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The President and Criminal Justice Reform; The 2016 Race; Interview with Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam; Egg Prices on the Rise. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired July 17, 2015 - 07:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:31:50] CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: It is time to get Inside Politics on NEW DAY with Mr. John King. Happy Friday, my brother.

JOHN KING, CNN HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": TGIF, my friend.

We're going to go Inside Politics. We're going to pick up where you and Alisyn just left off, talking about the fascinating interview she just did with Governor Chris Christie, of course he's trying to get some attraction on the Republican race for president.

With me to show the report and insights this morning, Jackie Kucinich of the Daily Beast, Robert Costa of The Washington Post.

If you listen to Governor Christie, we are at a very rare moment.

The last six and a half years is the President of the United States Barack Obama has said "Apple pie is good", the Republicans feel, compelled to say "No it isn't". And if the Republicans say "Good morning, it's a beautiful day", the Democrats including the president feel, compelled to say "No it isn't."

And yet our criminal justice reform, there appears to be a consensus. You heard Governor Christie. We got people in for these long sentences where they should be in rehab.

The president yesterday, for the first time, the sitting United States president goes into a federal prison. Why is there a consensus on this issue right now? And before we get to the conversation, it's not just the Republican presidential candidate and the president of the United States. People are talking across the spectrum about this, including the House Speaker. Remember the guy who criticizes President Obama just about everyday? He says "How's Republicans have their own package?" Let's get to it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R) HOUSE SPEAKER: We got a lot of people in prison, frankly that really in my view, really don't need to be there.

It's expensive, the house prisoners, sometimes frankly, some of these people are in there, under what I'll call "flimsy reasons." And so I think it's time that we review this process very often. I'm looking forward to putting those recommendations on the floor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: It's a big important issue for the country to deal. And that is also -- just a given what we've been through the last few years, such a rare moment of bipartisanship.

JACKIE KUCINICH, THE DAILY BEAST: I think when you get down to it, Boehner said it right there, it's expensive. Because -- in part because of mandatory minimum sentences, the instances that no matter what -- because -- but based on the amount of the substance that's found on the person or that if there are a lot of people in prison, you'll probably shouldn't be there who are non-violent offenders.

And you've seen, I mean this has been happening in the senate for quite awhile. And the organization of lawmakers is really interesting, it's like Rand Paul, Cory Booker, Mike Lee. And so the ...

KING: Tea party guys, liberals also -- for they get there for different reasons sometimes. As you say Conservative say "it cost too much," liberal say "It's disproportionate against the African- Americans and Latinos," and now what. But they -- no matter how they get there, it looks like I guess you got to something, Robert.

ROBERT COSTA, THE WASHINGTON POST: It really does and the politics of this for the Republican Party, they're fascinating. Because if you look at Governor Christie and so many other Republican leaders like Speaker Boehner, they're still against the legalization of marijuana. They still want to be a law-and-order party. But they also know that the electorate is changing and they want to appeal to minority groups who are disproportionately in prison. They want to appeal to minority voters.

So going up, in criminal justice reform is good politics because a lot -- some do not change their position on policy but show more compassion inside.

KING: All right. Let's -- Another point in the Christie Interview, Alisyn just conducted with the Governor of New Jersey came at immigration and kudos to Alisyn for doing her homework and being ready.

Governor Christie says when Hillary Clinton says "We need a path to citizenship as soon as possible for the undocumented." Governor Christie said "she's pandering to Latino voters." He says there should be legal status of some sort and get them into the workplace. They don't need a path to citizenship then Alisyn quickly reminded him that four, five years ago, he was for a path to citizenship.

[07:35:08] Why is it pandering for Hillary Clinton now to have the same position Governor Christie and a lot of Republicans had three or four or five years ago?

KUCINICH: Because they're running for president.

KING: Oh, thank you.

KUCINICH: Yeah, Exactly. It's full of stuff. When you seen Jeb Bush say the same thing. It's not political feasible for Republican presidential candidates to be for a pathway for citizenship right now, and that sort of the cut and dry ...

