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New Day

Dramatic Video of Raid to Capture "El Chapo"; Dead Heat In Iowa Between Trump & Cruz; Alabama Wins National Championship; Democratic Voters Weigh In On Tight Iowa Race. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired January 12, 2016 - 06:30   ET

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

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[06:32:37] MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: So, we are learning more about the capture of notorious drug lord El Chapo. Turns out that surprise sit-down interview with Sean Penn, it played a critical role helping Mexican authorities locate and capture the fugitive.

Nick Valencia is live in Mexico with the latest for us -- Nick.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Michaela.

There are new photos emerging this morning that appear to show actor Sean Penn and an actress going to meet El Chapo. These photos we understand were taken by Mexican intelligence teams they appear to show among other things the pair arriving at the Guadalajara airport. These photos emerging on the same day that Mexico's attorney general saying that the meeting between Penn and El Chapo enabled monitoring and intelligence.

She gave an interview yesterday to a Mexican radio station in which she said, quote, "The meeting was an essential element because we were following Guzman's lawyer. And the lawyer took us to these people and to this meeting."

The raid on El Chapo, of course, took place early Friday morning. It was just within the last 12 hours that a CNN crew was able to get inside that home. A senior law enforcement official here in Mexico tells me that El Chapo tried to escape the raid using a secret passage that led to an underground tunnel that eventually led to the city's sewer system.

In the president's statement last night to the nation, he praised the capture of El Chapo but acknowledged that his capture won't solve the crime problems in this country -- Chris.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Thank you very much, Nick. Appreciate the reporting. Let us know, seems like there are more details every day.

All right. In other news, Ted Cruz thinks Donald Trump is terrific. Surprised? Well, he has said so many times on the campaign trail despite what Donald Trump has been fomenting about his qualifications for president. Now, we see the polls neck and neck, but will Mr. Cruz, Senator Cruz have to take a tougher tact to beat the Donald, next.

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[06:37:48] CUOMO: The Iowa caucuses are only 20 days away, my friend. That's a political blink of a political eye.

Of course, we're looking at the matchup between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz on the GOP side. Here are the numbers. Cruz has been leading in Iowa, the latest poll from Quinnipiac says Trump has it back. They're within the margin. I mean, this is the race to watch. Everybody else is a chunk behind.

What has been driving the dialogue lately is whether or not Senator Ted Cruz has the constitutional go-ahead to be president of the United States. Is that really what the election will turn on, even Iowa? Let's discuss.

CNN political commentator and political anchor for Time Warner Cable News, Mr. Errol Louis. Senior contributor for "The Daily Caller", Matt Lewis. Different spellings, unrelated. Also the author of "Too Dumb to Fail."

Gentlemen, good to have you.

Errol, we start with you. You saw the numbers there. Trump is a master of identifying what will fuel people's concerns. Ted Cruz said I'm a constitutional scholar. I wouldn't be wasting my time. I'm obviously eligible.

Is it hurting him? Does he need to change his tactic because the vice president, God love him, he reminds me of my dear departed father. But he's wrong. This isn't about sweet strength right now, it's about attacking your opponent.

ERROL LOUIS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, it is hurting Cruz. I mean, I think that part comes from a change in the numbers. I mean, you don't want this kind of talk. It takes you off the issues. It takes off your point and on to Trump's ground. So, Cruz is being hurt.

On the other hand, there's no reason for respond because that only adds fuel to it. And at the end of the day, really, because Cruz is right, I think we in the media should be clear about that, he is right.

CUOMO: Untested. Unsettled. Larry Tribe said it.

LOUIS: I think Larry Tribe knows that, as you know, as any attorney knows, there is no such thing as interlocutory kind of, you know, quizzes that you give to the Supreme Court. Hey, there's no case before you but I'd love to hear your opinion.

CUOMO: You just can't go and ask for declaratory judgment. Catch Roberts on the street.

LOUIS: Actually you can't. And if Trump was serious, he could file a lawsuit in New Hampshire or anywhere else, and it would be before a court and properly treated.

