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Buttigieg Releases Spanish Language Ad in Nevada; Democrats Appeal to Latino Voters Ahead of Nevada Caucuses; Buttigieg, Sanders, Spar Over Health Care and Union Support; Biden Defends Buttigieg After Attacks from Limbaugh; 2020 Candidates Fundraising Ahead of Nevada, SC Contests; Soon: Senate Votes on Reining in Trump's War Powers. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired February 13, 2020 - 12:30   ET

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

[12:30:00]

JOHN KING, CNN HOST: -- in New Hampshire. Let's take a look, this is from the general election, November 2016 exit polls who voted in the race. You see 62 percent white but 18 percent Latinos. Nine percent of the population of Nevada who voted in 2016 were black, six percent Asian, four percent other non-white voters. So A much more diverse electorate than we've had so far in Iowa and New Hampshire.

In the Democratic caucus back in 2016, again, 40 percent of the electorate was non-white. The biggest chunk is Latinos, but also a sizable chunk of African-Americans, Asian, and other non-white voters. The candidates now have to appeal to those constituencies. Four years ago, in the Democratic race, Senator Sanders had the edge over Secretary Clinton in that contest. And he goes in now hoping, Senator Sanders does that that loyalty remains and that he can win Nevada after winning New Hampshire.

But the competition is fierce. Again, nine more days to fight it out, including a new Spanish language ad from Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(Foreign Language)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: He also speaks Arabic and Norwegian, but he went to -- he went with this ad. It's smart, if you can speak the language, especially when everyone else is saying, you have no relationship in our community, you don't have high visibility in our community. Sanders is obviously a household name because he ran four years ago and he's been on the national stage. That is one of the defining questions for Buttigieg, for Klobuchar, can you prove yourself in communities of color and Nevada is your first chance.

AYESHA RASCOE, WHITE HOUSE REPORTER, NPR: Yes. I mean, this is their first time to show and prove -- to show that they can actually -- that what happened, especially for Buttigieg and for Klobuchar, but to show that what happened in Iowa and New Hampshire, it means something. That this is giving them momentum that people are going to look at them and say, you can win and I will, you know, put my support behind you. I don't know how that actually ends up working out, but it's time for them to actually show that I could have a path. And if they can't show it in Nevada and if they can't show it in South Carolina, then -- when do you show it.

JULIE PACE, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: And this is the point that the Biden campaign makes, which is that you can't be the Democratic nominee nor should you be, they argue, if you can't have a good chunk of support from both black voters and Hispanic voters because of how important they are to Democrats in a general election. I think one of the reasons though you're seeing some of these other candidates, you know, stay in the race is that it's really unclear where Biden's standing is going to be. I mean, that to me is just one of the huge questions right now.

Can he go into South Carolina and emerge like the strong candidate with black voters like he has looked for the past year? Or can some of these other candidates make up ground? And I think Bernie Sanders -- you know, one thing you have to give Bernie Sanders credit for is he looked at his 2016 loss to Hillary Clinton and he learned some lessons from it. And he has spent a lot of time over the past four years because he's essentially been running for the past four years, trying to build relationships with black voters that he didn't have last time, trying to build on the relationships with black -- with Hispanic voters that we saw in the Nevada caucuses in 2016.

KING: Right. That's true. He has been doing this for four years and they found out it very smart. He is underestimated way too often about his persistence and his resilience in learning lessons. Some people view him as a moderate, the highway guy. He learns lessons and he does it -- he's a smart politician.

One of the things that happens, we just talked about this about Mayor Bloomberg and about former Vice President Biden, you're running in a campaign, especially if you start to get momentum, as Amy Klobuchar has coming out of New Hampshire, people start looking at your record. Lo and behold, back in 2006, now as she tries to court Latino voters, she voted for a fence along the border.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I do no believe that we need more resources at the border and that that includes a fence. What we have now, we have people waiting to come in legally. Thousands of people waiting to come in legally to this country, and we have people coming in illegally. That's not right. We need to get order at the border.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now again, again, these things come up and people say, aha, right. Let's just rewind the tape and go back in context to the times. She can defend her vote, she's going to have to defend her vote. Any vote anybody casts, any position you take is fair game in politics. At the time, the border fence act passed the house, 283-138, passed the Senate 80-19. Senator Biden, Senator Clinton, Senator Obama, and Senator Schumer among those voting "yes". So it was in vogue at the time, and now, of course, it's in outrage. That's the way politics works.

