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Erin Burnett Outfront

New CNN Poll: Support For Biden Is Down 10 Points As Harris Moves Up Nine Points To Second Place; Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) Is Interviewed About The Role Of Ivanka Trump On The G20 Summit And Conversing With Foreign Leaders; Ivanka Trump's Role During Historic Trump Questioned; Viral Video Appears To Show Ivanka Trump Trying To Insert Herself In Conversation Between World Leaders; Dems Defend Sen. Kamala Harris After Trump Jr. Retweets, Then Deletes Post Questioning Her Race; Trump: Iran "Playing With Fire" By Breaching Nuke Deal; NYT Reports Admin. Eyeing Nuke Freeze With North Korea; Kamala Harris' Husband Defends Her Amid Racist Attack. Aired 7-8p ET

Aired July 01, 2019 - 19:00   ET

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

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: So sad indeed, very heartbreaking. Sara Sidner, with that report, we'll stay on top of the story. And to our viewers, thanks very much for watching. "ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: OUTFRONT next, Biden slipping. A brand new CNN poll shows the former vice president losing support as Kamala Harris vaults to second place. Is the frontrunner in trouble? Plus, the President says Iran is playing with fire. This as he cozies up to North Korea. Does he have a coherent strategy. And a CNN exclusive report, is taxpayer-funded security being misused for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his family. Let's go OUTFRONT.

Good evening, everyone. I'm Kate Bolduan in for Erin Burnett. OUTFRONT tonight, Biden takes a hit. CNN just out with a new poll, the first one conducted entirely after the big debates and it's revealing a big crack in the frontrunners' facade. First let's give you the numbers.

Biden still in the lead and for the first time in our polling, Kamala Harris is up there in second. Dig in a little deeper and you will see Biden's lead has narrowed though to just five points, that 22 percent is down 10 points from May and Harris who took on Biden at the democratic debate, we all remember, is surging, up nine points from May.

And while Harris is making significant strides with Democratic voters, she is behind Biden among one key segment of Democratic voters right now. African-American voters trailing him by 12 points in this poll when it comes to support there and this is despite Harris being seen as the top candidate to handle race relations right now. Biden on the other hand is leading on issues like the economy and the environment, but as our new survey also shows, it's still a real race folks.

A real race folks and the candidates are seeing an opening. Listen to Cory Booker. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CORY BOOKER (D-NJ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You have one destiny in this nation and ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

BOOKER: ... and right now the vice president to me is not doing a good job at bringing folks together. He's causing a lot of frustration and even pain with his words.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Jeff Zeleny is OUTFRONT live for us in Washington. Jeff, put it all in perspective for everyone. What are the candidates seeing here in these numbers?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORREPONDENT: Well, Kate, good evening. There's no question this race is resetting. All images of Joe Biden being the front-runner are now reshaping this summer. He is a fragile frontrunner at best here. The Biden campaign is aware of that. He has been talking about that on the campaign trail, saying, "Don't look at the polls. I know this is a long race here."

But the reality is the Biden campaign was not expecting this to happen quite this soon, but it was that debate performance in Miami last week that certainly open the door, if you will, to challenges to Joe Biden. Now, the question, Kate, is this, are others going to try and walk through that door as well?

Because there are openings for a variety of candidates, but there's no question that Senator Harris has benefited the most from. This but one thing is clear in the poll. The overriding six out of 10 Democrats, so 60 percent, a majority, they want to find someone who can beat Donald Trump, not someone who aligns with their issues perfectly so take a look at this number. This is one number the Biden campaign is actually seeing some positive hope in that 43 percent of respondents say that Biden is the person who has the best chance to beat Trump, Sanders 13, Harris 12, Warren 12.

So that is what the Biden campaign is holding on to. But Kate, this can change. This is a fluid race and this shows right now that Joe Biden does not have a lock on this race. He needs to show that he does to prove that he does, that's why I'm told he'll be campaigning more, be doing more interviews, more moments out there on the campaign trail and, of course, Kate, all leading up to the CNN debate at the end of this month that is critical for Joe Biden.

BOLDUAN: Yes. I mean, it's no joke now raising the stakes for that CNN debate again when we see - but the result of the last debate has provided. Great to see you, Jeff. Thanks, man.

ZELENY: Thank you.

BOLDUAN: OUTFRONT next, Mark Preston, CNN Senior Political Analyst, Jennifer Granholm, former Democratic Governor of Michigan and JA Moore. He's a Democratic state representative in South Carolina. He's endorsed Kamala Harris. It's great to see you guys.

