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Interview with Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV); Wall Street Journalists Expelled by Chinese Government; Interview with Former Mayor Michael Nutter of Philadelphia. Aired 10:30-11a ET
Aired February 19, 2020 - 10:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[10:32:46]
POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR, NEWSROOM: Vegas, baby. Tonight -- you wanted to say that.
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR, NEWSROOM: I did want to kind of say that --
HARLOW: It is a big --
SCIUTTO: -- wouldn't be so bad to be there, actually.
HARLOW: I know. We would like to be in Las Vegas. It's a big night in Las Vegas on the debate stage. The former vice president, Joe Biden, betting -- trying, hoping -- for a solid outcome tonight.
SCIUTTO: Joining us now, a Biden supporter, Democratic Congressman Steven Horsford of the great state of Nevada. Congressman, we appreciate you taking the time this morning.
REP. STEVEN HORSFORD (D-NV): It's great to be on. It's a beautiful morning, here in Las Vegas.
HARLOW: I bet.
SCIUTTO: I'm sure it is. Don't rub it in. Let's talk about -- let's talk about the former vice president. For months, really, one of his main selling points was he is the most electable Democrat against Donald Trump. But after these first two disappointing finishes -- we can certainly call them that -- in Iowa and New Hampshire, is that still the former vice president's selling point as we go into Nevada?
HORSFORD: It is. In fact, because in every poll that's out there, the vice president does best against Donald Trump in making sure that we win this November. I am supporting Joe Biden because he is trusted, he is vetted and he has delivered for the American people.
As the former vice president to the first African-American president, Barack Obama, they worked together to pass the Affordable Care Act, to help us recover from the Great Recession, giving us the best economy and job creation in our history as well as making sure that we're taking on the NRA to make sure our families and our children are safe from senseless gun violence. SCIUTTO: Yes. Of course, Las Vegas had the deadliest mass shooting in
the country's history.
HARLOW: Of course. Why do you think it is, Congressman, that in the last few weeks, Joe Biden has seen such a decline in support among African-American voters? Nationally, it's down 20 points in just a few weeks, and Mayor Bloomberg has seen a surge in support from African- American voters?
HORSFORD: Well, I know that we focus a lot on national polls. But as you know, this is about battleground states and the data --
HARLOW: I do, but I just --
HORSFORD: -- diverse (ph) --
HARLOW: -- I just wonder why you think that number is what it is, because it's such an important -- such an important thing for the vice president, to maintain that support among African-American voters across the country.
[10:35:06]
HORSFORD: And I think tonight, you're going to hear him speak about his record and what he has done to help deliver, not only for the African-American community but for all of America.
I think what's interesting is that Mike Bloomberg, who did not endorse President Obama in 2008, he called the Affordable Care Act disastrous, he had policies around stop and frisk which were discriminatory and affected the lives of young black men as well as his position on redlining. Those are things that he is going to have to account for.
We know he's a billionaire. We know he's issued an apology. But he cannot apologize in such a way that brings back all the lives that have been affected, based on the policies that were enacted when he was mayor. So those are the issues that are going to be at the forefront of tonight's debate.
SCIUTTO: Those are fair messages, but they're familiar ones. I just wonder, is there a concern in the campaign -- the Biden campaign, and among surrogates like yourself -- that Biden has to change his message to some degree to break out here?
I mean, these were -- he finished well behind several other candidates, including -- and this is key -- moderate candidates, moderate alternatives, which is, again, part of his selling points as well. What's he going to change, if anything?
HORSFORD: Well, to be clear, only two percent of the votes have been cast. With all due respect to Iowa and New Hampshire, they do not reflect the diversity of our electorate. Nevada and South Carolina do.
And so I think the vice president is going to articulate a very clear message tonight, one that focuses on, first and foremost, building on Obamacare, providing for a public option, which people want in order to strengthen our health care options, bringing down the high cost of prescription drugs, making sure that we finally hold the NRA accountable by restoring the assault weapons ban, passing background check legislation and holding gun manufacturers accountable for the weapons that they put in so many of our communities.
Those are the issues that the people in my district care about. I've been on the ground with Vice President Biden this week. He has tremendous support throughout my community and here in Nevada, and I'm very optimistic he's going to do great tonight and on Saturday in our caucus.
