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Pence and 47 Others on Board Plane Uninjured; Trump: Cancel the Election, Declare Me the Winner. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired October 28, 2016 - 07:00   ET

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

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Flying in from Fort Dodge, Iowa, the Trump campaign charter plane carrying the governor skidding off the runway upon landing at New York's LaGuardia Airport.

[07:00:10] ELIZABETH LANDERS, CNN PRODUCER: We were moving down the runway much more quickly than a plane should be going if it's landing.

FEYERICK: Investigators will be looking at a variety of factors, including weather. One law enforcement source telling CNN it appears Pence's plane came in too fast and landed too late on a rain-soaked runway. The plane was slowed, thanks to cement blocks installed at the end of the runway, preventing the plane from careening onto a major highway.

PATRICK FOYE, PORT AUTHORITY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: The plane ended up in the arrester bed at the end of the runway. Destroyed about 80 arrester bed blocks.

FEYERICK: The plane coming to a stop dangerously close to traffic. A safety layer on the runway torn up, avoiding a catastrophe.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Eastern, stop, stop. Go around, go around. JetBlue 1640.

FEYERICK: Audio from the air traffic control tower capturing the tense moments with crews arriving on scene within one minute.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Eastern Jet 3452, we're getting help for you.

FEYERICK: Officials say Pence was reassured by flashing lights upon exiting the plane, later tweeting, "So thankful everyone on our plane is safe," Trump reacting to the scare at a rally.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I just spoke to Mike Pence and he's fine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: And those flashing lights that the governor described, those are actually vehicles, emergency vehicles from the Port Authority. They actually run drills here because this is not an uncommon occurrence. It happened even a year ago.

The plane had landed just behind me here, and it was towed about 4 a.m. this morning. Initially, they weren't going to move that plane, Chris, but they decided to remove it. Crews were here working, as well. They also now have pulled back, which means that they may be able to use this runway later on in the day.

We can tell you that this was a Boeing 737. It's a charter plane. It is going to be investigated, but the campaign says they're going to be bringing up another plane so that the governor can continue his campaigning throughout the country today -- Chris.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Deb, beautiful sunrise behind you and certainly a beautiful new chance for Mike Pence to get out on the trail. Thank God. Disaster averted.

You're going to hear this question about why the plane skid. You're looking at live aerials right now. That plane can't move until the NTSB figures out the answers to those questions. And you're going to get a lot of factors in the answer to why it skid, but there's an interesting question that may have only one answer. OK?

We're going to discuss that right now with pilot and CNN aviation analyst Miles O'Brien. He's also the science correspondent for "PBS News Hour." Bless you.

So, Miles, one of the things that we may be learning -- we, the uninitiated, not you. We're getting introduced to a new safety feature, which may have made the difference on a short runway like the one that some 7,700 feet just over a mile at LaGuardia, and it's called engineered material arresting systems. What they're calling these cement boxes that crumbled underneath the plane as it went too far. Tell us about them and why you think they were so important here.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: It was a real game changer in this case, Chris. The EMAS system, for short, has been installed in recent years at a number of airports in congested areas that don't have a long overrun. You know, think of when you land in a place like Atlanta Hartsfield or Dallas-Fort Worth. There's a lot of grass between the end of the runway and the rest of the world.

You go to LaGuardia, it's 7,000 feet of runway and then you're into Flushing Bay or the East River. And so this breakable concrete, these concrete blocks, which can support a truck or most any other traffic but collapse under the weight of something like an aircraft really saved the day in this case. And I think this regulation which came out of a series of overruns that we witnessed in recent years is a good example of the FAA doing its job.

CUOMO: Very common in accidents. You told us that before. And as you know, I'm blessed to have a lot of people like you in my life. When we first started reporting on this yesterday, people were speculating that, "Ooh, maybe the wheels blow out. You see how it tore up the runway. Must have been metal on asphalt."

That's because people didn't understand that this system is in place. Is it new? How important is it? Is it something that we'll see more of? O'BRIEN: It's relatively new. We haven't seen it used in quite as --

spotlighted in such a way. But it's out there, and it's at places like LaGuardia and at Midway in Chicago, John Wayne Airport in California.

These airports are hemmed in, and the rest of the world has gone around them. Of course, in the case of LaGuardia, that's built pretty much like a stationary aircraft carrier right over the water. And so you don't have much margin for error. Seven thousand feet of runway is not much margin for error for an aircraft like that.

