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Lawyers Offer to Defend Trump's Sexual Accusers; Miami's DJ Irie Spinning for Hillary Clinton. Aired

Aired October 28, 2016 - 00:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:00:10] JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: This is CNN NEWSROOM live from Los Angeles.

Ahead this hour, a good-natured roast turned downright awkward. Donald Trump booed at an annual charity dinner with Hillary Clinton.

Mosul sees the most intense fighting yet as joint Iraqi forces open a new front against ISIS.

Plus Washington left scrambling after the Philippines' president calls for a separation from the U.S.

Hello everybody. Great to have you with us. I'm John Vause. The first hour of NEWSROOM L.A. starts right now.

After one of the most nasty, bitter presidential campaigns in memory, the Al Smith charity dinner in New York was meant to be a moment of civility and fun between the two candidates, but not this year.

On Thursday night, Donald Trump broke with decades of tradition taking some tough shots at Hillary Clinton and was repeatedly booed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEES: Hillary is so corrupt she got kicked off the Watergate Commission. How corrupt do you have to be to get kicked off the Watergate Commission? Pretty corrupt.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: There were a few lighter moments but for the most part the jokes were sharp and came with an edge.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: With all of the heated back and forth between my opponent and me at the debate last night, we have proven that we can actually be civil to each other. In fact just before taking the dais, Hillary accidentally bumped into me and she very civilly said, "pardon me".

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Donald wanted me drug tested before last night's debate. And, look, I got to tell you, I am so flattered that Donald thought I use some sort of performance enhancer. Now, actually, I did. It's called preparation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Joining me now, Eric Bauman, the vice chair of the California Democratic Party; and Mark Vafiades, chairman of the Los Angeles County Republican Party. Good to have you guys with us.

Let's stay with the Al Smith dinner at the top here because Donald Trump got booed by a room full of priests. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Hillary believes that it's vital to deceive the people by having one public policy -- and a totally different policy in private. That's ok. I don't know who they are angry at, Hillary -- you or I. For example, here she is, tonight, in public, pretending not to hate Catholics.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Ok. Mark, I don't want to make too much out of it. It was just one night. The jokes fell very, very flat. And just to clarify to Donald Trump, they were booing at him. This is a dinner which is meant to be civil and some levity but in so many ways it seems to symbolize what this 2016 campaign has been.

MARK VAFIADES, L.A. COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIRMAN: Yes, I have to agree on both sides. When I first heard Donald kind of take that tactic at the dinner tonight I was a little surprised because that usually doesn't happen. But then when Hillary came on she did the exact same thing.

I think also one of the reasons that Donald Trump got booed is because he was out there first. It was surprising to feel they didn't expect this was going to happen and he was the first one to do it.

I think if it were the other way around he wouldn't have gotten booed because she would have done it first.

VAUSE: Eric -- do you think Hillary Clinton was absolutely in the same boat?

ERIC BAUMAN, CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY: No. Hillary Clinton's line was that when Donald uses his teleprompter, he translates it from the original Russian in which it was written. That's a bit different than what he just said about her hate -- her pretending she doesn't hate Catholics.

VAUSE: But do you see this sort of symbolic of how the campaign is?

BAUMAN: Of course it is. I mean you could see it last night. They worked so hard to keep Trump under control last night during the debate. And he got there and he got there and he got there. And then he just couldn't resist any longer and you could see it coming on and then he just deteriorated into his usual personality.

VAUSE: One thing we can say Donald Trump was a lot funnier earlier in the day at one of his campaign stops.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[00:04:52] TRUMP: Ladies and gentlemen, I want to make a major announcement today. I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters and to all of the people of the United States -- that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election if I win.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Ok. Clearly, Donald Trump is mocking those who criticized him after the debate, because he refused to commit to the outcome of the election come November 8. But Mark is this something which should be joked about?

VAFIADES: Well, first of all, later on in the day he did say that, of course, he will accept the outcome of the election. The reason he said it isn't because he really didn't want to or doesn't want to accept the outcome is he wanted to highlight some of the inconsistencies in the way, for example, this race is being covered by the national press.

