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President Obama to Meet with Senator Bernie Sanders; Some Republicans Criticize Donald Trump's Comments on Judge Overseeing Trump University Lawsuit; GOP Battle Over Trump. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired June 09, 2016 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00] SEN. ANGUS KING (I), MAINE: What should we do about immigration, which is a significant issue. And it is, part of it is education. The candidates have an obligation to do that, too. You know, campaigns can be either about fear or hope, the future or some aggravation. And I think the danger is that this campaign can fall into the -- very quickly into the fear category. And it's a very powerful political motivator, but it doesn't necessarily serve our long-term interests as a country.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Senator King, no meddlesome priest are you, but you're a voice of reason that is always welcome on NEW DAY. Thanks for being with us, sir.

KING: Thank you, Chris.

CUOMO: All right, there is a lot of news this morning going on in the campaign but also around the world. So let's get right to it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bernie Sanders meets with President Obama at the White House.

BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Bernie Sanders brought enormous energy and made Hillary a better candidate.

CLINTON: I really believe a lot of Senator Sanders supporters will join us.

OBAMA: We want the Republican nominee to be somebody who could do the job if they win.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), MAJORITY LEADER: He needs to begin to act like a presidential candidate.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just a slap on the wrist for raping an unconscious co-ed.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was really disgusted. Six months is way too short.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He has shown no remorse.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The video that has the Internet buzzing. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The cutest intruder you have ever seen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

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

CUOMO: Good morning. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It's Thursday, June 9th, 8:00 in the east. You're laughing, why?

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Because we're going to show you a little bit more of that viral video of this child who repeatedly goes into his neighbor's house to hug the dog.

CUOMO: I hope he was punished. Stay away from my dog, kid.

(LAUGHTER)

CUOMO: All right, so in a few hours, President Obama is going to meet with Senator Bernie Sanders at the White House. What's that going to be about? Is it too soon? Is this how you get unity? That's what it's supposed to be all about. And of course, how is it going to end? How is Sanders going to bring his millions of Berners into the Clinton fold?

CAMEROTA: Also, skittish Republicans will try to reign in Donald Trump. Can Trump shake the firestorm of criticism for his attacks on that federal judge? We have the 2016 race covered from every angle. Let's begin with Athena Jones at the White House. Good morning, Athena.

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn. President Obama acknowledged last night that the Democratic primary process isn't quite over yet. After all, Washington, D.C. votes next week. And Senator Sanders hasn't yet bowed out. The White House and the Clinton campaign, neither one wants to be seen as trying to push Sanders out of the race. Aides say the president will use today's meeting to try to move Sanders toward acceptance of Clinton as the nominee. That's a key step on the road to party unity.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JONES: This morning, President Obama meeting with Bernie Sanders.

OBAMA: My hope is that over the next couple of weeks we're able to pull things together.

JONES: Increasing pressure on the Vermont senator to end his primary fight now that Hillary Clinton is the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee.

OBAMA: Bernie Sanders brought enormous energy and new ideas, and he pushed the party and challenged them. I thought it made Hillary a better candidate.

JONES: The president is expected to congratulate Sanders, but also discuss his role as a unifying figure that can mobilize enthusiasm behind Clinton as they look to take on Donald Trump.

OBAMA: The main role I'm going to be playing in the process is to remind the American people that this is a serious job. You know, this is not reality TV.

SEN.BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The struggle continues.

JONES: As Sanders and his team vow to continue fighting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No one is the nominee. The nominee elected at the convention.

JONES: The White House stressing patience with Sanders, consciously trying not to alienate his voters.

JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It is clear we know who the nominee will be, but I think we should be a little graceful and give him the opportunity to decide on his own.

JONES: The president's endorsement of Clinton could come as early as today. But Clinton is already going on a celebratory media blitz, trying to rally Sanders supporters.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I really believe a lot of Senator Sanders supporters will join us in making sure Donald Trump doesn't get anywhere near the White House.

JONES: Clinton also addressing the prospect of two women on the ticket.

CLINTON: I'm looking at the most qualified people, and that includes women, of course, because I want to be sure that whoever I pick could be president immediately.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JONES: Now, Democrats see these endorsements as strategic. They want to reap as much political gain as they can from having popular Democrats like the president and the vice president come out and publicly back Clinton. So we're likely to see these endorsements over a rollout period rather than all at once.