OK, Mark, overall Biden dropped 10 points from May. How much of a problem is this moment for him?

MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, yes, when we look at these polls, when we look at this election, let's talk about moments in time because a lot of times people look at these polls and they say, "Well, this is going to be predictive of what happens in November 2020." Not necessarily true.

But Jeff Zeleny is absolutely right and this moment in time is not a good time for Vice President Biden, specifically because they didn't think it would come this quick on them to draw 10 points literally over three days and see the rise of Elizabeth Warren and see the rise of Kamala Harris by eight points and nine points respectively is really an amazing feat.

And a lot goes into that, of course, is that moment we saw on Thursday night, but let's not forget there's been a lot of talk about this being "the year of the Democratic woman" and that in itself has got to help with these poll numbers with Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren who had very solid debate performances, I might add.

[19:05:08] BOLDUAN: Yes. Look, and Biden's team may very well say, "Polls go up and down." As a lot of folks like to say when they're on a race, but we know that Kamala Harris is fundraising off of these polls now. Governor, you've worked with Biden on his debate prep, this poll was taken entirely after the debate. Do you think this is because of anything other than what happened on that debate stage what we're seeing in these numbers?

FORMER GOVERNOR JENNIFER GRANHOLM (D-MI): Well, I think it's clearly because Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren had a great performance. I do think that coming away from this, the lesson for all of these Democrats is that you can go in to a Democratic debate and you can punch. I think there were some people who were a little bit worried about doing that.

There were some punching going on. Obviously, Kamala Harris did it very strategically, very well, very empathetically and I think that you're going to see a lot more of that in the CNN debate because people have learned that you can do that without having a huge backlash on the part of Democratic voters. And I think some people were a little bit concerned about if they do punch people then the Democratic electorate will get mad.

But let me just say I think the one thing that comes out of this poll that's super interesting for those in that CNN debate is I think you're going to see some real attacks on the issue of health care for sure, because in that poll, you see a small, small number of Democrats, 31 percent only think that you should be able to take away people's health care in exchange for a government-run plan.

BOLDUAN: Private health insurance, right.

GRANHOLM: Right. Health insurance, right. And so even the Liberal Democrats, 36 percent only say you should replace health care with a government-run plan, your health insurance. That's super right for an attack. That's all I'm saying.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely. Do you also think this means Joe Biden is - I mean, Jeff Sally says he's going to be doing something different on the campaign trail. One would be doing more interviews, but do you think this also means strategy for the debate has to change for him too?

GRANHOLM: Yes. Oh, I think it's clear, right? I think that when he went into this debate and I'm not going to give away any strategy, of course, because that will (inaudible)], but everybody knew going in he would be the first person to say those numbers that were last month and the month before are not going to hold. It's just not realistic in this level of a field. This is a fluid thing and he's going to, I think, he'll say he'll fight for every single vote out there. But I do think that it enables all of these candidates to be able to come out swinging a little bit more.

BOLDUAN: Yes. We'll see what that means. Come to CNN debate. JA, Harris clearly got a big boost from the debate. I mean that seems to be kind of unanimous agreement on that. But this poll does show that Biden still has a big lead and big support among black voters. He has a 12-point lead there. Why do you think that is?

REP. JA MOORE (D-SC), ENDORSED KAMALA HARRIS: Well, here's what I believe, Senator Harris proves Thursday night that she is the only candidate that can take it to Donald Trump. And what you notice in this poll when it comes to African-American voters, as a lot of African-American voters are still getting to know Senator Harris.

And as they get to know her, the more you'll see those numbers change. And I give you a --

BOLDUAN: But why do you think that she's proven that she's the only one to take it to Donald Trump? Because as we're looking at the poll numbers, Joe Biden is still leading amongst Democrats and who can take on Donald Trump.

MOORE: Well, listen, this is one poll after one debate and I think what you will see as we do it at the CNN debate at the end of this month, you will continue to see those numbers reflect Senator Harris. And let me say this real quick, especially when it comes to African- American voters. After the debate, actually during the debate my aunt called me. My aunt Loretta (ph) called me and said that that little girl was also her when it comes to bussing.

She is from Edgefield, South Carolina and she was one of the first group of African-Americans to integrate strong Thurman high school. So what you'll start seeing as Senator Harris tells her story, it will - and connect it to policy, you will start seeing those numbers jump especially in the African-American community.