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it is. And the question is, will voters even hear about this? I mean, maybe they will at the debate next week. But I mean, we always have to be careful that we're talking about things and our voters are even hearing about it. Will it matter in that sense?

For Amy Klobuchar, I do think one of her challenges is that unlike the other candidates and particularly Pete Buttigieg, who is in a similar position with non-white voters, she does not have a whole lot of infrastructure on the ground to counteract the broad messages that people are hearing on television, whether it's through ads or on the debate stage. And so she's a lot more vulnerable to messages like that getting through to voters, if they do get through. And she doesn't have a huge campaign behind her to give them another option.

[12:35:03]

And I do think that she has -- and you'll hear this from all the other campaigns, they're very eager to get to this point because they know that she hasn't been scrutinized. She has not been treated like a frontrunner, and she's going to get that treatment starting Wednesday morning. And it's going to be really tough for her.

She did a lot of things a lot of senators did over the years that were perfectly normal and probably not unusual. But now, in this Democratic Party, some of those things are going to become problematic.

KING: Yes. She's a candidate for Senate there. It was just a big issue in the day. And that's why I mentioned the votes that happened in the Senate.

Another big issue in Nevada not just Latino votes, a lot of Latino voters are part of the unions, especially in Vegas, the culinary union is the strongest union in Vegas. If you look at the numbers here just to set them up, 28 percent, 28 percent union households voted in the 2016 caucuses. They went for Secretary Clinton over Bernie Sanders which is why he's trying to make inroads again. As you said lessons learned. He goes back in.

The culinary union came out on New Hampshire night with a pretty sharp memo saying, Medicare for All, Bernie Sanders' position, would take away the healthcare plans that the unions have negotiated with their employers. This has become a huge fighting point. Mayor Buttigieg trying to jump in and take votes away. Senator Sanders says wait a minute.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE BUTTIGIEG (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When you're in Nevada, you talk to a lot of folks including workers in organizations like the Culinary Workers Union and other labor organizations that have fought hard for good healthcare plans. And Senator Sanders' message that he's going to erase those plans and replace them with a single government plan for everybody is going to be, I think, a very tough sell.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The truth is, I have far more union support, to the best of my knowledge, than Mr. Buttigieg does.

Many of the unions are supportive of Medicare for All because it is comprehensive healthcare.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: This is going to be -- this has been a defining issue since day one. The Nevada, especially because of the prominence of the union in Vegas, this is going to be a big test of who's right here.

KAROUN DEMIRJIAN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: It is going to be a big test, and it's a big messaging test too for the various candidates. I mean, look, it's funny, you were talking about immigration a second ago because Sanders voted against an immigration bill in 2007 because of labor unions, and these things are never purely siloed by themselves.

I mean, the dirty secret of all of this is that, is a Medicare for All bill going to be able to easily get through Congress? Probably not. Which means that the labor unions' healthcare plans will be just fine as they are for a while until we get there. But, how can you still deliver your message to the people with kind of like the grain of salt that has to come along with the realism of how much a president can do on this front and how can you spin that argument? This is going to be a test of how well they'll be able to verbalize the pitch without the fear that comes behind it.

KING: That's why we got nine days. Nevada is going to be a lot of fun.

Coming up for us, Joe Biden defends rival Pete Buttigieg amid anti-gay attacks from the right.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:42:16]

KING: 2020 presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg getting some backup today from one of his Democratic rivals. This after conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh attacked Buttigieg. Listen.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

RUSH LIMBAUGH, HOST, THE RUSH LIMBAUGH SHOW: They're sitting there and they're looking at Mayor Pete, 37-year-old gay guy, mayor of South Bend, loves to kiss his husband on the debate stage. There may be some Democrats who think, that's exactly what we need to do, Rush, get a gay guy kissing his husband on stage, either ram it down Trump's throat and beat him in the general election. Really? Having fun envisioning that.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

KING: Today on The View, Joe Biden condemning those comments and standing up for Mayor Buttigieg.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN (D-DE), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My God.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I know.

