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Ted Cruz Does Not Endorse Donald Trump for President During Republican National Convention Speech; Mike Pence Addresses Republican National Convention; Interview with Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi. Aired 8-8:30 a ET

Aired July 21, 2016 - 08:00   ET

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

MANU RAJU, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Hey, Alisyn, this convention hall the site of one of the most contentious moments in recent convention history when Ted Cruz refused to endorse Donald Trump. As a speech wore on, this crowd grew more restless and they let Ted Cruz hear about it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAJU: Donald Trump, undermining his running mate Mike Pence on the biggest nice of his career. Pence, detailing his approach to foreign policy to an enthusiastic audience at the Republican National Convention.

MIKE PENCE, (R) VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We cannot have four more years of apologizing to our enemies and abandoning our friends. Donald Trump will rebuild our military and stand with our allies.

RAJU: But that's not what Donald Trump is saying in a new interview. "The New York Times" reporting that Trump is questioning whether he would automatically defend NATO members. When specifically asked about Russia's aggression towards the Baltic states, Trump says he would come to their aide if they, quote, "have fulfilled their obligations to us." This contradiction, the second major policy discrepancy on display this week between the Republican nominee and his newly minted mate.

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That was a war we shouldn't have been in, because Iraq did not knock --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your running mate voted for it.

TRUMP: I don't care.

RAJU: Despite these differences, the Indiana governor and former congressman making the case for a Trump presidency last night.

PENCE: Donald Trump gets it. He is the genuine article. He is a doer in a game usually reserved for talkers.

RAJU: Declaring that the GOP ticket is an agent of change.

PENCE: Hillary Clinton wants a better title, and I would too if I was already America's secretary of the status quo. RAJU: A stark turn for Midwestern Mike, a staunch social

conservative, Tea Party supporter, and devout evangelical who actually endorsed Ted Cruz before Indiana's primary. Pence catapulting onto the national stage last year after signing a religious freedom law criticized for discriminating against gays and lesbians.

PENCE: This isn't about disputes between individuals. It is about government overreach, and I'm proud that Indiana stepped forward.

RAJU: Trump applauding Pence's speech on Twitter. The GOP ticket still getting to know each other, Trump awkwardly air kissing his running mate after his big speech, their unity not quite the photo op moment of past Republican tickets.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RAJU: Now, we just saw how Mike Pence was overshadowed by Ted Cruz. Now, let's look at how Ted Cruz was greeted here in the convention hall when he refused back Donald Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. TED CRUZ, (R) FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I want to congratulate Donald Trump on winning the nomination.

RAJU: It was all downhill from there. Ted Cruz delivering a 25 minute speech that may follow him forever -- refusing to endorse Donald Trump at the Republican national convention.

CRUZ: Stand and speak and vote your conscience, vote for candidates up and down the ticket, who you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the constitution.

RAJU: Cruz mentioning Trump's name just once during his primetime address. The crowd angrily interrupting the speech.

(SHOUTING)

RAJU: Then Trump suddenly appears in the stands, upstaging the GOP runner up yet again. Trump later tweeting, "Wow, Ted Cruz got booed off the stage. Didn't honor the pledge. I saw his speech two hours early, but let him speak any way. No big deal."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald Trump made the offer without any conditions. Senator Cruz might have been a little bit more politically smart.

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R) NEW JERSEY: I think it was awful, and quite frankly, I think it was selfish. And he signed a pledge, and it is his job to keep his word.

RAJU: Cruz later not backing down.

CRUZ: I laid out a very simple standard. We need a president who will be faithful to the constitution. I hope very much that it is who the next president will be. RAJU: Former house speaker Newt Gingrich, trying to reframe Cruz's

comments as party unity.

NEWT GINGRICH, (R) FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think you misunderstood one paragraph that Ted Cruz, who is a superb orator, said. Ted Cruz said you can vote your conscience for anyone who will uphold the constitution. In this election, there is only one candidate who will uphold the constitution.

(APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: The only possible candidate this fall is the Trump/Pence Republican ticket.

RAJU: But angry delegates in the arena couldn't be subdued. Video posted on Twitter shows security escorting Cruz's wife, Heidi, out of the arena, while being heckled by Trump supporters.

[08:05:01] But two of Trump's former rivals showing they can put the bitter campaign season behind them.

SEN. MARCO RUBIO, (R) FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The time for fighting each other is other. It is time to come together.

GOV. SCOTT WALKER, (R) WISCONSIN: A vote for anyone other than Donald Trump in November is a vote for Hillary Clinton.

RAJU: Trump also getting more support from one of his kids.

ERIC TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP'S SON: It is such an honor to be here for a man I love so, so, so, so much.

RAJU: The Republican nominee listening in the audience as his son, Eric, praised him.

ERIC TRUMP: My father has revitalized neighborhoods, shaped skylines across the country, and turned dreams into reality his entire career. It is what he does. It is who he is.

RAJU: And after days of denying Melania Trump's speech is plagiarized.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: I can't move on, because you keep lying about it. Did a portion of that language of that speech come from Michelle Obama's speech, yes or no?

PAUL MANAFORT, TRUMP CAMPAIGN MANAGER: As far as we're concerned there are similar words that were used.

RAJU: On Wednesday a Trump aide offered to resign over the firestorm, admitting it was a mistake to lift passages of Melania's speech from Michelle Obama's 2008 address. I thought it was terrific the way she came forward and said look, it was a mistake I made. And she thought it was very unfair to Melania.

(END VIDEOTAPE) RAJU: The blowback happened almost immediately for Ted Cruz. After the speech, he tried to meet with the billionaire donor Sheldon Adelson here in the center, and Mr. Adelson would not meet with Ted Cruz because of his concerns over Cruz's lack of endorsement for Donald Trump. Ted Cruz is meeting with the Texas delegation in this hour. We'll see if he says anything about that very controversial speech last night, Chris.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Adelson is backing Trump. He is at the party's convention, and Cruz doesn't endorse the candidate, and he thinks he's going to get into the suite? Come on, Manu, he had no know he was looking at a rebuff coming his way.

Let's bring in Michael Cohen, executive vice president of the Trump Organization and special counsel to Donald Trump himself. Counselor, congratulations on the nomination. I know it is a big night. You say we knew what Cruz was going to say. He gave us this speech, and that you knew he was going to take a beating out there, and you welcomed him to it.

MICHAEL COHEN, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, TRUMP ORGANIZATION: Donald Trump is bigger than Ted Cruz. It just goes to show you the distinction between an adult and a baby, and a baby that happens to be a sore loser at the same time.

CUOMO: He says and his people say, Cruz, I'm a man of honor. I believe in my conservative principles.

COHEN: Where was the honor last night when he came to somebody's home, the one thing I'll possibly in part agree with, Ana Navarro from last night when she said the man came into another man's home and disrespected him. You know what he got for that? He got booed. He got thrown out. And like I said last night on CNN with Jake Tapper and Wolf and Dana, he committed political suicide.

CUOMO: Well, he sees it as extending as preserving his possibility of political life by saying when Trump was nominated, I was against it to preserve himself as a conservative to run --

COHEN: He was also against the pledge, when he put his hand up in the 16 others attacked Mr. Trump because initially he wouldn't sign the pledge. He signed the pledge. He lied to America. He lied to the Republican Party. And given the fact they endorse him and they allow him to be part of the Republican Party, it is a shame on them.

CUOMO: Donald Trump's tweet about it was fairly even keel. But there are reports that when Trump saw him in the hallways at the convention, that he wanted a piece of him, that he wanted to go up to him.

