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Video Captures Aftermath of Will Smith's Shooting Death; Trump Blasts "Rigged" GOP Delegate System; Anger on the Campaign Trail: Does It Work? Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired April 12, 2016 - 06:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:31:28] MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: There is dramatic new video surfacing this morning from moments after former New Orleans Saints star Will Smith was shot and killed. The suspect's attorney said his client acted in self-defense. We hear from a witness who claims Smith said he had a gun and acted aggressively.

CNN's Martin Savidge is covering it all. He's live in New Orleans with the very latest.

What are you finding out, Martin?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Michaela.

Yes, this is a story that touched New Orleans Saints fans deeply, as it has the family of Will Smith, of course.

And the attorney that is representing the alleged gunman is maintaining, look, it may have ended here where you see the street memorial. But it began several blocks away, he says. And his client was not the one that started it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WITNESS: He's dead.

REPORTER: There's a dead man over there?

WITNESS: Yes.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): Newly released video captured moments after the shooting death of former Saints defensive end Will Smith.

REPORTER: She's shot?

SAVIDGE: Reveals the shock of eyewitnesses and the sounds of anguish from his wife.

RACQUEL SMITH: What happened?

SAVIDGE: You can hear Racquel Smith pleading for help.

SMITH: I need an ambulance. My leg has been shot. SAVIDGE: In the video, you also see the suspect, Cardell Hayes, and

the passenger in his car being handcuffed by police. An eyewitness describes the deadly altercation after Hayes rear-ended Smith approaching a New Orleans intersection.

The witness says the former NFL star claimed he also had a gun.

WITNESS: He starts freaking out on this guy, like I'm going to fight you, and then he's like -- I guess this guy was like, get out, I have a gun. And he goes (EXPLETIVE DELETED) you all, I've got one too. And he grabs his gun and then shoots him in the back. He's dead.

SAVIDGE: Hayes' defense attorney points to this tape for reason to believe there may have been a second gun on the scene. But police say they have only recovered one weapon. And that's Hayes' handgun.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can tell you that my client was not the aggressor in terms of the behavior that happened after the accident.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SAVIDGE: Another point that the attorney brings out here is to say that his client, Hayes, didn't leave the scene. In fact, his client who called police, 911, and then who also kept another witness from leaving the scene. He said that is not the behavior of a person who just carried out a random act of murder -- Michaela.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: I'll take it here, martin. Boy, we need more details. But it's just still so tragic all around. Thanks so much for that reporting.

Well, back to politics. John Kasich insists he's not going anywhere. He plans to stay in the race for the Republican convention and win the White House. He'll explain how, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:38:03] CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: The system, the system, the system, a metaphor for discontent about the establishment, is it something that's hurting Donald Trump? Is it something could ultimately reward John Kasich at a convention?

Let's discuss all this with the national chair of Young People for Kasich, Gregory Caruso, and CNN political commentator and Trump supporter, Kayleigh McEnany.

Let's start with the latest piece of sound that Donald Trump has kind of this manifesto of madness at the system that he has. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (via telephone): It's not a system. There was no voting. I didn't go out there to make a speech or anything. There's no voting.

And, you know, I heard Pete say, well, that's the way it is. Well, that really shouldn't be the way it is. This was changed in the summer to help a guy like Cruz. And it's not right now.

You know, I won -- as an example, South Carolina. I won it by a landslide. Like a massive landslide. Now they are trying to pick off those delegates one by one. That's not the way a democracy is supposed to work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: But, Kayleigh, isn't that exactly the way a democracy is meant to work. Those words were done and in many cases, a year in advance. Everyone knew about them. Everybody had a chance to prepare and it is no secret that Trump is behind an organization.

Is this sour grapes or is this a real case you think you can make that this system is against him somehow?

KAYLEIGH MCENANY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think it's a real case. And it's not necessarily against him. But we have a problem and it's not democratic when you have 1 million voters in Colorado who were disenfranchised, on August 25th, the GOP committee out in Colorado decided that they didn't like how their voters voted in 2012. They voted for Rick Santorum. They were unhappy with that.