[08:05:00] And we could see the president endorse Clinton over social media before he makes some big campaign style appearance with her. That's not likely to happen until after D.C. votes next Tuesday. Chris?

CUOMO: Details, details. This is really about how this goes today and whether it's too soon. Thank you for setting the table, my friend.

Joining us now is Congressman Ben Ray Lujan from New Mexico. He's chairman of the Democratic Congressional campaign committee and has long supported Hillary Clinton. And he has a big smile on his face this morning. Good morning to you. Let me see if I can help you with that smile, at least straighten it out a little bit. What's going on with the meeting with the president? Why do it this way? Why make it so overt that you're trying to get Sanders to bow out? Why not give him his time, let him come to you?

REP. BEN RAY LUJAN (D), NEW MEXICO: Good morning, Chris. It's always great to be with you. I really think the meeting this morning is just have a conversation. Clearly Senator Sanders has brought a lot of people into the process, into this campaign, a lot of energy that has been created, and that's part of the conversation this morning. So it's very clear, everyone believes that Senator Sanders has earned the right to be able to make decisions right now as to how we'll be able to bring the country together. Look, whether you're a Sanders supporter, a Clinton supporter, or those opposed to Donald Trump, we all agree that we need to stop Donald Trump from being able to get anywhere near the White House.

CUOMO: You just heard the president say I think that Sanders made Clinton a better candidate, let him continue to do that. D.C. hasn't even voted yet, and that place is such a metaphor for so many of the big problems that exist in big cities in this country. And let it play out at the convention. How would that hurt Clinton?

LUJAN: Well, I see us as coming together. You see the Republican, the name-calling, with all the ugly things that Donald Trump has recently said, the racist statements that he said. Look, it is clear. Donald Trump is a bigot and the Republicans have a huge problem up and down the ballot. On our side, we're coming together. We share our values and our ideas, and that's what is going to bring us together in addition to the shared goal of stopping Donald Trump up and down the ballot, and that includes House Republicans who are tied to Donald Trump day in and day out and with everything that they've got.

CUOMO: Are you worried about risking what you see as, you know, unity by making people feel like you're forcing Sanders to do this?

LUJAN: Oh, you know, I am not encouraging any forceful nature of anything to occur.

CUOMO: The president talking to him, I mean that's pretty persuasive, congressman.

LUJAN: I think President Obama is trying to do what he can to bring us together. In the end, we share these values and principles, Chris. We want to make sure the American people know that we have their back. Whether you're a woman, a millennial, African-American, or a Latino, we want to make sure that the people across the country know that we have their back, especially in the face of Donald Trump attacking Judge Curiel, a federal judge, born in Indiana, again, with the most racist remarks that we've seen to date. This is a sham, and it is an embarrassment. And I'll tell you, Donald Trump just lost the Latino vote all across America for Republicans.

LUJAN: You don't think that Trump can move past what just happened with the judge? You say it is representative of who he is. He says the same thing about the Clinton Global Initiative, that nobody is really looked into it. And if you do, you'll see that bad actors, states that aren't allowed to donate to elections because of what is going on in their own sovereigns, were giving to the Clinton Global Initiative at a time that Hillary Clinton was in the State Department, and they got something for it for the United States. Do you believe there is any meat on the bones of those allegations?

LUJAN: Chris, you started the question about asking about what Donald Trump said. And I'll tell you, Donald Trump cannot walk these statements back. What he said about Judge Curiel, a federal judge born in Indiana, again, a textbook racist statement. And I'll tell you, Donald Trump is a bigot. This is an embarrassment. And he went after Latinos all across the country. And not just Hispanics. Donald Trump insulted each and every one of us based on our ethnicity and race, saying that because of the color of our skin and where our heritage comes from, that we can't do a job in America. I'll tell you, this is just out of bounds. It is a shame, it's a sham. And I'm willing to stand up to this guy. And I hope America is willing to stand up to this bigot, because someone great once told me that if you don't stand up to evil, if good people don't stand up to evil, that it will survive. And we need to stand up to this bad person, this bad man with the ugly things he is saying.

