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CNN Live Event/Special

One-on-One With Senator Elizabeth Warren; Michael Bloomberg: As A New Yorker "I Know How To Take On An Arrogant Con Man" Like President Trump; Senator Bernie Sanders And Michael Bloomberg Clash Over Business And Wealth; Senator Elizabeth Warren Attacks Michael Bloomberg For Past Comments; 2020 Democrats Ahead Of Nevada Caucuses. Aired 12:30-1a ET

Aired February 20, 2020 - 00:30   ET

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

[00:30:00]

CUOMO: That's a plus and a minus. He has a movement. He is the only one I think it is fair to say I know the campaigns are going to complain about this. But look, when you look at the rallies nobody has got the people behind him the way Bernie Sanders does. Now what's the flip point?

The flip point is about it's about 24 percent of the Democratic Party so that's the plus minus we talk about the ceiling all the time. I said two houses for a reason Van. I didn't say you have one house divided into two. You have two different houses in your party right now. I just don't see where it goes.

JONES: Well, look its tough it is going to take real leadership. I mean, you have got basically a moderate Republican in Bloomberg and a socialist in Sanders. And we're in the same party. Trump facing a similar situation was able to actually unify his party which is actually pretty shocking.

Usually when you have an uncertainty like that you just destroy the party. You might win the nomination. But the party is in the ditch. That happened in 64 for the Republicans. Trump avoided that fate by two smart things. He said look, you don't like me but I'm going to make sure that the religious conservatives stay with me by giving you a judge that you like.

I'm going to make sure that the kind of racial right is a little bit of red meat. I'm also going to make sure that the business community gets some tax cuts and some regulations relief. And guess what I can hold this party together even though I took it over.

Hillary Clinton had no strategy to hold the Democrats together even though she won. That left us where we are right now. We are now still trying to figure out how to put it back together. If you're a Bernie Sanders person, you have to imagine that Bernie Sanders is going to be able to figure out a way to hold onto his movement as Trump did but also to pull in these other factions. And I had yet seen Bernie make the case he can do that. MCINTOSH: That's what I'm waiting to see. His consistency is certainly been a strength for him in these debates. But I think at this point when - let's say he does really well in Nevada and South Carolina and he emerges as front runner.

We need to see him move beyond the same message that he has been giving because he's been giving that message and he has the supporters that he has. So I want to see him reach out to people who focus are issues that may not be his focus.

I want to see him own the supporter issue a little bit more the idea that people really do get harassed by either. He might be right Bernie supporters or people who look like Bernie supporters online whether that is Russia or what.

BASH: Let me just be the yes but in this conversation. Look at the ABC News poll that was out today about electability. When Bernie Sanders the campaign kind of started back in I think it was July, it was Joe Biden who was at like 40 something percent on ability to beat Donald Trump. Bernie Sanders was in the teens.

Now it's flipped. Bernie Sanders isn't that high. He's about 30 percent. But he's really high. And Joe Biden is down in the teens. And so I don't know what that means. But it could be a signal that maybe the whole Democratic Party isn't going to come behind him. It is not going to be you know a mirror of what Trump did in the Republican Party and we're not there yet. But it shows that there is movement in that direction. I don't think anybody saw coming.

MCAULIFFE: But and I can tell you this we don't know where it is going to go. But listen Bernie is moving ahead. And I agree the biggest what he has to do is show he can bring 51 percent of Americans. So he has got to begin to change his pitch.

And I thought Pete Buttigieg had a very good point. You're not the only one with good answers out here. I thought Pete Buttigieg was very good making that point. Bernie has to open up to other parts of the party as he moves forward.

But as we move towards the nomination to the general election don't forget most voters is about beating Donald Trump. And a couple of things scare the daylights out of him. Number one Ruth - is what 87- year-old Steven Brier is 81 years-old.

You make the point that the control of the United States Supreme Court for the next generation is going to determine the election. That will bring a lot of wavered Democrats back into the fold to say we are going to unifying behind our nominee.

And remember we only lost the Democrats who are watching this rubbing their hand. We lost three states by 77,000 votes. Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and in those three states 360,000 people voted for a third party which will not be in play this time. In 92 million people didn't vote in 2016. We can push this.

MCINTOSH: Looking really good so far Iowa was low but New Hampshire broke records. Nevada already has 70,000 people voting early vote. They have never done that before. So it's hard to say what that does to actual turnout on the Election Day. But it's very unlikely that they don't break records in Nevada too.

BORGER: But what about the Democrats who were saying that there is going to be carnage down ballot if it's Bernie Sanders. And that's a real issue for someone like Nancy Pelosi.

JONES: They said that about Trump. I mean listen--

BORGER: Well, this could be an issue.

