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How Kasich Supporter Reacts to Cruz/Kasich Deal Against Trump; Why Princes; Private Jet Made Emergency Landing Prior to Death; Jazz Fast, Second Line for Prince in New Orleans; Judge Reinstates Tom Brady's 4-Game Suspension; Trump Reacts to Cruz/Kasich Alliance. Aired 2:30-3p ET
Aired April 25, 2016 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:30:00] ZEKE UNGER, VETERAN BOUNTY HUNTER: It tells me that they either were trying to gain information from that person prior to killing them or that they had a personal vendetta with that actual person and everyone else was collateral damage so there were no witnesses.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Zeke Unger --
UNGER: Three different locations.
BALDWIN: Three locations and all grow locations, pot operations connected potentially, as well.
Zeke Unger, thank you so much. We'll talk again.
UNGER: Thank you.
BALDWIN: Coming up next, more on the breaking news on Donald Trump here ripping his rivals for reaching a deal against him. So how would a supporter of John Kasich react to it? Will he vote for Ted Cruz?
Plus, new details about the emergency landing Prince's private jet made days before his sudden death. We now know why the pilot forced that plane to the ground.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:35:17] BALDWIN: And unlikely alliance puts Ted Cruz and John Kasich on the offensive going after Republican front-runner, Donald Trump. They're teaming up to stop him from getting the nominations to clinch the nomination. But it appears Kasich is playing both ends against the middle as he is suspending the campaign in Indiana and but he's also locking up key support from Indiana delegates. Governor Kasich also working the tails in Pennsylvania. He was there this morning shaking some hands, eating little breakfast with supporters, courting them ahead of tomorrow's primary. Here he was.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KASICH, (R), OHIO GOVERNOR & PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN: Thank you all.
What is your name? Do you have a name? I'll teach you about better nutrition. What do you leg press?
I'm worried about Steph Curry.
You are adorable. You are.
Here you go.
Where's my phone? I'm personally going to bring the flip phone back. I'm going to put her on the phone so you can invite her to dinner at the Eagle Tavern.
(LAUGHER)
Prince? Do they have anything on there? The bridge was pushed last night.
Were you an Olympic athlete?
It went out of bounds and one in the water, not my finest hour.
I'm not giving up.
(CHEERING)
KASICH: Give up what?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Is this collusion?
KASICH: Is it collusion? What does that even mean? Me? No. I'm not desperate. Are you? Are you desperate?
And I wanted bacon. But I -- I'm not having any.
It's not -- you're all still here. By the way, I'm having the time of my life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Meeting and greeting folks in Pennsylvania, having a little eggs for breakfast.
You know who took note of that? Donald Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & CEO, TRUMP ORGANIZATION: Look at Kasich. I don't think he knows what -- did you see him? He has a news conference all the time when he's eating.
(LAUGHTER)
I have never seen a human being eat in such a disgusting fashion.
(LAUGHTER)
I'm always telling my young son, Barron, I'm saying, always with my kids, all of them, I'd say, children, small little bites. This guy takes a pancake and he's shoving it in his mouth.
(LAUGHTER)
It's disgusting. Do you want that for your president? I don't think so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Tom John, chairman of the 7th District of Indiana Republican Party and a delegate to the national convention.
Sir, welcome.
TOM JOHN, CHAIRMAN, 7TH DISTRICT, INDIANA REPUBLICAN PARTY & REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION DELEGATE: Afternoon.
BALDWIN: You know, I wasn't planning on asking you about how Governor Kasich eats, but with Donald Trump criticizing him, I'm just curious if you'd like to comment on the state of play as his eating pancakes and eggs is under scrutiny.
JOHN: Well, in all their different iterations throughout the campaign, I'd say it is the pot calling the kettle black.
BALDWIN: Let's move on.
Let me just get your reaction to the deal. Kasich and Cruz, your guy is pulling out of Indiana.
JOHN: Well, that's my understanding is that he's allocating resources to Oregon and New Mexico because those are the places he has the best opportunity to succeed, and leaving Indiana for Senator Cruz who apparently is better situated here.
BALDWIN: What's that mean for you as far as who you vote for May 3rd?
JOHN: Well, if you're voting strategically in Indiana, bellwether polling has the race at 37 Trump, 31 for Cruz and that is nearest margin, so if you're trying to vote for a contested convention or there not to be a first-ballot victory for Mr. Trump, that would be Mr. Cruz.
BALDWIN: You will be voting for Ted Cruz?
JOHN: That's a strong possibility. I'll know when I go in the polling place. It is hard, obviously, I'm supporting Governor Kasich. I think he is the best person for president.
BALDWIN: Is that difficult for you to say that you are strongly leaning toward Cruz?
JOHN: We're in unprecedented times. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. And I think that's where we are right now, whether officially, whether allied that they'll pull together delegates to get to the convention and see what happens there. BALDWIN: OK. Cruz is spinning this deal the way he did coming out
today saying John Kasich has decided to pull out. Here's the Texas Senator.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TED CRUZ, (R), TEXAS & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Last night, the John Kasich campaign announced they're pulling out of Indiana, leaving this as a direct one-on-one choice for the people of Indiana between our campaign and Donald Trump.
