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Erin Burnett Outfront
Roy Moore, Doug Jones Rally In Alabama; GOP Senators Punt On Committee Seats For Roy Moore; Trump's Accusers Demand Congress Investigate Sexual Misconduct Claims. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired December 11, 2017 - 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 BURNET, OUTFRONT HOST: OutFront next, breaking news, Roy Moore versus Doug Jones, down to the wire tonight. All eyes on Alabama as President Trump and Obama are now in the game. This is historic election literally just hours away. Plus, Trump accusers banding together asking for Congress to investigate the president. One of the women calling for investigation is my guest, is it Trump #MeToo moment.
And breaking news, new details about the bomb, an attempted terror attack in the heart of New York City today. Just how deadly could it have been. There were more than one. Let's go OutFront.
Good evening, I'm Erin Burnett, OutFront tonight. Breaking news, down to the wire, it is the final hours of the stunning Senate campaign which has exploded on to the national stage. Roy Moore, Doug Jones. It is incredibly close. For Jeff Sessions old Senate seat tomorrow special election in Alabama.
Right now there are dualing rallies in Alabama any moment. You can see everyone's already gathered there for Roy Moore. Doug Jones rally begins in about an hour so people just starting to gather there. Electing either Moore. This is going to be historic either way, right, because you either get Moore, who's an accused child molester or Jones, who would be the first Democratic senator in this incredibly red seat in more than two decades.
Now, Roy Moore, tonight, will be joined on stage by Steve Bannon. It is his first campaign event in nearly a week with allegations of sexual misconducts, swirling around him. And everybody all heard about that. Moore virtually disappearing from the campaign trail, in the days leading up to the election.
And Doug Jones, the doors at his rally, as I mentioned, just opening now. Both candidates tonight dangling the possibility of a "surprise guest" as the nation watches. And the current and former presidents are dualing it out in the trenches in this race too.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Hi, this is President Donald Trump, and I need Alabama to go vote for Roy Moore. We're already making America great again. I'm going to make America safer and stronger and better than ever before. But we need that seat. We need Roy voting for us.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BURNETT: Former President Obama also recording a robocall saying, "This one's serious. You can't sit it out, Doug Jones is a fighter for equality, for progress. Doug will be our champion for justice. So get out and vote Alabama."
Well, we are covering the story from every angle. I want to begin with Alex Marquardt at the Jones rally, I'm sorry, he's at the Jones rally in Birmingham. But I want to start with Kaylee Hartung. She's in Midland City the Roy Moore rally underway there. And Kaylee, you know, as we've just saying, this is the first time we've seen Roy Moore in nearly a week, and really everything is on the line for him tonight.
KAYLEE HARTUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Erin. And this is been -- has been promoted as the drain swap rally. And if you can see the signage behind me, that's the message this campaign wants to resonate with voters who come here tonight. As they walk past the literal swamp this campaign has built with fake alligators and foliage (ph). They'll walk into this barn and hear the rhetoric.
I am told that the plan is for Moore to ask the voters of Alabama to stand with him, to make America great again, and to stand up with him against judicial tyranny. Now, he will make the case that he is better equipped than anyone else to work with Donald Trump to achieve his agenda. To ensure that conservative judges are appointed to the United States Supreme Court.
Moore will acknowledge that he believes the supreme law of the land isn't the constitution not with judges. But as we've seen over the course of this campaign, Erin, Moore's anti-abortion stance so important to so many conservative and Christian voters. Moore's base in this state that he is looking to activate tonight. Moore as you said not the only voice we will hear tonight, we will hear from former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon. The Moore campaign though telling me, Bannon's message will be his own.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much Kaylee. We'll check back in with you. And I want to go now with to Alex Marquardt, as promised, he at the Doug Jones rally in Birmingham. Alex, obviously the doors are just opening, people are going to be coming in there over the next hour, as the rally gets ready to begin. How confident is -- are Jones supporters in his campaign right now, do they think they can pull this out against what so many have predicted?
ALEXANDER Marquardt, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erin, the supporters in the campaign themselves really do have a bit of a pep in their step after spending the weekend barnstorming across the state, holding a rally after rally, firing up the troops. This was already going to be a very competitive race. And then these allegations against Roy Moore came out and it turned into a tight race.
I was speaking with a senior campaign official earlier today, he said their internal polling is showing that they are ahead of the Roy Moore campaign, but now they are not taking anything for granted. They know that they need every vote they can get.
There is an argument to be made that we haven't seen Moore because he knows has this passion and base of support, he will turn out no matter what in tomorrow election. Whereas, Doug Jones needs every vote he can get, and there are votes for the taking. They have been targeting moderate Republicans in particular, women, as well as the African- American vote, which will be so absolutely crucial in this race.
