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Pompeo Delivers Unprecedented RNC Speech; NBA Coach Delivers Emotional Statement About Blake Shooting; Kudlow: COVID-19 "Was Awful" & Impacts "Were Tragic". Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired August 26, 2020 - 12:30   ET

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

[12:30:00]

JOHN KING, CNN HOST: But if you're looking at it from a conservative perspective, Michigan and Pennsylvania, two states, the President did flip last time had been consistent Biden leads for a long time. They're looking at a narrow path that includes very careful targeting.

DAN BALZ, CHIEF CORRESPONDENT, THE WASHINGTON POST: Yes, I think that's exactly right, John. And, you know, you honed in on Wisconsin as the tipping point state in this election, which I think people have believed it's likely to be, and have thought that for, you know, the better part of the last year. You know, you're right. At this point, the former Vice President Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, looks to be in pretty good shape. But we know that in those battleground states, things are a little bit more fragile. And so, there's a long way to go in this.

We will see whether this convention begins to turn things in the direction of the President. That's clearly what they need to get out of this and then to figure out a way to sustain it.

KING: And so you have, Lisa, a turnout machine, the convention just as the Democrats did, the Democrats, hey, moderate Republicans, come on in. Hey, suburbanites, come on in. Hey, African Americans, please turn out. That's what the Democrats, the Republicans, the President's evangelical base, the farmers there and the thing.

One of the questions has been with the controversies distract this President. We now know he's invited to the White House on Thursday night when he gives us acceptance speech, congressional candidate from Georgia who believes in the queue non-conspiracy theory. We know they had to bump from the program last night, another speaker who retweeted some very anti-Semitic horrible, horrible remarks that she's done so in the past as well. Are these distractions to the President or are they part of his coalition?

LISA LERER, NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Frankly, I think they're part of his coalition. We know that QAnon really is this online conspiracy theory designed to support the President. And so, what's been one of the most interesting things to watch I think over the past two nights, has been how the President has -- and his team have tried to sort of cut the cake between rallying the base, as you mentioned, the social conservatives, folks in rural states, farmers and the people that they really need to make inroads in if they want to win this election, which is largely folks in the suburbs.

You know, President Trump, of course, won the suburbs by four points last time around. This time, many of these suburbs and some of these battleground states, he's down by double digits. Every Republican who has won a presidential race since, I don't know, 1980, has won suburban voters. So that is a crucial battleground for the President. And you've seen those overtures to those voters in a lot of different ways over the past two nights.

KING: Dan, we've covered races with the incumbents where we always talk about the Rose Garden strategy. But this President, as always, rewriting the rules, if you will, blowing through the norms literally using the Rose Garden. Melania Trump's speech last night in the Rose Garden, the President appearing several times last night at White House events, including the use of United States Marines to swing the doors open for him as he walked into a naturalization ceremony.

And the Secretary of State, who in the past, normally sits out conventions. A Secretary of State and Democratic and Republican administrations saying, you know what, I represent America and the world, I'm going to sit this one out. Not Mike Pompeo, who in the middle of an official taxpayer funded trip pops up in the convention from Jerusalem.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE POMPEO, SECRETARY OF STATE: I'm speaking to you from beautiful Jerusalem, looking out over the Old City. President Trump has put his America First Vision into action. It may not have made him popular in every foreign capital, but it's worked.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The ethics Rs (ph) in D.C., you know, are throwing their arms up saying, file a complaint, violates this, violates that? Does it matter to voters?

BALZ: It probably doesn't matter to many voters. It certainly is worth raising flags about. I mean, the degree to which he has appropriated the federal government to make it as if it's his own, and to put it into a political campaign and a political convention is certainly unprecedented and deserves the scrutiny it's getting and the criticism and the questions about it. But I don't know that in the end, voters are going to make a determination based on whether there's a violation of the Hatch Act. I mean, there's a more fundamental issue which is what do they think of this President's performance in office and how would they judge Joe Biden as an alternative. But there's no question, again, that what they're doing is trampling all of the norms that we're used to at political conventions,

KING: And they will continue. The President's acceptance speech Thursday night delivered from the White House. The Vice President tonight speaking at a national park.

Lisa, one of the big challenges for the President is he has been the incumbent during this horrible pandemic. Larry Kudlow, his economic adviser last night referred to the coronavirus in the past tense. Melania Trump to her credit, again, acknowledging the pain and voicing her condolences for everyone out there who lost their loved one, but still saying that her husband was on top of this. Six months ago today, this is my question. Can they convince voters with this four- night convention or will voters remember the long path of this including this. This is all in one day six months ago today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The risk to the American people remains very low. It may get a little bigger, it may not get bigger at all. When you have 15 people and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that's a pretty good job we've done.

[12:35:05]

We have it so well under control. We're testing everybody that we need to test. And we're finding very little problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The convention presents a very different reality. Can they convince people that at least that they can turn the page?

