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New Day

Republican Presidential Candidates Attend Town Hall Debate; Donald Trump Defends Campaign Manager Charged with Battery; Interview with Tom Ridge; New Clinton Ad Takes on Donald Trump. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired March 30, 2016 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- is palpable.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're scrambling to be honest.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is huge signs that there may be more in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Wednesday, March 30, 6:00 in the east. Chris is off this morning. John -- Don.

(LAUGHTER)

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: I can't even say my own name. So it's fine.

CAMEROTA: Don Lemon joins us. You're not John Lennon. You're Don Lemon. All right, we'll figure all that out. Meanwhile the Republicans are reneging on their loyalty pledge at last night's CNN town hall in Milwaukee. Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, and John Kasich all expressing doubt about upholding their initial pledge to support the GOP nominee no matter who it is.

LEMON: And meanwhile Trump's embattled campaign manager Corey Lewandowski charged with simple battery of a reporter. Trump says he is standing by his man and placing the blame on the reporter. Lewandowski's attorney this morning is saying he was responding to a perceived threat against Mr. Trump.

With all of that in mind, we have this race covered as only CNN can. Let's begin with CNN's chief political correspondent Dana Bash live for us this morning in Milwaukee. Take it away, Dana.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Don Lemon. And it is true that things have unraveled in a way that nobody expected, especially when you think about the pledge. The whole reason it exists is because party leaders were concerned that Donald Trump would be the one to leave and run as a third party candidate. But now it seems the other two remaining candidates are really skeptical about supporting him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BASH: Things have gotten so ugly all three remaining Republican candidates went back on their promises to support the party nominee.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Do you continue to pledge to support whoever the Republican nominee is?

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: No, I don't anymore.

COOPER: You don't?

TRUMP: No.

BASH: That after Ted Cruz refused to back Trump despite being asked three times.

SEN. TED CRUZ, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not in the habit of supporting someone who attacks my wife and attacks my family. I think that is going beyond the line.

BASH: Trump says he understands if Cruz won't support him.

TRUMP: I don't want his support. I don't need his support. I want him to be comfortable.

BASH: And then renewed a warning to party leader.

TRUMP: I he been treated very unfairly. I won the state of Missouri. Awe, true Cruz people. I've been treated very unfairly. I'll give you an example. I --

COOPER: Unfairly by who?

TRUMP: I think by basically the RNC, the Republican Party, the establishment.

BASH: John Kasich even went so far as to say he never should have made the pledge in the first place.

GOV. JOHN KASICH, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If the nominee is somebody that I think is really hurting the country and dividing the country, I can't stand behind him.

BASH: Donald Trump came to CNN's town hall eager to defend his campaign manager charged earlier in the day with simple battery against a reporter.

TRUMP: Based on what I heard, I don't think he really even knew who she was.

BASH: On another issue he calls a distraction, the ugly back and forth about their wives, Trump was vintage Trump.

TRUMP: Excuse me. I didn't start it. I didn't start it. COOPER: With all due respect, that's the argument of a five-year-old.

TRUMP: I didn't start it. No it's not.

COOPER: The argument of a five-year-old is he started it.

TRUMP: You would say that. That is the problem with our country. That is not a five-year-old. Excuse me.

COOPER: Everybody parent --

TRUMP: Excuse me. No, no, no. That's the problem. Exactly that thinking is the problem this country has. I did not start this.

BASH: Cruz once again denied knowing anything about the anti-Trump super PAC ad featuring Melania Trump and doubled down on blaming Trump for planting a tabloid report accusing Cruz of infidelity.

CRUZ: You know the "National Enquirer" in its history has never endorsed a president candidate until Donald Trump.

BASH: This week Trump rattled world leaders by suggesting a nuclear Asia, which the west worked for decades to avoid, may be OK. At CNN's town hall he went further.

TRUMP: Can I be honest with you? Maybe it is going to have to be done to change people, so many people. Pakistan has it. China has it. At some point we have to say, you know what, we're better off if Japan protects itself against this maniac in North Korea.

BASH: Cruz defended his own controversial national security idea, to patrol Muslim communities in the U.S.

CRUZ: Listen, if you want to stop radical Islamic terrorism, the answer isn't to go hang out in random neighborhoods. It is instead to focus on communities where radicalization is a risk.

BASH: Later Kasich called that ridiculous.

KASICH: If we polarize the entire Muslim community how are we going to get the information we want?

BASH: But what may have been the most revealing moment of the night were seemingly simple questions that candidates had trouble answering.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What would you regard as your greatest personal failure, and what did you learn from it?

