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New Day

What Issues Matter Most to New York Voters; Explosion on Bus in Jerusalem Injures 21; "Hamilton" Wins Pulitzer Prize; Trump's Campaign Manager Attacks Florida GOP Chairman; U.S. Navy Sailors Weigh in on 2016 Race; Hillary and Bill Clinton Voting in New York. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired April 19, 2016 - 07:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:31:00]MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: So, this morning we have been talking with real live New York voters, supporters of all five candidates and a few undecideds. We want to talk now about what issues matter most and what other deciding factors for them. So, we've got a couple of foreigners talking to the resident New Yorkers.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: The non-native New Yorkers.

PEREIRA: The non-native New Yorkers. This is great. And I thought that we would start with people that we didn't get to hear from last hour. So, Jeremy, I'll start with you. You've got a microphone and you're ready to go.

JEREMY STULBERG, HILLARY CLINTON SUPPORTER: Sure am, yes.

PEREIRA: What I know about you is that you are supporting Hillary Clinton. Why is that? Why does she get your vote?

STULBERG: I was undecided for a long time and then I followed both Bernie and Hillary on social media. And when Iwas following them I noticed that his social media was just very specific and very one- note, and it was really just about this issue about Wall Street, and there were a couple of others issues. But mainly, that's what I was hearing from him.

And when I looked at her social media it was just all about her continued support for women, for people of color, for LGBT Americans, and it just seemed so much more broad. And I researched and thenI went online and I looked at both their platforms and her platform was just so much more all-encompassing and that's why I decided to vote for her.

BALDWIN: It's amazing how social media sets a basis.

PEREIRA: I know, it really does. Now, Joseph, you've been here with us before. Good to see you again.

JOSEPH PINION, JOHN KASICH SUPPORTER: Good to see you.

PEREIRA: And my man, you're voting for the candidate in third place right now but you're resolute about this. Why is that John Kasich has your support?

PINION: I think that John Kasich has a conservative record that you can actually trust. A proven body of work, but on a deeper human level, to me, for president. There are over a million words in the English language. So for me it's important that you be able to give a scathing rebuke of policy without actually disparaging the person that proposed that policy --

BALDWIN: Oh, wow.

PINION: -- or vilifying the people that that policy is intended to help.

PEREIRA: So, tone matters.

PINION: So, to be -- tone does matter. At the end of the day you have to be a commander in chief. You have to be engaged in principle leadership, not childish sophomore petulance, in my opinion.

BALDWIN: Petulance? I don't know what you're talking about.

PEREIRA: That's another one of those million words in the dictionary.

BALDWIN: We're talking about that next hour, definitely, especially with how the New York comments are falling and everything else -- New York values. Maricelly, if I can pass it to you in the beautiful purple jacket back in the back. Just trying to hear from different voters and,specifically this hour, wanted to hear -- you like Donald Trump. Tell me what pushed you over to support him.

MARICELLY VELEZ, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: Well, I was first rooting for Rubio, but once he got out of the race I continued to follow Trump. And what America's screaming for right now is change, and those two big changes that we need right now are jobs, jobs, jobs.

I would love for Donald Trump to bring made in the USA back to this country. Everything you see out there is made in China, made in China, and made in China. We need to bring made in the USA back to this country, and security and protection for this country.

We have got to stop ISIS at its tracks. Terrorism is infiltrating this country. And we need to take care of the immigration issue, the legal system and the illegal system. I think that Trump will bring change back to this country. The tone? I don't like the tone, but I think as we go throughout the campaign -- his wife's been telling him tone it down and you have seen a difference.

And I would just love for change in the Washington establishment. America is screaming for change and I would love to see somebody who is not a career politician take the White House.

PEREIRA: Well, let's come down to the other end to a beautiful lady in red, down here to Carol. We didn't get to hear from you last hour and I understand you're supporting Hillary Clinton. Tone, as we've heard from a lot of people, that's something we've come into. Hillary Clinton -- what is it about her that draws you? I know that for you, you'll support someone -- a woman in the White House. But you say that it's not just about a woman in the White House. You have to align with what she believes in.