BAUMAN: You know, I've just got to say. Actually he didn't say he would accept the results. He said he would accept the results if they essentially passed his test whatever his test is.

There has never been a presidential candidate in American history that has stood before 44 million people and said I won't -- I'll keep you in suspense about whether or not I'm going to accept the results of the election. This man is just not rational.

VAFIADES: Well, I mean it's not his choice. It's going to happen, one way or the other. It doesn't matter --

BAUMAN: I agree with you.

VAFIADES: -- if the person that loses doesn't accept it. In 2000, Gore and Bush. I mean Al Gore didn't accept the outcome of that either.

BAUMAN: Ok. That's absolutely not true. Here's what actually happened. The networks --

VAUSE: Actually before we -- before we get to that we do have Donald Trump talking about Al Gore and George Bush and why he believes that all of this is linked. He actually referenced that also at that same campaign. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: If Al Gore or George Bush had agreed three weeks before the election to concede the results and waived their right to a legal challenge or a recount, then there would be no Supreme Court case and no Gore versus Bush or Bush versus Gore and there have been numerous other cases. In effect I'm being asked to waive centuries of legal precedent designed to protect the voters.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Eric?

BAUMAN: First of all, that is nonsense. Nobody is asking him to waive his legal rights. But what he said was that he would not accept the results essentially if they didn't go his way.

But here's what happened with Bush v Gore. The networks declared Bush the winner. Gore conceded. Then the networks pulled back their declaration because the race was too close to call. So Gore pulled back his concession. The recount was not at the request of Al Gore. The recount is automatic under Florida's law and that is an important point here.

And quite naturally because when it was so close, hundreds of votes difference out of millions cast in that state, of course they contested it to the end.

VAFIADES: But of course, Al Gore went on and on. His lawyers kept going in there and challenging the results in this county and that county. It just dragged on and on and on. So if you are ok with that I guess you would be also ok with what Trump would do.

VAUSE: Wasn't Gore more an issue of how to count ballots and hanging (inaudible) and voting machines that didn't quite work?

BAUMAN: Right.

VAFIADES: Well, he made it an issue. I mean that's --

BAUMAN: Well, look, it was an issue. He didn't make it an issue. That Palmdale butterfly -- Palm County butterfly ballot was a disaster. It was a disgrace.

(CROSSTALK)

VAFIADES: And then they changed it.

VAUSE: They -- changing it.

Very quickly. Barack Obama was on the campaign trail today. Hillary Clinton stayed home. Obama had some very harsh words for Donald Trump in response to what he actually heard Trump say earlier in the day at that campaign rally. This was the President.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That is not a joking matter. No, no, no -- I want everybody to pay attention here. That is dangerous because when you try to sow the seeds of doubt in people's minds about the legitimacy of our elections, that undermines our democracy. Then you're doing the work of our adversaries for them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Mark, so many Republicans have come out and essentially agreed with what the President is saying today and others have been saying. Where do you stand on this?

VAFIADES: Well first of all I think it's shameful that the President is campaigning the way he is and really degrading one of the candidates for president. That's pretty much unprecedented.

I don't recall the last time a sitting president was really attacking one of the candidates for president. I just don't remember that at all. And he of course, wants to continue his legacy with Hillary Clinton and that's why he's doing it. But it's really --

BAUMAN: And the reality is we have never had a candidate for president of the United States who before a single vote is counted has already declared the election rigged. Has already created the set up so that then when he said last night that he wouldn't accept the results it's based on this premise that he has decided the election is rigged.

[00:10:05] And I must tell you, in the states that he thinks it's rigged the governors are Republicans, the secretaries of states are Republicans -- secretaries of state are Republicans.

And so this is an unprecedented candidacy and, by the way, it's a disaster for America because it's hurting our democracy. Young children watch this on television and they see this nonsense.

VAUSE: Very quickly -- last word.

