Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Donald Trump And Jeb Bush Step Up Attacks On Each Other; Hillary Clinton Discusses Her Main Democratic Opponent; Violence Erupts Over Access To Holy Site. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired October 18, 2015 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[14:00:14] FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now in the NEWSROOM --
JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Across the spectrum of foreign policy, Mr. Trump talks about things that as though he's still on "the Apprentice."
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not blaming George Bush, but I don't want Jeb Bush to say my brother kept us safe, because September 11th was one of the worst days in the history of this country.
BUSH: Does anybody actually blame my brother for the attacks on 9/11? If they do, they're totally marginalizing our society.
WHITFIELD: The political punches keep coming. Jeb Bush firing back at Donald Trump today in an exclusive interview on "state of the union."
BUSH: I don't think Trump's going to win the nomination.
NEWSROOM starts now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Hello, everyone. And thanks for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Donald Trump and rival Jeb Bush stepping up their attacks on each other, and it is personal.
In an exclusive interview with Jake Tapper on "STATE OF THE UNION," Bush fires back at Trump for suggesting his brother, then president George W. Bush, was partially to blame for the 9/11 attacks.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAKE TAPPER, CNN CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: So what are you objecting to about Mr. Trump's remarks about 9/11 and your brother?
BUSH: Look, my brother responded to a crisis and he did it, as you would hope a president would do. United the country, you organized our country and he kept us safe. And there is no denying that. The great majority of Americans believe that. And I don't know why he keeps bringing this up. It doesn't show that he is a serious person as it relates to being commander in-chief and being the architect of a foreign policy. Across the spectrum of foreign policy, Mr. Trump talks about things as though he's still on "the Apprentice." I mean, literally talking about Syria saying ISIS should take out Assad, then Russia should take out ISIS as though it was some kind of board game and not a serious approach. This is just another example of the lack of seriousness, and this is a serious time. We're under grave threats again and I think we need a president with a steady hand.
TAPPER: To play devil's advocate, do you think it's at all possible that your loyalty to your brother, while very admirable on a personal level, might be in some ways a political or policy liability blinding you to mistakes he made?
BUSH: No. I mean, so next week Mr. Trump is probably going to say that FDR was around when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. It's what you do after that matters, and that's the sign of leadership. It's not -- does anybody actually blame my brother for the attacks on 9/11? If they do, they're totally marginalized in our society. It's what he did afterwards that matters. And I'm proud of him and so are bunch of other people. You don't have to have the last name Bush to be able to understand that.
It just calls into question Mr. Trump's credibility as a commander in- chief and an architect of the next generation of foreign policy, which we desperately need in this country right now. I have great doubts, to be honest with you, and it is only because of the things he says. It looks as though he's not taking the responsibility, the possibility of being president of the United States really seriously. For him it looks as though he's an actor playing a role of a candidate for president, not boning up on the issues, not having a broad sense of the responsibilities of what it is to be a president. In his own words, it gives me great concern for sure. And a lot of other people will as well.
TAPPER: Why do you think he continues to do so well with Republican voters?
BUSH: Look, he is a phenomenal personality for sure. And he is capturing people's deep anger and angst about Washington, D.C., for sure. But he's not going to be able to solve these problems. He's just - he is mirroring people's anger and he does it very effectively. I don't think Trump's going to win the nomination. I think we're going to have a nominee that will unite the party and win the presidency. But when people begin to think about who is going to be president of the United States, who has the judgment and the seriousness and the ideas to be president to lead us in a different direction, I think that his support will wane.
TAPPER: What makes you think he's not going to get the nomination? He's been leading in the polls for months. I, just as a political reporter, I don't see any evidence he's not going to get the nomination.
BUSH: We'll see, Jake. I mean, this time four years ago, this time eight years ago the conditions were very different and the nominee emerged in January and February time frame, and I expect that will be the case again this time.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. Let's talk more about this exclusive interview.
