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Democratic Presidential Candidates Campaign In Iowa Ahead Of Caucuses; Bernie Sanders, Amy Klobuchar, And Elizabeth Warren Hold Rallies In Iowa After Returning To Campaign Trail From Senate Impeachment Trial; Senate Votes Against Allowing Witnesses In Impeachment Trial; Miami Prepares Security For Super Bowl. Aired 2- 2:30p ET

Aired February 01, 2020 - 14:00   ET

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

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FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining us. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

We begin this hour with a final sprint to the Iowa caucuses, and this is it. The nation's first Democratic contest is just two days away, and this is crunch time, especially for those senators in the race who were in Washington for President Trump's impeachment trial. Right now, the top 2020 candidates are swarming the state of Iowa, and so are our correspondents and reporters. CNN's Ryan Nobles is in Indianola, Kyung Lah is in West Branch, and M.J. Lee is in Cedar Rapids. Ryan, you first. Senator Bernie Sanders was one of the candidates in Washington for the impeachment trial. How is he making up for lost time?

RYAN NOBLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You see him right now here behind me, Fred, talking to a crowd in Indianola, Iowa, one of the many key constituencies here across Iowa that are going to be important on caucus night. But what we heard here from Bernie Sanders, the first thing that he talked about in his remarks here is the argument about electability, that he believes that he is the candidate that cannot only win the Democratic primary, but also beat Donald Trump in November.

And the key argument he is making here is all about voter turnout. He believes that if it is low voter turnout, that is going to make it very difficult for any Democrat to win in November against Donald Trump. And he believes that the energy, the enthusiasm, in the Democratic primary, and in the Democratic voter electorate, is with his campaign, and he believes that he can bring voters out in ways that his other Democratic opponents might not be able to make.

This has been a vulnerability for Bernie Sanders. There have been polls that show that people generally like Bernie Sanders, Democratic candidates like Bernie Sanders, but they are concerned that in a head- to-head match-up against Donald Trump that he may not be as strong as someone like Joe Biden. That is a narrative that he and his campaign are attempting to shift here, especially in the closing days of the Iowa caucuses. They are appealing to those voters who like Sanders and his

progressive policies, and also marry that with the belief that if he is the Democratic nominee, he can win in November. That's the argument that they're going to make here over the next couple of days. And of course, Fred, it is going to be a sprint for Sanders over the next couple of days. He has another event tonight in Cedar Rapids then a full slate of events on Sunday heading into the vote on Monday night. Fred?

WHITFIELD: All right, Ryan, thank you so much.

Meantime, Senator Amy Klobuchar, she just got a big boost ahead of Monday's caucuses, and today California Congresswoman Linda Sanchez announced that she is supporting Klobuchar for president, handing the senator a notable endorsement with the nation's first voting just 48 hours away. Kyung Lah joining me now from West Branch, Iowa, with more on that. So Kyung, I understand you actually just spoke with Klobuchar, and what is she saying?

KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We did. What she is saying is that, look, she is going to try to overperform, she is trying to beat the expectations here. And part of the way she is going to do that is by jamming in as many events this weekend as possible, trying to jam in two weeks, she says, into two days. She hit this event in Bettendorf, Iowa, starting there. It was a full capacity crowd, the campaign had to open up the business next door, and then that business ended up being completely full.

Klobuchar gave two addresses to the overflow crowd and then to her main crowd. And then she is going to blitz across the state to the western end of the state, Sioux City, Iowa. She is in the air right now, flying there, and then she is going to finish the day with two events in central Iowa. Klobuchar saying with all the barriers she's faced, the challenges she's faced, having to do the impeachment hearings, being really the relative unknown when she kicked off more than a year ago. She says she is entering this feeling positive.

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SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR, (D-MN) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We are punching way above our weight in terms of what some of the people's bank accounts and what they've done, and the fact that in two polls in the last week I'm in third place. Wow, we clearly have a surge going here.

LAH: When you say that you're punching above your weight, are you characterizes this race still as being the underdog?

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KLOBUCHAR: Yes. When I look at how much money some of the people have, and everything else they're doing, and the staff that they have, it just shows that our incredibly devoted staff, all of these volunteers that we have here and all over the country, have brought me to this place, that I don't think anyone thought was going to happen when I first made that announcement in the middle of the blizzard.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAH: And she's a Midwesterner. She is touting the fact that she has been to all 99 counties in Iowa, and specifically focusing on those Obama to Trump counties, the counties that Trump did flip. And as far as how she felt about the trial, Fredricka, she says looking back and knowing she is going to have to continue to go back to Washington and then hit the campaign trail, she still has no regrets. Fred?

WHITFIELD: Kyung Lah, and who could forget that blizzard? Really, she was standing there and that snow was on top of her head, and she was not wearing a hat. You are not wearing a hat either and it looks cold out there.

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WHITFIELD: Kyung Lah, thank you very much.

Senator Elizabeth Warren was also in Washington for the impeachment trial this week. She still found a way to be in Iowa, with not one, but three new television ads. M.J. Lee joining us right now. You've been in Iowa for the past few days now to cover Senator Warren. What is it looking like for her?