LERER: I mean, certainly, that's their hope. But, John, I got to tell you. I think that is going to be awfully hard. People are living with the daily impacts of this pandemic. Many people have lost jobs, those who still have jobs and are fortunate to be able to work at home are still doing so. You have parents whose kids are heading back to school or not heading back to school or heading back to online school. Child care for so many families is still a disaster.

I just think it's going to be really hard to convince the American public that what they're seeing and experiencing in their daily lives is something that is in the past tense and something that the President took swift action on. So, I do think they're really trying to read reconfigure reality here and it's going to be pretty tough to do.

KING: Lisa Lerer, Dan Balz, appreciate the reporting and insights. We'll continue the conversation as we move forward. Again, the halfway mark convention resumes tonight. Join us here on CNN for our special coverage.

And coming up next, NBA players now discussing a possible boycott that in response to that police shooting of Jacob Blake.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:40:46]

KING: The NFL Detroit Lions canceled practice Tuesday after an emotional team conversation about the shooting with Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The strong reaction across the NBA too. Some players going as far as saying maybe they should boycott games to protest another police shooting of a black man. And there's this from the Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOC RIVERS, LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS HEAD COACH: All you hear Donald Trump and all of them talking about fear, we're the ones getting killed. We're the ones getting shot. We're the ones that will deny to live in certain communities. We've been home, we've been shot and all you do is keep hearing a fear. It's amazing why we keep loving this country and this country does not love us back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: CNN's Coy Wire is with us with more. Pretty powerful message from Doc there. Why?

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Big moments. John, Doc Rivers, NBA championship (ph) coach was an all-star as a player. His father was a police officer. You could see through those tears in his eyes that the shooting of Jacob Blake, overwhelming for him. It happened just 40 miles from where he went to college at Marquette. That's also where he started dating his future wife Kris, who was white and where the two faced racial abuse because of their relationship.

River says he believes in good cops, but he also believes that the training of the police force has to change now. Some players for the Raptors and Celtics are so upset by the cumulative weight of the past several months and beyond, that they say that they are considering boycotting their upcoming playoff games. Boston's Marcus Smart feels that that could help redirect people's focus back to racial justice and social change. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCUS SMART, BOSTON CELTICS GUARD: We tried to be peaceful, kneeling, we tried to protest. And for us, you know, we tried to come out here and, you know, get together and play this game and, you know, try to get our voice across. But it's not working, so, you know, obviously something has to be done. Right now, our focus shouldn't really be on basketball. You know, I understand it's the playoffs and everything like that, but we still have a bigger issue, underlying issue that's going on and the things that we've tried haven't been working. So, you knoe, we definitely need to take a different approach.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: John, you mentioned in the NFL, the Detroit Lions decided to cancel practice yesterday in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake. Players gathering outside the team's facility holding a big board with messages like, the world can't go on and we won't be silent, while speaking to the media. Now, Trey Flowers said afterwards, he said, you might step on some toes, you might ruffle some feathers but in order for change to happen, it has to get uncomfortable. He said that they will play football, John, but they will try to change the world with their platform. Canceling practice during training camp.

This is the time of year, John, when the outside world is usually non- existent to NFL coaches and players. So to go from intensely getting ready for the season, to being too hurt, concerned or even angry to practice show just how serious these players are taking their part and potential part in creating positive change.

KING: And I know the President doesn't like it, but it's good to hear players exercise their First Amendment right and speak their minds, maybe get some attention because people in the community love and listen to the athletes. Coy, very much, appreciate that. We'll stay on top of this as it plays out.

When we come back, back to the Republican Convention. The Vice President speaks tonight and here's a big question. Is all about the base or mostly about the base? Can that be a winning strategy?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:48:59]

KING: Political convention are about motivating voters and the 2020 Republican program tracks the President's 2016 path to victory.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLAS SANDMANN, FORMER COVINGTON CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: Canceled is what's happening to people around this country who refuse to be silenced by the far left.

CISSIE GRAHAM LYNCH, REV. BILLY GRAHAM'S GRANDDAUGHTER: It's the radical left God is government power.

ABBY JOHNSON, ANTI-ABORTION ACTIVIST: This election is a choice between two radical anti-life activists and the most pro-life President we have ever had.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Evangelicals and other social conservatives are critical to the President's hopes, but it's his 2016 base enough to get him a 2020 victory? Mia Love is a former Republican Congressman from Utah, Michael Steele, a Republican strategist who was a top aide to former House Speaker JohnBoehner. Thank you both for coming in.

Congresswoman, let me start with you. As a veteran Republican, as someone who knows how to put together a coalition, are you satisfied with what you've heard so far? If you were working for the Trump campaign, advising the Trump campaign, running its ground operation in Utah, for example, is the message something that helps you develop a broad base or is it all about the base?