KING: So they have a difference, they have a difference of opinion. And that he was -- forgive for going back and campaigning Laura here. But he was for it before he was against it.

COSTA: Right. I mean the specifics of immigration for these Republican contenders it's a very important debate. But the one that's really consuming the GOP right now is Donald Trump. He's toned on immigration. It's really defining the party. It is the summer as a year before. But if that doesn't change, that's a problem.

KING: And you make a key point. Because now to get attention in the Republican race, it used to be -- Remember, a year ago, we were talking about Rand Paul out of the gates was being so aggressive against Hillary Clinton, that's how he got attention to race.

Now, if you want an attention to the race, and you're a Republican, you go after Mr. Trump.

Rick Perry did that yesterday, the former governor of Texas. Remember, he ran last time. He's the head of border state, of course. And he -- listen to the statement from Rick Perry yesterday. "What Mr. Trump is offering is not conservatism, it is Trump-ism, a toxic mix -- strong words there, a toxic mix of demagoguery and nonsense. America doesn't need another president who pays lip service when issues of national security are at stake. And Mr. Trump has done nothing to prove he is the president America needs."

Donald Trump usually weights about 12 seconds.

So, if you go after Mr. Trump, his organization him come back quickly. And he does this on Twitter. And he didn't just say, "Rick Perry, you're wrong," and debate the policy.

This is a Trump reflex. "Governor Perry failed on the border. He should be forced to take an IQ test before being allowed to enter the GOP debate."

So if you disagree with Donald Trump, you're not just wrong on the policy in his view, you're stupid.

COSTA: One thing. I spent a few days on the trail with Mr. Trump. And what I've noticed, more than anything, is that he's combative politician. He relishes the fight. And so, if Rick Perry goes at him, Trump will go right back.

This -- He feels its feeds his campaign. It gives them political oxygen. And I think he's looking forward to the debates because he wants to tangle. KING: And at the moment, again, another poll showing him leading nationally, he's in the mix (ph). You know, he seems to have a ceiling somewhere in the mid teens. But in the 16th candidate race, Donald Trump is a huge player right now.

I want to get to one other thing that was -- this is interesting. Jeb Bush, remember, the former governor of Florida, he's running for the Republican nomination. His brother was a two-term president, his father was a one-term president and a two-term vice president.

So he knows a bit about the White House. He was asked yesterday, "What nice thing might you say about President Obama?"

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEB BUSH, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, if I could speak like Barack Obama, if I can light up a room like he does, you know, Christmas is not a bad thing. It's a pretty effective tool to be able to take a message to a broader audience. And he is gifted beyond belief in that regard. To be elected and re-elected in the kind of turbulent times that we're in is to be admired for someone who's running for president, trust me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: It's all true.

KUCINICH: You mean you have to wonder that's going to under fit (ph) in that?

KING: Yeah, so I'm just been saying, it's all true. There's nothing you can dispute there, but the President Obama is a gifted communicator, to run for president in this country whether you're Democratic or Republican and to win twice is a hard thing to do. But it's not going to end up like Charlie Crist hugging Barack Obama. Chris Christie being nice to met a superstar today.

COSTA: It's an honest answer. It's an honest answer for Bush. And it does reflect his biggest ...

KING: ... honest in politics today?

KUCINICH: The context doesn't matter when it comes ...

COSTA: It doesn't excite the GOP, he knows that. We wish that he can excite the base a little more.

KING: All right, Jackie and Robert thanks for coming into Friday. Alisyn, we'll get back to you. I want to say it again kudos. When you get a presidential candidate across from you, you got to be ready. That was a great interview.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks so much, John. Hi praise from the king of interviews. Thanks so much. I appreciate that.

So make sure to watch John King and his Inside Politics panel, break down the best political news of the week, that's every Sunday at 8:30 A.M. Eastern.