Throw in a dark, rainy night and throw in a tail wind and throw in a crew that might feel a little bit of pressure from a very important person to get on the ground so he can get to a fund-raiser, and you've got a bad combination.

[07:05:13] CUOMO: That's interesting. I mean, obviously, they're doing this huge rebuild at LaGuardia. There's a guy I can ask about whether or not they're going to extend the runway here, but I haven't heard whether or not they are, yet out in open media. These factors that you put into why this may have happened. What about this makes you feel that anybody was rushing. Couldn't it just be a lot of rain, a lot of wind, heavy plane, short runway?

O'BRIEN: Well, by all accounts, this was an aircraft that had the cards stacked against them. A slick runway and the way they were landing last night, they had a slight tail wind, which means relative to the ground they would be going a little bit faster than normal.

Now, if you threw in the fact that they were a little bit, as we say in the aviation business, high and hot, moving a little too fast and landing a little too far down the runway. Perhaps -- and this is an insidious problem for pilots, feeling that pressure to get there and get that very important person to that appointment.

And, frankly, there's the -- there's an admission of failure when you make the decision to fly a missed approach. Maybe all those factors are a part of it. And this is, clearly, on the table for the NTSB as they consider this one.

CUOMO: Miles O'Brien, some provocative questions, as always. Thank you very much, my friend. Appreciate it.

O'BRIEN: You're welcome, Chris.

CUOMO: Alisyn.

ALSIYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the presidential race. Donald Trump suggesting we cancel the election today and declare him the winner, while Clinton stumps with first lady Michelle Obama.

Plus, revealing new fundraising numbers for both candidates. CNN's Jason Carroll joins us with more. Jason, can we cancel it today?

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A lot of people wish you could.

CAMEROTA: Indeed.

CARROLL: You know, Donald Trump has said repeatedly that he's going to spend $100 million of his own money, and if he doesn't win, the whole thing's going to be a big waste of time. That's what he says. But if he is going to get to that $100 million mark, he's going to have to spend a lot more, and he's going to have to do it quickly.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TRUMP: We should just cancel the election and just give it to Trump, right?

CARROLL (voice-over): Donald Trump reigniting his unsubstantiated claims of a rigged election.

TRUMP: You look at Texas, a lot of calls were made from Texas. An incredible place. I love Texas. And the lines are massive; and they were talking about flipping, you know, where they press a button, and they press it for me and another name comes up. Named Crooked Hillary Clinton.

BILL O'REILLY, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Do we have any data on that? Do we have any facts on that? You know, anybody can put a...

TRUMP: No, they just call in. No, they call in.

CARROLL: Texas officials deny any voter fraud issues.

Trump, who has repeatedly, publicly called on African-Americans to support him, now his campaign accused of trying to suppress their turnout through negative advertising, though the campaign denies those allegations. As new campaign finance reports show Trump drastically slowing the flow of his own money to his campaign, after vowing to pump millions more into it.

TRUMP: I'll have over $100 million in the campaign.

CARROLL: Filings show the billionaire only put in $30,000 this month after consistently investing $2 million in previous months. Hillary Clinton, nearly doubling Trump's fund-raising haul in October.

On the stump in Ohio, Trump slamming the Clintons after hacked e-mails reveal how much Bill Clinton made off lucrative speeches and ties to his foundation's fund-raisers.

TRUMP: If the Clintons were willing to play this fast and loose with their enterprise when they weren't in the White House, just imagine what they'll do given the chance to, once again, control the Oval Office.

CARROLL: The Clinton campaign saying in a statement that she "never made decisions because of donations to the Clinton Foundation. None of the relationships being reported today are new."

Meanwhile, Trump suggesting he might sue NBC over the release of that 2005 "Access Hollywood" of him making lewd remarks about women. TRUMP: I think it was very negative. It was locker-room talk. The

microphone was not supposed to be on. Not that I make that as an excuse for myself, but, certainly, it was an illegal act.

O'REILLY: Are you going to take any action after the election against NBC?

TRUMP: You'll see. You'll see.

CARROLL: A sharp contrast to Clinton and the first lady joining forces in the battleground state of North Carolina.

OBAMA: Hillary doesn't play.

CLINTON: Seriously, is there anyone more inspiring than Michelle Obama?

CARROLL: The duo casting Trump's campaign as a war on women.

CLINTON: Dignity and respect for women and girls is also on the ballot in this election.

CARROLL: And condemning Trump's claim of a rigged election.

