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Inside Politics
Can Democrats Flip North Carolina?; Laura Loomer, Conspiracy Theorist Who's Called Herself "Pro-White Nationalism," Has Been Traveling With Trump; Justin Timberlake Pleads Guilty To Driving While Impaired; Gen-Z TikTok Stars Weigh In On Presidential Campaign. Aired 12:30-1p ET
Aired September 13, 2024 - 12:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[12:31:49]
DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR: Democrats are zeroing in on one swing state that Joe Biden lost four years ago, North Carolina. Vice President Harris held two rallies there yesterday, attended by about 25,000 people. Our own Isaac-Dovere reports that this morning, the campaign really feels confident about winning there even more so than Arizona. But Republicans think that they can hold on to the Tar Heel state, which hasn't gone for a Democratic president since 2008.
Joining me now is the chair of the North Carolina Republican Party, Jason Simmons. Nice to see you. Thank you so much for being here. Before President Biden dropped out, Democrats, as you well know, essentially gave up on competing in your state.
Kamala Harris is showing interest, is showing a slight lead within the margin of error in multiple polls. The Quinnipiac University poll actually has her up three points in their September poll. How worried are you, candidly, about that state for Donald Trump?
JASON SIMMONS, NORTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIRMAN: Well, we saw in 2016, as well as in 2020, President Trump won and won with a really overwhelming support across the state. What we continue to see is voters will continue to break late, especially as we get into early vote, which will start on October 17th.
BASH: I think it was pretty tight the Trump margin there.
SIMMONS: Well, he won by over 1.5 in 2020, which in North Carolina politics any win, especially over a point continues to be a blowout across this state. We continue to see very close elections time and time again. And so, as we continue to see President Trump, he has a message that's resonating with voters.
And as Kamala Harris continues to trump around the state, we continue to see really a lack of message that's driven from her. She has really been part of the worst administration and voters recognize that. They recognize that there's not a policy that she's putting forward to fix the economy that she's broken, to fix the southern border which she broke, and to make sure that we have world peace which was in place when President Trump was in office.
BASH: I want to ask you about when you talk about message about something that has become an issue for Donald Trump, and that is he is traveling with and apparently, apparently listening to Laura Loomer. And I want you to listen to what your senator, GOP Senator Tom Tillis posted recently about Donald Trump's association with Laura Loomer.
Calling her a crazy conspiracy theorist who regularly utters disgusting garbage intended to divide Republicans. A DNC plant couldn't do a better job than she is doing to hurt President Trump's chances of winning reelection. Should Donald Trump be distancing himself from her rather than traveling around with her? I mean, she posts some pretty racist comments just as an example.
SIMMONS: Well, what we continue to see is President Trump listens to a number of individuals, not just one individual that Senator Tillis might want to highlight. But he receives inputs from various individuals, and as he's on the ground, he's constantly asking what's going on, what are people seeing, how are they feeling. And looking for that input continuing to solicit that advice not just from a single source, but from everybody. And that's what's always made President Trump very intellectually curious.
[12:35:23]
BASH: This is your state senator, a Republican, who wants to win the White House and wants to win statewide, putting out unsolicited a tweet saying, Mr. Former President Donald Trump, stay away from this woman. It is bad for you. It is bad for us. Do you not agree with that?
SIMMONS: Well, as Senator Tillis has highlighted, that's an opinion that he's put forward. But President Trump, again, he takes advice and solicits inputs from a variety of sources. Listening to one particular individual is not what President Trump historically has ever done.
BASH: Are you comfortable with Laura Loomer and the antisemitic and racist and conspiracy theory posts that she puts out there and comments that she puts out there? You're comfortable with that being one of the voices he listens to?
SIMMONS: Well, what I would continue to highlight is what we see from President Trump, where he continues to highlight a message of hope and optimism for our country, being able to put forward messages that be able to restore our economy, restore the southern border and restore our standing in the world.
BASH: You're not going to answer that about Laura Loomer?
