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New Day

Protests Continue in Charlotte; First Presidential Debate Tonight; Interview with Reps. Chris Collin and Kathleen Rice. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired September 26, 2016 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00] CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Another situation that we're monitoring this morning is what's happening in Charlotte. Protesters there vowing to continue marching through the streets demanding justice for Keith Scott's death. However, we still don't have a clear idea, not even close, to what actually happened, even though Charlotte police released dash and body cam video of the shooting and revealed a gun was recovered at the scene.

Joining us now is Amere May, Sr., founder of Abundant Faith Word Church in Charlotte.

Reverend, thank you for joining us.

The emotions of people are going up and down. I think the rain has done more than anything they've learn so far to quiet this situation, at least overnight. Where are people in terms of believing that what happened here was justified?

AMERE MAY, SR., FOUNDER, ABUNDANT FAITH WORD CHURCH: Thank you for having me.

People are frustrated. People are psychologically traumatized by what they have seen about the murders, of killings of black men. A lot of people are trying to justify or minimize the pain that a lot of African-Americans are feeling psychologically. It's a reality. We're seeing it on video cams. We're seeing it on police dash cams. We're seeing it on our iPhones. We're seeing it on all types of media all over the world where innocent black men are getting gunned down in the streets. Not only the street, but by law enforcement. And we have a group of individuals trying to minimize our negative realities. And that's causing more pain, it's causing more frustration.

And I was just out here on the front lines and I didn't understand the psychological traumatic effect until my wife called me and said, honey, would you please come home, in tears. Yesterday after our service at Abundant Faith Word Church, members were coming up to me, crying on my shoulder, said, pastor, I was nervous when the police got behind me and I thought they was going to stop me and I didn't know if I was going live or not. So we are feeling the pain of what's taking place in our communities.

CUOMO: So, obviously, justice demands that in the instant case, things are done the right way. In the interest of transparency, it was slow, but eventually Charlotte put out the video. And as is often the case, there are still a lot of questions there. But one of them seems to be getting a lot of attention, and I'm exactly sure why. I want your take on it. The idea of whether or not the victim had a gun. You hear the -- a policeman on one of the videos that was released saying gun, gun, gun. You know that the police came out and saying that a gun was recovered. Is that something that deserves this speculation? Do people just not believe the police, they don't believe a gun was there?

MAY: Throughout history there's been so many racial disparage and so many distrusts within the African-American community verses the police force. Over the course of history, we have often times seen that guns have been planted. We have seen where evidence has been planted. And at this juncture, in 2016, the true facts are that many African- Americans do not trust our law enforcement because of their lack of transparency, because of their lack of honesty. And I'm here to say all police officers are not bad. But there are still -- it's those few bad apples that destroys the bunch. And so what the frustration here is that we found one story, he had no gun a witness declared. The other story, the next week, he had a gun but he wasn't an immediate threat. Now the (INAUDIBLE) reports that he had just a holster.

You know, I -- I wrote a book -- "Overcoming Frustration." And even in that book, chapter 2, is, how do you overcome frustration? Don't minimize my pain or don't tell me my negative reality is not real. So that's what the police force have told us. That's what the community, other communities have told us that what we're going through is just a -- it's a fairy tale. But it's not a fairy tale. It is definitely a negative reality and we cannot kill our black men that are (ph).

What does it mean to be an immediate threat? What does it mean to be an immediate threat? We've seen no gun pointed at the police officer. What -- what deems an immediate threat?

CUOMO: Well, and that is exactly the question that hopefully the justice system will decide and what we all want is the transparency of that process. That's why we stay on this story.

Reverend, thank you very much forgiving us your perspective on NEW DAY, as always.

MAY: Thank you.

In closing, I'm asking our community --

CUOMO: No, before we started --

MAY: To stand down and be peace -- be at peace.

CUOMO: All right, and an important message, especially when emotions are high. Reverend, thank you very much.