When Donald Trump was leading in the polls, Ben Carson leading in the polls, they didn't like that. So, in August, they said, you know what, sorry, voters, you don't get a chance. You don't get a voice in this. We know better than you. It's our turn, not your turn.

That is completely wrong. That's not how democracy works. The people should have a voice in all cases.

CUOMO: But it's up to the state party, right?

MCENANY: But it's up to the state party. It shouldn't be that way, though.

CUOMO: And everyone had a fair chance, right?

MCENANY: No one had a fair chance, because people didn't get to speak.

CUOMO: No, everybody had a fair chance. Everybody had a fair chance.

[06:40:00] MCENANY: To buy for delegates who are party officials. And, by the way, as you said in your introduction, you know, this system is a metaphor for the establishment. And the GOP would be very wise to listen to their voters who have said in every state, 50 percent and above, that they feel betrayed by the Republican Party. This is why. Cases like this.

CUOMO: So, this is the rules -- obviously these rules were done, Gregory, without any idea or notion that Donald Trump would even be in the race. But now here we are.

And John Kasich last night in the town hall was saying, look, the rules are bizarre. But you know what, the convention rules are what they are as well and I believe they're going to work for me. How so?

GREGORY CARUSO, NATIONAL CHAIR, YOUNG PEOPLE FOR KASICH: Right, these rules weren't made just to stop Donald Trump from getting the nomination. They have been in place for a long time and this is electoral process, however bizarre it may be. So, I think John Kasich is -- he's been saying for a long time, we are going to an open convention after the first ballot, it will go to the delegates who will take the process very seriously. And that's where he's confident that he can come out with the nomination.

CUOMO: Where does the confidence come from do you think, Greg? You know, he says, well, we're getting momentum. It hasn't won a state except Ohio. Hasn't won a delegate in a month.

Is the option for Kasich that you hope that the other two destroy each other and seem unelectable?

CARUSO: Not necessarily. But I also argue that might have already happened or is starting to snowball. I think -- I think it comes -- the confidence comes from his experience. He has 30 years in government. He's been governor of Ohio and very popular in that state.

So I think he has seen this before. And he's confident that he can come out of an open convention and then beat Clinton in the fall.

CUOMO: How concerned are you, Kayleigh, about what organization means to the person that you support going forward? This is not something that you win alone. Politics has never been that way. And now, it does seem that you are dealing with a better organization. In fact, Trump is saying it.

MCENANY: Look, organization is important, because even he though the rules are unfair, I don't see them changing, even though they should be changed. So, it's important in the event that you get to a brokered or open convention.

But that being said, I do think Donald Trump has a real chance at 1,237. We talk about open convention, open convention, but we have New York, where Donald Trump will likely take close to 90, 95 delegates. You got New Jersey, you have Pennsylvania.

The math ahead looks very good. So, I think there is a real shot at him getting to 1,237.

CUOMO: He has to win a percentage of delegates that he has not won to this point.

MCENANY: He does. It's a hard path, it's a narrow path, but it's one that can happen.

CUOMO: And one other thing, let's put these numbers really quickly, though, just for context, because Trump is very upset. The system is rigged and it seems to hurt me more.

Raw vote, 37 percent. Delegate vote, put it up, 43 percent. How does it make the case that the system is hurting him more than anyone else when he is doing better in the system than he is with just voting of regular people?

MCENANY: Because here's the thing, that 43 percent of delegates -- you know, this is complicated. They vote on the first ballot. They are obligated to vote for Trump. But many of the delegates are actually not Trump supporters. They are Cruz supporters or they support other candidates. So, in the event of the second ballot, that 43 percent looks a lot, a lot smaller. They are not Trump people. They are just obligated by the laws of the state to vote for him in the first ballot.

CUOMO: That's called politics.

MCENANY: It is.

CUOMO: It is always up in the air ands you've got to work the system. Everybody knows that, at least everybody who has been in it.

All right. Gregory Caruso, thank you very much. Kayleigh McEnany, appreciate the snapshot, as always.

CARUSO: Thank you.

