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Clinton Wins 4 States, Slows Sanders' Momentum; Three Judges Top Supreme Court Short List; Trump Wins Big, Kasich Takes Ohio & Rubio Out; Trump Weighs in on Primary Results. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired March 16, 2016 - 07:00   ET

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

CAMEROTA: His campaign says that the race now shifts to a map and to states that favor him. He says Wisconsin, California, and New York; last night he made a big appeal for Arizona. As a fellow senator and Democrat, will you or some of your colleagues press him to drop out?

BROWN: Absolutely not. As I said, before you asked that question, I don't -- I don't expect him to drop out. He has every right to stay in this race. I assume that he will, because he has amassed delegates. And going to the convention with delegates is always a positive thing to raise the issues that he cares about, which most Democrats care about. And I admire him for that.

I think he's raised enough money to be able to do that. I think that I was in a town hall in Columbus, on the Ohio State campus on Sunday night, and watching the two of them is a pleasure. When you compare what they do, and sounding, you know, very kind of imminently qualified people who have a very high-class debate, contrasted with sort of the grade-school attacks and personal attacks on the Republican side, it's all good for Democrats. It's not so good for the country, the way they're doing it, but it's good for the country the way the Democrats are doing it. And more power to both candidates both way.

As much as I strongly support Hillary, I admire them both.

CAMEROTA: There you go. Senator Sherrod Brown, thanks so much for being on NEW DAY.

BROWN: Thanks.

CAMEROTA: All right. We have more of our Super Tuesday coverage ahead, including a live interview with Donald Trump, straight ahead. So let's get right to it.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

CAMEROTA: Good morning, everyone. What a night. Welcome back to NEW DAY. We will get to our Super Tuesday results in just a moment. But we do begin with big breaking news on another major political battle. And that, of course, is the Supreme Court. President Obama will announce his pick to fill the vacancy today.

CUOMO: He's doing this because he has every legal right to. This has never been about the law. It's always been about politics. And his selection, his nomination will really set up a tough process to see if we have any process to replace Justice Scalia.

The announcement is set for 11 a.m. this morning. The president says he has chosen someone who is eminently qualified. We do know that there are supposedly three names in play.

Let's go to CNN's Athena Jones. She has more from the White House. What do we know?

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Chris.

Well, more about the president's view of this task in that e-mail going out right now. The president says in part, "As president, it is both my constitutional duty to nominate a justice, and one of the most important decisions that I or any president will make. To say that he's devoted a considerable amount of time and deliberation to this decision.

Now, we know from several sources that three appellate court judges are said to be at the top of the list of potential picks. They are Sri Srinivasan, who is 49 years old. He sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. He was confirmed in May of 2013 unanimously by the Senate, 97-0. He got praise from Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who is a longtime friend. Cruz is on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Cruz has also vowed to filibuster any nominee. Srinivasan was born in India, raised in Kansas; and he would be the first Asian- American justice, should he be confirmed.

Another judge on the D.C. Circuit Court, the chief judge, is Merrick Garland. He is said to also be on the list of finalists. Garland is 63 years old. He was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1997 and confirmed with bipartisan support.

Paul Watford, a judge who sits on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in California is also a contender. Watford is 48 years old. He was confirmed by a vote of 61-34, and he would be the third African- American justice to serve after justices Thurgood Marshall and Clarence Thomas, should he be confirmed. We don't yet know who is going to be the president's pick. But, of course, once there is a name, this battle with Senate Republicans becomes less theoretical -- Michaela.

PEREIRA: Certainly, we do know -- thank you so much, Athena -- that this nominee is going to face a significant political battle. Let's turn to Manu Raju in Washington with more on that part of the story -- Manu.

MANU RAJU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Michaela. This is going to be a pretty intense fight in the capital. I talked to a lot of Republicans yesterday about those possible Supreme Court picks. And even though they have been unanimously confirmed in their lower court positions by a large margin, Republicans say that will not move forward, no matter who it is.