COHEN: I didn't personally see it, but who wouldn't? You invite somebody out of respect to come in and to speak, and I think Ted Cruz, being the runner -- and that's another thing also. They say, oh, he was the runner up. He was never even close. Trump dominated the count from virtually the very first day. So when they say he is the runner up, yes, he is the runner up, but like in a horse race, they guy is three furlongs back. CUOMO: Do you think he helped Trump by galvanizing the anger of the

crowd. You just got here. Up until now, it's been we're really angry at Clinton. And now they were like, we're really angry at Cruz, because Trump is the guy. Do you think that maybe it helped him in a way?

COHEN: Yes, 100 percent. I think Ted Cruz galvanized the Republican Party last night with his behavior.

CUOMO: So it was supposed to be all about Mike Pence. Does the team feel that the vice-presidential nominee delivered? Was he the right choice?

COHEN: He was the right choice. He is a good man. He is going to be a tremendous help to the campaign, but more than that, not only did he steal the show last night, Mike Pence, Eric Trump, like the other Trump kids so far, Don Jr., tiffany, they've really shown the type of man that Donald Trump is. You see the, in Yiddish, this honor, this love for their father. This isn't fake. You can't fake this.

[08:10:06] And I see it every day when they come into the office. I could be sitting with Mr. Trump, the kids come in, you see the expression on Mr. Trump's face.

CUOMO: How did he not cry listening to these --

COHEN: I'm not a sensitive guy. I would have --

CUOMO: I mean, is it because they're a little --

COHEN: Can we cut the camera?

(LAUGHTER)

CUOMO: Is it because they're older now. Because you would see how moved he is before to hear them gush about him.

COHEN: Can you imagine the pride he must have when his children are talking, and it is from the heart. When Eric was like, "I love you so, so" -- he couldn't say "so" enough times. He really loves his father as does Ivanka and Don. I think Don knocked it out of the park as well. Tiffany talking about, you know, personal things. They're each very unique and different children, and yet there are similarities in them, which clearly runs in the Trump DNA.

CUOMO: That has been great no matter what else has happened at the convention, his family will be a memory for a lifetime.

So "The New York Times" comes out with a report that says let's see what happens. If Russia attacks a NATO ally, we've got to see how they've been in terms of their obligations to us. Mike Pence said in his speech something different, which makes Republican minds a lot calmer, which is we'll be good to our allies always always. Manafort came out, the campaign came out and said "New York Times" has it wrong. They're going to release transcripts. Does Trump believe that the obligation to defend NATO's allies is absolute? COHEN: Well, that I'm going to have to defer to the campaign, because

I don't want to speak on behalf of the campaign. We'll leave it for Paul Manafort.

CUOMO: Tonight, when he comes out there --

COHEN: It is going to be a homerun.

CUOMO: How do you know?

COHEN: Because I know Mr. Trump.

CUOMO: Prepared?

COHEN: He is prepared. He has it set up in his mind. He knows. He is not just an amazing orator, his presence, he is going to bring home this convention.

CUOMO: There's a lot of pressure on tonight, because the convention, this isn't exactly how he wanted.

COHEN: And I think he is the guy that is going to bring the convention to the absolute success that he wants it to be.

CUOMO: Will he be on the prompter or is he going to wing it?

COHEN: I think he'll be a combination of both.

CUOMO: How long do you think he goes?

COHEN: Are we doing an under/over?

CUOMO: Yes, 30 minutes.

COHEN: I'd say under 30.

CUOMO: Under 30?

COHEN: Yes. Slightly under 30.

CUOMO: Theme music on entry?

COHEN: I would hope so.

CUOMO: Queen again, "We are the champions?"

COHEN: I don't know. I'm not really good with music.

CUOMO: What do you mean, you've got nothing? You've got no idea what he's going to come in to? Any idea of entrance? He had the great screen, did you see how he came in on Monday. I thought it was a smoke machine. He said no. Chris Collins, they said no, it was a screen effect. No smoke machine, because I wanted to get one on the show.

COHEN: You should have one. CUOMO: Alisyn has it in her contract. No smoke machines. Literally,

I have to actually create smoke. Michael Cohen, thank you for being with us. Congratulations on the nomination.

COHEN: Everybody is proud of Mr. Trump and so will the American people.

