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Tornadoes Devastate Parts of U.S. Southeast; GOP Presidential Candidates Prepare for Debate; Interview with Ted Cruz Supporter Ken Cuccinelli; Two Days to South Carolina Democratic Primary. Aired 8- 8:30a ET

Aired February 25, 2016 - 08:00   ET

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

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: A lot of news this morning including previewing tonight's critical GOP debate. So let's get right to it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It just demolished everything, a couple houses that are gone. The church is gone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's scary. The truck went up in the air.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All I do was hold on tight.

SEN. TED CRUZ, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Initially the debates looking like the --

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: People have not done very well against me.

SEN. MARCO RUBIO, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We certainly need to elect someone who is prepared to be president.

TRUMP: You know, they're all copying me. He's getting very nervous. He's a nervous wreck.

CRUZ: The time for the clowns and the acrobats and the dancing bears has passed.

HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There's a lot of states in this election. All you have to do is listen to the other side.

BERNIE SANDERS, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What this campaign is about is telling you the truth.

CLINTON: We've got to tackle systemic racism.

SANDERS: We will not tolerate racism and bigotry.

CLINTON: I'm going to do everything I can to end this once and for all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Thursday, February 25th, just after 8:00 in the east. Michaela is on assignment. Alisyn is in New York, and we are in Houston, because tonight we've got a big question at the big Republican debate. Will Donald Trump close the door on the GOP nomination? Or will one of the others find a way to stand out and stand up to the frontrunner? With super Tuesday looming, this debate could be make or break for each of their campaigns.

But first we do have breaking news, so back to Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: All right Chris, there's been another outbreak of ferocious and deadly tornados tearing up parts of the east coast. At least 16 tornadoes reported overnight from Florida all the way to Pennsylvania, leaving dozens of homes damaged and destroyed. Four people, including a two-year-old boy, were killed in Virginia. And this morning more than a 100,000 homes are without power. So let's get right to CNN's meteorologist Chad Myers. He has all of the breaking details. How's it looking, Chad?

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: OK. Right now things are better. But this is what happens when you put tornados in populated places, unlike when you put them out west and there is only a home every couple of miles or so. You put these tornadoes on the ground in February when it should be March or April or May and off also you have got people by surprise.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MYERS: Another deadly round of storms pummeling states up and down the east coast.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He opened the front door and he said mama, tornado, tornado. And he ran and I ran.

MYERS: Two day of storms, over 50 tornadoes reported, seven killed, and hundreds of thousands now without power in the last 48 hours. In Virginia a state of emergency declared. Tornadoes leaving dozens injured, several critically, and four dead.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is tragic, man. I've never seen nothing like this before.

MYERS: Three people in a mobile home were killed including a two year old boy, powerful winds lifting their trailer almost 300 yards and slamming it into church.

PASTOR TERRENCE L. GREEN, EMPOWERMENT TEMPLE MINISTRIES: Our prayers go out to the three people that lost their life, and we just thank God that, you know, we went through a lot of damage. But the church is still standing, and we're going to recover.

MYERS: Cars crumbled like aluminum cans on the highway.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The cars were tossed about. And I'm just so sorry that people were killed.

MYERS: The tornado tearing down power lines and splintering trees, trapping some residents in the wreckage.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I didn't know what to do. It was scary.

MYERS: Three more tornadoes touching down in the sunshine state, packing ferocious winds. In North Carolina five tornadoes causing a path of mass destruction. Four people were inside this home when heavy rains and winds sent a massive tree toppling onto the roof, the residents miraculously emerging safely.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our heart goes out to anybody that's lost their homes or, you know, their loved ones or anything in this.

MYERS: So for this round, this low pressure that has moved on by its over. There is still snow, but the severe weather is over. It's pushed into the Atlantic Ocean. There is snow in part of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia. Watch out for slick spots this morning and also for wind. There will be significant wind delays at a lot of airports today, Alisyn. Winds will be 25 to 30 miles per hour.

CAMEROTA: Good to know, Chad. Thanks so much for that.

We're following some more breaking news for you because that powerful storm system that Chad just described is also causing very rough seas. And it led to this dramatic Coast Guard rescue off of Rockaway Beach, New York, that we watched unfold live this morning. There were between five to seven crew members on board this 74 foot commercial fishing vessel. You can see they had to be rescued one by one in the metal net there was a basket that was lowered by the Coast Guard. The fisherman's boat ran aground in shallow waters, but it is because it was facing these 10 to 12 foot waves.

