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Interview with Sen. Bernie Sanders; First Ticker Tape Parade for Female Athletes Happens Today; Interview with Kelley O'Hara of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired July 10, 2015 - 08:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:32:10] CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right, you've been chitty chatting about it all morning on social media and now we do have him here for you, Senator Bernard Sanders from Vermont joining us on NEW DAY.

Senator, good to see you.

Before you decided to run, you were on all the time. I was telling you, you have to run if you have all these big ideas. Now you're running and I have to chase you down to get you on the show.

So, how do you explain, senator, the momentum? What does it mean and how do you sustain?

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, Chris, I think all over the country we're finding a tremendous response to the fact that we're focusing on the most important issues facing the American people. We're trying not to run a negative campaign.

The middle - the middle class of this country, for 40 years, has been collapsing. People want to know why. They want to know what we're going to do about the grotesque level of income and wealth inequality. People want to deal with this Citizen's United Supreme Court decision that allows billionaires to buy elections. They want to deal with climate change. They want to make tuition free in public colleges and universities so their kids can get to college.

These are the issues that are on the minds of the American people. I am prepared to take on the billionaire class, which has to be done if we're going to save the American middle class. And I think people are responding to the need for a grass roots movement to do just that.

CUOMO: Let's put up the polls for Iowa and New Hampshire. You're, of course, familiar with them, but I just want the audience to become oriented here. You're making a move. I mean that's what's clear in the numbers. You're doubling your numbers. You've still got a way to go.

SANDERS: Right.

CUOMO: But the criticism is, ah, these are - you know, Iowa, New Hampshire, this is going to play to the left base of the Democrats. But once he gets into more moderate places, he's going to stall out. He can't do it. What's your response?

SANDERS: Well, look at the issues that I'm talking about, Chris. Do you think that moderate Americans want to see tuition free in public colleges and universities? They do, because they can't afford to send their kids to college. Poll after poll tells us that the American people want to expand Social Security benefits, not cut them, as the Republican Party does. People want to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Republican Party wants to, in fact, do away with the concept of the minimum wage.

So I reject the idea that I'm just talking to a small group of people. I think the ideas that we are raising, the positions that we're raising, are resonating with the middle class of this country, whether they're conservative, whether they are progressive.

CUOMO: Now, you've been taking on Jeb Bush over something he said. Let me play it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My aspiration for the country, and I believe we can achieve it, is 4 percent growth as far as the eye can see, which means we have to be a lot more productive, work force participation has to rise from its all-time modern lows. It means that people need to work longer hours.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: Now, you jumped on him with this being him - an example of being how - him out of a - being out of touch, excuse me.

[08:35:03] SANDERS: Right.

CUOMO: But were you being unfair? You know that what he meant was, part-time workers need full-time jobs. Were you playing a little bit of the tricky game?

SANDERS: Well, of course we need full-time jobs rather than part-time jobs. But to suggest that people have got to work harder, Chris, here's the fact that the United - people in the United States of America today are working the longest hours of the people of any major industrialized countries. We work a lot harder than the Germans, than the British. We have 85 percent of men working more than 40 hours a week, 65 percent of women working more than 40 hours a week. So what we need to do is raise wages and income, not force our people, who are already stressed out by long hours, to work even more hours.

CUOMO: Right. But he wasn't arguing about ethic.

SANDERS: No.

CUOMO: He was talking about the availability of jobs. So I'm just saying, you know, you're kind of twisting it a little bit there, senator.

SANDERS: Well - CUOMO: And if you want to stay above the board of dirty politics, you've got to be consistent.

SANDERS: Well, if he is talking about the need for more full-time jobs rather than part-time jobs, he's absolutely correct. That's - that's what we have to do. But I want to reiterate, we work - our people work today the longest hours of any people in any major industrialized country.

CUOMO: Amen. Americans, the most hard-working people in the world. Nobody's going to battle you on that one, or at least not to any great effect in the presidential election.

Your main opponent, Hillary Clinton, she's got trust issues. Do you think they are justified?

SANDERS: I think she's getting - look, I have known Hillary Clinton for 25 years. I respect her. I like her. I think she's getting beaten up all over the place. And sometimes it's unjustified.

