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Erin Burnett Outfront
Three Arrested in Alleged Plot to Kill Baton Rouge Police; Obama Looks to Unify at Memorial For Slain Officers; Awaiting Trump Appearance with Possible VP Pick; Awaiting Trump Appearance With Possible VP Pick; Three Arrested in Alleged Plot to Kill Baton Rouge Police; Ruth Bader Ginsburg Slams Trump in CNN Interview. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired July 12, 2016 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[19:00:06] ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: OUTFRONT next, breaking news, three people under arrest and a manhunt on tonight for one more. Another suspect in the alleged plot to kill police, the reason. This, as President Obama gives a moving tribute to fallen officers saying the country isn't as divided as it seems. Is he right?
Plus, Donald Trump speaking live this hour. A source telling CNN his have VP picks are down to two finalists. One of them speaking tonight, could there be a big surprise?
Let's go OUTFRONT.
Good evening. I'm Erin Burnett. OUTFRONT tonight, the breaking news. An alleged plot to murder police. A manhunt tonight for a suspect who officials say may be conspiring to kill police. Authorities in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, already arresting three people in connection to a possible plot. Police say at least eight guns were stolen from a pawnshop over the weekend, one of the suspect, at least one of them telling police they were going to use them to kill law enforcement officers. The Baton Rouge Police Department is on high alert tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF CARL DABADIE, BATON ROUGE POLICE: We took this as a very viable threat. We have been questioned repeatedly over the last several days about our show of force and while we have the tactics that we have, well, this is the reason because we had credible threats against the lives of law enforcement in this city and as law enforcement officers that are charged with the protection of this community and in that community is our law enforcement officers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: The arrest happening in a city already on edge. This is Baton Rouge where Alton Sterling was shot by police officers a week ago today. The video showing him pin down as shots were fired. Now video everyone in this country has seen.
Boris Sanchez is OUTFRONT to begin our coverage in Baton Rouge. And Boris, this is pretty terrifying and at least three arrested and a manhunt on for another and what they say was a very specific plot, armed suspects getting ready to kill police.
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is terrifying, Erin, especially in light of Dallas and everything that happened there today. We should tell you this all started with a burglary at a pawnshop in Baton Rouge. The Cash America Pawnshop where late Friday night and early Saturday morning police say that several suspects burglarized the place looking for guns. They say that during that burglary they were able to apprehend one suspect with two handguns. During the interrogation of that suspect he apparently told police, quote, "They were doing it to get bullets for an attack against Baton Rouge police officers" apparently in retaliation for the shooting of Alton Sterling.
And because of information gleaned from that interrogation, officers yesterday raided a home in South Baton Rouge where they arrested another two suspects. Three in total, as you said. One of them was a 13-year-old juvenile. It's important to point out, as you did, that there's still one suspect that's on the loose. Police believe they have his name and information. They're putting it out there to the public soon to try to have them come forward and hopefully put him behind bars. They're asking essentially to turn himself in at this point.
Also important to point out, of the eight handguns that were taken from the pawnshop, only six of them have been recovered so some of them are still out there tonight. Obviously a worrying time for police officers, not only here in Baton Rouge, but all across the country -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Well, thank you very much, Boris. And now Jonathan Thompson, the executive director and CEO of the National Sheriffs Association along with Paul Martin with me. Criminal defense attorney who has represented police officers in shooting cases.
Paul, you're with me here. This is pretty terrifying. A specific threat, armed, multiple suspects.
PAUL MARTIN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Very concerned. I hope the police officers and the police department find these individuals as soon as possible. Individuals who are basically thinking about doing violence against police officers are not helping the cause for Black Americans in this country.
BURNETT: And Jonathan, you know, you heard the Baton Rouge police chief saying we've been questioned over the past couple of days about the show of force, why we have the tactics that we have. This is the reason.
JONATHAN THOMPSON, EXECUTIVE DIR. AND CEO, NATIONAL SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION: Well, Erin, what we've seen so far is just a portion of the story. So let's all make sure we do exactly what you're doing which is to take a step back and understand the totality of what's happened. At least two crimes have been made, one to break into a pawnshop and two to steal firearms. And if these crimes are true and if these incidents are true, it is horrendous. It demonstrates once again that the delicacy and the dangerousness of
the law enforcement's job every single day. So I'm discouraged in that sense, but I'm encouraged because I think the people of Baton Rouge and the media, as well, are taking the step back that we've talked about so much. Take a look at ourselves and say what are we going to do?