SCIUTTO: All right. Well, we'll see in the numbers. We'll certainly bring those to you when they happen. Congressman, pleasure to have you on the program this morning.
HARLOW: Thank you, sir.
SCIUTTO: Three Wall Street Journal reporters have been ordered to leave China over a headline that Beijing is calling racist. The latest fallout from the coverage of the worsening coronavirus crisis, coming up next.
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[10:42:22]
SCIUTTO: More than 2,000 people have now died from what's known as the novel coronavirus. Nearly 76,000 people around the world have been infected, most of them in China.
HARLOW: This, as China has expelled three journalists from "The Wall Street Journal" because of an opinion piece that was critical of Beijing's response to the outbreak. Let's go to our David Culver, he joins us from Shanghai with more.
How is the Chinese government justifying this? Because it's very rare to see international journalists expelled like this.
DAVID CULVER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And, Poppy and Jim, to go back to what you just pointed out there, this was an opinion piece, and "The Wall Street Journal" is stressing that once again today.
So all of this has to do with the opinion piece that was put out February 3rd, and the Foreign Ministry here in China is really honing in on what they consider to be a racially discriminatory headline, the title of this, which refers to China as "the Real Sick Man of Asia." And you can see that article right there.
And the reason that is so sensitive, according to the Chinese in particular, is that it dates back to the 1800s and 1900s, when China was really a weakened state and exploited by European and Japanese (inaudible).
And so that aside, now, this article comes out and the Foreign Ministry here is responding. And they're responding in a dramatic way. I mean, they're expelling three reporters who, "The Wall Street Journal" points out, had nothing to do with that opinion piece. It was written separately, and it was written in the United States. Nonetheless, those journalists have five days to pack up and to get out of China.
Now, the Foreign Ministry has, in the past, we've known, used the visa restrictions and even held over some of the renewals of -- of journalist visas for foreign media so as to show displeasure or even perhaps kind of discipline, if you will, some of the portrayals of China that they don't like.
Now, this piece in particular was a criticism of the coronavirus outbreak handling by the Chinese government. Many considered it to be a legitimate criticism. But, again, it's the headline that have really angered the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Now, we've got to look at the timing of all this, put this in context. This happened less than a day after the U.S. government moved forward with designating five Chinese state media organizations as extensions of the Chinese government.
What does that mean? Well, those organizations are essentially now given the same rules and regulations that, say, embassies and consulates are for the Chinese government here -- there in the U.S. So, Jim and Poppy, that's the timing of this. Can't say it's causation or correlation there, but you certainly have to put it in the framework of all that.
HARLOW: Yes.
SCIUTTO: Yes.
HARLOW: And it's important framework. David, thank you for all of that. We appreciate it.
[10:45:04]
Several controversies surrounding former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg as he prepares to face the other Democratic candidates on the debate stage for the first time. He's going to do that tonight. How will he fend off the attacks that are surely coming his way?
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HARLOW: All right. So his slogan is, "I Like Mike," but don't expect too much love on the debate stage tonight, at least from his competitors for Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
SCIUTTO: Yes. Their first opportunity, his rivals expected to go after a string of controversies in Bloomberg's past, including -- as CNN has reported a short time ago -- series of allegations about sexist comments, but also previous questions about stop-and-frisk policy that he followed as mayor here in New York.
[10:50:10]
Joining us now is Michael Nutter, he's the former mayor of Philadelphia and has endorsed Michael Bloomberg. Mayor Nutter, great to have you on the program.
First, if I can --
MICHAEL NUTTER (D), FORMER MAYOR OF PHILADELPHIA: Thank you, Jim, Poppy.
SCIUTTO: -- on the new reporting we had this morning, our M.J. Lee reporting a series of allegations about sexist comments that Mr. Bloomberg made, going back to the 1990s. What is your response? And is the candidate willing to apologize for those comments?
NUTTER: Well, Jim, I think as you well know, Mike has indicated in the past that -- and currently -- that many of those comments certainly were inappropriate. Some may have even been rude or crude. Others, he has denied because they're not true.
And so, you know, these are things that have been well litigated, many, many years ago. He did run for mayor three times, and many of these issues came up at that time .But, you know, it will not be a surprise. I mean, Ray Charles could see that, you know.
