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Turkey's President Blames ISIS For Wedding Attack; Giuliani: Proof Of Clinton Illness Is "Online"; Ryan Lochte: "I Over-Exaggerated That Story" Aired 6:30-7a ET
Aired August 22, 2016 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Terribly tragic story to tell you about. The death toll in the suicide bombing of a wedding party in Turkey now up to at least 53 people. The country's president telling reporters that he believes ISIS is to blame for the attack, and that the attacker was only 12 to 14 years old.
CNN's senior international correspondent, Ben Wedeman, is live in Turkey for us with the latest. What have you learned, Ben?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes, in addition to what the president said about the age of the bomber, we don't know whether it was a boy or a girl. We also know that investigators were able to find pieces of the suicide vest at the bomb site.
Now, in addition to the rising death toll, now up to 53, we heard this morning from a Turkish official that 22 of the victims are under the age of 14. So this really was a horrific event on so many different levels.
It's not the first time ISIS, if ISIS was involved as Turkish officials say, has used a child suicide bombers. In March, there was a similar attack where a child went to a football game in a town outside of Baghdad, blew himself up, killing dozens of children roughly his age.
Of course, ISIS does have this notorious unit called the "Cub of the Caliphates." These are people who are trained, brainwashed, given military training, and also training in how to be suicide bombers -- John.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN GUEST ANCHOR: All right, Ben, just horrifying pictures from there. Thanks so much.
Donald Trump supporter Rudy Giuliani saying Hillary Clinton's health is the issue in this campaign. He says just go look at the internet because the internet never lies about anything. What's going on here? That's next.
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[06:38:20] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUDY GIULIANI (R), FORMER NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: She has an entire media empire that constantly demonizes Donald Trump, fails to point out several signs of illness by her. All you have to do is go online --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Her campaign and other people defending her are saying there's nothing factual to the claims to her health. That's speculation at best.
GIULIANI: So go online and put down Hillary Clinton illness. Take a look at the videos for yourself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: All right. Wow. Donald Trump supporter Rudolph Giuliani not just trafficking innuendo about Hillary Clinton's health, but blaming the media for not trafficking an innuendo about Hillary Clinton's health.
So what's going on here? Why is he doing it? It's not just Giuliani. There were other Donald Trump supporters out there doing the same.
Joining us again Alex Burns, Philip Bump, Jackie Kucinich. Phil, let me start with you. Wow. Rudy Giuliani says go look at the internet because it's all clear.
PHILIP BUMP, POLITICAL REPORTER, "WASHINGTON POST": Right. Wow is correct. There's a great poll by Farley Dickinson back in May that found that Trump supporters were more likely than supporters of other candidates to believe in conspiracy theories.
This is a conspiracy theory. There are all these videos that are taken out of context to make Hillary Clinton look as though she has any range of illnesses. It's not really clear what the political value to this is.
It's not really clear that this will make any Hillary Clinton supporters rethink their votes if they believe these conspiracy theories to be true.
I'm not sure why it happens, but I'm not surprised that it comes from Trump and his supporters simply by virtue of the fact that they have demonstrated a willingness to believe such a thing.
CAMEROTA: Alex, has Hillary Clinton released her medical records?
ALEX BURNS, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: She has not released all the documentation that in her doctor's possession, but she's released -- a report she released a letter more recently --
[06:40:06]CAMEROTA: As much as former candidates have released.
BURNS: Sure. We have seen an eroding standard of transparency in a lot of ways with candidates' health and financial disclosures over time. But yes, she met the standard that modern presidential candidates typically need.
I have to say, I'm with Bill here in finding this kind of puzzling. Donald Trump has raised conspiracy theories in the past. He has done a lot of name calling.
Typically, it has played into some existing negative perception of a candidate. The idea of crooked Hillary reinforced the suspicion a lot of voters have that maybe she's not entirely on level, maybe she's not an entirely honest candidate.
I don't think I've encountered no evidence in talking to voters or reading polls that there's widespread concern about Hillary Clinton's physical toughness and ability to do the job.
BERMAN: There's no evidence. We have no evidence whatsoever that there are any lingering health issues here. The Clinton campaign has released as much or more as the Trump campaign. No, they haven't released every last medical document that exists, but certainly more than the Trump campaign has here, Jackie.
There are some people who do a lot of work. She thinks this is a sexist dog whistle. Essentially you talk about Hillary Clinton's stamina, saying she's tough enough. You're saying she's not a man.