CUOMO: It's good to have you.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: All right, guys, we're going to get to some breaking news right now, because we are following breaking news out of New York City. A police standoff shutting down one of the city's busiest areas. This is Columbus Circle. This is coming to an end, this standoff after several tense hours. CNN's Miguel Marquez is live in our New York newsroom with all of our breaking details. Miguel, what happened?

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it happens to be happening right below CNN headquarters here in New York, extraordinarily intense hours for the police here in New York. It started around midnight when somebody in a silver SUV threw a suspicious object. It was a candle wrapped in tinfoil with some glass as well at a police officer into a police van. They then tracked this person up to Columbus Circle, just a few blocks away, and then it turned into this standoff that would just not stop.

Police surrounded this vehicle for many hours. They had it boxed in right at that intersection as you're looking at right now. They were finally able to end this using a robot to break out the windows of the car. They tried to put a camera, with a speaker into that car to try to negotiate and to talk to this person. They were unable to do that. Police say they tried to contact the person's family as well, were unable to do that. They were finally able to take him into custody off on a stretcher, and to a local hospital to be checked out. Alisyn?

CAMEROTA: OK, Miguel, thank you. Keep monitoring that for us and we'll check back.

CUOMO: Thank God it ended that way.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

CUOMO: So we're going to get back here to the news of the convention. You and I have switched seats. Do you feel different in that position?

[08:15:00] CAMEROTA: What do you mean we've switched seats? I didn't notice that.

CUOMO: Yes, you are now sitting in Cuomo seat.

(LAUGHTER)

CAMEROTA: Very aggressive now.

CUOMO: I find you aggressive and offensive.

CAMEROTA: And I interrupt you.

CUOMO: And I feel very beautiful.

CAMEROTA: That's fantastic.

CUOMO: So, tonight is a big, big night. What's going to happen next coming out of this convention. We've got governor Mike Pence, big night last night. The party is excited about him. So what happens on the trail?

We have a Republican senator that is going to give us his take on how this campaign will work, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. MIKE PENCE (R-IN), VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: You know, he is a man known for a large personality. A colorful style, and lots of charisma. So, I guess he was looking for some balance on the ticket.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Vice Presidential Nomine Mike Pence, stepping into the spotlight last night, showing a little humor and delivering a strong speech, after Ted Cruz roiled the convention by not endorsing Trump. Pence is calling for the party unite, but can that happen.

Joining us now is chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Republican senator from Mississippi, Roger Wicker. He has endorsed Donald Trump.

Senator, thanks so much for being here.

I hope you've had some breakfast and coffee. We have some.

That was funny. Mike Pence says, you know, I'm the counterpart with somebody with a big personality.

[08:20:00] I'm the opposite basically.

SEN. ROGER WICKER (R), MISSISSIPPI: You know, I served with Mike Pence in the House. He came there with a pretty big presence, rose to the leadership pretty quickly and readily, and people paid attention to him when he spoke. He makes sense. So, I think that's a little self-deprecating.

But Mike Pence is going to do fine. He can step into the presidency at a moment's notice.

CAMEROTA: He can push back at Donald Trump?

WICKER: Well, I think they compliment each other. And I think -- I think he is -- he is more into the weeds on issues, because you have to be as a member of the House, as a member of the House leadership, and somebody who has such a good record in economic development.

So, I think it's a good team.

CAMEROTA: Did you think that he was overshadowed by Ted Cruz last night?

WICKER: Well, I think it is a big story. The fact that Donald Trump was gracious enough to let three of his opponents have primetime on the next to the last night of a national convention I thought spoke volumes about how comfortable Donald Trump is with his position and how free he felt just to let them go on and say what they wanted to say.

CAMEROTA: What did you think about what Ted Cruz said?

WICKER: Well, I wish he had endorsed Donald Trump. I like Marco Rubio's speech better. I like Scott Walker's speech better.

