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Erin Burnett Outfront
Protesters Force Trump To Abandon Motorcade; Trump Hits Milestone; Tops 1,000 Delegates; Trump Poised To Get Most GOP Primary Votes in History; Interview with John Kasich. Aired 7-7:30p ET
Aired April 29, 2016 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[19:00:13] ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: OUTFRONT next, the breaking news on this Friday. Donald Trump crossing a major threshold tonight, he now has more than a thousand delegates, this as he faces hundreds of protesters today, violence breaking out in California, protesters against Trump out in full force.
Plus, a countdown in Indiana. Does John Kasich regret his pact with Ted Cruz? And why is he comparing himself to Tiger Woods? The government is OUTFRONT tonight, a very candid interview on that quote- unquote, "deal or alliance."
And Hillary Clinton says she has plenty of experience dealing with men to go off the reservation, who is she talking about? Let's go OUTFRONT.
Good evening, I'm Erin Burnett. OUTFRONT tonight, the breaking news, Donald Trump reaching a major milestone tonight, officially he has more than one thousand delegates. One thousand two to be exact which puts him 235 delegates away from clinching the nomination outright. This comes as hundreds of anti-Trump protesters greeted the frontrunner in California as he arrives to make a speech today. Demonstrators clashing with police clad and riot gear at times breaking through the police line. Five people at this hour arrested, one injured, this young woman as you can see there screaming as police used batons to force her and those around her away.
The protesters actually delayed Trump's arrival by more than an hour. His motorcade was forced to improvise on the freeway as you can see there. At that point stop, they got to get out, he got out, switch cars, walk, led from his SUV into the hall by a back entrance to escape the mayhem.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That was not the easiest entrance I have ever made. My wife called and she said there are helicopters following you. And we did, and then we went under a fence and through a fence. And oh, boy, like us crossing the border, actually. You know? It's true.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: The riot gear and protests coming after a night of violence outside a California Trump rally. Hundreds swarming the streets blocking traffic, rocks thrown at one group, jumping on a police car, smashing the windows, kicking the doors, a Trump supporter punched in the face, as you can see here, bloodied. At least 20 people were arrested.
And Dan Simon begins our coverage OUTFRONT tonight from the site of today's protest. And Dan, what happened there.
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, hey, Erin, Donald Trump is gone and that means the protesters are gone, as well. But boy, I tell you what. You had quite a scene for several hours. Hundreds of protesters, first of all Erin given the fact that we are close to San Francisco it is not surprising that you would have hundreds of protesters converge on the California GOP convention and specifically protest Donald Trump and some of his rhetoric. But within that group you certainly had an element that was intent on causing trouble. You had some who were throwing eggs, throwing other objects at police officers trying to push police officers.
There was a group that was trying to set things on fire. And at one point you had the group of protesters actually trying to get inside the hotel, of course they were blocked. But that is when you had all the pushing and shoving. And because they had blocked the entrances that is when the Trump campaign along with the California Highway Patrol had to make a last minute decision. Pull over actually to the shoulder on the highway and have Mr. Trump going through the rear exit. But of course, things are calm down now. You did have one person who was arrested and one person who was injured -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Dan Simon, as we have said from the scene of that rally today.
Jason Carroll has been traveling with the Trump campaign. And Jason, look, violence and protesters, nothing new for Trump, but frankly we have not seen this for a while until last night and now today. What is the campaign telling you?
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the best person to talk about that is Donald Trump himself. And he did as you heard there poke light at the situation. We also should point out that at least a few of those protests Erin actually did get inside the hotel here. They dropped an anti-Trump banner. Then one woman with a megaphone was walking throughout inside of the hotel lobby. Shouting Trump equals hate. So, a few did make their way inside. Trump addressed the issue when he spoke at the crowd here at the state convention, as you saw, basically poking fun at the situation saying that what it was like trying to get inside must be something like that what an illegal immigrant experiences trying to cross the border.
He made the joke twice, made in the beginning, made the same joke at the end. It was meet by applause and some laughters as you heard by some here in the room. Certainly not by all though, Erin. A number of people here that we spoke to said, look, we felt like we had an opportunity here, an opportunity to talk about unity. He did mention unity when he was here, did mention it during his speech. But some people felt as though it was a missed opportunity -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right, Jason, thank you very much.
And as Jason talks about that joke that Donald Trump made twice about crossing the border, I want to go now to Amy Holmes who served as speechwriter to former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. Trump supporter Kayleigh McEnany. Bernie Sanders supporter Sally Kohn. And David Gergen who served as advisor to four presidents including Reagan and Clinton.
