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Exit Polls Show Broad Support for Trump; Trump Tightens Grip on GOP Nomination; Dave Barry on the 2016 Race. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired March 09, 2016 - 08:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:33:52] MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Donald Trump scoring decisive wins in three very different states last night. What is behind his wide-ranging appeal? Let's turn to Christine Romans to break down what our exit polling is showing.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Michaela.

Donald Trump's appeal comes from anxious, angry voters who think the billionaire businessman can save them. Falling gas prices, low unemployment, recovering home prices, that is not - not what these voters say they feel. They are overwhelmingly worried.

Let's start in Mississippi, where 80 percent - 80 percent say they are very worried about the economy. Now, Mississippi has the highest unemployment rate in the nation. It's almost 7 percent. Those very worried voters, they broke decisively for Donald Trump. Ted Cruz was a distant second.

Let's go to Michigan. The jobless rate, 5.1 percent. Pretty low. Economic worries, though, also driving voters there, specifically deep, deep concerns over years of trade deals that those voters in Michigan believe kill American jobs. Trump grabbed 42 percent of those voters who think that trade deals are killing American jobs. Trump and Bernie Sanders, on the Democratic side, both have owned this subject on the stump. Trump has blasted companies like Ford and Apple for manufacturing products outside the United States to huge applause from those crowds, even though some Trump products, like his suits and some ties are made in China.

[08:35:04] On ideology, let's talk about this, Cruz country, long seen as very conservative or evangelical. But that was not the story in Mississippi, where born again or evangelical Christians, again, they supported Donald Trump. That same category in Michigan, Donald Trump also beat out Ted Cruz. So you can see all of these overlapping threads here.

On display last night, though, more than anything, this overlap between Sanders and Trump. Exit polls showing this yearning that is anti-trade, anti-establishment, only an outsider can fix it. You don't tell me the economy is good because I don't think it's good. That's what voters told us last night.

Alisyn.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Fascinating findings. Christine, thanks so much.

We want to dive in more and talk about those economic factors, as well as Chris' interview this morning with Donald Trump.

So, here to weigh in are our CNN political commentator and Trump supporters Kayleigh McEnany, and former George W. Bush political director Matt Schlapp. He's chairman of the American Conservative Union.

OK, let's start there, Kayleigh. So everything that Christine just said, unemployment down, yet anxiety up. And somehow Sanders and Trump seem to be the people who can best capitalize on that.

KAYLEIGH MCENANY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes. And I think that can be explained by one statistic. When you look at the income bracket and you look at the bottom half of the income bracket, real family income has not increased since 1960. People's wages have not gone up. That's why you see Sanders appeal so broadly. That's why you see Trump appeal so broadly. People might have jobs, but real unemployment is still vast and wages are depressed. So people look at Trump, they trust Trump on that. They look at Sanders, they trust Sanders because they are anti-trade. It's becoming the - increasingly a huge issues in this campaign.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: So the space, it seems to be for people in your party specifically, the GOP, is to say how they'll fix it in a way that is superior to what Trump is selling. That's not what they're doing though. What they're doing is, they're undermining the confidence in Trump, or trying to do that. Is that a mistake? And what is the right remedy?

MATT SCHLAPP, FMR. GEORGE W. BUSH POLITICAL DIRECTOR: You know, I'm OK - I think it's right - they're right to take Trump head on, on the fact that they feel like maybe he hasn't been specific enough in his policies, although on taxes - on taxes and trade he's been very specific. But they're right to go after him on that.

I think the problem that they have here is this, which is, Trump is talking to voters. He's connecting to people. I've been talking to people on campus who are saying - talking about how he's connecting to them. And that's what politics is. You know, it's part math, it's polls, it's demographics. It's part romance. It's part charm. It's part appealing to somebody's heart, where they are. We can talk about the unemployment rate being low. The employment rate, the number of jobs out there in the economy, it's the lowest it's been since Jimmy Carter was president. There is huge angst out there. Will America lead on the economy? Will America lead on the world stage? It's because Americans are worried that they're turning to the idea of a Donald Trump as their candidate.

