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Erin Burnett Outfront
Awaiting Donald Trump Rally; Trump: Voters in Colorado Are Angry; Sanders Keeps CNN Debate Promise, Releases Tax Return; CNN Reporting Spurs Govt. to Act on Missing Girls; Protesters Gathering Outside Trump Rally. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired April 15, 2016 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[19:00:11] ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: OUTFRONT next, we're awaiting Donald Trump about to address thousands at a major rally. He repeats his attack on party insiders today.
Plus, breaking news. Bernie Sanders promised to release his taxes after last night's debate. The campaign telling CNN that release is moments away.
And our exclusive reporting offering proof that hundreds of kidnapped girls are still alive.
That report from our Nima Elbagir now making headlines around the world. Let's go OUTFRONT.
Good evening. I'm Erin Burnett. OUTFRONT tonight, countdown to New York just three days before voters go to the polls here in New York. Donald Trump gaining big momentum and the stakes are enormous. Ninety five delegates up for grabs. Donald Trump right now live on stage at a major rally. Supporters have been lining up at that rally in Hartford, Connecticut, since early morning. Thousands are there. Thousands were waiting.
Our Miguel Marquez is there. We're going to go there in just a moment. Outside protesters have been gathering as well. The rally coming as the poll shows the frontrunner surging nationally. And he celebrates a major endorsement today and the state of New York with the New York Post called Trump a, quote, "potential superstar of vast promise." The paper adding he embodies, quote, "The best of New York values."
Also today, Trump doubling down on his war with Republican Party leaders.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Because they have a phony system that the bosses pick whoever is running for election. So, here's what we have. We have a rigged system. The Republican system is rigged, OK? It's a rigged system.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Ted Cruz also speaking in this hour at a rally in Rochester, New York. Cruz today saying Trump is just being a sore loser.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is not surprising when a candidate loses 11 elections in a row he's unhappy about it, and so he complains. And that's fine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: We begin with Miguel Marquez OUTFRONT tonight at the Trump rally in Hartford. And Miguel, as we said, thousands gathering since early this morning. Protesters as well. Donald Trump is speaking in the room where you are right now. What's the mood?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The mood is absolutely festive. It's about three quarters of the way filled here. And there are still more people coming in. Mr. Trump has just taken the stage. He was thought on time. Clearly he is in friendlier territory right now, and he is on a roll.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TRUMP: This is a great part of the world, believe me, folks.
MARQUEZ (voice-over): Donald Trump on a mission, riding high in the polls and playing aggressive offense as he looks for a big victory in Tuesday's New York primary. Ninety five delegates are at stake.
TRUMP: What are New York values? Honesty and straight talk, and these are the values we need to make America great again.
MARQUEZ: The home court advantage giving the billionaire a lift. The latest Quinnipiac poll in New York has him besting John Kasich and Ted Cruz by more than 30 points. The Robert Murdoch own New York Post endorsing Trump and his once embattled campaign manager Corey Lewandowski cleared of battery charges and ready to move on.
COREY LEWANDOWSKI, DONALD TRUMP CAMPAIGN MANAGER: What I want to do is bring this one together, if we want to move on past this. You know, if we want to be successful as a party and Donald Trump as a campaign, we want to bring people together and focus our attention on winning the general election in November.
MARQUEZ: Trump today continuing his attack on party insiders over the delegate -- in a blistering op-ed in the "Wall Street Journal" and again at a rally in Plattsburgh, New York.
TRUMP: When I joined the campaign in June, they had a system. After they saw that I was going to win Colorado, they changed the system. We have a rigged system. The Republican system is rigged.
MARQUEZ: Trump gaining momentum despite protests like these are the New York State Republican gala at the first Manhattan building the real estate mogul built.
TRUMP: I love to speak at the Grand Hyatt because I built this hotel. (END VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUEZ: Now, there are thousands of people gathering here at the convention in Hartford, Connecticut. The primary here is on the 26th, and he hopes to pick up the 28 delegates here. There are also some protesters out there. But 150 of them. Many of them from Black Lives Matter. Protesters ask people to come into here. We did see one protester that was thrown out before Mr. Trump got here, but at the moment they're all just cheering for Mr. Trump. After tonight, he heads back to New York where he'll crisscross that state until primary day on Tuesday -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Miguel Marquez. Thank you so much. As Donald Trump speaks behind him.
Sunlen Serfaty OUTFRONT now. She's been travelling with the Cruz campaign in Rochester, New York. Obviously Ted Cruz going to be at that live rally where you are, Sunlen. You know, you could hear Donald Trump already on the stage. Saw a raucous crowd there in Hartford. What is Ted Cruz saying about his chances in New York?
SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, he's certainly not projecting any sort of confidence, Erin. If you listen closely to his rhetoric in recent days, he's almost submitted to the fact that Donald, well, Donald Trump is poised to do very well here in this state saying things like Donald Trump is going to do well. He is going to potentially win here on Tuesday. So, certainly as he's lowering expectations for his own campaign, he's also at the time really raising the bar for how he thinks Donald Trump must do here in New York on Tuesday, saying that if Trump does not get over the 50 percent here in New York, that it would be a devastating loss for him.
