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Legal View with Ashleigh Banfield

Clinton Campaigning in Nebraska; Jeb Bush Adviser Leaves GOP. Aired 12-12:30p ET

Aired August 01, 2016 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:00:18] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Christine Romans, in today for my friend Ashleigh Banfield. Welcome to LEGAL VIEW. Nice to see you all.

Here's a number for you, 99 days before Americans elect a new president. The race is embroiled in yet another controversy like none anybody can remember or could possibly have predicted. Four days after gold star parents Khizr and Ghazala Khan took the stage at the Democratic Convention, attacking Donald Trump for maligning of Muslims, declaring that Trump had sacrificed nothing, both sides today, four days later, are still lashing out. Though the Khans now say they have had enough. The couple was barely halfway through a live interview on CNN's "New Day" this morning when Trump tweeted, and I quote, "Mr. Khan, who does not know me, viciously attacked me from the stage of the DNC and is now all over TV doing the same. Nice." And you may recall Mrs. Khan didn't say a word last week in Philadelphia, but Trump found that unsettling, too.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: His wife - if you look at his wife, she was standing there. She had nothing to say. She probably - maybe she wasn't allowed to have anything to say. You tell me. But plenty of people have written that. She was extremely quiet. And it looked like she had nothing to say. A lot of people have said that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: In their "New Day" interview this morning, the Khans, both of them, reflected on their unlikely turn in the spotlight, the love and respect they feel from their adopted nation, and one of the last times they spoke with U.S. Army Captain Humayun Khan, their son, weeks before his death in Iraq in 2004. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KHIZR KHAN, FATHER OF FALLEN U.S. SOLDIER: I have exactly same rights as he does. He had been abusing, disrespecting women, judges, all decent Americans, he had been so abusive of them. I exercise exactly same rights that again proves his ignorance. He wants to have one set of rights for himself, and he wants to have another set of rights for others. No. Somebody should tell him that there is equal dignity, equal protection of law in this country. That is why that Constitution came to play. I keep that in my pocket because I cherish this document. I wish that somebody would read it to him. Certain fundamental values that enshrined in this document.

That but this candidate's maligning of decent patriotic Republican has continued the leadership. Look what he did and how he has spoke about Mitt Romney. Look what he did, how he spoke with Senator McCain. This is - this is a consistent. This is - this is a proof of his ignorance and arrogance. And I again and again ask his advisers to get him in - in a room, close the door and set him right if he need - if he wants to be the candidate of this wonderful Republican Party, Republican and Democratic Party, both are as patriotic as any we are entering. Donald Trump needs to sit with his advisers, and portray to this world that he is empathetic. You solve the problems with empathy, putting people together. There are bad people among us, but there are good people among us as well. You gather good people to get rid of bad people, but you do not malign the whole religion, the whole culture.

We are private citizens. We are private people. We want to be out of this controversy. My good wife Ghazala had been insisting that I not to respond. I let, I take a more dignified path than responding to undignified attacks and comments. Therefore we jointly decide that there is no need to escalate this. We have made the point.

GHAZALA KHAN, MOTHER OF FALLEN U.S. SOLDIER: I have all of the rights as a wife, as a mother, as a daughter. I have done very well saying my mind out, but that time was different. And anybody can see that how different that time was when I was standing there in front of America. Without saying a word, I had lots of love. I touched lots of heart.

[12:05:04] So I'm thankful for everything that America has given me, everything that I had got from America, the more stuff and the love and the respect. On Mother's Day on May 2004, when he called, he talked to me. As a mother I said, please, please, Humayun, don't be hero, just stay back and just finish your time. Just three-fourths of the year has left, so you will be home soon. And, please, just stay back. He laughed and said, mom, you know these soldiers are my responsibility. I don't want anything to happy to them, because I am responsible. I have to do my job. I am responsible for my soldiers. And he came back, but he came back as -

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: In one of his weekend tweets Trump agreed Captain Khan was a hero, but now today Trump is saying that this story isn't about Khan, Captain Khan, or his family, but, quote, "rather radical Islamic terrorism and the U.S."

If you follow the campaign at all, you know he has disparaged other military heroes directly. John McCain, to name one. A little more than a year ago, speaking of McCain's five years as a POW in Vietnam, Trump said, and I quote, "I like people who weren't' captured." This morning, Senator McCain weighed in on Trump's public feud with the Khan family and the statement he released is long but we're going to let you hear it verbatim.

