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Donald Trump Hopes To Knock Out Rivals In Indiana; U.S. Service Member Killed By Enemy Fire In Iraq, Deteriorating Security Situation In Iraq; White House: Assad Must Uphold Syria Ceasefire; How Long Will John Kasich Stay In The Race? Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired May 03, 2016 - 07:30   ET

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

[07:30:01]CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Donald Trump is hoping to knock out his rivals in Indiana tonight. The Hoosier State could be do or die for Ted Cruz, so the question is what will Cruz do to stop Trump in Indiana?Joining us now, Trump's campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. It's good to have you, sir.

COREY LEWANDOWSKI, DONALD TRUMP CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Thanks for having me.

CUOMO: Good luck today, as we wish all the campaigns. So, team Cruz says this. I'm going to give you the opportunity that you love so much. I'll throw you the pitches and let's see if you can hit them.

LEWANDOWSKI: OK.

CUOMO: They say Indiana actually doesn't matter that much because, mathematically, Donald Trump has to win too much territory to get to 1,237. He has to win a larger percentage of delegates than he has to date.

Now, our numbers say he needs to win 47 percent. That's a little bit higher than he's won to date. Cruz says it's even more than that. Do you accept that, that Indiana doesn't matter and you have to win too many to get to 1,237?

LEWANDOWSKI: The narrative that Sen. Cruz and his team are perpetuating is Indiana doesn't matter anymore because they're losing. What else you going to say? Two weeks ago this was the make or break state for Ted Cruz. Ted Cruz received an endorsement from Pete Wilson, who said you have to win in Indiana first before you can come to California and win.

The bottom line is Donald Trump is going to be the nominee and after tonight, when the people of Indiana vote and they will vote for Donald Trump, he is not only the presumptive nominee but he is going to be the Republican nominee moving forward.

Ted Cruz has been mathematically eliminated from securing enough delegates on the first ballot and he should unite behind Donald Trump so that we have one singular message, which is bringing our message of "Make America Great Again" to the American people and defeat Hillary Clinton come November. CUOMO: First ballot, you just said. That's a big issue for Cruz, also. He says OK, maybe on the first ballot he gets to 1,237. I don't think so, but maybe he does. But I'll tell you what, that first ballot will be the most votes that Donald Trump will ever get.

And as soon as you get to the second and third ballots that's when -- just by the third, all of the delegates, just about, will be free to vote their conscience, is what Ron Nehring just said. And when they do that, Trump's done. Do you accept the notion that the first ballot is your best and maybe only chance?

LEWANDOWSKI: Look, we're going to win on the first ballot. We're going to have more than the 1,237 --

CUOMO: What if you don't? What if you're at 1,236?

LEWANDOWSKI: It's not a question. Look, if we're close, Donald Trump is the greatest negotiator, the greatest dealmaker our country's ever seen. He will get the votes necessary. The delegates will come onboard to unify the party.

CUOMO: You know what we saw happen in Arizona where Cruz's team went in there and sucked up all those delegates?

LEWANDOWSKI: Even to unify the party. Those 65 delegates are committed to Mr. Trump. The 99 delegates in Florida are committed to Mr. Trump. What we need is for the good of the party to come together. That's what we're doing right now is trying to unify and we will have more than 1,237 delegates. We should have a good delegate count tonight, we hope.

What we've seen in the last two weeks is Ted Cruz has literally received no delegates between the New York primary and the five northeast states. Zero delegates in the last two weeks, he's gotten.

CUOMO: He says that was a homer, though. That these were -- this was your area.

LEWANDOWSKI: Look, Pennsylvania is a competitive state in the general election and you have to win it. Donald Trump dominated in every single country, every single congressional district in the last five states. And if you're going to be successful in November, which is what the goal is, to beat Hillary Clinton, you have to be competitive and win in Pennsylvania.

CUOMO: So, then you get to the question of -- let's say you're right, but where do you come out on the other side after this process? Let's put up the poll of what it's saying about -- not about Indiana. We don't play with same day polls. There's too much variation.

