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Kentucky & Oregon Primaries; Profiling Donald Trump. Aired 8:30-9:00a ET

Aired May 17, 2016 - 08:30   ET

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

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[08:30:53] CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Clinton and Sanders watching the vote totals again today as voters head to the polls in Oregon and Kentucky, two different regions of the country, both closed but different politics at play. Each is looking to inch closer to the nomination. Sanders is trying to literally stay alive in this. But despite the odds, his campaign says they are still in it to win it.

Here to make the case, Bernie Sanders' campaign manager Jeff Weaver.

Jeff, good to see you.

Let's start with the immediate and then -

JEFF WEAVER, BERNIE SANDERS' CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Good morning, Chris.

CUOMO: Talk a little bit about some bigger themes that are going on.

WEAVER: Sure.

CUOMO: Based on the demographics and the trending, looks like Oregon could be a good night for you. Kentucky, maybe not so much. How do you see it?

WEAVER: Well, I think Kentucky, given that it's a closed primary, which means independents can't participate in the primary process I think creates a more challenging environment for us certainly. But the senator has been there a number of times. He's had some excellent rallies there. People have been very enthusiastic. We're doing television advertising there. So, you know, it will be tougher than Oregon, I think, but I think it's something we could pull out.

CUOMO: But Oregon's the same, isn't it, in that way?

WEAVER: Well, Oregon has a very, very different system. It has a mail - all by mail process. So it's just - it's just a very different process.

CUOMO: So let's say things go well for you tonight. You know what the next question is. You know what the inevitability factor is here.

WEAVER: Of course (INAUDIBLE).

CUOMO: When we put up the numbers - but, you know, sometimes it doesn't just bear repeating. You know, you put up these super delegates. You know the math. The question is that the super delegates, OK, that's been a function for Bernie Sanders saying this is an odd system. This system seems to be somewhat divorced from the people.

WEAVER: Yes.

CUOMO: But if you look at what's going on within the GOP, what do you have? You have the functional equivalent of their super delegates, right, their elected officials and people at the top of the party are having trouble getting behind their presumptive nominee. It's compromising them. Are you worried about creating that own compromise, the same compromise within the Democratic Party?

WEAVER: Well, you know, the super delegate system was set up a long time ago and it certainly is undemocratic in the sense that the folks who are voting, you know, these are elected officials who - you know, members of Congress and party leaders, but they have no bearing on - you know, there's no relationship between how they vote and how the people in their state voted.

So, for instance, you know, a state like Washington state, where Bernie Sanders got 70 percent of the vote, I don't know that we have a single super delegate supporting Bernie Sanders from Washington state. So in that sense it seems pretty undemocratic and certainly something I think that the senator's going to want to look at trying to reform going forward.

CUOMO: But they are an indication of where that party is in terms of what they think is best for Democrats. Is it - is it even on your radar as to whether or not your campaign is helping or hurting Hillary Clinton?

WEAVER: Well, I - I would say that we are helping Hillary Clinton, as a matter of fact, assuming that she's the nominee, and I think that Hillary Clinton is helping Bernie Sanders, assuming that he's the nominee. You know, as soon as this Democratic primary process is over, we're not going to hear any more talk about the minimum wage, we're not going to hear any more talk about making college affordable or providing health care to everybody. It's going to be a mudslinging contest. The trump people, the Republican Party, all their super PACs are going to engage in character assassination no matter who the nominee is. And that's what it's going to be focused on. And it's unfortunate, but as long as there's a Democratic primary process going on, people are talking about issues that are important, not only to Democrats but to Americans as a whole.

CUOMO: Well, does that assume that the senator completely steps away? I mean what are his plans if he's not the nominee? Wouldn't he still sink his teeth into the situation and go after Trump as a Democratic?

WEAVER: Well, he certainly has said that he will do everything, he will work seven days a week, night and day, to make sure that Donald Trump is not president. I'm confident that he will do that. Bernie Sanders, as you know, is a very effective campaigner on the stump. He's rallied millions of people, young people, independents, working class people all across this country and I think he'll take the message to them that Donald Trump would really be a disaster for working class and middle class families in this country. Putting the Republicans back in control of Washington is not a good strategy.

CUOMO: In terms of the state of play within the campaign, both Clinton and Sanders have said they want to keep it on policy. The supporters, not so much. The latest allegations are ugly ones, that in Nevada, where there was a battle over who gets what delegates, that's a legit battle to have, but how you battle is also a question. Listen to one of these recordings from an alleged Sanders supporter.

