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Newsweek: Trump's Companies Deleted Files Defying Court Order; Two Iowa Police Officers Killed in Ambush Attacks; Trump & Clinton on Crime and Gun Control; Can Obama Seal the Deal for Clinton?. Aired 6:30-7a ET
Aired November 02, 2016 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[06:30:03] MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Listen, the Trumps and the Bush hate each other. There was a very bitter battle between George P.'s brother Jeb Bush as our viewers all know during the Republican primary. At the same time, you had Donald Trump. He has run this campaign as an anti-Bush campaign. He has been very critical of his stewardship of the two terms of the country.
George P. Bush, though, on the other hand, he has a future ahead of him. He's looking at greater things when it comes to political life. So, George P. is supportive right now of Donald Trump. But as far as his father, his uncle and his grandfather, not too surprising that they would go in a different direction.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: But yet, overall, to have massive players in the GOP not taking their own party's side in an election makes this another one for the history books.
All right, thank you very much, panel. Talk to you, again, in a second.
Election Day almost here. Next Tuesday is Election Day in America. Every race, every result will be covered moment by moment by CNN until the last vote is cast.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: So, listen to this. Does Donald Trump have his own e-mail scandal brewing? There is a "Newsweek" report that Trump's company deleted e-mails sometimes in defiance of court orders. We're going to talk to the reporter behind that report, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:35:26] CUOMO: Donald Trump loves talking about Hillary Clinton's e-mails, right? Why? He sees it as a metaphor of why he believes she doesn't have the character to be president. So, then comes this new article in "Newsweek" that talks about Trump's ideas on how to deal with his own e-mails and that he has done things in outward defiance of court orders, deleting records to help in litigation.
And we want to note, CNN has not confirmed these findings. That's why I'm saying it's a "Newsweek" piece and we brought on its author to discuss.
Kurt Eichenwald, senior writer at "Newsweek", wrote this article, also contributing editor at "Vanity Fair" and a "New York Times" best selling author.
Kurt, always good to see you.
What did you find? What has Trump done?
KURT EICHENWALD, NEWSWEEK: Well, it's a pattern going back decades that whenever he has been confronted with demands for documents, both by the government and in civil litigation, there have been repeated circumstances where the documents end up in the shredder, end up in the garbage. You had cases where they have filed affidavits saying the server you are looking for don't exist and a year later, they say the servers do exist but the e-mails have been deleted.
This is not -- you know, I find it really funny that we're talking about some e-mails were found regarding, you know, in the Clinton aide's laptop, we don't know what they mean. This story is there were e-mails that were really important and Trump's folks said they didn't exist and they did, but they were erased.
CUOMO: So, let's discuss how you think this plays in the election. The first layer will be push back against the actual reporting, right? So, I made some calls last night and as you probably heard yourself, find where he lost a lawsuit because he was found to have done something illegal. And you won't, that these are litigation tactics. People try to hide discovery as best they can within the system.
You're punishing Trump for being good at playing the game.
EICHENWALD: That is probably the most obscene argument I've ever heard. Arthur Anderson, the accounting firm, was convicted of obstruction of justice for doing such a thing. You've had a lot of people go to jail.
This is not the way the game is played. And that mindset, if that's actually what they're saying, then what they're saying is, hey, we break the law and we do it proudly. This is not smart business. This is not, you know, we're not talking about whether or not the press finds something out.
We're talking about things that are done on federal rules., on federal rules of discovery and ultimately under court order. They require court orders repeatedly against Trump because they wouldn't produce the information, and it was only after they missed the court orders and stopped hitting the deadlines that they said, oh, yeah, we destroyed all the documents while you were looking for them.
That is not something that determines whether they win or lose a case. They set allot of these cases when they have been found destroying stuff. But they know also, know, get sanctions by court. It's very rare to get a criminal referral out of something like this because they can say, oh, well, we did it by accident. We didn't know.
CUOMO: Right.
EICHENWALD: That's what the story is demonstrating. They've done that over and over and over again. This is not an accident. It's a strategy.
CUOMO: The second layer of pushback is, OK, fine, you want to talk about what he did in lawsuits over business. That's one thing. With Clinton, we're talking about classified information and could have jeopardized national security. They're apples and oranges.
EICHENWALD: What you're talking about in one circumstance is an absolute category of violation of federal statute and court orders. On the second one, on the national security issues, you know, I would leave that story up to people reading what's been written so far. And what, you know, the fact that there hasn't been a criminal referral coming out of the FBI. Beyond that, you know, I cover Trump. So --
(LAUGHTER)
CUOMO: All right. You had plenty to cover.
