce to women, to people with disabilities so that they can make their contributions and be treated fairly and so much more. And that's what I talk about on the campaign trail.
This is the usual partisanization which I may have just made up a word of anything that goes on and I've been at this for a really long time and I think people in Iowa just like people across the country are going to want to vote for somebody that they believe will deliver results for them, and I think I've got a very strong case to make on that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: So she said that but then I followed up by asking her, there are Democrats who are asking questions and wondering whether this again is a general election viability. Is this not a potential problem going forward?
And Fredricka, she looked me and other reporters straight in the eyes and said it's not. She believes that is simply a partisan fight. So we'll see how this all works out. Of course she is going to be appearing before that Benghazi committee in October, and, you know, there's always the possibility of a Republicans overreach. We've seen that before in scandals gone by here.
[13:05:02] So it's just one of the things being discussed here at the Iowa State Fair, but now, Fredricka, she's on a tour with Tom Harkin, looking at some of the finer aspects of the state fair. WHITFIELD: OK. And Jeff, it is interesting, and I guess, for those
who have been in attendance in any of those town halls will have to reflect, has that been the case that, you know, prospective voters have not been inquiring about the e-mails. It's mostly that she is -- you know, darted questions by reporters about it because she seemed pretty emphatic in that press opportunity, you know, just moments ago where she said no one is asking her about e-mails. It's reporters.
ZELENY: Fred, I mean, she's clearly doubling down on this and saying that she is cooperating with this investigation that's going on at the same time as her campaign is. So I don't expect her to give any ground on that.
But, Fredricka, I can tell you, it's more than reporters asking these questions. It is some Democrats who are think that she is going give ground on that. It's more than just reporters asking these questions. It is some Democrats who are concerned and wondering how far this could go. Is it a problem? It's the whole reason that Vice President Joe Biden is in South Carolina finishing up his vacation, sitting there wondering if he should jump into this race. We don't know if he will. He hasn't decided yet. But this is one of the reasons.
WHITFIELD: All right. Oh, you know what, and for those who may have missed it last night, I know we're kind of backing into it. But, you know, it has been a fascinating discussion, but maybe there are people who did not hear what she said in Clear Lake, Iowa, last night at the Wing Ding affair. This is what she said about Snapchat as it related to disappearing messages.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: By the way, you may have seen that I recently launched a Snapchat account.
(CHEERS)
CLINTON: I love it. I love it. Those messages disappear all by themselves.
(CHEERS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So again, Jeff you asked her about it. I don't think I heard from her. She didn't directly answer what she said last night, but she did, you know, talk about e-mails in general. Do you think she'll be pressed later because we know Donald Trump took the opportunity to say, you know, her e-mail situation will bury her?
ZELENY: Well, of course, Donald Trump said her -- you know, the whole e-mail situation controversy will bring the end to her campaign. I think, you know, that's his view. I think there aren't even many Republicans who share that view that Secretary Clinton would get out of this campaign. That's Donald Trump being Donald Trump. And not coincidentally he'll be here, Fredricka, just in a few moments. He'll be landing a helicopter outside the grounds of this Iowa State Fair so a spectacle that is sure to be.
But look, he is trying to make some hay over this. But Democrats -- Hillary Clinton is trying to send the message to her supporters that she has this, that they're being cool and collected about this. They're cooperating with any investigations. But the challenge here is, any presidential campaign likes to be planned and scripted and know what's coming. The fact that there's a Justice Department investigation and a congressional investigation leaves many opportunities for this to go awry here. So that is what worries some of her supporters -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Jeff, I'm sorry. This happens to you one more time while you're talking with me. It must be really dusty around there.
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: I know they've got a lot of livestock. It is a state fair.
ZELENY: Time for a little lemonade, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: There you go. OK. Was that lemonade? OK.
ZELENY: There we go.
WHITFIELD: Very refreshing. OK. That's great.
ZELENY: It's lemonade. I promise.
WHITFIELD: OK. Very good. So are you going to be indulging in the fried snickers?
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: Like one of our colleagues?
ZELENY: No fried snickers for me. I prefer to stick to the -- I prefer to stick to the local Iowa things like the pork chop on a stick. The -- you know, the good Iowa beef tent. A lot of good Iowa fair here to have. And you can see behind me, a lot of people are enjoying it. So I wish you were here, Fredricka. You can join in the fun.
WHITFIELD: Me too. Because I'm all about the food. So I'll just have to live vicariously through you so I'll be, you know, riddling you with questions throughout the day about what you have eaten because I want to know.
All right. Jeff Zeleny --
ZELENY: Sounds good.
WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, enjoy your lemonade, too.
All right. Don't forget, CNN hosts our first Republican primary debate Wednesday September 16th, plus the first Democratic presidential debate will be live right here on CNN. That is Tuesday, October 13th. Don't miss either one. And we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[13:12:29] ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
WHITFIELD: All right. This breaking news out of the nation's capital. No flights are going in and out of D.C. area airports right now because of a computer outage at the Reagan, Dulles, and BWI airports. This photo from FlightAware.com right now showing no air traffic over that entire area. Air traffic controllers are working to reroute aircrafts that were planning to land.
CNN's Sunlen Serfaty is live for us now in D.C. and I'm also joined on the phone by former FAA safety inspector, David Soucie, who we'll get to in a moment but first, Sunlen, with you first, what happened?
SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, this is such a busy quarter so this is causing major delays. The FAA confirming to CNN that they are having a problem with their flight tracking computer system. So computer problems in essence and it's affecting three major D.C. area airports, BWI on Baltimore, Reagan National and Dulles Airport. We're doing -- this is such a busy quarter so a lot of people's travel plans are being affected right now.
The FAA spokesman -- spokeswoman telling CNN in a statement, quote, "The FAA is diagnosing an automation problem at an air trafficking center in Leesburg, Virginia. Some flights into and out of New York and Washington, D.C. metro area airports may be delayed. We are directing high altitude traffic around the affective air space.
Now officials are saying that this problem is becoming better. That they're really working hard to remedy the problem. But we are of course hearing from our team at these airports that there are still delays, are still ground stops in some of these airports, and certainly has a large residual effect. That domino theory that we always hear about when one airport -- especially major airports like these D.C. airports are affected, that really delays everything else.
So we are hearing delays at LaGuardia. But important to note here, Fred, FAA official does say that this has nothing to do with an accident or nothing to do with the hacking that they know of at this time -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: OK. And Sunlen, are they saying anything about those planes that were in the air on the way to either BWI, Reagan National or Dulles? Have they are being rerouted to, say, Philadelphia? A small airport but Philadelphia or even LaGuardia. As you mentioned LaGuardia already experiencing delays but where are people -- where are those planes going?
SERFATY: Well, that's a great question. We don't know exactly at this time. We do know that this has been happening over the course of many hours. And we are hearing that there were ground stops in certain areas and airports, so potentially knowing that this was a problem, it prevented many planes from taking off. [13:15:06] And certainly that dramatic picture that you showed of all
of that flights in the area and there are being a big area around D.C. where there's just not many flights in the air show that right now that potentially they're keeping all these planes.
WHITFIELD: Wow. This is extraordinary. Impacting a lot of people.
All right, David Soucie with us now as a former FAA and safety inspector. So when you hear an automation problem in Leesburg, Virginia, which by the way is near Dulles Airport, how do you interpret this?
DAVIS SOUCIE, CNN SAFETY ANALYST: Well, it looks like there's two different things, really, Fredricka. One of these started back in 1962 when they went to a critical and essential power system. In other words generator backups. So it appears to me at this point just from preliminary information that the ground stop that was mentioned before is a result of the power failure or a power swap. So these systems are supposed to swap independently of any kind of breaks so the computers can continue to run.
While in 1962 when they started this new system these generators weren't capable of that so they're then in process of upgrading all their power systems over the last, you know, 30 or 40 years, but they're still not there yet. They still need to have some work done on these things. And I think that's what started the initial problem and then these computers, the tracking computers that maintain the distance and the separation are all inter-dependent with each other particularly within that Washington region, and so when one thing goes down, it affects everything.
WHITFIELD: Yes, so I wonder, there wouldn't be like in a generator or some kind of backup power source if the primary one were to go down in a case like this and the computers continued to work?
SOUCIE: Yes, well, what happens is the generator is running -- starts to run as soon as the power failure happens. And so its battery pack that continue to keep a solid source. Because just like any computer, if you take the power away, it has to reboot itself.
WHITFIELD: OK.
SOUCIE: And this computer is a massive computer so it takes quite a while to reboot and then resynchronize with all of the other independent -- inter-dependent systems around the country.
WHITFIELD: OK. All right. David Soucie, thank you so much. And Sunlen Serfaty.
So a massive computer -- massive now problem for presumably millions of people who are flying in and out of the Washington, D.C. airports.
Thanks so much. We'll keep our viewers posted as well.
All right. Now back to Iowa and the excitement there. We understand now Republican candidate Donald Trump has just arrived in Des Moines, Iowa, at the state fair. In fact there he is speaking right now.
CNN's political reporter Sara Murray is joining us live.
So, Sara -- now is this live -- OK. Well, I'm wondering if we should listen to Donald Trump right there or, Sara, perhaps you can give us the highlights.
SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so Donald Trump arriving as usual understated way.
WHITFIELD: How so?
MURRAY: Yes, sure, Donald Trump arriving usual understated way on a $7 million jet. He just landed in a $7 million helicopter. There are a bunch of kids waiting to take a ride. Right now he's doing a quick media avail and coming out strong, hitting Hillary Clinton. Let's take a listen to what he has to say.
DONALD TRUMP, GOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have done so well because people hear my message, we're being ripped off by everybody in the world whether it's China and Japan, Mexico, both at the border and in trade. In the case of Mexico, Mexico is sort of becoming the new China in terms of trade. So many companies. Just yesterday I read where Nabisco, Nabisco, is moving to Mexico.
I mean, give me a break. So we have to reverse that. We need jobs in our country. We don't have to worry about other countries. We're going to take jobs back from China and Japan, we're going to make our country great again. And that to me is going to be the challenge. And we're going to do it. And it's not going to be that difficult.