OBAMA: They are trying to get you to stay home. They are trying to convince you that your vote doesn't matter. They are trying to take away your hope. (END VIDEOTAPE

CARROLL: Well, Trump for his part making three stops today in New Hampshire, Maine and Iowa. Clinton making two stops in Iowa. The president, though, will be helping her out by campaigning in Florida -- Chris.

CUOMO: All right, Jason, thank you very much.

Joining us now is former U.S. Senator Kay Hagan from North Carolina. She's a Democrat and a Clinton campaign surrogate. Thank you very much for being with us, Kay, this morning. I know that you were at an event yesterday with FLOTUS and Hillary Clinton and a serious issue came up there about voter intimidation and what Democrats and certainly minorities who are Democrats should be aware of. I want to play you a piece of sound from the first lady, Michelle Obama. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: So when you hear folks talking about a global conspiracy and saying that this election is rigged, understand that they are trying to get you to stay home. They are trying to convince you that your vote doesn't matter. That the outcome has already been determined and you shouldn't even bother making your voice heard.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: Then it went a step further which was making reference to Trump himself saying you have to specially in Pennsylvania like Philadelphia. You have to get out there and watch, and you know what I mean by watch, right? And then the campaign saying that they have a three-tiered voter suppression ad campaign. How concerned are you that Trump can keep your people home?

KAY HAGAN, FORMER U.S. SENATOR (D-NC): You know, what he's doing, obviously, is what his standard is. He's bullying, he's intimidating. And North Carolina right now is about the epicenter of the universe right now when we're talking about voting.

One of the things that Michelle said yesterday is because of this voter suppression, once again, it's when he goes low, we go high. And what does that mean? High get out to vote. Then she stated that Obama won North Carolina in 2008 by 14,000 votes. That would be two votes per precinct. And then he lost in 2012 by 17 votes per precinct.

And I think she is encouraging people in North Carolina don't listen to the bullying. Don't be intimidated. We have to go high, and that's all about turning out to vote. And it was pretty powerful, let me tell you.

CUOMO: ... pie analogy for you. Isn't there a good argument to be made that your people may stay home but not because of anything that Trump does that's wrong, but because of energy. That his base is motivated by, you know, negative, perhaps, but inarguably an energetic candidate who has whipped up the base.

Hillary Clinton, according to polls and from the people on the ground with her from observing the campaign, has not energized the base certainly the way Barack Obama as then-senator did. Isn't that enough reason that you're not going to see the same turnout numbers?

HAGAN: You know, if you see the lines right now for early voting, I think North Carolina is going to prove that statement wrong. And the fact that so many people came out yesterday to hear Michelle and Hillary. North Carolina is seeing a lot of Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton all across the state.

I mean, this is the place that I think North Carolinians understand that our vote really, really does matter. She's got offices in about 33 different sites around the state. The ground game is going great. And, don't forget, we have been reeling under voter suppression laws that the Republican state legislature here in North Carolina passed. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that it was unconstitutional.

The Republicans have been trying to keep Democrats that are African- American, minority, young people, senior citizens from voting by intimidating them. Ruled unconstitutional. So, I think people realize, once again, that in order to go against that, what happens? We have to turn out to vote.

CUOMO: And we know there is a DNC suit against the RNC, and we're following it. We're going to see once it gets some meat on the bones, what's reportable and what isn't. But there are other things that are out there that are affecting the election negatively for Hillary Clinton. There is energy on the low side. On the high side, you have this WikiLeaks. More things keep coming out that don't necessarily show something nefarious but show what stinks of compromise. Of unseemly, not -- corruption with a small "C."

Bill Clinton's main man comes out with his memo that is unearthed by this felony that WikiLeaks is now giving us all the benefit of. And it seems to suggest that they're really close when it comes to the ties of who gives money to the foundation, who gets to Hillary Clinton, who puts money in Bill Clinton's pocket. How do you explain these things to undecided voters?

HAGAN: You know, I think the WikiLeaks thing -- I think what's interesting about that is 17 national security agencies within the United States government has said that Russia is the culprit behind this.

[07:15:10] CUOMO: Kay -- Kay, I know the talking point about deflecting it to who did it. I get that it's wrong that Russia is trying to influence the election. I get that it's bizarre that Trump and many of his supporters seem to be supporting -- I get it. But it's out there, and there is no question of its authenticity by the people involved. So you've got to speak to the substance of it. Why is it OK that these things exist when you try to change voters' minds?

HAGAN: You know, I think that, when you look at the Clinton Foundation, which is, I think, one of the ties to this, is that Bill Clinton has said he would resign when Hillary is elected president. They will take no money from foreigners. They will take no money outside the U.S. and the international great work that's being done by the Clinton Foundation will transition to other foundations.

