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Trump Family In The Spotlight; Trump Daughters: Father Not Disrespectful Toward Women; RNC Meets Week Before Convention To Set Rules; New Book Examines Power Of First Ladies; Trump: RNC Doesn't Want Me To Win. Aired 7:30-8a ET
Aired April 13, 2016 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[07:33:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IVANKA TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP'S DAUGHTER: I'm incredibly proud of my father. I'm amazed and truly in awe of what he's accomplished.
ERIC TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP'S SON: He's an amazing guy. One of my best friends in the entire world. Maybe my best friend in the entire world.
TIFFANY TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP'S DAUGHTER: I just truly feel that my father is the best father, the bet husband that he could be.
DONALD TRUMP, JR., DONALD TRUMP'S SON: Just the hardest working guy I've ever seen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: That was Donald Trump's family center stage at the CNN town hall last night. His wife Melania was there at his side along with four of his children, Donald Jr., Eric, Ivanka, and Tiffany. So what did they all reveal?
Joining us now is the senior editor of People magazine, Charlotte Triggs. She's interviewed Trump and his family for two separate cover stories. And the author of "Never Enough, Donald Trump and the Pursuit of Success", Donald Trump biographer Michael D'Antonio. Great to see both of you.
CHARLOTTE TRIGGS, SENIOR EDITOR, PEOPLE MAGAZINE: Thanks for having me.
CAMEROTA: You both know a lot about Donald Trump and his family, so let's talk about what you saw on display last night. Charlotte, let me start with you. One of the interesting dynamics last night was that his two daughters were on stage. So, we've seen Ivanka often on the campaign trail.
TRIGGS: Right. CAMEROTA: We've gotten used to her, but then Tiffany, his daughter with Marla Maples, was also there. What do we know about their relationship?
TRIGGS: Well, they actually have a very close relationship despite the fact that she was raised in California and he wasn't really very present during her upbringing. But they have remained close. He's been very supportive of her and when I was interviewing him six months she called. He took the phone call in the middle of the interview. It's that kind of relationship. They're like a normal father- daughter. She gives him a lot of credit and she's very close to her dad.
CAMEROTA: She does give him a lot of credit.
TRIGGS: Yes.
CAMEROTA: I was very interested to hear her say last night he's the best father, the best husband. Well, as we all remember publicly if you lived through it in New York, she -- her mother, Marla Maples, and Donald had a famously ugly split and breakup. So it's interesting to hear her say that she considers him a good husband.
TRIGGS: Well, they actually do have -- they've gotten to a good place. And Marla, who I also have interviewed, has said that they've really repaired their relationship to a certain degree and they're in an amicable place for the sake of Tiffany. And so I suppose he gets some credit for that.
CAMEROTA: There you go. Michael, what did you see? I mean, you've studied --
MICHAEL D'ANTONIO, AUTHOR, DONALD TRUMP AND THE PURSUIT OF SUCCESS: Right.
CAMEROTA: You've interviewed his family and him many times. What did you see onstage last night?
[07:35:00] D'ANTONIO: I saw classic Trump-speak and it's all Donald all the time, so the family will coalesce around him and push both the businesses and now the campaign. You know, I took everything with a giant boulder of salt because they're going to always say this is the greatest man on earth. I mean --
CAMEROTA: But do you not feel that way?
D'ANTONIO: I think that it's complicated. If you were raised in this family you'd have complicated feelings. Everyone in every family has complicated feelings about their growing up.
CAMEROTA: They do. And so why do they circle the wagon so much for him?
D'ANTONIO: Well, come on, this is a billionaire, right? So you're the heirs to this huge fortune, to all of these businesses. And I think -- I mean, one thing I wanted to point out to listeners and viewers is that the whole line about why they didn't register to vote was false.
CAMEROTA: Meaning what?
D'ANTONIO: You can register to vote in New York State up until 25 days before the election.
CAMEROTA: For the primary.