CUOMO: Congressman, we understand that there are issues on both sides of this race. You know that we're reporting on what was said about the judge and the truth about that trial. But that's not an answer to the Global Initiative questions. The fact that Trump University is a problem and what Trump has said is a problem there may be true, and we're covering that. But I want to know if you have an answer to the allegations about the CGI.

LUJAN: Look, as we lean into this race, Chris, there is a clear contrast between what Donald Trump has been saying and where we are with the Clinton family and the great work that they've done on behalf of Americans, making people's lives better. And that's the side I want to be on, the side that is going to fight for people every day, that's going to do whatever we can to be able to help people.

[08:10:05] Look, Donald Trump clearly is going to continue to attack, to be able to try to bring people down, to divide our nation. And I want to be on the side of Secretary Clinton. In the end, we're going to see it's going to the American people, and I'm confident that when the American people find out all the facts in all of these cases, they're going to see the fraud that Donald Trump is compared to the great work that Secretary Clinton and the Clinton family has been doing.

CUOMO: Congressman, you know I'm asking you about it so we can get the facts out there for them. That's obviously what is driving the question.

Let's end this interview on this note. Last night, Hillary Clinton told Anderson Cooper that she plans to reach out to Sanders supporters more aggressively. You know that Sanders supporters will be looking with a jaundice eye, at least a gimlet eye, at what is going on with working Sanders to move him out of the race. What is your sell to Sanders supporters about why they should vote for Hillary Clinton? LUJAN: This is not about working Senator Sanders to get out of the

race, Chris. What this is acknowledging the great energy and work and all of the people across the country who have come into this campaign. We're going to work together to unite this party to stop Donald Trump. Again, to make sure we help all the students that have been saddled with student loan debt, to be able to help people get that job, the dignity of a paycheck. In a family like mine, to be able to have roof over your head, a little food in the cupboard. And we're able to save a little bit at the end of the month to be able to put your kids through college, that's what this is about. We need to make sure that we're looking after the greatness of what we can do with all of our brothers and sisters across this great country and stand up to the bigotry of Donald Trump.

CUOMO: Ben Ray Lujan, thank you very much for making the case for your side on NEW DAY.

LUJAN: Thank you, Chris.

CUOMO: Alisyn?

CAMEROTA: House Speaker Paul Ryan and RNC Chairman Reince Priebus heading to Utah for a summit with Mitt Romney today amid growing speculation that some are still plotting to replace Donald Trump as the presumptive GOP nominee. CNN's Chris Frates is live in Washington with more. What have you learned, Chris?

CHRIS FRATES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn. As you know, many Republicans have long feared that Donald Trump's divisive rhetoric is going to derail his campaign, and now with some Republicans calling his recent comments about a federal judge downright racist, they're sounding the alarm that if he doesn't tone it down, he is only helping to put Hillary Clinton in the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. JEFF FLAKE (R), ARIZONA: He won't be in the White House if he continues to make these kinds of statements.

FRATES: Warnings of a loss in November are coming from Donald Trump's own party.

MCCONNELL: If he wants to win the election, he needs to quit these gratuitous attacks on various Americans.

FRATES: The presumptive GOP nominee is enraging and dividing the GOP after days of his attacks on federal judge Gonzalo Curiel's Mexican heritage.

TRUMP: He is a Mexican. We're building a wall between here and Mexico.

FRATES: Trump's toned down speech earlier this week --

TRUMP: I understand the responsibility of carrying the mantle.

FRATES: Was a step in the right direction for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

MCCONNELL: He may be using a prepared text and not attacking any other Americans, it was a good start.

FRATES: But Congressional Republicans are divided. Some are supporting the presumptive nominee.

SEN. TIM SCOTT (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I think he has done a good job in the last 24 hours of realizing the impact of those comments.

FRATES: Some are riding the never Trump train.

REP. REID RIBBLE (R), WISCONSIN: His comments over the weekend are authenticating what I believe is the man's core character.

FRATES: And still others are holding out for a kinder, gentler real estate mogul.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He needs to begin to sound presidential.

REP. BILL FLORES (R), TEXAS: I've got to see that he's going to start addressing the issues of the country instead of bashing judges.

FRATES: House Speaker Paul Ryan is trying to keep the party unified behind their new stander bearer, reiterating his support for Trump in a closed-door meetings Wednesday, asking his colleagues to unite even after he strongly criticized Trump's comments.