John Cornyn, No. 2 Republican told me yesterday, that it would not even conduct a formal background check on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and they, of course, won't have hearings. They've already said that. And they also won't do anything else, with regards to confirmation proceedings.

Now, this sets a new precedent in deciding how far to go in blocking a president's nominee in an election year. Last week, Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina senator, spoke about that in a very contentious fight in the Senate Judiciary Committee about this very issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: We are setting a precedent here today, Republicans are, that in the last year, at least of a lame-duck eight-year term -- I would say it's going to be a four-year term -- that you're not going to fill a vacancy of the Supreme Court based on what we're doing here today. That's going to be the new rule.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[07:05:10] CAMEROTA: Indeed, now, Democrats are going to try to make a process argument going forward, saying that the president does have a right -- there's nothing that precludes the president from moving forward with the Supreme Court pick. And that's going to intensify. Progressive groups and the White House and the Senate Democrats are launching a very coordinated messaging campaign. They're going to be in vulnerable Republican states back home over the next two-week recess, which starts on Monday.

Chuck Grassley, the Senate Judiciary Committee, who's up for re- election. He's going to be a prime target, hoping that they will buckle. I'm not sure that they will right now, because they're drawing a pretty firm line, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: Manu, thanks so much. We'll have more on the Supreme Court pick as it develops. Thank you for that.

Now to our other top story. Of course, the Super Tuesday results. Donald Trump winning at least three more states, beating Marco Rubio in Florida and knocking him out of the race. John Kasich, though, clinging to life with a big hometown win in Ohio.

Over on the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton slamming the brakes on Bernie Sanders' momentum. So we will hear from Donald Trump live in this hour of NEW DAY.

But first, let's go to the Super Tuesday scorecards and break down where the races go from here. John Berman has that.

Hi, John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Tuesday's not over yet, Alisyn. They're still counting, sort of, in Missouri. Look how close it is. Donald Trump ahead by 1,700 votes. They want to look at the absentee and provisional ballots there to give us the final call. But right now, better to be Donald Trump than Ted Cruz.

Still, Hillary Clinton, the same case in Missouri. She's ahead by 1,500 votes over Bernie Sanders, winning the absentee and provisionals to make a final call into that state, as well.

Let's look at the Republican race, as it stands right now. In Ohio, John Kasich gets on the board for the first time. He wins his home state with 66 delegates. Donald Trump did finish in second there. That hometown cooking didn't help Marco Rubio, not one bit. He was crushed by Donald Trump in his home state, by more than 15 points.

Look at this. Look at this map right now. The only county that Marco Rubio won, Mike Dade County, where he lives. If he did not live there, he did not win it in Florida.

Let's look at some other races for the Republicans. Donald Trump, he won in North place right there. In Illinois, much the same story. Donald Trump in first, Ted Cruz in second, because of the way they allocate delegates there, Donald Trump will win most of the delegates in Illinois.

Let's look at the delegate race. Donald Trump with 640. Ted Cruz pretty far back now at 405. Then Marco Rubio and John Kasich, who did pick up his first big group of delegates.

For the Democrats, Hillary Clinton, she had a big win in Florida. That was perhaps not a surprise. Ohio, much more of a surprise. She had a healthy victory there in a state that the Bernie Sanders campaign thought they had a good shot in.

Illinois, Hillary Clinton's birth state, she won that. That was close. In North Carolina, a more comfortable lead as well. What does that do for the delegate race for the Democrats? Hillary Clinton at 1,500, Bernie Sanders just under 800. This does include super delegates, but even without the super delegates, Hillary Clinton built her delegate lead; now stands at more than 300 delegates for that lead -- Chris.

CUOMO: John Berman, you did that so quickly and so well. I don't know why I stayed up last night all night watching these things coming in real time. Thank you for taking us through the outcomes, my friend.