VAFIADES: Yes, I don't agree with this. One of the reasons it's rigged is because the press is so much behind Hillary Clinton and so much against Donald Trump. And that's really where it is rigged not really in the individual states.

VAUSE: Come back next hour. We'll pick it up. Because there's still a lot more to talk about because this is not going away and we still have 19 days left of this election. You look almost tired. Thanks -- guys.

Iraqi-led forces are aggressively pushing into ISIS-held territory as they try to retake Mosul from ISIS. Thursday saw the most intense fighting since the offensive began. Military leaders say at least 200 ISIS fighters were killed in the battle at the Christian town Bartella (ph).

Iraqi armed military (inaudible) now within a few kilometers of Mosul and Peshmerga fighters have opened a new front from the north.

The Iraqi prime minister says the operation is moving faster than expected but Iraqi and Peshmerga fighters aren't just battling forces on the ground. They're also up against drones dropping bombs from the air. Nick Paton Walsh has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Day four and perhaps the biggest push yet from the north into the plains around Mosul trying to dislodge the determined and deranged remnants of ISIS. But the Peshmerga backed with staggering air power -- a now common sight of American Special Forces who the Pentagon says are advising, not assaulting, positioned in the front of the attack.

The work was slow, destructive. Begging the question, what becomes of the wreckage under new masters? Suddenly, in the sky, a hail of bullets. They've spotted a drone. Tracer rounds dance around it and finally take off its nose. ISIS use them to spot targets for artillery, even drop small bombs. This one tumbles down, its wreckage picked over. It's still unclear whose it is. Yet progress down the road to Horozabat (ph) is agonizingly slow.

(on camera): It is the source of so much of the fighting this morning but still full of ISIS. In fact we have heard the Peshmerga have listened to those militants on their radios this morning discussing how they should wait and only launched a counter attack, once the Peshmerga are inside.

(voice over): Two Peshmerga are killed by a mine and others injured in intense clashes when they flanked the town heading left across barren farmland.

ISIS still here, haunting the dust, pushed back moments earlier. We reach one unit pinned down on a hill. They say a drone is observing them but also dropping tiny bombs on them.

Like grenades, we are warned, rocket after rocket lands. Sometimes near, sometimes far. Over the hill there is fiercer fighting. And still, the rockets come in. Exposed, trudging through land turned arid in the fight.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN -- near Mosul, northern Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: A key part of the coalition liberating Mosul are the Kurdish fighters -- the Peshmerga. For two years they've led the fight against ISIS and one reason why the military offensive is moving ahead of schedule. The Iraqi Kurds have their own semiautonomous region in northern Iraq. And had been increasing their territory as they claw back villages and towns, notably taking the oil-rich city of Kirkuk.

They have long wanted independence and over the years relations with Baghdad have been strained. But on Thursday, the Iraqi prime minister praised the Kurdish fighters noting this is the first time they fought side by side with Iraqi federal forces.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) [00:15:07] HAIDER AL ABADI, IRAQI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): This shows there is unity and tremendous rapprochement between the two sides to liberate the Iraqi territory from the terrorism of ISIL working for one single Iraq far from the idea of the partition and the disagreements which have scattered efforts until now.

VAUSE: But that might not be how the Kurds see things.

Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman is the Kurdistan regional government's representative in Washington D.C. and she joins me now. Bayan -- tell me this, are the Peshmerga, are they out there risking their lives and dying for a reunified Iraq at the end of the day or do you see this as a crucial step towards independence?

BAYAN SAMI ABDUL RAHMAN, KURDISTAN REGIONAL GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE: To be honest right now, we are focusing on ISIS. The priority for us and for the Iraqi security forces, for the displaced people, for the long-suffering people of Mosul, the priority is to defeat ISIS and to push them out of Iraq.

You're right that we have ambitions towards independence that we've never hidden from anybody. We talk about it. Everybody knows that if there was a referendum tomorrow in Kurdistan, an overwhelming majority would vote in favor of independence.

But that's not the fight today. The fight today is about liberating Mosul, pushing ISIS out and winning the peace in Iraq. And that's for everybody.