He's the new candidate on the debate stage, the other candidates, kind of like piranha, will be coming after him. But he will have responses, he will be humble, but also be direct. I don't think anyone should take for granted that Mike Bloomberg is a pretty tough guy. He was mayor, three terms in New York City. And so he will be ready.
HARLOW: Mayor Nutter, thank you for being with us to talk about this. Look, I don't think people know how far back your relationship goes. He -- back to 2007, in many ways, sort of, he mentored you as you were mayor of Philadelphia. And you were also supportive of stop and frisk in your city of Philadelphia, calling it constitutionally allowed strategy and tactic --
NUTTER: Yes, it is.
HARLOW: -- but yet you, as I understand it, helped him craft that apology speech that he gave at that church in Brooklyn, last November, about stop and frisk and the ramifications of it here in New York City. What do you say to those who question whether he was just doing that to run for the presidency?
NUTTER: Well, I mean, as you mentioned, Poppy, I have known him for a long time. I know Mike to be a very sincere person, he's an empathetic person but he's also a standup person. He knows that he made some mistakes. All of us have made mistakes, either in public service or just in our lives, and he apologized.
I was raised in such a way that if someone apologizes, when they apologize, you take the apology and you try to move forward. He wants to move forward in ways that reflect that he understands the damage, the impact of many of those policies at the same time that crime was coming down but nonetheless, damage created in the community.
And when you look at our public safety plan, our criminal justice reform plan, you see a person who not only understands the impact of his past actions, but actually wants to do things in a more positive way, going forward. He's learned his lessons.
SCIUTTO: OK. Let me ask you this. Because of course, Bloomberg has now spent nearly half a billion dollars --- and we should note, of his own money, but half a billion dollars -- on the campaign --
NUTTER: Right.
SCIUTTO: -- that's 10 times more than the closest non-billionaire opponent, that being Bernie Sanders in this case. I just wonder, what does that say to Democratic voters who would be looking for a candidate who knows their issues, knows the issues of working-class Americans? How does he respond to say, me, the billionaire, I know what you need, what you're looking for, what your priorities are?
NUTTER: Well, I don't think it's really about the money in his pocket, I think it's about the many ways that he actually did help improve the lives of so many people in New York City during his 12 years as mayor, and also what he's done with his own money at Bloomberg Philanthropies, and helping to improve the lives of so many Americans and others around the world.
Mike Bloomberg is, notwithstanding the money in his pocket, is really just a regular guy. He's been very fortunate, he worked hard, built a company after being fired at his great job on Wall Street, and then has helped millions and millions and millions of people.
So, you know, all billionaires are not alike. Mike Bloomberg actually takes his money and helps others, unlike some other folks.
HARLOW: Mayor Nutter, we have so many more questions. Of course we're out of time. We will have you back --
SCIUTTO: Please do come back.
HARLOW: -- to talk about the candidate, the man --
NUTTER: For sure. I mean, I can -- I --
HARLOW: -- and the man you know --
NUTTER: -- I can stay for the next half hour, it's fine.
(LAUGHTER)
HARLOW: -- you know very well. You know, we need to pay for this show and get to the commercials, right? Well, thank you very much, Mayor.
NUTTER: I've heard about that.
HARLOW: We're excited for the debate tonight.
SCIUTTO: Thanks very much.
NUTTER: Absolutely.
[10:54:42] SCIUTTO: Be sure to join us tomorrow as we continue our special town halls ahead of the Nevada caucus. And we're going to sit down with Joe Biden and Senator Elizabeth Warren, live from Las Vegas. That's tomorrow, starting at 8:00 Eastern time only on CNN. And we'll be right back
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SCIUTTO: What's in a title? Well, a lot, if you happen to be a queen.
HARLOW: Apparently. There is royal drama over the word "royal." Harry and Meghan, the duke and duchess of Sussex, were banking on generating income from their brand, Sussex Royal, after stepping away from their roles.
But sources tell CNN that branding is now being reviewed and while discussions are still under way, and aide to the queen says she will likely forbid them from using the word "royal." More reason to watch "THE WINDSORS" series on CNN.
[11:00:08]
SCIUTTO: Yes. Interesting, really --