So one of the headlines is that Donald Trump wins three, maybe four. But in Ohio, it was a setback. And it was a state he wanted very badly. Did Governor Kasich just survive? Or is he poised to thrive?

CNN's Sara Murray live from Miami. Good morning.

SARA MURRAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Chris. Donald Trump proving once again he can win all over the country, picking up victories in Florida, in Illinois, in North Carolina.

And speaking last night a little bit to the fear, to the anger, to the frustration that has helped to give rise to his candidacy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We went up in June. Most people said I'll never run. He's just going to have fun. He's having a good time. This isn't necessarily -- I mean, I'm having a good time. You know, I'm having a very nice time. But you know what? I 'm working very hard. And there is great anger. Believe me, there is great anger.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MURRAY: Now, one candidate who proved to be a poor fit for this frustrated electorate was Florida Senator Marco Rubio. He dropped out of the presidential race last night, after a disappointing showing, losing to Donald Trump right here in his home state of Florida.

Now, he appealed for a better conservatism, one that's not based on the politics of fear and anxiety, but it's clear he is not going to be the face of that movement.

The man who does want to be the alternative to Donald Trump is Ted Cruz. He is locked in a tight race right now with Trump in Missouri. It's too close to call, but Cruz essentially saying, "We are down to a two-man race right now."

And while Ohio Governor John Kasich is saying, "Hold up, wait a minute, I just won my home state of Ohio," a winner-take-all state, his first win so far of this election cycle. The big question for Kasich, though, is where else is he going to be able to notch a victory? For now, both he and Ted Cruz say this is going all the way to the convention.

Back to you, Michaela.

PEREIRA: All right, Sara. Thanks so much. That's the GOP side.

To the Democrats now. Hillary Clinton slowing down Bernie Sanders and taking a commanding lead in the delegate race. She scored a near- sweep of major states and holds a lead in yet-to-be-decided Missouri.

Senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny is live in Chicago with more for us.

Hi, Jeff.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning, Michaela.

Now, Hillary Clinton didn't just win last night; she won big. At least four states out of five, and possibly five. But even more than that, she won the confidence back that her campaign had been lacking a bit.

But at her campaign victory rally last night in South Florida, just miles up the road from where Donald Trump was, it was clear who was on her mind and who she believes her next rival is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When we hear a candidate for president call for rounding up 12 million immigrants, banning all Muslims from entering the United States, when he embraces torture, that doesn't make him strong. It makes him wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: So that sound you hear right here, beyond the applause, is a transition from Hillary Clinton's run against Bernie Sanders in this Democratic nominating fight, into a general election campaign. She still has, you know, a lot of delegates to win here. But it's clear, mathematically and politically, where this is going.

So, Alisyn and Chris, this is exactly sort of what she had been expecting to happen about a month ago. It took a little bit longer. But even the Bernie Sanders campaign folks realize that mathematically, it's nearly impossible to slow Hillary Clinton at this point.

CAMEROTA: OK, Jeff, thanks so much for all of that.

So how did last night's primaries shake up the Republican side of the race? Let's bring in our panel: CNN national political reporter, Maeve Reston; CNN politics executive editor, Mark Preston; and CNN political commentator and senior contributor to "The Daily Caller," Matt Lewis. Great to have all of you here.

So obviously, the big headlines. Trump wins big. Kasich takes Ohio. Marco Rubio loses Florida and suspends his campaign. Mark, what were your takeaways beyond that?

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Donald Trump ran the board last night in many ways and showed that he has the strength and he's won all across the country. The Republican establishment right now is going to figure out if there's anything they can do to try to stop him.

You know, last night, basically, in the middle of the night, as we were still doing coverage, I got an e-mail from a very effective GOP operative out of Iowa. And his message to me was, "If we can't stop Donald Trump now, in the next 24 to 48 hours, it's over. Donald Trump will become our nominee."

So the Republican establishment is waking up this morning, if they got any sleep at all, and are really coming to this reckoning moment: what do they do next?