Kurt Eichenwald, thank you as always for coming on to discuss your reporting.
EICHENWALD: Thanks for having me.
CUOMO: Alisyn?
CAMEROTA: Chris, I want to get now to the breaking news out of Iowa. There's a massive manhunt under way in the Des Moines area. Police say two officers were shot and killed in separate ambush attacks this morning. Both officers were found dead in their police cruisers.
[06:40:00] These shootings happened within blocks of each other and they were 20 minutes apart. Police are working on a description of the suspect or the suspects. This is just a terrible, terrible scene unfolding there in Des Moines, as you can see. And just terrible weather coupled with this. We'll make the investigation hopefully not too challenging, but, of course, we will bring you all the latest as soon as we have it.
CUOMO: All right. Also, what's going on in Iowa brings into sharp focus an issue that has played throughout this election which is, how do you deal with crime as experienced by police officers and policing in general?
So, let's use it to discuss this. Donald Trump has branded himself the law and order candidate, often speaking in very dire terms about violence in U.S. cities. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: African-Americans are living in hell in the inner cities. I mean, they're living, they're living in hell. You walk to the store for a loaf of bread, you get shot. We're going to fix our inner cities.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CUOMO: Crime in inner cities, crime against police, anywhere it's unacceptable. The question becomes, what do you about it?
CAMEROTA: OK. So, let's look at that. What are Trump's plans to fix those problems? Details on his website are very limited, but Trump on the stump has advocated for aggressive policing and tougher prosecution of criminals. He also supports New York's old stop and frisk policy. It was scaled back in 2014, as well as Richmond, Virginia's project exile which determines past and prohibit from getting their hands on firearms.
CUOMO: Trump insists the country must come back what he calls, quote, "political correctness" so that law enforcement officers can do their jobs. When it comes to violence, Trump comes to the defense of law enforcement, while criticizing movements like Black Lives Matter.
He does support the use of body cameras, though. He does not think that they should be mandatory, however. So, he says they're a good thing, shouldn't be mandatory. Clinton says, you must have the cameras.
CUOMO: So, let's look at her positions now. Hillary Clinton's plan is that she wants to strengthen the trust, she says, between communities and police, ending mass incarceration and promoting reentry of incarcerated people once they've served their time. She has proposed investing $1 billion in law enforcement training and advocates for focusing federal resources on violent crime rather than low-level drug offenders.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have to work to make sure that our police are using the best training, the best techniques, that they're well-prepared to use force only when necessary. Everyone should be respected by the law and everyone should respect the law.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CUOMO: All right. For both candidates, reducing crime is linked to gun laws, although in very opposite ways. Clinton says you need stricter laws that would decrease violence. Trump thinks you should loosen firearm restrictions for gun owners and expand conceal carry laws nationally. He says that would make America safe.
CAMEROTA: So, both candidates support strengthening the country's mental health system, as well. But the similarities stop there.
Clinton supports reinstating an assault weapons ban and expanding background checks on gun sales. Those are two policies that Trump strongly opposes.
CUOMO: Clinton pledges to close that gun show and Internet sales loopholes. Trump has not explicitly established a position on those laws.
CAMEROTA: All right. So, there you go on the positions.
Let's talk about money. It's time for your money, your vote. Low gas prices putting more money in your wallet. Could it give one candidate an advantage?
Chief business correspondent Christine Romans is in our Money Center with the answer.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning you two.
Well, Moody's predicts a Hillary Clinton win, citing low gas prices as an economic sign, helping her chances, prices nationwide around $2.21 a gallon. Moody's also lift President Obama's approval rating, it's, you know, well above 50 percent, a growing economy and low unemployment.
But hold on about those gas prices, folks. Developments in the last 24 hours may cause sticker shock for drivers on the East Coast. This explosion at a pipeline in Alabama is disrupting supply. This is the same pipeline that was closed in September due to a leak. After that closure, prices jumped as much as 28 cents.
Price is already rising. Overnight, the Atlanta metro average up 5 cents and Greenville, South Carolina, up 4 cents.
Speaking of gas prices, New Jersey -- good morning, New Jersey. Residents there would be paying 23 cents more today than yesterday after the state passed its first gas tax increase since 1988. Say that ten times fast. Over the summer three other states lowered their tax but Jersey residents will feel it this morning.
CUOMO: Jersey had been the second lowest in the country except for Alaska. Now that changes.
ROMANS: Twenty-three cents more overnight.