BURNETT: Yes. But Paul, I mean, this is the question. What are we going to do? Because you had a problem in Baton Rouge, you had protests and a lot of the images that we've seen have come out Baton Rouge. You know, you had the woman and the three police in riot gear, that has gone so viral. They're saying the reason that an image like this is out there is because they were receiving threats. It is a vicious cycle. And now you have a threat that could actually have happened? Just imagine if something like this happened again in this country.
[19:05:08] MARTIN: Well, I don't want to imagine it to happen again. And I don't want it to happen again. We need to take a step back, kill the rhetoric and let's sit down and have an open and honest conversation as the President stated earlier and really try to get to the issues that are facing race issues in America.
BURNETT: And Jonathan, officers you're talking to, how worried are they? How afraid are they when they're honest with you about their safety right now? They're being asked to go out every day and patrol on the streets with the fear on the back of their mind that someone could be out there to kill them.
THOMPSON: Well, you know, that's the role they play every single day when a deputy or an officer wakes up and they put that uniform on and they pin on that star or badge, they know that's the risk that they signed on for. Are they afraid? I can't imagine they're not afraid, but here's -- and I think Paul is absolutely right that we do have to have a discussion with ourselves. What kind of nation are we? And we are, as the President said yesterday to a small group of us and today he repeated it, we're a nation of laws.
We live by the rules of law and we do need to take that to heart every single one of us. When something goes wrong, when an agency performs badly, we need to look at it, look hard at it. When a community performs badly whether it's protesters, drug dealers or anyone, when they perform badly, we have to look at them and we have to let the system of justice unfold. That's what this nation was founded on and that's what we all need to be calling for.
BURNETT: Paul?
MARTIN: I agree.
BURNETT: I mean, but on this issue, I mean, this goes to both sides, right? Justice and laws for police and it goes to the other side to not jump to conclusions based on one video that shows a moment as opposed to the totality of an interaction between police and someone was --
THOMPSON: All right. Erin, absolutely.
MARTIN: The problem with that is this, what happens is this situation has been going ongoing and ongoing and ongoing. We have so many African-American men who have died at the hands of police officers and they're unarmed. And so this issue has to be addressed and the only way it's going to be addressed is from people to protest, protest in a way that's nonviolent and make their concerns known and that's the American way.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you both. Quick final word, Jonathan.
THOMPSON: In law enforcement, we have to have that discussion every single day when we're patrolling, whether we're walking a beat or we're in a school or we're in a community center and that's what law enforcement's doing and they're trying. They're working diligently every day and it's an incredibly dangerous world out there, but they, too, have that obligation and I think Paul is absolutely right. The community has that obligation, as well.
BURNETT: All right. Well, thank you both very much. That's sobering news, I mean, of a plot in Baton Rouge to assassinate police officers coming on the same day, President Obama and former President George W. Bush appeared together at a memorial service for five slain officers in Dallas.
Kyung Lah is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The interfaith service to honor the five police officers, lives lost too soon.
PRES. BARACK OBAMA (D), UNITED STATES: Like police officers across the country, these men and their families shared a commitment to something larger than themselves.
LAH: Then the nation's president acknowledged his own failings.
OBAMA: I've seen how inadequate words can be in bringing about lasting change. I've seen how inadequate my own words have been. If we are to honor these five, outstanding officers who we lost then we will need to act on the truth that we know.
LAH: Among those truths, says the nation's first Black President, there is bias in police shootings, and bias in blaming all police for the actions of a few.
OBAMA: So much of the tensions between police departments and minority communities that they serve is because we ask the police to do too much and we ask too little of ourselves. We flood communities with so many guns that it is easier for a teenager to buy a glock than get his hands on a computer or even a book.
(APPLAUSE)
And then we tell the police you're a social worker. You're the parent. You're the teacher. You're the drug counselor. We tell them to keep those neighborhoods in check at all costs and do so without causing any political blowback or inconvenience. Don't make a mistake that might disturb our own peace of mind and then we feign surprise when periodically the tensions boil over.
[19:10:20] LAH: In a sign that pain is not partisan, Republicans joined the President on stage, including the 43rd president who calls Dallas home echoing the message of unity.
GEORGE W. BUSH, 43RD PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We recognize that we are brothers and sisters sharing the same brief moment on earth and owing each other the loyalty of our shared humanity. At our best, we know we have one country, one future, one destiny. We do not want the unity of grief nor do we want the unity of fear. We want the unity of hope, affection and high purpose.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAH: President Obama says the America he knows is better than this. He says if there is a way to honor these police officers it's to channel the rage and the sorrow into striving to be that better one America -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Kyung Lah, thank you very much reporting live from Dallas and that very moving series of speeches today.