Well, this morning it's a great city with a broken heart. Tennessee, Governor Bill Haslam praising the people of Chattanooga in the wake of that deadly shooting rampage.

So we will speak with the governor about the investigation and how he's going to help the city heal.

Right back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:42:08] CUOMO: Investigators are trying to figure out what prompted a man to attack two military centers in Chattanooga. Four Marines and the gunman are dead, three others are injured. The FBI is looking in the possible connections.

Joining us now to discuss, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam.

Governor, I appreciate you being on the show. I'm very sorry it's under these circumstances. We want to talk to you about the investigation. But, first, what can you tell us about those who are hurt and lost in this horrible event?

We know one of them was a Marine named Thomas J. Sullivan. He had a Purple Heart, he had two tours, he dedicated his adult life to service.

GOV. BILL HASLAM (R), TENNESSEE: What I can tell you is that all of them were people who had served our country with great distinction. The Department of Defense will release the other names in their time.

So terms specifics, I don't have anything else for you there. But I do know that each of these men who lost their lives had served incredibly well. We're heartbroken obviously that this would happen and particularly heartbroken that would happen in Chattanooga.

CUOMO: Have you had the opportunity to reach out to the families. And if so, can you please pass along any ways that we can get word out to help support with whatever they need.

HASLAM: We will definitely do that. The State has been -- The offers to help had flooded in from literally all over the state and all over the country, of people that want to help the families. And I think like I said, the sense of sorrow is deeper around here in terms of what's happened. This is a great city whose heart is broken right now.

CUOMO: And not a place you expect this to happen. What does it do in terms of your task of healing and your task of what to do moving forward?

HASLAM: Well, I think the encouraging thing about this city is that -- in terms of healing is that the people are already coming together.

[07:45:02] They saw what happened, with groups, whether they're worship groups or others coming together yesterday. And then I said (ph) doing what, I think one of the things Tennessee has do best is, how can we help, what can we do to make a difference at this point, given the horrible set of circumstances in front of us.

CUOMO: What are you hearing form the federal authorities about what they know so far?

HASLAM: Well, I think they're -- I've been impressed with the FBI, the amount of resources they've brought in here to literally check every potential piece of information that they might have. And so their special agent in charge has assured me that they will do everything they can to chase down every lead and I was in on one of their meetings last night. And I was impressed with -- quite with the detail level that they've already dug into.

CUOMO: In terms of likelihood, is this about you having a slipper cell down there or they're targeting this individual and what may have are poisoned his mind.

HASLAM: Yeah, I don't -- I honestly don't think that they know that answer yet and they've committed to do in everything they can to trying to figure that out. So in my -- as a non-law enforcement person but somebody who's been involved as a mayor and as a governor, I've been very impressed with just their whole tactical approach to finding the answers suggest those questions.

CUOMO: Does this open your eyes in terms of what is a potential threat, and what is potentially threatened, and in terms of what you may want to change?

HASLAM: Well, I think the concerning thing here is, this is somebody that was not on anybody's radar. There were set of circumstances were people said, "OK, we need to be particularly weary about this individual or this circumstance." And I think that's maybe what's even more -- what's the most concerning, to law enforcement and then to people in positions like mine is, there was nothing that would predict that this could've happened.

CUOMO: Because of the way it sets up on its face, do you have any question that this is a terror attack?

HASLAM: You know, it's just way too preliminary for me to be saying that. I think there's a -- again I can't say enough about the way the FBI is approaching this. They're going to start with a commitment to dig in everything they can without an assumption, but with a commitment to find the right answer. And I think they will.

CUOMO: Governor, thank you very much. I'm sorry to pressure you for those details. I know that you're at the behest of the federal authorities on this. But please do keep us in mind in terms of how we get information out about the families. And what they may need during this time that should obviously be the concern of the media and your community as well, I'm sure.

HASLAM: We definitely realize that this is a heart broken community that it wants to do whatever it can to help the families. And I appreciate your offer there as well.