[19:05:36] But both of the candidates, as well as John Kasich, they were at the same dinner last night in Midtown Manhattan speaking to the same crowd from the same stage, and the reception I have to say could not have been more different. I was in that room and you could see people really paying attention to Donald Trump as he was speaking. He got round of applause. When Ted Cruz was speaking though, people were not really engaged. They were mingling as he was talking.
At times his speech was really drowned out by the voices in the room and the audience. So, it could not have been a starker contrast between how they were received. Almost like a microcosm of their standings here in New York. And Ted Cruz today -- on the campaign trail was peppered with questions, did he consider this as a snob last night? And he kind of tried to brush them off, dodged the question and said, look, I am encouraged at this point. I think Erin, he was talking more like crowds like here in Upstate, New York. Of course, a big crowd for him tonight here in Rochester -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Sunlen. And OUTFRONT now, Trump supporter Scottie Nell Hughes. Cruz supporter Ben Ferguson. Tara Setmayer who worked as communications director for Republican in Congress. And Jackie Kucinich, the Washington Bureau Chief of "The Daily Beast" here with me in New York tonight. Scottie, let me start with you. Ted Cruz is saying if Donald Trump
does not get above 50 percent of the vote in New York it is a real loss for him. Expectations are really high, Scottie. Is Cruz right?
SCOTTIE NELL HUGHES, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: That's what you get with common core math, I think. When you win as much as you win, it doesn't matter unless you reach a certain threshold. And when you sit there and you look at this, you know, you seen there calling that Mr. Trump is whining about Colorado and others. We need to remember that these rules were written by politicians to keep politicians in power. And Mr. Trump has exposed these politicians.
And their whole game is not actually appealing to mainstream what the people want. And that's right there. That's not whining. That's called actually telling the truth. And if anything from this election cycle, Erin, we need to realize that the rules are going to change because people's eyes have been awakened to the good ole boy system in politics that doesn't allow the commenters and they have a chance to win when going up against this politicos that make the rules.
BURNETT: Ben?
BEN FERGUSON, RADIO HOST, "THE BEN FERGUSON SHOW": I think Donald Trump said that he is a common person and he has been winning, so that blows that argument out of the water. You've claimed he is not the establishment, and he's been able to do very well in this campaign, so let's not act like he's a victim here. Let's be clear. There are a lot of people that are rallying behind Ted Cruz around the country. It doesn't matter how good your system is, your campaign is, if people don't like you. Jeb Bush had a great system. He had plenty of money, but people didn't come to him.
The reason why Ted Cruz has been doing so well is because people believe in what he's saying. They believe in him as an alternative to Donald Trump. They believe that he is a true conservative. And the fact is, Donald Trump gets his feelings hurt any time he's not the center of attention or it doesn't go his way. He should have a big night in New York, why? Because, one, it's his home state. He quote him. He talked about how Marco Rubio had to win Florida and how Ted Cruz had to win Texas or they're not viable candidates. And they had to win big by his own standards. He needs to get above 50 percent.
BURNETT: Right.
FERGUSON: And he is in a place there we should do well.
BURNETT: Jackie, let me ask you. Trump has gotten some good news this week. All right? He got endorsement from the New York Post, it's a conservative paper but they could have endorsed no one. They endorsed him. He got some good poll news in New York, good poll news nationally with the FOX News poll. How bad is it for his momentum? Because he was coming off a bad stretch losing Wisconsin and a lot of bad news if doesn't met or exceed expectations here on his home state on Tuesday.
JACKIE KUCINICH, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, "THE DAILY BEAST": It's very interesting. It's kind of like Hillary in a way. Her home state is his home state. There's a lot of similarities there. But there's no reason to believe looking at all the data. Looking at everything you just said that he is not going to do well. So, if he falls short of that, yes, that will be devastating to the Trump campaign, but it doesn't look like that right now. He's winning in every single Congressional district in addition to statewide according to a couple of new polls. So, there is good news for Donald Trump right now.
BURNETT: Yes. All right. Tara, today Donald Trump fired at Ted Cruz. In typical Trump style he minced no words. Let me play it for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Cruz is going really down because people have been watching him and somehow there's really nothing compelling there. You know? He's the last hope. He's the last hope to stop Trump. That's all he's got going. That's not going to be good enough, folks, because we have a movement going on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Does he have a point?
[19:10:02] TARA SETMAYER, FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR REP. DANA ROHRABACHER (R): Well, no. I mean, Ben made a point that Ted Cruz represents a large swath of the Republican Party becomes the true conservative base. He has over 250,000 grassroots volunteers across the country. I mean, for Donald Trump to sit here and say that, you know, Ted Cruz has nothing to offer I think is just ridiculousness. But, you know, Jackie brought up that there is polling that came out that was good for Trump in New York.
