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Trump & Clinton Attack Each Other On Race; Trump To Deliver Immigration Speech On Wednesday As Questions Loom; Gun Violence Hits Home For NBA Star Dwyane Wade; Chicago's Gun Violence Epidemic. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired August 29, 2016 - 07:30   ET

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

REP CARLOS CURBELO (R), FLORIDA: Some parts of our local area down here have already taken a hard hit because of the advisories that the CDC has had to put out.

[07:30:00] So we want to make sure that the government has all the resources at its disposal to fully fund this response to Zika and make sure that it doesn't get out of control.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Congressman Curbelo, thanks so much for being on NEW DAY.

CURBELO: Thank you, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: Let's get to Chris.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right, they're talking about Donald Trump and guess what, he's going to speak for himself. He's going to take out all the stops to win over African-American voters, he says. But our next guest is questioning Trump's sincerity, so will this new outreach to blacks make an impact? Let's debate it, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Nothing means more to me than working to make our party the home of the African-American vote, once again. It used to be.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[07:35:00] CUOMO: Donald Trump ramping up his pitch to black voters with a visit to a black church in Detroit on Saturday. Is it too late, only 71 days before the election? Some critics question whether he's being sincere. One of them is sitting right next to me now, U.S. Congressman Gregory Meeks. He's a Democrat and a Hillary Clinton supporter. Congressman, it's good to have you here.

REP. GREGORY MEEKS (D), NEW YORK: Good being with you.

CUOMO: So, you don't buy it?

MEEKS: Not at all. CUOMO: Why?

MEEKS: By his own words, you know. There's no solutions, there's no -- and you look at who he has been, what he has done. The words that he utilized in this campaign from the very beginning. He is starting out -- when Barack Obama was elected president, why was he not an American citizen according to Trump? I think because of the color of his skin.

CUOMO: Do you think that there was a racial component to the birther movement?

MEEKS: There's no question in my mind about that.

CUOMO: What do you think when he swings the stick back and says Hillary Clinton started the birther movement? Do you buy that?

MEEKS: No, I don't buy it all. To me, when you see and you hear Donald Trump, you know, he talks and goes back and forth, he started conning people. That's what's happening now, he's a con man. He conned his way to the nomination of the Republican Party and that's why --

CUOMO: But he says the same thing about your party. He says Democrats have been in control of these cities. The situations are still unacceptable in so many of them. How do you not hold the Democrats to account for what happened and give us a chance, instead?

MEEKS: But look, let's look at the facts. If you look at the facts and you see the unemployment rates, for example, with African- Americans, which is far too high under anybody, but still, we've been better on the Democrats. See, to me, it is an insult to the African- American community, saying that we don't know how to vote.

When if you look at the African-American community it always votes its interest. And you can go back from the 60's where we began to have the right to vote. African-Americans voted, and votes Democrat in this particular instances, because Democrats have put positions together that support where they want to go.

CUOMO: But the continuation of despair in inner cities -- white, black, green, yellow. I mean, people who live in impoverished conditions in inner cities are living in a way that is still unacceptable. And isn't there something there for Donald Trump or for the Republican Party to make some hay out of it and say look, how can we not do better for you than they've done? Look at the levels.

MEEKS: I think what we've got to do -- and we've got make sure that we do more about poverty in America because you could say the thing about Appalachia --

CUOMO: Yes.

MEEKS: -- that there's a huge poverty. Those are Republicans. So then the argument would be that then you should not vote for any Republicans in Appalachia because they have not done anything for them. America has to do a better job on poverty and making sure that we're preparing people for the economy that we have for today and tomorrow.

CUOMO: When Donald Trump says you walk down the street, you get shot in your communities, there's been a real revulsion among Democrats when he says that. What is wrong with making a case to African- Americans that they should be safe in their own communities, the crime rates are too high -- disproportionately high? Why does it bother Democrats when Trump says that about African-Americans?

MEEKS: Well, number one, it's because he is using the typical stereo -- the stereotypical aspect of who and what African-Americans are and that's why I said he has been playing to the individuals who want the worst out of our society. He's playing to a stereotypical image in a predominantly white audience to say you come support me because those blacks over in these communities -- they are not -- they are lazy -- and they have records of where he's said that before. They are unemployed, they are all criminals.