With me now from New York, Republican strategist Brian Morgenstern and columnist Ellis Henican. Good to see both of you again.
All right. So Brian, you first. You know, so this latest vouch appears to show a more assertive Jeb Bush perhaps. Is this a sign of a change in his strategy?
[14:05:01] BRIAN MORGENSTERN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, a little bit. I don't think it looks super great for either candidate, to be honest.
WHITFIELD: What do you mean?
MORGENSTERN: Well, Trump sort of bordering on 9/11 conspiracy theories isn't a good look. And then I think generally, a better response to Donald would be some, you know, sort of good humor and pointing out some of the ridiculous things he says in a more joyful way as Jeb would say. But he seems to be gravely concerned, which I think makes -- sort of bolsters the character that Trump has projected at Jeb. So strategically, I have a problem with it.
WHITFIELD: So then Ellis, I wonder, because it seems as though Trump is forcing Jeb to defend his brother. For a long time, we were seeing a Jeb Bush who was trying to distinguish himself from his brother, not wanting to bring him up. So in the end, does Trump kind of, you know, does he score a victory in being able to change the dialogue from Jeb Bush?
ELLIS HENICAN, COLUMNIST: He does. Donald is brilliant at the political pressure point, right, making somebody have to deal with the most uncomfortable thing possible. I wouldn't -- to this extent on this matter, though. They do both sound like children a little bit. You're pathetic. No, you're pathetic. I mean, in a way, I guess they're both right. I mean, the more they're having that conversation, the goofier and less substantial both of them look.
WHITFIELD: All right. Let's talk about this new Bush campaign ad released online in which he goes after Trump's foreign policy this way. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHUCK TODD, NBC HOST, MEET THE PRESS: Who do you talk to for military advice right now?
TRUMP: Well, I watch the shows. I mean, I really see a lot of great - you know, when you watch your show and all the other shows --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He has said publicly that he watches cable news and that's one of the ways that he bones up on our national security. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Trump says he, quote, always felt that I was in
the military despite never serving in the military and draft during Vietnam.
TRUMP: There's nobody bigger or better at the military than I am.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Donald Trump said Senator John McCain is not a war hero.
TRUMP: He's not a war hero. I like people that weren't captured, OK?
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, THE SITUATION ROOM: Who do you think among the presidential candidates would be the best qualified to make a deal with Iran?
TRUMP: I think Hillary would have -- Hillary's always surrounded herself with very good people. I think Hillary would go do a good job.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The deal is in a Trump administration --
TRUMP: When you say rip up a deal, because I'm a deal person.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When he goes on this radio program and doesn't know who some of the major players are.
TRUMP: I'm used to, you know, dealing with killers, people that --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Donald Trump doesn't like to be questioned on the issues.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trump is weak on policy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you are running for the presidency of the United States of America, the most important title is commander in- chief. They should have a working knowledge.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's no excuse for him not to be prepared for these questions. Donald Trump was not able to do that. So that should be concerning for voters.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Boy. OK, I guess I should have warned everybody it was going to be rather lengthy, but you get the gist here. So Brian, how do you digest what you just saw?
MORGENSTERN: Well, it's an attempt at the good humor that I just talked about. The problem I see with it is that he pieced together a bunch of clips from Washington Insider pundits lambasting Donald Trump for being an outsider, which kind of plays to Trump's strengths.
But, you know, Jeb is, to Donald's credit, he forced Jeb's handle, like Ellis said. I mean, you can't go after his brother for, you know, 9/11 and then not respond. So Jeb had to say something. The problem is I think trying to take control of the game from the Donald is the challenge, and I don't know that this successfully did that.
WHITFIELD: So then Ellis, I mean, to whose benefit is this style of going back and forth, whether it be in this kind of, you know, tongue- in-cheek kind of ad, or whether it's going on twitter as we're now seeing the candidates do in large part, particularly, Donald Trump is kind of leading that? Who does this benefit?