CRUZ: You know, those are always -- whether in political campaign or job interview, those are always tricky questions.

COOPER: When was the last time you actually apologized for something?

[08:05:01] TRUMP: Oh, wow.

(LAUGHTER)

TRUMP: No I do -- I don't know. I'll think. Can I think? I apologized to my mother years ago for using foul language.

(LAUGHTER)

BASH: Now, the next big contest is right here in Wisconsin in just six days, 42 delegates at stake. Ted Cruz is doing pretty well in the polls here. He is hoping to take most if not all of the delegates here, and Michaela that is, he hopes, is going to take him to the goal, not just of, as he said last night, keeping Donald Trump from getting enough delegates to get the nomination, but himself winning before the convention in July. Michaela?

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Dana, thanks so much.

Now, as we just saw, Trump is standing by his embattled campaign manager now charged with battery for allegedly grabbing and bruising that reporter. But Trump going even further now, suggesting the reporter herself to blame. Is the campaign taking the violence allegation seriously? CNN political reporter Sara Murray is live in Milwaukee with more for us. Hi, Sara.

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Good morning, Michaela. The campaign has caught some criticism for that because their approach from the outset has been to try to discredit this reporter. And Donald Trump is taking that a step further now, essentially saying the reporter tried to grab him first, and this morning Corey Lewandowski's attorney is saying that she was a perceived threat.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TRUMP: She shouldn't have been touching me, OK? My arm, it's never been the same folks.

(LAUGHTER)

MURRAY: Donald Trump is vowing to stick with his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski.

TRUMP: I think they have really hurt a very good person. And I know it would be very easy for me to discard people. I don't discard people.

MURRAY: Lewandowski was charged with a misdemeanor count of simple battery Tuesday, and turned himself into the police in Jupiter, Florida. The charge stems from a March 8th incident at the Trump press conference, seen on this newly released video from law enforcement. Former Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields, seen in the light colored jacket, said she, quote, "felt someone yank her left arm," and she fell back but caught herself from falling after approaching Trump to ask a question, according to the police report.

Lewandowski initially insisted he never touched her, tweeting earlier this month Fields was delusional. Now Trump is acknowledging there was some contact but he's arguing the reporter was out of line to approach him. TRUMP: All of a sudden she bolts into the picture. She grabs me.

I'm like this with my arm up. And then he goes by. And maybe he touched her a little bit. But I didn't -- it was almost like he was trying to keep her off me, right.

MURRAY: After the incident Fields tweeted a photo of the bruises on her arm. According to the police report those bruises appear to be several finger marks indicating a grabbing type injury. Now Trump is calling those into question as well.

TRUMP: How do you know those bruises weren't there before? Would you think that we would have yelled out a scream or something if she has bruises on her arm?

MURRAY: Lewandowski's attorney said he is absolutely innocent of this charge and will enter a not guilty plea. But Trump's GOP rivals insist the latest incident reflects the tenor of the Trump campaign.

CRUZ: It is consistent with the pattern of the Trump campaign. I think there is no place for politics for insults, for personal attacks, for going to the gutter, and there should be no place for physical violence either.

MURRAY: Both Cruz and Kasich agreeing if this were their staffer, he would be terminated.

KASICH: From what I understand the video is clear. Of course I would fire him.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MURRAY: Now, while the Trump campaign has insisted Michelle Fields has changed her story or accused her of overblowing what happened, she took to Twitter last night to defend herself, saying "My story never changed. Seriously, just stop lying." As for Corey Lewandowski, he has of course been released and we are expecting him to appear in court May 4th. Back to you guys.

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

We want to bring in now national co-chair of Kasich for America and former homeland security chief Tom Ridge. Good morning, governor.

TOM RIDGE, NATIONAL CO-CHAIR, KASICH FOR AMERICA: Good morning, good morning.

CAMEROTA: Great to see you. Let's talk about some of the head lanes from last night and what happened. It seems like all the GOP candidates are reneging, basically, on the pledge they just took three weeks ago. They were asked on March 3rd if they would support the eventual nominee whoever that may be, and last night it sounded like a different tune. So if they are not going to support the nominee, what now? What does this mean for the party?

RIDGE: Well, first of all I think last night demonstrated there is really only one adult in the room. Two candidates were talking about assaults on reporter, insults and counter-insults. The best line of the night was Anderson's when he suggested that was what five-year- olds do, you started it first and I retaliated.

Now to get back to your question, I think clearly it is no surprise that Donald Trump who's gone bankrupt -- contracts don't mean anything to Donald.

