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RNC Chairman Reince Priebus Shoots Down "White Knight" Ryan Candidacy; Ex-Oklahoma Deputy on Trial; Government Workers Charged in Flint Water Crisis; Flint Mother Speaks Out on Criminal Charges. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired April 21, 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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[07:31:00]BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, Time's list of the 100 most influential people is out and making the cut is Republican National Committee chairman, Reince Priebus. He already has one of the tougher jobs in politics, and now he's embroiled in an increasingly contentious campaign season with Donald Trump accusing him of rigging the delegate system and the Republican establishment blaming him for letting Trump get this far.

We have CNN special correspondent, Jamie Gangel, who spent an exclusive day with the RNC chairman, and she shows us a different side of the man in the middle.

JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: This poor man. He had a life --

KEILAR: This poor man.

GANGEL: -- before Donald Trump. I don't think it's the tough -- I think it's the worst job in Washington. His life before Donald Trump -- he was the savior of the GOP. Then Donald Trump comes along. He's in the middle of this firestorm, getting attacked from both sides, so we asked him whether there are any shenanigans going on. But we started by asking him a question, you'll see, he really did not want to answer. What does he really think of the final three GOP candidates?

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GANGEL: I want to do a quick lightning round with you, OK.

REINCE PRIEBUS, CHAIRMAN, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: OK.

GANGEL: Word association.

PRIEBUS: Oh, great.

GANGEL: OK, here we go.

PRIEBUS: These are trouble.

GANGEL: I say John Kasich. You say? PRIEBUS: Great governor.

GANGEL: Ted Cruz.

PRIEBUS: Smart.

GANGEL: Donald Trump.

PRIEBUS: Big.

GANGEL: Meaning?

PRIEBUS: Everything he does is big. Lots of attention.

GANGEL: You have no -- you're laughing. Why are you laughing?

PRIEBUS: These are like the unchartered waters of being chairman of the RNC. Spontaneity is not usually your friend.

GANGEL: And that's the least of his problems.

PRIEBUS: Hey, it's Reince.

GANGEL: Without a doubt, Reince Priebus, the mild-mannered, 44-year old lawyer from Wisconsin, has the toughest job in politics this year. Working 20 hour days --

PRIEBUS: You should come.

GANGEL: -- preparing for the possibility of a contested convention.

PRIEBUS: I think the system is working and --

GANGEL: And navigating the GOP through the year of Trump.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The system is rigged. These are dirty tricksters. It's a crooked system. The Republican National Committee -- they should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this kind of crap to happen.

GANGEL: Non-stop damage control.

PRIEBUS: I find it to be rhetoric and hyperbole. This is a very normal system that we've been using for many years. Sometimes you can't fix it. Sometimes you can just take a 7-alarm fire and just make it a 4-alarm fire. It's still burning but it's not as bad as it was. No one should feel sorry for me. I signed up for this.

GANGEL: You are the man in the middle. You have Donald Trump doing his thing. And then you have the GOP establishment, whatever that is.

[07:35:00] PRIEBUS: Yes, that's a word that apparently no one can quite define, but Iunderstand it.

GANGEL: Whatever -- all those people over there who are not on the same side -- PRIEBUS: Right.

GANGEL: -- as Donald Trump. They're saying well, it's all your fault. How'd you let Trump -- why didn't you get rid of him?

PRIEBUS: Yes. Well look, being the middle you have to accept the fact that there is a thousand opinions. I'm so used to it that I don't even care. It doesn't bother me.

GANGEL: You're not pulling out your hair?

PRIEBUS: No, I'm not. People assume oh, you must be miserable. You've got a horrible job. But I don't see it that way. That's just what I'm saying. I'm not pouring Bailey's in my cereal. I'm not sitting here trying to find the Johnnie Walker. I mean, this is fun.

GANGEL: In fact, the day we spent with him he raised $1.2 million with just a few phone calls.

PRIEBUS: Let's talk about money.

GANGEL: Took a brief break for hoops.

PRIEBUS: All right, I'm going to take you guys down. We have a shot off this ball. There we go. Come on.

GANGEL: And showed off his prized possessions. The gavel --

PRIEBUS: The gavel. This is one I actually won in 2011.

GANGEL: Ever tempted to use it?

PRIEBUS: Oh, yes. Well, that's all right. I don't have to try that hard. This is the chair that Clint Eastwood spoke to, actually, at the convention. So --

GANGEL: Really?

PRIEBUS: -- this is the one that -- yes. So when this all happened, you know, I obviously was perplexed when I was watching it.

GANGEL: You and everyone else.