HENICAN: I'm sorry. I'm still having trouble getting that song out of my head. I mean, it just sets the stage so beautifully, doesn't it? And he reference, it's exactly where this conversation is on the Republican side. But by the way, one piece of advice I would give Jeb is don't call him Mr. Trump. Give that up. Let it be Donald, call him the Donald, call him Trump, or call him that idiot over there. Why Mr. Trump?
WHITFIELD: You think it's sending kind of a mixed message, almost a deference?
HENICAN: Yes. I mean, that's a sign of respect and a sign of deference. I would give that up immediately.
MORGENSTERN: I'd agree with that. And I would add that I think a more effective strategy would be to point out that the Donald has a weakness that he is showing in this conversation, which is predictability. It's been pick somebody to troll, say something to get a reaction, step three, non-apology media junket, you know. So, you know, pointing out that kind of a thing I think would be a lot more effective than seriously engaging with, like Ellis said, Mr. Trump. Call him the Donald. Call him what it is. He's an entertaining.
[14:10:26] HENICAN: It is a great song, though.
WHITFIELD: Yes, it is kind of catchy. And further exemplifying, you know, kind of tit for tat you're talking about, Trump this morning firing back on twitter, tweeting that Jeb Bush stop trying to defend his brother and focus on his own shortcomings and how to fix them. Rubio is hitting him hard.
But you know, when you look at thee tweets, it is remarkable that we are talking about the race for the presidency and a lot of this campaigning is now on social media when not all of your electorate, you know, is really using social media.
So I wonder who does this benefit or does it even backfire, Brian, for a particular segment of the electorate who is saying, what are they doing?
MORGENSTERN: Well, it doesn't backfire in the sense that we're talking about their tweets. So it doesn't stay on twitter. It ends up becoming part of the political conversation. I will say I don't think that's a great thing because twitter is sort of a cesspool of people calling each other jerks and losers, which probably contributes to Trump's success. But, you know, what happens on twitter doesn't stay there. So it
becomes part of what we talk about on cable news. So, you know, it benefits I guess in terms of lightning fast crisis communications and things like that. But it can also cause a lot of problems.
WHITFIELD: And Ellis, bottom line is, you know, when you look at the polling and of course when it comes down to people actually going to the polls and making their vote, these candidates are looking at the numbers before we even get there. And right now Jeb Bush is still in single digits.
So, you know, while he has the name recognition and perhaps that's in large part why he continues to get a lot of publicity, it's not translating in polling numbers. So what does he need to do or what do you suppose he is hoping for to, you know, get his popularity in the polling at least up? He says that Donald Trump is not going to win the nomination.
HENICAN: It would be nice if he could change the calendar. I mean, honestly, it's right message, right name, wrong year. I mean, it's just hard to imagine how you're going to sell that, you know, establishment Bush message in this year. But by the way, who it makes look good is those Democrats the other night who sounded like Oxford dons debating serious, ponderous issues compared to the twitter war.
WHITFIELD: All right. Ellis Henican, Brian Morgenstern, thanks so much. Good to see you, guys.
MORGENSTERN: You too.
HENICAN: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: We are going to see you in a bit because coming up next on the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton is talking about her main opponent, Bernie Sanders and her so-called Republican enemies.
Plus, Sanders is speaking live later on this hour. And several Republican candidates are in Texas. We're going to be talking about what they're saying today and what's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:16:34] WHITFIELD: All right. On the heels-the first televised Democratic debate, Hillary Clinton sat down for an exclusive interview with my colleague Jake Tapper. She was very candid about her biggest competition for the Democratic presidential nomination, Senator Bernie Sanders.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLINTON: I have the highest regard for senator Sanders and I think he is raising issues that the electorate, not just Democrats, everybody needs to be thinking about. And he has put forward his plans with passionate intensity, and I have put forth mine. He has a very ambitious and expansive view about what he thinks should be done with respect to college and other of the policies that we both are trying to tackle.