D'ANTONIO: Right. So, Ivanka is saying oh no, it's a year ago. That was the cutoff. Not true. And then Eric goes along with it. So it's I'll tell a story that's kind of plausible and then the brother will back it up. And this is the Trump method --
CAMEROTA: But you're saying they didn't register as independents and that's why it was harder for them to switch --
D'ANTONIO: You can switch. You can switch, and I don't want any people who want to vote in the election thinking that they have to be registered now. So this is all just the Trump family values, which it's information, not so much argument. Oh yeah, we're going to argue about everything.
CAMEROTA: Interesting. They were asked -- the daughters -- Ivanka and Tiffany were asked about his relationship with women which, of course, has been called into question during this. So let me play for you how they both say that he does have strong female role models. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
I. TRUMP: I have witnessed these incredible female role models that he's employed in the highest executive positions at the Trump organization my entire life in an industry that has been dominated by men.
T. TRUMP: My father, since I've been a little girl, has always just inspired me and had so much faith in me to just be the best person I can be. The best woman I can be. He has the utmost faith that we can accomplish whatever we set our minds to just as well as men, if not better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAMEROTA: So Charlotte, that sounds authentic. Is that what you gleaned when you've interviewed the family?
TRIGGS: Well, the thing about Donald Trump is that he does tend to have things multiple ways. I mean, yes, he does employ women in executive roles but he also does say terrible things about them, and that's not something that he can deny. I mean, it's absolutely true. It's on the record for 30 years. And, you know, he does place a lot of value of looks, specifically.
But, then again, he is employing these women so that's an argument that they can make. And I think what they really do is they talk about the part of the story that they want to talk about, and they just sell that.
CAMEROTA: His 9-year-old son, Barron, who's missing from the family dynamic that's there. Maybe they don't won't trot out a 9-year-old, but do they shield him more?
TRIGGS: Yes. Melania is very protective of him. In fact, I think that she was a little bit reticent to get into this whole fray because she wants to put her son first and focus on being a mom. She has said that she didn't really want to get political, but I think it's getting to the point where she has to step into the spotlight and participate. But they absolutely consider him to be off limits.
CAMEROTA: We just put up the family tree there for people who are playing the board game at home, and you can see whose children are whom. He had Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric with Ivana, his first wife. Then Marla Maples, and he had Tiffany. Then Melania, and he now has Barron there. Michael, what is the dynamic between all these ex-wives and all of these kids? Is it as friendly as it seems?
D'ANTONIO: Well, certainly, Ivana is not friendly with Marla. When I interviewed her just about a year and a half ago she called her that stupid girl. So --
CAMEROTA: Because the story was that Marla broke up their marriage.
D'ANTONIO: Oh, it was a terrible thing. This was a big scandal played out on the tabloids with Donald choosing one tabloid to feed and then Ivana chose the other tabloid to feed. And I don't blame her. This is a really tough thing. I do give them credit in a lot of American families are very blended, and this is a very blended family and they do work hard, I think, to get along but it's not a fairytale.
CAMEROTA: Yes. Charlotte, I've interviewed all of the adult children --
TRIGGS: Right.
CAMEROTA: -- and they do something that is really gracious. Afterwards, they always send a handwritten note.
TRIGGS: Oh, yes.
CAMEROTA: Thank you very much for the interview. That was a pleasure. I mean really good etiquette.
TRIGGS: Yes.
CAMEROTA: And I actually complimented Donald Trump once and said your children are so well-bred. And he said it's all Ivana. Back then he said that. He said -- I mean, I thought that was a very humble, modest moment.
TRIGGS: He does the same thing and this is part of the reason why those media that have worked with him tend to like him as a person. He's got great manners and he has very well-bred children and that's the thing. They really have impeccable manners -- absolutely. [07:40:00] CAMEROTA: And you saw it on display last night.
TRIGGS: Yes.
CAMEROTA: Michael, Charlotte, thanks so much. It's great to get your insights into the family -- Michaela.
MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: All right, so a week before the Republican convention this summer there is a meeting that could be even more important for shaping the presidential race. We'll explain what it is and why it matters to the candidates right here, next, on NEW DAY.
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[07:44:00] CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: The Republican presidential candidates battling every step of the way toward July's convention in Cleveland and it is looking more likely to be a contested convention. But the week before convention, OK, there's a smaller set of delegates that are going to meet to set the rules. And as we're hearing, even from the front-runner, it's all about the rules.
