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Republican Presidential Candidates Debate in Town Hall; Interview with South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Henry McMaster; U.S. Strikes Suspected Terrorist Training Camp in Libya; Interview with Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired February 19, 2016 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00] ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: -- last night was less about direct attacks on each other and more about each trying to make the case why they would make the best nominee.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JONES: On night two of CNN's GOP town hall, Donald Trump toning down the rhetoric in his feud with the Pope but turning up the heat on former president George W. Bush.

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He started something that destroyed the Middle East. It started ISIS.

JONES: The billionaire questioning Bush's reasons for going to war in Iraq, but dancing around a previous claim that Bush's administration lied about their knowledge of weapons of mass destruction.

TRUMP: Well, a lot of people agree with what I said, and I'm not talking about lying. I'm not talking about not lying. Nobody really knows why we went into Iraq. I don't know what he did. I just know it was a terrible mistake.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a mistake to say in that debate that he lied.

TRUMP: I'd have to see the exact words. I would probably say that something was going on. I don't know why he went in.

JONES: Trump dismissing an interview with Howard Stern in 2002 where he made comments supporting the war.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He asked you, are you for invading Iraq? You said, yes, I guess so. You know, I wish the first time it was done correctly. Is that accurate? Do you remember saying that?

TRUMP: No. But I could have said that. I wasn't a politician. It was probably the first time anybody asked me that question.

JONES: The frontrunner backtracking after calling Pope Francis disgraceful for questioning his faith. The Pope criticized Trump's continuous calls to build a wall as not Christian.

TRUMP: He also talked about having a wall is not Christian, and he's got an awfully big wall at the Vatican, I will tell you.

I think it was probably a little bit nicer statement than was reported by you folks in the media. I have a lot of respect for the Pope. I think he has a lot of personality.

JONES: His rivals Jeb Bush and John Kasich having mixed reactions to the Pope's remarks.

GOV. JOHN KASICH, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Here's what I will say. We have a right to build a wall. But I've got tell you, there are too many walls between us. We need bridges between us if we're going to fix the problems in Washington, because all they do is have walls.

JEB BUSH, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't question people's Christianity. I think that's a relation they have with their lord and savior and themselves. So I don't think it's appropriate to question Donald Trump's faith. He knows what his faith is, and he has -- if he has a relationship with the lord, fantastic. If he doesn't, it's none of my business.

JONES: Bush taking an apparent dig at Trump later while listing the good things about being a self-proclaimed introvert.

BUSH: Listening allows you to learn and then you have a chance to lead. And rather than, you know, being a big blow hard and just -- just talking all the time, what are you going to learn when you're talking? Nothing.

JONES: With his mother, former first lady Barbara Bush in the audience, Jeb gushed about his family.

BUSH: It's a blast being with George, because I love him dearly. I realized pretty quickly in my life if I could be half the man my dad was, that that would be a pretty good goal.

JONES: And so did Kasich, the Ohio governor sharing how he grew in faith after losing his parents in a car accident.

KASICH: It's really where I found the lord. Life is so rocky. It's so fragile. We have to build our homes, our lives, our homes, on solid granite, not on sand. And I have found that even though the pain still comes, there's where I have to go.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JONES: And so we saw Kasich's sensitive, compassionate side on display last night. Meanwhile, Jeb Bush's most passionate remarks were about his family. It's fitting on this final day as the candidates are crisscrossing the state making more than two dozen stops among them. Jeb Bush will be hitting several spots, like this restaurant right here, with his popular mother, the former first lady Barbara Bush. They're arriving here just a little over an hour from now. Chris?

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Athena, the stakes, very high for Jeb Bush because it's about whether or not he is able to continue. At the top of the polls is one man and one man only, and his name is Donald Trump.

Let's bring in lieutenant governor of South Carolina right now. He has endorsed Donald Trump. His name, Henry McMaster. Governor, thank you for joining us. Appreciate you being on this morning.

HENRY MCMASTER, (R) LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, SOUTH CAROLINA: happy to be here.

