Return to Transcripts main page

New Day

2016 Presidential News; Interview with Bernie Sanders; Best Late Night Laughs of 2015. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired December 24, 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] DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Chris, I - I don't think what we've seen with Donald Trump is that I don't think the old rules apply necessarily. You just described the Donald Trump/Carly Fiorina reaction, but it only emboldened him, right? I mean it only - he only emerged from that whole interaction not as damaged goods, but the stronger candidate of the two. I do not think that what we have seen in the past about how male candidates have had to deal with female candidates and the Rick Lazio (ph) moment is the perfect example of that. A traditional politician may create much more calculus in their mind about how to do that if they were posting up against Hillary Clinton. I don't get the sense that that is Donald Trump's calculus, to be afraid of that.

PATRICIA MURPHY, COLUMNIST, "THE DAILY BEAST": Although he came up stronger with Republican primary voters. With general election voters, I think that has hurt him in some ways. So I don't know that keeping - that taking the gloves off against Hillary Clinton is going to help him across the aisle.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: OK, let's talk about what's going on with Ben Carson. There are a few things to talk about. Number one, the poll that came out yesterday of CNN shows what's happened to his numbers. While Donald Trump has gone up, while Ted Cruz has gone up, Ben Carson just from last month has gone from 14 percent down to 10 percent. And now, today, word of there could be some sort of shake-up in his campaign, letting go of some people. "The Wall Street Journal" has a report out that his team raised $8.8 million last month. Oh, no, sorry, in October. They spent $9.5 million. David, that's - that math doesn't add up.

CHALIAN: That's right, you don't - you don't want to spend more than you take in. That is - that is true. And clearly Ben Carson is not happy with sort of that finance report that he has seen there. I think you've got three things going on here, Alisyn. You've got the policy and sort of character problem that is the cause of the poll slide for Ben Carson. Republican primary voters just don't see him as sort of commander in chief in these very trying times. And there were all these questions about his biography that were raised. So that was I think the cause of the poll slide.

But you also have a disorganization with the campaign. And even in the 24 hours where he sort of foreshadowed the shakeup in his campaign, within moments, you know, he was on Don Lemon's show saying, well, that was overwritten. I really - it's not going to be a shakeup. Everything's on the table. Just as some of his allies were saying, hey, this is great, Ben Carson taking control of his campaign again, sort of letting Dr. Carson be Dr. Carson and not run by the advisors. But then he walked that back. So I think there's a - there's just a lack of a clear structure messaging organization in the mechanics of campaigning that the Carson operation needs to clean up there.

CAMEROTA: Patricia, David, we have to leave it there. Thanks so much. Merry Christmas to both of you.

CHALIAN: Merry Christmas.

MURPHY: Thank you. You, too.

CAMEROTA: Thank you. Thank you.

CUOMO: So is there - there is a question that deserves another step into it. Everybody has to look at Donald Trump and say, the poll numbers are what they are. Why he is so popular brings up a lot of disagreement. Senator Bernie Sanders brought up Donald Trump, I did not, but it's why he brought him up and what he said about him that wound up becoming a bone of contention. We'll show it to you in a second.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:37:00] CAMEROTA: Time now for the five things to know for your new day.

Number one, a very serious one, at least eight people dead after a tornado outbreak cut through the south and Midwest. A seven-year-old boy is among the victims.

Next, a new CNN poll shows Hillary Clinton still holds a sizable lead on the Democratic side in the 2016 race, but Bernie Sanders has made modest gain in the last month.

Israeli police say a Palestinian man stabbed two security guards in the West Bank before he was killed. This latest stabbing attack on Israelis happening as Christians gather in the holy land to mark Christmas Eve.

A British Muslim family waiting for an explanation after being pulled off a U.S.-bound flight. They say they were singled out because they are Muslim. But a U.S. border official say that is not the case.

And The Beatles' finally streaming online. Seventeen of the band's original albums and compilations hit streaming services eight hours ago. The Beatles' music was among the last hold-out in the digital music era.

For more on the five things to know, you can go to newdaycnn.com for all of the latest.

Chris.

CUOMO: All right. So we have 2016 Democratic contender Senator Bernie Sanders. He brought up Donald Trump, not me. He said he wanted to talk policy. So why talk Trump? Because this man believes that Trump is a metaphor for something that you need to know. He'll tell you right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:42:06] CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Bernie Sanders likes to talk policy, but also wanted to bring up Donald Trump. And not just this throw mud back and forth. He says that he thinks Trump has a message to all the voters out there and he hopes that they hear it. Hear it from him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: You started off this interview using Donald Trump as a point of contrast. His popularity at this point is inarguable. How he is becoming popular has become a source of a lot of argument and criticism. The most recent volley, what he said about Hillary Clinton's break during the debate, what he said about how he characterized her loss to Barack Obama. You know, you're a guy who grew up in Brooklyn. You probably know the word that he used. Maybe never heard it used as a verb before. But why is it working so well for him?