BIDEN: I mean --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pathetic.

BIDEN: But, no, it is part of the depravity of this administration. I mean, the idea that, you know, Pete and I are competitors, but this guy has honor, he has courage, he's smart as hell.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: I guess, not to be surprised by this but it's reckless, it's homophobia, and it's from a guy who has a following, who just got a medal from the president.

RASCOE: Just got a medal -- during the state of union, he got a medal. And I mean -- but they -- when he got that medal, we all knew that this was the type of language that Rush Limbaugh engages in and that he would continue to engage in that type of language. And the thing for this administration and for the president is I don't think that anyone thinks that President Trump is really going to stand up to any of his followers who engage in homophobia or racism or anything else. And that he won't make these kind of comments or kind of go there and say -- and try to make fun of Pete Buttigieg or anybody else for things like that. I mean, that is what the president has done over and over.

KING: And Mayor Buttigieg has already made history. I mean, we don't know where his campaign is going to go but, you know, a strong showing in Iowa, strong showing in New Hampshire. More delegates out of Iowa -- he won the Iowa caucuses. For an openly gay candidate for president, that's a huge deal, and I guess maybe it's inevitable that the other side out of fear or whatever has to attack.

PHILLIP: I think that the one thing about this Rush Limbaugh thing is that that is actually a window into how this is going to go. I mean, people -- it's awful and it's terrible but this is the way it's going to be and everyone should get ready for that if Buttigieg does end up winning this thing.

KING: OK.

Coming up, candidates try to cash in before Nevada and South Carolina.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:49:21] KING: Money tends to follow momentum in politics. And we see clear proof of that after the New Hampshire vote, Tuesday. The Pete Buttigieg campaign says its strong showing is helping fundraising. And that enables him to ramp-up in Super Tuesday states, hiring staff and so on.

Elizabeth Warren has struggled so far in both Iowa and New Hampshire. So her campaign now canceling some of its ad buys in South Carolina and Nevada. And listen here in a message to supporters, Senator Warren says, I need help.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But I need to level with you. Our movement needs critical funds so I can remain competitive in this race through Super Tuesday.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: It is an interesting moment because you go sort of slowly, Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina, but then, boom! Fourteen states plus American Samoa in Super Tuesday.

[12:50:05]

A bunch more, the Tuesday after that. A bunch more, the Tuesday after that.

You need money, and if you're struggling, even if you have a great name like Senator Warren among liberals, the money tends to pause.

PACE: Absolutely. And there are sort of two dilemmas for candidates right now. If you're a candidate like Senator Warren, you actually have an operation in some of these Super Tuesday states. She had the money early on to start building ahead but that's expensive. You got people on the ground, you got offices, you got people who need to start ramping up their get out the vote efforts. Does she have the money to keep that open through Super Tuesday?

On the other side, you've got a candidate like Amy Klobuchar, and we mentioned this earlier, who doesn't have an operation in those states and she needs the money to start building it out really quickly. But once you get to Super Tuesday, this moves fast, and it's a delegate game. And if you fall behind on Super Tuesday, it is really hard to catch up. And that's why that day is just so critical.

KING: Critical for the ones already competing and critical when you just think of Bloomberg in the rear -- you have this guy with his own -- writes his own checks, who's on the -- in those states, he's on the ballot.

PHILLIP: And it's tough for Warren because she also now is foregoing traditional fundraisers so she's relying on grassroots fundraisers. And months ago, you know, other campaigns were kind of envious of her decision to do that because it creates a sense of urgency among your supporters and helps you raise money. But at times like this, it's very easy for the narrative to shift right underneath you, and then your own supporters start to think that you're kind of dead in the water.

She's trying to counteract that by saying, we still have a chance, but it's very, very risky. And all it takes is just a couple of slow days and then you really fall behind and you can't catch up.