PRIEBUS: And then when I leaned over -- because I was down behind the stage most of the time. I leaned over the balcony to look and see the center teleprompter and it was blank. And I thought, oh my gosh, there's nothing on that screen. He's just winging it. And then I remember going back. I left and went back behind the stage and I told the chief of staff, at the time -- I said get me the chair.

GANGEL: He also keeps three items nearby, he says, are critical for getting through the day. The Greek Orthodox liturgy, the Republican Party platform.

PRIEBUS: This is my safe zone.

GANGEL: And this.

PRIEBUS: And, of course, I've got the Brewers' schedule on top because I will put on MLB T.V. and have that in the background if I need to not watch the news.

GANGEL: Other escapes, time with his family.

PRIEBUS: All right, try to eat with cameras in your face.

GANGEL: And he plays the piano really well.

PRIEBUS: So I just goof off. That's what I do. That's how I play.

GANGEL: But, Priebus admits he always been a proud political nerd. As early as third grade he was lobbying classmates to support Ronald Reagan, and he even used the GOP to woo his wife. You went to prom together but, Sally, on your first date he took you to a political dinner. He took you to the Lincoln Day dinner.

SALLY PRIEBUS, WIFE OF REINCE PRIEBUS: Right.

GANGEL: Swept you off your feet.

S. PRIEBUS: Right.

GANGEL: What kind of first date is that?

S. PRIEBUS: It's crazy. I think he tricked me and I ended up at the political event, which I didn't know about at first because he told me we were going to the movies. But, you know, we made it. It was pretty boring. It was pretty bad but we did go to the movie afterward and we had a great time.

GANGEL: And he says you can't say you didn't know what you were getting into.

S. PRIEBUS: Right, right. I did.

GANGEL: That said, neither one ever thought their lives would be consumed by the rollercoaster of Donald Trump.

S. PRIEBUS: Reince is very strong. He has a thick skin. He lets it roll of his shoulders. He's tough. He doesn't tolerate a lot of drama.

GANGEL: Including rumors that he might try to convince one of his best friends, speaker Paul Ryan, to be a so-called white knight candidate in a contested convention.

PRIEBUS: He would -- he'd kill me, and I wouldn't do it. And I agree with him. You have to want to actually be President of the United States. He doesn't want to be right now and he's not going to have a floor operation to get it done. It won't happen.

GANGEL: He said if I do that, he'll kill me.

REP. PAUL RYAN (R-WI), HOUSE SPEAKER: Yes, yes.

GANGEL: You would kill him?

RYAN: Yes, I would. Yes, I would.

GANGEL: An old political pro told me to be RNC party chairman you're either the bravest person in town or the craziest person in town. Which is it for him?

RYAN: It probably requires a little bit of both, would be my guess, especially these days. I'd put him in the bravest category.

[07:40:00] GANGEL: Brave or crazy, Priebus insists his only concern is being neutral. For the record, are you conspiring against Donald Trump?

PRIEBUS: Of course not. Of course not. It's insanity.

GANGEL: Is there a plan to steal the nomination.

PRIEBUS: No, there's nothing to steal. I mean, either you have the votes or you don't.

GANGEL: And you will be at peace if he is the nominee?

PRIEBUS: I'm going to be at peace with whoever the nominee is because I know that whoever the nominee is is going to beat Hillary Clinton.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: And Jamie, he said that not putting Bailey's in his cereal, which is hilarious for him to say --

GANGEL: Not yet, not yet.

KEILAR: Not yet. But who knows. Maybe he will. It's not as if he just has an issue with Donald Trump. He may be here on Time's 100 most influential list, but he has, kind of, issues with a lot of folks in his party.

GANGEL: Right. In fact, what we learned is he told us he actually gets along with Donald Trump in private. They have a good relationship. In public it's another matter. Priebus says that he thinks Trump is doing that as part of his political campaign --

KEILAR: But it's an act.

GANGEL: -- to distract -- it is in order to energize his base and get the vote out. That said, you're absolutely right. He has the GOP establishment furious with him because they think he's been bending over backwards. He's been too fair to Trump. So I just want to tell you, if he does start drinking, I took a peek in the fridge in office --

KEILAR: You're such a good reporter for this.

GANGEL: It is well-stocked. That's all I will say.

KEILAR: All right. All right. Jamie Gangel, thank you so much -- Michaela.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: All right, to a story that you'll likely remember us covering here on CNN. A former Oklahoma volunteer deputy is on trial for manslaughter. The victim was killed when that deputy mistook his gun for a taser. Testimony is underway. We're live with all the latest details for you ahead.

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[07:45:00] PEREIRA: Testimony resuming today in the manslaughter trial of a former Oklahoma volunteer deputy. He was charged with fatally shooting a black man during an undercover sting operation. That deputy insists that he mistook his gun for his taser, but prosecutors say the 73-year-old should never have been on the scene.