CAMEROTA: I want to ask you about that, Kayleigh, because everything that - we just had Bernie Sanders' campaign manager on, Jeff weaver, who talked about the issues that he thinks are resonating most. He talked about the black middle class in Detroit and beyond, in Michigan, that has suffered. He talked about the prohibitive cost of college. That's been a big theme for Bernie Sanders. And, of course, as you've said, the low paying jobs. So what is it about Donald Trump, other than the fact that he is personally successful, he's a billionaire. So are people just like, give me some of that magic dust?

MCENANY: I think there's something to that because he has built a $10 billion brand. That's part of it. People trust that he can create jobs. He has given out jobs and created, you know, successful businesses.

I also think there's something to this point of delegation. He's the one who knows how to choose the right people. Does he have every single policy detail and the twelve point plan that sometimes we'll hear Hillary Clinton enumerate? Maybe not. He has the vision, though, and the ability to choose great people to implement that vision.

SCHLAPP: Can I - can I say something there.

CUOMO: Go ahead. Please, Matt.

SCHLAPP: These business people that run for office, we all love that in America because we're a little bit anti-politics in this country. So the idea of, the business person comes in and can kind of just set it straight and delegate. The problem when business people actually do get involved in politics, it's incredibly frustrating for them because when you're the CEO you get to dictate. When you're the president, you share powers with every - all the other branches in government.

CAMEROTA: The bureaucracy ends up killing them.

SCHLAPP: That's right.

CAMEROTA: But Donald Trump has basically given people the impression that he won't - he doesn't need to deal with that sort of bureaucracy, that level of bureaucracy.

SCHLAPP: He will. If he gets there, he will.

MCENANY: But he's a - but, Matt, he is a deal maker and that - that's something that will translate, I think, to The Hill. He knows how to set the wages high - to set his bargain here and negotiate down. And I think that that ability, that deal-making ability translates in a - translates in a congressional setting.

CUOMO: That is an aspirational, optimistic statement. And I'm not - I'm not being cynical.

MCENANY: I think it's the truth there (ph).

CUOMO: What? It's true if you want it to be. However, what's different between business and politics? Here's the answer to my own question. At a table, we each have leverage, we each have something we want and we're looking to move forward from that with something.

SCHLAPP: Right. CUOMO: It doesn't happen in politics all the time. A zero sum game is acceptable. The - the analogy would be, I'm actually happy you're not getting this deal done just to stop you from getting the deal done.

SCHLAPP: Right. That's right.

CUOMO: That doesn't happen in business. And if it does, you're not in business very long. The question becomes for the rest of the field, because Trump has cornered the market on aspiration, I will, I will, I will, believe me, believe me. How do you counter that because by saying, no he won't, no he won't, you're killing people's hope.

[08:40:06] SCHLAPP: Yes.

CUOMO: So what do you give them that's better?

SCHLAPP: The first - the first thing you do is you stop disrespecting all these pluralities that are giving Donald Trump these victories. Don't demean the people that are supporting him. The second you do, you hit Donald Trump where he's week. He doesn't have detailed plans and he doesn't have a voting record on strong years of conservative votes, like Ted - like a Ted Cruz does. So if I'm Ted Cruz, which I think Ted Cruz is doing, I'm hitting him on these substantive issues.

You just heard from Tim Miller talking about all these stupid things about Trump. Why don't they talk about the policies? That's where this conversation should go. Not that I'm - not that I want them to succeed at that, but that's where they should go.

CAMEROTA: Kayleigh and Matt, great to get your analysis. Thanks so much for being with us here in Miami.

MCENANY: Thank you.

CUOMO: So, a lot of people are looking at this race. They're shaking their head. And a lot of it makes you laugh, if not cry. But how about a funny take on the 2016 race? Nobody does it better than humorous long-time "Miami Herald" columnist Dave Barry. He's going to give us his unique take on the Florida primaries and the race for the White House. Hey, you!

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:45:17] PEREIRA: Here we go with the five things to know for your NEW DAY.