CUOMO: All right. You know more, you win. Christine, thank you very much.
So, President Obama is crisscrossing the battleground states in an effort to shore up votes for Hillary Clinton, but also to secure his own coalition.
[06:45:00] Why President Obama says he needs to seal the deal, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CUOMO: So, President Obama is out in full force this week. He is pulling out all the stops in the key battleground states to get votes for the Democratic Party. Now, is his voice going to be enough to get Hillary Clinton elected president and to change races down the ballot?
Let's bring in White House correspondent Michelle Kosinski for more on why the president is out there to get answer.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Hillary Clinton is consistently treated differently than just about any other candidate I see out there. No, no, no, do not believe that stuff. Has she made stakes? Of course, so have I.
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is President Obama in his twilight of his eight years in office trying to be the closer now for Hillary Clinton.
[06:50:08] OBAMA: There's nobody in the public arena over the course of 30 years that doesn't make some.
KOSINSKI: He's been busy crisscrossing battleground states, enormous rallies.
OBAMA: Come on, people.
KOSINSKI: This week will mark a second trip to Ohio, a third to North Carolina and Florida, with multiple stops. Just win one of those, the thinking goes, and she wins. So, he's on college campuses and radio shows popular with African-Americans.
OBAMA: She's made mistakes in the past, just like everybody has. But these are nothing compared to the ongoing, daily transgressions that Mr. Trump engages in.
KOSINSKI: And social media. YouTube, Snapchat, late-night comedy. Mean tweets.
OBAMA: @RealDonaldTrump, at least I will go down as a president.
KOSINSKI (on camera): The president makes no direct reference to Hillary Clinton's e-mail troubles during these stops, but what you do notice since last Friday when developments broke, he doesn't joke around quite so much as if it's a comedy routine with the mocking of Donald Trump. Now, he's more serious almost pleading with the crowd at times to look at what's at stake and vote.
(voice-over): Here in the razor-close battleground of Ohio where polls are starting to tip now in favor of Donald Trump and the number of Republicans voting early has grown. That message is seen by Democrats as crucial. The president's favorability rating, 57 percent now, compared to Hillary Clinton's 46 percent. Obama's voice can only help her and along with the first lady's, is the strongest out there.
The goal, generating enthusiasm and momentum. At the time President Obama was elected, 79 percent of his supporters were very enthusiastic about voting. For Clinton, it's 54 percent.
OBAMA: Choose hope! Choose hope! Vote! Vote! Vote!
KOSINSKI: A gap Democrats are trying to fill in these last days of connecting with Americans.
Michelle Kosinski, CNN, Columbus, Ohio.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CAMEROTA: So, can President Obama seal the deal for Hillary Clinton? We are joined now to debate by this CNN political commentator and
senior writer for "The Federalist", Mary Katharine Ham, and CNN political commentator and former executive director for the Congressional Black Caucus, and CEO of Impact Strategies, Angela Rye.
Mary Katharine, what do you think the Obama effect, as it's called, will mean?
MARY KATHARINE HAM, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, a couple things. He clearly enjoys being on the trail and something he has been good at in the past and mostly good at it on behalf of himself. He does not have a great record when he's out there stumping for other folks as we've seen during his presidency, tons of Republicans have won many feats, even when he's out on the trail in these off-years.
It's different in a presidential year, but his popularity numbers are up and they're good. They're partly good because they're good in comparison to the damaged goods on both sides of this race and that's one of those folks is g an argument for. I think it will help some with the base but not the sort of killer app that people make it out to be.
CAMEROTA: Angela, his numbers are also good compared to his predecessors. Let me pull that up in terms of President Obama's approval numbers. As you can see, he is now at55 percent compared to where President Bush was at the same time, 27 percent. Bill Clinton was basically neck and neck with Obama, 57 percent. Reagan at 51 percent.
So, what do you think his effect will be for Hillary Clinton?
ANGELA RYE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think it's already been great. You know, we talked about ad nauseam the enthusiasm gap here in this race and the fact that President Barack Obama, who is a stark contrast, a stark contrast to the Republican nominee for president, Donald Trump, is the perfect person to go out and make this pitch for Hillary Clinton. And to not only close this deal on his own, but to close the deal with who he said is his superior, the first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, who has been quite an advocate for Hillary Clinton on the trail and arguably had the best speech for her on her behalf at the Democratic National Convention this summer.
The only other thing I would say the other part of what he's doing that is so effective and helpful is making this argument about the role that and I think he's the best person to do it.