I spoke with Carl Ichan. He's a friend of mine. He's a great negotiator. He will help us. All of the best negotiators. The -- we have the best business people in the world in this country. They'll all help us. And believe me when I get the right people negotiating with the right countries, we will come out on top every single time. And that's what we need. Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You talked about Jeb Bush yesterday being a puppet of all his donors raising $100 million --
TRUMP: Well, Jeb Bush is a puppet to his donors. There's no question about it. He's got lobbyists. I know them. He's got lobbyists. And, you know, he made statements over the last couple of days that are incredible, trying to justify the war in Iraq. Can't be justified. And then he said skin in the game. I don't know if you saw his resent statement. He said the United States has to prove to Iraq that we have skin in the game.
We've spent $2 trillion, thousands of lives lost, wounded warriors who I love all over the place, and he said we have to prove that we have skin in the game. I think it may be one of the dumbest statements I've ever heard. Skin in the game. We don't have to prove anything. First of all, the Iraqi officials are a bunch of crooks, if there even is an Iraq, which I don't think there is. Iran is taking over Iraq. It was one of the dumbest things ever. [13:20:02] And I think what happened, because I understand psychology,
I think his brother probably said hey, you're killing me. That was his war and he looks very bad. So Jeb Bush tried to push back, but when he said we have to prove to Iraq that we have skin in the game and we've lost all of those lives and all of that money, I think he should apologize to the families of the people.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Follow-up question to you. Your critique of him as being a puppet, you admit that you were essentially a puppeteer controlling --
TRUMP: Well, I was one of the greats. But now I'm on the different side. I know how the system works better than anybody.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Why is when you --
TRUMP: Many of the people that gave to Jeb and to Hillary and to everybody else, they're friends of mine or enemies of mine. But they're people I know. These are not people that are doing it because they like the color of his hair. Believe me. These are highly sophisticated killers. And when they give $5 million or $2 million or $1 million to Jeb, they have him just like a puppet. He'll do whatever they want.
He is their puppet. Believe me. And with me I had yesterday a lobbyist call me up. It's a friend of mine. Good guy. Smart as hell. For his client. I don't blame him. He said, Donald, I want to put $5 million into your campaign. I said, I don't need it, I don't want it. He said, no, no, I want to put $5 million in it. I said, I don't want it, because when you come back to me in two years and you want help for a company that you're representing or a country that you're representing, I am going to do the right thing for the people of the United States. And I don't want to have to insult you. So honestly, I appreciate it. I don't want your $5 million.
I'm turning down so much money, but if he put it up, I'd feel obligated because I'm a loyal person. Just like Jeb Bush. Jeb Bush and all of them. I'm not just talking about Jeb Bush. Hillary, too. Believe me. Nobody played the game better than I did. I know the game from the other side. And that's the way that it works.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Qualified to be president in your view?
TRUMP: Nobody else would do the job that I will do. I will bring back jobs. I will strengthen our military. I'll take care of our vets. I'll get rid of Obamacare, which is by the way a catastrophe. Look at what's happening with your -- no, look what's happening. Look what's happening. The cost of your insurance is going through the roof. Look what's happening. It's terrible.
I will take care of people. And I will be better to woman. That's another thing I heard with Jeb. Woman's health issues. He didn't want to fund them. Then he goes back two or three hours later, said, he misspoke. He misspoke.
I will be so great to women. I cherish woman and the women haven't been taken care of properly. When I hear somebody like Jeb Bush talking about we're not going to fund, then he comes back because, you know, his pollsters said you made a mistake. You have to go back and take it back. But he doesn't mean it from the heart. OK. Another question?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: How will you deal with Congress?
TRUMP: Well, I just put out, in fact it will come out tomorrow on "Meet the Press" actually. I just put out a policy on immigration. And it's -- I think it's very comprehensive. So we're starting -- we're going to be tax policy which I happen to be very good at. I mean, who knows the system better than me. I'm putting out a tax policy paper over the next two weeks so we're putting them out one by one.
And I think that you will see that it's going to be very important. Yes. And thank you for all your nice words, by the way.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: A lot of voters are saying that they really want to see your policies now. They're very eager to see the sort of substance behind your remarks --
TRUMP: Well, I think the press is more eager to see it than the voters, to be honest. I think the voters -- I think the voters like me, they understand me, they know I'm going to do the job. And you know, when you put out policy like a 14-point plan, a lot of times in the first hour of negotiation that 14-point plan goes astray. But you may end up with a better deal.
That's the way it works. I mean, that's the way really life works. When I do a deal, I don't say, here's 14 points. I go down and do it. I don't sit down and talk about 14 points. But I know the press wants it. I don't think the people care. I think they trust me. I think they know I'm going to make good deals for them. That's what it's all about.
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: I'll get Congress. I've been getting politicians to pass whatever I wanted all my life. Nobody has more experience. You know, it's sort of interesting, nobody has more experience dealing with politicians than I. I've been dealing with them all my life. Whether it's big New York City zoning deals, which by the way are probably tougher than most of the things I'll be dealing with it foreign countries. I mean, I built a city on the west side of Manhattan. You talk about getting zone. Getting zone for Trump Tower, 68 stories on 57th and Fifth.
Let me tell you, I've been dealing with politicians all my life. They're fine. They're wonderful. They're all talk, they're no action. They're selling this country down the tubes and they're easy to deal with. Believe me.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Zoning in New York are more difficult -- UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: -- about policy? Why do you think voters
don't care about policy?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Why aren't you speaking in the Iowa soapbox? Are you afraid to take questions?