But a FOX News poll this morning came out where they asked questions about, who is equipped to be president, who is ready to be president and they asked several questions. Donald Trump came in dead last. People didn't think that he was knowledgeable enough to be president. They didn't think he had the character to be president.
BURNETT: But they're going to vote for him anyway?
SETMAYER: And he's not likable. So, this is something that is unbelievable. Nobody talks about that part of it. But when you start expanding outside of the polls that are just, you know, inside the small part of the Republican Party and you start looking at general election, people are not looking at Donald Trump as a serious candidate because he's not.
BURNETT: Scottie?
HUGHES: But here's what funny about this. You know, Ben pointed out, yes, Senator Cruz is popular, but guess what? Donald Trump is more popular. And even Ben, you just pointed out that people like Senator Ted Cruz not because of who Senator Ted Cruz is but because he's not Donald Trump. So, therefore the people that like Donald Trump like him a lot more. In fact, I think there's almost three million people more than Senator Ted Cruz and there is a reason why. Because Ted Cruz has tried to sell that he is not a politician, that he is not establishment, and it's showing more and more that he is, Ben. Just admit it, he is a politician, he always has.
BURNETT: Ben?
FERGUSON: Scottie, Scottie, first of all -- I didn't say that people -- the only reason why they like Ted Cruz is because he's not Donald Trump.
BURNETT: You said that was the reason.
FERGUSON: Of course, they compare and contrast candidates. Welcome to an election. It's what you do every day when voters go in and vote, Scottie. This isn't new. The reason why Ted Cruz is doing so well consistently lately is because people are looking at Donald Trump and they're seeing he has a major vulnerability. He has a higher unfavorable among Americans than Hillary Clinton. And I didn't even know that was possible yet he does. When you ask people if they like him more people don't like him. In a general election, how are you going to turn that around with the -- cockiness?
HUGHES: The unfavorables may not be voting for, Ben.
SETMAYER: The favorable and unfavorables have always been a huge metric in how people vote. You know, a lot of people don't, like we do, we don't pay attention to the specific policy legislation. No, they feel like, who do I want to have a beer with. Remember we should talk about that all the time in the general election. If someone doesn't like you, the chances are they're either going to stay home or they're not going to vote for you. So, this is some kind of strange twist just because he has 70 percent unfavorables. Oh no, women are going to ran out and vote for him. That's asinine.
BURNETT: I like that ending note there. Thanks to all.
FERGUSON: Thanks.
BURNETT: And next, Trump supporters protesting in Colorado tonight. They're saying the system stole their vote. They didn't get to vote. Could the same thing happened tomorrow in Wyoming's GOP convention?
Plus, breaking news. Bernie Sanders promising to release his tax code returns any moment. The campaign telling CNN that release is now just moments away. We're going to have those for you. The second -- come out.
And Clinton and Sanders in their most heated debate yet. Is it really true that some of their supporters will never vote for the eventual nominee?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But you didn't answer the question.
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I did. Yes, I did. If that's the way we're ...
SANDERS: No, you didn't. My --
CLINTON: Yes, I did.
SANDERS: Can I answer --
CLINTON: I did answer the --
SANDERS: -- may I please --
CLINTON: Well, don't -- don't put words --
SANDERS: -- can I have --
(CROSSTALK)
CLINTON: -- into my mouth.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:17:17] BURNETT: Right now, Trump supporters protesting in Colorado, angry with the Republican Party after Ted Cruz won all of the state's delegates without voters getting to vote. Trump says the system is rigged.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: The people didn't know in Colorado that their vote was being taken away from them. And let me tell you have some angry people in Colorado right now. And if you want to know the truth, it's a beautiful thing to watch because they're 100 percent right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: That was earlier today at a rally. The Republican Party in Colorado, here's what happened, they decided last year not to have a presidential primary. They said they wanted to save money instead party insiders selected delegates at a state convention. And as this controversy boils over, Republicans in Wyoming vote tomorrow and Wyoming is strange in its own way.
John King is OUTFRONT with tonight's big number. And John, Wyoming, are the rules more clear or it is strange in his own way?
JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, let's take a pick, Erin. You see Wyoming is already colored for Ted Cruz because he's already won nine delegates at county conventions tomorrow is the state Republican convention, statewide gathering. Fourteen of the state's 29 delegates to Cleveland will be elected tomorrow at that convention. Now, those delegates may but they are not required to support a candidate. They can run as uncommitted if they want or they can say I'm running to represent Trump. I'm running to vote for Cruz. Ted Cruz will appear at that convention tomorrow, Erin. He's believed
to have a big advantage. I just want to say this. We'll see how the results play out tomorrow. This process the state party tells us has been in place since 1974. So, for 42 years, they've been doing it this way. You may not like it. Pretty hard to say it is rigged when it's been on the books for 42 years.
BURNETT: Right. Well, it may have been rigged for a long time again.