I believe that my approach, for example, on college, I call it new college compact because I think everybody should have some skin in the game, including students, who I say should work for part of their education. Maybe it's because I did and my husband did, but I think it's something that you want young people to feel really committed to. It's a difference in approach.
The differences between us is nothing like the differences we all have with the Republicans. And I want the American people to be part of the debate and to hear senator Sanders' perspective and what he's proposing, to hear mine, to make up their mind, and then to remember that we're not peddling the same old failed policies of trickle-down economics and let, you know, the corporations do what they want and cut taxes on the wealthy, which is the answer to everything that the Republicans put forth.
TAPPER: At the debate, you were asked to name the enemy of which you are most proud. Among your answers were Republicans. That's about half the country, Republicans.
CLINTON: Well, it was a little tongue-in-cheek, but it's clear I think to anybody who's been around for a while that, you know, they do seem to enjoy coming after me. But then once I'm in office they have always worked with me. And I expect it will be exactly the same.
It's funny to me. When I was secretary of state, I had very high support and approval from Republicans, not just the Republican voters but Republican office holders. As soon as I got into this presidential election, you know, all of that collapsed again. And I'm just reminding people that, you know, you can be an adversary in politics, but then you do have to come together and figure out how to solve problems.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. Let's talk more about this. And look who is back. Ellis Henican and Brian Morgenstern. All right, thanks so much for sticking around after the break.
OK. So does it sound like Hillary Clinton is already looking kind of past the primaries in your view, Ellis?
HENICAN: She sounds great. Honestly, the less she's talking about emails or Benghazi hearings and actually just gets in on policies that are attractive to a big swath of the American public, she's doing great. That's the good Hillary we heard right there.
WHITFIELD: Brian? There is the good and the not so good? Is that what we're seeing? Brian, what do you think?
MORGENSTERN: Well, the good Hillary still doesn't say anything that's actually true. So that's always going to come back to bite her.
HENICAN: Come on. MORGENSTERN: When she was first lady she worked on healthcare and she
polarized more than you could possibly imagine. So saying that like, you know, at some point, when she was secretary of state flying all around the world that Republicans supported her maybe it's because she wasn't around during that time. But she's also, I noticed, taking a page out of the Rubio playbook on her education plan, wanting to give credit for work and talking about some smaller government initiatives than Bernie Sanders. That's an interesting angle that she's going to be the measured centrist democrat in contrast with Sanders. I don't know how that plays in a primary, though.
[14:20:23] WHITFIELD: All right. So when we talk about Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, let's, you know, carry on with this whole good thing we're talking and maybe less of the good, the bad, and the ugly as it pertains to them. Because now we're seeing that they are rather complementary of one another and is it starting to sound more like they are contemporaries and less so competitors, Brian?
MORGENSTERN: Well, the Democrats in the primary race are taking the good-natured political rivals as opposed to what the Republicans are doing, which is just lambasting each other on twitter. It's a different approach. But I can guarantee you behind the scenes the Clinton campaign is not at all happy that senator Sanders is having 20,000-person rallies and that he's polling so well.
This was supposed to be Hillary's year and if that debate showed anything it's that, you know, she's certainly the more measured candidate compared to the competition. But they can't possibly be happy about the fact that Bernie Sanders is a popular guy right now and that he's really sucking some of the energy out of the primary.
WHITFIELD: But I wonder, Ellis, if voters are finding this to be a little more refreshing, that it was a little less antagonistic between, you know, all the candidates on the stage, at least this past week with the Democratic race and if there's a feel there will be more of this or if the tide will change as it becomes a little more competitive.