And Kayleigh, let me start with you. You heard Jason say that Donald Trump made that joke twice, so let me just play again what he said about getting past protesters and what he said he quote-unquote went through today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[19:05:30] TRUMP: We went under a fence and through a fence. And oh, boy, felt like I was crossing the border, actually. You know, it's true. I was crossing the border. But I got here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Is he stoking the flames with comments like that?
KAYLEIGH MCENANY, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: Oh, I don't think so, you know, there is an offense crowd today, politically correct crowd that will look for anything he says or does to take a sense to this being an example is a light hearted joke but the real story here is last night, 20 protesters were arrested. They were beating down cop cars, trying to turn them over, punching Donald Trump supporters, the left has a problem with violence, we saw it in Baltimore, we saw it in Ferguson, it's unacceptable. It's inexcusable. And it's time for Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders to stand up and say, this is unacceptable. We don't condone violence. Donald Trump said it time and time again, and it's time that they do likewise, because this is a left wing problem.
SALLY KOHN, BERNIE SANDERS SUPPORTER: Oh, my gosh, OK, so first of all, I do want to point out that we in the media in general we love the pictures of the violence. And when the protests in Baltimore were peaceful for weeks, we didn't cover that. But when they turned violence, we talked about them number one. Number two, we're talking about Donald Trump who has run his candidacy on violence, on rounding up and summarily deporting 11 million people on saying we are going to keep Muslims out of this country and survey and --
BURNETT: But does that justify -- people in the face and throwing rocks to --
(CROSSTALK)
KOHN: He is the one who said, I want to punch him in the face, I'm going to -- maybe that guy deserved to be roughed up. I'm going to pay legal fees. There is no question, look, first of all, let me say it, I'll say it before, I'll say it again, the violence on the part of some of these protesters who are protesting against Trump is unacceptable. It is not only unacceptable, it's counterproductive to their goals. The point of the protests is to highlight the contrast of love and peace against Donald Trump's rhetoric of hate and violence.
MCENANY: Why don't I hear this from Hillary Clinton --
KOHN: He is not denouncing it. I'm talking about leadership.
MCENANY: I'm talking about leadership, too, why don't I hear this from Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders denouncing violence?
KOHN: You have.
MCENANY: When, tell me the time and place?
KOHN: And also, let's -- why don't we hear -- Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders -- need to make a disclaimer to not let things get violent. I mean, come on! Look, you can criticize left all you want. But let's be clear, Donald Trump knows what he is doing, and you know what he's doing which is stoking anger and blame on the right.
BURNETT: OK. Who is more to blame for what's happening here? Because let's just be clear, Donald Trump has said the things that you said, right? He has offered to pay the legal bills, he has said, I want to punch -- I feel like I want to punch somebody in the face the but certainly in the last 24 hours, it has been the protesters against Trump who have been punching people in the face turning -- and destroying cop cars.
AMY HOLMES, POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes, and the people who commit violence are the people who need to take responsibility for their violence. Kayleigh, I think you made a great point about the media standard and isn't chasing down every Democrat, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders to ask them to denounce this. This always happens on the Republican side if the Republican supporters act up. But I want to make a different point which actually, you know, kind of endorses yours, Sally which is these riots in the short term are great for Donald Trump.
They underscore one of his number one issues that brought him to the front of the PAC of the Republican side. And that is illegal immigration. When I was watching this, I thought Donald Trump should have made those Mexican flags and have them made in China himself. That for Republican primary voters, this is a hot button issue. And those protesters last night --
(CROSSTALK)
HOLMES: -- were confirming a lot of voter fears.
BURNETT: So David Gergen, do you think that there is a point to what Amy is saying that this is actually good for Donald Trump?
DAVID GERGEN, FORMER PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR: I don't think it particularly is good for Donald Trump. Listen, first of all, his joke that he repeated was totally tasteless and inappropriate and in that setting, it only reminds people of some of the things, bluster of the past. But I do think there's a major difference between the kind of violence and the protests we saw today versus those we've seen at other Trump earlier rallies. And those earlier rallies, his own people were taunting the protesters -- I thought he bore the responsibility to quiet it down and get rid of the violence among his own people. No slugging, no shouting, no pushing if people are here peacefully. What we saw today in California is very different. And that is protesters rushing the police. And police barricades and throwing things at the police. The pictures we saw of rocking that police car.
BURNETT: Right.
GERGEN: Those are not Donald Trump's responsibility. He is not directly responsible for that and should not be held to account for that. I don't think they are necessarily Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders supporters either, they're just people angry about the system. And we are in a white hot part of the campaign. But I don't think these protests should be pinned on Donald Trump.
[19:10:05] KOHN: But we're talking -- again, we're talking about a small minority of a very large protest. And I think that is true, just like we should not say all Trump supporters at a rally are responsible for the handful who punched protesters in the face.