CUOMO: You're a former prosecutor. Make the case for your man Donald Trump. He said George Bush lied about the war. He's now pulling back off that statement. Was he wrong to say that George Bush lied about the war? And should he own that mistake?

MCMASTER: Well, I think in these campaigns, people ought to speak their mind. They ought to tell the truth as they see it. Of course, that was a bad day policies in New York City, particularly for those who had friends that were in those buildings. It was a bad day for all Americans.

But one thing about Donald Trump is he will speak his mind and tell the truth as he sees it. He says what he means, he means what he says, and he says it in words that anybody can understand. That's particularly important right now while we are all trying to regain the confidence that we've lost with the people of this country who are looking for a leader that they can trust and they can understand and they know will get the job done. That's why Donald Trump is having fantastic success.

And I need to say this -- a lot of us have been to a lot of political events in and out over the years.

[08:05:00] I've never seen anything like the enthusiasm and happiness and support that Donald Trump receives from people all across South Carolina. We've had groups of 10,000 people show up that can't even get into the, into the barn there's so many people. They're enthusiastic, they love him, he responds. They want to touch him, he signs all the autographs. They have are great confidence in this man. He's a very different man for a dangerous time in our history. We never have been anywhere quite like this, but we have the threat of people showing up anytime, anywhere, any day and hurting us and killing us, knocking down buildings. He's different. He's new. And he's exactly what we need, I think.

CUOMO: All right two points to push back. First one is, he says what he means and mean what's he says, except when he doesn't, right? Because he says George Bush lied, and then when asked to prove that, he said, well, look, I don't know whether or not he lied. I just know the war was a mistake. That is not saying what you mean and meaning what you say and telling the truth. You know this, but you forgive it. Why?

MCMASTER: Who knows what and who forgives what? I'm sorry?

CUOMO: Good questions, Mr. prosecutor. He said George Bush lied. He then backed off it and said, look, I don't know whether he lied or not. That is not being consistent with saying what you mean, but you forgive it in Donald Trump. Why?

MCMASTER: I think -- well, I think that you need to take what these candidates say in the context of the meaning that they're trying to project. Sometimes we get too hung up on particular words. I think the meaning is more important. It's more precise, and this is a man that has built a great empire, a development empire. He's hired a lot of people. You can't do that on promises and not keeping your word and not meaning what you say. There's no room for error like that in and the kind of discipline and talent that he's displayed.

So I think he's making the message loud and clear, and that is that he means what he says. People -- people instinctively trust him because they know he's a man of accomplishment. He's speaking clearly to the threats facing us, whether from trade, from ISIS, from illegal alien, all of those things. And he wants to see, and he's made this point over and over and over in different words every time.

CUOMO: Right.

MCMASTER: Different words, but he said he wants to make America great again. And he's talking about jobs, paychecks, good, solid work to let all of the people move up, all Americans. He speaks of the American dream. Again, not always in the same words but makes the same point. And you can ask people out there if they understand what he's talking about. He'll tell you they do and that's why they trust him and will vote for him. He's an honest man.

CUOMO: There's no question a big chunk of your party feels about Donald Trump feels the way they feel and he is very popular as a result. No question about that.

Now, your governor, a very different take. She believes it should be anybody but Trump, that being a good business person does not necessarily communicate skills as a commander in chief when you have never done anything like that in your entire life. And she chooses Marco Rubio. You're laughing at the endorsement of your governor. Why? I would think you would support her.

MCMASTER: No. I'm not. I love Nikki. We've worked together. I've campaigned for her. I'm laughing at what you said. She did not say what you said.

CUOMO: Oh no?

MCMASTER: No, no. She's endorsing Marco Rubio for very good reasons, reasons she thinks that are good reasons, and they are good reasons. But I'm endorsing Donald Trump because he's --

CUOMO: She said anyone but Trump before she endorsed.

MCMASTER: I heard all -- I heard all those things you say. She did not say all of those things. She's endorsing Donald -- she's endorsing Marco Rubio, but I believe more people are going to be endorsing Donald Trump. More people will vote for Donald Trump because of what he stands for and because what we see in him is something different, that we have never seen before in a candidate. He's showing strength and understanding, and he sees the big picture. He doesn't get down, way down into the details, although he can drill down deeply if you ask him to, but he sees the big picture of the future of America, how we are threatened by things that are coming at us right now that have never come at us before.