TRUMP: No, I don't do that because that paper was, in my opinion, not relevant to me. Just not relevant.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Why do you think voters --
[13:25:06] TRUMP: And I noticed a number of other people aren't speaking there. No, the paper is not relevant.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. Trump, four years ago --
TRUMP: Yes, I'm taking questions right now. Yes. Am I going to take questions -- she just asked -- she just asked, am I going to take questions from reporters, what am I doing? Am I taking questions from -- they'll tell you I'm taking questions.
(CHEERS)
TRUMP: By the way, unlike Hillary, unlike Hillary, this is unlike Hillary, do we agree? OK. Go ahead. Yes? I hadn't heard that. Well, I guess that's a compliment in many ways. OK. Yes, go ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: My concern and enforcing the laws that we have --
TRUMP: You're going to love me in terms of immigration and illegal immigration. We're going build a wall. It's going to be a wall that is not -- nobody is going through my wall. Trump builds walls, I build walls. We're building a wall, it's going to be strong, it's going to be solid, it's going to be policed. You know, somebody said they can tunnel under. Well, that's true but with x-ray, they can't. All you have to do is fly a drone over it.
They can see that immediately. So nobody can go under it, nobody is going over it. And you know what, we're going to have a big door for people to come in legally. We're going to have a big beautiful door for people to come in legally. I want people to come into the country but they have to come in legally. So you'll be very happy with me. OK? Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Would a President Trump be the same as a Candidate Trump with foreign leaders? Can you imagine yourself --
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: I think even better. I think even better because foreign leaders I believe I'll get -- I've had great relationships over the years, and you can see that. I've had great relationships with people over the years. I think even better. I'm doing well, I'm leading in the polls. The little ones, the big ones. I'm leading so importantly to me. I'm leading in Iowa because when people look at Scott Walker his state has a $2.2 billion deficit.
He thought -- you know, he was telling people he's a -- his growth is terrible in terms of the state. And there's tremendous deception all over the state. But they said they're going to have a big surplus of $1 billion. Well, the billion-dollar surplus is a $2.2 billion deficit. And nobody was willing to say it but me. And I didn't want to say it. I would not have said it until he attacked me. Then I said thank you very much, then I said it.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE)
TRUMP: I'll get along great with foreign leader. I get along great with them right now. I'm all over the world. I'm building in China. I'm building in -- all over the world. I get along great. I will have -- why? Do you think they're getting along good right now? Putin can't stand Obama. Nobody -- who in -- who like Obama from -- I'm talking worldwide. He's not getting along with anybody.
And I have said it, Hillary Clinton was the single worst secretary of the state in the history of this country. The world collapsed around us while she was secretary of the state. Now in my -- in my opinion Kerry might be worse. Because he's making a deal with Iran that is so bad and so dangerous and so incompetent and stupid that it will have grave consequences. Grave consequences.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What would you do on day one to stop the Iranians from getting a nuclear weapon?
TRUMP: Well, you're going to have to be very forceful action. Very, very forceful action. You cannot let Iran -- let me just tell you this. Israel was sold out by Kerry and Obama. You cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. You can't have it. When they march down the streets saying death to Israel, death to the -- you can't let it happen. It will not happen. Believe me it will not happen here.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. Trump?
TRUMP: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You're self-funding your own campaign?
TRUMP: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Have you set a budget for this endeavor?
TRUMP: Irrelevant.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: How much have you spent on it?
TRUMP: Well, you saw I make $400 million a year. So what difference does it make? What I want to do is I want to make the country great. That's all I want to do. That's much more important. My business has been so successful, my children and my executives will run that easily. I won't even think -- I won't even care about it. My sole focus will be taking that brain that built a great business with some of the great assets of the world.
I have some of the great assets, Turnberry in Scotland, Doral in Miami. I have some of the greatest assets in the world. Best locations in Manhattan. Trump Tower, 57th and 5th. That's what I do. That whole -- whatever it is. Whatever kind of a brain that is will be used to making our country rich again, trade deals, great trade deals, making our country rich, and then making it great.
We can't make it great unless we make it rich. We have to bring back the money. We're a debtor nation. We owe $19 trillion. So my whole focus will be this country and making it great.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Would you spend then $1 billion on the election?
[13:30:01] TRUMP: How much?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: A billion.
TRUMP: I would do that. Yes. If I had to.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Do you think that a woman (INAUDIBLE)?
TRUMP: Yes, I do. Yes, I do. I have the exceptions and I've been open about that.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. Trump, what do you think is the challenge your campaign faces in the fall and the biggest mistake you've made? Have you made any mistake so far?
TRUMP: I don't think I've made mistakes. I mean, every time somebody says I made a mistake, they do the polls and my numbers go up. So I guess I haven't made a mistake.
Look, when I said Mexico is sending, I was talking about illegal immigration. The people understood it even though the press didn't want them to. My numbers went up. When I talked about John McCain, I was saying how bad he's treated the veterans because the veterans are treated badly. Then they do a poll, who do you like better, to the veterans, John McCain or Trump? And I swamped him in the poll. The veterans like me better because they know I'll take care of them. He hasn't -- after 30 years, he hasn't taken care of them.