At No. 1, Bernie Sanders stunning Hillary Clinton with a victory in the Michigan primary. Clinton, though, expands her overall delegate lead with a landslide win in Mississippi.

Meanwhile Donald Trump coming on strong with three wins. Ted Cruz picked up Idaho. Marco Rubio walked away with nothing. John Kasich, meanwhile, in a dead heat for second in Michigan looking for a win next week in Ohio.

The shooting suspect in an attack on an Idaho pastor is arrested outside the White House. The Secret Service took Kyle Odevin (ph) to custody after he threw flash drives and other items over the White House fence.

A stabbing spree in Tel Aviv killed an American grad student. Taylor Force (ph) was also a U.S. Army vet. The attack happening near a meeting between vice president Joe Biden and former Israeli president Shimon Peres.

Music producer Sir George Martin, known as the fifth Beatle, has died. He signed the Beatles and produced more than 700 records. Sir George Martin was 90 years old.

For more on the five things, always be sure to visit newdaycnn.com.

Alisyn, back to you in Miami.

CAMEROTA: Okay, Michaela. Thanks so much. So we are here in Miami and one of the big prizes next Tuesday, of course, is Florida. So who better to give us a preview than long-time "Miami Herald" columnist Dave Barry. The Pulitzer prize-winning humorist is going to join us live. That's next. There he is. Right there.

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[08:50:21] CAMEROTA: It has been a wild presidential race so far. And a dream for humorists and comedy writers like our next guest, Pulitzer prize winner and longtime "Miami Herald" columnist, Dave Barry. He's also the author of a new book, "Live Right and Find Happiness." Dave, great to have you here.

DAVE BARRY, AUTHOR, "LIVE RIGHT AND FIND HAPPINESS": Thanks for having me.

CAMEROTA: How do you characterize this 2016 race?

BARRY: I've never seen anything like it. I've been going to presidential campaigns since 1984 and this is by far the most entertaining and a lot of people think it's bad for the country, but that's good for me. You know what I mean? The country can do what it -- deal with it the way it wants to. It's excellent, as you said, for those of us in the humorist --

CUOMO: What are your favorite angles?

BARRY: Well I find just the daily obsession with Donald Trump to be -- we keep asking why he's doing so well and he's on TV all the time. He's on more than the Geico gecko. He's just all the -- Which also has very small hands, if you noticed.

(LAUGHTER)

CUOMO: Ooh.

BARRY: The gecko does, not --

CUL This is a hand-free zone that we have. BARRY: No, but he's like -- all we see on television day and night is

Donald Trump. Day and night.

CAMEROTA: Right. But that's the chicken and egg argument. We cover him because he's the frontrunner and you're saying he's the frontrunner because we cover him.

BARRY: I think it is both. But I think you can't deny that -- the incredible impact. I mean, it is like -- I think at this point Kim Kardashian also could run for president and would do okay if we gave her the same level of coverage that we give to Donald Trump. All we talk about is Donald Trump. We're talking about him right now.

CAMEROTA: In fact, we have more Donald Trump to show you.

BARRY: Let's see some Donald Trump.

CAMEROTA: Last night this was his victory speech, portions of it. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And you know, if you think about it, every single person that's attacked me has gone down. Okay? I don't want to mention names. Let's not mention names. They are out. They're gone.

He said Trump Magazine is out. I said, it is? I thought I read one two days ago. Anybody want one? Here, take one.

So you have the water, you have the steaks, you have the airline that I sold. I mean, what's wrong with selling? Every once in awhile you can sell something. I would say more presidential, and I've said this a couple of times, more presidential than anybody other than the great Abe Lincoln. He was very presidential. Right?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARRY: Okay. First of all, who among us has not sold an airline? Okay? So let's not hold that against him. But the steaks, the steaks was -- right now, for me, the highlight of his entire president campaign --

CUOMO: The voters want red meat. He gave it to them.

CAMEROTA: Yeah.

BARRY: Steaks! He had steaks! I mean, what next (inaudible). The man is amazing.

CAMEROTA: The stakes have never been higher -- for you. You're welcome. You can use that. But yeah --

BARRY: It's already done.