BURNETT: And we're also --
KOHN: We're also shifting the conversation off of why they're protesting, which is that they're showing up largely non-violence --
[19:10:28} BURNETT: Some of these people are showing up specifically to cause trouble. And throwing rocks.
KOHN: Just like Nazis are showing up and supporting Trump, but you don't want to smear every Trump supporter with that.
(CROSSTALK)
HOLMES: If I man -- if I may, let's also look at California history. And we're getting back to the Mexican flag that this is also about symbolism when it comes to the issue of illegal immigration. And what looks like Mexican nationalism on our side of the border. Over a decade ago there was a pro-immigration anti-immigration reform. Huge, huge rally in Southern California with Mexican flags. And those organizers realized it was a mistake. So the second rally they made sure to wave the American flags. Because we're talking about becoming citizens of this country. So last night waving those Mexican flags I promise you was a huge mistake for the reasons you're saying, Sally, is to highlight their issues. It didn't highlight that. It highlighted illegal immigration.
BURNETT: All right. Pause for all. You're all going to be with me. OUTFRONT next, countdown to Indiana because this all comes in the context of this must-win state. Donald Trump tonight now with 1,002 delegates crossing that crucial threshold of a thousand, can Ted Cruz stop him from becoming the Republican nominee? It all happens in Indiana. And then Donald Trump's latest claim. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: In the history of primaries, Republican primaries, I've gotten the most votes in the history of the Republican Party. Right?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Does that add up? Well, we have the math for you tonight. And what happened to the so-called Cruz/Kasich pact to stop Trump? Well, tonight, John Kasich candid answers the question.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:15:24] BURNETT: Breaking news on the Republican presidential race. Donald Trump has now broken the thousand-delegate mark. His total now, 1,002 delegates, he is now just 235 away from Clinton in the nomination and just to be clear, we do not count any of the unbound Pennsylvania delegates. This, with just four days to go until the Indiana primary. Ted Cruz, let's put it this way, he has to win it. He has to win it. And today, what should have been an endorsement from Mike Pence, the state's conservative governor turned out to be not so much.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. MIKE PENCE (R), INDIANA: I have come to my decision about who I'm supporting. And I'm not against anybody. But I will be voting for Ted Cruz. I particularly want to commend Donald Trump, who I think has given voice to the frustration of millions of working Americans, with a lack of progress in Washington, D.C.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Sunlen Serfaty is in Indiana with the latest tonight. And Sunlen, certainly not what you would call a full throated endorsement, how significant will that be though for Ted Cruz?
SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think in the short term entirely it's significant that the Cruz campaign given that they need every little bit of help that they can get, especially here on the ground in Indiana. But it remains to be seen just how much he will be able to deliver Senator Cruz here in the state, especially as you know because it was not a ringing endorsement of Senator Cruz. He just said that he's supporting Senator Cruz and went on to praise Donald Trump multiple times during that radio interview today. Certainly I think the Cruz campaign hoping for a more warm endorsement, you know, a more bigger embrace for Senator Cruz. Now, it's something that they asked Senator Cruz about here today in Indiana. Here is how he responded.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I recognize the media wants to do what they can to poo-poo the endorsement. It is very significant to have the strong conservative governor of Indiana making clear that he is voting for me and he is supporting me. (END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: Now, the Cruz campaign and Governor Pence have both not answered outright whether he will hit the road and campaign with Cruz in his final days here in Indiana. Governor Pence was asked about that earlier today. And he really was non-committal on how much he would intend to really get out there on the campaign trail. I think the Cruz campaign was certainly hoping that he would (INAUDIBLE) very similar to what we saw in Wisconsin, where Governor Walker really hit the road and did a lot of campaigning for him. That was seen widely as one of the reasons why Cruz was able to get over the finish line in Wisconsin. Of course a big night for Senator Cruz here on Tuesday in Indiana -- Erin.
BURNETT: Such a huge night, Sunlen. And look, as you have been reporting on the ground there he has pulled out all the stops, he has put everything on the line. Truly do or die in Indiana for Ted Cruz. From what you have been seeing on the ground, the feel, voters have been saying to you, will it be enough to get him a win in that state?
SERFATY: Well, I certainly think it is still a huge question mark. I think there are a lot of fingers crossed and breaths being held within the Cruz campaign. Because put simply the stakes have just been raised so much in the last week. You have this really triplicate of event, this Hail Mary passes, not only the Carly Fiorina vice presidential pick announcement. But you also have this alliance with John Kasich, and now with the Governor's support. Really all signs point to Senator Cruz having to do well and of course the Cruz campaign has been very clear that they really see this state as pivotal. And here on the ground we are seeing Senator Cruz really getting peppered with questions about what his path forward if he does not perform well here and win the state here on Tuesday. Just moments ago, he said here in Indiana, look, I'm in it until the end. I anticipate campaigning through the end, but then he added as long as I am remaining viable -- Erin.