And I think that's one of the issues that has come up consistently. I think it's really painful that John Podesta's e-mails have come out. I think John is a very astute, honest, very stable individual when it comes to being over an entire campaign like this.

You know, once again, look back to Trump is now on his third campaign manager. I cannot imagine what has taken place within that campaign, looking at the disarray of what has gone on. You know, I think people are going past that. They're looking forward. They're looking forward to the fact that this election will be over in 12 days.

It is my sincere hope, and I think if you look at the polling, especially in the swing states, that Hillary Clinton will be our next president of the United States.

CUOMO: Kay Hagan, 11 days. Don't you extend this election one more day than necessary. Eleven days. Kay -- Kay, please.

HAGAN: I'm coming today and Tuesday. You got it.

CUOMO: Thank you very much for joining us. Appreciate having you on NEW DAY.

CAMEROTA: Or, we could cancel it today, you know. Just think about it.

Well, there's this former Illinois congressman who's grabbing headlines with a stunning comment about what he says he'll do if Donald Trump loses the election.

We'll talk to him, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

[07:21:14] CAMEROTA: Back to our breaking news now. A plane carrying Governor Mike Pence skidded off the runway at LaGuardia Airport last night. How is everyone doing this morning and what happened?

Joining us on the phone is Republican vice-presidential nominee, Indiana governor, Mike Pence. Good morning, Governor.

GOV. MIKE PENCE (I-IN), VICE-PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE (via phone): Good morning, Alisyn, thanks for having us on.

CAMEROTA: How are you feeling?

PENCE: We're fine. We're fine. It was -- it was about ten seconds of uncertainty last night, but just so grateful to the pilots and to the first responders on the scene and that everybody came off the plane safely. But we -- we just are so moved by the concern and the prayers of so many people around the country.

CAMEROTA: Well, what a scary incident for you and all the press that was on your plane and all of your staff. Just take us into those ten seconds or longer. What was it like on you plane while that was happening?

PENCE: Well, we'd been delayed leaving Iowa after a campaign stop because of heavy weather out here in the New York area and, as we came in, it was fairly low ceilings. But when we landed, it was -- it was obvious that the pilots were braking very aggressively on the runway. We could feel that.

And then we began to feel the plane fishtail a little bit and slide to the right, then came to a stop. You know, as I said, it was about ten seconds of uncertainty. But it seemed like the first responders were on the scene before the -- before the plane even came to a rest.

You know, my son is a Marine Corps aviator and our son, Michael, says every landing you walk away from is a successful landing. So we're just truly thankful that...

CAMEROTA: Governor? Governor was calling in on a cell phone. You know how those can be even in the best of weather. We'll get the governor back on the phone as soon as possible. But in the meantime, let's go over to Chris.

CUOMO: Rigged. Let's -- all right, we're hoping that the governor can call right back in. As you were saying, as you were hearing, he was saying that anyone you walk away from when it comes to a landing is a good one. He's back on the cell phone. Let's get back to you, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: OK. Governor Pence, can you hear me?

PENCE: I can. I can. Thanks.

CAMEROTA: You know, technology. Luckily, planes apparently work better than cell phones. But, Governor, I mean, your plane ran off the runway. You, of course, are unflappable, no pun intended, about all of this, but it ran off the runway. We see the aftermath there of the crumpled tarmac underneath the plane, and you are very close to the major highway that is right next to LaGuardia. Were people rattled on the plane?

PENCE: Well, to be honest with you, it happened so fast, Alisyn, that you know, it was almost over before it began.

But once we came off the plane and saw the first responders on the scene and saw the crumpled concrete, which I've since learned a portion of the runway is designed -- it's designed to break up to slow down aircraft, and the fact that we've come to rest there out on the grass in the mud was more dramatic to look at it from the outside of the plane.

But, again, you know, my -- my hats are off to the first responders and -- and, frankly, to the pilots who brought us safely to the ground. And we're just truly moved by the concern and the prayers and the good wishes from people all across the country.

But we're fine. We're back on the campaign trail today and looking forward to being in Pennsylvania and North Carolina before the end of the evening.

CAMEROTA: Well, governor, I mean, speaking of that, you are always on a plane. You're traversing the country. You're going from state to state.

PENCE: We are.

CAMEROTA: Campaign stop to campaign stop. Does what happened last night give you any pause about getting on the next new plane that they're sending for you?