And he is the man that has the, the personality, the strength, the character and the reputation for building and the ability to get things done unlike anyone else. We are in a very special time in our history, and I think that Americans all over the country sense that, and that's why they are coming to see Donald Trump. That's why they'll vote for him.

CUOMO: To those skeptical of his ability to deliver on his promises, what did you tell them about why Donald Trump will be able to effectively be a commander in chief for the United States of America?

[08:10:00] MCMASTER: Well, you'd have to ask that question about all of the candidates. Will any of them be able to do that? Nobody's done anything like that, like being commander in chief of the United States before. I mean -- no one has done that just running for this office right now.

But I would say look at the man. Look at what he says. Look at what he does. He says what he means. He mean what's he says. He says it clearly so everyone can understand it, and that would include Mr. Putin and all of these people around the world that are listening to see what our president's going to say, see what he's going to do.

And look how he through discipline and hard work and good, sharp thinking and information, he's been able to build something. He's a man of great accomplishment. Yes, it's in another field, but those kinds of traits, that kind of determination and drive are the kinds of things that you need to be a good commander in chief.

And, also, one other thing -- Mr. Trump has a, has a way of bringing the people to help him, people to advise, people to work with him and work for him that are right at the top of their game and at the top of their field. And that is a very comforting thing to know, that the next president of the United States is going to have people from all over the country who may not have been deeply involved in government before but who have enormous talent and ability to come and go to work for the rest of us in this country. It's very comforting.

And so I say we need a man who can see the big picture who is a man of strength and determination and accomplishment, who speaks clearly, whom people can understand, both have friends whom they will be able to depend on the president as well as the enemies. We want our enemies around the world, and there are plenty around now, and adversaries, we want them to be able to respect our president, but also when it's necessary they need to fear or president. They need to fear the political power and economic power of the United States, and that's how you keep a safe world.

CUOMO: Lieutenant Governor Henry McMaster, thank you very much for making a compelling case for your choice for president, Donald Trump. Appreciate it. MCMASTER: Thank you very. Appreciate it.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Chris, thanks so much.

We have breaking news this morning. We are getting word that the U.S. targeted an ISIS operative with air strikes in Libya, and now this new question -- were foreign fighters there planning an attack before they were hit? CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr is live at the Pentagon with these breaking details. Barbara, what are you learning?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John. A U.S. official with knowledge of this attack tells CNN a short time ago, yes, this camp in Libya was struck by U.S. F-15s because there was intelligence foreign fighters were there and engaged in advanced firearms and training for a possible external attack outside of Libya. Obviously a good deal of concern they might have had their eyes on Europe.

The U.S. did not have specific time, date, place intelligence about an attack, but the camp had been under observation by U.S. intelligence for several weeks, and what they saw concerned them. There was advanced firearms and maneuvered training, numbers of foreign fighters there training for some type of attack. The man that they struck, the Tunisian operative for ISIS is someone with long experience in planning external attacks, and they decided to get the approval from the defense department and move ahead and strike earlier today. Michaela?

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Barbara, thank you so much for that breaking news. We'll watch that with you today.

The late Justice Antonin Scalia will lie in repose today at the Supreme Court. Family, friends and the first family are all set to pay their respects. CNN justice correspondent Pamela Brown is live there at the Supreme Court with more on the ceremonies that will be held today.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Michaela. We expect the casket to arrive here at the high court in around an hour from now. It will be carried up the marble steps behind me by court police, and Scalia's former clerks will be the honorary pallbearers. The casket brought inside and into the great hall where there will be a private ceremony at 9:30 this morning. That ceremony will be attended by retired and current justices as well as Justice Scalia's family and former and current clerks.

After that private ceremony, the public will be allowed inside to pay their respects, and we do expect, as you mentioned, the first family to come by and later this afternoon they will do that. We have heard from the White House that President Obama will not be attending Justice Scalia's funeral mass at the basilica tomorrow. Instead, Vice President Biden will be there.