I think what we have to do is focus on the issues. And my views are very different than hers on many important issues. For example, on this trade policy, Chris, I disagree with Secretary Clinton in not taking a stand on it. You're either for the TPP, the Trans Pacific Partnership, or you're not. I voted against the war in Iraq. Secretary Clinton, when she was in the Senate, voted for the war in Iraq. I am prepared to break up the large financial institutions because I think Wall Street has too much power. She has not been clear on that.

So, you know, I'm not going to be beating her up and attack her in personal ways. I like her. We have differences of opinions on issues and that's where my focus will be.

CUOMO: One personal, one policy question. The personal first. You cannot avoid who Bernard Sanders is and run a legitimate campaign for president. That's the nature of the dynamic. They're going to probe. You have been systematically opposed to that throughout your political career. There's a piece out this morning, the headline is, "Bernie Sanders has a secret." Now, that's a salacious, appetizing headline. It goes on to basically tell the story of how the personal has never been a preference for you. You don't want to talk about who you are and your past. You are being naive if you think you can avoid it at the presidential level. You know that?

SANDERS: Yes. Well, I'm not being naive. I understand it, yes.

CUOMO: But you think you can avoid it?

SANDERS: No, no, I don't think I can avoid it. But - but, Chris, this country faces enormous problems. And I think it's incumbent upon political leaders and the media to focus on those issues and not make politics into a soap opera. And that's been my concern.

CUOMO: Right, but that's what we do. We want to know who it is. We put it under the character category.

SANDERS: Right.

CUOMO: We have to know about your life, know what you've done, your ups and your downs, so we know how you'll be in the office. That's the legitimate representation of the search. Do you open yourself to that?

SANDERS: Well, when you run for president, you do. But the answer is yes to your question. But I think we do too much of that and we don't focus enough on the needs of ordinary people. I mean, for example, we have a grotesque level of income and wealth inequality in America, which is only getting worse. I think it's more important to focus on that issue than, you know, a whole lot of other issues dealing with the personal lives of people.

CUOMO: So you're open to the query, but you don't think it's the preference. I understand that.

SANDERS: Yes.

CUOMO: Now, one policy question.

SANDERS: Yes.

CUOMO: Citizens United.

SANDERS: Yes.

CUOMO: Citizens United is the supreme law of the land.

SANDERS: Yes.

CUOMO: When you say it's a horrible decision, that's your right. You can criticize it. But when you say we're going to overturn that, what do you mean? How do you overturn the Supreme Court?

SANDERS: I'll tell you what I mean. I mean several things. Number one, what I have said - I haven't made - made many campaign promises, but one that I have made is that any nominee that I make to the Supreme Court will have to pass the litmus test. And that litmus test is, he or she will be loud and clear in saying, they will vote to overturn this disastrous Supreme Court decision and they'll do it as quickly as we can. The fastest way to overturn Citizens United is to have the Supreme Court rehear that case. The longer term is to move toward a constitutional amendment.

CUOMO: All right. But you know that the first two things you said there are going to be very dicey. You don't really want to judge going in with a preconceived notion of how they vote on a case. That's all I'm saying.

SANDERS: Well, Chris - Chris, let me just - normally, I don't. You're right, normally I don't - I don't like litmus tests. But this issue is so important. The fact that we have billionaires today, the Koch brothers, and others who are literally buying politicians, spending what will amount to billions of dollars to elect candidates to make the rich richer. Yes, on this issue, it is so important to me and I think the country, I will have a litmus test on that one. [08:40:22] CUOMO: Senator and Candidate Sanders, it is good to see you

on NEW DAY. There are going to be many pressing conversations to have. We hope to have your back and have you back often, sir.

SANDERS: Thank you very much, Chris.

CUOMO: All right.

So, you want more political news on the senator and others, please go to cnnpolitics.com and come at me with the tweets and let me know what you thought of the interview with the senator.

Mic.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: You know what else we want around here, Chris?

CUOMO: What do we want?

PEREIRA: Champions, as you like to say.

CUOMO: Champions.

PEREIRA: It is a beautiful day for a parade in New York City. So, we're going to bring a champion into the studio. The World Cup women's soccer team having a big parade today, a ticker tape, the first of its kind for women. Kelley O'Hara is going to join us on NEW DAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:45:00] PEREIRA: All right, time for the Friday edition of the Five Things You Need to Know for your NEW DAY.