BOLDUAN: Governor, you touched on this in kind of - I think that my humble opinion is that I think that this reshaping of the race really just increases the stakes for the next debate. If we see what a debate can really do in terms of the standing of these candidates, I mean you have Biden, Harris, Warren and Sanders, they're all now within eight points of each other.

How does it really set up the stakes then for this next debate? I mean just to me it means everything, because maybe it's because the gloves really weren't off until this point on the campaign trail ...

GRANHOLM: Right. No, I think - totally true.

BOLDUAN: ... and we really for the first time sought on that stage.

[19:10:11] GRANHOLM: Right. You have to do it deftly though. Let me just say, I mean, that's why Senator Harris really did it very deftly because she did connect it with her own personal experience. You can't come across as mean, right? I mean, she said it hurt and that was that was a very personal moment. So you have to do it in the right way.

But, yes, I do think that the stakes are really high in such a fluid environment. They're really super high for the folks at the very bottom, because in September those folks are not going to be on the stage unless they come out. They have a breakout. So you're going to have seven candidates in September and you have a hell of a lot more right now. So it's going to be wild on the CNN debate, I think.

BOLDUAN: Yes, no kidding.

GRANHOLM: It really is going to worth watching for sure.

BOLDUAN: Mark, I am also --

GRANHOLM: Not to plug just CNN, but it is going to be worth watching.

BOLDUAN: But you can anytime you want. Thanks, Governor. Mark, I am fascinated by the electability question. This six in 10 Democrats saying that it's more important to have a nominee who can beat Trump versus one who's with them on the issues I would say. Biden's leaps and bounds ahead when it comes to that measure with 43 percent, saying he has the best chance of beating Trump. Then you've got Sanders.

But what does this actually tell the campaigns? How do the other campaigns attempt to chip away at that?

PRESTON: Well, so a couple of things, when you look at that number, what's striking about that number is the numbers behind the number. It shows that it's not just moderates and conservative Democrats who believe that, it's also liberals who not necessarily - might not be supportive of Vice President Biden.

But that number is not solid for him, meaning there is opportunity as you know and you're going to have to hear more policy proposal. You're going to have to hear more from these candidates talking about how they're going to try to get some things fixed, how to get some things done. I mean, here is the tough spot that all of these Democrats are in. They have to appear to it. They have to appeal to a liberal

electorate in order to win the primary. They have to appeal to everybody in order to win the general election. So we'll see how these candidates play it out over the coming months, but expect to hear more from the Democrats about nuts and bolts because that is what's going to get them there in the end.

BOLDUAN: Well, and to that point JA, on the issues, something else is also fasting when it comes to the issues. Biden is the top choice for who folks think can best handle the economy amongst the candidates. Harris is well behind on that. In fact among the top tier that we've talking about here, she's at the bottom really of the pack on all of the issues except on who can best handle race relations where she's leading. Why isn't she making an impact on the issues do you think?

MOORE: Well, once again I think what you have here is that it's still about people hearing her message. The former Vice President has been in public life for over 40 years. Senator Harris has come on the national scene probably four years ago. So the American people, especially here in South Carolina was still getting to know her.

But if you if you go through her policies and as you take a good look at her 3 am agenda, paying our teachers more here in South Carolina, we had over 10,000 teachers walk out on May the 1st of this year. When you talk about that $500 for middle class every month, middle- class families.

So once you really - when you talk about demanding that corporations pay, equal pay for women, when you talk about, if Congress won't act, her taking executive orders to do something about gun violence, people are still - this is an opportunity with the great performance she did on Thursday night with the debate for now for people to take a look at her policies.

And so you'll start seeing those numbers of confidence grow. This is along election cycle. We're still over 200 days away from the first vote. So we have a long way to go.

BOLDUAN: But who is counting, all right, JA, I'm going to hold you to that. We'll see when folks start seeing more policies if those numbers jump. Much more to come. Thanks to you guys. I really appreciate it.

OUTFRONT for us next, Ivanka Trump under new scrutiny for trying to act like a shadow secretary overseas and getting this look for nudging her way into a conversation with world leaders. Plus, President Trump leveling a new threat against Iran as Tehran steps up its nuclear program.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They know what they're doing. They know what they are playing. I think they're playing with fire.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BOLDUAN: And the man by Kamala Harris' side taking on a more public

role in the campaign from helping out voters to taking on protesters. Who is Kamala Harris' husband?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:18:18] BOLDUAN: Tonight, Ivanka Trump, is she a daughter, an advisor or a diplomat? She was front and center throughout Trump's trip abroad. Ivanka taking on a task usually doled out to National Security staffers, giving a video readout of a trilateral meeting between President Trump and the prime ministers of India and Japan, that's just one example.

