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Iowans Caucus Today for GOP Candidate; Ron DeSantis is Interviewed about the Iowa Caucus. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired January 15, 2024 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00]

KASIE HUNT, CNN ANCHOR: It's just really remarkable. And I know you've been kind of digging into the numbers and thinking through kind of what this means. And I'm really curious especially on the enthusiasm question, right? I mean we can put up and show people in this latest poll, 88 percent of Donald Trump supporters say that they were mildly or significantly enthusiastic about getting out to caucus. That number drops quickly, 62 percent for DeSantis, 39 percent for Haley. You can see it there.

What does this tell you about what this cold is going to have in terms of an impact?

KATHIE OBRADOVICH, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH": Yes, I mean, you start off with a low level of enthusiasm among your supporters, and then you add minus 7 degrees and icy roads, that adds up to nothing good, especially for Nikki Haley.

What's interesting to me behind those numbers is, Nikki Haley, half of her supporters are not even Republicans as they're - as they're headed into the caucus. They're independents and Democrats. So, that tells me that, you know, they're not really necessarily all that excited about Nikki Haley, but they don't want Donald Trump. And so they're taking the opportunity, the fact that the Democrats are not having a presidential preference vote tonight at the caucuses and they're going to try to, you know, support a candidate that they think would be less scary than Donald Trump.

HUNT: Basically, try to take him down in the primary.

So, Lisa, that's a really interesting way to look at that - look at it because I read your piece on the - on the front page of "The Times" on Sunday. And, I mean, it's just kind of apocalyptic level stuff. I mean you wrote - there's been comparisons to the Civil War. Quote, "some see a parallel in the clash of two Americas, not north and south now, but red and blue."

I mean what -- what did you hear from voters on the trail about just how significant they view and how they're -- they're looking at this election, because it's really different than the times I've been here in the past.

LISA LERER, NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": It's really different. As, you know, everyone up here can say, normally you come out here and voters are talking about health care or taxes or, in recent years, abortion. This is an entirely new category of discussion. People are talking about fundamental tenets of democracy. They're worried that the American experiment is teetering. They're worried that the country is so divided that they're going to pull apart and we'll have some kind of civil war. I mean it really feels darker, it feels grimmer than, you know, anything I've ever seen in doing this. And that's a bipartisan sentiment. I mean clearly the parties view this completely differently, like a Trump reporter - a Trump voter views what has happened to the country. I mean, radically different. On a different planet, even. Different reality than what many Biden voters see. But they both have this shared, dark concern for really the core of the country.

OBRADOVICH: Yes, I mean, I think that the candidates are driving a lot of that as well. I mean you can't hear a Donald Trump stump speech without hearing about World War III and how he thinks that Joe Biden is going to start World War III. So, I would say that, you know, candidates are picking up that mood or, you know -

HUNT: So, you think that World War III messaging is coming from President Trump himself?

OBRADOVICH: Well, I think that a lot of the messaging comes from President Trump. And, you know, you look at -- I mean foreign policy isn't usually what drives voters, right?

HUNT: Right.

OBRADOVICH: But he is arguing, you know, we wouldn't have this war in Ukraine if it was - if - if Donald Trump were president. That, you know, that China is being emboldened by Joe Biden. And - and that - that tends to play on people's fears.

HUNT: Yes.

OBRADOVICH: And - and fear is a pretty powerful motivator in an election.

HUNT: Yes.

I'm sorry for the noise, it's the snow blowers going by on the sidewalk. Just to like put a nice little pin on top of our conversation.

LERER: Right.

HUNT: Lisa Lear, Kathie Obradovich, thank you both very much for being with us.

OBRADOVICH: Thank you.

HUNT: Phil, Poppy, back to you.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Kasie, thank you. Fascinating as always. Back to the Iowa caucuses soon. But here are "5 Things" to know today.

A new video shows three of the hostages held by Hamas 100 days after the war began. It is not clear when this was filmed. The caption reads, quote, "tomorrow we will inform you of their fate." Israel has not commented yet.

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN ANCHOR: A short-term deal to keep the government open could come up for a vote as soon as tomorrow. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer reaching a deal to extend government funding into March.

HARLOW: Today, an unofficial U.S. delegation is in Taiwan after it elected a pro-democracy president critical of China. Overnight, the Pacific island of Nauru cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan, saying it supports the one China principle.

MATTINGLY: And right now crews are trying to save a town in Iceland after a volcano erupted again, leading to evacuations after the lava spilled into the town and set some homes on fire.