Next, more breaking news, Donald Trump is about to rally supporters in Indiana preparing to announce his VP pick. We're also going to be talking about the officers in Dallas. My guest Ben Carson on Trump's running mate.
Plus, Ruth Bader Ginsburg slamming Trump in a CNN interview slamming him and now he is hitting back. Did she cross the line?
And Bernie Sanders endorsing Hillary Clinton. Is it enough to unite the Democratic Party?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:15:40] BURNETT: Breaking news. You're looking at live pictures from Westfield, Indiana. Donald Trump is about to take the stage there and it is a very important night tonight. You're going to want to see it because Indiana Governor Mike Pence is going to be with him and he's one of the top contenders for Trump's VP slot. In fact, we're hearing that, you know, look, it could be in the next day or two that you hear the announcement. Perhaps he surprises everybody tonight. Pence, of course, is in the top final couple of people according to CNN right now and what we're hearing for the VP slot.
Sunlen Serfaty is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm supporting Donald Trump because we want change in this country.
SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The chemistry has been tested.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: This guy is going to kick over the table.
SERFATY: The final auditions are nearly finished. For Donald Trump it's almost decision time to make his pick for running mate. One of the leading contenders, Indiana Governor Mike Pence.
TRUMP: You have a really good governor here. You have a nice guy and he's a good governor. I have to tell you, Mike. Mike is a good guy.
SERFATY: Widely seen as a safe pick. Pence is a former Washington insider and an evangelical who could help Trump appeal to social conservatives.
REP. PAUL RYAN (R), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: I have the highest, highest regard for Mike, he's a personal friend of ours and mine.
SERFATY: Pence bring executive experience and message of discipline.
GOV. MIKE PENCE (R), INDIANA: And I'm prepared to make that case anywhere across Indiana that Donald Trump would want me to.
SERFATY: Pence hasn't always been on team Trump, endorsing Senator Ted Cruz in the primary.
TRUMP: Total and complete shutdown.
SERFATY: And criticizing Trump's controversial Muslim ban and the presumptive nominee's attack on the ethnicity of an Indiana-born federal judge overseen a lawsuit against Trump University.
PENCE: I don't think it's ever good to question the partiality of a judge based on their ethnic background.
SERFATY: Pence also stepping into his own series of controversies over LGBT rights, planning into law, religious freedom measured governor that drew national scrutiny. Another finalist, Newt Gingrich.
TRUMP: I like that, too. We like Newt!
SERFATY: The former House Speaker offering up significant time and experience in Washington and publicly has been one of the most vocal and loyal Trump advocates vying privately for the VP job behind the scenes.
NEWT GINGRICH, FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER: I said you need to modify and make America great again, to make America great again for all Americans and now we have to mean it.
SERFATY: But Gingrich has also been critical of Trump during some of his most durable controversies, pushing him to clean it up. GINGRICH: He is now the potential leader of the United States and
he's got to move his game up to the level of being a potential leader.
SERFATY: And has a similar brash style, and a checkered past including three marriages.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SERFATY: And sources tell CNN that Trump appears now to be down to just focusing on Gingrich and Pence, but Trump today also telling "The New York Times" that his short list still has five candidates on it, plus two that are in his words, unknown to anybody, all of this is just underscoring how unpredictable Donald Trump like should be, Erin and this is certainly no exception but as of now, it is expected that Trump will announce his running mate on Friday.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Sunlen. And OUTFRONT now, former Republican candidate for president, Dr. Ben Carson, also a Donald Trump supporter as we await this live appearance with Governor Pence and Mr. Trump. Dr. Carson, a source close to the vetting process says you heard Sunlen saying likely the running mate will be revealed on Friday. Obviously, Donald Trump could surprise everybody and do it tonight, if he wanted. I mean, who knows? You've been involved in the selection process. What's your sense of the timing?
BEN CARSON (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, ENDORSED DONALD TRUMP: Well, my sense is that he's going to take the time that's necessary. He's really considering this thing very, very carefully, and you know, not only going through the normal vetting processes, but he also wants to have a sense of compatibility. So, he wants to see what the chemistry is like with the various people that he is considering because what he's planning to do is really going to fly in the face of traditional Washington politics both Democrats and Republicans, and he needs somebody who is courageous and who is willing to stand and fight who is not going to wilt because it's going to be withering criticism.
BURNETT: So is tonight the test for Mike Pence?
CARSON: I -- I think this is all part of the process. And it probably will not necessarily play out the way everybody thinks it will.