And this last thing with FOX, I mean, I love Roger Ailes, but all you have to do is ask Roger Ailes who won. So I don't think I -- you know, I don't think I've made any mistakes. I'm sure I will at some point, but so far you would have to say hasn't worked out badly. Right? Huh? See, he's a reporter, he doesn't want to give me an answer.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE). They're not doing that to any other candidates. Is your wife --
TRUMP: That one I haven't heard. Did you run a profile? That won't happen. She's fantastic.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What are you going to do differently for this country?
TRUMP: I'm going to do a lot of things. Almost everything.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Three things.
TRUMP: You want to know?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Yes.
TRUMP: What things am I going to do different for this -- almost everything. Because that's what has to happen. Everything we do is wrong. The military, we're not taking care of the military. Not taking care of our vets. We're not taking care of our country. We're not taking care of our finances. We're not taking care of our trade deals.
When was the last time you saw this country have a victory? We don't have victories. We don't have victories against China and trade. China just devalued their currency. That's the sucking sound. You know what that is? That means jobs and money coming out of our country. What they did with that evaluation, the biggest devaluation they've had in two decades. They're killing us. They won't be doing it when I'm watching it. And I think our people have no idea what's happening. And do you agree with me? Does everybody agree with me?
CROWD: Yes.
TRUMP: They're smart. Let's give them a helicopter ride. OK. Right? Good. I don't know. Let's go see it. Come on. Get -- let's get going. Who is going first? Where are your parents?
WHITFIELD: OK. Whirlwind of an arrival for Republican presidential contender Donald Trump arriving on his helicopter there and now getting ready to lead children who are there at the Iowa State Fair for their free rides on his chopper. But before they will take off, let's dig into all that Donald Trump has said about everything from tomorrow he'll be releasing details on his immigration plan on "Meet the Press."
He impressed that, you know, voters like him. It's the press that has so many questions, and he was critical of Jeb Bush on his comments about, you know, having American skin in the Iraq war. He did not answer the question about whether he is a hypocrite when he talks about not accepting any donor money because if elected president he doesn't want to have to answer to any of the donors who've given money. However, he admits to having made several donations to other campaigns. And then he talked about the Soapbox, why he's not taking to the "Des Moines Iowa Register" Soapbox there at the Iowa State Fair saying that the newspaper is not relevant.
OK. Lots to chew on. CNN political reporter Sara Murray is with us. She is there. And Cheri Jacobus is a Republican strategist and PR executive, and Nomiki Konst is a Democratic strategist who once worked for Hillary Clinton, plus CNN political director David Chalian also with us. Whoa. Where do we begin, people? All right. So, Sara, you are
there. Talk to us about this moment. The arrival of Donald Trump and him really being the same Donald Trump that we've always seen, been very curt and very honest with his answers, really not holding back at all, in other words -- Sara.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. In the count of three, go out. OK. One, two, three.
WHITFIELD: Maybe it's a little too noisy for Sara to be able to hear us.
So, David Chalian, you too are there in Iowa. Talk to us about this moment and how Donald Trump has managed to orchestrate, you know, the perfect setting for him to deliver this kind of message whether it'd be blasting his opponents.
DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Right.
WHITFIELD: Or perhaps, you know, giving his own pat on the back, saying the voters love me. It's the reporters who have all the questions.
CHALIAN: Right. And let's take a look at the optics, too, of course. I mean, his helicopter lands with his name, his brand, right on it behind him during that press availability.
[13:35:08] Listen, you pointed out some of the key highlights from that. He is rolling out this immigration plan. But I also think it's important that he said he's willing to spend a billion dollars of his own money on this campaign if that's what it takes. You heard him say that he has already turned down a lobbyist friend who called to offer him $5 million.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
CHALIAN: He doesn't want to be beholden to anyone. He's willing to spend a billion of his own. That's a message that resonates with voters because they like when their politicians have no strings attached.
WHITFIELD: Right. Right. And he said that. He said that, you know, this is a fantastic strategy on his part.
Sara Murray now back with us. You were there as the chopper landed, perhaps your position has changed. Describe for us the situation there.
MURRAY: Yes. So we're right here. He's about to take all of those cute kids you saw behind him up for a couple of helicopter rides. But look, it was really interesting to hear Donald Trump's tone and they're talking about how he will spend unlimited amounts of money on his campaign, saying it's irrelevant. But also when he talks about policy, you know, he said that he -- his immigration policy was coming, his tax plan was coming. It was interesting to hear him say that he thinks reporters are the
ones who care about this. He doesn't think voters are the ones who care. That's not been my experience in talking to voters in a number of these events. They say they like his sort of talking points, the red meat he offers, but they want to see the specifics. So it'll be interesting to see if he actually does deliver on that on a number of different policy areas, or if he think he can just kind of get away with saying, he could make good deals.
WHITFIELD: And Cheri Jacobus, Nomiki Konst also with us. So Sherry, you first. You heard Donald Trump say, you know, I haven't made any mistakes.
CHERI JACOBUS, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Right.
WHITFIELD: You know, he said as it pertains to Mexico, he gave what he thought was, you know, clarification on that. Then he talks about John McCain and how -- what he was say and he believes the voters understood him, that John McCain hasn't done enough in 30 years for vets and that he pledges that he will. And you know, he says people love him.