Just basically the same thing he has said about Mexicans when he began his campaign in the first place. The same stereotypical types of statements that has come out of his mouth time and time again about whether it's African-Americans, whether it's Mexicans, whether it's Muslims, it's the same thing.

CUOMO: He swings back by saying Hillary Clinton called young blacks superpredators. Now, they just did a fact-check online. This independent organization said she was talking about -- PolitiFact said she was talking about gang members in places like Chicago and how they needed to be addressed. And she said, in context, they're superpredators and we're not talking about just kids, we're talking about these gang members.

Why does she take so much heat from African-American leadership, even in your own party, for having said that if she said it in that context and it seems to be what everybody's saying about what's going on in Chicago?

MEEKS: Well, I think that if you take individuals, especially those that were around at that time and living at that time because a lot of this, I think, is taken out of the context of what was going on at the time. So a lot of that was -- I was just having a conversation with someone in the green room because I believe in the "Black Lives Matter". The issues that they're raising are very important.

[07:40:00] But many of them were not alive in 1996 or the 90's, living through what was going on then, to understand the context of which she was talking about as many folks in the community because if you talk about Chicago, you talk about many folks in the community, they seem to -- enough is enough.

So, the new police chief in Chicago was saying that he's looking for other ways to try to make sure that some individuals who are continuously committing crimes, that they are not released. But we've got to redo and relook how we're doing things. Now, Donald Trump's response, what we've heard thus far, is give

everybody guns so the answer in Chicago surely is not more guns. And if you listen to Donald Trump, at least from what he has talked about earlier, it's everybody should have a gun, so that's not going to be the answer, clearly, in Chicago or anyplace else and there's no real solutions or policies coming out of Donald Trump's mouth with reference to --

As Hillary Clinton, I can tell you here as a senator from New York, when she working with the Eagle Academy to try to make sure young boys are getting a proper education. She's talking about vocational schools to give people skills. There's some vast differences between the two and I think African-Americans understand that and that's why Donald Trump is at one percent.

CUOMO: Congressman Gregory Meeks, appreciate you being on the show.

MEEKS: Good to be with you, Chris.

CUOMO: Always -- Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: All right, so where is Donald Trump on deportation? Last week he seemed to be softening his stance but then insisted he was not softening. Our panel tells us what they'll be looking for in Trump's upcoming speech.

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[07:45:15] CAMEROTA: Donald Trump says he'll unveil specific policy proposals for his immigration plan in Arizona on Wednesday. So, will Trump's plan include deporting all 11 million undocumented immigrants, as he said in the past, and what about questions on the other side? Those questions that are surrounding Hillary Clinton and her family's foundation.

Let's discuss all of it with our political panel. We have CNN political commentator and Donald Trump supporter, Kaleigh McEnany. And CNN political commentator, Democratic strategist, and Hillary Clinton supporter, Maria Cardona. Ladies, great to have you here.

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Good morning, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: Kayleigh, let me start with you. Will Donald Trump clarify his plan on deportation this Wednesday in his speech?

KAYLEIGH MCENANY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I think he'll be saying what he's been saying all throughout the primary and since he entered this race, which is there is no amnesty, no one is getting citizenship unless the follow the rule of law and they go back to Mexico first, or wherever they come from, and then come back in the country the right way.

CAMEROTA: Every single -- so every single one of the 11 plus million undocumented immigrants will have to leave the country?

MCENANY: In order to get citizenship, absolutely. CAMEROTA: Yes, because there won't be -- you're putting a caveat in there that he didn't put in there during the primary. He said they all have to go, they all have to go, they all have to go. We'll have a deportation force, they'll all get out. He meant deporting all of them, citizenship or no citizenship. Does that stand this week?

MCENANY: What he has said this week is he's listed his priorities. With any major policy, be it Obamacare or health care, you don't get all of your agenda done. What you do is you set priorities and he's navigating this like a CEO, which is what I believe Mike Pence said.