[08:35:17] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was pretty terrible. You probably just guaranteed fires in Philadelphia. I'm not a psycho Bernie supporter, but there are some out there and you may have made a bad decision by completely ignoring the Democratic process tonight. Thanks. Bye.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: If threatening fires doesn't make you a "psycho Sanders supporter," I don't know what would make someone a psycho one, to use that vernacular.

WEAVER: (INAUDIBLE). Well -

CUOMO: But, what does the campaign say about a guy like that?

WEAVER: Well, look, the senator's been very clear, people who are supporting the senator should act in a civil way. They should obviously fight within the context - and by fight I mean, you know, contest if there is - if there is a convention, they should be there. They should present their case. And then they should let the votes fall where they may.

The situation in Nevada is a little bit different. Obviously no context justifies any kinds of threat or violence. But, you know, we have been, obviously, campaigning in Nevada now for almost a year because of, you know, it's one of the early states. The state party there has a lot of problems. They've run things very poorly. It's been done very undemocratically. And there seems to be an unwillingness on the part of the Nevada Democratic Party to bring in all of the new people that Bernie Sanders has brought into the process.

I mean if you - if you read some of the reports from what went on there, the chair was clearly ignoring votes from the floor. At the Clark County Democratic Convention in Nevada, they tried to arrest their own credentials chair because she was being too fair to the Sanders people. I mean it just - it was - it's dysfunctional or worse out there in the Nevada State Democratic Party. And, obviously, it's not a reflection of all Democrats in Nevada, but the party hierarchy, there's a lot of problems there. I mean they had a convention where they didn't have enough chairs for the number of people who were supposed to be. Obviously you're trying to exclude people if you're - the room is too small for the anticipated audience. So there's a lot of work to be done. We could have a whole show on the Nevada State Democratic Party. But regardless there should be no mistake -

CUOMO: You - you're making the same case that Trump seems to be making, that the system is set up against Sanders, that the Democrats are against him, and that he should run for a third party. Is Trump right?

WEAVER: No, Trump is wrong. You know, we have interacted with state parties all across this country. And some are more fair than others. And some are - some are - I have to say, some are extremely fair. It just happens in Nevada not to be the case. Bernie Sanders has said he will not run as a third party candidate. He's going to support the Democratic nominee. And that's what he's going to do. Trump, obviously, would like a third party candidate on the left so that he could try to divide the vote and win. But I think what you're going to see is unity to defeat Trump.

CUOMO: Thank you very much for giving us the argument on behalf of the Sanders campaign. Good luck to you in the primaries tonight, as we wish all the campaigns. Take care.

WEAVER: Thank you, Chris. Thanks, Chris. Appreciate it.

CUOMO: All right, Alisyn.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: OK, Chris, it's our job as journalists to tell Donald Trump's story, but sometimes he does not make it easy. What happens if he doesn't like what you say? We get into that, next.

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[08:41:48] CAMEROTA: Time now for the five things to know for your new day.

Anti-Trump conservatives searching for an alternative to the presumptive GOP nominee. Former Trump rival, John Kasich, just the latest to say no and dismissing any idea that he'd be Trump's VP.

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders squaring off in primaries and Kentucky and Oregon today. Clinton's super PAC set to launch a $6 million ad campaign tomorrow targeting Donald Trump.

Three suicide attacks in Baghdad this morning. The latest, a car bomb that killed seven people. Two earlier blasts killed 14 and injured dozens. ISIS claiming responsibility for one of those bombings.

And a terrorist attacked foiled in Australia. Authorities say an 18- year-old suspect in custody was planning to attack Sidney. He allegedly tried to fly to Syria at one point, but was stopped by a canceled passport.

Sinead O'Connor, the musician, found safe and sound near Chicago. The singer, who has been open about struggles with mental illness, was missing for more than a day after she took a bike ride and did not return.

For more on the five things to know, go to cnnnewday.com for the latest.

Chris.

CUOMO: In today's "New Day, New You," new research showing moms voice holds the key to kids' brain. A Sanford medical school study finding many regions of children's brains fire up when they hear their mother speak. This includes areas that handle emotion and reward processing, social functions, recognizing faces, and recognizes what's personally relevant. The study finds their responses is far greater compared to other voices, and it's reserved for mom alone, not other women.

CAMEROTA: Sweet.