JACOBUS: Yes. Well, some obviously love him and many others know that he has made mistakes. The comments about John McCain, you know, isn't a hero because he, quote, "got caught." We all heard him say it, but Mr. Trump is somewhat inarticulate so they try to have it both ways. He'll say something and then he'll say, but that's not what I really said.
In terms of specifics on the issues, once he does come out with those and saying people like some of the talking points, but so far that's all he's given. Once he starts coming out with specifics and has to be held accountable, it's a whole different story. This is a man who is -- he is a pro-assault rifle ban. He's been pro-abortion up until very recently and in fact gave money to an abortion group -- pro- abortion group as a donation.
This is a man who is for a wealth tax. He also -- you know, he's saying he's got all these specifics out there, and he's got all the support. We also know that his online, his social media supporters are less than 40 percent of them were actually qualified to vote. So there's some Astroturfing going on here.
I also think it's extremely problematic that he is proud of and brags about the fact that he buys politicians. He's asked the question, how will you get along with Congress? He says I get along with Congress just fine. And he basically says I'll buy them.
WHITFIELD: Yes, he says I get along --
JACOBUS: You can't do that as president.
WHITFIELD: He says I get along with all of them and they love me.
JACOBUS: You can't do that.
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: But at the same time there was that question --
JACOBUS: Only because he buys them. It won't work.
WHITFIELD: Yes. You heard that question, someone said, but aren't you being a hypocrite? You have once been a donor many times over. Yet now you're saying you wouldn't accept, you know, donations because you don't want anybody to come back later to say look, do me this favor or you owe me, et cetera, but, you know, he -- I guess conveniently either didn't hear the question or he moved on to the next thing.
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: Cheri.
JACOBUS: Yes, he did conveniently choose those questions that he wanted to. This is going to get a lot tougher for him.
WHITFIELD: Yes. OK.
JACOBUS: And again saying -- and I'll also if he starts -- we saw him, heard him use language talking about other countries and their leaders that he's using to talk about his opponents. He is stupid -- that's not how you negotiate with people who want to hurt us. That is not how the leader of the free world negotiates with leaders of other countries no matter who the other countries are.
WHITFIELD: Well --
JACOBUS: That's frightening stuff.
WHITFIELD: And Nomiki, expect for, you know, Trump saying there I get along with, you know, with foreign leaders. You know, he went on to blast Hillary Clinton as being the single worst secretary of state. He says nobody likes Obama. And he said that John Kerry and this deal with Iran, well, it demonstrates that, you know, he or the deal is in competent and is stupid, and that he will do everything differently from vets to finances to trade.
So, Nomiki, it's one thing to rattle off all these things, it's another to finally reveal some real specifics which his campaign is promising will happen next month but of course tomorrow he says on "Meet the Press" there will be some specifics on immigration. As we see this chopper take off with a lot of the kids for the free ride now.
[13:40:01] So, Nomiki, you know, what is at stake for Donald Trump if anything at this juncture?
NOMIKI KONST, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, I mean, as we watch this chopper going over the crowd, while Donald Trump entire state fair and avoiding people. You've got Hillary Clinton doing everything she can to talk to people, to connect with them. So you have two different campaigns going on here. You have Donald Trump who's like he's bragging about how rich he is and he's trying to recruit all these aspirational millionaires, people in America who want to make it like he does, and then you have Hillary Clinton who's trying to be like an everyday woman. You know, and she's talking about income inequality.
So there are two very different campaigns. I mean, Donald Trump last week the closest thing I heard him talk about a tax plan was this tariff idea about how if other countries don't do what we want them to do, then we're going to increase their tariffs. Well, that's illegal. And that's been illegal since after the World War II when we first entered into trade deals. You know, that was a dividing issue in the 1800s between Democrats and Republicans.
That's the closest thing to a detail I've seen about a tax plan. Now I've heard through the grapevine that he's going to meet with Steve Forbes? Maybe he'll give him some ideas. I think that they're probably from the same side of the aisle on financial issues and tax issues. So we'll see what happens in the coming weeks. But you've got to do something because this is going to wear out quickly.
JACOBUS: Can I just -- I have to respond to the Hillary -- Hillary Clinton just held her press event at this -- Iowa State Fair ground. And she's basically defending herself against criminal activity. Stuff that could actually hurt the security of the United States of America. This is not talking to everyday people about everyday matters. Hillary Clinton is lucky if she escapes prison. So I have to take issue --
(CROSSTALK)
KONST: But, you know, Cheri, that --
WHITFIELD: OK.
JACOBUS: That she's talking to everyday people about stuff they care about. I think Hillary Clinton right now is talking --
KONST: No, but she's having small events and she's avoiding the press.
JACOBUS: -- about she cares about staying out of prison.
WHITFIELD: OK. Well, David, I wonder, you know, this is quite the contrast. You know, you've got Hillary Clinton, you know, who walked, you know, up to people with shaking hands, you had the cattle in the background, and then she took to the podium and was also endorsed by, you know, once very popular, you know, Iowa senator, Tom Harkin.
And then you've got the contrasting, you know, image of Donald Trump arriving in his, you know, multimillion dollar helicopter, and then essentially directing the questions. He really was kind of commandeering the whole thing, handling it the way he wanted to, and then was able to kind of ride off in the sunset so to speak with the backdrop of children who are going into, you know, his chopper for this great experience.
So how do you analyze this contrast of these two candidates and how they're handling or how they're, you know, upstaging one another there in Iowa?
