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Who Needs a Breakout Performance at Debate?; Human Factor: 7- Year-Old Doesn't Let Adversity Get in His Way; Line Between Politics and Reality TV Too Blurred? Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired September 15, 2015 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00] KEVIN MADDEN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Really to - to establish that. And his resume as a conservative governor, I think you'll see more of that in this debate.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Jeffrey, what tone is Ben Carson going to take?

JEFFREY LORD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Ben Carson. You know, let Ben Carson be Ben Carson. He will be the same low-key doctor self, without doubt.

CAMEROTA: I mean, Kevin, people, you know, he's called low key. He's also called sleepy. Does he need to turn it up a notch?

MADDEN: Look, I think Ben Carson's appeal is, you know, people aren't looking for a fire brand. I think many of them are looking for a candidate that's unafraid to be a values candidate. That's the key to his support in some of these early primary states like Iowa and South Carolina. So I expect some personal appeals to those voters from Ben Carson.

CAMEROTA: Jeffrey Lord, how about Chris Christie? What's he going to do?

LORD: Wow, that's a good question. I mean I think the thought was originally that he'd be Donald Trump. And he's been out trumped here. So unless there's another fight with Rand Paul, I think he's sort of out there in left field.

CAMEROTA: I mean, Kevin, he just said last night that he's going to try to avoid a food fight -

MADDEN: Yes.

CAMEROTA: But is that the right strategy?

MADDEN: Well, it's - it's - I think the most important thing Chris Christie can do is start to remind people that he was a strong chief executive. And as he uses some - he's done probably most of any of these candidates right now to talk about things like Social Security reform. So I think if he can do that, it can become more of a - somebody who shows he has a bit of a policy chops as a strong record as an executive he'll be able to break through. CAMEROTA: Guys, let me pull up another element from this newly

released "New York Times"/CBS poll and it asks republican primary voters, is your mind made up or is it still too early to say for sure? Thirty-seven percent, Jeffrey, say their mind is made up today. Sixty- three percent say it is still too early.

LORD: Wow.

CAMEROTA: What part is most surprising? That 37 percent already have their candidate?

LORD: Yes, yes, that is surprising. I think this is a very unusual election cycle. And - and I do think - I keep going back to a Quinnipiac number of 87 percent who don't want anyone who has any governmental or Washington experience. That seems to say it all. And I think that poll is - is verifying it in its own way, "The New York Times" poll.

CAMEROTA: So true. Kevin, this - this race is breaking all of the rules, which makes tomorrow night particularly interesting.

MADDEN: Yes. And, look, but I do think that that 60 percent number, where folks haven't yet made up their mind, that is a key number for so many of the other - these other candidates that are watching candidates like Trump and Carson ascend in the polls. They believe that their best chance of the nomination is to consolidate some support amongst those voters yet that haven't made up their mind. You know, in August, it was OK to say, it's still early in this race. Nobody's paying attention. In September and October, as we get closer to these contests in Iowa and New Hampshire, that's a harder talking point to hang on to. So this is an extraordinary opportunity for these candidates that are in single digits right now to finally make their move.

CAMEROTA: Jeffrey Lord, Kevin Madden, I will look forward to seeing both of you out there tonight when we get there. Thanks, guys. See you soon.

LORD: Thanks.

CAMEROTA: So in a little more than 33 hours, you can watch the highly anticipated CNN Republican presidential debate. It starts at 6:00 p.m. Eastern. Then the main prime time event begins at 8:00 p.m. We're taking the show on the road. NEW DAY will be live from the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley tomorrow and on Thursday morning to bring you all of the debate's highlights and analysis.

Michaela.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: How did Jeffrey get the gig of being inside out of the rain? That's amazing. Lucky guy.

CAMEROTA: It was.

PEREIRA: All right, so The Donald kind of became a household name with "The Apprentice" on TV? Does reality TV exposure make him presidential? We're going to explore that ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:37:53] PEREIRA: All right, now time for the five things you need to know for your new day.

At number one, Donald Trump renewing his attack on illegal immigration, trumpeting his plan to build a wall along the Mexican border. This as hundreds of Latinos protested outside his rally in Dallas ahead of tomorrow's debate.

At least eight people are dead, several others missing, after dangerous flash flooding hit Hildale, Utah. Officials and volunteers today expected to search for those that remain unaccounted for.

Meanwhile, the Valley Fire spreading to three northern California counties now. It's already burned more than 62,000 acres. It has destroyed at least 400 homes.

North Korea says its main nuclear facility is now in full operation. It is issuing a warning to the west. Pyongyang says it is ready to deal with what it calls hostile forces, including the U.S., with nuclear weapons at any time.

At least 22 migrants are dead after their boat sinks off the coast of Turkey. Hundreds of others were rescued. This is happening as Hungary begins a zero tolerance crackdown, makings it a criminal offense to breech the fence spanning the Hungarian/Serbian border.

For more on the five things, be sure to visit newdaycnn.com for the latest.

Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: Well, Isaiah Bird has seen more of his fair share of adverse, but the seven-year-old is proving nothing will stop him from doing whatever he wants to do and winning. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta has this week's "Human Factor."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Isaiah Bird's mantra is no excuses. The seven-year-old was born without legs.

ISAIAH BIRD: I don't like let that stand in my way. You don't make no excuses in this team. No excuses at all.

GUPTA: The mantra comes from Bird's wrestling coach, and also mentor, Miguel Rodriguez, who met the little boy at a dark time for Bird's family. Homeless after Hurricane Sandy, Bird didn't even have his own wheelchair.

MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ, ISAIAH BIRD'S WRESTLING COACH: He has been through so much in life, but he never feels sorry for himself. The fact that he never complained about not having legs. The fact that he said to me, I can do it. That's what caught my eye about him. [08:40:03] GUPTA: Rodriguez encouraged Isaiah to take up wrestling, a

sport he could complete in without the use of his legs. Isaiah started to win.

RODRIGUEZ: He took third place at the New York State wrestling championships, sixth place in the nationals. Parents and coaches who tell their kids, take it easy on him, take it easy on him, they're total opposite now. You're wrestling Isaiah, you go hard on him. You - you take him down.

GUPTA: For Bird, wrestling is just the beginning. He's also taken up surfing and he's not stopping there.

BIRD: I want to run (ph) so bad. I want to earn things. I don't complain because I do it. I never give up.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PEREIRA: He is my new hero.

CAMEROTA: He's incredible. I mean the fact that he can wrestles and surf and do it all with that great spirit.

PEREIRA: He's doing more than both of us together.

CAMEROTA: That is a very good point.

PEREIRA: What a guy. Thanks, Isaiah.

CAMEROTA: All right, moving on. Donald Trump, of course, is well known as the host of "The Apprentice" and some thought he would be irreplaceable on that show. But they have found a replacement. So who's better? Donald or Arnold? That's next.

PEREIRA: That was impressive.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

PEREIRA: Well done.

CAMEROTA: Thanks.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PEREIRA: Well, it's kind of funny that we would talk - we'd have that bump in because we're talking about Donald Trump, but in a different sort. He finally has a replacement, not in the race for president, but as host of NBC's the "Celebrity Apprentice."

[08:45:02] Movie star turned governor turned movie star again, Arnold Schwarzenegger is going to take over. It begs the question for us to consider. Has the blinds between politics and reality TV become too blurred?

CAMEROTA: You just blurred those words.

PEREIRA: I blurred those lines.

CAMEROTA: That is how blurry it is.

PEREIRA: Joining us, CNN senior media correspondent and host of "RELIABLE SOURCES," Brian Stelter -- nothing blurry about him. Also CNN senior reporter for media and politics. Good to see you, Dillon Byers. Welcome to the show.

So interesting, Brian, I was with Alisyn Camerota lunching yesterday when this news crossed on our phones and I showed it to her --

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Did it surprise you?

PEREIRA: It did not. Well, it did and it didn't. I think it probably took you the same way.

STELTER: Well, his name wasn't on the short list for "Apprentice" replacement --

PEREIRA: But it makes sense.

STELTER: We were thinking about people like Mark Cuban. But it makes all the sense in the world. He has a worldwide brand. He's recognized in so many countries. He's known as a - He has like a business sensibility because he's been so successful and made billions of dollars at the box office without being a businessman per se. And then, of course, he has the political experience that we also associate with "The Apprentice" because Trump is now in this race. We have a reality show star trying to become president at the same time a former governor is becoming a reality show star.

(LAUGHTER)

CAMEROTA: Stop it. You are scrambling my brain, Brian.

(CROSSTALK)

CAMEROTA: But Dylan, isn't that just the point? Are we all sort of now extras in this weird new reality show called the presidential race?

DYLAN BYERS, CNN SENIOR REPORTER, MEDIA AND POLITICS: Yeah, I think more or less. I mean, over time politics and entertainment, politics and media, these two fields have sort of been blending. You can argue it goes -- certainly it goes as far back as the whole Clinton scandal and the 24 hour cable news cycle around that and you can argue it goes all the way back to 1960 when Richard Nixon debated John F. Kennedy and refused to wear make up, not understanding how important television was and how much command it was going to have over voter perception. We're seeing that brought to its sort of apotheosis now and the lines have been blurred to the point where they almost don't exist anymore.

PEREIRA: That was a word.

CAMEROTA: I like that. PEREIRA: $11 word for sure. Well, you know, the Donald quickly took to the twitters to congratulate the Arnold about it. I think we can pull up his tweet. He was in Dallas yesterday and I think he sent out a tweet, "Congrats to my friend @Schwarzenegger who is doing next season's 'Celebrity Apprentice.' He'll be great and will raise lots of money for charity." And he probably loves this because it stays kind of - It's within his brand in a way to have somebody of Arnold's ilk and brashness takeover the show.

STELTER: Yeah, that's a very good point. He was giving his blessing, showing there is no more ill will about NBC and "The Apprentice." We know Trump likes to ramp (ph) "The Apprentice" in all of his speeches, talk about how much NBC wanted him to do it.