BURNETT: Hmm. Very telling. All right. Thank you very much, Sunlen.
And now let's get back to my panel. And David Gergen, so let me come straight to you with this big news. Trump making a path to one thousand delegates to milestone, and I just want to be clear here, that does includes some of the Pennsylvania delegates that CNN has decided to give Donald Trump that they are going to vote for him. But it gets to 1,002 by our account. Here's what Donald Trump says about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We're going to hopefully close this thing out fairly soon. I think that, you know, now that we crack the 1,000 number, which is great, right? Now it's great.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP) BURNETT: Is he unstoppable now, David? I mean, no one else is even close.
GERGEN: He is not unstoppable. But he is darn hard to stop and that is because he has so much momentum coming out of the last two weeks. You know, there was a time about four weeks ago when Ted Cruz, I thought the momentum shifted to Cruz around Wisconsin. And the country had a chance to take a closer look at Ted Cruz. And then stepped back and Ted Cruz left and Donald Trump get off the mat. Trump had made a lot of mistakes, he was self-destructing with women. And he looked like he was going out of the race. And Trump came back. And he's now got their trash. And there's -- the environment, the -- you know, for the political class, it's entirely different now.
[19:20:23] BURNETT: Right.
GERGEN: There is almost -- there is a growing and widespread believe that Donald Trump is going to be the nominee. And I think it's going to be hard for Ted Cruz to overcome that in Indiana.
BURNETT: Amy, unstoppable?
HOLMES: To pile on the metaphors, Donald Trump is a freight train in the Republican primary at this point. This afternoon, I chatted with a friend who is an Indiana native, and Republican operative. She worked on the David Murdoch campaign in Indiana --
BURNETT: Uh-hm.
HOLMES: And she said, look, the Pen endorsement, big yawn, no one cares is mostly for governor, it's mostly for Pence and for him to shore up his support in Indiana, particularly among pro-life voters than it is about getting Ted Cruz across the finish line. And she also pointed out that yesterday Donald Trump had a rally in Evansville where he attracted 12,000 people and that the environment was electric. Compare that to Bernie Sanders who is in Indiana this week, about 2200, Hillary Clinton, she is only drawing a couple of hundred. So, Donald Trump, he is a phenomenon. And I'm not going to make a prediction about Indiana, but Pence, so what?
BURNETT: So, Kayleigh, does Trump even need to win Indiana? I mean, it's not a winner take all states. Let's just be clear. You know, he and Cruz are going to walk with some delegates, he knows about John Kasich, give him this quote-unquote, "PAC." But if Trump doesn't win it, it used to be Indiana was a must-win. Do you think it's a must- win for Trump?
MCENANY: I don't think it's a must-win, because look, he needs roughly 230 more delegates, right as you point out, Indiana is not a winner take all. So, he can pick up some delegates there. The new look forward is the math, he is going to win West Virginia. I think he can win Oregon, Washington, California has 170-odd delegates, so he can pick up delegates there. And in addition to all of those which are still on the table there are about 200 delegates floating out there that are RNC delegates, that are unbound delegates that Donald Trump can court into his corner. So, when you consider this states ahead, you consider this pile over here, he is going to get there on the first ballot.
BURNETT: So, Sally, you just heard what Amy said about the governor of Indiana, like he was courted by everybody. Luke warm endorsement though because I mean, he was kind of I'm voting for Ted Cruz, but then there were six nice things he said about Donald Trump on that interview.
KOHN: Yes.
BURNETT: Look, he is in a contested re-election battle himself. OK. But what I wonder is, what's interesting about this, is he is clearly not afraid to say positive things about Donald Trump, this whole don't say anything good about him because I'm scared that will hurt me, quote-unquote, "down ticket," doesn't seem to feel it.
KOHN: Not afraid or the opposite, right? Feels like he has to, right? Because he is in a contested race. You know, it's very interesting. I think we're watching a lot of the Republican Party kind of come around and say, a lot of very lukewarm things about Donald Trump, tends to be the other side, the sort of the establishment, you know, sort of moderate Republicans saying, well, if I have to. And Pence is actually a different character. We have to remember, he is a dyed in the wool social conservative, true believer, this is the guy who passed the, you know, profoundly anti-gay law that he had to walk back. Right? So, he is ideologically aligned with Cruz, he should be a Cruz supporter. The fact that he waited so long and felt he had to pay homage to Donald Trump really speaks volumes to where the whole party is at right now.
HOLMES: -- Indiana is with the 12,000 people showing up at that rally. Mike Pence saw that too and he wants to make sure that he cast the net wide.