Before we spoke to the reverend, we took you to Houston to tell you about an active shooting situation that's going on right now. We heard from the city saying they believe the situation is controlled. It's not easy to tell because this shooting happened in a large mall in Houston. This is live picture from there right now coming from an affiliate of ours, KPRC. And you see a lot of fire engines. Why? That is often the first wave of response to have emergency medical help for anybody inside.

We are getting word that the gunman is down. Who that person is, if there's more than one, why this was done, those are all opened questions. Of course, most important right now is who else was injured inside there. We'll get you information as soon as it comes in.

[08:35:11] Let's take a quick break. Stay with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: One of the few instances where the hype cannot be exaggerated. This moment tonight, Clinton and Trump for the first time one-on-one, it could be the biggest moment in this election. The three topics for tonight, America's direction, achieving prosperity and securing America, also known as everything.

[08:40:07] So, how are they going to take this on? Joining us now is CNN political analyst and former Clinton administration official Kirsten Powers, CNN political commentator S.E. Cupp, former governor of Michigan, Jennifer Granholm, she's senior advisor to the pro- Clinton super PAC Correct the record, and CNN political commentator and talk radio host for KABC, John Phillips.

So, the understanding of what I'm putting out there, which is, you can't over hype this, Powers. You can't. This is huge. This is the battle of the heavyweights.

FMR. GOV. JENNIFER GRANHOLM (D), MICHIGAN: It's true. Right up your ally.

CUOMO: After tonight, nothing will be the same. Is any of that too much?

KIRSTEN POWERS, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: No, I don't -- I mean I think everybody's very excited about this for good reasons. The question is, who's going to show up in terms of Donald Trump? And I think that that is going to determine a lot of what happens. And so if he shows up and he's boring and he doesn't get into any real arguments with her, then he's probably going to walk away and people are going to say that he won because there is this expectations that he's going to be bombastic. But if you watch the primary debates, you might remember, he usually doesn't attack people until he's been attacked. And so that's going to be up to Clinton, I think, if she's going to go after him and jab him and if he is going to be disciplined enough to attack her, then it could become probably a pretty exciting event.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: A very interesting theory. John, that leads me to yours because you believe that tonight Donald Trump's goal is to win over women. So doesn't he have to be the subdued Donald Trump in order to do that?

JOHN PHILLIPS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I thin to a certain extent he will. But look at this. This is the Super Bowl. This is Wrestle Mania. This is Chris Cuomo's birthday. We're talking about Mark Cuban being here, Gennifer Flowers being here.

CUOMO: That is a robust event.

PHILIPS: If they can find Andy Kaufman and Jimmy Hoffa, they'll be at the debate.

But you're exactly right, this is Donald Trump's opportunity to talk to women who voted for Mitt Romney, who have college educations, who live in places like Denver, who live in Philadelphia, who live in Pittsburgh. He is going to tailor every message that he has tonight to them. And he wants to look like the guy that was in Mexico. He wants to look like a world leader. He wants to look like someone who's capable of being president.

CUOMO: So, we haven't seen him in this position before, not just the weight of expectations, but just him and Clinton, one-on-one. There's no fading off. There's not getting a break and listening to these other fools fight. You and her, one-on-one. It changes the dynamic, no?

S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Absolutely. Look, there are things that are baked in the cake that are good for Trump here. The theme that you laid out, most voters think that the country's going in the wrong direction. They don't feel prosperous and they don't feel secure. That's advantage Trump; Her advantage, of course, is that she's experienced. She's done about 70 of these. She's over prepared, generally. She's probably got lists in her mind of attack points. And he, I think, is likely to wing it.

We'll have to see. She has one job tonight, I think, make him look dumb. I don't think it matters that he is a bully or a liar or a fraud. What -- what she is speaking to are undecideds and she has to make him look inadequately prepared and experienced. And he, on the other hand, has one job, and that's to make her look like more of the same. If I were him, I would repeat the same line over and over again, she just doesn't get it. That's his job. She has her job. We'll see if they kind of go off their sort of marks. But that's where I would come from if I were both of them.

CAMEROTA: So, governor, if, in fact, you believe that he's a counterpuncher and that he will only attack if provoked, is she going to poke the bear tonight?