(LAUGHTER)
But the allegation that it changed recently. You know, obviously would not be true in that case. Trump advisers are saying he's going to glide to the nomination, as you know, John. They use that word, one of his delegate masters at Brookover saying, glide. Beyond Wyoming, how does the map shape up as you see it right now?
KING: It's an interesting definition of glide, Erin. Let's look, Trump can get there. He's the only Republican candidate who can get there before the convention. I wouldn't call it a glide. Here's where we are right now. Donald Trump at 758, Ted Cruz at 538. So, 200-plus delegate advantage here. I want to go through this quickly for you. But let's assume Trump has a big night in New York. Ninety five delegates. Let's say he gets 75 or more. Let's say, the rest of the voting in the mid-Atlantic in the Northeast, let's say Trump has a very big April. Right?
Wins 75 percent of those delegates. That starts to stretch him out. Now it's projected, if Trump is running strong, meaning in New Jersey, he gets them all, in West Virginia, he gets all or most of them all. He moved out here. Cruz gets some in the West, but Trump wins some more in here as well. Then we get to the last one in California, with Trump running strong in April through May and then to the big one in June, if he gets 70 percent in California, Erin, he would be at about 1211, 1211. I gave Ted Cruz Indiana in this scenario. Let's switch in and give Donald Trump Indiana if he could pull that up and have a very strong April, May into June. Here's Trump at 1222. That's when you'll think, wow! Why didn't I get some of those Colorado delegates?
Wow! Why didn't I make the trip out to Wyoming if he gets here? This is at his very strong. But very hard to deny Donald Trump if he gets to Cleveland with 1222 or somewhere in that ballpark, Erin. Let me show you a weaker scenario. If Trump is still winning all these states but not getting 75, 80 percent of the delegates, he starts to fall back a little bit. And in this scenario, let's say Ted Cruz could somehow pull of California at the end with Trump getting some of the delegates. Then Trump is back 1100, 1115. At this point, the Never Trump Movement thinks they can stop him.
In this scenario, here's what's interesting. A lot of people think it's going to go something like this. A little bit of a weaker Trump in April, May, and June, but he still wins California about 55 percent or 60 percent, and it's somewhere about 100 short. 1131, you need, 1237, this is when it gets really interesting, Erin, because they would have to negotiate with all of those uncommitted non-pledged delegates. Could they get 100 of them? That would be a dicey proposition. Not impossible but not a lot tougher than if he ends up pretty close to 1200.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, John King. That's going to be one exciting ride.
KING: Fun.
BURNETT: Well, yes, fun. Sean Spicer, chief strategist and communications director for the Republican National Committee. Some might say fun. Sean, to you probably maybe not, the appropriate word to use. Donald Trump though saying, he is going to glide to the nomination. Possible?
SEAN SPICER, CHIEF STRATEGIST, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Yes. Sure. I think John did a good job of laying out the numbers in the states coming. And it is possible sure, but it is also possible that Senator Cruz does well or that Governor Kasich picks up some more. But that's why we go through the process. I think what's really interesting. You know, when you look at this year compared to at least the last few cycles, more and more voters are having an opportunity to participate in this process than ever before. States that have never been important in this primary process are extremely important. We're talking now about states like California and New Jersey on June 7th. Those are states that normally haven't mattered.
In 2008, John McCain was a presumptive nominee in March. My state of Virginia, we didn't get an opportunity to have a really robust discussion because, you know, Senator McCain already clinched the nomination. Governor Romney had clinched it in April. And that cut out a lot of states. So, frankly, overall I think this is a very positive process that's involving more states, involving more voters. I think that's a positive thing for the party in that net.
[19:22:18] BURNETT: That is the best spin I have heard yet on turning all of this into something positive, that more people get to have a say and care. And there is something to that.
Sean, Donald Trump though is very angry. And as you know, he is taking this to the campaign trail, even tonight in Hartford. And here he is late today talking about your party.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We have a rigged system. The Republican system is rigged.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: He has called out the chairman of the RNC by name as you know, Sean. The chairman has responded. Are you worried that the RNC, which is supposed to be neutral, is starting to look anti-Trump?
SPICER: Not at all. And I think, you know, whether, the guest you had earlier, I think most people have been involved in the process and in the system understand that each of these states writes their own rules. Talks about the process for the allocations selection of delegates. As John King noted earlier, Wyoming which will have its major contest tomorrow has had its system in place since the 1970s. Look, I don't think it is a surprise that the people who belong to the Republican Party write the party rules in each of these states.
That's like saying that the people in the Kiwanis Club shockingly write the rules of the Kiwanis Club or the people in the neighborhood belong to an HOA, write the rules of that HOA. I'm not really sure what all of the concern is, but I know that it's difficult that there are 50 states and six territories and the District of Columbia. I know it's not easy and sometimes it's complicated to understand. But that's why, you know, campaigns take this so seriously. And so it's part of the process. It has been part of the process for a century. It will continue to be part of the process. And frankly, the Republican Party is more Democratic than the Democratic Party because we don't have the so-called unelected party boss superdelegates that aren't accountable to anybody.