REP. PAUL RYAN (R-WI), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Claiming a person can't do their job because of their race is sort of like the textbook definition of a racist comment.

FRATES: Meanwhile, Democrats are uniting behind Hillary Clinton.

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D), MASSACHUSETTS: What does Trump do?

FRATES: Senator Elizabeth Warren set to attack Trump with her harshest language yet in a speech later today, saying "Donald Trump is a loud, nasty, thin-skinned fraud who has never risked anything for anyone, and serves nobody but himself. And that is just one of the many reasons why he will never be president of the United States."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FRATES: In an interview yesterday with "TIME" magazine, Trump said he was disappointed and surprised by the backlash from Republican leaders to those comments about the federal judge hearing a lawsuit against him. But Trump says Republicans, they have to say what they have to say, noting he is a big boy who can take the criticism, Chris.

CUOMO: Yet to be seen. Chris Frates, thank you very much.

The officer facing the most serious charges in the Freddie Gray case is set to go on trial this morning. The officer's name is Caesar Goodson and he's charged with murder. Goodson was driving the police van where Gray suffered that broken neck. Goodson chose a bench trial. That means he does not want a jury. The judge will decide, and it is the same judge who acquitted another officer in Gray's death, but they were very different charges there.

[08:15:02] CAMEROTA: There are new smoking laws on the books in California. The legal age for buying tobacco products going from 18 to 21 years old. The law also bans e-cigarettes in public places like schools, hospitals and restaurants. Hawaii is the only other state where you cannot smoke before you're 21.

CUOMO: Now, usually, when we show you surveillance video, it is not a good situation. But not this time. A Louisiana homeowner was trying to figure out why a little boy kept on running into her garage. So Hollie Mallet posted this video of the boy on Facebook asking if anyone knew who he was. It turns out, it's her neighbor, Josh Brough. Aw, listen to this. His family dog, Bella, died last year and he just wanted some love from the puppy. So Mallet and her husband have now given Josh permission to stop by for regular play dates with their dog, Duchess.

CAMEROTA: Oh my gosh.

CUOMO: It's adorable video. More than 1 million times in the last week. And it is -- let's just watch it a little bit more.

CAMEROTA: Please.

CUOMO: Watch him come back.

CAMEROTA: This is the cutest, most adorable, heartrending video. It's so cute. OK, so also, it gets better, Chris. He also came back and took some selfies of himself with the dog. It seems like the dog likes his visits.

CUOMO: Oh, look at that.

CAMEROTA: I know.

CUOMO: Time for a new dog, Mom and Dad. Time for a new dog. Look at that dog!

CAMEROTA: Creative.

CUOMO: Even dogs are aware of selfies now.

(LAUGHTER)

CAMEROTA: Even they pose.

CUOMO: You know, it's like hey, hey, you got the phone the wrong way, they tell you in dog language.

All right, it is no secret that Mitt Romney is not a fan of D. Trump. Are he and big name Republicans on a secret mission to replace the presumptive nominee? The 2016 election drama, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [08;20:25] CAMEROTA: Can Donald Trump get past his attacks on the federal judge and calm jittery Republicans who may be looking for an alternative? Today, RNC chair Reince Priebus and House Speaker Paul Ryan will huddle with Mitt Romney, a staunch anti-Trumper.

Tim Miller is the former communications director for the Jeb Bush campaign and a communications advisor for Our Principles, an anti- Trump super PAC, and John Jay LeValle is a Trump delegate and regional vice chairman of the New York Republican State Committee. Gentlemen, great to have you both here in studio.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: John, let me start with you. You're Trump delegate. Have his comments that many, even Republicans, called racist last week changed how you feel about Donald Trump?

JOHN JAY LAVALLE, TRUMP DELEGATE: Not at all. Donald Trump is going to win this race. Donald Trump got a record number of votes in this primary.

CAMEROTA: Yes, that's --

LAVALLE In the history of the Republican primary.

CAMEROTA: But were you comfortable with what he said and how he characterized the judge?

LAVALLE: Well, it's not a question of that. One comment doesn't make the man. The reality is this country, we have a problem. We're economically depressed. This is someone who's going to create jobs, this is someone that's going to put America back on its feet. This is someone that's going to make Americans proud again.