And as National Security officials back in Washington debated whether she was playing an oversized role, there was this moment where Ivanka literally blocked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo trying to find his way into a photo op with South Korea's delegation when he tapped her on the shoulder. She did move out of the way. Perhaps getting the most attention though tonight is the French government releasing a video of Ivanka trying to edge into a conversation with world leaders, watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CROSSTALK)

THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: As soon as you charge them with that economic aspect of it though ...

IVANKA TRUMP, PRESIDENT TRUMP'S DAUGHTER: Yes.

MAY: ... a lot of people start listening who wouldn't otherwise listen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

I TRUMP: They'll start listening. And the same with the defense side of it, in terms of the whole sort of business that's been very male- dominated. So --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: OUTFRONT now, Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu of California. Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Congressman, thanks for being here.

REP. TED LIEU (D-CA): Thank you, Kate.

BOLDUAN: So with that video, you've seen it, context is always key and we don't have much of context from what the French government released. But it surely did feel really awkward. You have been a vocal critic of Ivanka and Jared Kushner working at the White House. What do you make of this?

LIEU: Thank you, Kate, for your question. The French government knew exactly what the videotape looked like and they chose to release it and I find that very interesting. I don't know why Ivanka Trump was at the G20. Like many Americans, it was not clear to us what she was doing.

[19:20:02] She has very little foreign policy or diplomatic experience. It does send a message to the rest of the world that America doesn't seem to take the G20 all that seriously when this happens.

BOLDUAN: Oh, you think that's what it is? I mean she's a senior adviser to the President. If you think she is his closest adviser, one of his closest adviser, why not have them there, do you see that argument because that's what the White House is saying.

LIEU: So the reason we have nepotism laws in America is we think it's not a good idea for you to have your children as your closest advisors, especially when you're President of the United States. You should actually have people who have foreign policy experience, who have experience in diplomacy. Again, it's not clear what experience Ivanka Trump brought to this other than being the daughter of American President.

BOLDUAN: Few Americans have set foot inside North Korea. The President made history this weekend doing that, we know. Ivanka Trump also went into North Korea. She was seen entering this blue building as you see with Jared Kushner where you then can cross into North Korea away from cameras.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo throughout the visit remains largely in the background and it reminded me how Rex Tillerson has a recent complain that Jared Kushner boxed him out on key issues, I think even including North Korea. Do you think the same thing is happening now with Mike Pompeo?

LIEU: It could be and what's troubling is that at least secretary Pompeo was confirmed by United States Senate. Here again you have people, Ivanka and Jared, with very little foreign policy or diplomat experience, not confirmed by U.S. Senate, who are taking these roles and position and really edging out people who do have either experienced or have a confirmation by the Senate, so I think this is, again, not a good way to run American foreign policy.

And on the issue of North Korea, it's a really big deal for the American President to step into North Korean soil and the United States got exactly nothing for that.

BOLDUAN: If you are concern kind of the role of secretary or lack thereof of Mike Pompeo and of Ivanka Trump, you do sit on Foreign Affairs, is there something that you want the committee, you want the Congress to do about it?

LIEU: Yes. The first we want to know is what kind of strategy does the Trump administration have for a variety of conflicts including North Korea, including Iran. As of this moment, the American people have no idea, for example, what the administration has in terms of Iran, what they want Iran to do. So that's why today I led a letter with Congress members Spanberger, Malinowski, Houlahan asking very basic questions of the president such as what are your goals for Iran and how do your current policies get us to those goals? We don't even have these very basic answers.

BOLDUAN: Ivanka Trump isn't the only Trump child in the news today, Don Jr. is facing big backlash for retweeting a racist posting, questioning Kamala Harris' race. I mean basically saying that she's not a black American because her parents come from Jamaica and India. You have endorsed, you were the early endorser and backer of Kamala Harris. The campaign's response to this is basically they say racist attacks like this didn't work against Barack Obama and in their view they say, quote, it won't work now. What do you say?

LIEU: Donald Trump uses race to attack people. It is no surprise that his son would also use race to attack people. What this also shows is that the Trump campaign is very scared of Kamala Harris. She's relentless campaigner and a fighter. I've known her for many years. I'm glad the rest of America is finally seeing who she is. She is smart, tough and we saw she's presidential, she's going to be our next president.