BURNETT: Being more Democratic than a party that isn't Democratic may not be the best argument out there. And I only say that, I know it sounds being facetious. But as you point out Sean, the rules are different in every single state. They are complicated. They change without people, general, regular voters being aware of it. To most Americans just hearing, look, the rules are the rules, it doesn't seem right, right? It's a democracy. Every vote is supposed to count equally. Do you need to do more to justify the system to regular voters?
SPICER: Well, first of all, we're, you know, we're conservatives. We're Republicans. We believe in states' rights. The last thing that we should as conservatives and Republicans want is a one-size fits all Washington approach to how we vote. A caucus seems like a really good idea in Iowa. A primary seems like a good idea in Wisconsin where the chairman is from. It should be up to the states and territories to decide for the grassroots members of that party, in that state or territory, the District of Columbia to decide how they want to select their nominees. I think that's the beauty of what we as Republicans and conservatives support is we believe that states and territories should make those decisions at the grassroots level, not in Washington.
So, I think we should be proud of it. Now, to your point, I think we at the RNC have not seen an open convention or the possibility of a real open convention in 40-plus years. It's incumbent upon us to really get out there and explain those rules, explain where they are. And I think we have continued to do that. We're going to do more of that to brief people, to put things out. We started a website, ConventionFacts.GOP that starts to explain the system. I put a memo out today, it's on my Twitter fed --
BURNETT: Right. I saw it.
SPICER: -- at that GOP where we talk about, how, what's coming up. And so, I do think that from a process standpoint we need to do a better job of explaining it. But I think we should be very proud of the fact that all of these states and territories, it's the grassroots members of the party in each of these places that gets an opportunity to write their rules every four years, put them out there for all to see, and let the campaigns have at it.
BURNETT: OK. All right. And they are doing that. Thank you, Sean. I appreciate it. Good to talk to you.
And next, breaking news, here it is. Bernie Sanders' tax returns. We're going to share it with you next including something that is standing out. It's rather interesting. And why are Democrats booing their own candidates?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CROWD BOOING)
CLINTON: You know, let me tell you why. You may not like the answer, but I'll tell you why.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: And moments ago, Bill Clinton just saying Bernie Sanders' supporters would shoot every third person on Wall Street. Yes, he just said that. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:30:32] ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news tonight in the Democratic race for president. The Sanders' campaign just releasing the senator's 2014 tax return. It is something Hillary Clinton had been pounding the table about. It is a promise he made at CNN's debate last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN MODERATOR: You've been asked for weeks and weeks to release your tax returns.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I think we've got one that's coming out tomorrow.
BLITZER: Which one?
SANDERS: Last year's.
BLITZER: 2014?
SANDERS: Yes.
BLITZER: So, Senator, just to be clear, tomorrow, you will release the 2014 tax returns from you and your family?
SANDERS: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: And yes indeed it is here.
Let's go straight to Jeff Zeleny, who has more on the breaking news.
Jeff, total $250,617 last year with Social Security benefits. JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Erin.
That puts him in terms of income in the bottom ranks of members of the U.S. Senate. He's net wealth is something like 82 or so.
Just looking through this return right now, it is pretty unremarkable except he is collecting Social Security benefits. He is 74 years old. He donated some $8,000 to charity or so. That's about 4 percent of his income.
But, otherwise, politically speaking, there's not much in here. The Sanders' campaign tonight trying to draw attention to what is different from his report and her report. He does not get money from paid speeches.
So, I think the Sanders' campaign trying to highlight attention on this. But all that aside, these divisions in the Democratic Party which we saw last night on the stage are, in fact, dividing the party. The big challenge is how will they ever unite?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(BOOING)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know, let me tell you why. You may not like the answer, but I'll tell you why.
ZELENY (voice-over): Hillary Clinton is no stranger to booing.
CLINTON: It happens to be true.
ZELENY: But these days it's coming from Democrats too. At last night's contentious debate and at Bernie Sanders' rallies across the country, the discord inside the Democratic Party hangs thick in the air, often at the mere mention of Clinton's name.
SANDERS: My opponent secretary Clinton --
(BOOING)
She has several super PACs.
(BOOING)
ZELENY: Democrats are a party divided. If Clinton holds her lead and becomes the nominee, she'll head into the fall with the family feud on her hands.
One of those disgruntled Democrats is Dorothy Koda.
(on camera): Could you see yourself voting for Hillary Clinton if she wins the nomination?
DOROTHY KODA, BERNIE SANDERS SUPPORTER: I wish you hadn't asked me that question. I'll have a very tough time with that and I've been a lifelong Democrat.
ZELENY (voice-over): Tensions between the Democratic rivals are rising.
SANDERS: Oh my goodness. They must have been really crushed by this. Was that before or after you received huge sums of money by giving speaking engagements?