HARLOW: And the principal who defended students during the shooting at Perry High School in Iowa has died. Dan Marburger's daughter says he distracted the shooter to give students time to escape.

MATTINGLY: You can get more on these stories all day on cnn.com. And download the "5 Things" podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

HARLOW: Our coverage of the Iowa caucuses continues. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will join us live in just a couple of minutes on what he's hoping for on this critical day for his campaign.

[08:35:05]

There you see him with Dana.

Stay with us.

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PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN ANCHOR: We're now less than 12 hours away from the start of caucus night in Iowa, just as life threatening cold could impact turnout today.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go straight to our friend Dana Bash. She's the anchor of "INSIDE POLITICS," the co-host of "STATE OF THE UNION." She is with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in Iowa. Hope he brought his snow boots. And this is not exactly Florida weather today in Iowa, but I know he continues to crisscross the state.

Dana, take it away.

DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR, "INSIDE POLITICS": Yes. Thank you so much.

They were saying that this is not Florida weather. That is an understatement. Thank you so much. We're here in your headquarters here in Urbandale,

Iowa. Appreciate you having us here.

Someone from your super PAC told me this weekend that they have knocked on over 930,000 doors. They have almost 1,700 precinct captains on caucus night tonight. Do you feel confident that your organization and the people who support you are going to come through tonight?

GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL), 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think so. I mean, you know, they've been doing this over many months, building relationships with people. So, getting them committed to caucus by the tens of thousands at this point, but then also staying in touch with them, ensuring that they're going to come out.

[08:40:03]

And so they have a huge number of people that they're going to be able to turn out tonight. And then having those caucuses organized in the precincts, people are giving speeches at these things. And I think that some people have underestimated the extent where there's fluidity with this. You know, someone's like, yes, you know, I like Trump, but, so, give them a reason to support me, and that could be the difference.

So, I think you're going to see some fluidity in the caucus sites itself. And that's why this is kind of an interesting process because it's not just go in and punch in a ticket and leave. And people are actually going to think about things and some minds will be changed.

BASH: Define success tonight?

DESANTIS: I think you guys will know it. I mean I - you know, I have appreciated actually -

BASH: Oh, we will - I mean we'll - we'll know some things, but how do you define it?

DESANTIS: Well, I think that, you know, there's been a lot of narrative trying to say that, you know, that we haven't been doing well, when I think we were doing things on the ground that may not be as flashy, but that are going to come to fruition (INAUDIBLE) and so --

BASH: What's your narrative?

DESANTIS: I think people are going to say, there's only two possible nominees, Donald Trump or Governor DeSantis. We're the only ones that have strong support amongst bedrock Republican conservative voters. And, like, to win a Republican nomination, you have got to be able to do that. I think Iowa will show that very clearly.

And here's the thing. I mean, you know, a lot of these voters that are still undecided, it's almost all deciding between Trump or me in terms of what they're doing. And I think that's just kind of where the party is. And I think that will be apparent today. BASH: I met some voters, actually more than I anticipated, who were

deciding between you and Nikki Haley.

DESANTIS: Well - well, that's great. So, get out to caucus and caucus for me. And here's why. Because, ultimately, you know, Nikki Haley could not possibly beat Donald Trump. She doesn't have enough support amongst core conservatives. You know, I'm somebody that's delivered on all these issues. I've had incredible electoral success and policy success. So, caucus for us and you won't regret it.

BASH: So, you said you're not going to totally define it, but you did say that you think it's going to be Donald Trump and you. What if you come in third?

DESANTIS: We're going - we're going to do well. Check on -

BASH: But what is well?

DESANTIS: We're going to do well. Well, look, we - we have - we have created people that are - that are ready to go, that are going to go. And I would just say, everybody out there, you know, we want you to participate in the process. This is an important opportunity. You're never going to have an opportunity as a voter to have your vote pack as much punch as it is going to be tonight because, you know, the 186,000 people in 2016, it's probably going to be less than that. And it may even be significantly less than that.

So, if you go out and you bring some family members, and you bring some neighbors, that's going to make a huge, huge difference for us. And so we're asking people to do it. Btu we're going to do well.

Look, I - I think that sometimes these expectations get set, and that can be bad for some candidates, too. And I think that - I think you'll see an interesting story emerge with that.

BASH: Marco Rubio who, of course, is the senator from your state, fellow Republican, endorsed Donald Trump this weekend. Was what a gut punch?