[19:20:11] BURNETT: So when you say that, let me ask you like, you know, we're now reporting Pence and Gingrich are the final two. That's what CNN is reporting, but obviously there's been reports that there was a longer list including General Flynn, Jeff Session, Chris Christie and then two people unknown to anyone, but Donald Trump and presumably people like you, Dr. Carson. So, do you think it could be someone who is not on our screen right now? Our screen is Gingrich, Christie, Pence, Sessions and Flynn.
CARSON: Well, I think one of the things that you've seen throughout this whole process is that Donald Trump is unpredictable and anybody who thinks that they actually know what he's going to do probably is not correct. So he's going to be careful. He's going to be very, very deliberate, but as I said before, the thing that is critical, because you can get political experience and advice from all kinds of people, it doesn't necessarily have to be a vice president, but you need somebody who can fight and who truly understands what the issues are.
BURNETT: Yes.
CARSON: You know, you're looking at a nation that is on the brink of destruction from so many different areas and it's going to take real courage to go on the face of what's been going on for the last decades.
BURNETT: So, but again, when you say something that could surprise us. It would surprise people for example if it were you. At this point, I know you've been vetting others and you've been involved in this process but your name hasn't been out there as one of the top VP picks. Could it be you?
CARSON: No. No. I don't want it to be me, but I want it to be somebody as Donald Trump wants it to be somebody who truly understands the issues, and I can't emphasize enough both Democrats and Republicans for decades have been marching down the pathway of destruction, financial destruction and other types of destruction, destroying our moral base. All of these things are hurting us. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue. This is an American issue, and we've got to be able to face that. He wants somebody who truly understands that.
BURNETT: So you know, there are some who are incredibly critical of Donald Trump who he may have to work with and let me just share with you with Ruth Bader Ginsburg, obviously Supreme Court doubling down today. She said she can't imagine what the country would be like if Donald Trump became president. Today she called him a faker and said he has no consistency about him, I'm quoting her. He says, whatever comes into his head at the moment, he really has an ego. Donald Trump responded saying, I think it's a disgrace to the court. I think she should apologize to the court. What do you think Dr. Carson? Should Justice Ginsburg be able to speak her mind?
CARSON: It is completely inappropriate for Supreme Court justices to inject themselves into the middle of a political campaign, whichever side they're on. That should be something that they should keep very closely guarded because we are already suspicious about, you know, the way the court is going. We turn to the Supreme Court which is a wonderful thing the way it was envisioned into a political arm. This is terrible, and we need to really think very seriously about this and what can be done to correct it.
BURNETT: All right. Dr. Carson, thank you very much for your time tonight, sir.
And tonight, the top Republican in Washington, House Speaker Paul Ryan joining CNN for a special town hall. That is tonight at 9:00 Eastern.
And next, we're standing by for Donald Trump, as I said, about to rally that big crowd in Indiana. Could there be a big surprise tonight? We will going to go there live and Bernie Sanders finally says, I'm with her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president, and I am proud to stand with her today. Thank you all very much!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:28:05] BURNETT: Breaking news. Live pictures. This is Westfield, Indiana. Donald Trump about to hold a campaign rally with one of the top candidates to be his VP, the Indiana Governor Mike Pence. A source confirming to CNN at this moment, it appears to start just down to two mean, Newt Gingrich and Governor Pence although you heard Dr. Carson just saying moment ago that there could be a surprise in the works.
Another source telling CNN, Pence has been vetted and his record was completely clean.
Dana Bash is OUTFRONT at that Trump rally and Dana, I know, you had a chance to speak to Governor Pence today. You spoke with him back today when he was endorsing Ted Cruz and I remember him standing side by side by a lake as you were speaking to them.
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
BURNETT: Okay. Does it sounds like he wants to be Donald Trump's running mate now?
BASH: Very much so. He left virtually no question about the fact that if asked, he would proudly and happily serve as Donald Trump's running mate which obviously as you said is a change considering he backed -- it was a little bit of maybe a milk toast endorsement, but he did back Donald Trump's opponent during the primaries, Ted Cruz, but today when I asked him why when other prominent Republicans have said, no thanks to the idea of being Donald Trump's running mate, he has said yes, I'll do it. This is his answer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PENCE: I will tell you that we've been honored to spend some time with Mr. and Mrs. Trump. We were very moved by how gracious and kind they were to our family, and I think -- I think he is going to be a great president. I think he is someone who has connected with every day Americans like no one since Ronald Reagan, and I think he has spoken into the frustration and the longings of the American people as no one since the 40th president, and I think we will going to continue to see him do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BASH: Erin, the minute somebody compares a Republican to Ronald
Reagan, you know that they mean business and they want in, and that is certainly what Mike Pence was trying to signal there.