GRANHOLM: Well, I think it depends. I mean he's -- I agree with Kirsten, he's going to show up and he's going to try to be respectable and boring and presidential. If that goes on too long, then she's going to -- she's going to go -- she has to. She has to sort of scratch where he most responds.

CAMEROTA: And what is that?

GRANHOLM: And what is he most respondent? He is very -- he's an insecure person to begin with. He's insecure when he's attacked about the thing that is most key to his identity, which is his business record, right? And there's so much material there. So if she goes after his competency, the bankruptcies, if she goes after Trump University, if she goes after outsourcing, if she goes after the foreign investments that he's got, that's going to get him riled up. She's got to -- she's got to do that.

But let me just say this. People are talking about the number of lies that he issued and whose job it is -- I know you guys have been talking about this -- to be the fact checker. It is not -- it is not fair to expect that she is going to be correcting every single falsehood that he says because she'll be wasting her time talking about him rather than presenting a positive vision. She's got to present a positive vision.

So, I do think that there is a responsibility on the part of the moderator and the responsibility on the part of all who are -- are watching and commenting afterwards to call him on those lies because I think that they -- you know, the fact checkers will be out there in force --

CAMEROTA: Yes, but --

GRANHOLM: But nobody's reading the Politifact articles --

[08:45:05] CUPP: But not -- not to mention, for Hillary Clinton, and this is why I say, like, she really shouldn't go after the lying. She's not a really credible vessel to call someone out on trustworthiness and truth.

GRANHOLM: Well, because the Republicans are doing such a great job.

CUPP: So I wouldn't --

GRANHOLM: But the actual facts are --

CUPP: It's not our fault that she's a liar, Jen.

GRANHOLM: Seventy-eight percent -- no, no, no, but that's --

CUPP: I mean she's the consummate, (INAUDIBLE) liar.

GRANHOLM: I mean, no, no -- no, that's just so wrong. That ticks me off. If you look at the --

CUPP: You should tell her that.

GRANHOLM: Statements that have been fact checked.

CUPP: You should tell her that.

GRANHOLM: No, no, come on, you look at the statements that have been fact checked. She gets wrong. Yes, it's bad, 23 percent of the time. He gets wrong 78 percent of the time.

POWERS: Well, yes, I mean --

GRANHOLM: She's considered, along with Barack Obama, among all of those that the fact checkers have checked on the two most honest politicians are her and Barack Obama. CAMEROTA: Yes.

GRANHOLM: So it really ticks me off.

(CROSS TALK)

CUPP: My -- but my point --

(CROSS TALK)

CAMEROTA: Do you see -- do you see her and Trump the same?

CUPP: But my point is, my point is, these are two of the least trusted politicians to run for president. So, for her --

GRANHOLM: Yes. Yes, because Republicans have done a really good job of making her --

CUPP: It's not -- it's not our fault, Jen. She's lied.

GRANHOLM: No, no, lady (ph).

CUPP: She's lied on public record. She's lied a lot.

GRANHOLM: Yes, but --

CUPP: But this is just not the area that I would go to if I'm her with these records high lack of trust numbers.

GRANHOLM: Yes, it's just on a couple of things, though. I think --

CUPP: I would go on his lack of experience.

GRANHOLM: Yes, no, I agree with you on this.

CUPP: Because there she actually can offend (ph) her record.

GRANHOLM: I agree with you on that, but I think there are a couple of key lies that she cannot let go. You know, the lies, you know, if he says that she started the birth movement. That kind of garbage, she's got to calm him on that, or the moderator does.

CUPP: Sure. Sure..

GRANHOLM: But she can't spend her whole time on (INAUDIBLE).

CUPP: I agree.

CUOMO: All right, the last goes to, John.

PHILLIPS: Yes. Going to the attack on him as a businessman, I think that's very risky. In the CNN polls that just came out from Colorado and Pennsylvania, voters trust him on the economy. If she goes there and solidifies his identification as a businessman, that really helps him.

GRANHOLM: Yes, but six bankruptcies? I mean (INAUDIBLE) ---

CAMEROTA: There's -- OK. Kirsten, your thoughts?