CUOMO: Have you heard from the president yet?

HASLAM: They have called to express their condolences that they've been like called both our offices as well as the Chattanooga City mayor's office as well.

CUOMO: Governor, we stand at a ready, let us know how to help thank you for joining us on NEW DAY.

HASLAM: Thanks so much.

CUOMO: All right, Alisyn?

CAMEROTA: Well, the president admitting, that he could had ended up behind bars when he was a young man, what prompted him to make that statement?

We'll discuss.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:52:25] CAMEROTA: It is time for CNN Money now. CNN Money Correspondent, Alison Kosik is in our money center. Alison, you're keeping an eye on stocks.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN MONEY CORRESPONDENT: I am, good morning and we are seeing stocks, Alisyn, break new record, the NASDAQ climbing to a fresh high yesterday.

Now, it's up 9 percent for the year and this morning, we're seeing shares of Google up 12 percent before the bell.

The company announced that made $3.9 billion in profit at the last quarter.

So how do you take your eggs? Sunny side up, poached? Well, I'll take mine with the side of money. Egg prices spiked 85 percent from May to June because of the bird flu outbreak. That's the biggest one month jump in history.

Don't expect a lower price at anytime soon though. Demand is expected to pick up in the fall while supply remains low. I will not turn away from my eggs though no way.

CUOMO: I do not believe that Kosik would eat money with eggs as a side.

KOSIK: No but I'll use the money to buy the cart of eggs.

CUOMO: You said I'll take them with the side of money that always means that you're going to eat it. You don't see a side of bacon and then put it in your pocket.

KOSIK: Wacky, wacky, eggs and bacon.

CUOMO: There it is.

All right, so as we're taking a look at Tennessee, obviously, we want to focus on the lives who were lost, these were service men and women and those who were injured.

But also the man on your screen, why would he give in to this kind of violence?

What's going on there right now with the investigators as they're looking at his past? What are the clues there? We have a live report ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[07:55:42] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are treating this as an act of domestic terrorism.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Harrowing stand off shootout.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was just in the shot, one after another just unloading.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our nation mourns senses loss of four of our nation's heroes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We the jury find the defendant James Eagan Holmes guilty.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My body shuttered, I just felt so much relief.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're very happy that this monster will never see the light of day.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The soul survivor of a deadly plane crash, speaking out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's a white and then it was all trees and it was all fire. I was just so positive that I was going to die.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Presidential candidates hitting the campaign trail.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The American dream is dead, but I'm going to make it bigger and better and stronger.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have a proven track record, people know that I will fight for them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What I'll bring is my heart and my mind to do my job that the people let me to do.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO: No, it's too late now, we're about to be on T.V. CAMEROTA: I know, I'm officially out of it.

CUOMO: Good morning, welcome to your NEW DAY this Friday July 17th, 8:00 in the East. Mich is off today.

The FBI is certainly launching a terrorism investigation and securities beefed up at several federal facilities after Thursday's attack on those military sites in Tennessee.

We do know four Marines lost their lives, three other people injured and now the search for why begins.

CAMEROTA: So the Feds are looking into the background of the shooter. And they're focusing on two blog posts that he may have written.

All of this coming at the end of Ramadan with ISIS having called for attacks. CNN's coverage begins this morning with, Boris Sanchez. He's live in Chattanooga. What have you learned Boris?

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning Alisyn. Yeah, officials are combing through every detail, looking at any possibility that he maybe linked to an international terrorist organization or if he just acted independently.

The most striking detail about this case, he wasn't on the terror watch list or database. His friends say he was really an all-American guy, someone who is an MMA fighter, an engineering student, someone who fit in and with a good sense of humor, not someone who had a very clear motive to do something so extreme.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[07:59:59] BILL KILIAN, U.S ATTORNEY: As far as we know at this junction, there are no safety concerns for the general public.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: In a press conference overnight, the Department of Justice and FBI, reassuring the public.