[19:05:05] But in this final stretch, we have heard Doug Jones all weekend taking aim at Roy Moore, accusing him of fleeing the state over the weekend, saying the fact that he hasn't spoken with Alabamians hasn't been holding campaign rallies is an insult to Alabama. So, that is really has been headlining his final arguments here.
Now, as we mentioned, Moore will be back on the campaign trail tonight, with Steve Bannon, who is Doug Jones's response to Steve Bannon? None other than NBA legend and Alabama native son Charles Barkley, who was born not more than 15 miles from her, Erin?
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much. Charles Barkley important (INAUDIBLE) spoken out in favor of conservative causes, conservative candidates coming out in favor of the Democrat obviously, a significant point that he wants to make.
And now, our Senior Political Analyst Mike Preston, Vice President of Alabama largest media group, Michelle Holmes. She's also a member of the al.com editorial board which is endorsed Doug Jones and said Roy Moore is unfit to serve. Also with us, the national political correspondent for the New York Times, Jonathan Martin, he's going to join me in just a moment.
Mark, as I said, though, history will be made, right? You either have an accused child molester elected to the senate, or Alabama will send its first Democrat to the Senate since 1982. Historic either way.
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes, historic either way and even if Judge Moore were to win tomorrow and its very good chance he could, he's going to come to Washington under such a dark cloud that really the chapter in history's not going to be finished, because Republicans are going to be put in a difficult position. You're going to see immediately an ethics probe, looking into the allegations that his accusers have said, including the 14-year-old -- the then-14-year- old who said she was molested, and the 16-year-old as well who said she was attacked by Judge Moore when he was in 30s.
So, you're right, if Democrats are able to win this seat, this will be a little bit of wind at their back, going into the 2018 midterms, but I'll tell you what, nobody really knows what's going to happen tomorrow, Erin.
BURTNETT: Yes. I mean, Michelle, what are you seeing on the ground?
MICHELLE HOLMES, EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER, AL.COM: Well, we're seeing voter turnout in early voting, much higher than that 18% that we saw during the primaries. We're seeing an energized campaign clearly on both sides, but we're also seeing some early signs, six times the number of early votes cast in Tuscaloosa County, which is a county known for having a very popular Democratic mayor which indicates that that, you know, this election is still very up in the air.
BURNETT: So you're saying six times the turnout so far in Tuscaloosa?
HOLMES: In early votings.
BURNETT: In early voting. Obviously, this could be very significant. Jonathan Martin is on the ground now as I said from the New York Times. Jonathan, you heard what Michelle just said. You know, early voting, Tuscaloosa up, I mean these are anecdotes. You know, we'll see what happens. But you got this dualing rallies from what you are seeing, are you hearing any undecided voters?
JONATHAN MARTIN, NATIONAL POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, NEW YORK TIMES: There's not a lie, I have to say, I think it's much more a matter of turning out the bases of these parties, and the reason why that Tuscaloosa voters so encouraging is because that's the home of the University of Alabama. A college town. A lot of students and faculty there who are Democratic voters.
I can tell you, I've been in Birmingham the last couple of days, which has been the biggest city in the state and Jefferson County the largest county in the state. Doug Jones needs a huge turnout here and a large margin. And just talking to a few voters today downtown, I can tell you that there is an eagerness to get out and support Doug Jones. There is a contempt for Roy Moore in this city.
The question, though, Erin is, is that vote margin going to be large enough here in Birmingham for Jones to offset Moore's rural margins.
BURNETT: Yes. And also, you know, when you look, Michelle, Sheriff Clarke, the controversial sheriff from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, we know understanding he's going to join Roy Moore tonight along with Steve Bannon. You've got Charles Barkley, it seems an excellent choice, not only Alabama native but a conservative in many ways. That coming to back the democrat tonight.
Richard Shelby, Republican, at least now, obviously long time ago, he was a Democrat. But the senator, the sitting senator came on by choice, right? He could have said nothing yesterday. He decided to come on CNN and say he will not vote for Roy Moore, here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Hi, this is President Donald Trump, and I need Alabama to go vote for Roy Moore, Roy Moore is the guy we need to pass our make America great again agenda.
SEN. RICHARD SHELBY (R), ALABAMA: I couldn't vote for Roy Moore. I didn't vote for Roy Moore. I wouldn't vote for Roy Moore. I think the Republican Party can do better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Do these voices matter? Somebody like Senator Shelby? Is that going to matter to people at the last moment to hear that?
HOLMES: I think it certainly will matter to a lot of people in Alabama. Now, there are some for whom it won't. But I think Senator Shelby and his long track record should carry some weight in Alabama.
BURNETT: And Mark, I mean, that was obviously a very, very specific thing in the last moments here, the last hours for Richard Shelby to come out and do that --
PRESTON: Right.
BURNET: -- with a man that he may, you know, end up having to serve next to, he wanted to come out and say something, obviously, longstanding senator from the state.