BURNETT: So, Amy, what is your bottom-line deal? How is Indiana is going to go? Is it going to be a big night for Donald Trump where --
HOLMES: Wait. You know, in this race, I am not willing to make predictions. But I do agree. I do agree that Indiana is not a must win for Donald Trump. It is a must win for Ted Cruz. He has, this is his firewall, if it crumbles, he is, you know, he is beneath the rubble, let me put it that way.
BURNETT: David Gergen, I know you've said that he is not unstoppable, but incredibly hard to stop. But for Ted Cruz who today said he is going to stay in this, as long as he is viable. Is he viable if he loses Indiana?
GERGEN: I don't think he's viable if he loses Indiana, because he's then going to lose California and all these other states. So, I would not be at all surprised if Ted Cruz drops out if he loses Indiana.
BURNETT: All right, thank you all very much.
And next, Donald Trump tonight says he is making history with the most GOP primary votes ever. Well, you know, sometimes he makes claims that don't add up. Does this one? Well, we did the numbers tonight and will have them for you.
And what happens to that anti-Trump pact between Ted Cruz and John Kasich? Well, Governor Kasich answers that question directly next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:28:33] BURNETT: Breaking news tonight, the Republican race for president, Trump hitting that crucial milestone topping one thousand delegates tonight with ten states still to vote. Trump says, he is also towering over the field of past Republican nominees. Here is his claim.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I think it has already happened. But in the history of primaries, Republican primaries, I have gotten the most votes. In the history of the Republican Party. Right?
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
And -- we have not even hit some of the big states yet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: True? Well, Tom Foreman is OUTFRONT tonight with the big numbers. So Tom, the bottom-line, has Donald Trump made history?
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Erin, he very well might. By our count right now with about 80 percent of the primaries and caucuses done, he has had about 10 million Americans vote to support him here. Again, with 80 percent done, that compares very favorably to the total number of people who voted for some recent Republican nominees. For example, Mitt Romney in his entire race got about 10.1 million, John McCain, got about 9.9 million, and the reigning champ, currently is George Bush with 12.6 million votes throughout his primary process. Donald Trump very well could reach that before this is all done.
Bear in mind, bear in mind, yes, every one of these candidates had a lot of people challenging them early on and that splits the vote up.
[19:30:00] But the challengers in these three races dropped off a little bit earlier and there were not as many robust challengers late into the race as Donald Trump has raced. So really what he has done here is he has had to win these number of votes while fighting longer and harder through a more congested field -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right, if he becomes the nominee, Tom, he will need to win over all those voters, of course, who are still supporting people like John Kasich and Ted Cruz, never mind Marco Rubio and others who dropped out earlier. Can he do that?
FOREMAN: That is the question. And you can look at this a different way. That is the historic comparison. Look at what is happening right now.
Yes, Donald Trump has more than 10 million, but Ted Cruz has almost 7 million votes in his pocket so far. John Kasich, more than 3.5 million. All the others combined, almost $5 million.
Run that together, this is the part the Trump people have to be concerned about. More than 15 million Republicans have not chosen him. And if he does want to make history, and if he wants to be the nominee or becomes the nominee, he absolutely has to find a way to get some of those 15 million to join his 10 million. If he does that, then, yes, Erin, he will make history.
BURNETT: That is amazing when you lay out the numbers so clearly there. He needs to get 15 million.
Thank you so much, Tom Foreman.
And OUTFRONT now, Republican presidential candidate and the governor of Ohio, John Kasich.
And, Governor, thank you so much for taking the time tonight.
Indiana's primary is just about three days away. The largest newspaper in the state wrote about you, saying you offered the best choice for Republican voters, but then they added, quote, "But Kasich this week cut a disappointing with Cruz. It's unfortunate that Indiana voters have been given no chance to hear directly from the candidate most qualified to represent the Republican Party in the fall campaign for the White House."
Governor, was it a mistake to make that deal with Ted Cruz and not pull out all the stops and go into Indiana and win it?
GOV. JOHN KASICH (R-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, Erin, it's all about resources. You allocate your resources based on where you think you can do best. Look, I have been outspent in this campaign by 50-1 by virtually everybody and we're still standing.
And no, I think we did the right thing for ourselves. And today, I'm California, yesterday, I was in Oregon, and, look, I think we are most likely headed to an open convention and when we get there, the day Donald Trump gets there will be his best day. And then from there, he is going to decline because he can't win in the fall.
BURNETT: Now, he of course noted today he crossed a key threshold, right? He's got more than 1,000 delegates, 1,002 to be exact at this moment. He says this race is over if he wins Indiana and certainly when it gets to either getting to that magic number or so darn close to it that it's hard for anyone else to make a strong case. He has a point, is he right, if he wins Indiana, it's over?