DESANTIS: No, I think I think Donald Trump is the candidate of the Washington politicians. I mean, he has gotten a lot. Me, on the other hand, I've gotten the support from state legislatures here in Iowa. Of course, the governor, Kim Reynolds, who's a great governor. You look in New Hampshire, you look in South Carolina. I mean, I have more endorsements in South Carolina from state officials than Donald Trump does and way more than Nikki Haley does. And I think it's a different viewpoint. I think the Washington folks, they're scared of Donald Trump primarying them or whatever he's going to do. The state folks, they're concerned about the top of the ticket. They want to see a strong performance. And then they look at what we've done in Florida. They're like, man, this guy's a leader. He gets things done. So, it's interesting. Donald Trump is the party of Washington, D.C. establishment. They've lined up behind him. I am the - I'm the candidate that would be a change agent in Washington, D.C., and I like that contrast. BASH: I was at Donald Trump's event yesterday, and he was boasting

about the fact that he pushed to have an early strategy to - to crush you, even before you were officially a candidate. They spent a lot of money on ads to define you before you could define yourself. Does he have a point, and do you think, looking back, that maybe you should have gotten in a little bit earlier to push back against some of that?

DESANTIS: Well, here's the thing, I won one of the biggest victories - I won the biggest victory any Republican governor has ever won in the history of Florida. I delivered on all these things Republicans wanted to do. I go into the legislative session with super majorities. We're doing universal school choice. All the stuff any Republican has ever dreamed about. And what is Donald Trump doing in his home state, is he cheering us on because we're doing so much great stuff for the people? No, no, no, he's attacking me. And so it just shows, he puts Trump first rather than the cause first because any Republican in Florida was ecstatic by what -- the fact that we were in there getting all this stuff done. I mean we did things that he promised and never delivered on and so I did.

But here's the thing, I made promises to the voters in '22. I had to deliver on those. I mean the idea - I mean, yes, I could have just turned around and launched a campaign, but I had to do what I said. And so I can now say, I've delivered on 100 percent of my promises.

[08:45:00]

I got elected to be able to do those things, not to just run for another office. So, I don't think there's any way you could have done it any different and been -- I couldn't have been true to myself.

BASH: You said over the weekend you can be the strongest, most dynamic, successful Republican and conservative in America, but if you don't kiss that ring, meaning Donald Trump's ring, then he'll trash you.

Respectfully, you, to use your term, were kissing the ring a little bit when you were running for governor, and he talks a lot about that. Was that something that you regret now?

DESANTIS: No, no, no. Look, when he was president, I supported his policies. He was under assault from the left and the media. And so I was happy to do that because he was -- he was our chance to get things done in a positive direction.

I think now, though, you're in a situation where somebody like Governor Reynolds, he's out there launching attacks against her. Why? She's done a great job. Iowa Republicans universally acknowledge that. Why does he do that? It's all because she's supporting me. So, that's a different situation when you're in a primary situation.

I want Republicans to do well. If someone's endorsed me, great. If they haven't, if they're doing a good job, I am happy for that. I want our party to do well. Donald Trump is not that way. He wants to trash Governor Reynolds, who's gold here in Iowa, simply because she's on my team. BASH: Just a couple more questions.

You leave here, and you don't go to New Hampshire, which is the next contest state. You go to South Carolina.

DESANTIS: Well, we are -- we're doing a town hall on your network.

BASH: No, I know.

DESANTIS: So - so - so -- but the day after - the day after Iowa, we will in -- be in both South Carolina and New Hampshire. And I think some people are reporting that we're not doing New Hampshire at all. We had always planned on doing those -- the CNN town hall. And we're also going to do our own town hall in the afternoon.

So, the question is, we didn't have anything scheduled for the morning. So we're like, you know what, we haven't been to South Carolina yet this year. Let's go. And it's a way to highlight - and I mentioned you earlier, you know, we have like 84 endorsements from current and former state legislators. That's like five times what Haley has. She was the governor of the state of South Carolina. It would be inconceivable that she could come into Florida and rack up endorsements, you know, of --

BASH: So, you're trying to make a point about Nikki Haley by going to South Carolina?

DESANTIS: Well, I think just generally speaking, South Carolina is not a good electorate for somebody that doesn't do well with core Republican voters. And so I think, obviously, she has to perform here in Iowa. There's a lot of real estate between now and then. But I think that that's a great electorate for me. And - and as this thing gets closer and people are paying more attention, you know, we've got a lot of runway there.