KING: And just listen, you mentioned Klobuchar. I saw her in New Hampshire, she said she had raised some money quickly, after her Friday night debate which helped her very much there. And here she is last night saying, it's coming in, still.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We can do this. We are running ads all over the place in Nevada, in part because, while I didn't have the biggest bank account on that stage, and certainly not in this race, but since that debate we raised $3 million online from regular people. And then yesterday in New Hampshire, we raised $2.5 million in one day. And that's been an issue for me. I know that.

And so I only ran $1.5 million of ads in that New Hampshire market. But now, I'm going to be in a better place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: She hopes. She is in a better place, now, after the debate, after a strong third place in New Hampshire. But for a candidate like that who needs a slingshot, she has to do something. If you don't perform again in Nevada, if you don't keep performing, it will end pretty quickly.

DEMIRJIAN: Yes. She's going to state to state at this point. And you can see the fact that she's like, oh I'm focusing now, you know, I have the new money into Nevada. It's like, well, yes, Nevada is still not a Super Tuesday state, it's not the biggest market.

And she's gone from fifth to third. And if she can keep that going, and if she can challenge for number one, great for her. And then probably more money will come rolling in. But she's not doing long- term planning right now. And by long-term, I mean, you know, three -- two, three weeks into the future. Not just the next -- what is it about, nine or 10 days until we get to Nevada, right?

But then it's a quick run through South Carolina until Super Tuesday.

PHILLIP: And they're all going to hit a wall called Michael Bloomberg as soon as they get to Super Tuesday and it's going to be a really tall one. Like it's going to be hard.

KING: And Bloomberg's going to pay for it.

Up next, a very important debate on Capitol Hill this afternoon. Senate Democrats moving to curb the president's war powers with the help of a few key Republicans.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:57:50]

KING: The Senate is set to vote next hour for a resolution to rein in the president's war powers. President Trump calls it an effort to embarrass him and the Republican Party. But the Democrats sponsoring the measure, Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, says it has enough GOP support to pass.

Four Republicans are now known to be onboard, at least four. Susan Collins of Maine, Todd Young of Indiana, Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Mike Lee of Utah. The Kaine resolution is a response to the killing of the top Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani.

It is interesting, we talked earlier, very rare are the Republicans to break with the president, but this is an issue, is it Republicans looking to send a message to the president, the four to six or so --

DEMIRJIAN: It may be six to eight, actually.

KING: Or is this is, you know, is this about congressional prerogatives or anger at the president?

DEMIRJIAN: I think it's about both. It depends on who you ask. I mean, definitely for the Democrats, it's about anger at the president, about him overstepping his bounds. I think that Mike Lee was pretty angry with the administration for not actually being forthright with Congress about why they did this and not promising to consult Congress again.

And I think for a lot of Republicans, look, the constitutional question of, does Congress have a role before you commit to something that could lead to a war by domino effect if nothing else. Then, you know -- and the administration is for a long time had said no. You know, they wanted to make sure to put a marker in the ground that this is not OK.

It's not the first war powers resolution that Congress has dealt with in recent memory. There was Yemen before this, now we're dealing with Iran. You add Jerry Moran to the list of five, of Republicans who we already know are onboard, and I think we're expecting at least one of Murkowski or Alexander or Cassidy who can help advance this yesterday to be onboard for the final vote, too.

So, it's a statement. It's not a statement that actually ultimately changes the president's action, because even if the House passes this, too, which we assume they will later on, there's no way they can override a veto, and we're pretty sure that veto is coming. But the supporters would say like, look, we still have to make our opinions known about this. And if the president knows that majorities of both Houses, bipartisan majorities of both chambers of Congress are not cool with this, then maybe he thinks about, you know, staying his hand in the future, which is ultimately what the best they can hope for.

KING: You mean like, if they go on Sunday shows and say impeachment will teach him a lesson, and he'll be restrained after this, he's going to listen?

DEMIRJIAN: Well, I mean, they're appealing to a president who campaigned on being somewhat anti-war (INAUDIBLE). So that's they're hoping this one lands a little better.

KING: OK, we'll see. A big vote next hour. Stay with us.

And thanks for joining us on the INSIDE POLITICS today. See you back here noontime tomorrow. Don't go anywhere. Brianna --

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