David Chalian, CNN's rules-meister, the political director, here to tell us why. One quick rules question before we get to the actual convention. I'll put the calendar up. Donald Trump is saying the RNC changed the rules because they didn't like what I was doing. You are getting flooded, I am getting flooded with RNC people email saying that's not true. Nothing has changed because of Donald. This was all done well before he entered the race. True or false?
DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Right. The RNC is right. The rules have been set in place. What Donald Trump, last night and yesterday, has been talking about, Chris, was Colorado specifically changed the way that they were going to --
CUOMO: Right.
CHALIAN: -- put their delegate selection in place. No primary and caucus in August. Donald Trump was in the race by then. He claims they did that to block him. I don't know that we have any proof of that. In fact, I think he said he has no proof of that.
[07:45:00] CUOMO: All right, so here are the two weeks. Republicans go first, then the Democrats. You've got three big components. You've got the rules, the credentials, and the platform. So, the rules. That's what we keep talking about. What's relevant?
CHALIAN: Yes, we really have to think about the Republican convention as a two-week event now. It's not a one-week event. So this week before, early in the week, the RNC is going to meet and make recommendations to the convention.
So at the end of the week the rules committee of the convention convenes. They decide how the convention is going to operate. What rules are going to dictate the convention, such as that famous rule 40 you've heard about? CUOMO: Yes.
CHALIAN: Right? You need a majority of delegates to win --
CUOMO: You have to win eight states --
CHALIAN: You have to win eight states in order to be able to be nominated for president.
CUOMO: That rule doesn't have to be continued.
CHALIAN: It's this committee --
CUOMO: OK.
CHALIAN: -- at this part of the week that can change that rule. And the other rule, as Paul Ryan suggested one yesterday -- he said he wants the rules committee to create a rule that says if you haven't run for president this year --
CUOMO: You can't be picked.
CHALIAN: -- you can't be nominated.
CUOMO: All right. And again, yes, the convention is only one week but our whole point is that it's the week before that may actually set the table for what happens that week. OK, so credentials. Why do they matter?
CHALIAN: This is who gets to be a delegate on the convention floor. Who gets credentialed for the convention. Once all the primaries and caucuses are done, once all the state party processes are done, the RNC, in mid-June, is going to put out a list of a temporary roll call. Every campaign is going to start digging to see who can we get out of here that's not loyal to us.
It's the credentials committee, at the end of that week before, that will vote on what that real roll call will be and that is where the campaigns are going to start taking their complaints, if they have any, to a contest committee which is like a jury and say hey, we don't want this guy --
CUOMO: So that's where you find out, and that's why committees matter because it goes to how the deck is stacked in terms of who gets to fight the fight. Take us through this. This is a look at Michigan, right?
CHALIAN: So yes, last weekend in Michigan the Kasich votes and the Trump votes teamed up to block Cruz from getting slots on those key committees.
CUOMO: They could say no, no, no. There was no coordination. The Kasich guys say that there's nothing to this.
CHALIAN: The Cruz folks claim that they had a deal with Kasich and then Kasich abandoned that deal and went with Trump. I don't know that we'll -- no, but this kind of deal-making is going on. This is exactly the kind of organizing we've been talking about. Are you prepared? Do you know what's going on at the grassroots to get you an advantage?
CUOMO: Why would Kasich help Trump?
CHALIAN: Well, Kasich may want to not have helped Cruz. I don't know that he wanted to help Trump. So, but what it did is help Kasich. Kasich now got out of Michigan -- out of the eight key slots that Michigan gets, two on rules, two on credentials, two were on the permanent organization -- they got three, Trump got five, and no Ted Cruz loyalists from Michigan on those committees.
CUOMO: So, this really comes down -- the reason that delegates matter -- it's not just their vote for who they want to be president -- whom they want -- it's that these are the people who are going to wind up making the rules of the game and a lot of it happens the week before the actual convention.