[08:05:01] And then, look at this. The Coast Guard vessel that was responding to the scene to rescue the fisherman, it capsized in the rough waters. And then the Coast Guard crew members had to swim to shore to save themselves. So it was quite dramatic this morning. We're happy to report that everyone made it out fine without injury or certainly any death. People were saved. So it was dramatic but ended well.

Let's get back to Chris in Houston for the big night.

CUOMO: All right, let's see if we can say the same thing about what's happening out here -- dramatic but will it end well? Just over 12 hours from now Donald Trump and his four remaining challengers will debate for the final time before the all-important super Tuesday. Trump is coming off three straight wins, just picked up his first two Congressional endorsements, and is even talking about the type of running mate he wants.

But then comes Mitt Romney. What kind of move is this? He is saying, we want to see Trump's taxes. What could be in there? Lot of intrigue. Is there any substance? We've got the story covered the way only CNN can. Let's start with Sunlen Serfaty live from Houston. Good to have you.

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good to see you, Chris. This debate comes at such a pivotal point in this race, and already there are some indications it could get very heated very quickly. Both Donald Trump and Marco Rubio indicating tonight they intend to take the other on.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I will be totally prepared. People have not done very well against me.

SERFATY: The GOP frontrunner is set to face off with his four remaining rivals tonight in the last debate before super Tuesday.

TRUMP: So far everyone that's attacked me has gone down.

SERFATY: Donald Trump already has more than double the number of delegates than his closest competitors Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz combined.

SEN. TED CRUZ, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There's never been a candidate like Donald Trump in a whole lot of ways.

SERFATY: Trump notably absent from last night's FOX News town hall hosted by Megyn Kelly, where the freshman senators continued to argue that it is only a matter of time before his ballooning lead pops.

CRUZ: We're the only campaign in a position to beat him on super Tuesday, to win the nomination.

CARDONA: A majority of Republican voters are not supporting Donald Trump, and obviously once this race begins to narrow a little bit you will see more of that support consolidating.

SERFATY: This as 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney warns about a bombshell to come in Trump's tax records, asking all of the candidates to release them.

TRUMP: Tax returns are very complicated. I have many, many companies. I have tremendously -- I have a very complex system of taxes. But we'll take a determination over the next couple of months.

CRUZ: I'll release the remainder of what we have this week. I've released already I think five years worth. Look, the nice thing is I haven't made enough money that my tax returns are not that interesting.

(LAUGHTER)

RUBIO: I'll release them. They are not very complicated.

SERFATY: Up for grabs on super Tuesday, Cruz's home state of Texas, the senator of the delegate rich state securing the endorsement of its governor.

CARLSON: We can't be fooled by P.T. Barnum. The time for the clowns and acrobats and dancing bears has passed.

SERFATY: Meanwhile at a rally in Houston, Marco Rubio is now targeting Trump by name.

RUBIO: Donald Trump has actually alluded to the fact that he thinks parts of Obamacare are pretty good.

(BOOS)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SERFATY: And Marco Rubio, that was a shift for Marco Rubio, who typically avoids taking on Trump directly. Donald Trump meanwhile telling CNN that he has been saving his fire against Marco Rubio for tonight, predicting, Chris, that it will be a good night of action.

CUOMO: Talking about me is easier than talking to me. That is true right now Sunlen, but it is true about tonight. Let's see how they do when her on the big stage. Thank you for the reporting.

All right, there is a lot to talk about because there is a lot at stake for everybody tonight, especially Ted Cruz. So let's bring in Ken Cuccinelli, surrogate for Ted Cruz, president of the Senate Conservatives Fund, and former Virginia attorney general. It's good to have you with us, Ken.

KEN CUCCINELLI, PRESIDENT, SENATE CONSERVATIVES FUND: Good morning, Chris.

CUOMO: So much to talk to you about. Let's start with this little bit of intrigue. Here is a quote from a report. "Members of a secretive cabal of prominent conservatives known as "THE GROUP" led by Tony Perkins and you, Ken Cuccinelli, held a conference call Tuesday to reevaluate their positions on Cruz." Are you rethinking support even though called a surrogate?

CUCCINELLI: That report is 100 percent false. There is no way any movement conservative would ever rethink supporting Cruz. He's the only conservative -- well, that is not true. Ben Carson is a conservative. But he's the only conservative with a track record left in the race. And that report you cite is absolutely 100 percent false. No call took place. None of us are thinking our support. There's no reason to.

[08:10:00] Ted Cruz has been a consistent conservative for a very long time, and unfortunately with Justice Scalia's passing, his very unique qualifications to pick a justice for the Supreme Court which every Republican president has gotten wrong in one way or another in my lifetime, Ted is better prepared for that than anyone else.