M.J. LEE, NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, I have to tell you, this has been a strange and unpredictable couple of day, not just for the senators who are running in the 2020 election, but for the reporters as well. The Senate impeachment trial of President Trump has created so much uncertainty in terms of the scheduling, we have seen a number of senators having to cancel their various campaign events.

And Senator Warren, who is going to take the stage just behind me in a couple of minutes, she actually made it back to Iowa last night. As soon as the trial wrapped up on Capitol Hill yesterday, she got on a plane and she rushed back here, and she could not make the evening rally that was planned in Des Moines. Instead, her surrogates and her husband had to host the event instead.

But at the end of the event, her husband took the stage and made the surprise announcement that Senator Warren would be going to the bar across the street from the event, and invited all of her supporters to join her. So that is how she spent the evening, as soon as she got into Des Moines, she went to this bar and took some selfies and spoke to the supporters who are very eager to see her. So just this scrambling that we saw Senator Warren do yesterday just perfectly captures the kind of chaos that we have seen as the impeachment trial has collided with the 2020 election, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Just seeing her walk into the room, and she is still very excited. Does she receive that kind of excitement over her, when even though she has been away for a little bit, it is kind of like coming home again?

LEE: Well, we have be speaking to a lot of voters here in Iowa over the last week, just asking is it OK that these senators have not been able to spend this final stretch ahead of the Iowa caucuses, in Washington instead, and certainly most of the voters that we have talked to here say that they certainly understand that these senators are just doing their jobs.

But look, it has been sort of painful, I think, for some of these senators, to not be able to spend as much time as they would like here in Iowa. And I just want to point out that Warren's final message as well goes all in on electability. Her campaign released several new ads running in Iowa. I just want to play a short clip of an ad she released yesterday featuring a former Trump supporter who now says he is supporting Elizabeth Warren. Take a listen.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In 2016, I caucused for Donald Trump in Iowa. But I'm switching parties to caucus for Elizabeth Warren in 2020. Elizabeth Warren isn't afraid to fight for the little guy. She has helped so many people throughout her life, and her first priority is ending corruption. And that's what this country needs. To people who say that a woman can't win, I say nonsense. I believe a woman can beat Trump, and I believe Elizabeth is that woman.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEE: So the message here, Fred, is very clear. She is trying to go after not only the traditional Democrats, but former Trump supporters and former Republicans as well. Fred?

WHITFIELD: M.J. Lee, thank you so much.

All right, a deadly virus spreading across the country and around the world. Coronavirus now reported in another U.S. state as researchers issue a new warning in China.

Plus, what we are learning from President Trump's impeachment trial, and how the witness vote could hurt some lawmakers.

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WHITFIELD: Welcome back. This breaking news now, Massachusetts has confirmed its first case of coronavirus. That brings the total number of cases in the U.S. to eight. According to Boston public health, the man, who is in his 20s, recently traveled to Wuhan, China, and sought medical care after he returned. He has been isolated since that time and will remain isolated until cleared by public health officials.

And now to Washington, where senators are weighing their final decision on impeachment. And a new court filing from the Justice Department is now revealing internal government emails show President Trump had discussions about military aid to Ukraine as early as June of last year. The two dozen emails were brought to light just hours after the Senate voted against subpoenaing additional documents. Ukraine aid is a central issue in the House's articles of impeachment.

With me right now is CNN presidential historian Tim Naftali, he is the former director of the Nixon Presidential Library, and Toluse Olorunnipa is a White House reporter for the "Washington Post" and a CNN political analyst. Good to see both of you.

Tim, you first. What are the implications of these emails coming to light now?

TIM NAFTALI, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Well, these emails are a reminder of what Chairman Schiff predicted, and other House managers predicted, which is that with time, we're going to see more evidence, either through the trial, and now the trial is ending, but through FOIA and other requests, more evidence that the president was engaged in a quid pro quo. And this evidence will continue. We will have the Bolton book. We will have time and again, we will be reminded of the cowardice of those senators who refused to extend the trial a few more days to get additional information.

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In fact, I think the short-term political consequences for those senators will be linked to the material as it comes out.

WHITFIELD: And then Toluse, do you think these court filings will in any way influence the coming closing arguments on Monday?

TOLUSE OLORUNNIPA, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, "THE WASHINGTON POST": Well, we have seen Adam Schiff and the House managers use all of these revelations as they've come out and make them a part of their prosecution case against the president, so I wouldn't be surprised if Adam Schiff and the other House managers and even some of the senators, if they have an opportunity to talk, make reference to these new revelations.

Everything from the Bolton book to these new filings makes it clear that all of the information that has come out has been against the president. There hasn't been anything exculpatory that has come out over the last few weeks in favor of the president's position.

And I think the Democrats will show that by not having witnesses, not having documents, that the senators who have voted to end this trial will be derelict in their duties to get to the bottom of the facts, and I think that is the message that you will hear from democrats over the next few days.