BOLDUAN: We will test that theory because we've got many, many more months to go in this campaign. We will see. Congressman, thank you for coming out. I appreciate your time.

LIEU: Thank you, Kate.

BOLDUAN: OUTFRONT for us next, President Trump's plans for July 4th. We now know it includes tanks, why? What is the point? Plus, a CNN exclusive, an investigation is now underway into whether security paid for by taxpayers is being misused for the Secretary of State and his family.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:27:59] BOLDUAN: Breaking news, they're playing with fire. That is President Trump's reaction to the announcement Iran violated the 2015 nuclear deal for the first time by surpassing the limit for stockpiles of enriched uranium. A deal, keep in mind, of course, president Trump pulled the United States out of a year ago. Here was the President's reaction tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They know what they're doing. They know what they're playing with and I think they're playing with fire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: This as "The New York Times" report the Trump administration is considering a nuclear freeze as an option with North Korea, which would mean tacitly accepting the country as a nuclear power instead of the complete denuclearization President Trump has repeatedly demanded. Kaitlan Collins is OUTFRONT of the White House for us tonight. She's joining me now.

Kaitlan, it's a stark contrast in tone when you hear the President's tone towards Iran right there versus North Korea.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: And seeing where the president crossed into North Korea for the first time as a sitting president, what a very different tone that you see from the President. And so the question going forward here if this is the strategy the President is going to pursue and he does allow North Korea to remain this nuclear power, would an agreement with North Korea look like the Iran nuclear deal which, of course, the President pulled out of. He said it was disastrous and so the question is how would he navigate that.

Of course, the president says his impromptu trip to North Korea stepping over that line and then of course meeting with Kim Jong-un for nearly 50 minutes has reignited these talks that we know had largely stalled since they sat down together in Hanoi. But the question is are those talks going to look different if this is something that's on the table now, because, of course, in the last 20 or so months, you've seen the President take a very hard line against North Korea at times. Even his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is setting a deadline of January 2021 for North Korea to denuclearize.

BOLDUAN: All right.

[19:29:50] COLLINS: Right. So the strategy here would be completely different if this is the Avenue they're going to pursue. Now, of course, we're already seeing some division in the administration over whether or not this is what they're going to take going forward, especially coming from John Bolton, the National Security Adviser reacting to this "New York Times" report and saying he read it with curiosity, saying that neither he or anyone on his staff has discussed a nuclear freeze with North Korea and saying that he feels someone is trying to box President Trump in here, Kate.

[19:30:06] And, of course, if the president is being boxed in, it may seem that John Bolton is being boxed out here, because he was present for the president's trip to the demilitarized zone, that's because aides say he's already on a flight to Mongolia. But it's pretty striking to have not even the national security adviser present for talks as serious as this.

BOLDUAN: Yes. It seems like there are a lot of boxing going on. That's my only conclusion tonight.

Great to see you, Kaitlan. Thanks so much.

OUTFRONT with me now, former director of national intelligence under President Obama, retired lieutenant general in the U.S. Air Force, James Clapper.

General, it's always great to see you.

JAMES CLAPPER, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Great to see you, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Thanks for being here.

When it comes to Iran, let's start there, you're not surprised that they have taken this step by kind of the most major way kind of blowing through the deal that was set in 2015. Was it only a matter of time in your mind after the president pulled the U.S. out of the deal that they would be doing something like this?

CLAPPER: Well, first, Kate, it's hard to ignore the irony of President Trump decrying, complaining about the Iranians exceeding the threshold established in the agreement of the Obama administration which the president has roundly criticized. And I frankly am surprised that the Iranians went this long after he got out --

BOLDUAN: Oh, really?

CLAPPER: -- by continuing to comply with the provisions of the agreement.

Now, what they're doing, just to put it in context, the limit that was established 300 kilograms of low enriched uranium and they are about to exceed that amount. It takes 90 percent for weapons grade. So they are a ways away from that. This is I think most symbolically an important threshold that they are going to break.

BOLDUAN: Looking at the prospect of a nuclear Iran and a nuclear North Korea, which one poses a bigger risk?

CLAPPER: Well, I actually think Iran is the greater threat because they have a lot more tools available to them to cause mischief, not only in the region, but elsewhere in the world. So they have proxies, Hezbollah and Lebanon, for example, or Houthis in Yemen. And they have their IRGC, the special forces, Quds force, and all of this. And they can start up problems and trouble elsewhere in the world, in Eastern Europe or Southeast Asia and other places.

