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Rubio Nabs First Win in Minnesota; Interview with Rep. Sean Duffy; Clinton Wins Seven States, Sanders Wins Four; Should Democrats Be Worried About Turnout?; Could Trump Hurt GOP Lawmakers In Tight Races?; Interview with Rep. Bob Dold. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired March 02, 2016 - 07:30   ET

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

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[07:33:47]

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SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The pundits say we're underdogs. I'll accept that. We've all been underdogs. This is a community of underdogs. This is a state of underdogs. This is a country of underdogs, but we will win.

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CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: And he did. Marco Rubio snagging his first win last night in the state of Minnesota. Is it enough? Is this the path forward or is it too little too late. Joining us this morning, Rubio support and Wisconsin Republican, Congressman Sean Duffy. Congressman, always a pleasure.

REP. SEAN DUFFY (R), WISCONSIN: Hey, thanks for having me on, Chris. Good to be with you.

CUOMO: So, what's your take on last night? One win -- some say oh, that's a start. Others say one -- too little, too late.

DUFFY: Well, I think you have to look at the map and say the Deep South was never going to be Marco Rubio's strongpoint. So we did well, but I think you have to look at what happened in Virginia. A week ago Marco Rubio was done by more than 20 points. He came within striking range of Donald Trump last night. So, as we look to March 15th the map improves for Marco. I think we are not just in the game, I think we're going to win the game as we look at the map as it develops.

CUOMO: So, you don't think it's going -- the goal isn't to stop Donald Trump from getting the number he needs? You think you can actually get to the number yourself?

DUFFY: Yes, the goal is to win and you have to recognize what happened in your guy's debate a week ago. Marco Rubio pivoted and started to throw Donald Trump back at Donald Trump, and I think a lot of people liked that.

[07:35:16] They saw the leadership, they saw the strength, and they saw the policy in Marco. But, what we had in these states is a lot of early voting, so a lot of people had already voted before they saw Marco pivot and I think they took a second look at him.

CUOMO: All right, so here --

DUFFY: So moving forward --

CUOMO: Go ahead. Go ahead. Make your point, please, congressman.

DUFFY: No, no, but I think what America sees is Donald Trump is a manure spreader. He's throwing what manure spreaders throw all over the map at every candidate and Marco's throwing a little bit of that back at him, and I think people like it in conjunction with the policy.

CUOMO: Manure spreader. That's a good one, congressman. That's a good -- that's a very gentle term you're using there. Let's look at numbers that support and work against your case. Minnesota, last night -- OK, now let's start with Florida. Here's the Florida poll that we have from a week or so ago. This is the concern. If Marco Rubio does not win in Florida, do you believe there's still a path forward for him?

DUFFY: Listen, Chris, make no mistake. Marco is going to win in Florida. He knows how to win in Florida. He's been an underdog in Florida and those polls are old.

CUOMO: Yes.

DUFFY: I think, make no mistake, Marco will win his home state. And we start going -- listen, as we look at the delegate vote we start going to winner-take-all states. So, though Marco hasn't won a lot of states outside of Minnesota he's still getting delegates for the convention. As we move into Marco's strength in those states, those are delegate-take-all states, which is only going to help him rack up the delegates he needs to win at convention.

CUOMO: So --

DUFFY: But I think what you --

CUOMO: Go ahead.

DUFFY: I think what you see happening, Chris, is people are starting to really take a new look at who is Donald Trump? Who is Marco Rubio? Could Ted Cruz unify the party? And that second look at Marco, I think, has really benefitted him in the last week. But, again, you didn't get to see those votes turn out fully because of early voting.

CUOMO: Minnesota -- let's look at the numbers there last night because this is what you want Florida to look like in the future -- when we get them up there. It's the only place where Trump finished third, by the way, and Rubio wound up finishing first. This is the theory of the case. This is what supporters of Rubio believe the pie should like if the old GOP were motivated to come out if you had the normal breakdown.

But you don't, and when you look at the results from last night, Trump was winning in every category in regions where it usually doesn't even happen. Since 1960, congressman, no Republican has won the states that Donald Trump won in this election so far. And they've all -- who've come close -- have been the nominee. Tough history.

DUFFY: It is a tough history, but as you've noted, this is not a historic election year. People are angry at Washington. They're angry at Barack Obama. We haven't seen three percent growth in 10 years, so people aren't making more money, they're not having more opportunity, they're concerned about what's happening in the Middle East, and they want someone to fix it.

