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New Day

Hours Away from GOP Debate; What Match-Ups Might Take Place Tonight?; Interview with Donald Trump Biographer; Pennant Races Tightening in MLB Regular Season. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired September 16, 2015 - 06:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:33:16] MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to NEW DAY. We are just hours away from the second Republican debate right here on CNN tonight in Simi Valley. Are we expecting memorable moments that could change the race?

Well, John Avalon is a CNN political analyst and the editor in chief of "The Daily Beast". Margaret Hoover is here, a CNN political commentator, Republican consultant, and Sirius XM host. And they join me now to break down kind of what we can expect tonight. I mean, that's the game, right? We speculate, we speculate. Are the boxing gloves on? Who has got a Trump strategy which is something that we expect most of the candidates will have to have?

So we thought we'd put together, in fact I've got this in the wrong spot. We've probably put together some of the matchups that we're watching. Trump and Bush, you guys feel that this is an important one for Bush obviously. Why?

JOHN AVLON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: It absolutely is. Look, Jeb Bush has gotto show he's got the fire in the belly and that he's going to make a strong case for defending the party of Reagan and Bush and Ike and Lincoln for that matter, against sort of the troll party of Donald Trump. But he's got to do it with passion, he's got to do it with fire, he's got to do it with conviction, because otherwise he looks lake Beta Bush and then he's done.

PEREIRA: Beta Bush?

AVLON: Beta Bush.

MARGARET HOOVER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Also, immigration is his issue. Immigration is the issue that's catapulted Donald Trump to the spotlight. People say it's not his experience they like, it's him on the issues. Well, what is that issue? Jeb Bush is the counterpoint. He wrote the book on immigration and how the Republican Party should reform immigration but he hasn't been able to really challenge him point for point on how to do it.

PEREIRA: Tonight is an opportunity.

HOOVER: Tonight is an opportunity for Bush to distinguish himself.

PEREIRA: Let's take a look at another matchup that we know is going to draw a lot of eyes. First of all, because this is the only woman on the stage tonight as a candidate but also because of the comments that have been flying back and forth between the Fiorina campaign and the Trump campaign.

[06:35:00] She's got an opportunity here, Margaret.

HOOVER: Just look at that face. And that's what she's going to say. Look, nobody can do the counterpunch like Carly Fiorina and nobody has actually taken on the strategy. They're insulting Trump back to him but it's not sticking or working. Carson is actually apologizing to Trump. Her strategy is instead, own the insult, make him look like a fool for insulting you, and then cut an ad and make money from it, all the while galvanizing female voters. I mean, Carly is masterful at this. And I think we'll probably see a moment that encapsulates how shrewd she is as a debater.

AVLON: Look, let's lower the bar but let's -- OK, she obviously is a great communicator. Here's the interesting thing, is how does Trump deal with Fiorina.

PEREIRA: Right.

AVLON: You know, they're -- obviously we have some feisty --

PEREIRA: Given the comments that he's made about her.

AVLON: Given the comments and given just the underlying inherent gender dynamic. It is different for a bully like Donald Trump to beat up the only woman on the stage rhetorically. That is a tough place. And if he's smart, he'll try to be gracious and deescalate the debate. Because ultimately --

PEREIRA: Do you think he'll do that?

AVLON: There's no way he can win that.

PEREIRA: OK, and then last but not least, we saw some fireworks last time around between Rand Paul and Chris Christie. Do you think we'll see it again, Margaret?

HOOVER: Look, Chris Christie and Rand Paul both need a defining moment in this debate. They're both languishing; they're at risk of becoming second tier. And Chris Christie has the boldness and the brashness of Trump without actually being -- having to carry the cudgel that Trump has. I mean, he has mm-telling ability to sort of cut through --

AVLON: But, you know, he's been actually a governor for two terms.

PEREIRA: OK, well speaking of those last moments, we thought we'd bring up some of the moments from last debate. And this is actually speaking of that very fiery exchange.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RAND PAUL (R-KY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I know you gave him a big hug. And if you want to give him a big hug, go right ahead.

MEGYN KELLY, DEBATE MODERATOR: Go ahead, Govenor.

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R-NJ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know, Senator Paul, Senator Paul, the hugs that I remember are the hugs that I gave to the families who lost their people on September 11.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: Here's the big question, though, why, John, did that not elevate either of their campaigns?