SIMMONS: And what we continue -- well, what we continue to see is President Trump putting forward messages once again that is providing opportunities for folks to direct their frustration at this administration. What you've seen from this administration, especially Kamala Harris, where she has been a co-pilot for the worst administration in U.S. history, President Trump is putting forward policies and directions to restore our economy, restore the southern border.
BASH: Right. Well --
SIMMONS: These are the two issues that continue to be what the voters of North Carolina are concerned about.
BASH: And what your Republican senator is clearly saying is that having someone like Laura Loomer with her, even in New York at 9/11 ceremonies after she floated that that was an inside job, which is no basis, in fact, is hurting what you just said.
I want to talk about another North Carolina person there, Mick Mulvaney diagnosed Donald Trump's issues there saying, "I can tell you, Trump is being weighed down by a very unpopular Republican candidate for governor. I think that candidate is trailing by as much as 10 points in that poll you mentioned. So Trump is going to have some difficulty, I think, in the state of North Carolina that he might not have in others."
Now he's talking about Mark Robinson, who has a history of making sexist, homophobic, antisemitic, conspiracy written statements. Do you -- he's also trailing Josh Stein by about 10 points. Are you worried about your gubernatorial candidate dragging down the rest of the GOP ticket?
SIMMONS: Well, what we continue to see from Democrats related to our gubernatorial candidate, Mark Robinson, is constant spears. You see in Mark Robinson, an individual who is the first black candidate for governor in North Carolina. And somebody who is being able to provide an optimistic approach, being able to be a champion for the people and get his message out how he wants to make sure we have the opportunities for all North Carolinians to succeed.
BASH: So you think that he's not going to have an effect on the top of the ticket in a negative way?
SIMMONS: What we continue to see with our governor's candidates is people will make their determination for the top of the ticket as well as all of our other candidates, but we have great candidates up and down the ballot who are wanting to make sure that North Carolinians have the opportunities for prosperity and public safety.
BASH: Jason Simmons, thank you so much for coming on. I appreciate it.
SIMMONS: Thank you.
BASH: And up next, the latest group of powerful campaign surrogates are Gen Z TikTok stars. We're going to hear about that next.
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[12:43:50]
BASH: Now we're going to go to some breaking news. Justin Timberlake just pled guilty to driving while impaired. The pop star reached a deal with prosecutors agreeing to a lesser charge than driving while intoxicated, which is a misdemeanor. The judge sentenced Timberlake to 25 to 40 hours of community service and ordered him to issue a public safety announcement.
Here he is moments ago speaking outside the courthouse.
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JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, AMERICAN POP STAR: Good morning, everyone.
ALL: Good morning.
TIMBERLAKE: So I don't know how many of you were in the courtroom and heard what I had to say in the courtroom, but I'll reiterate that and say this to you. Many of you have probably been covering me for a lot of my life. And as you may know, I try to hold myself to a very high standard for myself. And this was not that. This was not that.
I found myself in a position where I could have made a different decision, but I've had some time to reflect on that.
[12:45:08]
And I also understand by, you know, the fact that all of you are here that I have a platform, you have a platform, we share that platform, and so what I'd like to say to everyone watching and listening, even if you've had one drink, don't get behind the wheel of a car.
There's so many alternatives. Call a friend, take an Uber. There's many travel apps. Still, take a taxi. This is a mistake that I made. But I'm hoping that whoever's watching and listening right now can learn from this mistake. I know that I certainly have. And like I said, even one drink, don't get behind the wheel of a car.
I also said this in the courtroom before, but I grew up in a small town. So, I can appreciate and understand the strain or unique nature that this must have been on the people of Sag Harbor, but I just want to say to everyone who's been involved from everyone in the courtroom to everyone outside, including the police department that I'm very grateful and I thank them.
And I guess in closing, I'd like to say we can all be more safe out there and I'm going to do my part. I hope that everyone else does their part. And thank you very much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Justin Timberlake pleading guilty. And as part of that plea, he had to make a public safety announcement, which we just heard right there.
Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back.