CAMEROTA: And, yet, Mary Katharine, it's not that women are necessarily staying away from the polls in early voting, but African- Americans are down. Let's look at North Carolina. Just take a look at where the voting is there compared to 2012 and you see a dip of, I think, 16 percent, for black voters.
So, what does that tell you?
HAM: Well, this is exactly the thing that Clinton campaign is worried about and that's why he's spending a lot of time in North Carolina. [06:55:03] That's why both Obamas on the trail and it is a good idea.
They are the people who would boost that particular segment of the vote. And I think people will get more excited seeing the on the trail than seeing Hillary on the trail. The good news for them, also, is that North Carolina is an offense state for them. Like Trump needs to win North Carolina. A bit more of a bonus for them, even if it's nice revenge to win it back after 2012. But, yeah, I think, you know, it helps with the base. I don't think it helps as much as people think it does.
CAMEROTA: Angela, as we've said his approval ratings are high right now, but Obamacare is a problem as premiums are going up. So, which one of those things do you think wins at the ballot box?
RYE: I think the President Obama effect will win. Mary Katharine just mentioned in enthusiasm g Ohio or North Carolina or Florida this is the first presidential election we've seen to gut the voting rights act. More concerned with voter measures than they are with the impact of Obamacare.
And why do I say that? Because each state is so different. There are roles Republican governors have played in this and, of course, it's not all their fault and certainly not the president's fault. But we have to have at some point a strategy to amend and strengthen Obamacare. We have acknowledged on both sides --
(CROSSTALK)
CAMEROTA: Hold on a second. I want to get back to the early voting for second, just so I understand what you're saying. You think that it's voter suppression, the reason that you're seeing fewer black voters in early voting, you think it's voter suppression not lack of enthusiasm for Hillary Clinton.
RYE: What I'm saying is I don't think you can squarely put an enthusiasm gap at her feet and say this is why people are staying home. Early voting days are down. The fact now that you have to show an ID, the fact that there are folks at the polls intimidating voters is a real issue.
People are saying, you know, I don't care enough about this election. It seems crazy to me. Both are negative. There are e-mails, you know, Trump has sexual assault charges and maybe I should just stay out of it. I think that's a real issue.
CAMEROTA: Angela, Mary Katharine, thank you for your perspectives. Nice to talk to you.
RYE: Thank you, Alisyn.
CAMEROTA: Chris?
CUOMO: It is the most mean-spirited holiday tradition. Parents telling their kids they ate all their Halloween candy. The reactions to this prank are priceless. Here are the highlights from "Jimmy Kimmel Live." (BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
JIMMY KIMMEL, COMEDIAN: We encouraged parents to pretend they eat all their kids' Halloween candy and recorded thousands of parents did and we got more submissions than ever. We whittled them down to the cream of the crying crop.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I ate it all.
CHILD: No! No!
CHILD: I hate you! We worked so hard to get!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I ate some, too!
(SCREAMING)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just wanted to let you know that I ate all your candy.
(CRYING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jimmy Kimmel told us to.
CHILD: I take you to jail!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was really hungry and I ate all your candy.
CHILD: You! You ate it!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was hungry. I had to go to work. I'm hungry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're sorry. Are you mad at us?
CHILD: I don't want to look at you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You don't want to look at me.
CHILD: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, buddy, guess what --
CHILD: I don't want to look at you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Look at me. I'm just kidding.
CHILD: I don't want to look at you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm just kidding. We didn't eat it.
CHILD: I don't want to look at you.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
CUOMO: F-bomb here --
CAMEROTA: It's hilarious and cruel.
CUOMO: I don't think it's cruel.
CAMEROTA: I do.
CUOMO: I tell you, I think it's funny and I can't believe nothing does that like candy does. Candy is poison. I just dealt with it in my own house. You mess with the candy. Watch my 6-year-old hide candy in different locations because they know we're going to take the bag and ration it, the sneakiness. The candy, the sugar, I'm telling you, it's poison.
CAMEROTA: Can you tape it next time and play it on our air?
CUOMO: No.
CAMEROTA: It does reveal some things I think about family dynamics.
CUOMO: I'll wind up living in your basement if I do that.
CAMEROTA: All right. Let's get back to the news. We're following a lot of it. Let's get to it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TRUMP: I'm only a messenger. But you have to say I'm doing a pretty good job as a messenger.
CLINTON: By the time you add up all the people he insulted, that's more than half the population of the United States.
TRUMP: If we don't repeal and replace Obamacare, we will destroy American healthcare.