So, they have more reach. They are a much larger country and have more resources than does North Korea which has one thing going for it which is nuclear weapons.

BOLDUAN: Let's talk about North Korea. On the most -- I don't know if this is the basic level, but I'm going to go with it. On the most basic level, President Trump has always said that complete, verifiable denuclearization is the only outcome that is acceptable.

For our viewers, here are just a few examples of him saying this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We actually signed a very good agreement. It said no -- denuclearization, you know, and we're going to have -- that we're going to have a complete denuke.

Number one statement, we will immediately begin total denuclearization of North Korea. Nobody thought that would be possible.

Sentence one says a total denuclearization of North Korea. That's what it says.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BOLDUAN: So then how big of a turn around is this now if he is open to just a freeze in production?

CLAPPER: Well, it's a significant turn or change if, in fact, that's the case, if they are considering it.

BOLDUAN: Right.

CLAPPER: It's not just this administration. Prior administrations have basically followed the same policy, telling the North Koreans you must denuclearize.

I tell you my own experience, Kate, when I was there, and, you know, the first White House talking point I was issued to recite was you must denuclearize before you'll talk to them. Well, I was there for about five minutes and deduced that is a nonstarter.

For the North Koreans, this is their ticket to survival. And they are not going to easily give up their nuclear capabilities. So, I think the notion -- I said this many months ago, the notion of capping what they have now as at least a start point -- you know, lots of folks in this town are uncomfortable with the fact that the likes of India and Pakistan have nuclear weapons.

Well, the reality is they have them and have been responsible with them. So, perhaps the same approach can be taken with North Korea which de facto is already a member of the nuclear club and have been for some time.

BURNETT: Yes.

CLAPPER: So, what they want is de jure recognition that they are also a nuclear power. I think if denuclearization is ever to occur, it's going to take a very long time.

[19:35:04] And the path to it is going to start in Seoul, not necessarily in Washington.

BOLDUAN: Let's see if any real steps are taken towards that as we are discussing here. General, thanks for being here.

CLAPPER: Thanks, Kate.

BOLDUAN: OUTFRONT for us next, a CNN exclusive, a whistleblower accusing the State Department of misusing taxpayer funded security for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his family. Why he's calling it Uber Eats with guns.

Plus, Kamala Harris's husband making a name for himself on the campaign trail.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOUG EMHOFF, SEN. KAMALA HARRIS'S HUSBAND: I'm married to the next president of the United States!

(CHEERS)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Who is Douglas Emhoff?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: Tonight, Uber Eats with guns. That is what one whistleblower is describing -- how one whistleblower is describing the way diplomatic security agents are being used.

CNN has exclusively learned that an investigation has now begun into whether taxpayer-funded security is being improperly used for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his family.

Michelle Kosinski is OUTFRONT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN SENIOR DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Democrats are looking into whistleblower allegations that the State Department's diplomatic security service is at times running errands for the secretary of state, in one instance picking up Chinese food for Mike Pompeo when he was not in the car, according to congressional investigators.

[19:40:01] The whistleblower said lead to complaints the security team was treated like, quote, Uber Eats with guns. Another time picking up the Pompeo dog from the groomer.

The secretary has discussed his fondness for the pets during congressional testimony.

MIKE POMPEO, SECRETARY OF STATE: I have a soft spot for my golden retrievers.

KOSINSKI: And according to a document provided to the community and shown to CNN, agents were told to pick up Pompeo's adult son at Washington's Union Station.

According to DS protocol, the secretary should be in the car during these trips and DS should be doing them only if there were a threat that would necessitate it. The State Department did not deny that the trips took place, but DS special agent in charge insisted at no point during my service did he or any member of his family ask me or any member of my team to act in a way that would be inconsistent with our professional obligation to protect the secretary.

It's not clear whether these alleged tasks were initiated by Pompeo himself or someone on his staff without his knowledge, but the whistleblower told congressional investigators that there is a culture right now at DS to try to please Pompeo and not make him angry.

ADM. JOHN KIRBY (RET.), FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: These are not the people that go around complaining. They do their jobs and they do them proudly and they do them quietly. And so that you had somebody who felt so strongly about this, that they decided to go to Congress. I think that has to be taken seriously.

KOSINSKI: Congressional investigators are also seeking to understand why Pompeo's wife Susan has her own security detail. This is unusual according to a former DS official who said if security was granted to a secretary's spouse in the past, it was just for short periods of time and only after a threat assessment for that person was done within an intelligence division of diplomatic security.