VAUSE: Yes. But the big question here is what happens after Mosul is liberated, the post-ISIS era because right now the Kurds have a lot of leverage. You committed a lot of fire power to this offensive and you do have in some ways the upper hand to try and push forward with this claim of independence.

RAHMAN: Well we have discussed the issue of self-determination with Baghdad. Recently the Kurdistan regional government' prime minister met with Prime Minister Abadi. And then a few weeks President Barzani also went to Baghdad and met with Prime Minister Abadi. When the president was in Baghdad they were, of course, discussing the Mosul operational plan but they also touched on other issues and self- determination has been put on the table.

We want to discuss it with Baghdad. Baghdad is our most important partner in this effort, after all. And if we're going to talk about the future of Kurdistan, the future of Iraq there needs to be dialogue.

VAUSE: Dialogue leading to a federation? Some kind of situation where the Kurds in northern Iraq end up with essentially their own state?

RAHMAN: Well, as I've said we've never hidden the fact that we want to be independent. But how do we achieve it and when do we achieve it? That is the question. There are many options ahead of us. One of which is no change to keep the Kurdistan region as it is, within the constitutional framework of Iraq. But there are many aspects of the constitution that have never been implemented and this has caused tensions with Baghdad.

VAUSE: In relation to what happens the day after Mosul is liberated in terms of running Mosul and trying to avoid a repeat of the problems which led to the rise of ISIS in the first place, do you have a lot of faith in the government in Baghdad that they have learned their lesson so they know how to move forward to ensure that there's no persecution of the Sunni minorities to ensure that the Kurds in the north are included in any of these kind of decision-making processes and to avoid, you know, outside meddling from other countries who believe they have a stake in this as well?

RAHMAN: Well I'm going to quote a Yazidi friend who, as you know, the Yazidis have suffered the worst genocide under ISIS. And what he said was, one thing is clear we cannot go back to the system in Iraq that allowed ISIS to gain ground.

So clearly, there are many things that need to change if the Sunni- Arab community is going to feel that they are full citizens and full participants in Iraq if the minorities are going to feel protected and that they have a stake.

Things do need to change, but how we do it is the question. And I would also urge that the United States stays engaged. What we don't want is for the Mosul liberation to happen and then for there to be an exit of the coalition. The coalition which is led by the United States needs to remain engaged with Iraq as we go through these other problems that we need to deal with, governance of Nineveh and Mosul, the humanitarian crisis that still has over three million people displaced.

VAUSE: Ok. Bayan -- we'll leave it there but thank you so much. Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, representative from the Kurdish regional government in Washington. Thank you.

RAHMAN: Pleasure.

VAUSE: Well, next here on CNN, rescue operations to evacuate the sick and wounded from the besieged city of Aleppo finally underway.

[00:20:09] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: Damascus is warning Turkish war planes which violate Syrian air space will be shot down. The blunt message comes after Turkish air strikes on Kurdish fighters, a U.S. ally in Syria. Turkish officials claim 200 Kurdish fighters were killed, a predominantly Kurdish political party puts the death too at 14. The Kurds say they are advancing on ISIS not far from the city of Aleppo when they came under attack from the Turks.

And the U.N. is moving the wounded and sick out of rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo. The evacuation is underway after Russian, Syrian government and opposition forces agreed to a temporary pause in the fighting. The evacuees are being transferred to either opposition- controlled Idlib or government-controlled western Aleppo. The white lines here highlight the so-called humanitarian corridors.

In the past three U.S. presidential debates, all of them, there were precious few questions from the moderators about the civil war in Syria and the ongoing military offensive by regime forces backed by Russia on the city of Aleppo. But the children who are trapped there in what is described as a living hell have a few questions for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

(VIDEO CLIP OF SYRIAN CHILDREN TRAPPED IN ALEPPO)

[00:25:07] VAUSE: The "Huffington Post" worked with freelance journalists in Aleppo to record the children asking what their question would be to the presidential candidates.