HENICAN: Well, I think you're right. The tone is delightful. I mean, it's lovely to hear people talking like that. And I'll tell you, Hillary's people are not worried about Bernie Sanders. And the way you can tell is they're saying nice things about the guy, right? He's the perfect candidate for her. He's highly unlikely to beat her for the nomination. He is conducting himself in a very gentlemanly way. I mean, what could possibly be a better candidate -- it's even better than no candidate at all because she can say she beat the guy in the end.
WHITFIELD: Do you see them potentially even coming together if it comes down to that?
HENICAN: I mean, I don't think he is going to be her vice president if that is what you mean. But I mean, on issues they're not super different. Brian is right. She is the moderate side of the Democratic Party and he's more on the left. But you know what, it's an interesting debate. I like hearing those issues hashed out. WHITFIELD: Brian, how do you see? Do you see them at some point kind
of working together potentially?
MORGENSTERN: Well, in a way they sort of are, because Hillary's policy positions have basically been Bernie's, a week after Bernie announces them, you know. I mean, he announced tax increase on the wealthy, free college for everybody. The next week she said tax increases and here's my, you know, college plan, it's not free but it's sort of similar, you know, having the government pay for student loans or subsidized student loans, things like that. So she's sort of just taken what he says and making it her own and then saying, hey, guy, but you have to vote for me because I'm the electable one. Not a bad strategy. But, you know, just sort of transparent, I guess.
WHITFIELD: Some people might call that a little give-and-take.
HENICAN: Politics, maybe.
WHITFIELD: And then some just call it politics. There you go.
All right. Ellis, Brian thanks so much. Always good to see you. Appreciate it.
All right. Coming up next, a deadly typhoon slamming the Philippines. We're just starting to see the devastation right now and why it could get even worse, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:27:18] WHITFIELD: The mudslide and flashflood damage in parts of southern California will take weeks to clean up. Raging waters and feet of mud left hundreds of drivers trapped on highways Friday. Parts of route 58 are still closed. Some cars remain stuck in up to six feet of mud. No deaths or serious injuries have been reported so far.
And at least two people are dead and thousands displaced after a powerful super typhoon slammed into the Philippines. Typhoon Koppu (ph) has the strength of a category four hurricane and it is expected to continue to batter the island nation, dropping more than three feet of rain over the next few days.
And today it's called adoption day for the Iran nuclear deal. It doesn't mean that Iran will immediately adopt all of the provisions within the deal, but it does mean Iran will start the legal process and the bureaucratic work needed to put the agreement in place. The international atomic energy agency will be overseeing the process.
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
WHITFIELD: And this breaking news out of Israel. There has been a new attack today. Israeli police say one person was killed and several others were wounded when shots were fired at a bus station in southern Israel. Authorities also say the suspected gunman was killed. This follows five separate knife attacks this weekend in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Israeli police say four of the suspected attackers were Palestinian and were killed by Israelis.
Meanwhile, U.S. secretary of state John Kerry is also getting more involved. He is expected to meet with both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian authority president Mahmoud Abbas later on this week. Kerry said the U.S. is committed to finding solutions in the Middle East.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KERRY, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Later this week, I will meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu because he will be in Germany and I'm coming through at that moment. We will meet there. And then I will go to the region and I will meet with president Abbas. I will meet with King Abdullah and others. And in between I will have some key meetings on the subject of Syria with critical players with respect to that. So we are as deeply engaged as I can ever remember in trying to help resolve some of these very complicated explosions of sectarianism and violent extremism.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Violence has erupted over access to a site considered holy by both Muslims and Jews.
CNN's Oren Liebermann is in Jerusalem. So what more can you tell us about today's reported attack?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it was up until just a couple of hours ago, a tensely quiet day. Then police say two Palestinian attackers went in to the central bus station in (INAUDIBLE) and open fire and starts stabbing people. Police say five people were wounded in the attack. One of those people has since died. Police say four police officers, one is a civilian. It's unclear who died here. Police say one of the attackers was killed. Police say the other attacker was apprehended.