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, Chris, you're going to have to ask the media precisely why. I mean Trump is a smart guy. He's a media guy. He ran - you know, he did a TV show.

I'll give you one example, all right? A recent study showed that on ABC evening news, Trump, over a period of time, got 81 minutes of time. Bernie Sanders got 20 seconds. Now you tell me why.

CUOMO: Well -

SANDERS: And I think it has to do with the fact that - that Trump is very smart. He knows that media is not so interested in the serious issues facing this country. They love, you know, bombastic remarks. They love silly remarks. If he says that somebody is sweating, oh (ph) my God, that is a major story and all that silly business, the personal attacks, that kind of works. So I think this is more of an indictment of the media actually than it is of Trump.

CUOMO: Yes, I don't see it. I - look, do we cover him more? Yes. Why? He's number one in the polls.

SANDERS: Why?

CUOMO: He's highly relevant. He drives the discussion.

SANDERS: But, but, but, but, but Chris, Chris, but, Chris, explain to me how he becomes number one. He boasted the fact - this is what he said. He says, hey, I don't even have to pay for commercials. The media's going to put me on all of the time. Explain to me, and I know CNN may be different here, and you have been, you know, very generous to me, but you explain to me how a major network on the evening news has 80 minutes of Trump, 20 seconds of Bernie Sanders. Does that make sense to anybody? CUOMO: Well, look -

SANDERS: In many ways I think it's fair to say - yes, go ahead.

CUOMO: There's no question that Trump drives ratings, and that's always an influence in everything that we do. If you weren't as handsome and charismatic as you are, senator, maybe you wouldn't get the time that you get. But you can't just wipe off all of this popularity that he has with a growing base of the GOP. They are putting him first in the polls -

SANDERS: No, I'm not.

CUOMO: Not because of the media. They say they hate the media.

SANDERS: I am not.

CUOMO: They just love Trump.

[08:44:44] SANDERS: Chris, Chris, this is what I think is going on. I think that Trump is very effectively playing to the fears and the anxieties that millions of people in this country have. And have legitimately so. We're all concerned about the possibility of a terrorist attack against this country.

[08:45:04] We're all concerned about ISIS. We're all concerned about a disappearing middle class.

You have in this country people who don't understand why it is that with increased productivity and technology, they're working longer hours for low wages. They're worried to death about their kids. They're worried about the economy.

And Trump comes along and he says, I've got the solution. And what the violation is Mexicans coming into this country. Let's throw them all out. That will solve all of our problems. It's Muslims, they're all terrorists. We have to hate them.

Well, that is not the solution to our problem. That is simply scapegoating minorities, playing one group against another. It's what demagogues have always done.

But what we've got to do as a people is come together and say, yes, why is it that the middle class is in fact disappearing and almost all new wealth and income is going to 1 percent? Let's talk about it.

And sometimes, Chris, to be honest with you, it can't be done in a six-second sound bite. Why is it that we have the most unequal distribution of wealth in income than any major country on earth? Why is it that we have any country on earth? Why is it that we're the only nation on earth that doesn't have health care for people as a right?

These are the kind of debates that we have to have. I would urge and beg the media to allow us to have that debate, and not just pick up on Trump's one liners. CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Senator Sanders, as you know, that's

what we're doing, that's what NEW DAY is about. We always appreciate you being on the show.

SANDERS: And I do know that, Chris. Chris, I know that and I appreciate the good work you're doing.

CUOMO: You're not easy to get. I've got people hashtagging #feelingthebern coming after me saying you don't have Sanders on enough.

I can't get you on. You're too busy running around the country. Tell your people, lay off.

SANDERS: Well -- all right. We will do our best to be with you.

CUOMO: You're always welcome to talk about what matters on this show. Senator, best to you and the family. Thank you for being on NEW DAY.

SANDERS: All right. And a happy -- merry Christmas and happy holidays to everybody.

CUOMO: Appreciate it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: He makes a lot of compelling points to dive into, particularly on the economic imbalance. He's gone a long way with the inequities in this country.

CUOMO: But he's got to fix it in a way that doesn't make it worse just by overburdening one part of the population.

CAMEROTA: I mean, where I think we could take issue is that the reason that the media covers Trump a lot is because Trump rates as we say in the media a lot is because people are interested. Viewers tune in. We get ratings.

He's also available in a way that some of the other candidates aren't. That ducktails and there you have why we cover him a lot.