[12:50:05]

FMR. REP. MIA LOVE (R-UT): OK, so there are several things there to unpack. First of all, there are some things that I would advise the President personally. There are a lot of people that have come out during the convention that have done a phenomenal job. I have to tell you, Tim Scott did a phenomenal job. We can talk a little bit about Nikki Haley, and the message that she is sending across the board. That is something that my brother-in-law actually mentioned. He's like, I'm tired of turning on the TV and feeling like I'm a racist.

This is a person that votes Democrat. So they may be overplaying, the Democrats may be overplaying their hand on some of these issues. They have to make sure that they're not alienating people who are good people and want to see a change in some of the areas that we need definite change in.

The other thing I want to say is that when you continue to have someone like Tim Scott, do a message of -- from cotton to Congress. And people like my dad can see himself in that and people -- that's a great message. What I would advise the President is to stick with that kind of message. Because when you go on and you start talking about what was me, these are what people have done to me.

First of all, you want to look like you're tough. Second of all, you want to look like you've got a vision for America. So that's what I would advise the President, is to stick to the theme (ph), like -- with people like Nikki Haley and Tim Scott, and some of the other people that I've seen in the convention.

KING: They were, Michael, they were Nikki Haley and Tim Scott, both South Carolinians much more optimistic, much more upbeat, much more future oriented than some of the other speakers including members of the President's family. But last night, last night, we heard from the President's top economic adviser Larry Kudlow, who talked about the coronavirus in the past tense. Listen to a little bit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY KUDLOW, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF ECONOMIC ADVISER: Then came a once in 100 year pandemic, it was awful. Health and economic impacts were tragic. Hardship and heartbreak were everywhere. But presidential leadership came swiftly and effectively with an extraordinary rescue for health and safety to successfully fight the COVID virus.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Was awful, were tragic. No, are awful, are tragic. He wrote about this in The Dispatch yesterday. "The campaign plan was to convince voters that the President might be a jerk, but he got the job done. But then the great ocean liner of the American economy hit the iceberg of COVID-19. So, job number one this week is showing the American people that the President has a plan to defeat the virus.' We're halfway through, Michael, how they doing?

MICHAEL STEELE, GOP STRATEGIST: Terrible. There is no plan to defeat the virus. They're trying to pretend it's over. You heard Larry Kudlow's remarks on a day when we had 40,000 -- nearly 40,000 new cases in this country, 1,200 deaths and he's talking about this pandemic in the past tense. The former -- excuse me -- Vice President Pence talking to a woman whose small business had gotten a PPP loan that had kept them going, as if this crisis was passed, as if the pandemic was over. We don't get to prosperity. We don't get the economy going again, if

people can't take their kids to school, if children can't go to daycare, if people can't do the jobs, if they can't travel the country on airlines. We can't get back to prosperity without a serious plan to address this pandemic. And the President doesn't have one, so he's trying to pretend it's over.

KING: I guess, can you do that, Congresswoman, in the sense that this one is so personal? There are a lot of things --and the President is proven very effective at this -- of creating a different reality, of changing people's minds, using his tweets, using his platform, using his powers of persuasion, whether you like him or not, he can be very persuasive at times. But this one is so personal. Michael just mentioned parents sending their children back to school.

The First Lady to her credit, did reach out and acknowledge the people who have had pain and suffering. But nowhere at this convention have they said, look, it's complicated. It was new. Yes, we have made some mistakes, but here's our plan, as Michael says.

LOVE: Right.

KING: Why can't they try that?

LOVE: Right. And it's not just the actual pandemic itself. You have to understand that there's the economic part of that also where people are concerned about feeding their families, that's a reality. And again, the First Lady did a good job reaching out saying, hey, we feel you. But I think the American people need a plan going forward. They need to say, this is what we -- they need to hear a leader say, this is what we're going to do. This is the plan.

By this time, I want to have this many people back at work. They need to have a light at the end of the tunnel. And I'm telling you, if you give people a little bit of hope, a little bit of inspiration, a light at the end of the tunnel, they will follow. And so, if I were to advise again the President, I would say, show a plan. Let people know that you've got a vision for what this country is going to look like even before November, and that they can count on you to get them there.

KING: We will see if they listen. Former Congresswoman Love, Michael Steele, appreciate your insights. We'll continue the conversation in the weeks ahead.

Up next for us, so the Pennsylvania Governor says he has a plan to help his state recover from this pandemic.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:59:34]

KING: Pennsylvania now looking at an interesting way, that's an understatement, to help its economy recover from this pandemic. The Governor Tom Wolf now asking the legislature to legalize recreational marijuana. The Governor wants the proceeds going to grants for small businesses, as well as restorative justice programs that help people in communities harmed by marijuana-related crimes. Marijuana has leaked -- has been legal for medical purposes in Pennsylvania since 2016. We'll watch how that one plays out.

Thanks for joining us today, hope to see you back here this time tomorrow. And don't forget our special convention coverage tonight, Anderson Cooper picks up our coverage right now. Have a good day.