[19:30:04] Now, he's not a household name. The Indiana governor does have experience, obviously, as a CEO of the state, he is right now, but he also has Washington experience. He was a member of Congress for a dozen years. He was in the House leadership, the Republican leadership, so he has that combination of experience.
Not just that, Erin, he is an evangelical. He very much connects to the conservative grassroots, the religious right, if you will. And so, it's that combination that a lot of people inside Trump world who I speak to who are pushing for Pence think would be good for him. Somebody said to me, he is a "take a deep breath" guy which the people again, who are pushing for him think would be a nice contrast to a candidate who tends to shoot from the hip and that is Donald Trump.
They are going to be appearing behind me pretty much any minute now and that is going to be a very, very key test for Donald Trump to see the kind of reaction Pence gets from the crowd, how he works the crowd and, of course, the chemistry that the two of them have together in public.
BURNETT: All right. Well, thank you very much, Dana.
Of course, there is always the possibility of a huge surprise. Donald Trump announces it because everyone is guessing and he wants to keep everybody on their toes and whether something like that happens in the next few minutes.
So, we're going to be going there live. But right now, Michael Caputo joins me, former Trump campaign adviser, along with Amanda Carpenter, our political commentator, the former communications director for Senator Ted Cruz. And Basil Smikle, New York state Democratic Party executive chairman, Hillary Clinton supporter.
Michael, you think it's going to be Pence. Obviously, you were working with the campaign until recently. So, you were there when Pence came out. And Dana is right, it was a milquetoast endorsement of Cruz, but nonetheless, it was an endorsement of Cruz and he was critical of Donald Trump before, critical of him for the judge in the Trump University case. Of course, he's from Indiana.
So, why pick a guy who has previously endorsed Cruz, a guy who has criticized you?
MICHAEL CAPUTO, FORMER TRUMP CAMPAIGN ADVISER: Well, I'll tell you. I was in the headquarters the day that Pence was supposed to endorse Ted Cruz. For all of us with experience that were working on the campaign, it was a concern to us. I mean, I can see the concern and all the senior staff, we were worried about it. In fact, we sent somebody to talk to him before he went on the radio, this talk radio show to voice his endorsement, and I think all of us breathed a sigh of relief when it came out kind of soft and in fact, he said some strong, positive things about Donald Trump. BURNETT: Right.
CAPUTO: At that moment, I knew that he was in the running for vice president. I'm not sure that Donald Trump know it then, and I don't want to speak for Donald Trump, but I think he was readying himself for this kind of an offer.
BURNETT: Is that what you think, Amanda? Do you think -- he obviously worked for Ted Cruz and he came out and endorsed Ted Cruz, that Pence is the right pick?
AMANDA CARPENTER, FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR SEN. TED CRUZ: I don't. I do understand why Mike Pence is interested in appearing as a vice presidential candidate and he may be in a tough reelection campaign. I ultimately feel like Trump is doing a big head fake. He's showing us a general to appease national security Republicans, he's showing an evangelical to shore up people in that community.
But ultimately, I believe it's going to come back to Gingrich because Gingrich is the only true, compatible match for Trump. A guy like Pence is totally unlike Trump. He is kind. He is considerate. He is reliably conservative, and I just can't imagine how a conversation would actually go between those two men.
BURNETT: So, Basil, when you look at this from your point of view, Trump-Pence, Trump-Gingrich, and those were the list that we're reporting and Trump-Flynn, obviously, General Flynn, Trump-Christie, Trump -- I don't know what his secret picks are out there that he wants to think he could shock everybody with. What's the ticket that you find the most daunting?
BASIL SMIKLE, HILLARY CLINTON SUPPORTER: Well, I don't know if there's anything that's particularly daunting for Democrats right now and I'll go back to Mike Pence for a second. Number one, I think it's interesting, he is in a tough reelection campaign because he's socially conservative even though Indiana is a fairly red state and Barack Obama won it in 2008 so I think Democrats see an opportunity running for the Senate.
But to me, I think Donald Trump no matter who he picks, whether it's Newt Gingrich, Pence or even Chris Christie, he loses the ability to tell Democrats that they can come over and support him because with each of those candidates, they remind Democrats, oh, yeah, they're Republican and they are socially conservative. They're not really for us particularly when you look at the Democratic platform that was passed.
BURNETT: Although with someone like Chris Christie who's incredibly to the left in terms of gun control or things like that in his state.