CHALIAN: Right. I mean they are both candidates with celebrity appeal in many ways. And that makes it somewhat challenging for those kinds of candidates to walk through this state fairgrounds. They have security around them, massive amounts of press around them, hard to engage with voters. Hillary Clinton and I just were walking through the Agriculture Building here, just off to the side when she went to go look at the butter cow. Several voters were trying to get up to her but it just is a challenging environment.
And that I think is going to be Donald Trump's challenge when he gets to the fairgrounds. He landed his helicopters, as you know, just a little bit away. When he gets here where I am to the fair, he's going to be surrounded by this horde of press corps and security and making sure that he's able to interact with voters and have conversations with everyday Iowans.
WHITFIELD: And does he want to?
CHALIAN: It's the key challenge.
WHITFIELD: Does he want to or is there still a bit of a, you know, distance between --
CHALIAN: Of course he wants to.
WHITFIELD: Yes? Between he and supporters there? OK. So describe that.
CHALIAN: Well, I mean, any candidate running for president wants to be able to interact with voters. You just heard one of them perhaps interacting with me right here as they went by. So of course he wants to actually get out here and shake hands and introduce himself to folks. That's how this process happens. He doesn't have to do it to the extent than others, because he doesn't have to get known. He is a very well known commodity. But he needs it. If he's going to win in Ohio, he's building an organization here, he needs to actually get out and meet some Iowans.
WHITFIELD: So, Sara, help me out here. I thought the message, and correct me if I'm wrong, the message that candidates want to send particularly there in Iowa, which is, you know, I am a man or I'm a woman of the people. And you know this, while this is Donald Trump and you know, he doesn't at all, you know, shy away nor is he embarrassed about, you know, the riches of being Donald Trump. And instead, you know, that really is his calling card. So how does that go over with folks in Iowa?
MURRAY: They're about to come to us.
WHITFIELD: He's there.
MURRAY: He's asking me a question.
WHITFIELD: OK. I know it's tough because Sara is right near that chopper and it is hard to hear. MURRAY: So, I think that --
WHITFIELD: OK, go ahead.
MURRAY: Look, I think that the things Donald -- yes, it's a little hard to hear. So I think that things that Donald Trump is saying overall are going pretty well for the folks in Iowa. They like his sort of sound bites. The question is, will he give them the opportunity to sort of see him up close? And you have to flush these things out. So if you're Donald Trump going out and just saying, I'm going to be great for women, it's a good talking point but then the next question is, what are you going to do? How are you going to be great for women?
And those are the questions that he gets from -- that you get from voters if you walk around the fair and people call you aside and talk to you. They can ask you about whatever issue that's at the top of their mind. So we'll have to see how that goes. He has a number of security guards here. I've counted at least five or six. So we'll have to see how that works out walking through the fair.
WHITFIELD: All right. And Nomiki, you know, along the list of, you know, Donald Trump's, I guess, talking points, you know, he rattled off all the things where he said look, I've made no mistakes. You know, I love Roger Ailes, but you know what who won? You know, and he'll do everything differently, you know, from that to, you know, our finances and to trade, and then he says, you know, I'll be great to women. This is his way of trying to appeal to everybody. The masses. Is it an effective strategy for him?
KONST: I think it's effective up until a point. I mean, even watching this footage right now, this has all been perfectly orchestrated. If people think that he's shooting off the cup, no, this is a guy who has a bag of words, and each of these words are words that targets and excites the Republican base. He pulls from that bag of words when he goes on stage and he answers questions, and he uses that one sound bite and then he doesn't get into details.
And that's going to work until probably the next day and then it's going to grow tired because as he gets closer to the primaries and especially with the Iowa caucus, I think that the Iowa caucus voters really want a little bit more meat. But, you know, this is going to last as long as it lasts. We've all been wrong so far so I'm not going to make any --
WHITFIELD: Yes. I don't know. Yes, exactly. I mean, people were thinking there was no viable candidacy early on in the game and here we are.
KONST: Right.
WHITFIELD: So then, David, you know, there's something to the technique, you know, of Donald Trump. He is right there. He is accessible to all of the questions yet he is very able, you know, to I guess impose a distraction from answering a question directly to kind of moving on to something else. And it just seems like not even -- a lot of the reporters can kind of keep up with that or be able to press him on, demand him on answering any questions unlike many of us have ever seen. David. Are you there?
CHALIAN: I'm sorry, was that to me? I didn't know.
WHITFIELD: Yes, that was for you.
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: Is there a way that you can analyze what you see happening? People are asking him the questions, and very seasoned reporters who were asking him, pressing him, but he somehow is still able to -- I don't know if it's tactfully or just, you know, in a clever way avoid answering a lot of questions by throwing out diversions and just moving on to something else.
CHALIAN: Right. He's pretty skilled actually at not answering questions. But when, you know, we've had interviews with him on CNN and then been able to press him for certain specifics, at some points he says he's just not willing to reveal them. That's right. There's news that he's going to have an actual immigration plan to put out there tomorrow that we'll be able to pick through and then press him for more on, that will be a different phase of the campaign for him.
This initial phase of the campaign, him sort of rocketing to the head of the pack and gathering this initial bit of attention and support from Republican voters has been without the sort of meat on the bones. And every time we've pressed him for specifics, he's punted. Now he's going to put a little more meat on the bones.