Beersheva is a city that up until now in this recent wave of attacks and violence has been insulated from these attacks, but of course, that all changed with this attack.
Again, police say two Palestinian attackers stormed the -- or went into I should say the central bus station, started shooting and stabbing, a terrible scene there. You can see shattered windows and trails of blood on the floor -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And then Oren, I understand there are some new security measures being taken by Israeli Security Forces. What more do we know about that?
LIEBERMANN: There are and there are already tremendously heightened security restrictions in an around the old city of Jerusalem, especially in the Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem. Now we've seen very large concrete barriers, about ten feet tall, going up between a Palestinian neighborhood and a Jewish neighborhood in East Jerusalem. Police say it's to prevent Palestinian attackers from throwing
Molotov cocktails at the Jewish homes on the other side. This is just one of a number of these measures that makes it very difficult for Palestinians to move around in and out of East Jerusalem.
Israel says these are necessary for security measures after these waves of attacks which have for the most part been in and around Jerusalem although not over the last couple days. Palestinians saying all these security checks, checking bodies, stopping cars are dehumanizing.
WHITFIELD: What are the expectations about this meeting between Kerry and Palestinian and Israeli leaders?
LIEBERMANN: Well, Kerry's goal is to if not create a two-state solution, which is viewed by both sides as very unlikely, at least get some sort of dialogue between the Israeli leaders, Palestinian leaders, even the Jordanian king, who plays a role in the old city of Jerusalem monitoring and in charge of one of the holiest sites there.
The hope there is that even if you can get these two sides talking you don't have to see tangible results immediately, but just that there is some sort of dialogue made to ease some of that tension, restore a little bit of calm here. The feeling on the streets is very tense and very on edge and a sense of fear.
WHITFIELD: Understandably. All right, thank you so much, Oren Liebermann in Jerusalem.
All right, after the break, police search for a suspect who opened fire at Zombicon. What we are now learning about that shooting.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:35:52]
WHITFIELD: A zombie-themed festival in Fort Myers, Florida, ends in chaos as shots rang out late leave one man dead and five other people wounded. Now police are trying to find eyewitnesses who might be able to help identify a suspect from that crowd of people. As you see right there, in makeup and costumes because it's Zombicon.
CNN's Jason Carroll joins me with more on the story. This was very complicated for a police to respond to, wasn't it?
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You can imagine because everyone's dressed up like zombies, people carrying fake weapons, fake machetes. So you can imagine once shots rang out how chaotic it must have been for everyone involved.
It's still no word, though, Fredricka, on motive for the shooting or who was responsible for it. Police have released the name of a young man who was killed during that shooting. His name is Xpabius Tyrell Taylor. He was 19 years old.
I actually spoke to his aunt late this afternoon. She told me that Taylor was at Zombicon with friends. She says that there was some sort of talk early on that perhaps Taylor or some of his friends were targeted. She does not believe that.
She simply believes he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Police say that the shooting happened at 11:44. That's when they first got the call last night. This event attracts some 20,000 people.
It was so crowded, Fredricka, that apparently people were standing shoulder to shoulder when it all happened. Police again, when they finally got there, they found that Taylor had been fatally shot. Five others were hurt.
Their injuries described as nonlife-threatening. As you can imagine, this is an event where it's all about people having their cell phones out and taking pictures of people who are in costume.
Actually what happened was last night there was a bystander who was out there last night who actually captured sounds of the shooting as it happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Counted about five -- right down in front of me, I mean, right here, and the body's right there. I just seen the body right there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: Counted I think about five or six shots there. The organizers of the event, Zombicon, saying, "We are deeply saddened by the news of what happened within the footprint of our event. We take the safety of our patrons very seriously and take precautions in hiring security and police officers for our annual event. Our prayers go out to the family members and the individuals involved in the incident."
Again, police still on the hunt for the suspect or suspects who were involved in this. Taylor's aunt tells me he was attending college somewhere in Miami. At this point, his family headed back down to Fort Myers.