Which is number one, he's going to make sure that people following the rule of law. Number two, he's going to put a wall up. Mexico is paying for it. Number three, he's going to make sure American workers are prioritized over those who are not in this country legally. He's setting priorities. That may be the last priority but his priorities are those that reflect the voters he's speaking to. And the president should, after all, reflect the voters.

CAMEROTA: Maria, he has said that he's going to do this in a humane way. In fact, the word humane was used many times this weekend. What is the humane way to deport people?

CARDONA: That is the question, Alisyn. What does that mean? That there will be cushions on the buses and they'll get milk and cookies on the way to the border? Who knows? I am very curious to see what Donald Trump says in his speech because he has been in a huge conundrum ever since he became this general election candidate when he realized that he needed to get additional support from Hispanic voters, from women, from moderate Republicans.

And that is why he supposedly talked about softening his stance, which we now see is not really softening his stance. That he's going back to his priority of deporting all of the 11 or 12 million undocumented immigrants. But who knows how he's going to do that?

You know, one of the things that I think we should all be very clear about is that Donald Trump has no idea how immigration law works. He talks about enforcing the existing laws and then he says if people want to get citizenship and get right with the law they have to go back to their home country and then we'll bring them back in an expedited way.

Guess what? That doesn't exist. If you are here without documents and you go back to your home country you cannot do anything for the next 10 years. So again, we're talking about a candidate who is clueless on immigration policy. He has his finger up in the wind to make sure he doesn't lose hardcore supporters who supported him because of his draconian stance, and he wants to try to attract moderates.

CAMEROTA: OK.

CARDONA: It's just not going to happen.

CAMEROTA: So, Kayleigh, I see you shaking your head. But what is -- can you answer that? What is humane deportation? What would that look like?

MCENANY: Well, first of all, I think it's inhumane -- the fact that we ignore people who are in Mexico, in these Latin American countries who have relatives here who want to come into this country but they can't do so. They're being displaced, essentially, by illegal immigrants coming into this country. We forget the people waiting to go through the process correctly.

And you want to talk about clueless immigration policy, Maria? I'm sorry, but we have to go back to the Obama administration who last year alone, according to ICE, released 20,000 criminals, 200 of which have murder convictions, 800 of which had sexual offenses. That is under this president. Hillary Clinton will continue those policies.

And you guys owe an explanation to Kate Steinle's parents why sanctuary cities protected an illegal immigrant who ended up killing a beautiful young girl who deserved a chance at life.

CAMEROTA: Do you want to respond to that, Maria?

CARDONA: Yes, I do because Kayleigh continues to bring up this figure and the fact of the matter is, is that under both the George W. Bush administration and the Obama administration there are some convicted criminals who have been released, but guess why? It is because many of them -- most of them, in fact -- have actually served their sentence here in the U.S. jails.

In addition, many others have been forced or have been granted release by immigration judges and immigration courts. Additionally, there are various countries -- China, Cuba, Vietnam, who don't accept deportation, who don't accept removals back to their own home countries.

[07:50:00] So again, cluelessness when it comes to real immigration law. What we are really facing in terms of the solutions that are needed -- yes, we need more coordination between ICE and federal law enforcement and local law enforcement to make sure that criminals aren't out on the streets -- undocumented immigrants aren't out on the street. But that's not what Donald Trump is talking about. He talks in platitudes, not real solutions.

CAMEROTA: Ladies, thank you for that debate. And I did promise our viewers that we would get to questions still surrounding the Clinton Foundation. We want to give a lot of time to that so we will move that to our 8:00 hour. Kayleigh, Maria, thank you very much for all of that.

MCENANY: Thank you.

CARDONA: Thanks so much, Alisyn.

CUOMO: Gun violence hits close to home for NBA superstar Dwyane Wade. He tweeted, "enough is enough" after his cousin was killed. But will his call for help lead to change, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) CUOMO: Dwyane Wade speaking out against gun violence, tweeting "enough is enough" after losing his cousin in what he called another senseless act of violence. Two men were charged on Sunday. Dwyane Wade's cousin is just one of at least nine people killed in Chicago just this weekend. Forty others have been wounded just this weekend.

Joining us right now is Kenny Williams. He's the executive vice president of the Chicago White Sox. He's also a friend of Dwyane Wade and his mother. Kenny, my condolences to your friend and his family. I'm sorry to have to talk to you under these circumstances. How are they doing, as far as you know?