ZELENY: Speaking to Sanders supporters brings to life the challenge facing the Clinton campaign, if she becomes the nominee.
JULIA CALDAROLA, BERNIE SANDERS SUPPORTER: If Bernie Sanders tells me to support her and can convince me that she will be honest and fair and care about the middle class and care about my interests, I will think about it.
ZELENY: On the debate stage last night, Clinton said she helped unify Democrats eight years ago and Bernie Sanders should do the same if he'd fall short.
CLINTON: We did unify the party and we did elect a Democratic president.
(BOOS)
ZELENY: Sanders does not admonish his supporters for booing, but told us he's not worried about unity.
SANDERS: There are no Democrats that I know who, virtually none Democrats, who will desert the Democratic Party, no matter who candidate is, to vote for Donald Trump or some other right-wing Republican. I do not think that that will happen.
ZELENY: Yet the enthusiasm gap with Clinton remains, made clear when you talk to Sanders' supporters like Hattie Wiener.
(on camera): If Secretary Clinton happens to win the nomination, could you vote for her?
HATTIE WIENER, BERNIE SANDERS SUPPORTER: I have to, yes. I have to.
ZELENY: Why?
WIENER: Because I'm thinking of the Supreme Court justices. I will vote for her, but not with the joy and the sense of courage. That's America to me. Bernie is bringing up that feeling of America.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ZELENY: So, Erin, so interesting when you talk to these voters. We've been noticing this for a long time, the boos at his rallies. But when you actually spend a lot of time talking to these voters, at the end of the day, a lot of women voters as well are not sold or enthused about the Clinton campaign.
Now, that is one of the biggest challenges here for them going forward, but there could be one person who unifies Democrats more than anyone else, Erin, his name could be Donald Trump.
[19:35:00] BURNETT: That's right. Thank you very much, Zeleny.
And now, Jonathan Tasini, Bernie Sanders supporter joins me. He challenged Hillary Clinton for her Senate seat in 2006. Bronx borough president, Ruben Diaz, Jr., a Hillary Clinton supporter, and our political commentator, Angela Rye, former executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus.
All right. Ruben, you got all seven pages. We're missing some of the details in the charity deduction. So, maybe a few are left out, but this is pretty boring.
RUBEN DIAZ, JR. (D), BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT, ENDORSED CLINTON: It is. It's about time. When someone is running for president of the United States, they should have taken care of this a long time ago. He said he would release them last night and he lived up to his word.
And you know what? I think my constituents in the Bronx in the city of New York and the state of New York, and Americans, we're more concerned about the issues. We're more concerned about why is it that, for instance, Bernie, while he wants to chastise and criticize corporate America, he's not there when it comes to making sure that gun manufacturers are held accountable? Why is he voted five times against the Brady Bill? Why is it that, when you get beyond his speaking points, there is really lack of substance in how you're going to get things do done?
BURNETT: Now you have the tax return. Is it time for her to give the Wall Street transcripts?
JONATHAN TASINI, BERNIE SANDERS SUPPORTER: Yes. Well, it was 70 days later when she promised.
And I -- first, I want to thank Ruben for pointing out that we want to talk about the issues. That's a good thing, and I think that's a unifying thing about Democrats.
BURNETT: Yes, but you have said these Wall Street transcripts are an issue, right? You're saying it is not a side issue.
TASINI: And here's why it is important, because it goes to the corruption, legalized corruption that Bernie is trying to stop in the party. It is very relevant this week when you have Goldman Sachs which paid a $5 billion fine for basically marketing fraudulent securities, which was at the heart of the economic collapse, the crisis that robbed people of their jobs, we want to know what Hillary Clinton said and why she is continuing to stonewall 70 days later is just astounding to me.
BURNETT: Why hasn't she? And at this point, is she stuck because she said no so many times in a position where she simply can't without losing too much face?
ANGELA RYE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think that might be part of it, but I think the bigger is, she just asked for the other candidates to do the same thing. Initially, I thought it was a Bernie Sanders request. Now they have broadened it to the GOP as well. (CROSSTALK)
RYE: Well, I'm going to tell you. The problem is on Bernie Sanders' side, Bernie Sanders is elected to the United States Senate. There is a code of ethics in the United States. You are literally banned from receiving honorary speeches.
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: Which, of course, affects Ted Cruz.
RYE: Of course.
BURNETT: Nobody has given the volume of speeches that she had.
RYE: And they can't get paid for them is the point.
BURNETT: Right, right.
DIAZ: We talk about party unity. I take exception to that premise, because it makes it seemed like Hillary did something corrupt in taking these fees. The fact is that yesterday when Bernie was asked to name one instance where Hillary made a decision or the secretary made a decision that was beneficial or was influenced by Wall Street --
BURNETT: Well, she voted against a bill for unions --
TASINI: She voted for it.
BURNETT: I'm sorry.