The whistleblower told congressional investigators that multiple agents understood that the normal procedure was not followed, and that they were warned not to use her call sign which is "Shocker" over the radios because they, quote, know it's not kosher, something the State Department spokesperson calls absolutely and definitively not true.

The spokesperson tells CNN only that an initial threat assessment was done for Susan Pompeo in July 2018. A special agent in charge defended the assignment: Today, the security threats against Secretary Pompeo and his family are unfortunately very real. The Diplomatic Security Service is proud to protect the Pompeo family from those who would harm the secretary of state and the United States.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOSINSKI: So, in addition to this whistleblower saying multiple people within diplomatic security feel like the long standing procedures were not followed in granting Susan Pompeo her security detail, we know there have been questions within the State Department about her role there, for example that she was chairing meetings at State about logistics ahead of a recent trip and that rubbed some people the wrong way, including some senior officials. And now, a second whistleblower has come forward to the same congressional investigators, somebody from the executive floor of the State Department saying staffers were told to keep discussion involving Susan Pompeo out of official e-mails as to keep it out of the official record -- Kate.

POMPEO: Interesting. Michelle, thanks so much.

OUTFRONT for us next, Richard Painter OUTFRONT with me now, sorry, Richard Painter who served as White House ethics lawyer under George W. Bush.

I was going to tease you, but you are right here, Richard. Great to see you.

What is your reaction to this reporting?

RICHARD PAINTER, FORMER WHITE HOUSE ETHICS LAWYER FOR PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Well, this is the first time I have heard of the United States government providing an armed escort for a dog coming home from the groomer. Well, they might as well go in for this and give the dog a full motorcade back to the secretary's house, I guess.

This is just what we have seen more and more of in this administration, whether it is Secretary Pruitt over at the Environmental Protection Agency, the administrator there who had tactical pants and James Bond phone booth, or the secretary of interior flying around at public expense, and the treasury secretary going on his honeymoon on the aircraft paid for by the taxpayer. It goes on and on, and they're not going to stop in this administration.

It's illegal. They know it, but they don't have to stop because the president won't fire them. He won't enforce the law.

BURNETT: Is -- do you think that's really what it is? Because as you know, I mean, Mike Pompeo if this reporting bears out is not the first official to be accused of misusing government funds. You listed out some. There is even more.

What does it say that there are so many accusations against members of the president's cabinet? So many different cabinet members, so many different -- some of them leave and some of them are still there. It just keeps happening. I mean, I would, in my mind, I think, they have learned from the mistakes of those who have gone before them.

PAINTER: If I listed every official this administration has misused government funds, I would take up your show and the next show after it. It goes on and on, and the message is clear from the top, from Donald Trump.

[19:45:03] You don't have to follow the rules. He's not complying with the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. He is not complying with a lot of the rules.

Kellyanne Conway is allowed to violate the Hatch Act over and over again. They get a letter from the Office of Special Counsel and they put it in the trash basket. They get a subpoena from the United States House of Representatives. They put that in the trash basket and show the middle finger of the United States Congress.

This is not going to stop until the House impeaches the president. It's going throughout the administration. And this is a very small thing compared to what else is going on in this administration.

BOLDUAN: Yes. Well, more to come is what I guess I should fear.

Thank you so much for being here. Appreciate your time.

OUTFRONT for us next, Kamala Harris's husband, a fixture on the campaign trail and now getting more attention. Who is Doug Emhoff?

Plus, Jeanne Moos on the crooner who is not in Trump's cabinet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Mike Bolton. Mike Bolton as you know is in Russia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: Tonight, the fight for 2020. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris's husband, Douglas Emhoff, jumping to her defense amid the racist attacks following her debate performance.

[19:50:05] He also leapt into action this weekend when a supporter felt faint at a fundraiser. Here's just like a couple of examples of his growing presence on the campaign trail.

Kyung Lah is OUTFRONT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He's her plus one. Douglas Emhoff, husband to Kamala Harris, the supporting member in her presidential campaign, often standing in the back of the room as she takes the stage or appears on television.

When Donald Trump Jr. retweeted a post, which is a racist lie, saying she is not a black American because her parents immigrated from Jamaica and India, support from fellow 2020 Democrats flooded in.

Emhoff tweeted his thanks for their defense of his wife, calling out this crap for what it is.

EMHOFF: I'm married to the next president of the United States!