WHITFIELD: Punted. I love it.
CHALIAN: I'm not sure we're going to get -- I'm not sure that we're going to get much more detailed answers but at least we're going to something here.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
CHALIAN: To be able to look at what his plans are.
WHITFIELD: All right. So far very fascinating day this Saturday there in Iowa.
David Chalian, Sara Murray, Cheri Jacobus, Nomiki Konst, thanks to all of you. Appreciate it.
KONST: Thank you.
JACOBUS: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: All right. Much more straight ahead. We'll be right back.
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[13:50:45] WHITFIELD: Rates for 15-year mortgages inched up this week. Have a look.
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WHITFIELD: All right. The U.S. flag raised above the American embassy in Havana for the first time in 54 years. The U.S. and Cuba marking their resumption of diplomatic relations. But what happens now between the two countries?
Joining me from Houston, CNN presidential historian Douglas Brinkley, and in New York, Stephen Schlesinger, a fellow at the Century Foundation, whose father Arthur Schlesinger worked in and wrote extensively about the Kennedy White House.
Good to see both of you.
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Thank you.
STEPHEN SCHLESINGER, ADJUNCT FELLOW, CENTURY FOUNDATION: Nice to see you.
WHITFIELD: All right. So, Stephen, to you first. You know, what was that moment like for you, and did your dad ever talk about possibly seeing that kind of day, or that day happening, like what we saw yesterday?
SCHLESINGER: I think he always wanted this day to happen. I don't think he would have realized it was going to take another 50 years. You know, it's quite remarkable. Ten presidents I believe have been in office since the embargo was instituted against Cuba. Finally, we have a president who made a breakthrough and it's a very impressive turnaround, and I think it will pay very much dividends, both with our relationship with Cuba as well as with the entire Latin American community.
WHITFIELD: And so, Douglas, you know, this ceremony was full of symbolism, you know, from the U.S. Marines involved 54 years ago, taking the flag down, to now being the ones to help raise the flag. Apparently the cane that Secretary of State, you know, Kerry was walking on also had its significance there. How important was this moment to set a tone, so to speak, of how these two countries will be working together this day forward?
BRINKLEY: Well, it's a very important tone-setting moment for John Kerry. It's one of the high watermarks of his tenure as secretary of state. Barack Obama will most likely get very high marks in history for kind of healing U.S.-Cuban relations. But we've got to be cautious here. Embassies can open and they can close. We had an embassy in Venezuela, in Caracas, running and then we shut it down.
[13:55:05] We'll have to see. We're not -- the friendship with the United States and Cuba is not ironclad at this juncture. There's still human rights issues. And if we ever find out that Cuba is in some ways sponsoring terrorism against the United States, things could dissolve. But for the moment, as Stephen Schlesinger said, this is a very healing moment after this many decades of the United States and Cuba at each other's throats. It looks like now a friendship is blooming.
WHITFIELD: And blooming in what way do you see, Stephen? Because yes, unfinished business. We're still talking about, you know, an embargo that has yet to be lifted. It takes an act of Congress in order for that to happen. But what do you see next in the short term as opposed to the long term?
SCHLESINGER: Well, I think there are going to be a series of small steps. I think Doug is quite right that -- you know, Cuba is not going to change overnight. In fact, it may not change for years. So the small steps are important. I think right now Secretary Kerry has been talking about some of them. For example, dealing with narcotics interdiction, or the environment, or issues of financial transactions or agriculture or telecommunications.
All those issues are pretty straightforward and can be dealt with in a bilateral basis. But when you get into the issues of human rights, the settlement of expropriated property of Cubans and Americans, and issues of democracy, it's -- you're talking about a much longer-term situation.
WHITFIELD: And then, Douglas, you know, just listening to the ceremony and listening to the -- whether it be the poet or even Secretary Kerry, some beautiful, you know, words that were being used. And when using language like, you know, as two peoples who are no longer enemies or rivals, but neighbors playing the Cuban national anthem first, and then later playing, you know, the U.S. national anthem. In what way do you see those as, you know, significant moves in order to really kind of thaw the ice?
BRINKLEY: Well, I think the Cuban people and the American people have a shared rich history. And so one of the ways that the ice thawing is going to happen are cultural exchanges. Students going down to Cuba now. People going to do tourism. I went down to Cuba just to see the sight of the Bay of Pigs invasion. And went to see where Theodore Roosevelt's, you know, history down there.
It's an amazing place, Havana. So I think the influx of American tourists going to Cuba is going to be quite remarkable. And when people start talking and dialoguing, sharing music, food, it's a chance for these two countries to get much closer. And also Fidel Castro is on his last legs, so to speak. And Raul Castro has shown more of an -- shown signs that he liked to get along with the United States. So for some people that remember the Cuban missile crisis, this is really a moment to celebrate when tensions are at an all-time low right now.
WHITFIELD: Yes, neither of the Castros were there, but, you know, their aura, indeed.
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: You know, is certainly in the vicinity.
BRINKLEY: Yes.
WHITFIELD: Stephen Schlesinger and Douglas Brinkley, thanks to both of you. Appreciate it.
BRINKLEY: Thanks.
SCHLESINGER: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: All right. We'll be right back.
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