Ted Cruz has criticized the president for not attending the funeral tomorrow, and, in fact, after that his campaign said he wouldn't be able to attend the funeral either because of campaign duties. Now it turns out he will be along with Vice President Biden.

The White House, meantime, says it feels like this is the appropriate way to pay respects to Justice Scalia. Vice President Biden has a close relationship with the family, so he will be there tomorrow.

[08:15:00] Certainly two days of mourning for of the justice despite all the politics over who will fill Justice Scalia spot here on the high court. Chris?

CUOMO: All right. Pamela, thank you very much. We will obviously be watching and covering the events surrounding the death and funeral of Justice Antonin Scalia.

All right. So, the death of a baby dolphin is sparking outrage among animal lovers and activists and beyond. Video shows beachgoers in Argentina taking the tiny dolphin out of the water, passing it around for petting and selfies. The animal wound up dying a short time later.

Wild experts say the endangered La Plata dolphins have a thick skin that dehydrates quickly out of the water. The dolphins are only found in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, fewer than 30,000 remain in the world.

PEREIRA: Protection for these animals for marine life for a reason. You know, when you're in Hawaii, when you're on the coast, they say, steer clear. Give them lots of space. It's not because they're trying to be jerks. It's to protect them.

CUOMO: All right. Also, it's not like they caught it with a hook, or you know, butchered the fish, there's a chance -- not a fish, it's a mammal, maybe, they thought, hey, this thing breathes air. It will be OK. We can pass it around. That's a tough story.

BERMAN: It's a shame.

All right. Hillary Clinton says Bernie Sanders is a Democrat of convenience. Bernie Sanders accuses Hillary Clinton of using the president to woo black voters.

We're going to speak with a U.S. senator right in the middle of this heated battle, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:20:08] BERMAN: Just one day to go until Nevada votes the Democratic caucuses in Nevada tomorrow all tied up there. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, tie.

So, you can bet all sorts of stuff being flung about in every direction. Well, that's going on. A fierce political and judicial battle brewing in Washington to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.

One U.S. senator in the middle of both battles, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, she's a Hillary Clinton supporter. She also sits on the judiciary committee, which usually holds hearings for Supreme Court nominee.

Senator, thank you so much for being with us.

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D), MINNESOTA: Thank you, John.

BERMAN: I should mention your name has been bandied about as the potential Supreme Court nominee. So, clear this up right here and now. Have you been contacted by the White House for this nomination?

KLOBUCHAR: No. I won't be, because I made it very clear that I love my job representing Minnesota, and I don't want to be in the running for that job. But I will tell you this -- being on the judiciary committee right now couldn't be more important. Not only will we look at the president's nominee and look at the qualifications, but I figure I have a job right now to make the case for why we have to fill this vacancy.

You go back to the 1800s, you have to go back that far, to find a time where a Supreme Court job was left vacant for over a year. You have to go back before we had TVs, or washing machines or airplanes. And so, this is a ridiculous situation. There is very important pending business before the court.

There is a constitutional duty for the president. It says he shall nominate someone. It says that the Senate shall advise and consent, and I'm hoping that some of my colleagues on the Republican side are changing their tune. You've seen Dean Heller, Republican senator from Nevada, come out and say very strongly, and others, that, well, we should move ahead and there should be a hearing.

BERMAN: So, you have not been contacted by the White House. You say that the Judiciary Committee will be looking at the nominees but we don't know that for sure, do we? Because let me tell you, let me read you an op-ed in "The Washington Post" from Senator Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, and Chuck Grassley, the chairman of the judiciary committee. We don't know --

KLOBUCHAR: Yes, I read it.

BERMAN: -- if the committee will hold hearings.

I'll give a dramatic reading for the audience. "Given that we are in the midst of a presidential election process, we believe that the American people should seize the opportunity to weigh in on whom they trust to nominate the next person for a lifetime appointment for the Supreme Court. It is today the American people rather than a lame duck president whose priorities and policies they just rejected in the national election who should be afforded the opportunity to replace Justice Scalia."