[19:10:14] PRESTON: We should note that Richard Shelby was known for doing television interviews. Certainly not --
BURNETT: Yes.
PRESTON: -- national television interviews. He takes a very low profile, trying to keeps to himself, focuses on the issues that are important in Alabama, specially the industry, that was kind of his -- his focus. But by and large for him to come out yesterday and say that, does say something. But Doug Jones has this going against him now.
The fact the matter is 50% of Alabamians describe themselves as Republican or learning towards Republican, you know, that 43% say they're conservative, so that is a good boost for Roy Moore heading in to tomorrow. The question is, will people who find his conduct or alleged conduct to be despicable, will they just not show up?
BURNETT: And Jonathan, what are you hearing in terms of, you know, Michelle's talking about with early voting? I mean, she was mentioning Tuscaloosa specifically, I'm sorry, where you see six times increase. Because the overall numbers for the state, I just want to make sure I mention this again. It's pretty shocking, the primary turnout was 18%, Jonathan. Eighteen percent the runoff between Roy Moore and Luther Strange was 15%. I mean, that's horrific, not many people are voting, when are we going to see something totally different tomorrow?
MARTIN: Well, that's the challenge for Doug Jones, is that he's got to juice turnout up above 25% overall to have a chance. There are a lot of voters in this state, who have no use for Roy Moore. The challenge for Jones, though, is that a lot of them aren't enthused enough to show up for an election on December 12th.
But let me just -- just real fast pick up Mark's point because a state that Mark knows very well, which is kind of the precise opposite of Alabama, which is his home state Massachusetts. You know, there was a special election there, where the Republican won, and you had similarly unique circumstances, a weaken Democratic candidate running, and the Republican that caught fire at a time of great energy for the Republicans. His name was Scott Brown of Florence.
BURNETT: Yes.
MARTIN: I think there are some similarities here. But I would say the challenge is even Moore here to win in Alabama for a Democrat.
BURNETT: And Michelle, what's your feeling about tomorrow night? How long of a night will it be, especially given that you've lot of these early -- a lot of these early voting, right, different, you know, way to count?
HOLMES: I've been through many newsroom elections, and I don't think this is anything that we're going to be able to call. I just think all of the people right now who are casting scorn on Alabama, I hope and instead they turn their prayers to Alabama.
BURNETT: All right. Well, thank you very much. And thanks very much, you've obviously been covering this for us all the way through. Thanks to all three of you.
And next more breaking news, just coming out right now. GOP leaders, they're not going to commit to giving Roy Moore any committee assignments if he wins. This is a highly unusual move. And we are just learning the details. We've got these breaking details next.
Plus the White House claiming tonight that there are eyewitnesses who back up the president's denials about his alleged assault and harassment of women. So, who are these people?
And breaking news, the suspect in the attempted terror attack in New York City, had at least two devices and a surveillance camera caught the moment one of them exploded. The source said the suspect pledged allegiance to ISIS (INAUDIBLE).
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:17:00] BURNETT: Breaking news, Republican leaders won't commit to giving Roy Moore a seat on any committee, even if he wins this race. Now this reporting is just have from our Manu Raju and Ted Berrett (ph). Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, in an interview with CNN would not say, if Republican conferences would welcome Moore into the weekly policy lunches or get him committee assignments. This is a highly unusual move. It comes as Republicans have been openly fretting about what to do if Moore wins like this.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Roy Moore will be the gift that keeps on giving for Democrats. It will define the 2018 election, at least 2018, and to think you can elect Roy Moore without getting the baggage, Roy Moore is pretty naive. There is no wining with Roy Moore in my view.
(END AUDIO CLIP) BURNETT: OutFront now, Amy Kremer, Co-chair for the Women For Trump PAC (ph) endorsed Roy Moore and Democratic strategist Paul Begala, thanks to both of you. Amy, let me start with you. You heard Senator Graham, Senator Lindsey Graham his words, "There is no winning with Roy Moore." Mitch McConnell now saying whether Moore will be included in weekly policy lunches or committee assignments. What do you hat to Lindsey Graham, there's no winning with Roy Moore?
AMY KREMER, CO-CHAIR, WOMEN FOR TRUMP: I don't think it's his choice. I think it's the choice of the people of Alabama and we're going to see tomorrow what they decide. That's the thing, Erin, is that part of this race is that the people across the country are tired of Washington, and the party leaders sticking their nose into all these races across the country. And they're pushing back --
BURNETT: Right. But what the point is, there is no winning with Roy Moore. Whatever happens let's say -- the point if he wins, it's bad for the Republican Party.
KREMER: I'm sorry, Erin, I lost.
BURNETT: I'm sorry. I don't now if you can hear me. Senator Graham's point was, there's no winning with Roy Moore to the Republican Party. It's not a win for the party.