The problem that they're starting to see now with the front-runner, which is Donald Trump, is this guy talks big and he seems strong but when we ask him questions about how do I make America safe again, how do I grow our economy, how do I bring jobs back home, how do I fix health care, he doesn't have any ideas. He just makes the statement but hasn't spent the time to think about the policies that are necessary to fix the country.

And when you want to fix the country you want someone who can actually win and beat Hillary Clinton, and Marco Rubio can do both. He can beat Hillary, he can fix the country with great policy, and I think it's not Donald Trump who Democrats are afraid to run against. They're afraid to run against Marco becauseI think he shatters the Democrat coalition. He's going to bring over Hispanics, single white women. Democrats don't want to run against Marco. And, again, as we move to these new states, I think he's in a great poll position to win.

CUOMO: Well, we will see, and it's going to be decided relatively soon. He took one step last night -- more needed. Let's see if it happens. Congressman Duffy, always a pleasure to have you on NEW DAY, sir.

DUFFY: Hey, Chris, thanks for having me on. Have a good one.

CUOMO: All right -- Alisyn.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: OK, Chris. With Super Tuesday in the books, Hillary Clinton now the clear front-runner for Democrats, and she appears to be shifting her focus to Donald Trump. Will killing him with kindness work?

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HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: America prospers when we all prosper. America is strong when we're all strong. And we know we've got work to do, but that work -- that work is not to make America great again. America never stopped being great.

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CAMEROTA: All right, that was Hillary Clinton taking a dig at Donald Trump after they both dominated the Super Tuesdaycontest. This is part of a pivot of Clinton now looking ahead to a general election battle, but is it getting ahead of herself?

Here to break it all down for us is our CNN political commentators, Democratic strategist and Hillary supporter, Hilary Rosen, and Daily Beast columnist and Bernie leaner, Sally Kohn. I think that's fair to say. OK, ladies, agreed?

SALLY KOHN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: It's a new category.

CAMEROTA: It is. Yes, you're in a category all on your own.

KOHN: All by ourselves.

CAMEROTA: Ladies, it's great to have you here. Sally, let me start with you because Bernie Sanders was doing his own math last night. You know, you can always process these numbers differently, so let me play for you how he sees the path forward.

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SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Tonight, you're going to see a lot of election results come in, and let me remind you of what the media often forgets about. These are not -- this is not a general election. It's not winner-take-all. If you get 52 percent, you get 48 percent, you roughly end up with the same amount of delegates in a state. By the end of tonight we are going to win many hundreds of delegates.

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CAMEROTA: OK, Sally, if you do proportional math, as he is, is there a path forward?

KOHN: First of all, man, do I love Bernie Sanders. He's like his own -- like an older version of Schoolhouse Rock's for America. I mean, he is. This is what he's doing. This is his gift to America and to Democratic voters -- is to explain things like this so that we can be more informed and engaged, and participate in the system, which is really refreshing compared to what's happening on the other side where they want to push people out of voting and they appreciate voters who are less and less informed.

[07:45:07] Look, he's right, and if you look at the actual math, which is now up on the screen, of where they are and you take out the super delegates -- and especially you focus on what was won last night -- they're pretty close. And it's very clear that here is a strong third, at least, of the Democrat base that is enthused about Bernie Sanders -- enthused about what he stands for, and wants to see this conversation continue.

CAMEROTA: OK, Hilary? Do you see the math the same way?

HILARY ROSEN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, you know, presidential politics are about two things, math and the story. I think Sally's right that Sanders has a story that is still compelling to a large number of Democratic voters, but the math is just moving away from him. I love the 1920's math teacher analysis here, but the fact is that Hillary Clinton has a delegate lead going into the states that they're going to be competing against in the next several weeks.

That lead is probably going to grow, and Sander's team, I think, understands that but they're going to stay in it because they like his message and they want to keep going. But I think Democrats are increasingly coalescing around the notion that Hillary's going to be the nominee.

CAMEROTA: Yes. Well, here's some math that will trouble both of you, I believe, and this is how voter turnout looks. Look at these stark differences between Democrats for whom voter turnout is less today -- yesterday -- than it was in 2008, and Republicans for whom it is exponentially higher. Look at Virginia -- 107 percent higher for Republicans than it was in 2008. That's a problem, Sally, moving forward for Democrats.