(CHEERS)

JIMMY KIMMEL, COMEDIAN: I don't know if we're ready for a first lady named Doug.

(LAUGHTER)

KIMMEL: Doug, huh?

SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He's the most fully actualized person you'll ever meet.

LAH: And unafraid to tweet his dad moves. Or share his affection for his wife of five years.

HARRIS: You know, I waited to get married, and I think that one should marry somebody who will be your best friend and with whom you can laugh and be comfortable and that's -- and that's who he is.

PROF. BARBARA PERRY, PRESIDENTIAL STUDIES DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: When I look at them, I see America. I see a biracial marriage. I see a blended family.

LAH: He's a powerful presence, says Barbara Perry, not just for who he is but for his unexpected action on the trail.

When a woman fainted at a Harris fundraiser this weekend, Emhoff jumped to help carry her away. And when a protester got this close to Harris' last month, the female moderator stepped in between and one of the three men to drag him away was Emhoff. The look on his face unmistakable.

Twitter bestowed Emhoff, an entertainment lawyer, with his own hashtag, #DougHive.

PERRY: A lot of Americans like to see that, that he was protecting her, he had her interest at her. He will help to humanize her and kind of soften that image, which will be important for her in the public domain.

EMHOFF: It's the little moments I get to see when nobody else is around.

LAH: The Harris campaign is just beginning to deploy Mr. Kamala Harris to his own public events and fundraisers. He's a millionaire elevating Harris' public servant salary into the 1 percent. As Harris' poll numbers tick higher, Emhoff may be a growing force in her race for 2020.

HARRIS: The thing that I love about my husband Doug, he has a great sense of humor. He is who he is. He's not pretending to be anything he's not.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAH: Now, the Harris campaign says Emhoff will continue to tiptoe on the stage. And when he ask how often he's going to be deployed, they say, you know, we're still trying to introduce Kamala Harris to national voters, and when he has burst into the campaign zeitgeist, like that protest with the man bun guy, they say that happened by accident and he did all of that by instinct.

BOLDUAN: The man bun guy. Interesting, Kyung. Interesting look. Thanks so much.

LAH: You bet.

BOLDUAN: OUTFRONT for us next, Jeanne Moos on the president apparently having a tough time distinguishing between his national security adviser and the other Bolton, the one with golden pipes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:57:55] BOLDUAN: John Bolton, meet Michael Bolton. But in the eyes of President Trump, are they somehow one and the same?

Here's Jeanne Moos.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When national security advisor John Bolton sat there and heard President Trump call him.

TRUMP: Mike Bolton.

MOOS: Maybe John felt like Michael.

(MUSIC)

MOOS: Even if a president did correct his mistake immediately.

TRUMP: Mike Bolton, John Bolton is here.

MOOS: It's happened too many times. There was "The New York Times" article that said sometimes with aides, the president refers to him as Mike Bolton.

And then there was a time when the president sent Bolton on a mission.

TRUMP: Mike Bolton, as you know, is in Russia.

MOOS: Discussing nuclear issues no less, not bad for a love song crooner.

(MUSIC)

MOOS: The president lived without John Bolton, crossing into North Korea and meeting Kim Jong-un while Bolton was off on a diplomatic mission to Mongolia.

Read one tweet, how many times can Trump call John Bolton Mike Bolton before he quits?

But don't take it personally, Mike, John, whatever. The president was trying to honor Apple CEO Tim Cook when he said --

TRUMP: We appreciate it very much Tim Apple.

MOOS: And meant no disrespect.

MARILLYN HEWSON, CEO, LOCKHEED MARTIN: Mr. President, Marillyn Hewson of Lockheed Martin.

MOOS: When he called this CEO --

TRUMP: Marillyn Lockheed.

MOOS: And even he talks about not making mistakes.

TRUMP: We all make mistakes. Go ahead, Ken.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jack (INAUDIBLE)

MOOS: Come again.

TRUMP: We all make mistakes. Go ahead, Ken.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jack (INAUDIBLE)

MOOS: The president even misspelled his wife's Melania's name in a welcome home tweet.

So, don't let Mike get you down, John.

(on camera): There was one occasion when Michael Bolton sang things that John Bolton said. (voice-over): The late show had Michael perform alarming John Bolton

quotes to make them seem less scary.

MICHAEL BOLTON, SINGER: But a strike can still succeed --

MOOS: Maybe that's what confused the president, Michael wearing John's mustache.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BOLDUAN: Thanks so much for joining us.

"AC360" starts now.