So, Cruz would be crazy to stray on to this ground at all. There's no merit to it. But it is hurting him for sure.

CUOMO: The unknown in a negative environment becomes a weapon.

[06:40:01] Next number, definitely would not support, Quinnipiac University poll, Trump 26 percent, Cruz 7 percent. What does this number mean to you, Matt? What does this insight into?

MATT LEWIS, SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR, THE DAILY CALLER: Well, theoretically it would speak to the ceiling that Donald Trump would have. I think there's a lot of room for growth for someone like Ted Cruz, if Ben Carson gets out, those people go to Ted Cruz, if Huckabee gets out, Santorum gets out.

So, you know, it appears that we have a bit of a ceiling for Trump. But we've said that before. Somehow Trump keeps going up.

I do disagree with Errol, though. I think that Ted Cruz has to respond to this. I think it's a mistake not to. And I think --

CUOMO: But how do you do it in a way that closes down the issue? Because it hasn't been tested before the Supreme Court. He would have to get into all of this ancillary case law about citizenship cases in the past. It gets thick and very distracting very fast.

LEWIS: I think it would be a mistake to get into a tit for tat legal argument, because this isn't about the Constitution. This is about authorizing Ted Cruz. It's about reminding people he was born in Canada.

It's working. That's the point, though. Ted Cruz saying I agree with Donald Trump, Donald Trump's a great guy. I'm not going to attack back. That hasn't worked. Trump is gaining.

CUOMO: Go ahead, Errol.

LOUIS: This question on definitely would not vote for Trump, this is real. In the caucuses, in the shuffle back and forth over what could be a three-hour period, there are people who will change from caucusing on behalf of Huckabee or Kasich or one of the other candidates say, we're going to bring our support over to somebody else. It looks like for most poll numbers, that somebody else will not be Donald Trump.

CUOMO: People don't understand how different Iowa is. You think the difference is caucus. That's just a word. It isn't. They literally get together in groups and go at it for hours. That's a very high level of dedication. Yes, it's part of the political culture there, but you're still asking a lot, and sometimes you can go into it with fewer numbers saying they're for you but they can be so robust, they turn people. So, it's part of the dynamic.

So, quickly, let's look at New Hampshire and understand why the numbers there are so different. Trump, prohibitive favorite to use a catch word.

Matt Lewis, quickly, why do you think Donald Trump is doing so much better in New Hampshire?

LEWIS: It's all about the political culture, Iowa, Midwestern state. You have a lot of evangelicals. New Hampshire, much different culturally, much more sort of secular, much more moderate. I think Donald Trump will do much better in New Hampshire than Iowa.

CUOMO: Errol Louis, quick thought. What do you think going into today, the biggest factor in the race in Iowa will be on the Democrat side?

LOUIS: Oh, interesting. On the Democratic side. I think it's going to be, just as on the Republican side, frankly, organization.

Bernie Sanders is out there making inroads and the polls seem to reflect some of this stuff. In the end, it's just what you described. You've got to convince people that they like you, they like your issues, that they're going to come out fight for you, argue for you, try to persuade others to your side.

That's the kind of passion that Sanders seemed to have stirred up. If he's organized to pull it off, we'll see something major. I think that's the race to watch.

CUOMO: Brothers Matt and Errol, appreciate it.

Alisyn, to you, in Iowa.

I remember Santorum. He didn't have the numbers going into Iowa. But the passion of people who caucus for him wound up making him a winner there.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. Anything is possible. There are many surprises that Iowa still has up her sleeve, because Democratic voters in Iowa need to make a choice and they need to decide in the next three weeks between Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Martin O'Malley.

Who has the support of Iowans and why? I'll ask some voters here in Iowa when we come back.

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[06:47:18] PEREIRA: All right. Let's talk some sports now.

Clemson waking up with a crimson hold ache. Alabama beating Clemson, taking home their fourth college football national title in the last seven years.