BASH: One last question. The - you've been on the trail with your three small kids, Madison, Mason, and Mamie. Mamie's probably too young to understand. Can you just give a sense of what it's been like, and what do you think that they will or should remember about this experience?

DESANTIS: Well, they remember some of the things, like going to the "Field of Dreams" movie site. They remember their first snowfall. They had never seen snow as Floridians before they came up here. Going to some of the - they got to go to farms. They got to go to a lot of stuff. So, just in that sense, I think they've had fun. They like riding on the bus. We don't want to put them in an environment where they're not having a good time. But they have enjoyed it.

But I don't think even our - even our first grader really understands kind of what it is. They know I'm governor. They know - they know we're running for president. But I think it's actually been better that they're at that age because a lot of the nonsense that gets thrown at you kind of goes over their head, whereas I feel like if they were teenagers, they probably would take it a little bit more personally. BASH: Governor, thank you so much. Thanks for inviting us in here.

Are you - are you going to eat some of those doughnuts?

DESANTIS: (INAUDIBLE).

BASH: Yes, they're very well fed here at the DeSantis headquarters.

Phil and Poppy.

MATTINGLY: Dana Bash, great interview, as always. You always get an ovation wherever you go.

HARLOW: Perfect.

MATTINGLY: Dana, we'll be - we'll be back to you throughout the course of the morning and afternoon. Thank you.

HARLOW: If any candidate needs an inspirational comeback story, look no further than today's "Morning Moment." The day Detroit Lions fans waited 32 years for. Well, it came, next.

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[08:52:50]

HARLOW: Well, this morning, America honors the life of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And on the same day that Iowa is headed to the first in the nation caucuses, it is hard not to notice the pivotal moment this country is in when it comes to voting rights. Last year alone, at least 11 states enacted 13 restrictive voting laws according to analysis from the Brennan Center for Justice.

MATTINGLY: That is in part because the Supreme Court has slowly chipped away at the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the landmark piece of legislation that Dr. King brokered with President Lyndon Johnson after Bloody Sunday when Alabama state troopers beat and bludgeoned activists marching for voting rights in Selma after crossing the Edmond Pettis Bridge on March 7, 1965. It was an event that galvanized public opinion. Further challenges to some of the Voting Right Act's key protections against racial discrimination are expected in the lead-up of the 2024 general election, meaning more of Dr. King's work could be on the line in the coming year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Selma is a reckoning. The right to vote. The right to vote. To have your vote counted is the threshold of democracy and liberty. With it anything's possible. Without it, without that right, nothing is possible. And this fundamental right remains under assault.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: Now, if he were alive today, Martin Luther King Jr. would have turned 95 years old this year. HARLOW: Last time the Detroit Lions won a playoff game, "Silence of

the Lambs" was a couple months away from winning Oscar for best picture, text messaging had not yet been invented, and a young Phil Mattingly -- now I know why they're making you read this part - was trying to navigate the second grade.

MATTINGLY: I was crushing the second grade.

HARLOW: I think I was in third.

Thirty-two years ago. That's how long Detroit has waited for last night's win over the Rams. The long wait in particular for this Lions fan. That is Benjamin Capp. He has been a Lions season ticketholder for 66 years. He was at the team's last championship in 1957, a decade before the Super Bowl even existed.

[08:55:01]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JARED GOFF, DETROIT LIONS QUARTERBACK: I mean just look around. They're still packed now. They're still cheering for us. It means a whole lot to this city. We knew what it meant when this season started to get into the playoffs and then to get this win. And, you know, it's just the beginning for us. We got some road left.

DAN CAMPBELL, DETROIT LIONS HEAD COACH: That is arguably the best environment I've ever been in. That - that was absolutely electric. And I think what's crazy is, I was coming down for pre-game warm-up and I -- you could just feel it. It was humming. The building was humming. And I swear you could feel the electricity down the tunnel from where I was coming down. And it only just grew from there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: It was also the first playoff win for Lions General Manager Brad Holmes. Working his way from the bottom as a scouting assistant with the Rams, Holmes eventually became

the GM for the Lions, despite zero experience. His first move as GM, acquiring Jared Goff in a trade for the quarterback Goff just beat, Matt Stafford. The Lions will take on the winner of tonight's game between the Eagles and the Bucs. They are just two wins away from the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance. We just jinxed them.

HARLOW: No, we didn't.

MATTINGLY: Great story.

HARLOW: CNN's - it is a great story. Congrats to them.

CNN's coverage of the Iowa caucuses continues all day right here. Stay with CNN NEWS CENTRAL is next.

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