WHITFIELD: A shame. Supposed to be a fun event and something tragic like that happens. All right, Jason Carroll, thank you so much.
Back to politics, Bernie Sanders may be shifting strategy on the campaign trail today. And next we will get a live report from one of his events in Iowa City. Meantime, seeing him there live. And find out how he plans to get more people to feel the Bern.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:42:53] WHITFIELD: All right, welcome back. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has a jam-packed campaign schedule today. At this hour, the Democratic presidential candidate is attending a house party in Iowa City and later on today he heads to a barbecue, and then holds a town meeting tonight.
But sanders started the day with an appearance on ABC's "This Week" striking back at some jabs from Republican contender, Donald Trump, including Trump's claim that Sanders is a communist.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If I had to respond to every absurd thing that Donald Trump said I'd spend my whole life doing it. What we have seen, George, in the last 30 years as most of the Americans know is a massive redistribution of wealth.
Unfortunately it's gone in the wrong direction. It's gone from the middle class and working families to Donald Trump and his friends to top one-tenth of 1 percent.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right. Our Sunlen Serfaty is in Iowa City at that barbecue event where Sanders will appear later today. Sunlen, we are talking about quite the contrast. This is a very intimate setting compared to the rallies of thousands of people who show up. What's going on?
SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it absolutely is change in strategy, Fred, and this starts today in Iowa. The campaign says that they're trying to move forward and away from these so-called enthusiasm events and now hold more persuasion events.
You know, Bernie Sanders' campaign has in large part been really defined by these big, booming rallies, but now they're going to place him in settings like here in Iowa where the kickoff is that show him one-on-one with voters at barbecues, at town halls, at house parties where he can really talk to voters one-on-one.
The goals say they they've largely achieved of energy and enthusiasm, now it's all about convincing voters most importantly that he can be a general election candidate. That is a challenge for him going on to be a viable general election candidate.
All that said, Fred, the campaign says that they will expect to have the big booming rallies that we so much know him for, but they say that will happen in tandem with these more intimate events. They said they don't want to move away from what has largely worked for them.
WHITFIELD: At the same time, is he trying to chip away at some of the Hillary Clinton, you know, support, even though he says he's tired of hearing talks about e-mail so we know he's not going there?
[14:45:10] SERFATY: Right. That was his big moment from the debate. And certainly trying to appeal to a broader group of the Democratic base really is the challenge for him. And that is the big question to watch, how is he going to do that going forward?
There are some small hints at this strategy. It was notable in the debate on Tuesday in Las Vegas when during his opening statements he specifically talked about high youth unemployment and also the high rates of incarceration.
This was a direct appeal to minorities, a group that in large part are really on Clinton's side. So that will again be the challenge for Bernie Sanders going forward.
WHITFIELD: All right, so what are his plans there in Iowa City? Yes, there's this intimate setting, there's the barbecue, but what is he hoping to gain from supporters who were there in large part to say, Bernie, we love you, but then isn't the goal of any candidate to try to win new supporters? How would he do that there?
SERFATY: That's absolutely right and especially here in Iowa that is so important for voters. They really like to get to know the candidates. They expect to meet the candidates many times throughout the campaign leading up to the caucus.
So people here want to have conversations. It's interesting to note that Bernie Sanders is now having these town hall meetings. It's something he had in large part not done. So that's a direct appeal to what he knows Iowa voters want.
And it is about convincing him that he can be viable in a general if he were to win the nomination.
WHITFIELD: All right, Sunlen Serfaty, thank you so much, there in Iowa City.
All right, straight ahead, the University of Mississippi tackles its troubled past with a vote to remove a flag from campus, one of the enduring symbols of the confederacy. A live report from Ole Miss next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:50:00]
WHITFIELD: All right. The Mississippi state flag today hangs by a thread over the campus of Ole Miss. That thread could be severed next Tuesday with a vote to remove the flag from university grounds. It will be a watershed moment if the nonbinding vote carries the day.