[08:10:03] He's gone bankrupt several times and he's put some other businesses out of business and hurt a lot of people along the way. So pledges to him I don't think mean much. And I think the other candidates are quite sincere. As I said way back in December, I want somebody to be proud of in the office, who's experienced, to be in that office, who represents America's value system, who reaches out and is inclusive. And if any candidate decides any other candidate doesn't fulfill those requirements that Americans want, not just Republicans or Democrats, they ought to feel very comfortable in voting for somebody different.

CAMEROTA: And that is why you say you are a John Kasich supporter. Last night Ted Cruz laid out a very specific case of why John Kasich cannot be the nominee or even president. So listen to this and I'll get your response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: The Kasich campaign has made effort to reach out to your campaign to strike some sort of a pact in order to defeat Donald Trump. Wouldn't that make sense?

CRUZ: It makes no sense at all. John Kasich has no path to win it. We are competing to win. We're not competing to stop Trump. We're competing to win the nomination.

It is against the rules for John Kasich to be on the ballot. The rules provide that in order to even be on the ballot, if no one has 1,237, you have to have won at least eight states. Now there are only two candidates who are going to meet that threshold, Donald Trump and me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Governor, what about that rule that you have to have won eight states, and John Kasich probably won't meet that threshold?

RIDGE: The rule was -- I believe if I recall correctly, if my recollection is accurate, was put in in the last convention. And whether or not the rules committee decides to maintain that rather arbitrary rule as far as I'm concerned, will be up to the rules committee.

At the end of the day, Alisyn, the convention is almost like halftime in the process of electing a president. And if the candidate does not get the sufficient votes, first, second, or third ballot, then I think the convention historically is free to choose and identify someone who maybe didn't win the maximum votes in the primary but is able to defeat Hillary Clinton in the fall. There are a lot of worker bees on the floor at conventions, county

chairman, congressman, people who go door to do and make the phone calls, and when they get there, they are looking for a candidate, not necessarily who got the most votes in the primaries, particularly if they didn't get enough to win, they look forward in November and say, who do we have that can defeat Hillary Clinton? And it's clear among the three, of the five or six major polls out there, Trump gets trumped by Hillary in all five or six, I think Senator Cruz wins one, and the only candidate on that stage last night by a margin of four to 11 percent defeats Hillary Clinton is John Kasich.

CAMEROTA: I want to get to an area that is one of your areas of expertise, homeland security. Last night all of the candidates were asked about the possibility of surveilling Muslim rejected, which John Kasich rejected. He said that that would lead to further polarization. But Ted Cruz and Donald Trump feel differently than John Kasich. So let me play you their responses.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CRUZ: Listen, if you want to stop radical Islamic terrorism, the answer isn't to go hang in random neighborhoods. It is instead to focus on communities where radicalization is a risk.

TRUMP: I think we have to look very seriously at the mosques. Lots of things are happening in the mosques that's been proven.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Governor, you were the head of homeland security. Given what just happened last week in Brussels, does it make sense to better surveil Muslim communities?

RIDGE: Absolutely not. I would say this very directly to you, it flies in the face of our values. It flies in the face of the First Amendment to suggest that all of those Americans -- and I've seen different estimates between five, seven, 8 million Americans who are Muslim, that we ought to look at them writ large as everyone as the potential terrorist is wrong. It is certainly in the face of the First Amendment in a country that is holistic in its views and embraces men and women who practice multiple faiths. I think it is absolutely wrong.

If there is a reason to be there, if you have probable cause, if you have information, perhaps there is a reason to increase surveillance. But you absolutely need the cooperation, the collaboration, and the support of the Muslim community, by the way not only in the United States, but in the rest of the world in order to defeat radical Islam. They are killing more Muslims and non-Muslims. And the notion that if you are Muslim you are not coming into the country for a while until we figure out it, whatever that means, or because you live in a neighborhood where there's more Muslims than other practicing religious faiths we're going to target you specifically, I think it's wrong.

CAMEROTA: I hear you. So you're saying embrace the Muslim community, and if you get a tip, then go in and surveil.

RIDGE: If there is probable cause, if there is a rationale. But we need allies and friends.

[08:15:02] I think Bill Bratton has the right idea, and other individuals involved in law enforcement have the right idea. You need to develop confidence and support and positive relationships with those in that community. Most of whom the majority of whom absolutely reject the barbarism of ISIS and these attacks taken by this radical Islam.

We need their support and when you target them because of how -- what faith they practice it is not only counterproductive but I could argue is un-American.

CAMEROTA: Governor Tom Ridge, thanks so much for being on NEW DAY.

RIDGE: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: Let's get over to Don.