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[12:51:50] BASH: More than 170 million Americans use TikTok and many of them, especially younger voters, use the popular social media platform to keep up with politics. So what does that look like? CNN's Donie O'Sullivan recently met with two Gen Z content creators, one pro-Trump and one pro-Harris, to find out.
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DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: What's your most viewed video?
NESA E., TIKTOK CREATOR, @RIGHT.ALWAYS.WINS: Born in Iran, raised in Iran, but more patriot than those who vote blue with the Trump flag in my office.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?
MARIANNA PECORA, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, @VOTERSOFTOMORROW: That was a couple days ago in the airport on my way here to Atlanta.
Donald Trump is the biggest, most existential threat to Gen Z's future.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Nearly all TikTok users said in a survey that they use the app because it's entertaining. But more than a third said they also use it to keep up with politics.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Listen to these rants that Donald Trump just went on --
PECORA: It's been a really fun time to be on the internet.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): So I met with two Gen Z TikTokers to talk about how and why they make political videos.
NESA E.: Despite what some people refuse to believe, Donald Trump is receiving so much support from people that are young, like, kind of like my age.
O'SULLIVAN: Right.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Nesa is an Iranian immigrant who's amassed thousands of followers with her pro-Trump TikToks, many of which show off this MAGA store in Forest Lake, Minnesota.
NESA E.: You will get compliments from most people on social media as long as you support their opinions. And I believe the algorithm also plays a huge part, specifically on TikTok.
God bless you. I followed you. Facts.
O'SULLIVAN: You know when you're posting this stuff that it's going to start a debate?
NESA E.: Yes.
O'SULLIVAN: And that's kind of the point?
NESA E.: Kind of. Yes. I believe I'm providing a space for Republicans and Democrats to have debates.
O'SULLIVAN: What are you seeing on your feed?
NESA E.: I mostly see Trump stuff. I went to the same high school as Barron Trump. I'm going to save this to watch it later.
PECORA: Sure, you might have been seeing online engagement for Donald Trump, but that's because young people are really, really scared of it.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Marianna Pecora works with Voters of Tomorrow, a nonprofit focused on getting Gen Z to the polls.
PECORA: Quick take, what's your least favorite thing in Project 2025?
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Marianna is a big fan of Vice President Harris.
O'SULLIVAN: You edited this?
PECORA: This one I had some help from one of our younger volunteers.
O'SULLIVAN: Right.
PECORA: We were specifically trying to reach, like, a younger Gen Z, almost Gen Alpha leaning audience with that.
We've been talking about what Congress can do to support young people. Congressman Bowman, what you got?
At this point just about every member of Congress has either, like, a Facebook page or an Instagram or a Twitter. Not all of them are on TikTok, and I think that's OK.
O'SULLIVAN: Yes.
PECORA: They, like, not --
O'SULLIVAN: Not everybody --
PECORA: -- not everybody is suited for it, but I think it's really important and exciting that there's a lot of young people working in politics that are focused specifically on content creation right now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, North Carolina Democrats, we just got done --
PECORA: The best messenger for a member of Gen Z is another member of Gen Z.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BASH: Thank you so much, Donie, for that. [12:55:00]
And in this Sunday, on a new episode of "The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper," Donie O'Sullivan will meet with former Bernie Bros, whose disillusionment with politics has led them to embrace far right extremism. You can watch "The Whole Story" this Sunday at 8:00 p.m. on CNN.
Now to a cool 2024 scoop, a brand new Kamala Harris inspired ice cream flavor from Ben and Jerry's. It's called Kamala's Coconut Jubilee because of course it is. It's a reference to Harris's coconut tree meme. The ice cream gurus and progressive activists are partnering with moveon.org for a get-out-the-vote ice cream truck tour hitting more than 20 cities in at least five swing states.
MoveOn says would be voters can get free samples starting on Monday in Philadelphia coinciding with early voting starting in Pennsylvania.
Join me on State of the Union this Sunday. Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance will be among my guests. Also, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. I hope to see you this Sunday at 9:00 a. m. Eastern right here on CNN.
Thank you so much for watching Inside Politics. CNN News Central starts after a break.
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