AVLON: Well, look, simply having a good food fight doesn't mean you're going to look more presidential. Here, what we have in Christie and Paul is a real, genuine philosophical difference about governance. What's amazing is that neither of them, both of who are strong figures, have not been able to coalesce a deeper base of support, and they need to do that. They need to own their own real estate. Christie making the contrast Margaret pointed out with Trump and Rand Paul saying those 10 percent to 15 percent of you that say you're Libertarians, I'm your guy. I'll fight to good fight. Don't fight each other so much: Define yourself.

PEREIRA: I'm going to stick with you for one second because you brought attention to this moment from John Kasich.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JOHN KASICH (R-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The Court has ruled and I said we'll accept it. And guess what, I just went to a wedding of a friend of mine who happens to be gay. Because somebody doesn't think the way I do doesn't mean I can't care about them or I can't love them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: Which is a perfect metaphor for the relationship the two of you have. But what is it that stuck out here to you, John, that you wanted to bring to our attention?

AVLON: Look, John Kasich really stood out in that debate, a Midwestern governor, a very successful governor of a purple state, who's making the case for compassionate conservatism. A party of inclusion, a party of fiscal discipline. That message really resonates. He needs to keep being that implicit strong contrast with the Trumps of the world.

PEREIRA: And it is early on in the game. I mean, you look at the numbers that he has right now. Now, talking of numbers, here's a guy who we've seen an about-face happen. Let's listen. You said this is significant.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DR. BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not the only one willing to pick up the baton of freedom. Because freedom is not free and we must fight for it every day. Every one of us must fight for it because we're fighting for our children and the next generation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: This was part of his closing comments from Ben Carson. And we've seen a real turnaround in a sense.

HOOVER: Well, Ben Carson cannot be underestimated. What's happening here is that Ted Cruz and Mike Hucakbee and Rick Santorum should all be incredibly worried, because he has codified the Christian conservative primary evangelical base of the party in a way that none of them have. And his numbers are on the rise. We saw "The New York Times"/CBS poll where he creeping up within the margin of error of being number one with Donald Trump.

PEREIRA: Quick final thought, John?

AVLON: And he's doing it by being a gentleman rather than a jerk. And that matters in this race.

PEREIRA: Tonight all eyes will be on the stage. Be sure to tune in for the first of two debates beginning at 6:00 p.m. Eastern. The main event then with 11 candidates starts at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.

We should let you know that tomorrow morning we're getting up a little bit earlier. We're going to have debate analysis and candidate interviews in a special early edition of NEW DAY, live from the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley. That'll start at 5:30 a.m. Eastern. I didn't warn you guys about that. We might need you on standby.

Those two look bright eyed and bushy-tailed out there in Simi Valley. That's for sure.

So far, so good.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: You know, usually we say, hey, they were up all night and it's a lie. But tonight it will probably be true. We will probably not go to bed in any meaningful way before we see you again after the debate.

Now, here in Simi Valley, where we are in California , you have 13 men and a woman who had a lousy night's sleep. They're probably still trying to sleep right now. But there's one man who slept like a baby.

[06:40;00] That's because political lives for everone but Donald Trump probably about to change. Everyone is focused on going at Trump, how to deal with Trump. But what's going on in his head? Where is he going to bring his game tonight? We're going to talk to a man who wrote a biography about Donald Trump, knows who he is and how he thinks very well. We will give you his insight when NEW DAY returns live from the Reagan Presidential Library in California. Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PEREIRA: Good to have you back with us on NEW DAY. Looking at your headlines, 16 Republican presidential hopefuls -- or 15 rather -- are gearing up for big debates tonight on CNN. Frontrunner Donald Trump says he's not doing much to prepare. However, he says he feels good heading into the showdown. The latest polls show Trump and Ben Carson at the top of the field with establishment candidates falling. The main debate of course begins at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. The other candidates will take the stage at 6:00.

We turn now to the migrant crisis that's currently gripping Europe. We're just learning that some train lines between Austria and Germany have been halted because the railway company says 180 people have jumped from trains to avoid checkpoints.

[06:45:06] On the Serbia/Hungary border, meanwhile, hundreds of refugees were forced to spend the night out in the night or in tents as Hungary cracked down on people trying to breach or damage a fence along the border. The refugees are now facing the daunting prospect of finding a new route into Northern Europe.

In Utah, the death toll has now reached 16 in those monster flash floods. Is there more heavy rain in the forecast? That's our question for CNN meteorologist Chad Myers who's watching the situation for us. Hi, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hi, Michaela. Yes, there is more rainfall coming but north of where the flooding was. Provo, Brighton, all the way up into parts of Salt Lake City and even into Idaho could see the flooding today. So be careful out hiking, walking, whatever. Those dry ditches may not be dry today.