KASICH: No, I don't think it's over if he wins Indiana. The fact is he better come at exactly the right number, because if he doesn't, I believe in the second ballot he will decline. I mean, that's what I believe. He has very high negatives.
And while he may have crossed the threshold on getting the most amount of votes positively, he also has the most negative votes. The most votes against him. And the other time we've seen that is with Barry Goldwater. So, look, I just think if we want to win the White House, if we want
to hold the Supreme Court, you know, put -- make sure we have a conservative court, if we want to keep control of the United States Senate, the best person to do that in virtually every poll is me, little old me, Erin.
BURNETT: Look, and poll certainly versus Hillary Clinton, it is true. You know, but again back to this issue of Indiana and why you didn't put resources there, you know, you had this deal, alliance, whatever term you want to use, Ted Cruz was going to focus in Indiana and you were going to focus elsewhere. He and his running mate, Carly Fiorina, were in Indiana today. They talked about you.
And, you know, they said something that -- you know, I want to get reaction to what she had to say, because she said anyone who votes for you is wasting their vote. Here she is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLY FIORINA (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Just to be clear, a vote for John Kasich is a vote for Donald Trump, because John Kasich has absolutely no path to the nomination. Not now, not at a contested convention. John Kasich is throwing your vote away.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Throwing their vote away. I mean, if you're in Indiana, do you say to Indiana voters if you want to stop Trump the best thing to do is vote for Ted Cruz, don't throw your vote away on Governor Kasich?
KASICH: I don't say anything -- but let me point out something to you. I don't want to go back and forth with the Ted Cruz campaign, but Ted Cruz said, when you can't mathematically win you should get out. He cannot mathematically win and he will not be the nominee.
What we've been able to do is to say, you spend your resources where you think you can do best and I'll spend my resources where I think I can do best for the entire purpose of keeping Hillary Clinton from being president of the United States.
[19:35:00] I'm not going to comment anymore on Carly or Cruz or anything else. I have other things to do, which is to talk about the fact that our economy is growing at an unbelievably anemic rate, the middle class has been hurt as a result of that. We've got to get some leadership in this country and I'm not going to live on the dark side of the street. I'm a candidate who wants to bring people together and believe that we can have a better America not just for ourselves but for our children.
BURNETT: All right, Governor, I appreciate your time as always, sir.
KASICH: All right, Erin, thank you.
BURNETT: And OUTFRONT next, a top Republican says that John Boehner didn't go far enough not comparing Donald Trump to Lucifer. Why are Republicans filing on Cruz?
And Hillary Clinton today firing back at Donald Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have a lot of experience dealing with men who sometimes get off the reservation in the way they behave and how they speak.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Tonight, Republicans showing no love for Ted Cruz. The presidential candidate facing an uphill battle to unite his party and to stop Donald Trump. If it was not harsh enough that the former House Speaker John Boehner actually came out and called Cruz, quote, "Lucifer in the flesh" this week, another Republican lawmaker is going further.
[19:40:06] Congressman Charlie Dent, he says that's not fair to Lucifer.
Manu Raju is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER (voice-over): Former House Speaker John Boehner did not hold back his true feelings about Ted Cruz.
KENNEDY: How about Ted Cruz?
JOHN BOEHNER (R), FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER: Lucifer in the flesh.
I get along with almost everybody, but I have never worked with a more miserable son of a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) in my life.
RAJU: Many Republicans on Capitol Hill are piling on.
REP. CHARLIE DENT (R), PENNSYLVANIA: Then you know you got the former speaker, you know, basically calling him a miserable SOB. That was pretty harsh. I would not have called him miserable.
And then you had the other issue, too, where you know he said he is like Lucifer in the flesh -- I mean, somebody better contact Lucifer about this, because maybe he is upset about this.
REP. PETER KING (R), NEW YORK: Maybe he gives Lucifer a bad name by comparing him to Ted Cruz.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Green eggs and ham --
RAJU: After two years of bitter infighting, there is no love lost between members of Congress and Ted Cruz. Battles over the raising debt ceiling, leading the charge to defund Obamacare, which caused a 16-day government shutdown, and calling Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell a liar.
CRUZ: I cannot believe he would tell a flat out lie.
RAJU (on camera): Do you think that he should apologize for those remarks he made about Mitch McConnell calling him a liar on the floor?
SEN. ORRIN HATCH (R), UTAH: I stood up and said he should. Yes, I think that was the wrong thing to do, contrary to the rules.
RAJU (voice-over): On the campaign trail, Cruz hasn't held back, calling his Republican colleagues a part of the corrupt Washington cartel. Cruz's allies say he is the only one who will stand up for conservatives.
REP. STEVE KING (R), IOWA: I think this helps Ted Cruz because it says what's wrong with Washington.
