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Mexican Intelligence Pictures; CNN Money Now; Schumer & Warren Pushing Obama to Address Student Debt; Iowa Voters on Tight Republican Race. Aired 8:30-9a ET
Aired January 12, 2016 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[08:33:23] MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Dramatic new video emerging of the raid that took down the notorious drug lord El Chapo. Mexican authorities say the interview with actor Sean Penn played a key role in his capture. Nick Valencia is live in Mexico with more for us.
Nick.
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Michaela.
New images emerging this morning that appear to show actor Sean Penn and Mexican actress Kate del Castillo on their way to go meet El Chapo. These images apparently taken by Mexican intelligence teams and show Penn and del Castillo arriving at an airport in Guadalajara. These images emerging on the very same day that Mexico's attorney general issued a statement - an interview, I should say, to a local Mexican radio station talking about this meeting between Penn and El Chapo. She went on to say, 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, happened in the early morning hours of Friday. A senior Mexican law enforcement official source there telling me that El Chapo tried to escape using a secret passage that led to a tunnel that eventually led to the city's storm drains. Yesterday, Mexico's president, Enrique Pena Nieto, talked about this capture of El Chapo, praising the capture, at the same time acknowledging that El Chapo's arrest won't stop the drug cartel problem in this country.
Michaela.
PEREIRA: Wow, another tunnel. My goodness. All right, Nick, thank you so much for that.
All right, turning to money now. "CNN Money Now" time. Chief business correspondent Christine Romans in the Money Center.
Hi, Christine.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Michaela. Plummeting oil pricing sparking new fears this morning that this crash could cause bankruptcies for U.S. oil producers. Oil prices down 35 percent since the summer, trading near $30 a barrel overnight. It's good news for drivers, of course, but devastating for the oil industry and states that are tied to those revenues, like North Dakota and Alaska.
[08:35:03] Hillary Clinton wants to separate multimillionaires from more of their money. Her newest proposal of a tax on top earners, Americans making at least $5 million a year, would pay a 4 percent additional tax on all that income. All other taxpayers would be unaffected. The Clinton camp says it would affect the top 0.02 percent of taxpayers. But clearly, Chris, it is the Hillary campaign trying to weigh in there on income inequality.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right, appreciate it, Christine, as always.
So, tonight's State of the Union not expected to contain many policy requests, but two top Democrats are hoping the president will tackle one critical issue, the college debt crisis. There they are. The team of Senators Chuck Schumer and Elizabeth Warren. They will join us next. Stay with us.
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[08:40:00] CUOMO: Interesting news, I would suggest, surrounding the State of the Union tonight and a point of purpose for president. He says, I'm not going to really talk about what I want to ask Congress to do. I'm going to talk to you and what I want and I hope for you. That I'm optimistic about this year and we have to address the anger and hostility in this country.
Now, that's interesting. However, a lot of Democrats are hoping there are policy proposals in there, specifically at least something to help kids and families with paying for college. Two of the senators leading this charge on the Democratic side, New York's Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
Senators, thank you very much to be with this morning.
Senator Warren. 2015 State of the Union we heard the president saying, I want to make two years of community college free. I'm going to spend, you know, billions of dollars on it over a bunch of years. He got no GOP buy-in at all. How do you think things would be any different this time?
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Well, part of what happens in a State of the Union is you really press the issues and say, this is the agenda that America needs to build a strong middle class. And a key part of that we now know is making sure that young people can get a college education without being crushed by debt. And the president has the best platform in the world to make that argument, not just to the American people, because believe me the American people get it, to make that argument directly to the Congress. The Congress that can lower the interest rate on student loans, that could help make college more affordable for our students, that could help our kids get a college education without getting crushed by debt.
CUOMO: So, Senator Schumer, the president asks and the Congress on the Republican side says, no, we deponent want to work with you.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: No.
CUOMO: We don't like the way you deal with us and we're not going to get involved in this, we're not going to propose it, we're not even going to look at the proposal. How do you bridge that gap?
SCHUMER: Well, that's why what we're doing is a little different. We're in the midst of a whole national campaign called "In The Red." And, in fact, tonight, ten senators will have, as we're allowed, you know, a single guest to the State of the Union and we're allowed - and ten of us are having students who were crushed by debt. I have Shaun McAllister (ph), a bright young man from Long Island, goes to Syracuse University, in his junior year, already $30,000 of debt.
There is going to be a clambering on the campuses and among their parents and among their friends of kids who were in college, parents who have kids going to college and kids who are already out of college who have huge debt loads.
CUOMO: Right.