POWERS: Yes. I don't -- look, I think that he -- just to this point about the lying. I mean "The New York Times" just did a one week look at things that he said. They found 31 just straight up untruth in them.

GRANHOLM: In one week.

POWERS: Sorry, Hillary Clinton's not doing that. It's not the same thing. And so, you know, the idea that we're going to put these people on the same level I think is completely wrong. And she's going to have to figure out a way -- she cannot just stand there and let him just say things that aren't true. I -- I --

CUOMO: But that's the beauty of tonight is that, you're right, there's a lot of mud that's been thrown around.

POWERS: Yes.

CUOMO: Both of these people, they are the historically lowest trusted people we've had at this point. However, tonight, it changes because it's the first time you see them in direct comparison.

GRANHOLM: Yes.

CUPP: Right.

CUOMO: That can change everything with 100 million sets of eyeballs on it.

CAMEROTA: Absolutely, and the 90 minutes of stamina that it takes to, you know --

GRANHOLM: Totally.

CAMEROTA: Say your own policy, as well as balance the other (INAUDIBLE).

CUOMO: We'll even watch half of it because this is a big moment.

CAMEROTA: Yes, we will.

Panel, thank you very much for previewing this feistiness of it for us.

GRANHOLM: All right.

CAMEROTA: We do want to stay on top of breaking news for you, though, because there is -- has been a shooting in Houston at a strip mall there. Police have just given us an update. There is a neighborhood on lockdown. So we will give you all of the latest details on this, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [08:51:39] CAMEROTA: All right, we want to update you now on the breaking news that we brought you a short time ago. This is out of Houston. You're looking at live pictures here from the aerial chopper camera. Police say that officers shot a gunman who opened fire near a shopping center in Houston. Officers believe there are no other suspects involved. Several people, though, have been shot. The severity of their injuries is unknown at this hour. Police say they believe the scene is contained. CNN will have much more on this breaking story throughout the morning for you as we get more details.

CUOMO: All right, let's get back to what we're covering here at Hofstra University, the site of the big moment of this election. Clinton and Trump taking the stage tonight. Let's take a look at the best and worst moments from past debates for some clues about what they'll do head up tonight.

We have Representative Kathleen Rice, Democrat from New York. She's also on the committee on homeland security and supports Hillary Clinton. Also here, Representative Chris Collins, Republican from New York and co-chair Trump House Leadership Committee.

Good to have you both here with us today.

REP. CHRIS COLLINS (R), NEW YORK: Good to be with you.

REP. KATHLEEN RICE (D), NEW YORK: Good to be here.

CUOMO: So, let's take a look. There is no giving an approximation of what you'll get one on one tonight. We haven't seen it before, so there's going to be some surprise. But let's look at each for a little bit of an indication of what we could see. Let's start with Clinton. We'll see -- let's show what worked for her and then what has not worked for her as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LINCOLN CHAFEE (D), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Credibility is an issue out there with the world. And we have repair work to be done. I think we need someone that has the best in ethical standards as our next president. That's how I feel.

ANDERSON COOPER, MODERATOR: Secretary Clinton, do you want to respond?

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: No.

COOPER: This year has been the year of the outsider in politics. Just ask Bernie Sanders. Why should Democrats embrace an insider like yourself?

CLINTON: Well, I can't' think of anything more of an outsider than electing the first woman president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: OK. So, congresswoman, those work -- you know, see, that first one where she just said no and smiled, short and sweet and it got the point across.

RICE: And quite refreshing given the fact that most politicians don't answer questions that bluntly and that clearly. So, look, she's very seasoned. I actually think this is a debate that's going to be Trump's to lose. He's a performer. He spent his entire life as a performer. This is the kind of setting that he should play to. That would be -- would play to his strengths, such as they are. And I think you'll see Hillary be as confidence as she is -- has been in all of her pervious debates.

CAMEROTA: What did you think about what our producers identified as the bad moment. Instead of acknowledging Bernie Sanders outsider and the feeling for the public for being tired of politicians and wanting somebody to shake it up, her trying to claim the mantle as an outsider?