RAJU: Privately, Cruz has done some damage control, enlisting former Texas Senator Phil Gramm, a long-time Washington insider to help build relationships with the House and Senate leadership. Yet, even some of his allies think he should do more. SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I think Ted would be well
served to reach out to his colleagues. I know he has to some. At the end of the day, the more support he gets from across the spectrum of the Republican Party, the more viable alternative he becomes to Trump.
RAJU: Unpopularity has been something that Cruz has struggled with, even before his Washington days. In his book "A Time for Truth", Cruz writes that as a kid, he had enough of being the unpopular nerd.
Many Republicans now say Cruz's tactics are the reason for his unpopularity.
DENT: We were called capitulators, surrenders, we were told that we were impure, didn't measure up, we weren't sufficiently resolute. That is not the way to make friends.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RAJU: And, Erin, over the last several weeks, what we have seen is the party establishment start to warm up to Donald Trump. Increasingly more and more members of Congress say they would be OK if he became the standard-bearer, including John Cornyn, who thinks that Donald Trump could be good for his ticket, even though just a few weeks, he told me that Trump could be an albatross down ticket. Now, another quarter of the Republican Party are seeing them shift from the never Trump movement become a Never Cruz movement -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Manu, thank you very much.
David Gergen is back with me.
So, David, let me just start with this -- you know, you saw Congressman Dent there talking to Manu, he's supporting John Kasich. He said comparing Ted Cruz to Lucifer isn't fair to Lucifer, are you surprised at the level of vitriol directed at Ted Cruz? DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: None at all. It's
important to remember, too, Erin, that a few years ago, the senator conspired with a group of rogue House members to bring down John Boehner as speaker of the House. When you engage in political assassination, you're just asking somebody else to bring out the knife down the road. You have to keep your back to the wall if you do that. You strike a king, you better kill him.
BURNETT: So, all right, so you're not surprised at the vitriol. But, you know, someone did come out and defend Cruz today. That's Senator Mike Lee, one of only a few of Cruz's fellow senators actually support him. And Lee did not hold back in his defense of Cruz. Here is Senator Mike Lee.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SEN. MIKE LEE (R), UTAH: I am appalled that John Boehner would do this. I have bit my tongue, I've held my tongue for years on John Boehner, even when I disagreed with him. I have never seen Ted Cruz engage in any of the despicable acts that I've seen him be the recipient of in recent weeks and months and I've had it. I've absolutely had it.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BURNETT: And, David, do you think the tone of the slams against Cruz is despicable, too personal or not?
GERGEN: No, I don't. Listen, I -- he came in to Washington intentionally trying to stir up a storm. He wanted to win publicity so he could make this race.
You know, you can talk to people in Houston about what he was planning long ago and he intentionally wanted to make enemies in Washington so he can be seen as the anti-establishment figure. So, you know, you reap what you sow in this game.
It's not at all surprising that at a moment that is white hot, so intent heading into Indiana that people's tempers are exploding and they're letting out their real feelings.
[19:45:08] We'll get over this. But I will tell you, it's going to be not exactly a fraternal club back going back to the Republican side of the Senate after this is over with Senator Cruz back there.
BURNETT: Well, I can only imagine what that will be like. Interesting point that that would be coming if he is not the nominee.
Thank you so much, David Gergen.
GERGEN: Yes, thank you.
BURNETT: And OUTFRONT next, Hillary Clinton speaking exclusively to CNN, saying she has lots of experience dealing with men who go off the reservation with their behavior. Who is she talking about?
And Anthony Bourdain proving he'll lead almost anything. What is the one food he is calling an abomination?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Hillary Clinton tonight firing back at Donald Trump in an exclusive interview with CNN. Trump has called Clinton crooked Hillary. He says she's corrupt. He's accused her of playing the, quote, "woman card".
Well, here's what she told our Jake Tapper.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I had a lot of experience dealing with men who sometimes get off the reservation in the way they behave and who they speak.
[19:50:04] I'm not going to deal with their temper tantrums or their bullying or their efforts to try to provoke me. He can say whatever he wants to say about me. I could really care less.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: OUTFRONT tonight, Jeffrey Lord, who served as political director for President Donald Reagan and is a Trump supporter, and our political commentator Angela Rye, former executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus.
So, Jeffrey, Hillary Clinton says she has experience dealing with men who sometimes go off the reservation in their behavior and what they say. Who is she talking about?
(LAUGHTER)
JEFFREY LORD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Oh, Erin, I cannot possibly imagine who she's talking about. I mean, that was so painful for the whole country to watch. I'm not even sure I want to go there. Although I will say on a serious note that she, herself, has been accused by women of being an enabler and threatening in terms of their relationship with Bill Clinton and that's a pretty serious deal here.