CAMEROTA: There's just so much material. BARRY: Yeah. It is. It's -- but you know there's --

CUOMO: That's him holding steak.

BARRY: We get to see the steak.

CUOMO: Is there a metaphor value in the fact that he brought out the red meat but then did not cook it up and deliver it?

BARRY: He had the steak, but he didn't have the sizzle. Is that what you're saying?

CUOMO: I'm not saying it. I'm asking you what you're saying.

BARRY: I didn't really actually see it live, so I can't --

CUOMO: You don't have to. It is what you think it is.

BARRY: You know, really, part of it is -- let's be honest. The American public thinks that everybody in politics, everybody in Washington and everybody in the media, including the three of us, is lying scum. Right? I mean that's kind of where they are now for --

CUOMO: She's more the lying, I'm more the scum. We try to divide it.

BARRY: But let's own up to that's how we're viewed. So I think -- In part it's because he's on television all the time. But it's in part just because everybody in the establishment hates him, doesn't like him, keeps telling him he's bad for us, and so like everyone goes, yeah, well we hate you so we like him and he can bring out his steaks, he can bring out whatever he wants and people are going to just love it.

CAMEROTA: And as we've said, for comedy writers and comedians it has never been better. You guys are exploiting all of this material. One of the things Jimmy Kimmel does is has people read the mean tweets about them. So you're -- it's sort of dovetailing what you're talking about, the feeling about politicians and then the comedy.

So that was Mitt Romney on Jimmy Kimmel reading mean tweets. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: "@MittRomney = loser." That's true, actually. I lost. You may not have noticed.

Let's see, "Who are you anyway? And by the way, where do you buy the shoe polish you wear in your hair?"

"I actually met Mitt Romney in a bank a couple of months back. I'm now working on a time machine to go back and punch him in the throat."

"I'd pay good money to watch Mitt Romney crying in a ball pit at a Chuck E. Cheese."

(AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARRY: So where was this four years ago with Mitt? I don't know, though. It's -- it maybe is a bad thing that it's sort of like all the -- everybody is descending into humor, which is my realm. I mean, I wouldn't want me running the country. So it is a little worrisome.

[08:55:00] Like Marco Rubio tried it, you know, got to be -- And he was pretty good. He was funny. But immediately everybody realized hey, like, he looks like he's 14 and he's out there making jokes about Donald Trump --

CUOMO: Why do you think it may have worked against him?

BARRY: Because -- Well, I was a class clown. Pleasantville High School (ph) class of 1965. I was like the class clown. But I would never have been elected class president. You don't elect the clown to be class president. You have to have somebody who's more serious.

So I think Marco already was kind of on the edge of -- seriously, he looks like he's 14 years old, right? He's actually more like 16 years old, but he looks 14. And all of a sudden he's out making jokes and they are funny jokes, but everybody goes, eh, you know, he's a comedian.

Trust me, nobody -- It's like when you're -- when I was -- now when I read magazines and they say what do women want in a man and they always say sense of humor. But I had a sense of humor when I was in high school and that's not really what women really want. They want the football player.

CAMEROTA: Okay. Thirty seconds left. What's going to happen in Florida? Has Florida recovered from the debacle of 2000?

BARRY: We'll never recover from that. And there is no guaranteeing what will happen. We could very well end up voting for Mike Huckabee in Florida. We don't -- We have no control over our voters. We shouldn't be allowed to vote, we should give our electoral votes to some other state that knows how to use them.

CUOMO: Where are you on the laugh/crying ratio with this race right now?

BARRY: I'm still laughing because it's still early days, you know, but I could turn to heroin soon.

CUOMO: Could you?

BARRY: Yeah. It's readily available. We're in Miami.

CAMEROTA: There you go. On that --

BARRY: Not on the campus.

CUOMO: No. Not here. BARRY: Not here.

CAMEROTA: That's great. Dave Barry, great to see you.

BARRY: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: Thanks so much for making us laugh this morning.

All right. CNN's Super Tuesday coverage continues on "NEWSROOM" with Carol Costello right after this very short break. We'll see you tomorrow.

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