SCHUMER: And our "In The Red" campaign deals with all of those. The millennials, the new, young voters are going to be crucial vote in 2016. And any party that ignores them does it as its - at its peril.
CUOMO: Right.
SCHUMER: We think this campaign can change Republican minds around to do something about this issue which affects every part of the country.
CUOMO: But it's not just about the problem. The problem is ridiculously real. People know it in every strata of life, all across the country, paying for college is prohibitively expensive and it winds up being a real burden for young people and it really affects their ability to get in and their ability to do what they want to do with the rest of their life and their education. What I'm saying is, it doesn't get done in Washington because of the dysfunction.
Senator Schumer, one quick follow up for you. Harry Reid has announced he's going to step down. Many people are looking at you to fill that space. I haven't had a chance to chase you about this proposition since that news came out. Is that a position you're going to seek to fill? And if you were in that position, how would you make things work in D.C. because they don't right now?
SCHUMER: Well, we're going to have to reach out to our Republican colleagues. There are some of the hard right that will never. They don't want to compromise. They don't want to help in anyway. But there is some mainstream Republicans who we can reach out to. But the key is mobilizing the public. The public is - this issue is one of the top issues that people - that affect people. And we think that the - our - many of the Republicans, when they hear from their constituents and we have a campaign, next week we'll be introducing a legislative platform that deals with this, and so we have some real focus and we're going to get votes on this issue and I think there are going to be a whole lot of Republicans, particularly, frankly, those who are up for re- election who are - who are want to going to be supportive of us.
CUOMO: Is the Schumer hat going to be in the ring?
SCHUMER: Pardon?
CUOMO: You heard me. Is the Schumer hat going to be in the ring to replace Harry Reid?
SCHUMER: Well, I'm sorry (INAUDIBLE). Well, I - I am very, very flattered that my colleagues have given me support to secede Harry Reid when he steps down. And what we're trying to do is make sure that we're in the majority so if these things are blocked this time, we'll be able to do them in 2017.
CUOMO: All right, Senator Warren, you've been dying to get in. You know this is a big issue, but how do you get it done?
WARREN: We get it done because people across this country tell us to get it done. Right now there's $1.3 trillion in outstanding student loan debt. College seniors in public universities, nearly 70 percent of them have to borrow money in order to graduate from college. This is not how America builds a future.
[08:45:12] We believe in the future of America, but we believe that the way we do that is we invest in our young people. And that means bringing down the cost of going to college. Instead of imposing a tax on people who are trying to get an education by saying you not only have to pay high prices college tuition, you have to pay an interest rate on your federal student loans that will produce a profit for the United States government?
What we're here to say is that government is supposed to help those who are working hard to help themselves and that means our young people. I'll tell you exactly what we're going to get change. We're going to get change, not because it is going to be started by the people here in the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, it is going to be change from people all over this country saying we want a chance to build a future.
And I want to be clear. It is not just people who are going to college and the mamas and the daddies and the grandmas and the aunties of those people. It is also everybody who cares about building a strong economy in this country. Do you realize that by 2020 if we stay on the path where we are, we'll have nearly 5 million jobs in America that require a college diploma and nobody the fill them. This is about building America's future.
SCHUMER: You know, one of the great -- Probably the greatest problem we face in America is that the middle class is having a rough time hanging on. One of the top reasons is how expensive college is. And when people learn that those who are out of college are paying the government 7 percent, when interest rates are at 2 and 3 percent, they are going to be outraged. Let people stand in the way of this. I dare them.
CUOMO: People know what the problem is. Again, it is about the confidence in the ability of the system down there to fix it. Senator Schumer and Warren, thank you very much. We also look forward to any proposal to make the universities not charge so much. But thank you for being on NEW DAY.
Alisyn.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: OK, Chris. Fascinating discussion there.
Iowa voters have just three weeks to decide who they want as their nominee. So up next, I sit down with some Republican voters. Which way are they leaning? That's next.
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[08:51:08] CAMEROTA: The Iowa caucus is less than three weeks away. So how do voters here feel? Let's begin our latest installment of "Real Voters, Real Choices" with some real Iowa Republicans.
Joining us are Chris Terhune, Adam Vandall, and Michelle Aberle. Great to have you guys. Thanks for joining us this morning.
OK, let's talk about where you all are today. Chris, let me start with you. You are leaning towards Donald Trump. What do you like about him?
CHRIS TERHUNE, IOWA REGISTERED REPUBLICAN: I like that he's an outsider. I like that he's funding most, if not all, of his campaign with his own money so he doesn't owe anybody anything. I like that he's a negotiator. I like that you know exactly where he stands.