[00:35:00]

JONES: We all still have PTSD from 2016. Don't forget all - if Trump gets the nomination, the Republican Party will be destroyed. It's going to be a blood bath. We're going to have the House and the Senate we're going to have some - generation - it didn't happen.

CUOMO: Didn't happen, you have never seen a galvanized party where we see with the GOP now. We've got to get into a quick break. When we come back let's start talking about what you'll see as you have more results. Remember it's all talk until the polls come in and the story is changed with each state the biggest ones are coming all within a number of a few weeks ahead. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WARREN: I'd like to talk about who we're running against a billionaire who calls women fat broads and horse faced lesbians. And I'm not talking about Donald Trump. I'm talking about Mayor Bloomberg. Democrats are not going to win if we have a nominee who has a history of hiding his tax returns, of harassing women and of supporting racist policies like red lining and stop and frisk. Look I'll support whoever the Democratic nominee is. But understand this, Democrats take a huge risk if we just substitute one arrogant billionaire for another.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[00:40:00]

CUOMO: So, Elizabeth Warren that was a taste of what she did basically to everybody on that stage once again proving that she is arguably the best political athlete that the party may have. But the question becomes is what you just saw enough to make her money in a position where she can be competitive?

Let's take it to the bigger minds. Andrew you have been giving us a practicality of this. A little bit of update of what we understand that the Bernie Sanders campaign posted the best fund raising night of any debate yet 2.7 million they say from a 150,000 donations, according to a spokesperson.

The Elizabeth Warren campaign had its best fund raising day ever according to a Tweet from Kaitlan Mitchell Warren's Chief Mobilization Officer more than $1 million during the debate.

YANG: Yes. Those are really impressive sums. The question is whether she is going to get another million in the hours after the debate and then another million and another million. Because the advertising buy that she would need to make in some of the big markets on Super Tuesday are really expensive like California and Texas. I was just sharing an anecdote about how the Bloomberg campaign is just been hovering up staff from every campaign including mine paying way above market rate. They're almost like a big company that's doing roll out acquisitions. But the acquisitions are actually political staff. And I wouldn't be surprised if many of the candidates on the stage tonight were losing staff to Bloomberg because he's offering 150 to 200 percent of what the market rate is essentially at every level.

JONES: So it's not just advertising. People think about him talking about - he's buying up all the ads. He's buying up all the talent in the Democratic Party. I have heard that's actually causing problems people trying to run for state Senate stuff like that.

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: But they have to want to work for him, right? Or is the money enough for this is going to work for him just so that they get through the site?

YANG: If you're a political operative I mean you work for a lot of candidates. Yes.

BORGER: Wow.

MCINTOSH: What do you say?

CUOMO: Look to that point. He was playing on the Obama line you're likable enough. Listen to what Elizabeth Warren just said. And again she gets full points for coming out ready and focused and delivering with pretty much every attack she leveled against anybody.

But at the end of it she says look, I just called you a racist and sexist and I'll be with you. It's one of the reasons--

MCINTOSH: I think that's a little bit of what this primary is right now. There are very serious differences between these candidates on stage. And there are things that I genuinely can't stand about some of them. Things that I love about others ones but I'm going to vote for any - I'm going to put on the shirt and knock all the doors and make all the phone calls the second we have a nominee regardless of who it is.

CUOMO: Even if you think he's a harassing machine and bigot.

MCINTOSH: I know that the President has been credibly accused of rape by multiple women. I know that. I believe that anybody standing on that stage wouldn't be behave that way in the White House wouldn't talk about women like that from the White House would probably have a cabinet that was decently representative for women. I think we're talking about apples and oranges regardless of who on this stage. BORGER: Without the outreach that Bernie Sanders has yet to do, the question that I have is who will - if it's not Sanders if it were to be Bloomberg or the Warren people even if it is Bloomberg. Would they come out and vote? What's the incentive for people who have supported Bernie Sanders for years and years and he's not opening up his arms to other factions in the party.

MCINTOSH: The incentive is Donald Trump.

BORGER: Well, is that incentive enough or do they just stay home and say you know what I'm sick of it all.

JONES: But that goes both directions I think in this party. I think people have to ask the question. The people who right now are infatuated with Bloomberg and want to see a moderate you know come and save the party. Would they be willing to walk behind Bernie Sanders and give him the opportunity?

And with that Sanders people will be willing to reach across the other way. That's the big question. That's the leadership challenge for whoever gets the nomination in this party. But I want to say one thing you know something that Bloomberg I think got really wrong, he was really tone deaf on some of the questions around class around income.

When he said I worked really hard. That's why I have all this money. You know what buddy there's a lot of people who are working really hard. And don't have all that money. The little thing around I can't possibly figure out a way to count all my money. I can't use turbo tax.