CHALIAN: That's right. So then they make up all the rules. They then have to take it to the convention floor when we start the convention, and this is why that number 1,237 -- it's not just about that's what you need to be nominated president. You need 50 percent, plus one -- 1,237 to pass the rules package. To pass how the convention is organized. To vote on the credentials package. All of that has to hit 1,237.
So we see a lot of chaos on the House floor in Washington -- the House of Representatives -- when they don't have the votes and they scramble and they change the bill. Same kind of thing here. If they don't have 1,237 to pass the rules then they're going to have to scramble and figure something out until they do.
CUOMO: Now, a little bit of a reflection of the state of play and where we are in our political culture right now. I didn't even push the button for platform. That's what these conventions used to be all about. It was who are we, what are we about, what are we going to get done. And now, that is an afterthought. It's all about the jockeying of the process and it's going to be more of that this year than, maybe, in our lifetime.
CHALIAN: Without a doubt.
CUOMO: Right?
CHALIAN: Yes.
CUOMO: David Chalian, thank you very much. I lean on this guy. You would not believe how much of what comes out of us comes from him -- Alisyn.
CAMEROTA: Don't blame him. It's a political sisterhood that crosses party lines. America's first ladies. How has their role changed over time and is there any bad blood between them? The author of a fascinating new book joins us next.
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[07:53:00] PEREIRA: There are five remaining candidates battling to become the next president. One of their spouses will become first lady or first man, in Bill Clinton's case. Our next guest has a brand new book that takes us inside the relationships that have formed between the first ladies. In some cases, friendships. In others, bad blood.
Kate Anderson Brower joins us now. Her book is called "First Women, The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies". This is such a great read. I've been enjoying it tremendously. A walk through history.
It's interesting, really, because in the book you reflect on how the role of first lady has changed, and even the term. How so many of the many of the women have struggled with the title of first lady. I understand Nancy Reagan put it on her tax return, but Jackie O. bristled at the idea of being called first lady.
KATE ANDERSON BROWER, AUTHOR, "FIRST WOMEN": Right. Jackie Kennedy always felt like a great liability to her husband which is so ironic because as we know she became this huge asset to him. But some women, like Nancy Reagan, really embraced it and I think that's really the point of the book is that there is this sisterhood among these women that crosses party lines.
You have Republicans who are close with Democrats. Laura Bush, for instance, closer with Michelle Obama than Michelle Obama is with Hillary Clinton. And another thing that was interesting is that they all understand what it's like to be under this tremendous pressure.
Someone wrote to Betty Ford and said you are constitutionally required to be perfect. And so I talked to -- it's terrible. And Steve Ford, Betty's son, said my mom was an ordinary woman at an extraordinary time. And I think all these women are.
CAMEROTA: And, of course, the role has changed, as Michaela was saying. Being a first lady in the 21st century -- you're not just choosing china patterns, you're not just redecorating the White House.
BROWER: Right.
CAMEROTA: So, let's talk about some of the people who might become first lady. What would happen if Melania Trump, who's not U.S.-born, became first lady?
BROWER: Yes. She sees herself more in the mold of a Jackie Kennedy than a Hillary Clinton mold. She always talks about their young son and how that's her first priority. She's much less likely to be like Hillary, and none of these women is like Hillary Clinton. I mean, she's the only one to run for office herself. So they're all incredibly unique and different.
PEREIRA: So wait. The sisterhood could be turned on its head because it could now be the brotherhood.
CAMEROTA: Be the brotherhood.
BROWER: It could be, yes.
[07:55:00] PEREIRA: Because we are now potentially talking about the potential for the first spouse to be a male in Bill Clinton, and that is a game changer, obviously.
BROWER: Absolutely. Yes, first gentleman, and when I talk to friends of Hillary Clinton they said that they think that Bill would be used as an envoy to go to hotspots around the globe because he's such a great negotiator. And that Hillary will probably have a really great social secretary, chief of protocol, who will handle --
PEREIRA: To handle the Christmas party, the egg roll. All of that.
CAMEROTA: She needs a first lady.
BROWER: Exactly, and it might be Chelsea in some ways.
PEREIRA: How interesting.
BROWER: I mean, it would be the first time there was a first -- a hostess that is not the first lady since Woodrow Wilson's wife died, so it will be fascinating.