MCENANY: Thanks.

CUOMO: Mick?

PEREIRA: Well, Chris, there's certainly no shortage of angry rhetoric on the campaign trail this year. Candidates from both parties engage anything wars of words. Is that good strategy? And if so, which candidate benefits the most?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:47:44] PEREIRA: New this morning, two more suspects have been arrested and charged in connection with last month's Brussels terror attacks. Prosecutors say both men are linked to a safe house allegedly used by two of the attackers. This as a source close to the Paris and Brussels investigations says an interrogate ISIS suspect revealed the same cell behind the Paris and Brussels attacks, wanted to target the Euro 2016 Soccer Championships in France.

CUOMO: The Zika virus, it is more widespread and poses a bigger threat than first believed. And without proper funding, the U.S. will not be prepared to respond. That's what a director at the Centers for Disease Control says the virus is all about. And "scarier than we thought." Zika has now been detected in 30 states, 346 confirmed cases.

CAMEROTA: Well, medical marijuana may soon be allowed in Colorado schools. This after a controversial bill passed its first hurdle at the state legislature. It gives districts the power to allow marijuana treatments for students under certain condition. Parental consent is a must. The drug must be nonsmokeable, and only given by a nurse or caregiver. School officials object, though, saying pot is illegal under federal law.

PEREIRA: All right. So, presidential hopefuls from both parties really not holding back on the campaign trail. Is all of this tough, ugly talk a good strategy?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:52:51] CAMEROTA: Anger. You have heard a lot about it this campaign season. The voters are angry. There's disenchantment with the Washington establishment, and it's likely that has fueled the rise of the political outsider.

So, which candidate has been able to tap into that anger most successfully and translate it into votes?

Let's discuss with CNN's political commentator and contributor for "The Atlantic", Peter Beinart.

Peter, great to have you here.

PETER BEINART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Good to be here.

CAMEROTA: Anger on the trail sounds very ominous. Let's talk about who has used it effectively and who has not used it to such good effect.

Let's start with the person who has employed it the most, Donald Trump. Listen to his anger on the trail.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But you have to spell it right. It's L-Y-I-N-apostrophe. Lyin' Ted, the bible held high, he puts it down and then he lies.

They said you were an angry person. I thought -- I said, "I am." I'm very angry, because I hate what's happening to our country. I am angry.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: OK. So, that's Donald Trump. He has harnessed the anger. And as you can see, in many places, here's an exit poll from the Florida Republican primary asking people, are they angry about the federal government? Fifty-nine percent of those who are angry voted for Trump.

Is he the winner in the anger poll?

BEINART: Absolutely. And he's benefitted from the fact that many of his core supporters who are non-college educated white Republicans have not seen any wage growth since the 1990s. They're unhappy by some of the cultural situations in America represented by Barack Obama. And as an outsider, he's been able to tap into their deep discontent about the direction of the country. CAMEROTA: Let's talk about why other people haven't been able to do

it as successfully. So, Marco Rubio tried to take a page from Trump's vote and here's what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), FLORIDA: This guy's spray tan is almost distracting. You're at a debate and you're looking at it, and it's hard, it's distracting you from what you're trying to do. So, it's a bad, bad spray tan.

What we are dealing with, my friends, is a con artist. He is a con artist. If he did not inherited $200 million, right now, he would be selling watches in Times Square.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: All right. He'd be selling watches in Times Square. That was Marco Rubio trying to sound angry but it didn't resonate as much with voters.

[06:55:00] Why?

BEINART: Marco Rubio is a very talented candidate, but it turned out he was kind of out of step with the mood of the Republican electorate. His early message, which was a more positive, uplifting, hopeful message ran into exactly the anger we're talking about.

And when he tried to pivot at the very end to kind of out-Donald Trump Donald Trump, it just didn't work. It wasn't authentic to him.

CAMEROTA: OK. On the other side, Bernie Sanders seems to have tapped into that anger in a way that has been effective. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The American people have a right to be angry. They have a right to be angry because they are working longer hours for lower wages.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: So what he has done is he's used the anger and it dovetails with his prime message about this income inequality.