CAMEROTA: And to be clear, it's not just one comment. I mean this is the comment that seems to be the tipping point for many people including Republicans, but he had talked about, you know -- I mean, let's go over it. Mexicans sending rapists, he had talked about banning Muslims, he had said things about women. It's not just one comment. People think there has been a string of things and this one was the one that finally people thought was the most offensive, calling an American judge Mexican and saying that, as a result of his ancestry, he couldn't do his job.

LAVALLE: You know, last night, I watched a video of Hillary Clinton, a compilation of her positions on immigration from several years ago, saying the exact same things that Donald Trump was saying about criminals and crime coming up through the border. The fact that we need a border --

CAMEROTA: She wasn't saying the Mexican --

LAVALLE: -- that we need a wall. The same thing.

CAMEROTA: She would -- Hillary Clinton has never been on record saying that, because a judge's Mexican ancestry, that the judge could not do his job.

LAVALLE: One comment doesn't make the man. This is someone who is the best candidate right now for America and that's why he is going to win the race, that's why he has broken these records. This is going to be historic and we're going to get America back on its feet.

CAMEROTA: Tim, much like John, Donald Trump is trying to change the conversation from the judge to Hillary Clinton.

TIM MILLER, FMR. COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, JEB BUSH CAMPAIGN: It's tough question to answer, so that's why.

CAMEROTA: And he's talking about her foundation. Do you think that he can turn the page?

MILLER: No, look, Donald Trump can't turn the page. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. I was on the show two months ago and you asked me the same question, right? Donald Trump, is he going to pivot? Is he going to start acting like an adult? And we treat him like a child who gets in trouble at school. You know, Mom took the naughty words out of one speech and he kind of read it and he wasn't really happy about having to read the speech without saying any dirty jokes, and he made it through it. Now we get to pat Little Donny on the head and say now he's presidential.

I mean, this is crazy. And like you said, he's consistently, from when he was a young man, but more recently when he got back into the public light, he said President Obama's from Africa. On his announcement day he said Mexicans are sending rapists across the border. This is the central argument of his campaign. He's not changing and it's wrong for the party and country.

CAMEROTA: And yet, Tim, there's only a couple of Republicans who say that they are not going to vote for him. They say that they abhor what he said, but they're still voting for him. Let me play for you what Mitch McConnell has just said about Trump's comments.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCCONNELL: I have listed all of last week, every occasion upon which I differed with Donald Trump, particularly attacking people on the basis of their ethnicity -- totally inappropriate. But he is the nominee.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Totally inappropriate. Some have said offensive. But he is the nominee. So what are they to do?

MILLER: You know, look, I think there have been a growing number of Republicans, Mark Kirk just the other day, running for Senate, a tough race in Illinois, said he can't support Donald Trump.

CAMEROTA: All right, he's one and Lindsey Graham has said he'll be voting for somebody else. That's two. MILLER: Yes, sure. Ben Sasse, Mike Lee. There are definitely some.

I wish there were more. I wish there were more out here on your show making this case.

I mean, here's the thing. It's not just about the racist comments, which are totally inappropriate, but Trump's platform is not in line with what conservatives and the Republican Party and Congress want to do. He's not offered a conservative economic or foreign policy platform. We're not for sucking up to Putin.

So, you know, this is the deal. There's the racist comments, but it's more than that, and I'm hopeful that as we get closer to November, people are going to come around and realize what is as plain as day to me, which is Donald Trump would be a bad president. He's not a conservative. And we should oppose him.

CAMEROTA: But -- and I want to get John in here -- but then what? Once they realize that, then what?

LAVALLE: It's a vote for Hillary Clinton. That's what it's all about.

CAMEROTA: Yes but --

(CROSSTALK)

MILLER: Yes, so we can have (INAUDIBLE) the House and the Senate, which is the best thing we can do right now.

LAVALLE: The establishment Republicans just won't give up.

[08:25:00] The reality is, they lost.

MILLER: The Republican establishment has given up. You just saw Mitch McConnell --

LAVALLE: May I? May I?

MILLER: Sure. But you just saw Mitch McConnell. He did give up.

LAVALLE: Donald Trump won. Donald Trump won. It's time to get over it. It's time to move ahead. It's the choice is between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. And there is no question Donald Trump will be better for America than Hillary Clinton.