[07:25:05] PENCE: You know, it really doesn't. This is the greatest -- greatest honor of our little family's life, is to have the opportunity to run and hopefully to serve as vice president of the United States of America. And we have a saying in our family that the safest place in the world is to be in the center of God's will. And we just really believe that this is a calling in our life.

So, we're just really thankful. But the outpouring of support and concern and e-mails and texts is just, as you can imagine, it's been very moving to us. But I just -- I just want to assure all your viewers that we're fine, and we're just really looking forward to hitting the campaign trail again today. CAMEROTA: Well, Governor, now that you are safe and sound, let's get

back to the rough and tumble of the campaign trail. So, let me ask you about something that your running mate, Donald Trump, said last night on FOX. He was talking about this incident of a basically voting machine malfunctioning, and a woman in Texas wondered whether that meant that the system was rigged.

She put a Facebook post up about it. It has been shared 10,000 times. Let me play for you what Donald Trump said about this last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: You look at Texas, a lot of calls were made from Texas. An incredible place. I love Texas. And the lines are massive, and they were talking about flipping, you know, where they press a button. And they press it for me and another name comes up, named Crooked Hillary Clinton.

BILL O'REILLY, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: But do we have any data on that. Do we have any facts on that? You know, anybody could call that in.

TRUMP: No, they just call in. They call in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: So, Governor, do you see that as an isolated incident of a machine malfunctioning, or do you see it as something bigger?

PENCE: Well, we hope it's isolated. But, look, our elections are administered on the state level by our state governments and, you know, what Donald Trump and I made it clear is, as we go forward in this election over the next 11 days, is a people should not only take the opportunity to vote and to early vote, as many people have the opportunity to do, but to respectfully participate in the election process, as citizens are permitted to do.

We want a victory on election day, but we also want a victory for American democracy. When we're all involved to ensure the integrity of the vote, that's good for America.

CAMEROTA: Do you trust the voting process?

PENCE: I think I do very broadly in America, but make no mistake about it: during my lifetime, there have been ample opportunities and, you know, the ample examples of voter fraud, not only in my state, but around the country and in some polling places and in some jurisdictions.

But given the enormous choice that we face, a choice between change and the status quo, a choice between continuing the same failed policies that have weakened America's place in the world, stifled our economy, and coming back to a stronger America at home and abroad.

All of us, all of us as Americans would do well to respectfully participate and ensure that, when our votes are cast, that they're fully counted. I'm confident that the American people are heeding that call and will continue to work our hearts out to carry this message all across this country in the next 11 days.

CAMEROTA: Governor Mike Pence, we're happy that you are safe and sound as well as everybody on your plane last night. Thanks so much for calling in and talking to us about it.

PENCE: Thank you, Alisyn. It's just -- it's very moving to have the concern and the prayers of so many around the country. And thanks for your good wishes. We are -- we are all well and hitting the campaign trail today.

CAMEROTA: So happy to hear that, Governor. Thank you. We'll talk again. Let's get over to Chris.

CUOMO: All right. A lot of this election has been about tone. And when an election comes towards its end it gets harsher; it gets more bitter. Not like this. This has been a lot of threats of violence and a lot about rigged and about anger and hostility and what to do with it.

And let's talk about that right now with a former congressman, Joe Walsh. He's now a big radio voice and presence. He tweeted on November 8, "I'm voting for Trump. On November 9, if Trump loses, I'm grabbing my musket. You in?"

So what was the intention of that? Let's talk to the former Republican Congressman from Illinois right now. Joe Walsh, thank you for joining us. You heard what I said there.

Sometimes this is subtle; sometimes it's overt. Donald Trump talking about Texas. He didn't mention that Facebook post. He said he's getting calls, a lot of calls are coming in. They aren't a lot of anything. It was one report. The GOP runs Texas's elections. As you know, the secretary of state came out and said, "This is untrue. Our process is fine." So that's a subtle version. Your version is an overt one.

Do you real want people to take up arms against the U.S. government on November 9?

JOE WALSH, FORMER CONGRESSMAN: Well, think about that, Chris. And it's good to be with you. If I wanted people to take up arms, why would I recommend people take up an antique like a musket? I mean, seriously. In 2016, I want people to go out and find a musket? Grab their musket. That's just silly.

When I said grab your musket I meant, look, if Hillary Clinton wins, if she wins fair and square, then the anger that a lot of Americans have toward our political system -- and she's part of that -- we've got to double down and triple down and do whatever we can to defend our freedom.