[07:35:00] But on the party and its unity, is the GOP united 7 percent? Divided, but will unite, 41. Divided, but won't united, 49 percent. Is this a pyrrhic victory, potentially, for Donald Trump? He gets in there, he gets out, he's the nominee. But he only has half the party with him so he's hobbled going into a general, perhaps, against Hillary Clinton and a united Democratic Party. LEWANDOWSKI: Yes, I think what you've seen over the last week is you've seen a number of people from Washington, D.C., to the state party leaders, coming on board and supporting Donald Trump. You've seen more and more endorsements and look, Mr. Trump has never played the endorsement game but we're honored to have those endorsements from those elected officials.

We saw the support in Pennsylvania. We see it now across the country with more members of Congress coming out and saying we need to unite behind Donald Trump. People who, weeks ago, would say I can never support you are now calling and saying for the good of the party we're going to get behind Donald Trump.

We're going to make sure that when you are the nominee, and you will be the nominee, we have a united front to go after the Democrats. That's happening every day. We are growing this party. We are bringing more people in who's never been involved, and that's what's going to allow us to be successful come November.

CUOMO: Absolutely, no doubt, you think you get to 1,237?

LEWANDOWSKI: We're beyond that. We're probably at 1,300 or 1,400, or more. I mean, look, again, if you look at what Mr. Trump's been able to achieve -- first they said he wasn't going to run, then he wasn't going to file his papers. And now, 17 people later, he's going to be the GOP nominee when many of the pundits -- the professionals said this wasn't going to be an option for us.

CUOMO: No question people were surprised. But there are certainly challenges --

LEWANDOWSKI: So now, he's going to be the nominee and he's going to be the president come November.

CUOMO: But there are a lot of ifs in there still. I mean, that's part of the process and you're supposed on the enthusiastic and optimistic side of those ifs. But, let's say he does get to 1,237. He gets that first ballot, he gets that nomination, now he's in a general.

Do you think that he will start to address some of the things that people in your party, but certainly outside your party, keep pointing to? Whether it's something small like put out your taxes, stop playing the audit game. Put them out because that's part of the things that people do in a general election.

The harsh language, whether it's about women, whether it's about Latinos, whether it's about saying that China is raping the U.S. It's not presidential.

LEWANDOWSKI: Look, the American people are smart and it's time to talk to the American people like they talk at home. And these politicians who are all talk, no action, are very good at making empty promises and for the last 30 years they've gone to Washington, D.C., said they're going to do something, and didn't. We've got $21 trillion in debt. If we don't do something about that,

not just our children but our grandchildren will be saddled with that forever. We don't renegotiate our trade deals to put America first. We don't have a problem long-term. Donald Trump is going to go there as the president.

He's going to bring people together. He's going to bring jobs back to our country, which it's time that we put Americans first. We're going to make sure our military is the strongest, greatest military we ever have so that hopefully we don't have to use it, but we're going to build that military up.

We're going to make sure our trade deals are better. We're going to make sure that we're putting our country first. That's the message Donald Trump has brought and "Making America Great Again" has been his message from day one that resonates.

So you don't have to pander to the American people. You don't have to promise them things that can't get delivered. Donald Trump gets up, he talks about his message, it resonates, and we have grown the Republican Party. More people have voted in the Republican primary process than ever before. We see a massive increase.

CUOMO: Last part is certainly true. The turnout numbers are what they are. There's no denying them and it's certainly a momentum of disaffection that Donald Trump is building a tent with. There's no question.

But why isn't he an example of exactly what he says he's against, which is this pandering? You know, I'm going to bring back jobs. How? I'm going to tax or tariff on companies that won't bring their jobs here.

LEWANDOWSKI: He's laid his vision out already and --

CUOMO: That's Congress, that's not the president.

LEWANDOWSKI: -- he's the only person -- look, leadership starts at the stop and Congress has to have a good partner at the top to work with and that's what he'll be able to do. He's the only person in this race who's actually created private sector jobs. He's the only -- he has tens of thousands of people he's employed over the years. I'm proud to say he still employs those people, many of them.

You need that mindset to the American people, which is spend less and get more. Create good jobs so people can have a good family. Have a strong Homeland Security. Have a strong immigration policy so that we don't have illegals pouring across our border anymore. That's the mindset this country needs and Donald Trump will bring that to the White House.