CAMEROTA: That's an interesting dynamic. They always say that women need a wife to help with all that.
PEREIRA: I could use one.
CAMEROTA: Exactly. Let's talk about some of the palace intrigue and is there bad blood between Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton?
BROWER: Well, I was told that the Obamas look at the Clintons as this political dynasty that came before them. There's not necessarily a lot of love there between Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton because she doesn't -- she's not a typical politician.
When aides come to her and say it's just politics, she doesn't really buy that. She's more of an idealistic person. It's about ideals. They look at the Clintons as people who are kind of brazen about power and ambition. So, it's a more of a transactional work relationship than it is a genuine friendship.
PEREIRA: But on the other hand, there have been some unlikely bonds that are formed. I understand Laura Bush and Michelle Obama have this bond between the two of them.
BROWER: Yes, it's interesting. Laura Bush defended both Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton. She saw Hillary Clinton crying in 2008 in New Hampshire and one of Laura Bush's aides said gosh, can you believe this? She's putting on this act for the voters. And Laura Bush said no, you don't understand what this is like.
And the same thing with Michelle Obama. She came to her defense, too, when Michelle came under criticism for saying it was the first time she was proud of her country. Laura Bush did an interview shortly after that and said I'm sure that's not what she meant. You have to really choose your words carefully as a candidate's spouse or as a first lady.
PEREIRA: I've got to tell you. It is a fascinating and compelling read. A walk through history. It's thought-provoking and challenging and there's some great photos, too. You've got some really interesting -- first time we've seen some of these, as well. Thanks so much for joining us --
BROWER: Thank you for having me.
PEREIRA: -- and congratulations on the new book.
BROWER: Thanks.
PEREIRA: Chris, over to you.
CUOMO: All right, thank you very much for that, Mic. There's a lot of news going on in the election. Donald Trump's family was on the stage last night. Did it help him, did it hurt him? Let's get to it.
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DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I know that it's stacked against me by the establishment.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald is a very sore loser.
GOV. JOHN KASICH (R-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That could drive America down into a ditch and not make us great again.
CRUZ: Donald is panicking.
TRUMP: Our Republican system is rigged.
REP. PAUL RYAN (R-WI), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Count me out.
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If talking about equal pay is playing the gender card, then deal me in.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But you cannot take millions of dollars and then claim to be an agent of change.
CLINTON: Our records are very clear.
SANDERS: The American people are catching on.
PEREIRA: A rock star is taking a stand in solidarity of a religious freedom law.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The performer is saying we can't go backwards on this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need the music industry to stand with us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Alisyn Camerota, and Michaela Pereira.
CUOMO: Come on in. Come on in. Good morning. Welcome to your new day. It's Wednesday, April 13th, 8:00 in the east. Donald Trump says the party wants him to lose. He said time and again in the CNN town hall last night the system has been rigged against him. The party's chairman fed up, firing back in a tweet.
CAMEROTA: All right, so the Democrats -- things getting dirtier between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders ahead of tomorrow's pivotal CNN debate in Brooklyn. Both rivals have ties, of course, to New York, but who comes out on top? Of course, it could be a major game changer in the race. We have this election covered the way only CNN can. Let's begin with White House correspondent Michelle Kosinski. Hi, Michelle.
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. Well, you know that the Trump family was always going to be perfectly poised and ready. I mean, they were going to talk up Trump empowering women. His controversies were going to be a mark in his being genuine. How often do you hear Donald Trump described as selfless?
I think what we got to see here, though, was Trump in a much different place -- calm. The look on his face when he let his kids, at times, do most of the talking. He did, though, throw in a make America great again -- a so presidential. And remember, he started this whole thing off with attacks on his own party. I think the most repeated phrase was how things are stacked against him.
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ANDERSON COOPER, CNN TOWN HALL MODERATOR: You don't think the RNC wants you to get the nomination?
TRUMP: No, I don't think so.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Republican front-runner Donald Trump calling out the Republican national committee during CNN's town hall Tuesday night, accusing them of conspiring to keep him from clinching the GOP nomination by denying him delegates.