[07:55:00] KENNY WILLIAMS, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, CHICAGO WHITE SOX, FRIEND OF DWYANE WADE AND MOTHER: Well, you know, I have not spoken with either one but I will say this. The elegance that she has shown, that the family has shown -- the forgiveness level is unbelievable. I'm not so sure in the same circumstances that I could be so forgiving but that's just a testament to the type people that you're talking about.

And, you know, for it to happen to this family on the heels of a panel in which we're trying to have discussion to help the cause is just tragic. And, you know, a mother -- children are without a mother and you just -- the pain that I see --

Every Monday morning, Chris -- every Monday morning I wake up here in Chicago and I see the pain on mother's faces and you see the statistics come in of how many people have been shot, much less murdered, it's just sobering beyond belief.

CUOMO: Well, and it's something that I know even her mother, in her time of pain, has been very sure to mentionthat Nykea -- it's something that is personal and singular to that family but she does not represent something unique to the situation in Chicago.

And you have said that even her death should not be the straw that broke the camel's back. That should have happened long go. You reference that 7-year-old boy that died recently. But as we both know, this has been going on for decades.

They thought they'd get rid of Cabrini-Green and the Robert Taylor Homes and that somehow the gang problem -- the gun violence would go away. It's only gotten worse. What do you think the role is for athletes in a situation like this? Stars like Dwyane Wade?

WILLIAMS: Well, you know, let's take just a step back here because I think that there's a role for everyone to play. I think now that -- and it was a courageous act, in my opinion, for those four men -- speaking of Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul --

CUOMO: Sure.

WILLIAMS: -- Lebron, and it was a courageous act --

CUOMO: And Carmelo. WILLIAMS: -- for them to get up -- and Carmelo, right -- to get up and to express their views at a time where we're not used to seeing this. So I'm really proud of the young people that are now stepping forward to do that.

But in addition to that, I think it's gotten to the point to where the rhetoric is what it is and it has been that. You just refrended the statistics going back years and years. Well, I think now it has come to the place where these cities, and especially this city, are starting to recognize that it's a stain on the entire city. It's not just a South Side thing, it's not just a West Side thing, it's a city of Chicago thing.

And there are some great stories coming out of the city of Chicago that some superstars that aren't on the athletic field that are in programs called -- you know, BAM is one of them. The president served on one of the councils.

The owner of the Chicago White Sox and the Bulls just did one this Saturday, talking to young men about how they feel about the wholesituation. And some of them expressing it's hard enough for them to walk out their house and feel safe going to school, much less study when they get there.

So these programs and others like them -- there's a school called Urban Prep here. It graduates 100 percent of its students. One hundred percent go on to college. These are getting left behind in the shadows. These stories are not being told because we're so inundated with these Monday morning statistics of murder. And I would just love to wake up one morning -- one Monday morning -- and feel and hear that no one's been shot, much less killed.

But the athlete's role in this, I think, is key because if you look back for -- to the Jackie Robinson era, and I'm fortunate to know Rachel Robinson and Sharon Robinson. I've served on panels with them and served on panels with Martin Luther King III, and Ambassador Attallah Shabazz, Malcom X's daughter. And one thing is common -- is a common thread here. Everyone's tired and everyone's ready to move on from the rhetoric and move on to actionable things.

And actionable things by my standard is a business plan. A city-wide business plan that's comprised of kind of a think tank where you incorporate the social aspects of it, the business aspects of it, and merge all of the things that -- the power or the resources you can to effectively go neighborhood by neighborhood and change the conditions for people. Not gentrification because that moves people out of that community.

CUOMO: Right, that was the mistake with Cabrini-Green --

WILLIAMS: Yes.

CUOMO: -- is that they just moved the poor people out of those big buildings and the gangs went right along with them. And now you have the gangs reached out like tentacles in the communities where they never had access before. Well, Kenny, the virtue of what you're saying to people is you're

speaking to the complexity of the dynamic. That it's not just about the violence, it's where the violence comes from and what makes it stop. And I'm sure for the family, nothing's going to replace who they lost.