KOHN: Yes, and what should be appealing to all parts of the Democratic Party in seeing Bernie stay in the race is that he is energizing new voters. He is speaking, especially, to younger voters. And look, the other side of this equation is, you know -- I keep talking to Democrat after Democrat who say well, Trump isn't going to win. Trump isn't going to win. He can't win. Well, he looks like he's going to win and to be honest, that's the biggest motivator -- is people have to actually feel something is at stake.

If they're not motivated to go out and vote for the guy with the progressive economic message that really would finally make this country work everyone, or the woman who's running with an impeccable and vast record of experience -- if that's not enough for people at least stopping us from becoming Nazi Germany, would hopefully get Democrats and others to turn out.

CAMEROTA: Hilary, do you think it will be a motivating factor come the general?

ROSEN: Oh, yes. I think it was W.C. Fields who said I don't vote for anybody, just against. But, you know, that chart was instructive for two specific things. First, look at the states where there was a real race between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton -- Massachusetts and Minnesota. The turnout there was pretty close to 2008 when you had a massively competitive, very strong -- two very strong and similar candidates.

So, I'm not worried at all about those numbers. I think that when you looked at those southern states -- when you looked at some of those other places where Hillary Clinton just ran away with it last night, people assumed she was going to be the presumptive nominee. Why bother going to the polls? This is going to happen anyway. Places where it was competitive, the turnout wasn't so far down. CAMEROTA: OK, Hilary, Sally, thanks so much. Great to see you both this morning.

ROSEN: All right, take care.

KOHN: Always a pleasure.

CAMEROTA: Let's go over to Chris.

CUOMO: All right. So we know that Super Tuesday was big for Donald Trump, but what does it mean for the GOP? The hostile takeover is on. So, will Trump lift up the party or take everyone down with him. We're going to ask one Republican lawmaker whose seat could be in jeopardy, next.

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DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Paul Ryan, I don't him well but I'm sure I'm going to get along great with him. And if I don't, he's going to have to pay a big price, OK? I am going to be very good for the world. I'm going to get along with the world. You're going to be very proud of me. Even you will be very proud of me as a president, but we have to rebuild our country. Our country is going to hell and people don't understand that. And Hillary Clinton doesn't have a clue.

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CUOMO: Paul Ryan will get along with me or he will pay a big price. Now, a lot of Republicans in Congress are saying they may all pay a big price if Trump gets in because of what that would mean in the general election and then in the congressional elections thereafter.

Let's now bring in a Republican who may be vulnerable this fall if Donald Trump wins the presidency. Congressman Robert Dold of Illinois, and I'm sure you're getting called Bob Dole all the time, but not on this show, congressman. It's good to have you here.

REP. ROBERT DOLD (R), ILLINOIS: Chris, great to be with you.

CUOMO: So, you have been quoted widely as saying you will never support Donald Trump because of the language he has used about people, specifically Muslim immigrants and immigrants in general. Are those still your feelings?

DOLD: Absolutely, and so whether it's women, whether it's veterans, whether it's Latinos or Muslims, we do not need someone that is dividing or really tearing apart people. And for me, it's personal. When he first came out and said that he did not like John McCain because he was shot down, my uncle was the second one shot down in the Vietnam War. He spent eight years and a day in Hanoi in a prison camp. And I'll just tell you, if anybody wants to diminish his service to our country, I think that disqualifies him as the commander in chief.

CUOMO: Well, how do you reconcile your feelings with what we saw last night and in the previous elections, but certainly last night? Broad constituencies of Republicans came to the polls for Donald Trump. In point of fact, since 1960, nobody has won the states on the Republican side that Donald Trump has already, and not gone on to be the nominee.

DOLD: Well, Chris, I'll let you be the pundit on this, but what I can tell you is that people are frustrated. They're sitting around their kitchen tables and they're worried they're falling behind, whether it be the cost of food, the cost of higher education, the cost of health care, the uncertainty around retirement.

These are all issues that people are facing and we have to come together to solve problems and put the people before politics and progress before partisanship. I've been able to do that and, frankly, I think we need more bridge builders in Washington, D.C. to move forward on coming up with solutions to the problems that people face.