CUOMO: I appreciate you making a compelling case on NEW DAY, as always. I want to ask you something as you leave. We've been following this money for the veterans. There's no question that you guys raised a lot of money for them. The question is where it went. The veterans' groups -- Donald Trump gives them a lot of money and

time when he's not running for president. You know they're asking to know where that money is and to account for it. We're having trouble with the campaign. I look to you for help on that. Will you give us some help in making some sense out of that for people?

LEWANDOWSKI: I'd be happy to do that. But, you know, Mr. Trump has raised millions of dollars for the veterans. He's given away millions of dollars for the veterans. And not just that -- not just through his foundation, but Donald Trump has donated tens of millions of dollars personally, through his own personal checkbook, to help veterans' causes and many other charities, and we'll be happy to show that.

But the money that he has raised has been distributed to not just the 22 veteran groups that we outlined, but many, many, many more throughout --

CUOMO: That's all we want to do, is to be able to show it to people --

LEWANDOWSKI: Sure.

CUOMO: -- so those questions can be put down. Corey Lewandowski --

LEWANDOWSKI: Thank you.

CUOMO: -- good luck in Indiana today and forward, as we wish all the campaigns.

LEWANDOWSKI: Thank you.

CUOMO: Appreciate it. Alisyn --

[07:40:00] ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: OK, Chris, we do have breaking news this morning. An American service member has been killed by enemy fire in Iraq. We'll tell you about the breaking news and the deteriorating situation there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:43:00] CAMEROTA: We are following breaking news out of Iraq. A U.S. service member has been killed by enemy fire just north of Mosul. Officials say the American was advising Peshmerga Forces when a firefight broke out and the enemy broke through the frontline. They say the coalition responded by dropping more than 20 bombs.

Let's discuss this with CNN military analyst and retired Army commanding general for Europe and the Seventh Army, Mark Hertling. General, thanks so much for being here.

LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: You're welcome, Alisyn. It's good to see you.

CAMEROTA: You, too. So, as we've learned, sadly again, calling somebody an adviser does not mean that they will be out of danger. What does this casualty mean for the battle today?

HERTLING: Well, you've hit it right on its head. It doesn't mean that you're not going to see combat when you are an adviser and it doesn't mean that you're going to be out of harm's way. This adviser indicators are that he was in a town named Kalkoof (ph), which is north of Mosul.

And certainly the Peshmerga have been attempting to strangle the supply lines in and out of Mosul from ISIS over the last several months. That's one of the areas where they've been operating and, again, this was an attack. They're certainly in combat and they're providing advice and assistance to the Peshmerga Forces and they are in harm's way, to be sure.

CAMEROTA: General, what can you tell us about what's happening on the ground in Iraq today?

HERTLING: Well, a couple of places, in terms of the military actions, there is the continued preparation to conduct the attacks into Mosul. And what's happening around that area is they are strangling out all the entry points in and around the city. So they are trying to isolate ISIS within that city and all indications are that operations are, in fact, going pretty well.

[07:45:00] The Peshmerga and the Iraqi security forces are conducting operations well. However, that's tempered a little bit by what's going on in Baghdad over the last several days. We know that the -- I'll use the world firebrand critic, although he has evolved since when we were there fighting him -- has attempted to stop all reform within the government and attempted, in fact, to push it faster.

Mr. al-Abadi, the new prime minister, is attempting to get rid of the corruption and those who would counter nationalism in Iraq. He's moving slowly in doing that because there's a lot of people in the government that are attempting to hold onto their positions.

Muqtada al-Sadr wants to go faster -- wants it to go faster, and he separated from the rest of the Shia militias in that regard.

CAMEROTA: And General, in fact, there's some really troubling video about what happened there in Baghdad this weekend. I believe we can play it for everyone and I'll just read the CNN news bulletin about it. (Video playing)"Hundreds, if not thousands of followers of Shiite Cleric Muqtada al-Sadr broke into Parliament on Saturday waving Iraqi flags, ransacking rooms, and sitting at lawmakers' desks while gesturing at the cameras."