CUOMO: So let's put that to the side. Ted Cruz calms Sri Srinivasan a friend. Now, if he were to get nominated by President Obama, Ted Cruz is saying he wouldn't even think about holding a hearing. How do you reconcile the two things? The guys a friend, he respects him as a judge, and he won't even hold a hearing. CUCCINELLI: Look, I think that at this period of time, first of all,

no Supreme Court appointment would happen before the end of this term, so you are only talking about a few months of the next term. And when you are in the throes of a political election that is going to be a change election, Barack Obama is term limited out, he's not coming back, then it's appropriate to let the American people have a say in this process. That is part of the constitutional process. For the timing of this vacancy that is the right position the take. Ted is in the right place on that.

CUOMO: Well, Ken, you were the attorney general, so I'm not going to trade thoughts about the law with you. But the constitution that is about nominating somebody, advise and consent, not delay. But the politics are clear and it's been done in the past.

CUCCINELLI: That's right. Well, it's not just the politics, but the Senate is making a constitutional choice and its role of adviser and consenter to whoever Barack Obama may send over. In an election year, the people ought to have a say in that. So you are literally voting for not just a president but also a choice of a Supreme Court. And that is an unusual form of accountability for those sorts of appointments where the American people have a say. And Ted Cruz thinks the American people should have a say.

CUOMO: Ted Cruz is the originalist, as Scalia would coin the phrase in terms of looking at the constitution. But it would be hard to argue that part of advise and consent is the discretion to neither advise and consent to process involved. But again, this is largely a political question.

CUCCINELLI: That is the decision. Well, I don't think it's --

CUOMO: That's a political play.

CUCCINELLI: That's parsing it. You can say it's political. You can say they accept their advise and consent role to say no. That is their advice and that is their lack of consent.

CUOMO: So a couple of the big headlines --

CUCCINELLI: It's the only time in a year and a half that a Republican majority in the U.S. Senate has mattered to the Republican grassroots. So for the Senate to cave on this would really be a tremendous failure.

CUOMO: And that is the calculation, that caving would be seen as weakness and that would not play well with the base and that this take on the situation will help. So we'll leave that part of the discussion as that.

Now we get to what's going on with the taxes and Romney coming out against Donald Trump, ostensibly saying I think there is something hidden in his taxes. Ted Cruz saying Romney is right to come out do this. Why?

CUCCINELLI: Well, I think this is just a question of openness. Ted has already released I think five years of his taxes. And, look, openness has been a big question with Hillary Clinton. She's not releasing speeches to Goldman Sachs or anybody else. And there's the e-mail situation with Hillary Clinton, so the contrast is very bad. Our side needs to be very open. This was an issue in my governor's race as well. How much -- and how much weight it carries we'll see going forward. This is not something that the Cruz campaign initiated, but we have already taken the step, our candidate has, of being very open about his finances even when there are mistakes.

CUOMO: It is a new age. It is a new age. You know, it is no longer just about the candidate. Very often they are in couples where the spouse is the earner. And certainly that is the case with your man, Ted Cruz. And because of what happened with the loans from the bank that his wife is attached to, do you think her taxes become relevant? Should she be part of the disclosure process, though obviously not a candidate?

CUCCINELLI: It is my understanding they filed jointly, so what Ted has released includes some of that information. And that was my allusion earlier to the full disclosure. We've had a discussion about that loan they took out on ordinary terms, paid back, and disclosed in one form but not on another. And, you know, we had to discuss that. That was a mistake and it had to be explained. It was acknowledged as such. And we'll see if Donald Trump is as forthcoming and as open with the American people.

CUOMO: Now, Ted Cruz is making the case he's the only person who can beat Trump. Where does the confidence come on that? He did well in Iowa. He has been in a deadlock with Marco Rubio.

CUCCINELLI: Well, we're the only team that has beaten him. And, yes, things move to state to state. But you have got to win states. You don't win a nomination without winning states. And I just came from.

CUOMO: Right, but Cruz hasn't been close since Iowa.

[08:15:00] CUCCINELLI: Well, OK, but in the firewall here --

CUOMO: Cruz hasn't been close since then.

CUCCINELLI: Look, Super Tuesday is a day that Ted has invested most of his time in in the last eight months if you think about state by state. This is where we expect to - to start regaining traction. We will win states on Tuesday. I don't think Marco Rubio's going to win any.

I mean, he told George Stephanopoulos that his speculation on the first state he'd win is Florida. That's after making the case for winning Nevada where he grew up, and

frankly, had an awful lot of volunteers coming in from other states, but it didn't make difference. You have to win...