At number one, the Confederate flag has about an hour left to fly on the grounds of the South Carolina State House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PEREIRA (voice-over): Governor Nikki Haley, she says, it will be removed in a simple and dignified ceremony.

A call for terror attacks on the U.S. by the new leader of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. This as the FBI announces that it foiled ISIS- inspired plots aimed at killing Americans on and around July 4th.

Iran nuclear talks blowing past a third deadline. Talks now stretching into the weekend. Secretary of State John Kerry says all sides are working hard and pushing for a deal.

The defense is expected to rest today in the trial of accused Colorado movie theater gunman James Holmes. He's not going to take the stand. Closing arguments are likely to begin on Tuesday.

The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team being honored today with ticker tape parade of the Canyon of Heroes in New York City. Caps a real whirlwind week for Team USA coming off their title win over Japan. (END VIDEOTAPE)

PEREIRA (on camera): For more on the Five Things to Know, be sure to visit NEWDAYCNN.com for the latest.

Chris?

CUOMO: Chicago, as you know, is becoming too well known for gun violence, including outburst over the July 4th weekend left 10 people dead. So, this week CNN Hero is a surgeon trying to help people fallen victim to that gun violence.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Barbed wire and machine guns. Welcome to Chicago.

These are definitely some of the most challenged communities in America. Not a day goes by without the headlines being littered with deaths, shootings,.

As an orthopedic surgeon I've seen a very significant number of patients that have been victims of violent crime. But there's a whole other layer of patients in these under-served communities. They're underinsured and they're uninsured, but they need care.

If you get that final 20 degrees.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just saw people put on wait lists for months and even years, and as a result, their injuries get worse. I just said, enough is enough.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I guess I'm just stuck with arthritis.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I run three clinics in Chicago's most under-served areas.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Walking better.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well you smile more.

We treat orthopedic conditions. We treat patients regardless of ability to pay. I know I can't fix everybody, but my focus is to break down the barriers.

I'll see you in a couple of weeks.

The greatest thing we give them is hope.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

CUOMO: And sometimes hope is the best medicine of all. If you know someone deserving of being a CNN Hero, go to CNNheroes.com. PEREIRA: Big day, Chris.

CUOMO: It's here.

PEREIRA: Team USA getting ready for a huge ticker tape parade.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

PEREIRA (voice-over): Come on, you want to say.

CUOMO (voice-over): USA. USA.

PEREIRA: There it is. The praise, the glory, the confetti. We're going to talk about it all with World Cup champ Kelley O'hara.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

CUOMO (on camera): Here she is.

PEREIRA (on camera): She's not as excited as I am, but I think she might be tired.

CUOMO: She's cool under pressure, baby.

PEREIRA: She really is.

CUOMO: Champing (ph). There it is.

PEREIRA: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

[08:52:00] CROWD: USA, USA, USA, USA

(END VIDEOCLIP)

PEREIRA: The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team's back home. They are ready for a big party, although they might have already had a few. World Cup win on Sunday, the team being honored today with a ticker tape parade. He's trying to get his hat just right.

CUOMO: There it is. My head's pretty...

PEREIRA: It will be held in the Canyon of Heroes right here in New York City.

Joining us to talk about all the excitement is the Team USA defender Kelley O'Hara. Right up top. First girl (ph). Come on.

CUOMO: Strong. Strong.

PEREIRA: So, super strong. Congratulations. How are you feeling physically? How are you feeling energetically? Where's your head. KELLEY O'HARA, MEMBER OF U.S. WOMEN'S WORLD CUP TEAM: Physically I'm good. I'm pretty good, you know. I'm feeling all right. And in terms of mental, emotional state, it's like you're on a high, but there's also the month of the tournament takes a big toll on you. So, it's kind of figuring out balancing that, maybe trying to find some time to decompress and then get back and be ready because we have our NWSL season to go back into, so.

PEREIRA: Right away.

O'HARA: Yes.

PEREIRA: Right away.

O'HARA: Exactly, exactly.

CUOMO: Did you ever think that you'd be getting feted this way with New York City ticker tape?

PEREIRA: First ever ticker tape for female athletes.

CUOMO: I mean, it's a big deal.

PEREIRA: That's big. That's huge.

CUOMO: This is Yankee style.

O'HARA: Yes, yes. No, I never thought this would happen but I love it. I think it's amazing how America has rallied around us and is so into it, and I think it's just great.