Sharaf Mowjood is the producer behind the video. He joins us now from New York. Sharaf -- thank you for doing this. I have to say there was something really raw about the honesty and the simplicity coming from those questions from those kids.

SHARAF MOWJOOD, PRODUCER, HUFFINGTON POST: Absolutely. Thanks for having me -- John.

The simple part of the story is that these kids just had questions, one question they wanted to answer and that was if you could ask a presidential candidate Clinton and Trump one question what would it be and that is the simple, raw answer is what we got.

It was really s what we wanted to do from the beginning, just get kids out in the open in Aleppo and just find out what was on their mind.

VAUSE: You know, the questions from the kids they weren't just asking please stop this. They weren't just asking for help. There were also these questions as well. Listen to this.

(VIDEO CLIP OF SYRIAN CHILDREN TRAPPED IN ALEPPO)

VAUSE: Again, basically, they're asking there don't I deserve the right to live?

MOWJOOD: Yes. Most of the kids they're very smart. I mean they know their surroundings. They see what is going on every day. And for some of the kids, yes, they talked about, you know, when are the planes going to stop firing on them or when is it safe to play. You know, many kids said, you know, when is it safe to play so that we won't be fired upon? Where is a safe place to play?

One little girl said, you know, "My sister, I don't know how to talk to my sister about what is going on." I mean after the first time they answered it was kind of therapeutic for them just to kind of have this emotional release about what is going on in their lives.

And, you know, it was interesting because we saw them very poised. Standing with confidence and different kids had different stances. And just the way they stood and they're kind of proud to be there but at the same time just in their body language you could tell that they had so much to say.

And just hearing their answers is just -- was heart breaking because some of them just -- one girl wanted to play and one boy just wanted to know when it's safe to be like how it was before. And I think that was one of the interesting things.

Some of the older kids remember a time when Aleppo was safe. Remember a time when Aleppo wasn't in the middle of a civil war. So a lot of them you could tell in their answers were reflecting back at a time period when it was safe to play outside, where there were no planes in the sky.

So it was interesting to see the difference between the younger kids who all they've known is war and the older kids that knew of a contrast.

VAUSE: Sharaf, everyone should head over to the "Huffington Post". They should all watch it because it is powerful, it is moving. And again, thank you so much for doing this. It's great.

MOWJOOD: Thank you for having me -- John. I really appreciate it.

VAUSE: Well, still to come here, breaking up is hard to do. After the controversial Philippine president announced a separation from the U.S., his trade minister seems to say maybe not.

[00:28:25] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:30:00] JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: The Iraqi-led coalition continues to slowly move towards the city.

ISHA SESAY, CNN ANCHOR: Meanwhile, the U.S. says an offensive is just week's away to take the Syrian city of Raqqah from ISIS. Turkey's president says he wants to help, but he doesn't want Kurdish militia group such as the Peshmerga involved. Turkey considers them terrorist.

VAUSE: Donald Trump is gaining some momentum in important swing states including Florida and Nevada. But a new "Quinnipiac" poll shows Hillary Clinton pulling even in Georgia as well as Iowa. Election Day is a week from Tuesday, thank God. More than 12 million people have voted early in states across the United States.

SESAY: The U.S. vice presidential candidate Mike Pence was expected back on the campaign trail on Friday. His plane skidded off the runway in New York, Thursday, in raining weather. No one was hurt, but Pence cancelled a fundraiser. His running mate Donald Trump called to make sure everyone was OK.

Donald Trump might now be backing away from his threat to take legal action against at least 11 women who have come forward to accuse him of sexual assault.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: These

stories were fabricated. They told --

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: Are you going to go through with the lawsuits?

TRUMP: We'll find out. Let's see what happens with the election.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Less than a week ago, Trump stood on the hallowed ground of Gettysburg and outlined his plan to his first 100 days as president and that included litigation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Every woman lied when they came forward to hurt my campaign, total fabrication. The events never happened. Never. All of these liars will be sued after the election is over.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: So that raises the question, what happened between now and then?