Coy Wire in Glendale, Arizona, fans still celebrating at this hour, Coy?

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: They probably are. It's certainly so in Tuscaloosa. Not many people slept around here tonight. That's for sure.

The national championship game lived up to the hype. Number one Clemson undefeated versus perennial power house number two ranked Alabama.

Alabama coach Nick Saban shocks the world in the fourth quarter by making the play call of the game. Onside kick out of nowhere. And it works to perfection. Alabama recovers, shifting momentum to the Crimson Tide. That was set up two plays later, Jake Coker finding OJ Howard to give 'Bama the lead, 31-20. Howard had two touchdowns.

The icing on the cake for 'Bama, senior Kenyan Drake. Look at this fly like the millennium falcon in hyper drive. Alabama wins a wild one, 45-40. Nick Saban wins his fifth national title with 'Bama. Now, O.J. Howard, he was named offensive MVP of the game. He put it in perspective. Listen.

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OJ HOWARD, ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE: This is a week we will remember for the rest of our lives. It may go down on the play in the stadium, I want to win with a bunch of guys like we want to win tonight.

NICK SABAN, ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE: I wanted to do the best I could do for this team, probably as much as any team I ever coached because I really did want them to have the opportunity to win this game.

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WIRE: Nick Saban one title away from tying Alabama's legend Bear Bryant with the most championships ever. We do remiss though if we didn't credit Clemson for their incredible run, just one win away from that perfect season. Last night belonged to Crimson Tide. They will live up in Tuscaloosa, celebrating their 2016 college football playoff national championship -- guys.

CAMEROTA: Looks fun. Thanks so much for that, Coy.

So, are they with team Hillary or feeling the burn? Less than three weeks before they caucus, we'll take the pulse of some Democratic voters here in Iowa. That's next.

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[06:52:43] CAMEROTA: In just 20 days, voters in Iowa will choose which candidate they want as their party's presidential nominee. Things are heating up here in chilly Iowa as candidates make their final push.

So, let's begin our latest installment of real voters, real choices by talking to Iowa Democratic voters. Joining us now are Alexander Doser, Cornelia Flora, and Zachary Rodgers.

Great to have you all with us on NEW DAY. Thanks so much for getting up early.

You guys are all plugged in politically. You are steeped in that stuff. Two of you go to Iowa state. You , Cornelia, have been professor at Iowa State.

So, let me start with you, Zachary. You are leaning towards Hillary. What are the big issues you've been paying attention to?

ZACHARY RODGERS, REGISTERED DEMOCRAT: I guess, because this is my first presidential election, when I was looking at the candidates, one of the biggest things for me is their experience -- what have they done to prepare them for this role as president? For me, I believe that, you know, Hillary Clinton has had so much experience being first lady, secretary of state, senator, all those things.

I followed her a lot when she was secretary of state. And I think that was one of the biggest draws for me, just seeing everything that she has done to help establish so many great relations with other countries. For me, that's definitely one of the biggest things.

CAMEROTA: Cornelia, you say you like the idea of having a strong woman like Hillary in the race but you're not leaning towards her. You're leaning towards Bernie. Why is that?

CORNELIA FLORA, REGISTERED DEMOCRAT: Well, I first came -- become very, very interested in this back in 2014 where we ended up spending the most money ever on a nonpresidential campaign and having the lowest voter turnover ever.

I said what is money doing to politics? Why are we electing people in ways that are not bringing people out to have their democratic concerns expressed, by democratic small D? So Bernie Sanders was one of the first candidates who stepped out and said, we've got to get money out of politics.

CAMEROTA: And finance reform issues are paramount to you.

[06:55:00] Alexander, you are undecided. You're 20 days away. What are you waiting for?

ALEXANDER DOSER, REGISTERED DEMOCRAT: I probably walk into the caucus and have to make up my mind on the spot.

CAMEROTA: Is that right?

DOSER: Yes, I think so.

CAMEROTA: How often does that happen? I should mention that you're the president of the Iowa state Democrats so you know how this whole process works. Many people don't understand the caucuses as well as they understand the primaries.