[07:35:00] CAROLE EVANS, HILLARY CLINTON SUPPORTER: Exactly. I'm very excited about voting for a woman to be president and I've been a Hillary supporter for a long time. I voted for her for senator both times and I voted for her in the primary in 2008, so I'm a long-time Hillary fan.

But, what I love about her is that she puts the focus squarely on women in a way that other candidates don't. I'm so concerned about reproductive rights in this country. We're moving backwards, not forwards on reproductive rights. I'm really concerned about the status of working women in this country. Equal pay -- the advancement of women has stalled. We've gotten nowhere on equal pay.

And there's so much that needs to be done on paid family leave, sick leave, a whole host of child care initiatives, and Hillary has that unique view of the world through a woman's eyes. And I think that there's something also about her global mindset because she was the first Secretary of State that created an ambassador for women and girls for global work. And I just think that that perspective is going to make a huge difference in the world.

PEREIRA: Wow, a lot of varying issues. When I look at each of the perspectives that we have from each of these voters there's something that they're very passionate about and it seems to be what you're aligning with in terms of where your votes are.

BALDWIN: So here's the fun part because no one here -- because they've been sent to us before they go to vote -- no one's voted yet. So, I want to pass the microphone down to Joshua here, who is our young Bernie Sanders supporter, who was talking last hour about why you like Bernie. So try to convince Carole that she needs to change her mind.

JOSHUA CLENNON, BERNIE SANDERS SUPPORTER: Well, if you looked at both candidates' platform and if you even go back to when both candidates announced, Bernie Sanders -- he was bold. He came out right away, decided to lead on certain issues. And Hillary Clinton sort of waited to see what the Democratic voter base consensus was before she decided to come out on any policy proposals.

She came out for a $12 minimum wage instead of a $15 minimum wage, initially. So, I think if you really look at Bernie Sanders' plan -- if you go to his Web site you'll see he has the most comprehensive plan for not just Wall Street and tax reform, but for criminal justice reform. For preserving the environment, climate change. He pretty much touches on every key issue that is important to modern Americans, and especially millennials.

BALDWIN: Does it convince you? We've got rebuttals. Here we go.

EVANS: Back to my Bernie Sanders fan here.You didn't convince me, first of all. But I think that the idea that Hillary is making up her mind after Sanders is really not true. She has firm, strong, and extremely well laid out positions. She is the wonky brainiac that I love because I know she's fought through every position. And as our friend said here, Jeremy -- he said that she's got positioning on such a broad range of issues. Very, very comprehensive and that is more than you can say about Mr. Sanders.

PEREIRA: Can I just say our green room is going to be very interesting --

BALDWIN: I love it, I love it.

PEREIRA: -- because you all have -- you have passion, but you also are being really reasonable about your ideas, and your values, and your thoughts. We appreciate you bringing your best game to us here on NEW DAY. We're going to ask you stay put. We'll send you back out some New York bagels.

Next hour we're going to talk about New York values --

BALDWIN: Yes.

PEREIRA: -- and the campaigns nasty rhetoric. A lot of conversation about tone this election cycle. So, what's your take at home? Tweet us @NewDay. You can post your comments as well. Keep them clean, keep them nice on facebook.com/NewDay. Christopher --

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Tone? Forget about it.

BALDWIN: Forget about it.

CUOMO: All right, amid all these questions over who's running Donald Trump's campaign, his campaign manager is stirring up trouble in Florida. We have the possible repercussions to the delegate lead for Donald Trump ahead.

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[07:42:00] CUOMO: An explosive device going off on a city bus in Jerusalem. Twenty-one people hurt, at least.

(VIDEO PLAYING)

There's fire from the blast. You're looking at it right now. That fire spread to another bus nearby, damaging another car as well.

Israel's president and prime minister calling it a terrorist attack. Police acknowledge it was deliberate but they're still looking at all possibilities. Now, Hamas issued a statement praising the attack but they did not claim responsibility.