I mean, this just sounds like it's really deteriorated. What's the answer here?

HERTLING: Well, the interesting thing -- let's carry it forward a little bit more, Alisyn. They did that and then they left, so this was a message -- a very strong message sent by al-Sadr, saying get your act together. Let's get rid of these corrupt officials and let's bring Iraqi back to Iraqis. Let's bring Iraq back to Iraqis. So this was a very interesting dynamic. He -- in the past Sadr has

conducted these marches, these assaults, these kinds of things and then stayed and continued to fight. He left the Parliament after Saturday and they went to conduct their religious festival in the nearby town of Kadhimayn, which is inside of Baghdad. A huge religious festival going on through Tuesday.

And then he said I'll be back on Wednesday and I expect action by the Iraqi government. This is causing Mr. al-Abadi some significant problems because he's trying to do the right things but he's moving very slowly. That's the way you have to do it in Iraq. In fact, Iraq -- the Arabic language has a term for it. It's called shway shway, little by little, and Mr. Sadr doesn't want any part of that.

CAMEROTA: All right, we'll be watching what happens there tomorrow. While we have you, General, what's happening in Syria? What's happening with these truce talks?

HERTLING: Yes, it's not going very well, Alisyn. The Assad government is attempting to maintain their control over Damascus and the ceasefire has continued there. Mr. Kerry and Mr. de Mistura have enabled that to happen in Damascus. But further north in Aleppo things are just going to hell in a handbasket. It is a horrible situation.

Russian and Syrian fighter jets are supporting ground troops and continuing to conduct strikes against what they call terrorists and what we would call freedom fighters. They are being joined by Iranian forces, IRGC forces, and also Lebanese Hezbollah to conduct operations against the Syrian free forces.

Aleppo is a mess. Mr. Kerry is attempting to get safe zones in that city but I don't think he's going to get much traction with the Russians in doing that. They want to stomp out anyone that's going against the Assad regime. And, in fact, some of the ceasefire talks that have been occurring over the last several weeks, in my view, have been ruses and we're going to see Aleppo fall soon, I believe.

CAMEROTA: Oh, my goodness. Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, thanks so much for your perspective and all of the expertise this morning.

HERTLING: Thank you, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: Let's go to Chris.

CUOMO: All right, so on the political side you have one primary win and a seemingly failed "Stop Trump" alliance with Ted Cruz. That seems to be the legacy for John Kasich in this election thus far. Should he pack it up, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:53:00] CUOMO: The great state of Indiana, the Hoosier State, center stage today in the 2016 race. See the clock on your screen. Voting has already started. This is a big one. Donald Trump says if he wins in Indiana it is over. Ted Cruz insists the GOP race is going to a contested convention and that Trump cannot get to the magic number before that.

So what does this all mean for the third man in, Gov. John Kasich? Is it time to bow out? Let's talk to one of his supporters, former New Hampshire governor and 3-term U.S. Senator, Judd Gregg. Always an honor, sir, to have you.

JUDD GREGG (R), FORMER NEW HAMPSHIRE GOVERNOR: Thank you, Chris.

CUOMO: Judd --

GREGG: Pleasure.

CUOMO: Don't be so humble, Judd. Let's use you as a metaphor for the state of play within your party. You endorsed John Kasich.

GREGG: That's a high bar.

CUOMO: No, you endorsed John Kasich. You are an unbound delegate. You say you will vote for the nominee unless it's Cruz. Cruz is the man who is in an alliance with a man you endorsed, John Kasich, to stop Donald Trump, a man who you say you will vote for if he is the nominee. What's going on in that party, Judd?

GREGG: Well, I guess we've got quite a mishmash of activity going on and that's not unusual in a political party because political parties are made up of a lot of different interest groups. I'd look at the Democratic Party and say they even have a more significant issue of where they're going.

So, as a practical matter, that's the way you develop a consensus in a party and lot of different people have a lot of different views. You bring them together, hopefully under one tent, and once you get a nominee you move forward.

[07:55:00] CUOMO: Why so passionate in your opposition to Cruz? What is about him that you believe is unacceptable?