Even some rain coming into northern California. Now, we'll take that rain because that may help the firefighting efforts just a little bit. I do believe though the threat of desert flooding of Utah, Arizona, Nevada, that threat is gone because the drier air is moving in, the moist air moving away.

Now, east, you're going to start to warm up, back up into the 80s. A plessant day today, 87. Same story for tomorrow for New York City, a little warmer in D.C., with the heat index. Humidity is kind of back. Doesn't feel like fall although it isn't that far away, Michaela.

PEREIRA: My goodness, the clock is ticking by so fast in 2015. All right, Chad, thank you for that. And we'll keep an eye on the situation in Utah.

Right now though, how about a little sports on this Wednesday? Pennant races are heating up in Major League Baseball with less than three weeks left in the regular season. Where has the year gone, Andy Scholes?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: It's just flying by, Michaelea. Good morning to you. Now, the tightest division battle right now in baseball is between the two Texan teams in the AL West. The Astros just a half game lead over the Rangers coming into last night's game. Bottom of the fourth, Texas down by one. Adrian Beltre is going to hit this one down the line into big man. Prince Fielder is going to rumble all the way around from first to score to tie the game at five. It would stay tied at five until bottom of the ninth. Mitch Morelan (ph), the sacrifice fly right here, Rangers win it 6-5 and now lead the division for the first time this season.

Royals and Indians playing in Cleveland. The Royals' Alex Rios is going to hit a home run and the celebration fireworks are going to go off. Only problem with that is this is an Indians home game. You don't set off fireworks after the away team hits a home run. Well, the poor Indians worker who set them off, he gets booed and check him out, Michaela. He is totally embarrassed. He tries to bury himself inside of his hat. Got to feel bad for the poor guy.

PEREIRA: Facepalm. Oh my goodness. All right, Andy Scholes, thanks for that. We needed that smile.

All right, 6:47 out East. Let's head West to Alisyn and Chris.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: OK, Michaela. I'll take it because Donald Trump apparently not a fan of prepping for presidential debates. Up next, the Trump biographer on what Trump is doing as we count down to tonight's debate, live from the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:52:11] CUOMO: Too many candidates and media members spend time dismissing Trump's popularity when they should be trying to understand it. Because as random as it seems, this is an act that Donald Trump has perfected over years. And we have someone who has cataloged and studied the rise, Donald Trump's biographer, Michael D'Antonio, author of "Never Enough: Donald Trump And The Pursuit Of Success".

Mr. D'Antonio, thank you very much for joining us. People who are being introduced to Donald Trump on the big stage are wowed about how the rules don't apply, how he talks about himself in the third person, and how it seems that it's OK for him to insult those who disagree. But you're saying none of this is an accident.

MICHAEL D'ANTONIO, AUTHOR, "NEVER ENOUGH: DONALD TRUMP AND THE PURSUIT OF SUCCESS": No, none of it is new. He's been creating and fine tuning this persona for 40 years. And he tells us who he is. That's an old expression: People tell you who they are.

When I interviewed him, one of the things that he said to me is I'm the same person that I was when I was 6 years old. So I often think of a kid who's 6 years old at the dinner table debating with his mother how many Brussels sprouts he's going to eat. And what he says he can't make a deal, this a guy who's been making a deal every moment of his life for now 69 years. He'll be 70 next summer. CAMEROTA: Michael, it's so interesting that you say this. Because

just last night, he was asked on the campaign trail by a reporter who was trying to catch up with him, how are you preparing? Or are you preparing to are tonight's debate? And he said I've been preparing for 30 years.

And you understand that. I mean, it was hard for people on the campaign trail to understand what he meant, because he's not really preparing. But in some ways everything has been leading up to this for him.

D'ANTONIO: Right. Well, he's the kid who was so out of control at age 13 that his father had to go to the school, where he was actually a major donor and a major figure, pull him out and send him to military school. So then he goes off to military school and all these decades later, he makes the claim that his experience in military academy is sort of comparable to being in the actual military.

And yet all of this kind of rolls off him, because I think the public has seen guys like this before. He's the guy at the bar who tells big stories and insults everybody and does it with a smile, and when he comes back the next night, they say, hey, how are you doing? And sit down and have another beer.

CUOMO: Well, he's just the guy who's at the bar who has the ability to buy everybody a round and then buy the bar at the end of the night because he's so wealthy.

(LAUGHTER)

D'ANTONIO: That's a big part of it.