BALDWIN: All right, you know how much we've talked about the water and the crisis in Flint, Michigan. Now, we're learning that the Michigan governor, Rick Snyder -- he says he will drink tap water from Flint for the next 30 days to prove the water is safe.

Flint's water became contaminated with lead back in April of 2014 when the city switched its water source without adding chemicals to prevent corrosion. The state and city are now treating pipes to build up a protective coating. The governor is encouraging all people who live there to start using more filtered tap water instead of bottled.

PEREIRA: This is amazing. The Broadway hip-hop musical, Hamilton, that none of us can get tickets to, adding a new honor, the Pulitzer Prize. The smash hit becoming only the ninth musical to win a Pulitzer in the nearly 100-year history of the prize. The show's creative genius, Lin-Manuel Miranda, tweeting the word grateful over and over.

BALDWIN: Look at that.

PEREIRA: The Pulitzer cements Hamilton as the clear front-runner for the top musical honors when the Tony awards are handed out in June. That could probably push it over the top and will make it even more difficult to get a ticket.

CUOMO: And, deserved.

PEREIRA: Yes.

CUOMO: I've never seen something on stage influence kids, their parents, everybody, the way this is. Amazing.

All right, so there is a shakeup in the Trump campaign, period. It doesn't matter who you ask. The question is why and what's really going on? Who's in charge?

Corey Lewandowski -- he is the putative campaign manager. Has his role been reduced? Is this something unusual or is this just the flow? This comes as Lewandowski stirs up controversy by going off on Florida's Republican Party chair, alleging bias against the Donald. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COREY LEWANDOWSKI, DONALD TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Here's the problem with the rules. Let me give you one example. In the state of Florida, Donald Trump dominated and won by 23 points over all his competitors down there, and he was awarded 99 delegates under the party rules.

Of those 99 delegates, the chairman of the party of Florida, who was an avid and outward supporter of Marco Rubio, gets to appoint 30 of those delegates. Now, I understand those are the rules but Donald Trump won. And now you've got a person who is supporting Marco Rubio who gets to appoint 30 of the 99 delegates. That's not what the rules should be.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[07:45:00] CUOMO: Let's bring in Florida's state Republican Party spokesman, Wadi Gaitan. Wadi, are you dirty down there in Florida? Are you stealing delegates from Donald Trump by allowing an insider who doesn't like Trump to appoint up to a third of the delegates that he rightfully won? WADI GAITAN, FLORIDA REPUBLICAN PARTY SPOKESMAN: Well, good morning, Chris. Here's what we know. We know that Mr. Lewandowski got his facts wrong. First of all, our chairman, Chairman Blaise Ingoglia, has remained neutral in a year where Florida has seen a former governor and a U.S. sitting senator compete in the race.

And while a lot of our elected officials came out and endorsed several candidates, we said Florida is such an important swing state in the general that in the primary we will remain neutral, and we have stayed committed to that. So one, that's wrong. Second, none of our delegates are appointed by the chairman, or by party bosses, or any kind of way you want to characterize it.

Our delegates are elected in the grassroots level at a local decentralized, the way elections should be. I'll tell you one thing he got right. At the beginning he stated that Donald Trump won 45 percent, approximately, of the vote in Florida but was awarded 99 delegates. That is part of our rules. We play by the rules here.

We didn't give Donald Trump proportional. We gave him winner-take-all because those are the rules and we follow those here in Florida. And that's what he got wrong. We believe that it's counterproductive to go on national T.V. and give false accusations, give false statements. It doesn't help unite our party.

CUOMO: Lewandowski feels very confident that there is some shenanigans going on within the party structure in Florida that is going to disadvantage Trump. You're saying it's grassroots. It's not easy to figure out the rules there and in a lot of these states. They're not all found in just one simple place. But it does seem that the state party has a lot of sway with what's going to happen with the delegate selection process.That's not unusual. It's not specific just to Florida, but can you really say that the state party has no role in who these delegates are going to wind up being?