It begins, "the Republican party I know and love is the party of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Ronald Reagan. I wear a bracelet bearing the name of a fallen hero, Matthew Stanley, which his mother, Lynn, game me in 2007 at a town hall meeting in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. His memory and the memory of our great leaders deserve better from me.

In recent days, Donald Trump disparaged a fallen soldier's parents. He has suggested the likes of their son should not be allowed into the United States - to say nothing of entering its service. I cannot emphasize enough how deeply I disagree with Mr. Trump's statement. I hope Americans understand that the remarks do not represent the views of our Republican Party, its officers or candidates.

Make no mistake, I do not valorize our military out of some unfamiliar instinct. I grew up in a military family and have my own record of service and have stayed closely engaged with our armed forces throughout my public career.

In the American system, the military has value only inasmuch as it protects and defends the liberties of the people. My father was a career naval officer, as was his father. For hundreds of years, every generation of McCains has served the United States in uniform. My sons serve today and I'm proud of them. My youngest served in the war that claimed Captain Khan's life, as well as in Afghanistan. I want them to be proud of me. I want to do the right thing by them and the their comrades.

Humayun Khan did exactly that and he did it for all the right reasons. This accomplished young man was not driven to service as a United States Army officer because he was compelled to by any material need. He was inspired as a young man by his reading of Thomas Jefferson and he wanted to give back to the country that had taken him and his parents in as immigrants when he was only two years old.

Captain Khan's death in Iraq on June 8, 2004 was a shining example of the valor and bravery inculcated into our military. When a suicide bomber accelerated his vehicle toward a facility with hundreds of American soldiers, Captain Khan ordered his subordinates away from the danger, then he ran toward it. The suicide bomber striking prematurely claimed the life of Captain Khan and Captain Khan, through his selfless action and sacrifice, saved the lives of hundreds of his brothers and sisters.

Scriptures tells us that greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend. Captain Humayun Khan of the United States Army showed in his final moments that he was filled and motivated by this love. His name will live forever in American memory as an example of true American greatness.

In the end, I am morally bound to speak only to the things that command my allegiance and to which I have dedicated my life's work, the Republican Party, and, more importantly, the United States of America. I will not refrain from doing my utmost by those lights simply because it may benefit others with whom I disagree. I claim no moral superiority over Donald Trump. I have a long and well-known public and private record for which I will have to answer at the final judgment, and I repose my hope in the promise of mercy and the moderation of age. I challenge the nominee to set the example for what our country can

and should represent. Arizona is watching. It is time for Donald Trump to set the example for our country and the future of the Republican Party. While our party has bestowed upon him the nomination, it is not accompanied by unfettered license to defame those who are the best among us.

[12:10:18] Lastly, I'd like to say to Mr. and Mrs. Khan, thank you for immigrating to America. We're a better country because of you. And you are certainly right, your son was the best of America, and the memory of his sacrifice will make us a better nation, and he will never be forgotten."

Up next, don't forget about the Democrats. Hillary Clinton and her running mate going their separate ways today with a single message, and they're counting on a little help from Warren Buffett. We're hot on their trail just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: After wrapping up their three-day bus tour, Hillary Clinton's running mate, Senator Tim Kaine, makes his solo debut on the campaign trail today. Kaine is in Virginia right now hoping to keep his home state blue. He made a stop earlier in Richmond and he will speak at a rally this afternoon.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton is heading to the Midwest, to Nebraska, to talk about the economy at a school in the heart of Omaha's African- American community. CNN's senior Washington correspondent Joe Johns joins me now.

[12:15:05] Joe, what will her message be?

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Christine, she's expected to appear with Warren Buffett, who has already endorsed her. She's going to be talking about handling the economy. The campaign makes the case that he and other business leaders, like Mark Cuban, Michael Bloomberg, to name a couple, support her. And she's expected to contrast her economic plans with Donald Trump's plan, inciting a new study, apparently, by economist Mark Zandi, suggesting she would be the one to create more jobs if she's elected.

Christine.

ROMANS: Yes, 10 million jobs, I think, is what the final tally was there on that Mark Zandi's analysis from moodyseconomy.com.

So, let's talk about Tim Kaine. He spoke while in Richmond earlier today. What was Senator Kaine's message?