WHITFIELD: And Tim, you mentioned this drip, drip, really is just the beginning. Again, you remind us that Adam Schiff said it was coming. You mentioned what kind of potential impact it may have on the senators, but what about on the president?

NAFTALI: Well, my great concern is less the short-term implications of what happened yesterday, but the long-term, possible long-term implications. We don't want to give a permission slip to this president and future presidents that they can engage in abuses of power that do not cross statutory lines without some consequences. Abuse of power come in all kinds of forms, but they are all dangerous to our constitutional system and our civil rights.

In the 1970s, a bipartisan coalition came together and understood that abuse of power was a reason to remove a president. Now, we're in 2020, and Republicans try to be too clever by half. They found the president made a mistake in his foreign policy but it was not enough of a mistake to remove him, and at the same time they said the Democrats, we're not going to give you a victory so we're not going to seek more information.

The outcome, if we're not careful, if they're not careful, is that we're going to open the possibility for more abuse of power. I'm waiting to hear what those thoughtful Republicans say this week. Are they going to put a limit on what they have done, or are they going to open the door to really, really, a huge and problematic imperial presidency?

WHITFIELD: Well, Tim, do you feel like that permission slip has already been given?

NAFTALI: The beauty of our system is that you keep producing precedents. So they have an opportunity, as they close down the trial, to limit the precedent. No doubt, a future president is going to quote what Marco Rubio said and what Alan Dershowitz said. But we want, and we need as Americans, not as Democrats, but as Americans we need Republicans to step up and say look, this is what he did, this is why it's wrong, we don't want it done again. And abuse of power, what they need to make is the argument that abuse of power can be impeachable, but this one wasn't.

WHITFIELD: OK, and real quickly, Toluse, even though 75 percent of Americans said they wanted to hear witness, do you think that there will likely be potential backlash for those Republicans who voted against it?

OLORUNNIPA: Well, there are several Republicans that are vulnerable in the upcoming election, people like Martha McSally, Cory Gardner, Thom Tillis who could be facing tough races, and the fact that they all voted with the president to restrict witnesses is something I expect their Democratic opponents will bring up as part of the election, and they'll have to try to drum up the base of the president and have the activists and the supporters of the president counter fact the fact that there are a lot of independents who wanted to see witnesses and who maybe disappointed with the votes from those vulnerable senators who are up for reelection.

WHITFIELD: We will leave it there. Toluse Olorunnipa, Tim Naftali, thanks to both of you. Appreciate it.

NAFTALI: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Up next, protecting Super Bowl LIV, security concerns, from the air to the water, even the Miami skyline. The strategy to protect fans and their money.

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WHITFIELD: OK, so while the two Super Bowl contenders make final preparations before hitting the field in Miami tomorrow, law enforcement agents are putting final safety measures into place to protect fans and of course their wallets.

CNN's Rosa Flores has more on the security concerns.

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ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hosting Super Bowl LIV in paradise is a security nightmare. The NFL says the hundreds of thousands of fans are expected at three venues in three south Florida cities along an international border that is invisible, and a known corridor for illegal sex, drugs, and merchandise.

LT. BRANDON EARHART, U.S. COAST GUARD: Basically, right about here is where the cruise ship security zone begins.

FLORES: The law enforcement presence begins miles away from Hard Rock Stadium over water, with the big guns of the U.S. Coast Guard in full display.

EARHART: That is a deterrent as well as if we have an actual threat, they could go to disabling fire and actually remove the engines.

FLORES: At Miami's Bayfront Park, one of the concerns is hidden in the skyline.

Since the Las Vegas shooting, the urban landscape is considered a potential threat.

THOMAS JONES, ASSISTANT SPECIAL AGENT, FBI MIAMI: The team members can stand on the handrails.

FLORES: And while the FBI doesn't disclose tactics.

JONES: In regards to high rise buildings, no, those security concerns are being addressed.

FLORES: The agency says it is sharing intelligence with local, state and federal partners like Customs and Border Protection, who alongside Miami-Dade police have been training for the unthinkable.

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ALEJANDRO RODRIGUEZ, MARINE INTERDICTION AGENT CBP: A terrorist threat, a terrorist threat is going to be our biggest concern.

FLORES: That's why the fully armed agents are trained to rappel into packed venues from Blackhawks.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: See what we got here.

FLORES: Meanwhile, other agents are intercepting counterfeit merchandise, mostly from China, by the boxload.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Counterfeit Super Bowl rings, caps, jerseys, you name it, anything that goes along with the big game itself.

FLORES: While the full security strategy is secret, Florida's attorney general has one message for criminals.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're going to get you.

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FLORES: Now, there is also a no drone zone, and the FBI is already cracking down on violators. And Fred, the law enforcement presence is all over Miami, and they are very serious about security, but they are also very serious about fans focusing on having fun.

WHITFIELD: Oh, yes, and people will have that fun, that's for sure. Rosa Flores, thank you so much.

Thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Our coverage of Super Bowl LIV continues right after the break with Coy Wire and Andy Scholes. They are there, and so is Rosa Flores, in Miami. They're all hosting "The Kickoff in Miami, A CNN Bleacher Report Special," coming up.

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