BEINART: Right. And Bernie Sanders has got the benefit of the fact that he really has been an outsider. He's been a socialist. He's been on the margins of the American political system and he's been railing against our capitalistic system as it works for a long time and now, you are seeing a lot of people in the Democratic who still haven't benefited coming out of the great recession were buying into that.

CAMEROTA: And here's where it works for him. If you look at the exit polling in the Michigan Democratic primary, for those voters who are dissatisfied and angry about the federal government, the same question that was asked of Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders get 54 percent of them, Clinton, 46 percent. Why hasn't she been able to tap into it as much?

BEINART: Well, Hillary Clinton represents the establishment. I mean, she has been -- it's the flipside of her experience. She's experienced because she's been at the center of American government.

So, if you like the way things have been going, then you're more likely to think that she's a good candidate. It's hard for her to run as a tear down everything, revolutionary candidate given how central she's been to what's happened at American government over the last couple of decades.

CAMEROTA: And yet you do see flashes of her anger on the campaign trail. There are moments, they're not as scripted and woven into sort of her stump speeches, but you do see flashes. Here's an example. This is when that Greenpeace protester questioned her. I mean, sort of confronted about her taking money from some people involved with the fossil fuel industry.

(BEGEIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREENPEACE ACTIVIST: If you protect -- with climate change, will you act on your word and reject fossil money in the future in your campaign?

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I do not, and I have money from people who work for fossil fuel companies. I am so sick, I am so sick of the Sanders campaign lying about that. I'm sick of it!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: OK. So, she says I'm sick of it. I'm sick of the lying. You can see the flash of anger. Is that an effective moment for her?

BEINART: I think in a way it is. I mean, I think that Hillary Clinton doesn't like to have her integrity questioned. I think she believes, and rightly, that she has been basically a progressive for her entire year. She doesn't like the fact that she's essentially being called corrupt by the Sanders campaign.

I think for people who like Hillary Clinton, they like that flash of authenticity, that flash of strength, even anger.

CAMEROTA: Peter Beinart, thanks so much. Thanks for walking us through this.

BEINART: Thank you. My pleasure.

CAMEROTA: Great seeing you.

All right. We are following a lot of news this morning, including breaking down John Kasich's CNN town hall last night. So, let's get right to it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GOV. JOHN KASICH (R-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Look, I'm running for the top job.

TRUMP: It's a fix. We thought we were having an election.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Whenever he loses, he doesn't handle it well. He throws a fit.

KASICH: I would be the worst vice president that the country ever saw. I'm not like a vice president. I'm a president.

CRUZ: Donald is about Donald.

TRUMP: I find out, I get less delegates than this guy that got his ass kicked, OK? Give me a break.

SANDERS: You're ready to transform America?

CLINTON: I have the plan that will actually work.

SANDERS: You can tell a whole lot about a candidate by the way he or she raises the money.

CLINTON: Senator Sanders couldn't even answer questions about whatever his plan is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two months ago they were commanders in ISIS.

PEREIRA: Former Taliban members speak out after defecting from ISIS.

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

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CAMEROTA: Good morning, everyone. Welcome back to your NEW DAY.

Donald Trump claims the fix is in. The Republican front-runner skewering his own party in the way it selects delegates, claiming the system is, quote, "dirty and rigged" against him.

Ted Cruz calling on Donald Trump to quit whining, while John Kasich telling CNN during the town hall last night that he is staying in the race through at least the convention.

CUOMO: What's missing? Solutions. Not just from the right but the left as well.

The Democrats have turned heavy focus to why the other candidate stinks. Clinton pressing that Sanders can't handle the tough questions. Sanders saying Clinton has blown too many of the tough calls.

We have the 2016 election covered the way only CNN can. Let's begin with Phil Mattingly.

Good morning.

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Chris.

Rules can be frustrating, from baseball to board games. If they're not working in your favor, you might have a problem with them. And that is exactly where Donald Trump is right now, staring at state party rules and national party rules, many that have been in place for decades that simply are not working for him.