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: Hold on one second, I just want to say, on this issue of Wall Street, this is a serious issue on both sides. Bill Clinton is going to the mat for it. He just said something a bit surprising. Here's what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT: I think it's fine that only young students have been so enthusiastic for an opponent that sounds so good. Just shoot every third person on Wall Street and everything will be fine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAZ: I didn't get to hear.
BURNETT: Oh, you didn't hear it? Is that the excuse? I'm just joking. I know you really did hear it.
He said, Bill Clinton said, I think it's fine these young students have been so enthusiastic for Bernie Sanders. It sounds so good, just shoot every third person on Wall Street and everything will be fine. DIAZ: I think he could have a better choice of words. When Bernie
Sanders is asked how are you going to break these banks down and how are you going to replace them, he still doesn't have an answer. He didn't have an answer last week in a "Daily News" editorial, he didn't have one last night.
BURNETT: Final word to you, how big of an issue is it that Bill Clinton just said this? When Donald Trump said he could walk down Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, it was a terrible choice of words.
(CROSSTALK)
RYE: That was terrible. It's horrible choice of words. Bill Clinton has to get his mouth under control. He has been the worst for his wife. I can't defend that. That is horrible.
TASINI: And Bernie had an answer for that, which was let the banks make a decision on how to break it up, which is exactly what the Fed says.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you all very much.
If you missed any of the Democratic debate, you can catch it right here at 10:00 Eastern.
Next, the Trump protest in Hartford getting bigger. We're monitoring that for you right now. That's in Hartford.
And major headlines around the world. After our CNN team risked their lives to prove those kidnapped girls in Nigeria may still be alive, will that reporting finally change those girls' lives? We'll be back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:43:42] BURNETT: Tonight, Bernie Sanders visiting the Vatican instead of campaigning before New York's primary on Tuesday. Sanders got on a plane to Rome immediately after last night's debate and will be back in the United States on the campaign trail tomorrow afternoon. It's a brutal schedule for anyone, but Sanders learned early on the importance of endurance.
Brynn Gingras is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Momentum is building for Bernie Sanders. After winning eight of the last nine contests, the Democratic senator from Vermont is now trying to win the crucial state of New York.
SANDERS: I am very proud that I was born here in New York City.
GINGRAS: Born and raised in Brooklyn, Sanders is trailing Hillary Clinton here in the polls, but that is not stopping the 74-year-old.
(on camera): Knowing Bernie, knowing the competitor he is, do you think this is just fueling him or do you think this is like -- this is tough for Bernie?
LOU HOWORT, HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATE OF BERNIE SANDERS: I think he's charged up about it.
GINGRAS (voice-over): Lou Howort should know. He competed alongside Sanders for four years as teammates. They ran long distance for James Madison High School in Brooklyn.
SANDERS: I was a very good long distance runner.
GINGRAS: Howort says that Sanders was being humble.
HOWORT: Of all the people, Bernie was the best of the distance runners in 1957.
GINGRAS: Howort saved newspaper clippings from his varsity days.
[19:45:02] This one in particular stands out. That's Sanders in the foreground. Howort just a few steps behind about to lose the race.
HOWORT: Later on in the season, I would have beaten him.
GINGRAS (on camera): Yes?
HOWORT: Yes. My fastest time in high school is faster by two seconds.
GINGRAS: What about now?
HOWORT: Now? I'm sure I can't keep up with him.
(LAUGHTER)
GINGRAS (voice-over): Howort may not be able to run with Sanders anymore, but says he's still behind him.
HOWORT: This is Bernie sitting there calm, which is the way he tended to be.
GINGRAS: And while calm may not be Sanders approach on the campaign trail --
SANDERS: They have a right to be angry.
GINGRAS: -- his running style is very much the same, focused.
HOWORT: I think with him, what you see is what you get.
SANDERS: I'm not going to get beaten up. I'm not going to get lied about. We will fight back.
GINGRAS: But does the Brooklyn native have enough fight to beat Hillary Clinton in her adopted home state?
HOWORT: I think he could win. I know Bernie. I think he could win it. (END VIDEOTAPE)
GINGRAS: And Sanders ran for class president back in high school, Erin. He ran on a campaign of raising money for war orphans. Not the most conventional campaign, but Howort says that's exactly why he likes Bernie. He's not a conventional person. He's passionate, he's driven and that's why he says he's got the vote.
BURNETT: All right. Brynn, thank you very much. Fascinating.
And now, John King is back with me.
John, look, you have covered so many candidates on the campaign trail. This is insane. When you and I are out in the field and you go from one country to another, you get exhausted, right? I mean, these guys are doing this for months and months and months. How do these guys keep up the pace?
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, and tip your hat to Bernie Sanders because it will be a year and two weeks. He announced on April 30 last year. So, we're half way through April now. He's been running for a year.
And they're mostly 16, 18 and sometimes 20-hour days, especially if you're the underdog, Erin, because you have to get up and do the morning shows. And then if you have an opportunity, you stay up late and do the late shows.