CAMEROTA: Did you think Ted Cruz --

WICKER: So I was disappointed. But I don't think anybody was particularly surprised. It did create a bit of suspense. And the Trump campaign apparently knew two hours beforehand.

CAMEROTA: You think they read the speech, you believe?

WICKER: I believe that when they say it, yes. Of course, at that point they had no choice. But I think they were very comfortable. To me, it makes Donald Trump look gracious, and I think after day or two, it will turn out to be a plus.

CAMEROTA: Donald Trump has given an interview to the New York about his feelings about NATO. Basically he believes there should be some conditions for the U.S. participation in defending NATO allies. What do you think about that?

WICKER: We're going to keep our NATO treaty agreements.

CAMEROTA: You don't believe there should be any condition?

WICKER: I am member of the Armed Services Committee. Before that, I was in the Foreign Relations Committee. We have been harping for years on the obligation, the agreed obligation of our NATO allies to devote 2 percent of their GDP to national defense. Some of them have not done that.

In recent years, and in light of all that's been coming down the pike in terms of threats to the west and threats to NATO allies, they've been trying to get closer to that 2 percent. Some of them are making it. The United Kingdom exceptionally does pretty well there.

So, we have been harping on them to fulfill their part of the agreement. But we're going to defend the Baltic countries against Russia.

CAMEROTA: Even if they don't fulfill their agreement? That's what Donald Trump was suggesting.

WICKER: We're going to continue to work with them and we are going to fulfill our obligation to these countries, who would be victims (ph) of this -- against a Putin push. We're going to do that. And I think at the same time, we're going to continue harping, as I've done, they need to do their part, they need to spend at least 2 percent of their GDP on defense.

CAMEROTA: Do you think -- let me read to you a little bit of the transcript of what Donald Trump said, just so you can tell me if you think this is dangerous, as some have suggested. One of the New York Times reporters, can they count on the U.S. if they were attacked by Russia and count on us fulfilling our obligations. Donald Trump says have they filled their obligations to us. If they fulfill their obligations to us, the answer is yes. So, again, conditional.

Do you think that's dangerous making that suggestion?

WICKER: You know, what I think is dangerous -- I think what's dangerous is eight years of the Obama/Clinton foreign policy. Where we had these -- where actually George W. Bush handed them a surge that had worked in Iraq. Because the president and secretary of state wanted to chalk up an accomplishment, they abandoned those gains, and we abandoned an ally. Now, that's the sort of thing that makes people who counted on the United States wonder if we're going to be there.

CAMEROTA: But some people believe that is what Donald Trump is suggesting, abandoning NATO.

WICKER: I think Donald Trump will make it clear that we're part of NATO, it is an important alliance. And at the same time, we're going to keep insisting, as I say, that they fulfill their part of the bargain as we continue to fulfill our part of the bargain.

CAMEROTA: Senator, thanks so much. Great to have you here on NEW DAY.

[08:25:00] WICKER: Glad to be here.

CAMEROTA: Thanks for being here.

WICKER: All right. It is the last night of the Republican convention. So what will Donald Trump say to bring Republicans together? Our panel weighs in on his big night, that's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: It is the final night of the Republican National Convention here in Cleveland, where Chris and I have been all week.

So, what will the much anticipated speech from Donald Trump say? What will he do tonight, and how will it all impact the Democrats when they start their convention on Monday?

Let's discuss this with CNN political commentator and senior contributor for "The Daily Caller", Matt Lewis, and CNN political analyst and host of "The David Gregory Show" podcast, David Gregory.

David, what will you be looking for tonight?

DAVID GREGORY, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, this is about party unity. It's about Trump trying to speak beyond the convention hall, to answer questions, to really answer the reservations that voters have about him.

He is in the mood of trying to create some addition. He's got a base of support here. There's obviously big riffs in the party. We saw that. We've been talking about it with Ted Cruz.

Here, he wants to speak to a wider audience and make the argument, that yes, he is different. Yes, there are a lot of downsides to him that we see in the polls, and he is risky in the eyes of a lot of people, but that it's worth the risk.