CUOMO: Well, they're using it all so as her playing the woman card. This is something that came up about her.

RICE: Well, the fact is that she is a woman and this is a historic election. I don't think there's anything wrong with pointing that out. I mean you can sit here and talk about insiders, outsiders. Donald Trump wants to act like he is an outsider and yet he has been in the political process, not as a politician but as a donor to politician, someone who was giving to get access for his businesses. So, you know, it's easy to say insider, outsider, but she would make history as the first woman ever elected.

CUOMO: All right, let's play good and bad here and get your take, congressman.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Obviously, the war in Iraq is a big fat mistake, all right? The war in Iraq, we spent $2 trillion, thousands of lives, we don't even have it.

[089:55:10] George Bush made a mistake. We can make mistakes. But that one was a beauty. We should have never been in Iraq. We have destabilized the Middle East.

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), FLORIDA: But now he's repeating himself.

TRUMP: No, I'm not repeating. No, no, no, no, no, I watched him repeat himself five times four weeks ago and I want to tell you --

RUBIO: I saw you repeat yourself five time five seconds ago.

TRUMP: It was a meltdown. I watched it.

RUBIO: And he says five things, everyone's dumb --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Senator Rubio --

RUBIO: He's going to make America great again.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Senator Rubio --

RUBIO: We're going to win, win, win. He's winning in the polls.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Senator Rubio, please.

TRUMP: It's all true.

RUBIO: And the lines around the space (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Please --

TRUMP: It's all true.

RUBIO: Every night, the same thing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: When you size up Trump, his greatest strengths can often be his greatest weakness. What do you want to see tonight?

COLLINS: We want to see President Trump. And when it comes down to the issues, we need to reunite America. One America, which is one of his themes. And commenting on what you had earlier said about Hillary Clinton, that she stands up and says, vote for me because I'm a woman, I think that's shameful. When Barack Obama goes to the Black Caucus and says, vote for me because I'm black and we need to protect my legacy. What happened to the most qualified candidates. Voting based on qualifications, instead of, vote for me because I'm a woman. I think --

CAMEROTA: But she's not saying that. She's not saying vote for me because I'm a woman.

COLLINS: Well, her supporters are. We just heard it here on this set. It's --

RICE: Well, no, that's not what I said, Chris. What I said was --

COLLINS: To say the first woman -- it doesn't matter. We want the single most qualified person to be president. It is Donald Trump. It's (INAUDIBLE).

CUOMO: But that is often something that's argued by the person who doesn't represent something that would be a first, right? When Hillary Clinton was running against Obama as, you know, in the primary, there was this weird tension between, well, I'm a first, I'll be the first woman. Yes, but he's the first black. That might be a bigger deal in history. You know, --

COLLINS: Well, the country wants an outsider. We -- they -- two-third of Americans say we're going in the wrong direction.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

COLLINS: We see it time and again, the tragedies again today. The unrest in America. Donald Trump is the change agent who will make America safe again, will make American one again.

CAMEROTA: Last word, you're not saying elect her because she's a woman.

RICE: No, I think it's obvious you have to point out that she is a woman, Chris. You would agree with that. And this is a historic election. But if you talk about who has had the more substance policy proposals, there's no question it's Hillary Clinton. She has to address the woman issue. Other people bring that up.

COLLINS: Well, we can agree to disagree on that, when it comes to policy.

RICE: Well, we can and we do. And we do, that's true.

COLLINS: Yes, we do.

RICE: But she has been very substantive in the policies that she has put forth and I think she has rightly addressed the issue that she would be making history in this race.

CAMEROTA: Congressman Rice, Congressman Collins, thank you very much.

COLLINS: Good to be with you both.

RICE: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: We'll all be watching tonight. Thanks for being here.

COLLINS: OK.

CAMEROTA: All right, CNN's debate coverage will continue throughout the day on "Newsroom" with Carol Costello right after this very quick break. Chris and I will see you tomorrow.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:00:04] CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning. And thank you so much for joining me live from Hofstra University and Long Island, New York, the site of the first presidential debate. You can feel the excitement already, let me tell you.