CAMEROTA: OK. Well, Maeve, that's not what Ted Cruz and John Kasich think. I mean, they believe -- John Kasich thinks it's a three-man race. Ted Cruz believes it's a two-man race. Do they have reason to believe that they are in it, for real?

MAEVE RESTON, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: I think they absolutely do. I mean, think about all the things that we've all been wrong about this campaign cycle so far. It's been a wild ride, and I think it could continue to be.

The facts from last night don't look good for Ted Cruz and John Kasich. But there is a path there. There's a narrow path. And there are a lot of donors in the Republican party who are not going to be happy under any circumstance of Donald Trump, and are willing to take this fight all the way to the convention.

So, we're going to have to see what happens. There's -- clearly the anti-Trump forces did not make as much of a dent as they hoped last night, but, you know, Ted Cruz's numbers did come up in Missouri. John Kasich thinks that he has a chance to now broaden out his message and speak to the rest of the country. And so we'll have to see whether they can actually pull something off.

CUOMO: That's good. That was a good pause you gave us there, Maeve, because we're going to take a break from talking about Donald Trump, and we'll start talking to him. The Republican front-runner and the big winner from last night on the phone now. Mr. Trump, do you have us?

TRUMP (R) (via phone): Yes, I do.

CUOMO: Congratulations on a big night. We were just talking about what this means going forward. Ted Cruz is telling people, "Look, John Kasich has to get out. I'm the only one who beats Trump and I do it again and again, especially when it gets to closed primaries, meaning just Republicans, I can beat him." What do you say?

TRUMP: Well, you know, it's amazing. I hear Ted saying that all the time. I beat him five times, or something. But I beat him 14 or 15 times. He doesn't say that. He leaves off the second part, Chris. He always leaves it off. "I beat Donald Trump five times. I'm the only one." But I beat him 15 times, and I guess yesterday or last night I beat him 5 times, including the islands. You know, we picked up nine for the Northern Marianas Islands, and that was a great one. That was yesterday, too. So we were five and one yesterday. Missouri was called last night and we were five and one.

[07:15:12] CUOMO: We're not calling Missouri yet, because it's too close, but there's no question that you did well. You're starting to talk about unifying the party, and I want to go through that with you, but the first question on that level is, what do you say to Ted Cruz this morning? If your goal is to unify the party, that means he has to get out. What do you think you could say to Ted Cruz to make him go along with your plan?

TRUMP: Well, I don't think he has to get out. I think he has to stay. in and I think he has to run and John has to run, and you know, we'll see what happens. I think I have a good chance of getting there before the convention.

You know, with what we won yesterday, if you look at it, that was just about as good as if I won Ohio, and I did well in Ohio, but I was running against a popular governor. And it's not easy, because they have the machine working but -- and I didn't have time. I ran out of a little time. I think if I had a day or two more, it would have been perhaps a little bit different, but you know, I congratulate John on that. I think he deserved it.

And frankly, to be honest with you, I think we're -- I think we're doing very well. You know, with the bonuses that you get and with Illinois being a tremendous win, that was a very, very big win. That was far greater than we even thought. We get a lot of different bonuses which I didn't even know about, and I think that it was just about the equivalent as if I had a normal -- you know, a normal set of victories plus Ohio. It was pretty much, we got about the number of delegates that we would have gotten the other way.

CUOMO: So the delegate count is going the right way for you. Obviously, it's a race to see if you can get to 1,237, and then if you can survive the convention. Those are if's, now.

One of the things that we can talk about with more certainty is how you get from here to there. You talked about being a unifier. Does that mean you're considering change the divisive rhetoric, toning down some of the hostility that you bring to crowds in the interest of unifying your party?

TRUMP: Well, you know, the crowds that we have, Chris, have been very, very -- I mean, my audiences and crowds have been fantastic, but we have agitators come into some of the rooms -- I mean, I've had, even over the last few days, I've had fantastic numbers, 15,000, 20,000 people, where there's been nobody that even stood up.