JACKIE KUCINICH, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: That definitely could be part of it, but I tend to side with Phil and Alex on this, that this is a conspiracy theory. You had the AP reporter that was in the video that Sean Hannity was peddling around, had to write an article saying, I was there, that's not what happened.
So this has sort of gotten out of hand. The other interesting thing, you saw this happening with John McCain a little bit in 2008. It usually happens when there's a younger candidate campaigning against an older candidate. That's not the case here. So it really is, as you all out, a puzzling tactic that seems to be playing to the Donald Trump voters.
CAMEROTA: All right, let's look at their fundraising efforts and who's ahead at the moment. This is through July 31st. We can look at Clinton versus Trump here. She raised $275 million to his $91 million. She spent a lot more as well, $230 million to his $71 million.
We also have a new Clinton ad. Some of that money has gone to. So let's listen to this new ad that has just been released now. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm Hillary Clinton, and I approve this message.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): In times of crisis, America depends on steady leadership.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Knock the crap out of them, would you. Seriously.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Clear thinking.
TRUMP: I know more about ISIS than the generals do. Believe me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And calm judgment.
TRUMP: And you can tell them to go (inaudible) themselves.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because all it takes is one wrong move.
TRUMP: I would bomb the (inaudible) out of them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAMEROTA: OK. So Phil, that seems to be carrying along with the narrative that they have begun, which is that he's not fit.
BUMP: Yes. And that ad strikes me a lot like the 3:00 a.m. ad that was very famous during the 2008 campaign, but with a lot more to work with. You know, I mean, I think that one of the things we've seen repeatedly in polling that people are concerned about Donald Trump's fitness and temperament to be president.
That's something we constantly see a gap. Even while people think that both Clinton and Trump, neither of them is particularly trustworthy, they do see Clinton as having a better temperament. I think this ad plays directly to that.
BURNS: I think you have to listen at the end of that ad to the sound of a rocket being fired. There's all the other audio to listen to, but I think the key clip is that sound of a rocket being fired or a jet taking off.
You can almost sense the Clinton folks building up to the equivalent of that anti-Goldwater ad with the girl picking daisies followed by a nuclear explosion. That's what they are trying to evoke about Trump.
BERMAN: They got $80 million in ad spending between now and November 8th. So they're going to put a lot of money behind this and other efforts. All right, guys, thanks so much.
CAMEROTA: Well, American swimmer, Ryan Lochte apologizing for over- exaggerating about being robbed at gunpoint in Rio. Could Lochte lose millions in the endorsements that he has as well as his medals? We have a live report from Brazil next.
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[16:48:20]
CAMEROTA: Well, the Olympics in Rio have come to an end. The closing ceremony wrapped up Brazil's party for the world. But some partying, of course, by U.S. swimmer, Ryan Lochte -- did you like that segue way? Ryan Lochte and some other swimmers stole headlines for the final days of the competition.
Let's talk about what's next for all of them. We're joining by CNN correspondent, Coy Wire, and CNN sports analyst, Christine Brennan, who are live in Rio. Great to see both of you, as it has been for more than a week down there in Rio.
Christine, let's talk about the final chapter, maybe, in this Ryan Lochte saga. He admitted that he over-exaggerated. Let's listen to what he said this weekend to Matt Lauer about how this happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RYAN LOCHTE, U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMER: This is why I'm taking full responsibility for my actions because if I didn't over-exaggerate the story to what I said when I did it, when it first happened with Billy Bush and yourself, and I told you the full story, none of this would have happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAMEROTA: So Christine, this has been a teachable moment, certainly for our children, about how sometimes covering up for the crime is worse than the crime. What happens now to Ryan Lochte?
CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: Well, Alisyn, USA Swimming, the U.S. Olympic Committee, and the International Olympic Committee are all looking into this, whether there will be three separate suspensions for Ryan Lochte, maybe all just thrown together as one, other punishment.
Maybe the three other swimmers will be looked at as well, although I think we all agree they had a lesser role in this. Lochte is going to be suspended, my sources have told me that.
[06:50:03]It's tough for him because this long, drawn out apology, you know, it's been a week of kind of silence for five days and then one apology, then another, a new word over-exaggerated.
Michael Phelps showed how to do this. When you get in trouble, within 24 hours, which he did twice, Phelps did, one paragraph apology, take full blame, move on, and take your suspension. Lochte, of course, has done none of that.
COY WIRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And I'm curious to see how he's going to be treated by his peers. As a former NFL player, I can say that I can relate to this a bit. Say you're in the playoffs and you're trying to focus. This is the moment you've been preparing for.