Our Sara Sidner is live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She's following the trial for us. Hi, Sara.

SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Michaela. You know, the jury saw some of the most dramatic evidence in this case that they're going to see throughout the whole trial, and that was on the very first day. But, ultimately, the question that this jury has to answer is, did this volunteer deputy show reckless disregard for human life?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop, stop right here. Stop right here. Stop right here. Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop.

SIDNER: Dramatic video of Tulsa county sheriff deputies chasing suspect Eric Harris as he attempted to escape during an undercover police sting last April. It ended with Harris dead, shot in the back by 73-year-old volunteer reserve sheriff deputy, Robert Bates, who is now on trial for second-degree manslaughter.

ROBERT BATES: Roll on your stomach now. (Gunshot) Oh, I shot him. I'm sorry.

SIDNER: The voice saying I'm sorry is Bates, who says that proves it was a mistake.

ERIC HARRIS: He shot me. He shot me.

SIDNER: On the jury's very first day they were shown the gun Bates used and several videos, all during opening statements.

HARRIS: I gotcha. I gotcha.

SIDNER: They also saw, what deputies say, is Harris illegally selling a gun to an undercover officer.

HARRIS: Is that another one, or is that it? I see it. UNDERCOVER OFFICER: Sweet, that's a nice gun.

SIDNER: The undercover officer you hear is the first witness to testify in front of the all-white jury. Harris' brother, Andre, says he hopes race won't play a role in the jury's decision. Looking at the make-up of the jury do you feel like you're going to get a fair trial?

ANDRE HARRIS, ERIC HARRIS' BROTHER: I do. Let's just pray that people will see that this man killed my brother in cold blood when he was already subdued and on the ground. And he's 73. He shouldn't have been there. He wasn't qualified.

SIDNER: Bates has maintained he thought he was using his taser but, instead, pulled a gun.

ROBERT BATES, ACCUSED OF 2ND DEGREE MANSLAUGHTER: This was not an intentional thing. I had no desire to ever take anyone's life.

SIDNER: But Harris family attorney, Dan Smolen, says Bates should never have been on the scene, but was granted special treatment on the force because of his longtime friendship with now ex-sheriff, Stanley Glanz.

DAN SMOLEN, HARRIS FAMILY ATTORNEY: It's absolutely mind-boggling that you have a wealthy businessman who's been, essentially, deputized to go play like he's some outlaw.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SIDNER: Now, Bates' friend, former Sheriff Glanz, was the sheriff for nearly 30 years but he was forced to resign because he was indicted by a grand jury, and one of the reasons is for withholding information on Robert Bates. As for Bates, the jury is going to decide his fate. He could face up to four years in prison if he's convicted -- Chris.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right, that's going to be a case to follow, and we will.

Let's take a quick break. When we come back a Flint mother of four brought national attention to the water contamination crisis in Flint. One of her kids was poisoned by lead. So were many others. We are now seeing the first criminal charges in the case. We're going to get her reaction next.

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[07:53:00] PEREIRA: Three government workers are now facing criminal charges in connection with the Flint water contamination crisis. Michigan's attorney general says their investigation is just the beginning and "nobody is off the table."

LeAnne Walters helped bring national attention to this crisis. Her four children were exposed to lead. One, actually, has been poisoned by it. And LeeAnne joins us now from Flint, Michigan. Good to have you with us again on this program, LeeAnne. First of all, is this -- the news of these criminal charges being filed -- is it satisfying to you?

LEEANNE WALTERS, FLINT RESIDENT: It is in a way, yes, but it's not going to be completely satisfying until people are actually serving jail time.

PEREIRA: So you're waiting for that to happen. Do you feel like this is a step in the right direction?

WALTERS: Absolutely. This is definitely a step in the right direction.

PEREIRA: We understand that the governor, Rick Snyder, responded to the charges and he said that they want to pursue the truth. The citizens of Michigan deserve it. The citizens of Flint deserve it. That they're fully cooperating with the investigation and will continue to do so. The state attorney general also said there are more names yet to come. Do you feel that the governor should be among those names?

WALTERS: That's not for me to decide. If that's what the evidence shows then, yes, his name should be there. Ultimately, he is in charge of our state so he is responsible for the people beneath him.

PEREIRA: So you feel that he bears some responsibility?

WALTERS: Well, I do. He's in charge of the state of Michigan. How can he not?

PEREIRA: He also said that for the next 30 days that he's going to drink filtered Flint water to alleviate any kind of mistrust or skepticism. What's your reaction to that?