But sometimes we'll have somebody stand up and start screaming and then the press fix it up like it's a big deal. But, you know, to be honest with you, we have had -- we've had tremendous harmony, and there's love in those rooms. These are not even rooms; they're stadiums. We have 15,000, 20,000 people. You see it yourself on a regular basis.

And I think really the biggest story, from the standpoint of politics, maybe in the world today, is how many people are coming into the Republican polls, meaning voting in the primaries, because it's up 100 percent; it's up 70 percent in some states. I mean, we have lines that go for blocks long when they used to have two people standing in a room.

And it's actually the biggest story worldwide in politics, what's happening. And you know, I would tell you that those people are there for me. They're not there for other people.

CUOMO: There's no question that people are watching. There's no question that there's a lot of energy, certainly on the GOP side when we see the voting. But there is pushback, not only in your own party, but there is an idea that your divisiveness, what you're bringing out in terms of the anger of the country, is also motivating the base on Hillary Clinton's side.

She spoke to it last night, and I want to get your reaction to what she said. Here's Hillary Clinton, and we can both safely say, she's talking about you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: Our commander in chief has to be able to defend our country, not embarrass it. Engage our allies, not alienate them. Defeat our adversaries, not embolden them. When we hear a candidate for president call for rounding up 12 million immigrants, banning all Muslims from entering the United States, when he embraces torture, that doesn't make him strong; it makes him wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: Your response?

TRUMP: Well, I think she's an embarrassment to our country. She's under federal investigation. She is -- she doesn't have the strength or the stamina to be president, frankly, as far as I'm concerned. She doesn't have strength. She doesn't have the stamina. I think she would -- she talks about defeat our enemies. Well, where has she been for the last year? We can't even beat ISIS. She's not defeating our enemies. She wouldn't know how to defeat the enemy. She's -- it's ridiculous.

So I think she's an embarrassment and we'll see what happens. Look, I'm going to run a race. I'm sure it'll be tough. And she's going to run a race, and she'll be tough.

But I will tell you, I think in the end, all of these people that are coming out to vote, they're tired of a country that can't even beat -- we can't beat ISIS. We can't beat anybody on trade. She talks about beating adversaries. That, to me, is -- the worst of her statements is that we, when you're talking about adversaries, because we are losing to every single group of people within countries that we're opposed -- look at trade.

[07:20:19] Look what China's doing to us. Look what Japan is doing to us. Look what everybody is doing to us. Look at the war. Look at what ISIS is doing to us. Look at what everybody else is doing to us. They laugh at us. They take our equipment. They take our military stuff, and what do they do with it? They turn it and they aim it at us, because we don't know what we're doing.

So certainly, I will be the one that does defeat the adversary. She can't. She doesn't know how to.

CUOMO: The attacks on her, we get it, that those are going to be coming. That's part of the game, no question about it, but we all know the problems. It becomes, what are the solutions?

You hear from people in your own party and across lines that they have concerns about what you say and what it brings out in American people. Do you have concerns about whether or not what got you to where you are can take you all the way? Are you considering changing any of the divisiveness that comes out of you?

TRUMP: Well, I think as we go down the line, I think things will happen and there will be a healing process, but this has been a very rough one. You know that. We started off with 17 people. We're down now to three, because Marco got out last night, and we're down to three. But this has been a nasty one, and that's why, I guess, your ratings are higher than they've ever been, you and everybody else that puts these things on and talks to Donald Trump and maybe some others. But I don't think some others, to be honest.

And if you look at the Democratic debates, their ratings are not good. They're way, way down. You look at the Republican debates, they're through the roof. I wonder why.

CUOMO: Well, there's -- there's a lot of interest in the race. There's no question about that. There's no question of peoples' numbers...

TRUMP: Well, there's a lot of interest in the race from the Republican side. There's not that much interest from the Democratic side. Take a look at your ratings on the Democratic debates. They're not very good.