I mean, Mike, let me ask you on this crucial question, what is most important to Donald Trump? Mike Pence gets you that evangelical conservative voter base, OK. He needs them. He might already have as many of them as he can get. He was winning them by the way in the primaries, even when he was running against evangelical Christian conservatives. So, does he need that? Or does he need somebody who can get some people in the middle who maybe want someone who is more socially liberal or more palatable to that person in the middle than Donald Trump himself?
CAPUTO: I think you're right on both fronts. So, I think Donald Trump has said himself, that he's looking for someone with experience in Washington and kind of an insider politician who can help him get his agenda in place in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
[19:35:06] BURNETT: Which all of these guys check that box.
CAPUTO: Well, not as much as -- well, certainly, Gingrich and Pence do, but some of the others and the five don't. But at the same time, however, people don't vote for the vice president. They vote for the president.
BURNETT: No.
CAPUTO: However, the party activists line up behind the vice president. I think this helps kind of ease the rest of the Republicans and conservatives who really want to do something at the convention.
CARPENTER: Yes, and that sort of speaks to Donald Trump's weakness at this point of the campaign, that he's still having to worry about the grassroots, the base, look at the Republican convention coming up. There's delegates that are mounting a challenge to possibly oust him as the nominee. He is in a very bad position.
So, he has to go into the convention thinking about how do I make a pick that makes people in this room happy? He doesn't have the ability to run to the middle yet.
BURNETT: But do you think he could pick someone like Gingrich? Because Gingrich will challenge him, will do it publicly and will do it privately.
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: Will Donald Trump be good with someone who will do that?
CAPUTO: I think it's Pence for that reason, as well.
SMIKLE: That person has to demure himself or herself with Donald Trump in the room because if you look at -- remember, the event with Bob Corker. I mean, Senator Corker looks so incredibly uncomfortable up there with him.
BURNETT: Took himself out of the running the next day.
SMIKLE: Right. So, whoever says they're willing to be his V.P. is going have to stand there through this -- in my opinion these cringe- worthy moments and there will be so many over the next couple of weeks so I don't know who that actually is, and I don't know if it is someone who feels they have a political career to hang their hat on.
CAPUTO: I think Pence looks like he came right out of central casting. This is a guy who understands communication and communicates well and he will be on message all the time. That will be a context --
BURNETT: Looks the part.
CAPUTO: Absolutely.
(CROSSTALK)
CARPENTER: Mike Pence has always been the white knight for conservatives. People were begging him to run in 2012 and he didn't take the opportunity. He has had many chances to be great, and I like the guy. His people brought me into politics when I was a college student in Muncie, Indiana, but he's never truly risen to the occasion. We'll see when he does tonight.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you all very much.
And tonight, of course, as we said, any moment, they're going to come on to the stage. We're going to take you there live, obviously, an important audition, if not something much more significant than that happening tonight. So, we're counting that to that.
In the meantime, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg doubling down on her criticism for Donald Trump. It's pretty stunning criticism. She is a Supreme Court justice. Will it help Trump?
And breaking news, authorities reporting now in just the past few minutes a second credible threat against Baton Rouge police tonight. That shocking story developed and we'll go back to Louisiana live.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:41:30] BURNETT: More breaking news and our top story tonight. An alleged plot to kill police officers in Baton Rouge. Three people arrested, one more on the loose, and they found eight guns. Now, officials say they are investigating another, a second credible threat against police.
Boris Sanchez is live in Louisiana.
And, Boris, what more can you tell us about this second threat that we're finding out in just one hour here? We're now finding out about another threat.
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. Erin, it's critical to point out. Officials tell us they've received dozens of these kinds of threats not only against law enforcement, but against protesters and the general public and these are the two they say are most critical, the ones they're devoting resources, too. Not only the robbery or rather burglary at the pawnshop, the Cash America Pawnshop that led to the raid yesterday, but also the second incident where a police officer reported he was being followed by someone suspicious. We don't have very many details as to how that incident unfolded and whether or not it was a group of people, whether he was being followed in a car or on foot. What we do know is that the officer felt that he was being followed,
that it was suspicious and it was something that he reported to the police department. Obviously, it's something they're taking very seriously, considering there were dozens of other threats and they're dedicating resources to this one. Unfortunately, we don't have much more information on that at this time, and we're hoping to get more as time passes.
BURNETT: And, I know, Boris, you've been reporting, there is a manhunt right now for someone involved in the other plot that we have learned about. Three people have been arrested in that. Obviously, they have, as we know, at least eight guns.
What more information do you have on that plot? I know you've got some new information in the past few minutes here.
SANCHEZ: Right. Just in the past few minutes, we got the identities of some of the people arrested in this plot. I want to show you their mug shots right now.