JOHNS: Well, among other things, he was hammering away at Donald Trump. And, you know, there's been so much buzz over Trump's response to Khizr Khan, that gold star dad and his wife who appeared at the Democratic National Convention. So Kaine talked about this and tried to move the ball along. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TIM KAINE (D), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Is it OK to speak in a disrespectful way about the military, about a gold star mom and dad for God's sake, about people with disabilities or saying offensive things about women, or trashing people who are Latinos or immigrants more generally. We're either going to build a community that is a more perfect union, that is a community of respect, and we're going to decide to do what has been done throughout American history, but never to our advantage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: Virginia is a very important state for both of these candidates, both the Democrats and the Republicans. Donald Trump also headed there this week as well, Christine.

ROMANS: All right, Joe Johns, fascinating day on the campaign trail. Thanks, Joe.

Up next, what could push Jeb Bush's former top adviser out of the Republican Party and possibly into the voting booth for Hillary Clinton? Two words, Donald Trump. Wait until you hear the words she uses to describe him.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:21:38] ROMANS: This surprising political news you'll see first on CNN, a longtime Republican and a top adviser to Jeb Bush says she is leaving the Republican Party. Sally Bradshaw says if the election is close, she'll vote for Hillary Clinton. A lifelong Republican, respected in party circles.

CNN's special correspondent Jamie Gangel is here.

Jamie, she's using very strong words to describe Donald Trump.

JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: First of all, I just want to say, Sally Bradshaw is a lifelong Republican. And she keeps a very low profile. We found out about this because party affiliation is a matter of public record in Florida. And then we confirmed with her that she is no longer a Republican.

It is stunning. And she does not mince words about it. This is because of Donald Trump. And I'm going to quote some of what she said to me because it's so strong. She said that the GOP is at a crossroads and have nominated a total narcissist, misogynist and a bigot. She went on to say, this is a time when the country has to take priority over political parties. That Donald Trump cannot be elected president. And even though she has major difficulties with Hillary Clinton, if in her home state of Florida it is close, she says she will vote for Clinton.

ROMANS: Someone who spent her entire adult working life, or almost -

GANGEL: Right.

ROMANS: Working for the Republican Party, an operative, someone who truly believes in the principles of the Republican Party, she thinks Donald Trump doesn't - doesn't representative those?

GANGEL: Right. She - she said to me that she couldn't look her children in the eye and vote for him. And she did not do this lightly. She's been thinking about it for many months. And she also said that what happened with the Khan family, the parents of the Muslim-American soldier who was killed in Iraq in 2004, just reinforced this decision.

ROMANS: Is that why now? Is - why now? What's the moment that led her to this?

GANGEL: So I - it was a buildup. It wasn't just this situation. But she is appalled and she called his remarks despicable. But it was just all of his remarks that we've seen over the past year. She said she could not - she couldn't look her kids in the eye and say she was a Republican.

ROMANS: So, for someone watching, they might not know who Sally Bradshaw is.

GANGEL: Right.

ROMANS: For people who are in political circles, they know who Sally Bradshaw is?

GANGEL: They - they know who Sally Bradshaw is. She is one of the most well-respect, influential people in the GOP. She was the senior adviser to Jeb Bush. She's been with him for decades. She was his chief of staff as governor. This is going to resonate in the Republican Party and, of course, now you're going to ask me what about -

ROMANS: I'm going to ask, will it resonate in the Bush family? She is so close to the Bush family. Jeb Bush, you know, the Bush family AWOL from the convention. Do you think that she could be signaling or foreshadowing of a Bush family?

[12:25:00] GANGEL: A lot of people are going to be asking that question. Jeb has come out recently and said he's not voting for Trump and he's not voting for Hillary, but he hasn't decided yet what he's going to do. Former Presidents Bush 41 and 43 have said they are sitting this one out. But there's no question that Sally Bradshaw is an important part of Bush world. A lot of Republicans have been looking, waiting, writing columns saying, what are they going to do? So I think we should stay tuned.

ROMANS: All right. Stay tuned. Jamie Gangel. And anyone who wants to see all of that interview, the Q&A with Sally Bradshaw, go to cnnpolitics.com.

GANGEL: Thank you.

ROMANS: Thanks for bringing that story to us.

Up next, Hillary Clinton's latest comments about her e-mails is casting a new shadow over her trustworthiness.

Also, how much do stock prices have to do with who wins the election? It may be a lot more than you think.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:30:12] ROMANS: It's nice to see you.