CUOMO: All...

CUCCINELLI: ... states to win the nomination and only Ted Cruz has done that other than Donald Trump. CUOMO: And that also is why Tuesday looms so large.

CUCCINELLI: True.

CUOMO: And that's why we call it Super Tuesday. Not just the number of states, but their impact. Ken Cuccinelli, thank you very much as always. You're always welcome on NEW DAY...

CUCCINELLI: My pleasure.

CUOMO: ... to make the case, sir.

CUCCINELLI: Thank you.

CUOMO: All right. And that's why tonight is so big, because this is the last big look at these GOP candidates before Super Tuesday. And we have the man, Wolf Blitzer in the chair to moderate. The Republicans are going to square off tonight, 8:30 Eastern only on CNN. Alisyn?

CAMEROTA: It's going to be very exciting, Chris. Can't wait to watch it. Meanwhile, South Carolina Democrats go to the polls on Saturday. And there are signs that Bernie Sanders, trailing by double digits in that state, is trying a different tact. Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, getting a major endorsement. CNN's Chris Frates is live in Ohio with more on the Democratic race. What have you learned, Chris?

CHRIS FRATES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning, Alisyn. So, you may be wondering why just two days before the South Carolina primary Bernie Sanders is here in Ohio and going to states like Illinois and Michigan. And to understand that, you have to look at the calendar and do a little math. See, the Sanders campaign is looking forward to the next two dozen states, where the bulk of the candidates, the bulk of the delegates who will be coming forward will - that -- that they need for the nomination will go forward. Here is what Bernie Sanders had to say on the campaign trail yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There is something wrong when African American families are denied three times more often trying to get a mortgage than white families with the same financial background.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

FRATES: So, Hillary Clinton also getting a big endorsement yesterday. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid telling our own Manu Raju that he supports Hillary Clinton. She's coalescing that establishment lead going forward here and she's going to be on the South Carolina trail all day today, Alisyn, talking about breaking down barriers. That's going to be huge as she talks to the African American community. Bernie Sanders, however, saying that he will be back in South Carolina on Friday and that they have not written off that state yet. Alisyn?

CAMEROTA: Chris, I know it's great that a horn section follows you around to announce the pageantry of your live shot, but it does make it harder for you. But thanks so much for the update...

FRATES: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: ... from that event.

Well, we're three days away from another big event, the Oscars, and the drama is building towards the 88th (AUDIO GAP). Will Leonardo DiCaprio finally win his first Oscar? It's his fifth nomination and we'll see if his gritty role in "The Revenant" scores him a golden statue. "The Revenant" leads all films with 12 nominations and could make Oscar history for the director, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, who won last year for "Birdman." No director has ever had back to back best picture wins. Everyone will be watching the host, Chris Rock, to see how he addresses criticism over the lack of diversity in the acting nominations.

All right, so more next on the Democratic race. How is Hillary Clinton holding on to her so-called firewall in the South? We'll ask her campaign's top spokeswoman. That's next.

[08:22:50] CAMEROTA: Hillary Clinton hoping a big performance in South Carolina Saturday can continue her momentum into Super Tuesday. So, let's take a look at her strengths and weaknesses today going into the general election in November. Karen Finney is the senior spokesperson and senior communications advisor for Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Good morning, Karen.

KAREN FINNEY, SENIOR SPOKESPERSON, HILLARY FOR AMERICA: Good morning.

CAMEROTA: Okay, so let's get a little status report of how voters are seeing Hillary Clinton's strengths and weaknesses today, because we do have some polling numbers that are interesting to look at. Let's look at these are the entrance polls in Nevada, and this is against Bernie Sanders, okay?

So let's start with her strengths. This says who can win, the electability question. And she is far and ahead - far ahead of her closest rival, Bernie Sanders. she has 80 percent to his 15 percent. Then it says, who has the right experience? Look again, here, this is her strength. 92 percent to Sanders' 8 percent. This must be why she seems to have sort of a new spring in her step since Nevada.

Does something feel in the campaign as though something has turned?

FINNEY: Well, you know, look Alisyn. We have always believed that this contest, I mean, look, this is about the four early states. And so, we've always believed that this contest and been prepared for this contest to go beyond the first two states, to go potentially beyond the first four states into the March states, that's why we have actually had people on the ground in the March states since late last fall.

I actually have visited a number of those states. We've made it clear from the beginning we're not taking anyone or anything for granted. So, of course we were happy to see the results in Nevada and in Iowa. And we certainly hope we'll win here in South Carolina.

Hillary is working very hard. Sanders' campaign has put a lot of money and resources...