One of them is Antonio Thomas. He's a 17-year-old and he's the one that was caught outside the pawnshop right after the burglary. He was caught with a handgun and an airsoft BB gun. He was also the one that told police that the burglary was to gather weapons, to, quote, "get bullets" for an attack on Baton Rouge police.
Another person arrested was Malik Bridgewater, a 20-year-old. He was arrested inside a home with three of the firearms that were involved in the burglary. He is also being charged with burglary.
The third person is Trashone Coats. We are not sure of the exact involvement in this plot. He's being charged with buying two firearms that were stolen illegally. The presumption being that he bought two of the firearms that were stolen in the robbery of the Cash America Pawnshop. We should mention a then-year-old was apprehended during that raid yesterday.
We're hoping to get more information again as we move forward. We don't expect to be getting the identity of the 13-year-old obviously as he's a juvenile, Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Boris Sanchez. As you said, we now got the mug shots and identities of three arrested in the plot to kill police in Baton Rouge. As we get more, we're going to bring it to you and, of course, the additional threat tonight that we are learning about.
Next, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg calling Donald Trump a faker, wondering why he hasn't filed his tax returns. Yes, the Supreme Court justice. Trump firing back and, of course, we are waiting for him right now to come out on to the stage we believe in any moment right now with Indiana Governor Mike Pence. They're going to be coming on to the stage and we understand, he is en route and will be there any second.
And Jeanne Moos with the viral video game that has taken the country by storm. What the heck is Pokemon Go?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:48:28] BURNETT: Breaking news, live pictures. Donald Trump rally in Indiana. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee is about to take the stage tonight. Going to be talking perhaps about this, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg criticizing Donald Trump.
She's told CNN he is a faker, he has no consistency about him. Again, I'm quoting her. He says whatever comes to his head at the moment, he really has an ego. How does he get away with not turning over his tax returns?
Well, I just spoke to Dr. Ben Carson, Trump supporter, and here's what he said about her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. BEN CARSON (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is completely inappropriate for Supreme Court justices to inject themselves into the middle of a political campaign whichever side they're on. That should be something that they should keep very closely guarded because we're already suspicious about the way the court is going.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Phil Mattingly is OUTFRONT.
Phil, how is Donald Trump responding to Ruth Bader Ginsburg?
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erin, this has been a very unpredictable campaign season, but you can guarantee that if Donald Trump feels he's attacked, he's going to swing back. And that's exactly what he did today, Erin, telling "The New York Times," quote, "I think it's highly inappropriate that the Supreme Court judge gets involved in a political campaign, frankly. I think it's a disgrace to the court and I think she should apologize to the court. I couldn't believe it when I saw it."
Now, we kind of expected that Donald Trump would fire back on that, but some of the more interesting elements of this, Erin, have been how other lawmakers and even delegates here in Cleveland have responded. And I talked to Democrats that are fairly uneasy with what they heard from Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
[19:50:03] But I also spoke to delegates inside the convention where they were debating the Republican platform. Even those who are against Donald Trump think that this might actually help him when he gets attacked by people in the left and when he gets attacked by mainstream institutions, Donald Trump only seems to rise in the polls.
We saw it with the pope. We saw it with the 2012 GOP nominee, perhaps we may see it again with Ruth Bader Ginsburg. If you talk to Republicans here on the ground in Cleveland, they don't feel like this is going to hurt him at all. If anything, they feel it will help him, Erin. BURNETT: All right. Phil, thank you.
My panel is back with me.
Michael, that make sense? It's going to help Donald Trump. He should be grateful with Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
CAPUTO: Absolutely. I agree with that statement completely. I think Donald Trump is going to come out swinging tonight about this. I think he should. It's completely inappropriate and, by the way, she's going to have to recuse herself if something comes down as a result of this election.
We all know this is tight. It's going to be very tight. I'll bet it's down to a recount in a state and maybe two. What happens? Ruth Bader Ginsburg is going to have to recuse herself. There's no question in my mind.
And I think Donald Trump is going to talk about that tonight.
SMIKLE: Thanks for putting this out there, with the speculation that it will be that close of an election. I don't think it's going to be that close. So, she will have not to recuse herself.
I think what's only surprising here is the candor. But let's be clear, I think we've learned that the justice's political leanings for a long time.
BURNETT: OK. So, you're not surprised to hear this from her?
SMIKLE: I don't think anyone is surprised.
(CROSSTALK)
SMIKLE: And if you hear a lot of the dissenting opinions on the conservative and liberal side, you would see a lot more I think of their political leanings in the dissenting opinions. Look, Citizens United was a very political, in my mind --
BURNETT: But you're talking about political leanings. This was personal.