PEREIRA: Well, it's so funny because I remember years ago we were watching how, you know, sort of the jersey being thrown off.

O'HARA: Yes.

PEREIRA: That was pivotal. We were watching how youth soccer taking off. People still debating, soccer's not going to take off in the United States, but now not only has soccer taken off in a big way, but women's soccer and female athletes are at a whole new level.

O'HARA: Absolutely. I mean, I don't think anyone can argue that soccer is not popular in America anymore. It's just...

PEREIRA: You just can't.

O'HARA: ... not the case. You know, we had 25 million plus viewers for our final. I guess apparently the most ever for a soccer game in the U.S.

PEREIRA: Just saying.

O'HARA: So, it's very prevalent and I love that it's just going to continue to grow.

CUOMO: Why are you so much better than the men's team in international competition? What do you think it is?

O'HARA: I think that a lot of it has to do with, you know, our federation and the resources that they put into our team. You know, it's becoming better around the world, but we I would say are one of the women's team that have that support from our federation.

PEREIRA: One of the things I really enjoyed about this tournament was the fact that the - you know, you guys had a fair amount of criticism. People -- haters going to hate and then the people are complaining about the style of play, et cetera, et cetera. But what I appreciated most, which I think is a great example to youth players out there, athletes, is the fact that you all have this teamwork mentality. You sit on the sidelines when it's not your turn and when a coach says I need you and I need you in a different position, you go. And that's what happened to you.

You were -- first four games of the tournament you were not playing., but then I'm sorry semifinal, didn't you score the winning goal against Germany?

O'HARA: Not the game winner, but I got the second one, that kind of...

CUOMO: Never turn down praise, O'Hara.

O'HARA: The insurance goal, the insurance goal.

PEREIRA: The insurance goal, okay.

O'HARA: So, yes, yes.

PEREIRA: But that, I mean, that's been a real part of your coach's strategy with your guys.

O'HARA: Absolutely.

PEREIRA: Do what we have to do when we have to do it.

[08:55:00] HARA: Absolutely. We have - you know, we took 23 players to the World Cup. So, that's a pretty big roster and only 11 players can be on the field at a time. So, we have an amazing team and I think that we all are ready to step in if we need to, but also play the role of cheering the team on and just doing whatever we need to do to make sure that we won that gold.

CUOMO: So, role model time. Right now there are tons of young women and girls...

PEREIRA: There's some Girl Scouts in the studio today, in fact.

CUOMO: ... out there who are watching. You know, I have one in my house. I hope she's up watching. And they're saying, oh, I don't know, though, you know, there's still so much -- I don't know that it's really worth it, you know, as a young woman, is this really something I should do?

What was your motivation as a kid that made you think, I'm going to do this at the best level that there is and I'm going to be known for it?

O'HARA: I think I was just a very competitive child. I still am a very competitive person. I think that motivated me, that propelled me forward. And I just wanted to be the best and I wanted to play with the best and I wanted to make sure that I was in an environment that made me into the best player that I could be. So, it's absolutely possible if you put your mind to it and if you set a goal, then it's possible.

PEREIRA: Darling, you're doing it.

O'HARA: Thank you.

PEREIRA: Couldn't be more proud. And I know there's some people in Georgia that are kind of, you know, there's probably going to be a ticker tape parade when you go home...

O'HARA: Maybe.

PEREIRA: ... I'm sure as well.

Kelley, really a pleasure.

O'HARA: Thank you.

PEREIRA: Congratulations. Tell the rest of the team.

O'HARA: Thank you.

PEREIRA: Soak it all in. A ticker tape parade.

O'HARA: We will.

CUOMO: Well deserved. Thank you for doing the country proud.

O'HARA: Thank you. Thanks for having me, guys.

CUOMO: Absolutely.

PEREIRA: I have to wave the finger.

CUOMO: I've never been beaten in a thumb wrestle, by the way. Never.

O'HARA: Oh.

PEREIRA: Is that a challenge I believe?

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: I'll play you for the medal.

Time for "NEWSROOM" with Ana Cabrera in for Carol Costello.

PEREIRA: You just challenged her?

CUOMO: Picks up after the break. Look at my thumb, are you kidding? It's like Cro-Magnon's thumb.

PEREIRA: Who are you?

O'HARA: I'm nervous.

PEREIRA: Wow. Being super competitive.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)