CAMEROTA: That sounds good. Adam, why don't you like that? You prefer Ted Cruz.
ADAM VANDALL, IOWA REGISTERED REPUBLICAN: Well, Ted Cruz has been a fighter on all the issues that mean anything to me, really. He's stood up for gun rights. He's stood up to defund Planned Parenthood. He stood up against -- and filibustered against Obamacare. He's raised more money than any other movement conservative candidate in the race. And the movement conservatives in the grassroots have never seen a campaign like his before. He's had over -- I think over 80 thousand volunteers nationwide, which is impressive for any candidate. He's just the most consistent conservative as well.
CAMEROTA: OK. Michelle, this will be your first time voting, yet you are undecided. You've only got 20 days left, girl. What's taking you so long?
MICHELLE ABERLE, IOWA REGISTERED REPUBLICAN: I know. Well, I think a lot of it just has to do with the diverse backgrounds of all the candidates in the Republican race so far. And I really want to pick that candidate that is not only somebody that relates to me, but somebody who I think will win a general election at the end of the day, because really that is what the Republican goal is for 2016. CAMEROTA: From the notes I read, it sounds like you are leaning
towards Marco Rubio. But what is your hesitancy?
ABERLE: I'm just not 100 percent sold on everything so far. You know, I really want to make sure that that person is going to win in 2016 and I really like what Marco Rubio has to say and I think that he relates really with millennial voters, but I also like some of the things that Ted Cruz has to say and even Donald Trump with his outlandish statements kind of resonates with people. So I think that is really exciting too.
CAMEROTA: Chris, Donald Trump has been talking about whether or not Ted Cruz is eligible to be president. He's not sure that he is because Ted Cruz was born in Canada. What do you think of that line?
TERHUNE: Well, that is kind of the way Donald Trump operates. Whether he -- I think he's probably eligible to run for president but --
CAMEROTA: Do you think it's fair to bring it up?
TERHUNE: Sure. Anything's fair.
CAMEROTA: Anything's fair. In this race, Adam, is everything fair game?
VANDALL: Sure. But going back to that point, Donald Trump also said back in September that Ted was completely fine to run for president. So he was either right then, or he's right now. Which one is it, Mr. Trump?
CAMEROTA: So you see some contradictions occasionally?
VANDALL: Yeah, sure. I mean at that point in time Ted Cruz wasn't a threat or at least deemed a threat at that point in time. So I kind of question his motivation. When it comes to a natural born citizen, though, the clear consensus is if you are a citizen at birth and don't go through a naturalization process, you are a natural born citizen.
CAMEROTA: But he was born in Canada.
VANDALL: Doesn't matter. Geography has no bearing on it. John McCain was born in Panama, but he was born to American parents.
CAMEROTA: In a military installation. I mean, my point of challenging you is that do you fear, as a Ted Cruz supporter, that this could trip him up somehow, that there could be some legal challenge?
VANDALL: If there is I would say bring it. Because if anybody wants to bring a lawsuit against it, they can counter sue and say, well, Obama was born to one U.S. citizen.
CAMEROTA: In Hawaii.
VANDALL: Doesn't matter. Geography is irrelevant.
CAMEROTA: Michelle, tell us about what you are most excited about about your first caucus process.
[08:55:01] ABERLE: I think it's exciting just to see the whole process and actually get to participate in it. I mean, in 2012 I was able to attend it and just kind of see the process but not actually vote. So I'm really excited to like actually kind of have more invested in the whole process.
CAMEROTA: Chris, you've been around this process for a long time. Do you feel a different energy this year than before?
TERHUNE: Well there are so many candidates running and I think you are getting so many opportunities to see them on TV and debating that it is exciting. It is exciting for the state of Iowa.
CAMEROTA: How many times have you gone out to see the candidates?
TERHUNE: I saw Donald Trump when he first came to Des Moines. I believe it was back in April at Hoyt Sherman. So I saw him very, very early on.
CAMEROTA: Well, it is going to be very exciting. As we said, you only have 20 days left but the candidates are flooding the zone and they are just - I mean, Ted Cruz, I think, has had something like 28 campaign events in just the past 11 days. So obviously they are taking your votes very seriously.
Thanks so much for being with us on NEW DAY. It's great to get your take on where we are today with the race. We appreciate all that and remember to watch my interview with Hillary Clinton tonight first at 7:00 Eastern on Erin Burnett's show "OUTFRONT" and then, of course, tomorrow right here on NEW DAY should be a very interesting conversation.
"NEWSROOM" with Carol Costello begins right after this short break. See you tomorrow.
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