Mississippi is the only state flag in the country that still incorporates the confederate stars and bars which many see as a symbol of racism and segregation.
The school has indicated it supports removing in confederate symbols saying, quote, "As a state institution we fly the flags representing our state and nation, however, as a university committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive campus for all students, we continue to join other leaders in Mississippi to encourage our government to change the state flag," end quote.
Our Nick Valencia is live at the University of Mississippi. So, Nick, does it look like the days are numbered? I've been on that campus many times covering things and it is one that stands for tradition. So what has changed now?
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, just a couple hours ago, we spoke to the student sophomore senator, Alan Coon, who introduced the resolution that's going to be voted on Tuesday. He says he's a lot more confident now than he was last week about whether or not that resolution is going to pass.
Part of that, Fredricka, has to do with what happened on Friday. Hundreds came out to watch protesters and counter-protesters. And according to witnesses, among those in attendance were members of the Southern League, as well as supporters of the KKK.
When I spoke to Allan, he says it's the stark images that he hopes influence those senators still on the fence and will show them just how much is at stake here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALLAN COON, UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI STUDENT SENATOR: This is the time now. It's been well over a century. We've flown this symbol of oppression. We've defended it. We've fought for it.
And it's time to recognize that that was a mistake and to move forward and show the world and our nation that we're prepared to welcome all people and respect the identity and the histories of all Mississippians.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: Now, there are a handful of student senators who plan on vote nothing to remove flag. One of them is Andrew Sober. He signed a change.org petition, created that, saying, "Removing symbols, flags and monuments will do nothing to change the way people feel in their hearts."
"Ole miss students and my fellow Mississippians, rise up and push back on political correctness and support the state flag." Fred, do they have enough votes, that's the question, 49 members of the student legislature, they'll need a majority.
According to Allan Coon, 20 members have committed their yes vote to removing the flag. He'll need a handful more votes in order to get this passed. Ultimately, as you mentioned in the lead-in, it's a nonbinding resolution.
So at the end of the day, it will be up to the school administration to decide what it wants to do in the end -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right, Nick Valencia, thank you so much at Ole Miss in Oxford. All right, coming up, Republican candidates are at a big forum
in Texas today. Will they keep attacking each other? We'll go live to that event with what we can expect to hear straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:57:58]
WHITFIELD: All right. If you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at? Last night was a great example of that on "Saturday Night Live" and they had a little fun with our Democratic presidential debate. They of course nailed the candidates. And Larry David, he stood out in the crowd with his hilarious impersonation of Senator Bernie Sanders. Check it out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think you're really going to like the HILLARY CLINTON that my team and I have created for this debate. She's warm but strong, flawed yet perfect, relaxed but racing full speed toward the White House like the T-1000 from "Terminator."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can I just jump in here? This may not be great politics, but I think the American people are sick and tired about hearing about your damn e-mails!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you. Thank you, Bernie. God, it must be fun to scream and cuss in public.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's me, Jim Webb, your future president, and I was promised I'd get time, and I've had no time. Where is my time? Come on, Anderson. Lob one at me. Give Jimmy W. a shot and watch him soar.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, Senator. Sure. Here's a question. You're the only Democrat up here with an A rating from the NRA. Want to tell us why?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pass.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For me, I'm an outsider, Anderson. I'm the only candidate up here who's not a billionaire. I don't have a super PAC. I don't even have a backpack. I carry my stuff around loose in my arms like a professional, you know, between classes. I own one pair of underwear.
That's it! Some of these billionaires they got three, four pairs! I have to put my clothes on the radiator. I don't have a dryer. You know what I don't understand, America, these podiums. What are you supposed to do with your elbows?
Put them on top? They're too short! Anyway, I'm Bernie Sanders, and come next November I will be Hillary Clinton's vice president!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