But I would like to say, it really, I find it quite fascinating when Sarah Palin is accused of being a moron and an idiot and every liberal feels free to mock her wardrobe, and this, that and other thing about her, and these liberals doing this. Nobody says a peep.
But the moment Donald Trump says something about the woman card, and all of this with Hillary, and then everybody is just agog. There's quite a considerable double standard here with this.
BURNETT: So, Angela, let me ask you, because Jeffrey just raised this issue of enabler right? This is something, a charge that Trump had leveled at Hillary Clinton more than once. In fact, today, he tweeted, "Crooked Hillary Clinton, perhaps the most dishonest person to have ever run for the presidency is one of the all time great enablers." As I said, he used this word before, said she is not a victim. Bill Clinton's past is fair game. What do you say?
ANGELA RYE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: So, a couple of things. One, I want to go back to the Hillary Clinton interview, Erin, part of it is because my dad called me earlier really upset about the term "off the reservation", and I think he is right.
I want to quickly address it because I think sometimes we allow things to slip into the vernacular without being challenged, but there is a group of people that are actually Founders of this country, Native Americans, and we need to be careful with the rhetoric. I don't think she meant anything vicious by it, it is a term thrown around in politics all the time, but I think it's worth noting that's just not a cool term.
When it comes to whether or not she's enabling anyone, including her husband, I think this is ridiculous, right? It is a way for Trump supporters to not deal with the fact that Donald Trump has lodged some substantial attacks on Hillary Clinton, talking about her not able to get 5 percent of the vote if she were a man and her playing the woman card.
Here's a reality: breaking news, Hillary Clinton is a woman. That's not her playing a woman's card, that's her speaking from her own experience and allowing it to tell a different story in the political process. That's not playing any type of card whatsoever.
Rather, Donald Trump is playing the man card by allowing his privilege and the fact he would become if he were a president that looks like every other president that we had in this country from a gender perspective. He's a male.
BURNETT: All right. But the man card, Angela, look, he attacks a lot of people , attacked Carly Fiorina with the face comment, lyin' Ted, little Marco, crooked Hillary is his latest one. It sounds like he treats everybody the same.
RYE: Except for he didn't talk about anybody else's face, like you said, except for Carly Fiorina. Surprise, she's just like Hillary Clinton from the gender standpoint, she's a female. So, yes, he does attack everyone, and everyone is fair game.
I think it's different when those attacks become personalized to the point of bringing up someone's gender, saying that some has blood literally coming out of them, that's a Megyn Kelly thing. Saying someone looks like a pig. That's a Rosie O'Donnell thing. It has to do with gender.
And again, it goes back to the fact that when his attacks become personal, he doesn't know how to segment off what's appropriate and not appropriate. I doubt Donald Trump 2.0 will be able to do it either.
BURNETT: Jeffrey?
LORD: Well, I mean, I really -- I think you've got a point, Erin. He does this with all his opponents. So, I mean, he is quite genderless about this. He's said things about Marco Rubio's height, about Ted Cruz's integrity, I mean, on and on and on and on this has gone.
So, he's an equal opportunity employer in terms of this, and again frankly, I mean -- I have to say I am so astounded at this, there's a problem with liberals, they assume being a woman or for that matter being black or Hispanic or minority is synonymous with being liberal. And when you disappoint them as say Clarence Thomas has done or Sarah Palin has done, they'll really go after you and they really don't care. I mean, they can be as sexist as they want to be with Sarah Palin and it's no big deal because she's a conservative.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you both very much. Obviously more on this to come, especially as Trump's delegate count rises.
[19:55:03] OUTFRONT next, Anthony Bourdain loves to eat, there's one food he finds an abomination. What is it?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Deep dish pizza is synonymous with Chicago and delicious to some people, but not to Anthony Bourdain who calls it an abomination. Instead on Sunday's "PARTS UNKNOWN", Bourdain finds a more surprising slice of culinary delectability in Chicago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTHONY BOURDAN, PARTS UNKNOWN: Look, I knew Chicago is a city of very diverse neighborhoods. Everybody says so. But this I didn't know. Now, I do.
So, where are we, and why are we here? I have to say I'm glad we're here, but what? Why?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are at Schezuan cuisine. So, after going to China, we're just talking about that (INAUDIBLE) is my favorite place, but Peter and I actually (INAUDIBLE). So, coming back, it's like, let's go to China town, find those things we eat for breakfast every day.
BOURDAIN: Pork dumplings and chili oil. Start the fire.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This chop stick is thin, not thick and fat.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought you weren't supposed to do that? Peter, you're supposed to help me (INAUDIBLE).
BOURDAIN: Yes, so happy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: "PARTS UNKNOWN: CHICAGO" airs Sunday night at 9:00. Thanks for joining us. Have a great weekend.
"AC360" tonight with John Berman starts now.