KREMER: Well, if Roy Moore is who the people of Alabama choose, then that's who's going to go to Washington to represent them. And I don't think it's right that these senators state that they have say (ph) no matter. It's the people's decision. These -- the senator is elected by the people of the state, and to think what are we if all of a sudden you elect somebody and then somebody in Washington can say, no, we're not accepting them.
BURNETT: OK.
KREMER: What have we become at that point. I think that's a very dangerous sign and I don't we need to go there.
BURNETT: Paul?
PAUL BEGALA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, Amy makes a good point nobody likes (INAUDIBLE) come from the United States tell him how to do as we say in the south. So, I would direct people to center. Senator Richard Shelby, you mentioned this before, Erin. This is remarkable. I don't think everybody seen anything like this in years.
Senator Shelby, he's an Alabamian. He's a life-long Alabamian, most popular politician in the state, beloved, long-term U.S. senator. He went out of his way to go on national television and say, I could not vote for Roy Moore and I did not vote for Roy Moore.
That creates a permission structure, far removed from what people in Washington think, to Republicans in Alabama to say, look, I don't have to be for Roy Moore out of party loyalty because the most loyal Republican in our state has said he's not for Roy Moore, and I think that's the most important development this week in the election. BURNETT: UI mean it was pretty stunning moment and a very significant
moment, Richard Shelby. I mean I remember bringing him many times during the financial crisis. He spoke out because he was on that committee because he cared. He does not come out and do national television as a rule other than something very specific and policy oriented.
[19:20:04] Amy, a pro Trump pack, the America First Project --
KREMER: Yes.
BURNETT: -- sent a 12-year-old girl to interview Roy Moore today, I just wanted to play a clip of it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So what do you think are characteristics (INAUDIBLE) ever really, really good senator?
ROY MOORE (R), ALABAM SENATE CANDIDATE: The constitution, just adhering to principle and not going to get elected again, and not trying to stay in office for 30 or 40 years and building an empire. You're there to serve the people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Amy, given the allegations Moore is facing including --
KREMER: I can hear now.
BURNETT: OK. Amy, could you hear that was just a clip from the interview with a 12-year-old girl today asking Roy Moore what characteristics are of a good senator. My question to you is, given that he is facing allegations of molesting a 14-year-old girl, why did he do this interview? Was this purposeful to talk to a 12-year-old girl?
KREMER: I'm sorry, Erin, I didn't hear the interview, I apologize. We're having a problem here. But, I mean, I think that the people are going to decide this race, in that these are allegations exactly as you said, and if there's something criminal there, then it needs to be tried in a court of law, not in the press, and I truly believe an innocent until proven guilty.
BURNETT: Or you can't do that with sexual assault, that's the law?
KREMER: And every person in this county everyone has that right.
BURNETT: Right. I'm not going to try to reiterate the dispute you and I had before. But obviously our courts do not support that at this time. Paul, what's your response to that clip?
BEGALA: That's the first I've seen it, Erin, heard about it. At first I thought, maybe it was a sting, some left wing group or something. That's so appalling, it's so shocking that Roy Moore, who is accused and presumed innocent, but still, the fact that he's accused of sexual assaulting a 14-year-old girl would sit down and do an interview with a 12-year-old, when he's not talking to any journalists.
It's like he's rubbing Alabamians noses in it. It's like I know I've been accused of child molestation, but I'm going to give an interview with a child -- words fail me, and I'm usually a blabber mouth.
BURNETT: Right. I mean -- certainly as you point out, Paul, it was purposeful, right? He's not doing interviews, he hasn't appeared for a rally in a week, right. I mean, it was purposeful. He made that choice to do that interview.
BEGALA: It's insulting and shocking. There's a lot of people really bothered by these -- a lot of Republicans in Alabama, not just his political enemies or Washington people like me. My mother and father- in-law lived in Alabama for many, many years. My little brother graduate from high school there. I love that state. And I hate how people are running him down because of this election. But this is an insult to people of Alabama, and I just -- I can't believe Roy Moore did it.
BURNETT: Amy.
KREMER: Yes. I didn't -- I missed the piece that you played, and I'm sorry we're having problems. But, I mean, again, I just go back to you're innocent until proven guilty and why --
BURNETT: Right, right. But the question I had -- sorry.
KREMER: -- all these years his run for a high profile offices in --
(CROSSTALK)
KREMER: He's not some unknown. He's been out there in the public --
BURNETT: Yes.
KREMER: -- people know him and they're standing behind him. And if I go back to, in fact, if there was something that was criminal, he needs to be tried in a court of law, not the press --
BURNETT: Right.
KREMER: -- if the people are going to decide tomorrow what they choose.
BURNETT: Right, of course. As I say, you can't try it in a court of law at this point because the statute of limitation this is why we're in this position, you either believe all the many people, 30 plus people to the Washington Post alone, who said these things or you believe Roy Moore.