WALTERS: If that was true he'd be drinking it from a home with a known problem that still has serious lead levels from that filter. Or better yet, he'd be living here for 30 days, showering in it, washing his clothes in it, and drinking it from a tap here instead of up there.

PEREIRA: So talk to me about that. Talk to us about what's going on right now in Flint, as you know. Your friends, your neighbors, the people that you work with, the parents of the kids your children go to school with. How is the situation with water today in Flint?

[07:55:00] WALTERS: People are still terrified to bathe, and shower in it, and wash their clothes in it. People won't drink it from the filters. Everybody's still on bottled water. There are still some people without filters and there are still some houses that have some pretty high lead in them.

PEREIRA: And so people are still frustrated?

WALTERS: People are very frustrated.

PEREIRA: How are your kids doing, LeeAnne? I know you've told us before that four of them -- all four of the kids were exposed to this high levels of lead in the water. We know that one of them did test positive for that lead poisoning. How is your child doing?

WALTERS: It is a one day at a time type of thing. We're still having some serious issues that we're dealing with.

PEREIRA: Is there help available? Are you getting medical attention?

WALTERS: Yes, I'm getting it on my own, yes.

PEREIRA: And that's probably costing you a pretty penny.

WALTERS: Well, I mean, it is what it is.

PEREIRA: It is what it is.

WALTERS: But, you know, what's the cost of your child's life? What would you pay for your child?

PEREIRA: Absolutely, absolutely. Any mother would do the same. How are you doing with all of this? I know that this has been infuriating to you. You have been the whistleblower, essentially. The person that really helped thrust this issue into the national spotlight. How are you managing because I know that comes at a price as well?

WALTERS: I'm doing OK. Just really, really busy and just taking a lot on and just trying to do everything I can to make sure that we're getting, in Flint, what we need. And trying to make sure that people aren't going without as much as I can. And we're fighting against the things that aren't being done here yet.

PEREIRA: Good for you, good for you. OK, and I know you've also filed a lawsuit of your own against multiple corporate entities, some former and current government employees. Are you still pursuing that lawsuit?

WALTERS: Yes, I am still pursuing that lawsuit.

PEREIRA: All right. LeeAnne, thank you so much for joining --

WALTERS: One of the things --

PEREIRA: Oh, go ahead. You have a final thought? Go ahead.

WALTERS: OK, I get it. One of the things that we're fighting on in Flint right now is the infrastructure, but also medical coverage for all the people who have been affected with lead, not just the children under the age of six. And we're getting stonewalled. We're not getting the assistance we need there.

PEREIRA: You are getting stonewalled?

WALTERS: Yes, we are, so we're going to keep fighting it.

PEREIRA: Keep on fighting that and maybe you can come back and talk to us more about that her on NEW DAY, OK?

WALTERS: Sounds great. Thank you for having me. PEREIRA: LeeAnne, as always, our pleasure. Take care of those kids. All right, we're following a whole lot of news so let's get right to it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I made a decision not to run for president.

TRUMP: Lyin' Ted. He lies, oh he lies.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump is not getting to 1,237. Nobody's getting to 1,237.

TRUMP: It's a rigged system.

CRUZ: Donald, right now, is terrified.

GOV. JOHN KASICH (R-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If we pick these two guys we are going to get creamed.

TRUMP: Hillary, you're fired.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They want to turn the clock back on every right we have.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Don't tell me that we cannot transform this country.

CLINTON: It's not enough to diagnose the problem, you've got to know how to solve the problem.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The troubled state of U.S.-Saudi relations.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have some critical, critical things that we need to work out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Saudi government has nothing to hide.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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

CUOMO: Good morning. Welcome to your new day. It's Thursday, April 21st, 8:00 in the east now. Alisyn's off. Brianna Keilar here with me and the Mic. Up first, Donald Trump trashing his rivals. The Republican front-runner back to his taunting rhetoric. Like what? Crooked Hillary, lyin' Ted. This just hours after sounding more presidential after his big New York win. Trump, this morning, calling on his rivals to drop out.

KEILAR: And on the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton looking to seal the deal on next Tuesday's northeast primaries. Meantime, Bernie Sanders back on the campaign trail today after a bit of a break, and he is vowing to keep fighting all the way to the convention. Also this hour we'll hear live from President Obama in Saudi Arabia. Let's begin our coverage of the 2016 race with Jason Carroll. Jason --

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Brianna. You know, Trump says that his campaign is going to evolve but he says don't look for him to change the way he addresses his crowd at some of his rallies. So for now, that name-calling might be here to stay.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We've got lyin' Ted, we have crooked Hillary.

CARROLL: Donald Trump back at it.

TRUMP: I love running against crooked Hillary. In the case of lyin' Ted Cruz -- lyin' Ted -- lies, oh he lies.