CUOMO: Look, the ratings have been higher than they usually are. I'm not here to defend the Democratic side. I mean, I've done the town halls for the Democrats. They both did very well. The ratings are up. There's no question, people care. I think that maybe the better point to make about this is why they care.

Do you really think that it's OK if the reason people are pumped up and they want to know is because they're so angry, and that in stoking that anger, do you think you're setting yourself up, even if you become president, to inherit such a hostility, such an environment where everybody's against one another in the country, that it's almost impossible to move forward? Are you worried about that?

TRUMP: Well, I'm not worried because, you know what? The people are angry, but they're not angry people by nature, and they're just not angry people. But they're angry at the gross incompetence. They're angry at the Iran deal. They're angry at trade deals. They're angry at the fact that ISIS is pushing us around. We can't do anything. We don't know what we're doing. They're angry at just about everything that's taking place. They're angry at the fact that our country doesn't win anymore.

We don't win anymore, Chris. We don't win anymore. When was the last time our country had a victory in anything? We lose on trade; we lose in war; we lose with every -- we lose with Obamacare where the premiums are going up 45 and 55 percent, and you don't even get coverage. We don't win anymore.

CUOMO: Well, we win every time we come together, right? That's what America's history shows us.

So now you're heading into a convention. If you get to 1,237 or if you don't and you're close, you're going to be going to a convention. What is your plan to bring people together there and get many, as you know, who don't want you to get this nomination, to change their minds?

TRUMP: Because I think there's a natural healing process. Once the battle is over, once the war is over, I think there really is a natural healing process. And I've gotten along with people all my life. This is actually a little bit unusual. I've gotten along very well with people. And I think it'll happen again and I believe it will. Now, if it doesn't, it doesn't. I'll go along the same path, which has obviously been an effective path.

I think we'll win before getting to the convention, but I can tell you, if we didn't and if we're 20 votes short or if we're -- if we're, you know, 100 short and we're at 1,100 and somebody else is at 500 or 400, because we're way ahead of everybody, I don't think you can say that we don't get it automatically. I think it would be -- I think you'd have riots. I think you'd have riots.

You know, we have -- I'm representing a tremendous, many, many millions of people. In many cases, first-time voters. These are people that haven't voted, because they never believed in the system. They didn't like candidates, et cetera, et cetera, that are 40 and 50 and 60 years old, and they've never voted before. Many, many of those people, many Democrats, many independents coming in. That's what the big story is really, Chris.

I mean, the really big story is how many people are voting in these primaries. The numbers are astronomical.

Now, if you disenfranchise those people and you say, "Well, I'm sorry but you're 100 votes short," even though the next one is 500 votes short, I think you would have problems like you've never seen before. I think bad things would happen. I really do. I believe that. I wouldn't lead it, but I think bad things would happen.

CUOMO: I know that you want to avoid this situation, and I know that you've said many times now that you would back the Republican nominee no matter what happens.

[07:25:08] But, you know, if what you're saying about these people is true and they're looking to you to do what you said you were going to do, if you don't get the nomination, do you feel that it is incumbent upon you to run anyway on your own ticket?

TRUMP: I don't want to even think about it right now. I mean, right now, I'm leading by a lot. Last night, I had five wins, including the Islands, as you know. I had five wins, and you know, I don't know. I guess Hillary had four or five wins last night, but it's got to be some kind of a record. That's a lot of wins. We had an amazing night last night, and we picked up a lot of delegates.

CUOMO: No question about it. Your lead got very big. A lot of people are now searching the math to see how even Ted Cruz finds a path to 1,237. There's no question of the outcome last night.

TRUMP: He can't find a path, Chris. He cannot find a path...

CUOMO: Well, mathematically he could.

TRUMP: He cannot find a path. There's no way he gets there.

CUOMO: He could, but it does not look as good as it does for you.