CUOMO: That's true. You know, I missed the subtlety in that, which is I let people distinguish the ratings themselves. They get to criticize to me, when you are the ones watching. So, obviously, you're interested.

CAMEROTA: People vote with the clicker.

CUOMO: Smart point. Cameranas.

CAMEROTA: Meanwhile, the presidential race making for fantastic late night punch lines in 2015. Which moments were most memorable? That's next.

CUOMO: Do they involve us?

CAMEROTA: Very possible. Very possible.

CUOMO: Damage.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:51:34] CAMEROTA: All right. It's been a big year of big changes in the late night landscape, but through it all, the laughs keep coming.

Let's bring in Alison Kosik with some of the funniest late night moments of 2015.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know what is interesting about the election season is the presidential candidates, it's not about getting on Sunday morning TV, meet the press, forget about it.

It's all about the late night TV. We were certainly watching the laughs during late night. One, in particular, "SNL", they are the king --

CAMEROTA: So good.

KOSIK: -- at impressions. I want you to watch this one.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILL FERRELL AS GEORGE W. BUSH: The field of Republicans out there is so messed up, I figured it makes you miss me, doesn't it? That's saying a lot.

LARRY DAVID AS BERNIE SANDERS: I'm the only candidate up here who's not a billionaire. I don't have a super PAC, I don't even have a backpack. I carry my stuff around loose in my arms like a professor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: Like a professor.

CAMEROTA: He's so good.

KOSIK: I love it when they make fun of themselves. And I don't know, did you catch the one where Trump hosted the show? I liked him in the Drake video where, you used to call me on my cell phone, he sang that part? I like that.

CAMEROTA: That was the highlight.

KOSIK: So, Jon Stewart retired but had to get one last dig in for Trump. In fact, this was the day Trump announced he was running for president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JON STEWART: Thank you, Donald Trump, for making my last six weeks my best six weeks. No! He's putting me in some kind of comedy hospice. We're all getting straight morphine. (END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: I miss him. I really do. I do miss him.

Another one that was really memorable, Obama. Actually, this one was really good. I was talking about impersonations. Fallon, forget about it. Then you have Trump mirroring himself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIMMY FALLON AS DONALD TRUMP: Fallon is a lightweight. No way he deserves interviewing me. The only one qualified to interview me is me.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Me interviewing me, that's what I call a great idea.

FALLON: Of course, it's a great idea. We thought of it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: That's awesome.

OK, now, so that's funny because Donald Trump, you can't tell from his face, does he think it's funny? Or does he think it's true?

KOSIK: I think it's a little of each.

And it's not just presidential candidates, it's sitting presidents as well. Obama doing the old mean tweaking. Go ahead. Give it --

CUOMO: I love it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Coors Light is $23 now at Sun Stop. Thanks Obama.

How do you make Obama's eyes light up? Shine a flashlight in his ears. That's pretty good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: That was pretty good. That was Jimmy Kimmel's mean tweet. He took it on the chin. He can also laugh. We love to laugh at politicians, don't we?

CAMEROTA: They are so good. That was memorable.

KOSIK: Can you imagine if Trump is elected, what kind of fun we're going to have?

CAMEROTA: Sure. And, I mean, look at Hillary Clinton up there. She also provides ample material.

KOSIK: Absolutely. I agree. CUOMO: I don't know if these are the best barometers for a potential

process. Give me one more. What do you like up here?

KOSIK: I think all the gifts have been opened.

CUOMO: What about Colbert?

KOSIK: Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[08:55:00] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you for being here.

OK. Shall we begin?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Indeed, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right.

Momma always said life is like a box of chocolates.

You never know what you're going to get.

(SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: What is funny is nowadays they have to be able to dance and sing, like Jimmy Fallon I think made that, that everybody who comes on has to do all these sorts of routines, where it's not just cracking jokes anymore.

CUOMO: Super entertainer. I think the guy was carbon space, though, Alisons, is Colbert. He had a big challenge. He had stuff to overcome. He seems to be grabbing the mantle in a funny way.

No audio needed.

CAMEROTA: No audio needed.

CUOMO: Making my point.

CAMEROTA: He looks like a Christmas ornament.

Wow. It's all such good stuff. And Conan has been really funny as well.

CUOMO: Got to laugh or you cry sometimes.

CAMEROTA: Yes, there you go.

Alison, thank you for reminding us of this. Pleasure to see you.

KOSIK: My pleasure, anytime.

CAMEROTA: Merry Christmas. KOSIK: Merry Christmas.

CAMEROTA: Thanks so much. Have a merry Christmas, everyone. Thank you so much for joining us today. Have a wonderful holiday.

Carol Costello is up right after this short break.

CUOMO: Merry Christmas!

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)