Well, there was a tweet from Ted Boutrous, a leading First Amendment lawyer in the United States who the "Los Angeles Times" once called a hired gun. He posted "I represent pro-bono anyone Trump sues for exercising their free speech right. Many other lawyers have offered to join me."

And Ted Boutrous joins us now.

Ted, thank you for being with us.

Donald Trump makes no secret he likes to sue people. He's been involved in thousands of lawsuits. So are you surprised that he might not follow through now on his threats this time?

TED BOUTROUS, FIRST AMENDMENT LAWYER: Well, what he does is he threatens lawsuits and here he is doing it to chill free speech and to chill critics in the middle of a presidential election.

I can't imagine a more blatant violation of the spirit of the first amendment and the constitution. His statement that you just played, he said well, we'll see. So he's still keeping a lawsuit possibility hanging out there.

I'm not sure what he means let's see what happens in the election. Is he saying if he wins, he'll sue? Or if he loses, he'll sue? So he is really trying to use the threat of a lawsuit to deter and squelch speech. That violates the First Amendment's most basic principles. And I think he should stop threatening people and stop intruding on First Amendment rights.

VAUSE: His wife, Melania, she says that she wants her day in court. This is what she said to "ABC News."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MELANIA TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP'S WIFE: They were lies. And as I said before, all the accusations, they should be handled in a court of law.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: So you believe the lawsuit should go forward?

M. TRUMP: Yes, I believe that. Because to accuse somebody without evidence, it's very hurtful and it's very damaging and unfair. But honestly, do we still need to talk about that?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: So, Ted, just from a legal point of view, would Trump have any chance of actually winning not just one lawsuit, but what might be a dozen separate lawsuits?

BOUTROUS: I don't think he has any chance. He is a public figure. He's probably the most public figure and the most famous person in the world. The libel defamation standard under the Supreme Court's cases like "New York Times Versus Sullivan" create a tremendous burden in any case.

He'd have to prove knowledge of falsity by the individuals. He'd have to prove either reckless disregard of the truth. The standards are insurmountable, I think, for him. And Mrs. Trump say on that clip that there was no evidence.

There is evidence these women have come forward in very difficult circumstances and told their stories and what they said happened. That's evidence. That's direct evidence. And he would have to counter that with his own clear and convincing evidence. I don't think he would ever be able to do that. He would have to go through depositions.

He gave that speech about his first 100 days and I nearly thought he's going to have 100 days of depositions. That's going to be his first 100 days if he bring these suits.

VAUSE: Ted, you made this offer on the basis of defending free speech. So explain how is this different, these allegations against Donald Trump. Why are they considered free speech -- you know, free speech issue, rather, and not slander.

[00:35:00] BOUTROUS: Well, here, you know, we have -- we are in the middle of a political campaign for the presidency. That is where the First Amendment protections of free speech are at their highest, strictest level. Because at bottom, the First Amendment is protecting the people's rights to gather information so they can govern themselves. And so here where we have a campaign going and these are individual citizens who are speaking out during an election. They have every fundamental right to do that. And it's -- just to call something slander, to deny it does not mean its protected speech.

The constitution creates what the Supreme Court has called breathing space. And it tolerates caustic debate, criticism particularly of government officials, particularly of wealthy, powerful individuals who want to be president. So this is the essence of what the framers of our constitution had in mind in terms of the kind of debate and argument about who should be president. And Mr. Trump is in the position to respond. He could lay out his own side of the facts instead of just branding people liars. And he has the power and ability and the platform to respond with his own speech.

VAUSE: Very quickly, how many other lawyers have signed up for this and what message are you all sending to Mr. Trump?

BOUTROUS: It's really made me feel good about my profession. We probably had at least 100 lawyers on Twitter, by e-mail, by phone, including Laurence Tribe, a professor at Harvard, Erwin Chemerinsky here in California, scholars of the greatest minds we have in this country. And it sends the message there is going to be a level playing field here if Mr. Trump wants to litigate, he's going to face an army of lawyers, Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, liberals who say you can't abuse the First Amendment this way in an election.