TRUMP: Well, yes, if he wins New York and if he wins places that he has no chance of winning, but I mean, he's not going to win New York. He's not going to win New Jersey. He's not going to win a lot of states that he's up against.

Look, he was supposed to win the southern states. He was supposed to win Alabama, and he was supposed to win all of those states that I won.

CUOMO: Right.

TRUMP: And he lost them in a landslide. He was supposed to win South Carolina. He was supposed to win New Hampshire. And he didn't.

CUOMO: There's no question that the evangelicals haven't come through for him the way he suggested. We'll see what the rest of the map shows.

Let me ask you something. Marco Rubio's out. You were uncharacteristically gracious about him last night, given the history that you two have had recently. Would you consider him from -- for a VP? People are saying inside the party, that would go a long way towards healing a lot of concerns.

TRUMP: Well, I just think it's too early to think about it, Chris. I don't like to think about it. I like to get the deal first.

CUOMO: But is he -- is he in consideration?

TRUMP: Well, I like him. I've always liked him. Then he got nasty two or three weeks ago and I got nastier than he did, I guess. That's why...

CUOMO: Then you can't be too upset at him. If you got -- if you got nastier than he did, you can't be too upset at him, and you did say it's time for healing. So I'm just wondering, is he in consideration?

TRUMP: Well, I think he's a fine person, and you know, I'm looking at lots of people. But I'm not thinking about it yet. It's too early. I want to close the deal. I'm a closer. I get things closed, and I want to close the deal first, I think, Chris, before I start -- I'll have this conversation at some point, but it's too early.

CUOMO: All right. So talk about closing things. You have a vacancy on the Supreme Court. The Constitution says the president's supposed to pick a nominee. He says he's going to do that today. Now it's for the Senate to do its job. You say, no, don't do it, wait for the next election. Why?

You say that Washington's broken, they don't do their job enough, they all play games. This is one of those games if they don't hold hearings. Why continue the problem?

TRUMP: Because I think the next president should make the pick, and I think they shouldn't go forward. And I believe I'm pretty much in line with what the Republicans are saying. I think that the next president should make the pick. We don't have a very long distance to wait. Certainly, they could wait it out very easily. But I think the next president should make the pick. I would be not in favor of going forward.

CUOMO: No matter what? What if he picks your sister?

TRUMP: Then I would say the same thing. CUOMO: Oh. You would say no hearing if he picked your sister?

TRUMP: My sister's very happy where she is, and she's doing a great job. She's considered a brilliant person, and she is.

CUOMO: All right, so let's -- we know you have a lot to do this morning. Let's end on this note that you began it on, though, as a unifier.

You said there's going to be a time for healing. You are the person that many point to as why there'll be a need for healing. So what do you say to those who say, Donald Trump is a divider? He's stoked people's anger. It's working for him, but it will not get him to the presidency. You won't get there by just being negative. What do you say?

TRUMP: I really do believe I am a unifier. I think President Obama is a divider, and I think he's proven that. And I would have thought that he would have been a unifier but he's been a great divider. We have to win and as we win, people will forget, and they will feel better. And that's the way life is and it's always been that way for a million years. It's always been, that's the way it is.

I mean, we have to win. We have to put it away. And after it's put away, I think a lot of feelings will be -- will be soothed, and we'll win. I mean, I intend to win. I hope I win. If I do, we're going to make America great again.

My message is very simple. We are going to make America great again. And if I don't make it, then I will go off into the wild blue yonder. and I will enjoy the rest of my life and it will be a lot easier. But I think my kind of ability will be able to bring people together, but most importantly, it will make our country great again, Chris.

CUOMO: Mr. Trump, congratulations on last night. Thank you for being on NEW DAY, as always.

TRUMP: Thank you very much.

CUOMO: Now, let's take a quick break. Just got to hear from Donald Trump. He's talking about unifying his party. He's talking about what it means for Ted Cruz, what happened last night. We'll break down all of it with you in just a few moments. Stay with us.

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