Paul, Doug Jones, you know, we've heard the president of the United States, Donald Trump, come out, he gave a robocall. Trump obviously for Roy Moore and President Obama came out and gave one for Doug Jones. But Doug Jones, interestingly, is acting like he had no idea that President Obama made a call on his behalf. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOUG JONES (D), ALABAMA SENATE CANDIDATE: I know there have been a lot of robocalls that have been recorded. I don't know what's being used. That is just not something I'm doing. The only one that I know that's for sure that's been recorded is the one my wife gives. All you guys re hearing injecting everything into this race. This race is about Alabama, it is about Alabama, it is about Alabama.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Interesting Paul but he doesn't even think that Barack Obama is a plus for him to admit that that he would rely on that.
BEGALA: Not anybody. He's not bringing anybody in -- from out of state. I think it's a very move. He hasn't jetted off to do big fundraisers and Wall Street or Hollywood or something. He stayed Alabama true the whole way through. And I think it's been very, very smart strategy. And according to our reporting earlier this evening, apparently he's going to appear this rally tonight, this night before the election with Alabama Hall of Famer, Charles Barkley --
BURNETT: Yes.
BEGALA: -- a good Auburn grad and even you, I think would love to see an Auburn guy up there on the stage tonight, right?
BURNETT: We'll give you the final word, Amy.
BURNETT: Absolutely. I'm always happy to see an Auburn grad up on that stage tonight. Listen, I think what this race is going to come down to while the media want to talk about these allegations. The voters have a lot more on their mind. They're going to weigh all this information when they go to the polls tomorrow, and it's preposterous to think that they can't make the decision themselves.
[19:25:05] And so, they're going to be voting on the economy and to turn our borders and some of the social issues that are important here in the state of Alabama. And so they have a big decision tomorrow and I think this is a conservative state, Erin and Paul, and I think that they will choose Roy Moore tomorrow.
BURNETT: Well, we shall see. We'll all be here 24 hours from now as the polls start to close. We'll be almost there.
UpFront next, Trump accusers uniting against the president, calling for Congress to investigate one of the accusers calling for an investigation who's going to be OutFront next.
Plus breaking news, a failed terror attack in the heart of New York City, Nails, screws sent flying from an exploded pipe bomb. The suspect claiming he pledged allegiance to ISIS.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BURNETT: The White House on defense tonight, pushing back against at least 15 women who have accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct including assault and harassment before we has president. Joint contentious press briefing today, Sarah Sanders was asked eight separate times, (INAUDIBLE) that clear, eight separate times about the allegations every single time Sanders dismissed the. Offering up a variety of different explanations as to why the president and not the women should be believed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH SANDERS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: This took place long before he was elected to be president. The president has denied any of these allegations as have eyewitnesses and several reports have shown those eyewitnesses also back up the president's claim.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The president has first acknowledged on what he did and didn't do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: And so do the women who were there. One president, many women. Our senior White House correspondent Jeff Zeleny is OutFront.
Jeff, look, the White House -- they are still struggling with this issue, and it's an issue that had gone away. And it is now coming back.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's been one person that's been left out of this national conversational or reckoning if you will, certainly here in Washington over sexual harassment and misconduct, and that's the president himself. He went through it a year ago, but such a different time in this moment and movement, if you will.
So, today, it was really the first time that these allegations have come front and center, really close to the Oval Office, close to the president. Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary, was, you know, defending and answering these questions, again and again and again. She relied on the fact that, look, he denied these allegations, but also again and again, the voters knew all this, and gave their judgment during the campaign.
But, of course, it is a different time. It is a different moment of this, but at the end of the day, Erin, I was struck by -- in the pretty aggressive questioning here on a difficult topic for Sarah Sanders. She didn't -- she knew what was coming to her, she said she does have empathy and the White House does have empathy for any of these victims or accusers, but she again defended the president.
But so strikingly different the White House responds in the -- one of the top ranking women in this administration, the ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, who said these women should be heard. So, a different message that's heard at the White House, Erin.
BURNETT: That is for sure. Thank you very much, Jeff. And OUTFRONT now, Sam Holvey. She's a former Miss USA contestant.
She says Donald Trump personally inspected each woman prior to the 2006 contest.
So, Sam, look, you know, you said -- you talked about this personal inspection, and, you know, you said it was the dirtiest you felt in your entire life. Tell me exactly what happened. What did he do?
SAMANTHA HOLVEY, ACCUSES TRUMP OF INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR: So, we were at Trump Towers doing the media tour in New York City. So, he lined all 51 of us up, and I thought it was going to be hi, how are you? Nice to meet you, that type of, kind of meet and greet thing.