LEMON: All right, Alisyn.

To the Democrats now, Bernie Sanders not letting up on his call to debate Hillary Clinton in New York. Both candidates going all in to the win the delegate-rich state, each have ties to. Clinton meanwhile focusing on Trump with a new ad out in New York.

CNN senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny here with more.

Good morning, Jeff.

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

I mean, by now, Hillary Clinton hoped to whoever the Republican rival may be. And she is doing that in a new ad this morning. But it is not for reasons you might think. She's actually trying to bolster her case among Democrats in her tough fight with Bernie Sanders. She's trying to make the case here in primary in just three weeks time that she is the strongest candidate to stop him from taking the White House.

But look at this new ad here. She voices her self for the first time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: New York, 20 million people strong. No, we don't all look the same. We don't all sound the same either. But when we pull together we do the biggest things in the world.

So when some say we can solve America American's problems by building walls, banning people based on their religion and turning against each other -- well, this is New York. And we know better.

(END VIDEO CLIP) ZELENY: I just got off the phone with a senior Sanders advisor who tells me this race must be closer than the Clinton campaign likes otherwise she wouldn't be spending all this money in this new ad in New York with Donald Trump here. We have not yet gotten reaction from the Trump campaign. We've got for one. But be sure that is going to be coming at some point today.

One more note, as for if debate, the Sanders campaign has been calling for a debate before the New York primary. The Clinton campaign says they're open to it, but they have not yet agreed to it -- Michaela.

PEREIRA: All right, Jeff. Thanks so much for that.

Let's turn to a little humor, shall we? Funny man James cordon, taking that fantastic late, late show to prime time for his first car pull karaoke special featuring Jennifer Lopez and the digital Leonardo DiCaprio.

Here's what you missed in late night laughs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES CORDEN: Did you insure your butt for a million dollars?

JENNIFER LOPEZ: No. I don't even -- there is no such thing.

CORDEN: Well, CBS has insured my (AUDIO DELETED).

LOPEZ: Oh, God.

CORDEN: For only, not for me, for the viewers, in case, it's get seen and people are traumatized.

Can I send one person a text on your phone?

LOPEZ: Who?

CORDEN: Shall I text Leonardo DiCaprio. Hey baby I'm kind of feeling --

LOPEZ: No.

CORDEN: I'm kind of feeling like I need to cut loose. Any suggestions?

(LAUGHTER)

CORDEN: What he's say? You mean tonight boo boo, club wise?

(SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREIRA: Why I do feel like that is something you would do.

(LAUGHTER) PEREIRA: Leaving all those over there. They looked like they had so much fun.

CAMEROTA: I also like that Leonardo DiCaprio was right on it. Yeah, tonight?

LEMON: Jennifer Lopez, hell yes. We need levity in this.

PEREIRA: Absolutely.

LEMON: You can't even write it, it's crazy.

CAMEROTA: OK. Levity over. Back to the campaign trail.

Donald Trump's campaign manager is now facing a battery charge, a misdemeanor, for grabbing a reporter but Donald Trump is standing by him. Is that a smart move? We explore that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:23:06] LEMON: So, Donald Trump is standing by his campaign manager, who is now charged with battery and allegedly grabbing and bruising a reporter at a campaign event. Well, this morning, Cory Lewandowski's attorney is saying he was responding to a perceived threat against Mr. Trump.

Let's discuss now, Donald Trump's surrogate Scottie Nell Hughes. She's also a national political commentator for USA Radio Networks. And CNN political commentator, Ana Navarro.

Good morning to both of you.

SCOTTIE NELL HUGHES, DONALD TRUMP SURROGATE: Good morning.

LEMON: So, let's just play this video. I want both of you to look at it, and I'm going to ask you first, Scottie.

When you look at this video, do you see a perceived threat here? Where's the threat?

HUGHES: Well, the perceived threat is -- I think we're going find out the full story. Hence, why we're going to trial right now, this is why this is going to go to court.

It has come out that Ms. Fields had been warned twice by Secret Service that she needed to step away from Mr. Trump and not touch Mr. Trump. She then disregarded that and went aggressive towards Mr. Trump and touched his arm as he's now acknowledged.

Now, whether it's a threat, I don't think it is a threat to either one of them. Both of them are very nice people. Very good.

She's known for her aggressive journalism. In fact, she made her name being aggressive against Matt Damon. So, you know, I think she was doing after a story.

But she had been told by Secret Service twice and at that point, Corey stepped?

LEMON: I want to get Ana in here.

Ana, where is the perceived threat? Do you see a perceived threat here?

ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: What I see is an absurd situation, Don. Frankly, it is -- you know, a situation where I think tempers flared. It got out of control, and a simple apology would have taken care of this probably at the beginning.

It has now escalated into this, you know, circus where we have an arrest, where we have a trial in midst of a campaign. A presidential front runner being asked about it on TV, you know, coming out and smearing Michelle Fields.

I mean, the entire thing is just more of this crazy circus atmosphere that surrounds the Donald Trump campaign and the 2016 cycle.

[08:25:05] Is it so hard to say, you know what, I'm sorry, things got out of hand, I really shouldn't have touched you, but, you know, it happened in the heat of the moment, I'm sorry?

That probably would have taken care of it, if it had been said at the beginning. This is absurd.

LEMON: Do you agree to Ana's point that the Trump campaign is now doubling down on this. Would a simple apology just have sufficed?

HUGHES: I agree. I think sugar helps better than salt. So, I think, yes, it would have been nice at the very beginning if Corey have said, you know what, if it happened, I'm sorry, I apologizes for anything that might. I also think, though, that, you know, if Miss Fields, who did disregard Secret Service actually asking her, there is something to be said that, too, we don't need --

LEMON: Should she be charged? Donald Trump said, may be he's considered, listen and you can discuss. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Am I supposed to press charges against her? Oh, my arm is hurting.

Anderson, my arm is just killing me. It's never been the same.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: You've suggested you might --

TRUMP: Excuse me, excuse me! I didn't suggest.

COOPER: Oh, yeah, you did.

TRUMP: I tweeted. No, no, I tweeted.

COOPER: A tweet is a suggestion.

TRUMP: Should I press charges?

COOPER: Are you going to?

TRUMP: Sure! I don't know. Maybe I should, right? Because you know what?

(LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: She was grabbing me. And just so you understand, she was off base because she went through the Secret Service. She had a pen in her hand which Secret Service is not liking because they don't know what it is, whether it's a little bomb --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Scottie, it is time to move on.

HUGHES: I think this is right. I agree this all just ads to the absurdity.

LEMON: You are shaking your head.

HUGHES: I am, I am. And I think Mr. Trump is calling it out as well. This is absurd all across the board.

Now, we also need to show the prosecutor going against Corey also happens to be on Hillary's leadership council in Florida and donated to Hillary $1,000 in January. So, there is a lot of aspects that are leading to this circus and does not help the overall picture in getting to know these candidates that we need to do right now.

LEMON: The Trump campaign is also accusing her of maybe embellishing a little bit or flat out lying. Oh she never was tossed to the ground. You heard Trump last night saying that. And saying she changed her story as well.

This is her original story, this is her original statement from March 10, 2016. It's from Breitbart.com.

She said Trump -- she was going after too Trump to answer a question. Trump acknowledged the question but before he could answer I was jolted backwards. Someone had grabbed tightly by the arm and yanked me down. I almost fell to the ground." She never says she fell to the ground. "I almost fell to the ground, but was able to maintain my ambulance. Nonetheless I was shaken."

So, Ana Navarro, here you have Donald Trump saying you know what, guess what, I may be filing some charges here. You have them accusing her of embellishing or flat out lying or changing her statement. She responded on Twitter saying everything is there in the video.

So where do we go from here? What happens next?

NAVARRO: Well, I hope that somebody can turn the page on this riveting John Grisham novel. And maybe, maybe, maybe we can talking about the terrorism attacks that are going on all over the world. Maybe we can talk about some of the policy issues.

I think the problem here is that at some point, this begins to turn off voters. It has been entertaining for a while. But we are now getting to crunch time. We are now down to three potential nominees on the Republican side. Three guys left.

And, you know, in the last few months, we've talked about really let's think about what we've been talking about. We've been talking about the size of men's body parts. We've been having a fight over who's wife is hotter. And now we've got, you know, this, you know, first year law case being dissected on national TV 24/7. It is just kind of pathetic.

LEMON: I've got to run. If I get yes or no from both of you. Should Corey Lewandowski be let go? Ana?

NAVARRO: Of course. At the very least, he should suspended while he figures out the trial and he figures out this arrest.

LEMON: Scottie?

HUGHES: Absolutely not. He's done what people were not expecting. He's taken somebody and put him number one that people said was going to be dead in the water on arrival.

LEMON: At this point, Donald Trump is standing by him. So, we'll see how this plays out. Thanks to both of you. Over to you, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: OK, Don.

Europe still on high alert as officials continue the massive manhunt for terror suspects in the Brussels bombings. How close are they to getting them?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)