CUOMO: And that creates a little bit -- and it creates a little something that he sometimes alienates voters, right? Because in American political culture right now, being wealthy is kind of a bad thing.

[06:55:01] There's a stigma attached to it.

CAMEROTA: It was. Until he's owned it.

CUOMO: And he's changed that. Now, people talk about style with Trump --

(CROSSTALK)

D'ANTONIO: One thing I think you need to think about is there's a long tradition after really rich guys identifying with the average person at the turn of the century during the first gilded age. And we're now in another gilded age. It was not fashionable for the very wealthy men to be seen as elite or to have refined tastes; they let their wives do that part. But for their part they wanted to be muscular and masculine and aggressive and Donald is doing all those things.

CUOMO: When people talk about style, I think that maybe we're misusing that word a little bit or or mean something different with him. He seems to have an ability to bond with some people by alienating others. Tell us about that.

D'ANTONIO: Well, right. I think there are a lot of people who are very dominant personalities who define others as the enemy, as the source of the problem. Donald started doing this in the 1980s. Back then, it was the Japanese and oil producing states in the Gulf. They were -- actually he said that the Gulf states would make sure we were paying $6 or $8 or $10 a gallon for gas back in the '80s. and back then, it was the Japanese who were eating our lunch, and we were losers.

And he sees everything in the terms of winning and losing. He's a guy whose mind goes to the word vicious when he talks about how people relate to each other. He even says this about people in love. So if you're in a relationship with a man or a woman, that's where the viciousness comes out.

So it's a thing that's very stark. You know, he defines things in comic book terms. And it's easy to understand. And if you feel like you're the one he favors, you feel pretty good. He'll tell you, you're a good guy. You're a smart guy. He told me that I was pretty good looking. And it feels good to be complimented and to be on one team that seems powerful and wealthy against another team that might be the bad guy.

CAMEROTA: Uh-huh. That is insightful. That's a good strategy. When you feel special around someone, you like them back, you know?

CUOMO: People like to be liked. And it may be one thing nobody will disagree with Trump about, D'Antonio has a good look to him.

CAMEROTA: Yes, there you go.

CUOMO: Appreciate you being on to explain your perspective about Trump. And it could be that what he does and how he is it is perfect for this time right now. People are angry, they feel alienated, they don't like the way things are going, they see a lot of enemies around them.

CAMEROTA: It appears to be. I mean, he appears to be resonating at exactly the right moment that people wanted something like this.

CUOMO: The polls ain't a coincidence.

CAMEROTA: No.

CUOMO: All right, so tonight, another test. Not so much for Mr. Trump necessarily but all those who want his spotlight. Two debates beginning at 6:00 p.m. Eastern, the main event, 11 candidates, starts at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. There's a lot of news for you this morning, including the debate. So let's get right to it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: It is debate day. CUOMO: In 12 hours, the GOP race will change.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't know how you can prepare for something. I hear everybody's coming after me.

CARSON: My vision for America, which I think is something that a lot of people resonate with.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Because all the candidates, they need this debate to turn things around.

PAUL: I'm going to mix it up because I like to rumble.

CARLY FIORINA (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIATE: All of our characters are being revealed, including Mr. Trump's.

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In the end this is not a game show.

JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Mr. Trump believes he can insult his way to the presidency.

TRUMP: I'm fighting very nice people. They're never going to be able to do it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This can really make or break someone's campaign.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is the NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Alisyn Camerota and Michaela Pereira.

CAMEROTA: And good morning, everyone. Welcome back to your NEW DAY, Michaela is there in New York. Chris and I are coming to you live from Simi Valley, California, at the Reagan Presidential Library where 15 Republican presidential candidates will square off in two big debates tonight, right here on CNN.

Look at the inside. The venue is beautiful, Chris. I just popped my head in there. It is intimate; it's very different from the first time around. It will be fascinating to see everyone in there. Donald Trump of course still the frontrunner but he claims that he's not preparing in any traditional way for tonight's debate. Instead, he continues to campaign and to vamp like he did last night with what was supposed to be a national security speech for veterans.

CUOMO: Did you take a picture of yourself at the podium in the Trump position?

CAMEROTA: How did you know I might have done that? I did.

CUOMO: Check Instagram, people. So a lot of the people on stage tonight arre promising not to let Trump steamroll his way through another debate.

Now it's not just coming from his own party. Vice President Joe Biden took time to talk about Trump and his rhetoric about Latinos.

[07:00:04] So there's starting to come some fire at the frontrunner. What will it mean? Just 11 hours until the festivities begin.