CARPENTER: I think her comments were certainly careless, but on one hand refreshing because all of these judges' opinions are incredibly political. They deal with political decisions all of the time. So, let's drop the pretense of the robe and quit pretending that these judges are not intensely political. But Donald Trump should certainly remind people of the fact that he will be choosing a replacement judge as a way of shoring up people like me, people in the never Trump camp who basically, that is the only reason to possibly vote for him if you can rely on him to pick a conservative judge and Justice Ginsburg handed him a huge gift.
BURNETT: If not, you would have another vacancy. Because will she continue? Can you? I mean, I don't know.
SMIKLE: I think you're absolutely right. I think people just assume that these justices have incredibly strong political leanings.
CAPUTO: Her especially.
SMIKLE: Number one, number two. I don't know, is she 84 years old? Let her say whatever she wants to say.
I think people have sort of accepted it right now. I don't know if she's going to ever have to recuse herself from any case, but frankly, I think for a lot of people this is kind of refreshing.
CARPENTER: But I do think it was somewhat beneath her, as well. It would have been much more interesting if she wanted to talk to a reporter about the constitutional challenges that she thinks a Donald Trump presidency would present and she just kind of dealt with the headlines and the tax returns, and that should be beneath a judge.
BURNETT: It doesn't demean the Supreme Court. We all know they have personal views and they're pretty clear from their opinions on the political side of things, but yet, we do have these things called branches of government and they're supposed to don the robe literally and figuratively and only look at the law, and not a personal point of view.
CAPUTO: Here, she's throwing out that maybe she'll move to New Zealand. She sounds like she's on "The View" or something, instead of the Supreme Court. It's really beneath her.
I think absolutely, Amanda is right and it doesn't bode well for the Supreme Court. I think it's good for Donald Trump and it shows that the establishment is out to get him once again.
BURNETT: And, of course, as Governor Pence and Donald Trump are approaching that stage, I just want everyone to know that they're coming from a fund-raiser and they'll be there any moment. They did have a private one-on-one meeting at this fundraiser. We know they've had others. Private one-on-one meeting at the fund raiser and does that say anything about what's going to happen tonight? What's in store for the next --
CAPUTO: I am on the record to say they're going to announce it tonight.
BURNETT: You think it will surprise everybody. Donald Trump is out there, it's on Friday and that is one thing Donald Trump does not want to do.
CAPUTO: Right, right, I'm way out there, though. I think after you heard his comments the last couple of days and it sounds more and more like Friday. But I'm still hoping --
BURNETT: You are right, you are as out front as OUTFRONT could be.
Thanks to all of you.
All right. And next, Jeanne Moos on the video game that's topping the download charts and find out what everyone is playing with Pokemon Go. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:58:04] BURNETT: You know you need exercise when a new video game that forces you to walk makes you sore.
Here's Jeanne Moos.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is Pokemon for slowpokes.
Really? They're called poke balls?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. They're called poke balls.
MOOS: Slowpokes who don't know a war turtle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: War turtle (EXPLETIVE DELETED)
MOOS: From Rattata that frankly, don't give a rat's -- well, you know. Morning hosts pretend they know what there talking about.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's sitting on top of a casket.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Even turtles, excuse me.
MOOS: Even hip, late-night comedians need pronunciation pointers.
JIMMY FALLON, COMEDIAN: Pokemon? Pokemon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I said Pokemon now.
STEPHEN COLBERT, COMEDIAN: Developers have now done the impossible to design a game you can't play on the toilet.
MOOS: That's the good news. Former couch potatoes gamers have to run outside hoping for Pokemon to pop up for them to try to catch by flicking balls at them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I started playing two days ago and I've gotten more exercise than I have in the last month.
MOOS: The bad news, they're walking around like zombies.
COLBERT: It's revolutionized the way people get hit by cars staring at their phones.
MOOS: A guy in Brooklyn's prospect park posted himself falling in a pond while playing Pokemon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's someone on the bridge?
Holy (EXPLETIVE DELETED). I did not realize that was water.
MOOS: As for driving Pokemon. One father to-be admitted playing Pokemon while waiting for his wife to become a mom and while this Atlantic church welcomed gamer, this church is a poke stop, come on in. The Holocaust Museum is asking visitors to please stop catching Pokemon here.
Meanwhile, adults on TV are having a ball acting like kids firing poke balls at the crew.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's Pidgey.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pidgey ought to move.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got him.
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Got her right in the Pokemon!
MOOS: -- New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BURNETT: Thanks so much for joining us.
Anderson starts now.