All right, don't go digging into Donald Trump's background unless you're ready for a showdown. Coming up, two journalist whose have covered Trump discuss the highs and lows of that process.

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[08:47:52] CAMEROTA: Profiling a presidential candidate is usually a good assignment for most journalists, but covering Donald Trump can come with some perils. Let's discuss it with two men who have done it. Mark Singer is a writer for "The New Yorkers" and author of "Trump and Me." Mark has been profiling Trump since 1977. And Mark Dagostino is a "New York Times" bestselling author and former senior writer for "People" magazine.

Both Marks, great to have you here with us today.

Mark Singer, let me start with you. In 1997, you profiled Donald Trump. Then what happened.

MARK SINGER, AUTHOR, "TRUMP AND ME": Well, then he reacted in a Trump- like fashion. He attacked me in print more than once and -

CAMEROTA: What did he object to?

SINGER: I think he objected to - I think what he specifically objected to, a line in the piece where - in which I said that he aspired to and achieved the ultimate luxury, an existence unmolested by the rumbling of a soul. And he took umbrage with that.

CAMEROTA: He - I wonder why.

SINGER: I - he - he didn't go after me directly at the time. He did - he always did it by publishing something that, you know, would - would - he thought would get to me. And I just enjoyed returning the favor. I mean we had a correspondence and he would each time sort of up the ante in the five-year-old manner that he's accustomed to.

CUOMO: But other than him saying, I don't like that you say I have no soul, did he do anything to threaten or go to your publisher or get public momentum against you or anything like that? Or it was just, I don't like what you wrote?

SINGER: He didn't - he didn't like it. He wasn't running for president then. He - he was - and I didn't see that coming. He - I don't know if the stakes would have been different then.

CAMEROTA: Mark Dagostino, what was your experience after you profile Donald Trump?

MARK DAGOSTINO, "NEW YORK TIMES" BESTSELLING AUTHOR: You know what, I've had actually a very good experience, where he liked some of the things that I wrote. And - and enjoyed the way I quoted him as -

CAMEROTA: Such as? What did you - what did he - what did he like that you wrote?

DAGOSTINO: Well, he especially - he especially liked when I quoted him about Rosie O'Donnell, after Rosie O'Donnell had made some remarks about him on "The View." He came back in very strong fashion putting down Rosie O'Donnell. This was back quite a few years ago now. But it turned into a giant feud that people still remember to this day. And he loved that. He loved that I quoted him accurately, just about how much he hated Rosie at the time.

[08:50:04] CUOMO: And did -

DAGOSTINO: And - and as a result, I mean the back and forth with him is direct. You know, he'll call you on the phone. It's a very open communication back and forth. But there's always a threat there that if you treat him wrong, which is however he chooses to interpret that, that he will never talk to you again. You'll be cut off. You'll never hear from him. You know, and now he has Twitter, where he will just slam people relentlessly. So it's - it's - there's always a threat there.

CUOMO: Yes, you don't have to tell us.

Dag, let me ask you something, did you get the sense in the Rosie feud that for him it mattered that she was a woman? This is a huge thing for him, as you know, that he'll say he's being unfairly criticized for how he treated Rosie O'Donnell. He was going at an opponent, not a woman.

DAGOSTINO: You know what, I think there's a long history of him making sort of attacks on women, on Twitter, or just in his public statements, whether it's talking about a Miss Universe or a politician or a - anyone who - especially those he thinks who have done him wrong. I mean he will attack men and women alike, right? If he feels that he's attacked, he attacks back twice as hard. That's just the way he operates.

But when it comes to women, he definitely has a history of saying things. I'm forgetting the name of the actress at the Academy Awards who he just - he just tweeted out randomly how awful and how ugly she looked. I mean just - just completely unsolicited. There was no reason for it whatsoever. It was just - and we asked him about that last summer. I was working with Michael D'Antonio on his biography of Trump that just came out this past year. And we asked Trump about that and he just didn't see anything wrong with just having this random attack on someone's looks via Twitter. He didn't see anything wrong with that. She's a public figure. He's a public figure. Fair game. CAMEROTA: You know, Mark Singer, this raises an interesting paradox

that many of us journalists have experienced with Trump, which is in public he's one way, he's brash, he's course, he can be insulting to people, and in private he can be charming and connected -

SINGER: Very.

CAMEROTA: And seemingly more sensitive. There are two personas. Did you experience that, and how do you explain it? I mean it sounds like Mark Dagostino did. Did you, Mark Singer?

DAGOSTINO: Yes.