VAUSE: OK, Ted, thank you so much for coming in. Good to speak with you.

Ted Boutrous, we appreciate it.

BOUTROUS: Thank you.

SESAY: Time for a quick break now. He says he spent time with Donald Trump and that he was a nice guy.

So why is one of Florida's most famous entertainers stumping for Hillary Clinton? Richard Quest finds out next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Quest it up, man. Quest it up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SESAY: Florida is a critical swing state in the race to the White House. Hillary Clinton had the lead there earlier this month, but the latest numbers show Donald Trump with a slight edge.

VAUSE: Miami's hottest D.J. is hoping his state goes blue.

Richard Quest asks D.J. Irie why he is spinning for Hillary.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

D.J. IRIE, MIAMI DISC JOCKEY: You're with Trump and, you know, the Republicans or you're with Secretary Clinton and the Democrats. And, you know what, I am -- I'm with her.

[00:40:08] RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): D.J. Irie is one of Miami's coolest and hottest DJs. He spins records at elite parties and clubs worldwide. Now he is unashamedly spinning full throttle for Hillary Clinton's election as president.

D.J. IRIE: This is about our future. I have a young son. I have a lot of things that I still want to and need to accomplish. What's going on in our environment, there's just way too many really, really important things happening in our country right now not to go with the sure fire bet.

QUEST: Are you surprised that the latest numbers suggest in Florida that Donald Trump actually may have pulled ahead?

D.J. IRIE: I'm extremely surprised about that. I really am. I can't expect for everyone to think the way I think. But for someone like me when I look at the situation and I look at both clients, it's such an obvious choice, right? It's such an obvious decision. I like to say it's a --

QUEST: Why?

D.J. IRIE: I have actually spent time with him. I have spent time with Donald Trump and he was one of the nicest guys I've ever met. One of the nicest guys I ever met. When I see him on the campaign trail and I see him stumping and I see him speak to his constituency, this is not the same person that I spent time with.

QUEST: Trump's alleged change in character is disturbing to this D.J. who himself is a master in marketing. Irie is sure Trump's new divisive persona is deadly to his brand.

D.J. IRIE: I think irreparable.

QUEST: Really?

D.J. IRIE: Because -- here's why. Because this new audience that he has aren't his ideal customer. These aren't the folks that are going to go take over his suites at his hotels. These aren't the folks that are going to go and pay premiums to be a member of his golf courses. So he's going to have to reposition his business and come up with products and services that can be directed to this new constituency, but right now the Trump as a luxury brand, it doesn't fit.

Come on, Richard, give it a go, man. Quest it up, man. Quest it up.

(LAUGHTER)

QUEST: With branding in mind, Irie has decided to teach this old dog some new tricks. D.J. IRIE: You got the rhythm, man. You got the rhythm.

QUEST: It's a lot harder than it looks.

(LAUGHTER)

I think I'll stick to the Dow Jones industrials.

(LAUGHTER)

I'm not the only one thinking of a new career. D.J. Irie is ready if madam president calls. He will serve.

D.J. IRIE: Absolutely. I want to be the music czar.

(LAUGHTER)

QUEST: Music czar. Music czar.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Could Richard Quest be anymore white? He is such a (INAUDIBLE)

(CROSSTALK)

OK. Mama Mia, here they go again. Abba is reuniting, sort of.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MAMA MIA MUSIC VIDEO PLAYING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: The legendary Swedish group has laid low for more than 30 years, but its members say they have a new project.

SESAY: And they are teaming up with music mogul Simon Fuller on live shows and will use virtual reality technology. So it's not exactly clear if they'll actually be on the stage in person together. The show is two years away and details will be released next year.

I love, Abba.

VAUSE: Well, knowing me, knowing you, I think this is all about the money, money, money, because the winner takes it all.

SESAY: Someone get me to waterloo.

Thanks for watching CNN NEWSROOM live from Los Angeles, I'm Isha Sesay.

VAUSE: I'm John Vause. "World Sport" is up next. You're watching CNN. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WORLD SPORT)

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