GAITAN: Chris, I do understand. Every state has different rules and every state is very unique. But we have been, here in the party, is very open and very transparent. We have 99 delegates. Eighty-one of those delegates are chosen by local leaders. Fifteen delegates are what is called at-large delegates. They are suggested by the chairman and then they are voted on and approved by the executive board which is composed of 27 local leaders that meet and come together.

And again, they vote on individuals that are not pre-screened for who they would vote for in a scenario of an open convention. They are only pre-screened to see if they are registered Republicans and they are committed to the party. If they have been using their efforts and their time to grow the initiatives that we have here in Florida to grow and increase voters in our state.

And then, you have three automatics, which is the state party chair, our state committee man, and committee woman. So, yes, there is involvement of the party, but there is a democracy behind what we do where people are elected by their peers to then represent in an open convention. So it is false to say that we are rigging the process. The rules have

been set. They were set way before the first primary. These are rules that all of the candidates had an opportunity to review. They are on our Web site. And again, we believe in an open, transparent process.

CUOMO: Ted Cruz has been doing a lot on an organizational level to try to influence or deal with who is going to wind up being the delegates, even if they're not apportioned to him in the first instance by popular vote. Do you believe he could be successful doing the same in Florida?

GAITAN: We are very much a grassroots state. Florida is very diverse everywhere from the Panhandle to Key West, Miami, and everywhere in between, so you do have to have an organization in a campaign that understands the grassroots. That understands the process, and that is really to meet and essentially sell your vision to the country to these delegates.

So, Ted Cruz does have that opportunity. Donald Trump, Kasich -- we have been in contact with all of their campaigns. We are aware of people that they are working with here in Florida. They have been very involved. They have also submitted a list of recommendations to the party. They have been in the state, even after the primary.

Donald Trump was at the Palm Beach Lincoln Day dinner, not only speaking but meeting with local leaders. Ted Cruz the same. We know that these candidates are very much involved so they have an opportunity to be successful.

We know that Florida was very important in the primary -- very important right now because of the delegate process, and we are also the largest swing state. So, if you believe you're going to be nominee you better be spending time in Florida.

[07:50:00] CUOMO: Wadi Gaitan, thank you very much for a zealous defense of your state's process. Appreciate it.

GAITAN: Thank you, Chris.

CUOMO: Brooke --

BALDWIN: All right, over the past couple of months we've been hearing from all the different candidates who would like to be the next President of the United States. But what about hearing from our men and women in uniform? I went to find out. I took four planes, an aircraft carrier, and a helicopter to talk to these four sailors. What they want in the next commander in chief coming up next.

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[07:54:00] BALDWIN: You know, CNN has held a number of town halls over the last couple of months just for everyone to get to know these presidential candidates better. And I held a sort of town hall on my own. I had taken a couple of flights to get to the USS Harry S. Truman, this aircraft carrier positioned in the middle of the Persian Gulf.

Took another helicopter to get to the USS Anzio. It's a guided missile cruiser. And sat down with these four sailors who are deployed, who are sacrificing. And I said to them how closely are you following this U.S. presidential election? Answer, very closely. Here they were.

(BEING VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Given what's happening out here and this important mission that you're involved in, why do you think this election is so important?

JAMES ALLEN, PETTY OFFICER 2ND CLASS, U.S. NAVY: One of the few things that they have direct control over is the military. You've got to look at it and say who's going to take the best care of us. Whether they have the knowledge to do it themselves or they have the knowledge to pick someone who can give them the best advice. If it's from a Democrat or Republican -- whoever it is. It doesn't matter who it's coming from, but find the best advice and to listen to it.

BALDWIN: I know you all, as active members, you can't comment on any candidate specifically so I won't ask about a potential president Clinton or a potential president Trump. What is the most important quality in a commander in chief?

PRECIOUS MCQUADE, LIEUTENANT, U.S. NAVY: Being a leader. We are leaders, each and every single one of us out here every day. So the president -- you're leading our nation. You're the commander in chief. We are going to take orders from you, essentially. We've got our chain of command, but that's what it takes is someone who's willing to make the right decision. And for us, living these sacrifices real-time to execute the orders given.