MILLER: Why? On what specific policy is Donald Trump more in line with conservatives, with Paul Ryan, with conservatives in the House, besides immigration and for him building a wall? On nothing else. He's not an economic conservative. He wants to suck up to Putin. He's not a social conservative. He'd be a terrible president, so why should we get in line behind him?

LAVALLE: That's not true. That's your opinion, and by the way, you're in the vast minority.

MILLER: No, I'm arguing (ph) his polices. LAVALLE: Not really.

MILLER: Name a policy where he's more conservative than Hillary Clinton.

LAVALLE: Donald Trump is going to create jobs.

MILLER: Name a policy where --

LAVALLE: May I speak?

MILLER: Sure.

LAVALLE: Thank you.

MLILER: On specific policies.

LAVALLE: Donald Trump is going to create jobs in America. That's what he is going to --

MILLER: No, not by magic. By a policy. What is the policy that he'd put in place that will be conservative?

LAVALLE: What is the policy?

MILLER: Yes, what conservative policy?

LAVALLE: By stopping the disincentives of companies moving to Mexico. We want to create jobs in America, we want to rebuild America. The establishment in Washington has failed. You are part of that establishment. I'm sorry to hear that. But it's time to move ahead and join. The majority of Americans, the majority of Republicans that have chosen Donald Trump --

MILLER: This is all smoke and mirrors. You can't name anything. There's not a specific policy.

(CROSSTALK)

LAVALLE: That's why we're failing.

(CROSSTALK)

LAVALLE: The Republican establishment --

MILLER: That I want you to name something specific?

LAVALLE: The people -- May I finish?

MILLER: Is why we're failing?

LAVALLE: The people have chosen Donald Trump. Get over it. It is what it is. Get over it.

CAMEROTA: So John, then what about this powwow between Mitt Romney, who many Republicans still hope will hat in, and Reince Priebus and Paul Ryan? Do you think that they are trying to come up with an alternative?

LAVALLE: No, I think Reince Priebus is doing a great job of trying to bring everyone together.

MILLER: I thought you said you didn't like the establishment? Reince is not part of establishment?

LAVALLE: Reince Priebus is our national -- he's our chairman and he's been there just a couple of years. He's not part of this long- standing, 10, 20 year establishment that has caused this problem. You know, everyone's worried about being politically correct. Everyone's worrying about protecting their own interests. Donald Trump is in this race to make America great again by creating jobs, making us strong again, putting people to work. That's, you know, we talk about the homeless, we talk about the hungry. Well, guess what? Every party can agree that putting Americans back to work is going to change America and solve a lot of our problems.

CAMEROTA: Look, Tim, John has a point. Trump won. He is the nominee. And so when you hear a radio talk show host like Hugh Hewitt, who has now come out and said we need an alternative, we need to find somebody different, what happens? I mean, it's a little late to that game.

MILLER: You know, look, I recognize that. I would say this, though. Seventy -- a record number of people, a favored Trump talking point is the record number of people who voted for him. A record number of people voted against him. There was a huge swath of the party that did not support Donald Trump. I think the idea that delegates should be able to vote their conscience. If they do not believe that Donald Trump, who doesn't respect the Constitution, the rule of law, the platform, that said racist things, if they don't want to rubber-stamp him, I think they should have the right.

Though your point is valid, and I think the overwhelming likelihood is that it will be Trump and Clinton. And my argument is if you're a -- if you're somebody that holds conservative values, that are wondering what to do, you can take a pass on this election, vote for the House and the Senate, and we can be a check on Hillary Clinton for four years until we put a real qualified person of character and a conservative up to beat her.

CAMEROTA: John, last word.

LAVALLE: Yes, that's not going to be the case. This choice here is between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, and Donald Trump is clearly best for America.

CAMEROTA: Tim, John, thank you very much for engaging in this debate. Nice to see both of you.

Let's go into the green room, where I hear Chris is hanging out. Chris.

CUOMO: This is not looking like a good match up for me today, Alisyn. I had no idea that the man was in, you know, this tall. I didn't know it was going to be like this. But it is good to have Mark Cuban here. Right?

MARK CUBAN, OWNER, DALLAS MAVERICKS: Right, kind of.

CUOMO: All right, good. So we'll get after what matters, and get out of this room as soon as possible.

CUBAN: I hope so.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)