(CHEERING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: So Ted Cruz says Kasich's he's pulling out. How would you interpret that as Indianan?
[14:40:07] JOHN: Well, clearly, Governor Kasich is still in the race for president. As a Hoosier, it means that we do have two principle choices of people playing here, and voting strategically, you should probably vote for Senator Cruz.
BALDWIN: OK. Trump, he tweeted this, "Lying Ted Cruz and One For 38 Kasich" -- this is apparently the new nickname for the Ohio governor -- "unable to beat me on their own so they have to team up. Collusion, in a two on one. Shows weakness. And Kasich announced he wants people in Indiana to vote for him. Typical politician. Can't make a deal work."
What do you think about that?
JOHN: Well, Mr. Trump forgets the fact that nearly 60 percent of the electorate or over 60 percent voted against him across all the primaries so far. So while he's leading in delegates, he is not leading the Republican hearts and minds. And so until he can manage to coalesce a coalition over 50 percent, if others choose to come together in opposition to the campaign, that's their right.
BALDWIN: It is impossible for Cruz and Kasich, too?
JOHN: That's correct. But that's been impossible for a while or at least highly unlikely, and so their campaigns are predicated on a convention. But this is really just a one step further in admitting that and actually moving towards the idea of a contested convention and getting that it comes down to one thing, which is who's the best Republican to win in November. That's really what the primary process is about, ensuring the best candidate to beat Hillary Clinton in the fall.
BALDWIN: Tom John, thank you so much. Appreciate your time.
Again, Indiana, that's May 3rd.
Coming up next, a new development in the investigation of Prince's sudden death. The news involves his private jet. We have that for you.
Also, tonight, musicians in New Orleans paying tribute to the superstar. Jazz funeral this evening. One will be live yet.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:46:15] BALDWIN: It's been four days now but the news of Prince's passing remains fresh. The tributes, they keep coming. Prince was cremated barely 24 hours after the autopsy and then a small private family and friends service on Saturday.
A public celebration is in the works. And it could be weeks before the world knows what happened, what killed him.
Meantime, I can tell you that the FAA released the air traffic control tape from the emergency landing of a private plane right around the same time that Prince was hospitalized.
(BEGIN AUDIO FEED)
DISPATCHER: What's the nature of the emergency?
CALLER: Unresponsive passenger.
DISPATCHER: Male or female?
CALLER: It's a male passenger.
(END AUDIO FEED)
BALDWIN: Fans are still flooding his Paisley Park estate area compound right around Minneapolis. Relatives, you see Prince's brother-in-law behind the gate, greeted fans, and reportedly told them the star wanted to turn Paisley Park into a museum. And the special treat for fans, purple gift boxes with T-shirts, mementoes.
The Stanley Cup playoffs also paying respects at many hockey games.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: His reach covered the globe like we have never seen before. Please join the entire state of hockey in a moment of silence as we pause for the musical icon, Minnesota's very own, Prince.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: There were all-night dance parties, limited showings of "Purple Rain," and music marathons.
And in the great city of New Orleans, Prince's music filled the air at the legendary jazz fest just over the past weekend. And tonight, another tribute, a New Orleans tradition, the second line.
Joining me now, an extraordinary jazz musician and one of the tribute organizer, Trumpet player, James Matthews (sic), the brother than gave Trombone Shorty his start. James, a pleasure. Welcome, sir.
JAMES ANDREWS, TRUMPET PLAYER & JAZZ MUSICIAN: Thank you.
That's James Andrews, the big boss with the hot sauce.
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: Nice to have you on. Thank you so much.
ANDREWS: Thank you.
BALDWIN: Could you just talk to me a little bit about what you all have planned for this evening?
ANDREWS: Yes. We have a special tribute planned tonight for Prince at the bar starting at 6:00 and we're going to do what we call a New Orleans traditional jazz funeral and a second line and we get people to come out and pay their respects to the great one, Prince. And we're going to dance in the street and we're going to party like it's 1999 tonight in New Orleans.
BALDWIN: Tell me, for people who don't know, the second line, what is that? And people can just join in. How it's a celebration.
ANDREWS: Yes. It's a traditional New Orleans culture down here in the Big Easy. And what we do is when a special musician die, we have a second line jazz funeral, where we play a lot of spiritual songs and then we break into "When the Saints Go Marching In," and everybody joins right in with family and friends.
BALDWIN: What are you playing tonight?
ANDREWS: We'll play all kind of stuff tonight. We'll play New Orleans jazz. We'll play some "Purple Rain," some "When Doves Cry." All kinds of stuff tonight by Prince.
BALDWIN: I'm going to ask you to play, if you will, in just a second.
ANDREWS: I will.
BALDWIN: But I understand, James, you were actually going to release white doves. You changed your mind.