GREGG: I just don't think he's the type of person I'd want to trust with the presidency and, as a result, I wouldn't be able to vote for him for president. I guess I'd probably write in Paul Ryan or somebody like that.

CUOMO: Well, I guess you should write in John Kasich, right, if he stays in the race? You did endorse him.

GREGG: Well, I could write in John Kasich, too. They'd both be very good presidents.

CUOMO: The polls in Ohio recently, just the past few days, are suggesting that it's time for Kasich to get out of the race. Obviously, that's his home state. What do you think the best reason is for John Kasich to stay in the race? Obviously, him getting to 1,237 is an impossibility at this point, at least on a first ballot.

GREGG: Well, I think the reason to stay in the race is that nobody does have the majority yet. When somebody gets the majority, and I saw you had Corey Lewandowski on just a little while ago -- a New Hampshire person -- just shows that all roads lead to New Hampshire -- and he said they're going to get to 1,300 or 1,400 delegates.

Well, if they get the majority then it's over and everybody should just -- would have to step out at that point. But, this is like saying you shouldn't play the ninth inning in a baseball game. I've been to Fenway Park a number of times. I suspect you have too. And in that ninth inning a lot of things happen.

So, I believe you've got to wait until somebody gets to the majority before you ask somebody like John Kasich, who has run a legitimate campaign, a substantive campaign. He's talked the issues and he's proved that he can produce.

He's been a superb governor and he was a very strong member of the House of Representatives, authored the last balanced budget. So I think until there is a clear winner people like John Kasich have a right to stay in the race.

CUOMO: Do you think if Donald Trump gets close but does not get to 1,237 and this goes to a second, or maybe even a third ballot -- do you think that his chances of surviving the convention are slim?

GREGG: I think it depends on how close he is. If he's within 50 delegates it's going to be hard to deny him the nomination. If he's 150 away then I think you've got an open convention.

CUOMO: There are polls out -- now we don't play with the states who are up for primary that same day with polls. There's too big a cut of margin, but about your party. Is it united? What will happen in the future? And the numbers are as follows. Seven percent say the party's united, 41 percent say it's divided but will unite, 49 percent it's divided and won't unite.

Is there a growing possibility or probability that your nominee's going to be hobbled by the process of getting to that point?

GREGG: Absolutely. I don't think there's any question that's true. I think there are a large percentage -- it's not majority, it's not a parality, but there's a very significant number of Republicans who are very concerned about the two front-runners because of the fact that they don't see them as being in their arena relative to policy or maybe their style is something they're uncomfortable with. And that's going to affect the chances of whoever the nominee is of being successful in November. I don't think there's any question about that.

On the other side of the coin, though, I look at the Democratic Party. I think they have a much more serious problem because they're basically moving forward with a socialist agenda being their alternative and you've got somebody who's won many, many primaries over there who is a socialist.

That's a fundamental break with the American tradition of market economies. We're not talking in our party about fundamentally breaking with our basic goals. All these folks are, essentially, conservatives and they're talking a conservative dialogue.

Whereas, the Democratic Party is splitting along the lines of changing the entire country and moving down the road of socialism.

CUOMO: The envied position of saying we may not look that good but wait until you see the other guy. Judd Gregg, thank you so much.

GREGG: Yes, very good point.

CUOMO: Thank you for joining us on NEW DAY, as always.

GREGG: Thank you for explaining it much better than I did.

CUOMO: No, no. No, no, you're the man with the ideas. Take care, sir. There is a lot of news this morning. News out of Iraq, news about the election, so let's get right to it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And if we win it's over.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Nobody's going to get to 1,237.

TRUMP: I got this guy Cruz, lyin' Ted. I think he's crazy.

CRUZ: You don't just get to slap an R on your jersey and lead the Republican Party.

TRUMP: She fell off the stage and Cruz didn't do anything. Even I would've helped her, OK?

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm going to tell you what I'm going to do so you can hold me accountable.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Our ideas are the future of America.

CLINTON: We're going to give it all we've got, 100 percent effort.

SANDERS: It will be a tragedy for this country if we end up with a Republican in the White House.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Olympic flame reaches Brazil.

CUOMO: The countdown to the 2016 Olympics begins.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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