SINGER: I never - I never experienced direct hostility with him. I mean one of the things that is important to do if you're a journalist covering Trump is to not have an ego. There's no - there's no advantage in thinking that you're going get into some kind of contest with Trump. I - what I was doing a lot of, which is fly on the wall journalism, observing this guy, I spent a lot of time in his presence and we talked and -

CAMEROTA: And did you see - think that he was different in the one-on- one interactions that you've had with him?

SINGER: He was himself. I mean I'm not sure how to describe it. I never - I never saw a real distinction between the public and the private. But, again, this is at a time when he wasn't running for public office.

CAMEROTA: As public as he is now.

Mark Dagostino, what was your experience with that public versus private persona?

DAGOSTINO: Yes, I mean, privately, again, I think he has amazingly this really good relationship with a lot of journalists. I mean he'll - he'll slam the media and say how all media is dishonest. But then one-on-one, I mean, he's shaking your hand, he's smiling, he's - he's friendly. He wants the attention that you're bringing to him. He likes to, you know, do - tell you things that are - that are - that are big news for him or that he sees as being something very positive, but he always tells you it can't come from him, you know? If - it - this should be from a source. This should be from, you know, get somebody else to say this kind of a thing.

CUOMO: John Miller.

DAGOSTINO: Yes, have John Miller, have John - you know, he doesn't use that tactic any more, but - but it's the same sort of thing. He likes to try to get his side of the story out there, but not necessarily from him because amazingly enough he doesn't want to seem like he's bragging too much or that sort of thing.

SINGER: What he - what he - what he said to me was -

DAGOSTINO: It's amazing how much he sort of manipulates. CAMEROTA: Go ahead.

SINGER: The expression he used with me was, off the record but you can use it, which I still to this day do not know exactly what that means.

DAGOSTINO: Yes.

CUOMO: He just doesn't want it to come from him. And he's not unique in that way.

DAGOSTINO: Yes.

CUOMO: But what does make him unique in your estimation? I like reading in your interview notes that the way he responded to your piece in your estimation was a reward - you know, was a terrific reward for you. Why? What do you think makes him unique as an animal?

SINGER: Well, he doesn't react as an adult. And it - that - that's, you know, I've - I've always felt as a journalist, in any situation, it's really ideal to be underestimated by the subject you're writing about. And so Trump thinks everybody around him is basically a lesser being.

DAGOSTINO: Very true.

SINGER: And once you're in that position, when he reacted to me, it was just - it was like playing with a - with a child. It was -

CAMEROTA: But what does that mean? I mean what's - what are the rules of engagement when you're playing with a child?

SINGER: I'm just myself. I'm just being ironic and humorous. I'm not going to get angry at the guy.

CUOMO: You think that makes him different than other power players that you've dealt with?

SINGER: I - I think that he is unique in one - in terms of his need for attention, obviously. And that sort of - I hate to use the verb trumps, but that does supersede everything else, every other consideration.

[08:55:08] CAMEROTA: Mark Singer, Mark Dagostino, thanks so much. Great to get your perspective on this.

SINGER: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: Thank you for being here.

"The Good Stuff," next.

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CUOMO: This is good, good stuff, all right. A USC -

CAMEROTA: Double good stuff. CUOMO: Oh, it is.

CAMEROTA: OK, good.

CUOMO: Double stuff.

CAMEROTA: OK.

CUOMO: USC graduate, and he is anything but average.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's a terrific role model for the power of lifelong learning. Congratulations, Alfonso.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: Seventy years later, Alfonso Gonzalez, a veteran, served in the Navy, the Marines, he was a medic in Okinawa. You can understand why it took him longer than expected to finish his degree in zoology.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALFONSO GONZALEZ: It took me 65 years to complete my studies, but I did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: He got it done. He started at USC in 1947. Although other opportunities took charge of his life, he wanted nothing to get in the way of finishing his degree. So at 96 years old -

CAMEROTA: Oh, my gosh, get out of here.

CUOMO: Gonzalez is now USC's oldest graduate.

CAMEROTA: That is wonderful. Great perseverance.

[09:00:00] CUOMO: Right.

CAMEROTA: That is the good, good stuff.

Thank you for that. And it is time now for "Newsroom" with Carol Costello.

Good morning, Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.

CUOMO: Only took Costello half as long to graduate, by the way. She got it done in what, 33 years.

COSTELLO: I'm not sure if that's a, yes, OK, whatever you say