It was not. It was him going down and one by one looking us over like we were pieces of meat and he was trying to decide which piece of meat he wanted. And, you know, I was hoping, you know, that would be the end I wouldn't have to deal with him any more. And so, then, on finals night, when I'm sitting in hair and make-up, getting ready in just my robe, and he comes walking backstage and I'm so startled, like what are you doing back here?
We're a bunch of women getting ready for a beauty pageant that we've been working towards, you know, Miss USA --
BURNETT: Right, in a robe.
HOLVEY: Yes, exactly, like, why are you back here?
And then I saw him walk into the dressing room, just like he has bragged about on Howard Stern in the audio out there for anybody and everybody to hear. He brags about this. It's not that I'm accusing him. I'm simply verifying what he himself has said.
BURNETT: So, when you hear Sarah Sanders today, coming out of the White House, right, highest ranking woman there, saying this woman has empathy for women like you, empathy.
HOLVEY: You know, it's funny that they say they have empathy, but first, they call us liars.
BURNETT: Yes.
HOLVEY: So, how -- which one is it, and if I'm a liar, I'm just verifying what he said.
BURNETT: Right, and I -- you know, it's actually interesting you say that. You know, she said there's eyewitness who back up these claims. As you point out, you're one of 51 people sitting there.
HOLVEY: Yes, exactly, for like decades.
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: They found this woman, Katie Blair. She told TMZ during a Miss Teen USA contest that she didn't see Trump come backstage. They found one contest -- one person who said he didn't. But as you point out, this is something he has admitted in his own
words on Howard Stern. So, let me just play that for those of you who have not heard him admit it himself.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, THEN-REALITY TV STAR: I'll tell you the funniest is that I'll go backstage before a show, and everyone's getting dressed and ready, and everything else. And, you know, no men are in there. I'm allowed to go in because I'm the owner of the pageant, and therefore, I'm inspecting it. You know, I'm inspecting, I want to make sure everything is good.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BURNETT: When you hear that how do you feel?
HOLVEY: It's so disgusting. It's just so disgusting that he brags about, and people are coming at me saying, you're lying, you're lying. He's bragged about it.
BURNETT: Yes. I mean, yes, there's no question, right?
HOLVEY: No.
BURNETT: He bragged about it. He's done it.
You know, as you point out. Sarah Sanders has said that you're a liar, and these other 15 women are liars. She said it multiple times. Donald Trump has called you and others liars again and again during the campaign. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Every woman who lied when they came forward to hurt my campaign -- total fabrication.
(APPLAUSE)
The events never happened. Never.
[19:35:00] All of these liars will be sued after the election.
The stories are total fiction. They're 100 percent made up. They never happened.
When you looked at that horrible woman last night, you said, I don't think so. I don't think so.
She would not be my first choice, that I can tell you. Man. You don't know, that would not be my first choice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Watching your face listening to that. I mean -- HOLVEY: You know, the ridiculous thing is, that for him, it's not
like a -- you know, sex -- he -- I didn't -- it's not like he was sexually attracted to me, it was that he felt powerful and he felt like he owned me, that I was his property. And so, it's very different then -- because people that are, you know, pro-Trump will say, there's no way he would want to sleep with you. He wouldn't touch you.
Some of the other women have gotten very nasty messages. I've received nasty messages. And I'm like, it's not about sexual attraction first of all, besides the fact that I was Miss North Carolina USA, like, I wasn't exactly ugly, I had a panel of people that said I was pretty.
But the important thing is, that it's his power and dominance and treating people like property that's so disgusting.
BURNETT: And, Sam, you have come out and spoken about this. And he won, and you're speaking again about it now. That takes a lot of courage.
And you have taken a hit for this, right? I mean, what has happened to you, in terms of what people are saying and doing? I think it's important for people to understand, you are taking a personal risk on your reputation, on your life, and your career to speak.
HOLVEY: Yes. So, last year, whenever he was elected president, it was just so disheartening that the women in this country didn't collectively say, no, we will not accept that behavior, we will not tolerate it, we will not vote for it. And they didn't say that. They said, it doesn't bother us.
And that hurt. Woman to woman, that hurts, because every woman has experienced that situation at some level. They experienced the inappropriate comments, that, you know, people touching you, they've experienced that, and for them not to believe other women is very disheartening. And so, when I was first asked to come back out and talk about it all again in this new movement and everything, my first response is -- I don't want to go through all of that again.
BURNETT: Yes.
HOLVEY: And then when I heard that they were gathering all of us together to share stories together. And one I thought, you know, this might work, this might make an impact if America sees all of us together united. And then I also wanted to support the other women.
I know I have a supportive family, very supportive work colleagues. I mean, I have an incredible support network around me to kind of keep me away from people that do send me very mean messages and threats and everything. But some of the other women aren't that lucky. So, I want to make sure that they feel the support from all of us.
BURNETT: Well, thank you very much I appreciate it, and I know it takes a lot of courage to do all that. So, Sam, thank you.