Bernie Sanders raises most of his money online, but one thing we don't see is that most presidential candidates between events, they're on the phone trying to raise money. They're trying to get contributions put in as well. So, it is a haul. And when you're 74, it's a legitimate question, people look and check out your stamina.
I've only been to a half dozen Bernie Sanders events, but he still looks like he has plenty of energy still as he goes through it. This international trip to the Vatican is interesting because of the timing. A lot of people saying why go with New York voting on Tuesday.
The interesting thing to me is spending all those time on airplanes. If you have a cold, if you're not feeling, you spend all the time in airplanes, you start to see sometimes -- you've got kids, right? Campaign airplanes become like day care centers. Everybody shares their colds and the like. So, it's a tough for candidates. But it's a slog.
BURNETT: It's a slog. And as we all know, you don't sleep the same on an airplane. They all are doing it. And as you point out, Trump, Sanders, Clinton, all 69 are over I supposed. If youth mattered, that could given an advantage to Ted Cruz. We shall see. No one is showing any sign of slowing down.
Thank you so much, John King.
KING: Thanks, Erin. BURNETT: And OUTRONT next, the CNN exclusive offering visible proof that the kidnapped girls could still be alive. Now that reporting is making headlines around the world. Will the Nigerian government finally act to save them?
(CXOMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:51:55] BURNETT: OUTFRONT tonight, new details on a ground- breaking report first seen OUTFRONT. CNN's exclusive reporting on the Nigerian kidnapped girls is now making headlines around the world.
Our Nima Elbagir and her team risked their lives to bring this exclusive video showing some of the nearly 300 kidnapped Nigerian girls still alive. Tonight, after Nima's report, there's growing outrage about how little the Nigerian government has done to rescue the girls.
Nima is OUTFRONT in Nigeria's capital Abuja tonight.
And, Nima, your report is making a huge difference. And you and your team, you risked your life to do this. You got this exclusive video of the girls made by their terrorist captors. They've been missing for two years. It appears the Nigerian government has done little to rescue them.
With your reporting, will the government act?
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Nigeria's Senate has passed a bill calling in, summoning their security chiefs to ask them to give an account of the search for the girls and why it is taking so long and why so few of them were made aware of the existence of this video. They are also calling on the government to finally rebuild the school. And this just gives you a sense, Erin, of the extent of the negligence.
Nigeria has been pursuing this military campaign against Boko Haram. But in terms of providing support for the families, providing support for the communities, can you imagine walking past the school that your daughter was abducted from and it is this burned out specter looming over these people's lives to only now be committing to rebuild that school? I think it's very illustrative of all the failings that the Nigerian government has played out here.
BURNETT: All right. Nima, thank you very much. Just an incredible reporting. Truly changing the world.
Breaking news now -- protesters clashing outside Donald Trump's rally in Hartford. That's where our Miguel Marquez is.
Miguel, what can you tell us?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, as thousands of people are clearing out of the convention center, they are going right smack in the middle of the protesters who have been out there all night. And it's getting rather testy. There is no police line for them. There are no authorities out there.
The thousands of people coming out of the Trump rally here are going into the number of protesters outside.
There are about five individuals or groups that were pulled out of the Trump rally here as they started to chant. They would take them out upsetting things for a short time. Trump telling them, "get them out, get them out". Then they'd leave.
The people here are very, very attuned to the protesters and very upset when they come into these rallies. Now they are exiting this hall and going right into the middle of those protesters, that's has everybody on edge as well.
Mostly, it's Black Lives Matter protesters. I saw one young Latino individual brought out of here tonight. And several groups of younger teens, it looked like, that were brought out of here. As they descend into that group as well, they begin riling up their side. Very, very angry.
[19:55:01] A lot of protests. A lot of energy from these Trump supporters here.
So, we'll be monitoring it to see how it goes -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Miguel. As thousands of people leave that rally, meeting the protesters, we're going to be watching that.
And OUTFRONT next --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We will build a wall. You know who is going to pay for the wall? Mexico.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Something that energizes those protesters. And next, my conversation with a tech giant who has a stat on that that might really surprise you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Trump's immigration talk is a major topic for America's biggest leaders and I asked one of them, AOL co-founder Steve Case whether he thinks Trump's immigration talk adds up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE CASE, CO-FOUNDER, AOL: We need to continue to remain a magnet for talent all around the world. We need to win with a global battle for talent. One story I heard on the road, was an entrepreneur that graduated from Wharton, started a company, wanted to stay here, couldn't extend his visa, got kicked out, had to go home to India. That company now called Snap Deal has 5,000 employees worth $5 billion in India, and he wanted to stay here. So, we need to deal with this issue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Case continues to say 40 percent of the top countries in America were founded by immigrants. His new book is called "The Third Wave: An Entrepreneur's Vision of the Future." You can watch our entire interview and conversation about what's going to be the next big thing on my CNN International show this weekend.
Thank you so much for joining us. Be sure to DVR to record OUTFRONT. You can watch our show any time. Have a great weekend. We'll see you next week.
"AC360" starts now.