BALDWIN: You're not in a total dark hole, so how much are you following what's happening back home. Updates on the war on terror. Brussels -- what was your immediate reaction?

ALLEN: Sadness. It's sad for the people there and people involved. You hope that we can find a way to keep pushing to prevent things like that from happening in the future.

MCQUADE: We have a huge part in curbing some of the terrorism that's happening in the world.

BALDWIN: Does that frustrate you? What you're doing out here and yet they've been successful elsewhere.

JOHN ADAMS, PETTY OFFICER 2ND CLASS, U.S. NAVY: It's not necessarily frustrating. But to do our job, this is a part of it. To protect our country and the human race itself. The idea of getting everybody on the same page and hopefully our country can solve things diplomatically. That would always be the best solution. And that's why we have our presidential terms are short as they are. To try to get new perspective and new insights to capitalize on what past presidents have done. BALDWIN: What do you think the biggest misconception is from back home toward you all?

ADAMS: Our emotions because the people may be doing this doesn't go that far. We don't hate anybody, but we do need to make the proper decisions without that emotional connection. And I think that's what it's all about, is making the best decision for our country -- for the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: It's incredible. Just sitting with them we talked for, I don't know, an hour sitting there and you can tell they follow. They don't have Wi-Fi in the middle of the Persian Gulf but they do have Facebook. They're constantly in contact. They're watching the debates as best as they can. They have television. They can watch certain shows. They watch CNN. They're plugged in.

PEREIRA: Yes.

BALDWIN: And when we talk about the war on terror and they're sitting there watching these candidates on the stage talking about how they plan to fight ISIS, these are the men and women on the frontlines.

PEREIRA: Yes, I was just thinking about that. We know this high level, but you just gave us a visual and perfect reminder of how the leadership of a commander in chief takes on increased significance for those people and all of the people in our military because that's their boss, giving them the go-ahead for any missions.

BALDWIN: That is their boss.

CUOMO: As you probably learned there, it's always been interesting to me that the people have the most to lose by what the policies are often have the least heated political opinion.

BALDWIN: Yes, yes, yes.

CUOMO: You know what I mean? They just want to do their job, they just want to be there, and the rest of us are talking.

BALDWIN: So much more on my show later this afternoon. Meantime, we have to --

CUOMO: (Video playing) Who's that?

BALDWIN: Who's that? Could it be Hillary Clinton -- Chappaqua, New York?

PEREIRA: I like the guy taking the picture of her.

BALDWIN: You like that? She has officially arrived at her polling place just a tick shy of 8:00 this morning. And there is her husband, the former President of the United States. The couple who votes together --

CUOMO: Up there in Chappaqua, New York.

PEREIRA: That was G. Grafflin Elementary School.

CUOMO: That's where they are?

BALDWIN: That's where they are.

CUOMO: What do you think they're saying right now? He's like you got my license? Did I bring my license?

BALDWIN: Who should we vote for?

CUOMO: Where's my license?

PEREIRA: Do they check their I.D.?

CUOMO: Honey, do I have to remember everything? I'm running for president, dammit. Then she has to reach in there and get his license out.

BALDWIN: Well, they're obviously looking for -- I mean, the woman is looking, folding through this book.

CUOMO: Yes, you're not on the list. How embarrassing.

BALDWIN: How do you spell Clinton? Is that a K or a C?

CUOMO: Imagine if she's not on there. Did you register? I don't see you here. Your address again?

PEREIRA: That is a moment that those pollsters will remember for the rest of their lives, right?

CUOMO: Oh, sure.

PEREIRA: You know it's an honor already to be able to provide this service to your country, but to have the former president and a presidential contender be there that day, those four people, I don't think, will ever forget that.

CUOMO: It's also interesting in terms of the dynamic of the voting, right? Because what you really want is this image of this candidate in their community, and that's always been an interesting thing with Hillary Clinton. They moved into the state. She wound up becoming senator very quickly here and then went international as Secretary of State thereafter.