[07:55:14]

CUOMO: But, if the GOP is coming out in bigger numbers and as or more diverse numbers than in recent history for Trump, why do you think that would put you jeopardy when your election comes up?

DOLD: Well, I don't think that it necessarily will. I've been focused, again, on the constituents and I trust that I will be judged on my record. And again, I've been ranked as one of the most independent bipartisan members in the United States Congress and we're focused on, again, putting the people's needs before partisan politics.

And so, whether that be prescription drug abuse, whether that be focusing on the economy, or protecting the American people from a nuclear-armed Iran, we are going to continue to focus on what unites us. And, frankly, there's more that unites us than divides us. That's been my push and my goal, and that's what we're going to continue to do for the constituent of Illinois' 10th congressional district.

CUOMO: You've been building a record on the basis of compromise when it has just become a dirty word. Do you think that there is a chance that if Donald Trump gets your nomination and he becomes the general election winner and becomes president, there could be a backlash?

DOLD: Well, listen. What is can tell you is that people are very frustrated right now. They're frustrated that they don't think that Washington is working and we have to be focused on trying to make sure we're making life easier. That there are more opportunities for our children and grandchildren, and that's what I've been focused on.

I've been focused on trying to come up with solutions to problems and working across the aisle. And, again, we need to cooperate in order to try to get things done. Take a look at an educational bill or a surface transportation bill. Things that, again, when we talk about transportation, getting people to and from work. Helping manufacturers out. Trying to make sure that we've got more certainty in our tax code.

These are things that I'm working for and these are the things that I'm hearing from constituents each and every day. And we need to make sure that we're working on things like how do we combat poverty? So, I'm anxious to roll up my sleeves and continue to work on behalf of not only the constituents of Illinois' 10th congressional district, but for the constituents of Illinois.

CUOMO: You have a two-party system here. You are in one of them. It's called the GOP. If Donald Trump is the nominee of your party, will you support him?

DOLD: Listen, I think Donald Trump has disqualified himself and I would say that whether it be his divisive words -- we do not need a divider. And so, whether it be on women, whether it be on veterans, whether it be with Latinos or what he said about Muslims, and most recently what he said with regard to not disavowing himself from organizations that are built on bigotry.

We don't need that, frankly, and I think that is one of the things that disqualifies him. I've come out to say that I will not support Donald Trump now, and I will not support him should he move on. We have to be talking about putting the country first and that's exactly what I'm going to do.

CUOMO: Congressman Bob Dold, good luck to you going forward. Thanks for being on NEW DAY.

DOLD: Thanks so much. Great to be with you.

CUOMO: All right. So, more Super Tuesday coverage ahead. There's so many numbers to process and that will decide where this race goes from here, so let's get to it.

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CLINTON: What a Super Tuesday.

TRUMP: Our country is going to hell and Hillary Clinton doesn't have a clue.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: America shouldn't have a president whose words would make you embarrassed if your children repeated them.

TRUMP: You can call it what you want, but I am a truth teller.

SANDERS: This is not just about electing a president. It is about transforming America.

TRUMP: It was a very tough night for Marco Rubio. He is a lightweight.

RUBIO: What you have here is a world-class con artist. Maybe you should call him Conald Trump.

TRUMP: I am a unifier. Once we get all of this finished I'm going to go after one person. That's Hillary Clinton.

CLINTON: We've come too far in this country to let us turn back.

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ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

CUOMO: Good morning. Welcome to your new day. It's Wednesday, March 2nd, 8:00 in the east, and we begin with breaking news of the political variety. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton charging full steam ahead with a trunk full of delegates after strong Super Tuesdayperformances. Trump sweeping seven states, now vowing to unite the Republican Party. Ted Cruz managing three wins. Marco Rubio getting his first win.

CAMEROTA: On the other side, Hillary Clinton winning in seven states, expanding her delegate lead over Bernie Sanders who won four states. This morning, Trump and Clinton appear to be on track to become their party's nominees.

We have this race covered the way only CNN can, so let's begin our coverage with John Berman. He's here to break down who won where, the latest delegate count, and that's why we call him the human abacus.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: The human abacus. Luckily, I can count to seven on my fingers because Donald Trump -- that is what he got last night. Seven states. Take a look right here. Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia. And just look at this. Alabama, Massachusetts, Georgia, Vermont -- vast geographic disparity right there.