HOLVEY: Thank you.
BURNETT: And next, we're going to go back to the Roy Moore rally. Steve Bannon is going to make that special last minute push for Moore. He's going to be there live.
And what would it take for Doug Jones to actually beat Moore. John King at the magic ball is going to show you how it breaks down in the state of Alabama.
And breaking news, the suspect in the attempted New York terror attack at rush hour, actually had a second device. We're learning. The one exploded had nails and screws towards innocent commuters. The video of the explosion, we're going to show you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:42:47] BURNETT: Breaking news, the polls about to -- hours away from opening in Alabama, entire nation watching, as you see these rallies going on right now. The Roy Moore rally you're seeing on your screen. Doug Jones also had a new rally that will begin moments away. Roy Moore is going to take the stage on that stage you see there moments away.
Here is, though, is what early speakers are saying tonight for him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAN WEBSTER, LOCAL BUSINESSMAN: They are trying to destroy this man. I said, they're trying to give Judge Roy Moore a high-tech lynching.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Never. Never let the media tell you how to vote.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
They hate you. They hate you and hold in contempt everything you hold dear, including your way of life and your precious Christian faith. Go vote for Roy Moore tomorrow and take somebody with you when you go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: As we said, Judge Moore is going to be coming on that stage moments from now.
Kaylee Hartung is back with me from that rally.
Kaylee, we just had a couple clips. Obviously, the early speakers tonight getting ready to introduce Judge Moore, and they're saying this is all about hate for Roy Moore and hate for Christianity.
KAYLEE HARTUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Erin, we're waiting for Roy Moore, but also for Steve Bannon. But before either one of them can take the stage, you have heard local leaders, some volunteers who have come from out of state to rile up this crowd, carry on the message, we have heard before, from Steve Bannon. This event very similar to the one that Bannon and Moore teamed up for last Tuesday in Fairhope, where you heard Bannon say that the powers that be want to destroy Roy Moore, they want to take the voice of his supporters away.
So, that's the message you hear carried tonight with such strong rhetoric, by these others that are met with such rousing cheers from the hundreds of folks inside this barn. The most peaceful rhetoric, I can tell you I heard was from a local pastor, who said, this is not about Roy Moore or Doug Jones, this is about the people in this country knowing that the people of Alabama believe in God. The goal here, as we knew, to activate Roy Moore's base, conservatives and Christians.
[19:45:02] BURNETT: All right. Kaylee, thank you very much.
And as Kaylee said, Roy Moore about to take the stage to make his last-minute push. The big question though is, how is this going to turn out? Could Doug Jones pull out of victory in deep red Alabama?
John King is at the magic wall.
And, John, that is the big question. When you look at the state of Alabama, what would it take for Jones to win? Something a Democrat has not been able to do since 1990s --
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Not impossible, Erin, but extremely difficult for Doug Jones as the map fills in tomorrow night, to pull off what would be a stunning upset in what has become a ruby red Republican state.
A little bit of history here. Let's go back to 2016. This is the re- election of Richard Shelby, 64 percent for the Republican, 36 percent for the Democrat.
Let's look at presidential races. You remember this well -- Donald Trump won the state, 63 percent of the vote, Hillary Clinton under 35 percent.
Go back in time, Mitt Romney 61, President Obama 38. Even in 2008, the historic election of the first African-American president, John McCain wins with record African-American turnout, Barack Obama still at 39 percent.
So, that gives you a little bit of history of the challenge facing Doug Jones.
Now, let's come back to 2016 in that Shelby race and look at it, and let's remember this, tomorrow's not a presidential election, it is not even a regular Senate election. It's an off-year special election in the middle of December, turnout will be down. What does Doug Jones have to do?
Number one, this is using the Shelby map of 2016. He has to run it up in places where you have the Democratic base -- younger voters, college educated women, and especially African-Americans, Doug Jones needs skyrocketing African-American turnout above 25 percent of the electorate tomorrow. They have to come out in big numbers and they have to support him by even a bigger margin than they did Senator Shelby's opponent back in 2016. That is one key for Doug Jones. Just like we saw in Virginia last month, in the off-year election,
Democratic base turnout must be way up. Then, that even won't be enough. You expect Roy Moore like Richard Shelby in 2016 to win these small rural counties and win them big. Watch the percentages in these counties tomorrow tonight more importantly. Watch the numbers.
Will the Trump voters come out? Will all the evangelicals come out? Doug Jones needs a lot of them to stay home, he needs Democratic turnout to be up. He needs Republicans in the rural area turnout to be down.
And, Erin, even if that happens, it might not be enough. He still needs Moore to happen, and for that, let's look at the 2017 race. Let's go back to Alabama, and remember the runoff, we just had a short time ago between Roy Moore and Luther Strange.