It's the same thing here with these Olympians. All the sudden they have some knucklehead that does something that's taken all the attention away from all your hard work and accomplishments and your moment, even asking you questions about what you think about what this guy did.
So I'd hate to feel what those other athletes were probably feeling. Kudos to Gunnar Bentz, one of his teammates, one of those four swimmers. He came out with a statement, basically putting his foot down saying, no, no, no, this is what happened.
All that other craziness, I don't want to hear about it. He's thinking about his future. It was good of him to put his foot down and separate himself from Ryan Lochte and all of that madness.
BERMAN: Look, even I his fullest apology, he's still saying, you know, I was drunk, I'm not blaming the fact I was drunk, but man, I was drunk. Just listen to what he said here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOCHTE: It was still hours after the incident happened. I was still intoxicated. I was still under that influence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: So even there, Christine Brennan, it seems like Ryan Lochte can't fully own up to the fact he lied on TV.
BRENNAN: Well, John, absolutely. And of course then they were all interviewed by the U.S. Olympic Committee to try to get to the bottom of this hours later when we presume he wasn't drunk, and he lied.
You know, I think at some point -- I know we've talked about this for days on end. The gas station story we may never get. It's a he said, he said, who did what. The reality is Ryan Lochte and these other three, especially Lochte, 32 years old, you are representing the country. You know you have to be on your best behavior.
What can go on in a college fraternity is just not allowed at the Olympic Games. John, you know, we've worked Olympic Games together. It's different. For Ryan Lochte to lie to the U.S. Olympic Committee, then to leave the country and leave the other three behind, that may be worse than anything that happened at that gas station.
WIRE: I think we're seeing he's probably realizing he is at the end of his career. There's probably not going to be another Olympic games for him to redeem himself. He's thinking about sponsors. Ralph Lauren has already taken him off their website as one of their athletes. So I think he's starting to feel that and hang on in any way he can.
CAMEROTA: Christine, let's talk about the controversy or at least questions surrounding this South African runner who officials had questioned her gender. Has this been resolved?
BRENNAN: No, Alisyn. It's not. She's won the Olympic gold medal. Some of her competitors are very concerned about this. It's understandable as well. Here's my take on this.
Since 2009, the leaders of world sport, track and field and the International Olympic Committee, have known about this issue. They have let an athlete twist in the wind. They've said one thing, said another.
Semenya is not going to be the last athlete who has these issues about chromosomes. The fact they've had now seven years as leaders of sport and have not resolved this to the satisfaction of all the athletes is just another example of the lack of leadership.
We've seen it with the Russian doping thing. Here it is again. It's so unfortunate because the last people who deserve to twist in the wind are these athletes.
WIRE: She has boosted testosterone levels naturally. She's said, look, this is not my fault. There have been athletes in the past like this. They feel discriminated against. So it is really one of these issues that how can you move forward? What can you do about this because it won't be the last time?
But as Christine said, you got to have the leadership in place to address it immediately so there's a clear-cut plan for when this comes up in the future.
CAMEROTA: Particularly since the science actually does provide answers for this now. We actually do know that her testosterone level is three times that of what is normal. So we have the answers, and they need to now, you know, help the -- we have the answers to the questions.
Coy, Christine, thank you very much for all of your analysis. We'll talk with you later in the program.
BERMAN: We should say later in the 7:00 hour we're going to speak with U.S. swimming gold medalist, Maya Dirado. Looking forward to that.
CAMEROTA: Is Donald Trump ready to back off his hard line stance on immigration? That has been, of course, a signature of his entire campaign. So what happened this weekend that seemed to change it? We're going to talk with some of the Trump team about how he moves forward.
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[06:58:53]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TRUMP: This campaign is about giving a voice to those who don't have one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got to have new leadership in Washington.
TRUMP: We are going to end this chaos.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He has said we need a fair and humane way of dealing with 11 million illegal immigrants.
TRUMP: She's an insider fighting only for herself. I'm an outsider fighting for you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a damn shame. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a historic, unprecedented flood event.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It happened fast. It's sad. You do what you got to do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They let down our athletes. They let down Americans. They really let down our hosts in Rio.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm just grateful for the entire experience.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It has honestly been a dream come true, and it just keeps getting better.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CAMEROTA: Good morning, everyone. Welcome back to your NEW DAY. Chris is off this morning. John Berman joins me here in studio. Great to have you. We have a lot to talk about.
To be determined. That's the Trump campaign's new status or new plan to whether or not to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants. It seems to be a change in his stance, of course, on the immigration issue.
BERMAN: So is this deliberate? Is it a flip-flop? Is it an abandonment of his core campaign issue?