But now the network does have a chance to rejuvenate the franchise with a new host and I do think the show will travel well all the around the world because Schwarzenegger is so well known all around the world. I assume the line will be, "you're terminated" instead of "you're fired."

(LAUGHTER)

CAMEROTA: Oh, that's so good.

PEREIRA: He beat us to it.

STELTER: But it could be "hasta la vista" - I mean, there's a lot of options of what they can do with it.

CAMEROTA: That's so good!

BYERS: You don't think it's not going to be "you won't be back?"

(LAUGHTER)

PEREIRA: That actually is also good. There's so many options.

CAMEROTA: There are so many options.

(CROSSTALK)

STELTER: (INAUDIBLE) figure it out, thankfully. They are going to delay the show until the fall of 2016. So he's got some time to figure it out. Who knows where Trump will be by then? You know, this now closes a door that was still slightly open for Trump.

PEREIRA: But it - OK, so here's what I have to ask because someone made this suggestion to me, Dylan, the other day. Is this essentially -- this blurred lines conversation, blurring the lines between politics and entertainment, having Trump in the race. Is this sort of the kardashianization of American politics?

BYERS: Well, yes and no - I mean, certainly you can't ignore the immense ratings Donald Trump has brought to -- and the attention that Donald Trump has brought to the early stages of this campaign. And that reflects a demand for something. Whether it's just pure entertainment, or a sort of rolling circus, you know, barnstorming across the country, or whether people just sort of love his authenticity, which is maybe something that they associate with realty shows, fairly or unfairly. There is something he's doing and it is coming from that world of reality television that really appeals to people. I don't know if -- I don't know if it translates to votes, but it certainly appeals to viewers. And it drive ratings.

CAMEROTA: Yeah. I mean, look --

STELTER: There are also - pardon me -- There is also different kinds of reality TV and different kinds of celebrities. There are celebrities who we make fun of because, you know - I don't want to say the Kardashians or the Jenners -- they are businesswomen at this point, right, with big franchises, but they're not known for being forces for good in the world, helping charities and relief organizations.

Then there are celebrities that we all know spend a lot of time working with charities, working in the developing world, using their popularity and power for good. So it is not necessarily a bad thing that we're seeing this celebrity, you know, celebrified -- celebritization of politics, but there are lots of different kinds of celebrity.

[08:50:04] CAMEROTA: He just said the Kardashians have big franchises. I didn't know that's where we he was going with that.

PEREIRA: No, we didn't know -

(CROSSTALK)

CAMEROTA: That's surprising, Brian.

PEREIRA: It really is.

CAMEROTA: All right. Brian Stelter, Dylan Byers, thanks so much. Great to talk to you about this.

PEREIRA: Interesting conversation, gentleman.

CAMEROTA: Very. What's your take on all of this? Michaela and I would love to read it. Please tweet us using #newdayCNN or post your comment on Facebook.com/newday.

PEREIRA: Tune in tomorrow night. As you know, CNN's Republican presidential debate starts at 6:00 p.m. Eastern. The main primetime event is at 8:00 p.m. The show NEW DAY is going on the road. Yes, it's going to be live from the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley tomorrow and on Thursday morning to bring you all of the debate highlights and analysis. That means no sleep for you.

CAMEROTA: Thank you. But I look forward to it. It is going to be very exciting.

Meanwhile, coming up, one man is yelling outside of the ballpark but he isn't selling Cracker Jacks. He's selling himself. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD GROOMS, SEARCHED FOR JOB AT CARDINALS STADIUM: You got a job? I need a job! Know anyone who is hiring?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: All right. Find out about this unusual job search. It is in "The Good Stuff."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:55:08] CAMEROTA: So one man's unconventional job search is paying off --

PEREIRA: Is this "The Good Stuff?"

CAMEROTA: It is "The Good Stuff" today. Donald Grooms has a wife, he has a one-year-old daughter and his unemployment benefits are running out after he was down sized out of his job. But despite sending out hundreds of resumes, nothing. So this die-hard Cardinals fan swallowed his pride and he headed down to the stadium.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GROOMS: You got a job? I need a job! Know anyone who is hiring?

My family's dreams don't work unless I do. And it is really being able to find a job that my family can live the dream.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: Go ahead, brother. Do what you got to do.

CAMEROTA: Well, his gambit paid off. His unconventional techniques went viral. He was seen by more than 2 million people overnight and he now has dozens of offers from St. Louis all the way to South Korea.

PEREIRA: Oh my goodness.

CAMEROTA: That's incredible.

PEREIRA: He didn't have to swallow his pride at all. He was just letting them know, you know. That's awesome.

CAMEROTA: All right. Be sure to join us tomorrow. NEW DAY will be live from the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. We're heading to Cali. So we'll see you tomorrow for that.

PEREIRA: "NEWSROOM" with Carol Costello will begin right after a short break. We're a mess. We should wrap the show up.

CAMEROTA: Let's do that. Right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)