So, you walk in that night and you're undecided, what happens? People try to cajole you and sway you?

DOSER: They do, it's surprising how often that does happen in the caucuses, too. How many people might come in supporting one candidate and might get talked into supporting another. Yes, it's a pretty remarkable process.

FLORA: The caucuses are just pretty amazing. I am not from Iowa originally. I did my first caucus when I moved here 20 years ago. It's discussion. It is saying, well, what about this? We say, if you support my candidate, you can have this say on the platform.

It's really trying to -- it's really a negotiating process.

CAMEROTA: It's like a jury deliberation room it sounds more like than doing into a ballot box.

FLORA: We're not just voting. We're talking about what we care about.

CAMEROTA: OK. So, Alexander, back to you, what will tip the scales for you? What issue are you waiting for them to say more on?

DOSER: Well, I'm looking for some sort of combination between experience and authenticity. Both candidates have made their mark in one of those areas. As Zach said, Hillary Clinton is strong on experience, has a lot of background. Bernie's tipped the scale, when you look at Bernie Sanders, what you see it what you get. He's a very authentic candidate. But as a voter, it's something of wanting a combination of both of those things.

So it's -- who's going to win me over and prove they have both of those qualities I'm looking for?

CAMEROTA: Zachary, you were talking about experience. Are you also talking about electability? Are you concerned about who is most electable against the Republicans?

RODGERS: I don't think that's the biggest issue I looked at. Of course it's something to consider. And I think all of the Democratic candidates are great in electability honestly. Up against any of the Republicans, I believe any of them could do a great job against them. I just feel that Hillary is the better choice in my mind.

CAMEROTA: Because, Cornelia, in the latest polls, it surprised some people in head-to-head matchups against Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, the leading Republicans right now, Bernie Sanders actually does better than Hillary Clinton. That probably comes as a surprise to you since you're leaning towards Bernie.

But these latest polls, this was "The Wall Street Journal"/NBC poll. It shows when it comes to Sanders against Trump, it's 51 percent to 38 percent. Do you think that those are who the nominees will be, Cornelia?

FLORA: Well, I think that Bernie will be the Democratic nominee but I think whatever Democrat we put up there will be fantastic. And as to what the Republicans will do, they never cease to amaze me.

CAMEROTA: Spoken like a true Democrat.

How many times, Alexander, have you seen the candidates here?

DOSER: I've seen all three Democrats individually. think I've seen all of them multiple times, actually.

CAMEROTA: And do you get a sense of the energy? Do you get a sense of what a tight race this is?

DOSER: You do. Frankly, both the Clinton an sanders campaign rallies, if you do to them, are enthusiastic and have a fantastic base in their own right.

CAMEROTA: Well, that is absolutely terrific. Guys, thanks so much for being with us and sharing your thoughts as they are today, 20 days out. Great to take the pulse of where you are.

What's your take? You can tweet us @newday, or you can post your comment on Facebook.com/NewDay. You can also find me on Twitter @AlisynCamerota.

Coming up in our 8:00 hour, I will speak with Republican voters here in Iowa about how they're feeling about the candidates.

We're following a lot of news for you this morning. So, let's get right to it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO: Potential terror attack in Turkey.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If this was in fact a terrorist attack. It is a severe blow to this country that I've been fighting terrorism on multiple fronts.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Anybody can win. Who would have thought Donald Trump would be leading in national polls?

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In the case of Ted, he has to figure it out. You can't have a nominee who's going to be subject to be thrown out as the nominee.

BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Some people ask me, is it worth it? It would not be worth it if I was doing it for myself.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Working on my state of the union address. It's my last one.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president will deliver what White House officials are calling a nontraditional State of the Union.

JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: There's a lot we have to get done over the course of the next year.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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

CAMEROTA: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to your NEW DAY. Chris and Michaela are in New York. I'm in Iowa this morning where later today I will be sitting down with Hillary Clinton.