CAMEROTA: Yes.

FINNEY: ... into this state. But yes, we're prepared for this race to go on and we're going to ultimately win, but we're going to win by working hard.

CAMEROTA: Okay. Not so fast, Karen, because it's not an entirely rosey picture.

FINNEY: Okay.

CAMEROTA: Some of the entrance polls...

FINNEY: Okay.

CAMEROTA: ... also suggest some real weaknesses for Secretary Clinton. Let's look at those. It was asked who is honest and trustworthy, the same question that keeps dogging her. Sanders gets 82 percent, he's seen as much more honest and trustworthy over her 12 percent. Also, he is winning, as you know, with younger people. Sanders gets 72 percent of those 17 to 44-year-olds, she gets 25 percent.

[8:25:17] And then in terms of independents, which are always important, he gets 71 percent, she gets 23 percent. So, it's not -- these are challenges still out there for her.

FINNEY: Well, a couple of things. I mean, those are entrance polls, but what I think is pretty clear from the results in Nevada is that people there believe, they know they can trust Hillary Clinton to be the person who is going to deliver real change for them and their families. And actually, here in South Carolina, Hillary is winning among young people of color.

So I think - you know, and this is, you know, as you know, I was at the DNC when we added Nevada and South Carolina to this early part of the process. And the idea there was let's increase the diversity, not just ethnic diversity, but geographic diversity into the early process. And so, what I think is important about that is let's take a look at the whole picture. And the picture that I see is someone who has now won two states. I certainly hope we win here on Saturday. And we see someone that people trust, again, to deliver the change that they and their families really need.

So, I - I guess we see a little bit of a different picture. I can also tell you, having been here in South Carolina, the last, you know, couple of weeks, we have had huge crowds.

CAMEROTA: Yes. FINNEY: So much enthusiasm for Hillary. An amazing event the other night with Gabby Giffords, and Mark Kelly, and the mothers of the movement including Sybrina Fulton, and Gwen Carr, and...

CAMEROTA: Yes.

FINNEY: You know, so, the response that we're seeing here in South Carolina has been really incredible. So, again, I think we need to look at the whole picture.

CAMEROTA: Let's talk about one of the issues that came up at the recent town hall, and that was about whether or not she would release her transcripts to the speeches that she gave to Wall Street firms. Let me show you how she responded to that.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

CUOMO: Will you agree to release these transcripts? They have become an issue.

CLINTON: Sure, if everybody does it, and that includes the Republicans because we know they have made a lot of speeches.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

CAMEROTA: Okay, so how does she feel about that today? Will she be releasing those transcripts?

FINNEY: You know what? I have to tell you something, Alisyn. I know there is a real fascination on the part of the media, and certainly the Sanders campaign is interested in sort of driving that narrative, trying to drive a negative there. But the truth is, people don't - that's not what people are talking about here on the ground in South Carolina. It's not what people are talking about when I've been to Colorado or Birmingham, Alabama.

What people are talking about, what they want to know is, are you going to invest in the African American community? Are you going to invest in communities of color where we've seen - not enough investment. Are -- how am I going to send my kids to college? Talk to me about your plan for historically black colleges. Talk to me about how you are going to build on the progress President Obama has made and what you're going to do to preserve healthcare, the Affordable Care Act...

CAMEROTA: Yes.

FINNEY: ... and make sure the Republicans don't strip that away.

CAMEROTA: Sure, but...

FINNEY: That's what people are talking about here.

CAMEROTA: Sure, but I mean, why not -- since this keeps coming up, why not just be transparent? Why not just release them and lead the way on that if there's to hide in there? FINNEY: You know, again, I think the issue is what is it that voters

- I mean, her responsibility as a candidate is to talk to voters about the issues they care about, her policy ideas, her plans, what she would do.

As she pointed out there, if everybody else is going to release their, you know, their stuff, then I suppose she will, too. I mean, she's been incredibly transparent already, but I think the most important thing here is this campaign is about the issues that matter to the American people. They get to have their say. And so far what they've said is they want Hillary Clinton.

CAMEROTA: Karen Finney, we will be watching what happens on Saturday. Thanks so much for being on NEW DAYH.

Let's get over to Chris.

FINNEY: You got it.

CUOMO: All right, Alisyn. We'll take it from here. The white hot spotlight on tonight's Republican debate, blinding us already here on set. And there's political intrigue at play as well. Mitt Romney calling on all candidates to make their taxes public, but saying specifically that Donald Trump's taxes could contain a bomb shell.

Guess what? Donald Trump has a response. We'll show it ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)