Why is this significant? Look at where Luther Strange, even as he lost by 10 points, you see Birmingham, you see Huntsville, you see over here, who are those voters? More moderate traditional Republican voters including moderate Republican women. If Doug Jones is to pull this off tomorrow night, how does he do in Jefferson County? A lot of Democrats there, but how does he do in the suburbs of Birmingham?
And then we'll look at Shelby County. More Republican suburban voters. Can Doug Jones get people who voted for Luther Strange, Republicans not to stay home, but to come out and vote for him? That would be the key third part of it. Democratic turnout up, conservative rural turnout down, and Doug Jones must make end roads among moderate Republicans in the suburbs. Difficult map, Erin, not impossible, we'll count them tomorrow.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, John King.
And next, breaking news, the pipe bomb exploding in New York City, officials calling it a terror incident. We're now learning the suspect had a second device, and there's video of the explosion.
And on a much lighter note, President Trump reportedly drinks 12 Diet Cokes a day, and Jeanne Moos, of course, has the report on that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:52:17] BURNETT: Breaking news. Chilling details tonight emerging about at least one of the devices used in this morning's attempted terror attack here in New York. An official telling CNN the device had detonated contained nails and screws. In the surveillance video, you actually can see the 27-year-old from Bangladesh walking through, it's a crowded subway passage near Times Square. Seconds later, there's an explosion.
Five people were injured. It's a miracle this was not much, much more horrific. The alleged attacker burned but alive, and tonight, he is talking. Brynn Gingras is OUTFRONT. She's live on the scene there.
And, Brynn, let's start with the devises. What are they saying about? My understanding were two, but what they were intended to do, how serious they were?
BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Erin. We know there were at least two devices on this 27-year-old suspect. Of the one that detonated, we know it was a 12-inch-long pipe. It had black powder in it, it had a battery, it had wiring, it also had those nuts, bolts, and screws.
Had it gone off the way he had intended it to, it would have done some serious damage. I got a closer look at the video you were showing the viewers at the time it detonated. I talked to law enforcement sources. It just so happened, if you look at it closely, there's no one walking next to him at the time the bomb went off. And because of that, there weren't more serious injuries, only to the suspect himself, Erin.
BURNETT: Pretty miraculous when you think about it. And obviously, he did survive. So, but what is he saying? I understand he's talking.
GINGRAS: Yes, he's -- much of this is being learned from him, while he's in his hospital bed. Investigators are talking to him. And there's really two important things.
One of them is his motivation. He has told investigators from a source I have learned that his intentions were because of the recent Israeli actions happening in Gaza. And a second thing is he has pledged his allegiance to ISIS.
Now, the next thing investigators do, of course, is take this information and go with it. And see, does he have social media accounts connected with ISIS. Did he travel overseas? And, of course, one of the major things they are doing tonight is wanting to talk to family members, in particular, a brother who he most recently did some electrical work in this area of the port authority not long ago, to get more information of exactly what his intentions were.
BURNETT: All right. Brynn, thank you very much.
And next, a much lighter note. Jeanne Moos on Donald Trump's obsession with Diet Coke.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:57:58] BURNETT: President Trump has a big time habit of Diet Coke.
Here's Jeanne Moos.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Whether he sucks it up through a straw or drinks it straight out of the bottle, the presidential diet is afloat in Diet Coke.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Twelve Diet Cokes, right? MOOS: Twelve cans per day, according to "The New York Times." That
even followed him to Japan, where an attendant wearing white gloves waited with a tray bearing the beverage.
Some rallied in defense of drinking one dozen Diet Cokes a day. But we asked the nutritionist author of "Read It Before You Eat It" what 12 Diet Cokes daily could do to a body.
BONNIE TAUB-DIX, AUTHOR, "READ IT BEFORE YOU EAT IT": It fills you with bubbles. You get a lot of bloat. The enamel on your teeth. There's also caffeine. What else is it replacing? There's a good chance he's not drinking enough water.
MOOS: But think of all the exercise the president gets pushing the button on his desk so a butler brings him a Coke. The soda was at the center of a mini controversy back in the spring. Trump can't even bother to use a coaster at the resolute desk for his hourly Coca-Cola injection.
Hey, coasters are for wimps, not he men like the one the women ogled in that old commercial.
You can't say the president isn't self-aware. He once tweeted, I have never seen a thin person drinking Diet Coke.
After a few more pokes at Coke, he tweeted, I'll still keep drinking that garbage, but 12 a day?
TAUB-DIX: Maybe he should dilute every one of his diet sodas down with some sparkling water to try to wean himself off that habit.
MOOS: Or he could try this. President Trump has a little habit of rearranging things in front of him. Maybe he should just keep moving his coke farther and farther until it's out of reach.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BURNETT: And I notice how all the other ones were water, his was coke.
All right. Thanks for joining us.
"AC360" starts now.