It does not sound like Mitch McConnell and Chuck Grassley are going to let you hold the hearings you want to hear for the president's nominee?

KLOBUCHAR: That is correct, but some of their members may feel differently and you've seen Chuck Grassley back off a little from that in recent days.

And so, my hope is that if they look at history, they just take a few minutes here and look at history, 14 justices that were confirmed during an election year, and when you look at the sitting justices, John, the longest any of them went from the time the president nominated to a confirmation was 99 days. And that was Justice Thomas.

So, every single one of them took less than that, and in my mind, for those that love the Constitution and care about the Constitution, if the president nominates someone within the next few weeks as he said he will, that should be done. The Senate should be done with its work by Fourth of July.

BERMAN: All right. From politics to politics. Let's talk about the presidential election right now. Hillary Clinton versus Bernie Sanders in a town meeting last night. Bernie Sanders was pressed on women's issues and whether he stands up and fights for women's issues.

Listen to the answer he gave.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I consider myself a strong feminist. And, in fact, Gloria Steinem, everybody knows Gloria is one of the leading feminists in America, made me an honorary woman many, many years ago.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: How can you argue with that? He's an honorary woman. Everyone smiles, everyone laughs, as you just did when you heard that right now.

You are supporting Hillary Clinton not Bernie Sanders. Do you think that Bernie Sanders doesn't have a good record on women's issues over the years?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, I don't think that that is something that people have been saying. I've served with Bernie. I think he has a good record on women's issues and I don't think those are accusations that have been made.

I think that the issue here is Hillary Clinton has the experience, and she's got the ideas to be a great president. I saw that town hall last night, and I think the big takeaway for me and I urge people to watch it, is just her passion on the immigration issue.

You know, we have 15 percent to 20 percent of the attendees at those caucuses are Hispanic and you really saw firsthand her knowledge of that issue.

[08:25:04] She has a new ad out that I just saw it this morning. Very touching ad of a girl, a young girl coming up and talking to her about the issue and how much she cares about it.

You also have South Carolina where Hillary Clinton is now, like, something like 20 points ahead, receiving the endorsement of Congressman Clyburn -- a key endorsement in that state, key black leader in South Carolina. So, you know, I'm very excited about these states coming up and Hillary Clinton's strength in these states.

BERMAN: Quickly, she was interviewed by Scott Pelley from "60 Minutes" about the issue of honesty. Can we play that quickly so you it see that?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT PELLEY, 60 MINUTES: You talk about leveling with the American people. Have you always told the truth?

CLINTON: I've always tried to, always.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Again, honesty and trustworthiness an issue throughout the election. Is this something she can overcome?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, I do -- I do think she will overcome it and I also think you see right now how people react to her when they get to know her, when they get to meet her, and I think there's a lot of opportunities for that. I think one of the good things she's been doing is going on these interviews, going on TV shows.

For a while during the summer, that wasn't happening. And the minute she started getting out there, you saw that change, and you are going to see that change state by state.

BERMAN: All right. Senator Amy Klobuchar, current U.S. senator, future U.S. senator from the state of Minnesota, not apparently in the near-term a future Supreme Court justice -- thank you so much for being with us.

KLOBUCHAR: We have a lot of work to do, John. Thank you so much.

BERMAN: Appreciate you being here with us.

KLOBUCHAR: Thank you so much.

And be sure to join us Tuesday night for the next CNN town hall. The Democrats, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. They will take the state in South Carolina, just days before the Democratic South Carolina primary. Chris Cuomo will moderate this important event. It is Tuesday night, 8:00 eastern right here on CNN -- Chris.

CUOMO: All right, my man.

One of the reasons we like the town halls, you get purchase, a window into these candidates that's different, and one great example of that is the governor of Ohio, John Kasich. You get a window what motivates him as a man, how he is with other people, and what really matters to him in leadership.

We're going to have the governor on in a moment. I just wanted to give you a second to watch this moment. We're going to talk about this with him on NEW DAY. Stay with us.

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