ANDREWS: Yeah.
BALDWIN: Tell me why.
ANDREWS: Well, we was going to release the white doves at the bar but the doves we have, they're trained to go back home when they finish the performance. So what happened was we decided to cancel that with respect to the animal rights people, PETA.
BALDWIN: Got you. Got you. Probably a smart move. Let's ask --
(CROSSTALK) ANDREWS: But we'll have a --
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: Go ahead.
ANDREWS: We'll have a candlelight vigil tonight where we'll light purple candles and white candles tonight.
BALDWIN: Did you ever meet Prince, James? Or I know that there were tributes all through jazz fest. Prince embodied jazz among so many other genres. Can you tell me about the connections you had.
[14:50:21] ANDREWS: I never got a chance to meet Prince but my kid brother, Trombone Shorty, played with him last year and so I been to Minnesota a lot of times playing up there at the First Avenue Club many times. So I always loved Prince music, and I loved how he stood up for the musicians and the industry and so many things he's done that I'm proud.
BALDWIN: Would you please, sir, play me little something?
ANDREWS: Thank you. I'll see you all in the Big Easy.
(MUSIC)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:55:26] BALDWIN: We are a long way from football season but the Patriots may have to get by without their star quarterback for the first four games. A federal appeals court is reinstating the NFL's four-game suspension of Tom Brady for, remember, Deflategate, that scandal two seasons ago. He and two others employees were accused of intentionally letting air out of the footballs before the AFC championship intentionally to make them easier to catch. Brady won an earlier ruling that allowed him to avoid the suspension last year but, in the two-one decision, the appeals court said the league commissioner, Roger Goodell, acted within the rules when he banned Brady for the four games.
News of today's ruling was quick to reach the campaign trail and even Donald Trump quick to throw a lead block for the Patriots Q.B.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: First of all, let's start by saying, leave Tom Brady alone. Leave him alone.
(CHEERING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: With me now, Randy Zelin, a criminal defense attorney, who we love having on to weigh in on all sort of legal matters.
Can Brady appeal? RANDY ZELIN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: This is where the fork in the
road of could have and should you? He could appeal. He could go back to the same court and say, listen, three judges heard this, I want everybody to weigh in on this. He could go to the Supreme Court. Should he? A fundamental problem is by the time it gets to the next level of decision making, he probably will already have been served or serving his suspension. So unless he moves for what's called a stay, it's kind of that horse will have already left the barn.
BALDWIN: OK. The NFL released a statement saying, "We're pleased the United States court of appeals in the second circuit ruled today that the commissioner properly exercised authority under the collective bargaining agreement to act in cases of the integrity of the game."
What was the lynch pin in the decision here?
ZELIN: Got to be the cell phone. Break it down into practical levels. Let's assume you go away on vacation, you leave your son or daughter at home. You hear rumors that there was a party at the house while you were away. You come home, confront your child saying, listen, was there a party? No. I'd like to see your cell phone. And your child takes a hammer and smashes the hell out of the cell phone.
BALDWIN: Right.
ZELIN: No more cell phone. How would you react in the face of such response?
BALDWIN: I think my eyebrow would raise.
ZELIN: It's called consciousness of guilt. In my business, sometimes it's not what you do but what you do afterwards that is so much more damning. And if I'm a judge, I'm looking, come on, your cell phone? All of a sudden destroyed? Coincidentally? Perhaps there was evidence in that phone that would have been a problem for you.
BALDWIN: Yeah. Could be it. Could be it.
Randy Zelin, thank you.
ZELIN: Thank you.
BALDWIN: Now to this.
Welcome back. Hour two. You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.
The wild presidential election just turned into essentially an episode of "Survivor," as in the reality TV show, and Donald Trump's biggest rivals are using his own advice against him. You have now Ted Cruz and John Kasich taking a page from "The Art of the Deal," joining forces to guarantee a convention circus. In this bombshell move, Kasich and Cruz are teaming up to stop Trump from winning the nomination on the first ballot at the convention. They're focusing on select upcoming primaries and, ultimately, the goal, a contested convention in Cleveland to give them a shot at the party's nomination.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUZ: After discussions with the Kasich campaign, we made a decision about allocating resources. We decided to allocate our time and resources and energy on the state of Indiana. Governor Kasich decided to allocate his resources elsewhere.
KASICH: -- resources. And I feel it's very fair for me to be able to go to areas where I can spend my resources most effectively, and the same is true for Senator Cruz. When's the big deal?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Well, it is actually a big deal to Donald Trump. At a Rhode Island rally just a short time ago he slammed Cruz and Kasich for, quote, "colluding against him." Here he was.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: If you collude in business or if you collude in the stock market they put you in jail. But in politics, because it's a rigged system, because it's a corrupt enterprise, in politics, you're allowed to collude. So they colluded. And actually, I was happy because it shows how weak they are. It shows how pathetic they are.
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: Kasich, we call him One for 41. I thought it was 38. He's won one race in 48 states. One, OK, states and islands.