He could have very easily said look I want to get this right, the American people deserve accuracy. I'm going to make sure it's accurate. Now he goes, I have got so much money you can't imagine.

[00:45:00]

JONES: That kind of stuff had he been in those living rooms and looking people's eyes when he made those kinds of comments. Not his staff but real people. That stuff is offensive. Why Bernie Sanders has the power he has is he knows its offensive and he understands the cut and the rub of some people being so wealthy and well connected they don't know when they are offending people.

(CROSSTALK)

MCAULIFFE: It's early in the process. Bernie is trying to win the nomination. So at this point everybody is trying to go to their base. As they move along and they collect more delegates and be front runner status, that is when they try to reach out more. But I understand at this state we have only had two contests. They are trying to dig down to their supporters.

(CROSSTALK)

JONES: It's getting late early. CUOMO: It's late early for us also. So let's get in one more break here. And when we come back we're going to ask - maybe Yang is going to get back in the race. Stay tuned for the answer to the question right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:50:00]

CUOMO: Something very important to remember. Everybody hates talking about money and politics, but there is a great example of why it matters so much. Terry, you've been talking about the realities of all these delegates coming up and how you get them. Money is a big part of it.

MCAULIFFE: In this may have been baked into the calendar that we have. Most of the candidates should raise the money and sort of spread it out as we move forward. The problem is this calendar is so condensed.

The problem that every candidate except for Bernie and Mayor Bloomberg is going to have right now you have 14 contests coming up, three days after South Carolina then in the next two weeks, six more gigantic states. You're talking 100 to $125 million media buy, paying in for your staff, doing your digital. Nobody can do that.

CUOMO: That means you're not in states, you're not on as often, your commercials are not there and how big a difference it will be?

MCAULIFFE: Chris, you are not going win if you are not on TV at all. I think Bernie and probably Bloomberg will be the only two on TV in California and Texas. Bloomberg has been on in Virginia now for three months. Nobody else has been on it, and North Carolina.

BASH: What about earn media?

MCAULIFFE: So Elizabeth will get a great run. This clip they'll show over and over.

BASH: Should not hang for it.

MCAULIFFE: But you can't compete with this constant. And that's the problem with the calendar we have. It is so short, fast. Even if you do well in South Carolina, the next day is Sunday. You can't really raise money. You can't deposit until Monday. You can't buy TV for Tuesday. It's impossible.

YANG: Yes you have shoot ads you have to make the media buy. You need some lead time. To me a lot of the problem is you have several moderates who are congesting the lane where Bernie is capped out at around let's call a 25 to 30 percent. But then because you have Joe and Amy and Pete all in there, and Mike now, you need to consolidate that group of four candidates.

But then who gets out for who? Like it's a collective action problem and each of them has obviously a team that has zero interests in saying we're going get out for another candidate but if they all stayed and you can see Bernie rung away with this.

MCAULIFFE: Having shared presidential debt retirement communities, that is what will drive you out. There is nothing worse. Because you have got to find new donors that is one thing that ties the candidates. There is nothing worse.

BORGER: And can you imagine sitting around the table with some kind of collective action people sitting and saying okay, who gets out? Do you get out Elizabeth? I mean not Elizabeth, do you get out, Amy or do you get out Pete or do you get out, Joe? Well, Bloomberg doesn't have to sit at that table. It's never going to happen.

MCINTOSH: At this point they're all equally plausible candidates.

BORGER: Right.

MCINTOSH: There is--

CUOMO: They're all kind of equally cash-strapped, right?

YANG: I'll tell you that these conversations are going to start heating up over the next one to two weeks because they're seeing the same calendar. It's almost like this wall and there like this wave that is about to crash into it.

So they're having much more serious conversations. You can tell from tonight that they were all told look this could be, make or break for your campaign. And if you're in that mode, then honestly, I think we're going to see some of these candidates having very, very tough conversations. Hopefully, even with other campaigns.

BASH: You were part of that club until recently.

YANG: Yes, I was.

BASH: Do you see what Gloria just suggested, which is very logical. Ever happening? The people who are there remaining in the congested lane that you discussed having a meeting and saying let's talk about okay, I'll get out. Who is going to stay in?

YANG: No, I don't see it. I know the people involved. They don't have those kinds of relationships with each other. And again, they each have a team of dozens, hundreds of people that have interests that are very much the opposite direction because they're all trying to think hey, if my person becomes the President or the VP, then we're going to have this job, that job, that job.

This is still the hope and the dream. So it's going to be tough to get them all together. But if they don't come together in some way, then I think the timing is going to end up working out for Bernie.

JONES: This is exactly what happened in 2016 with the Republican Party.

MCINTOSH: Yep. JONES: Rubio, everybody has their dreams and stuff. And Trump was - it was a very long time before Trump was winning majorities. He was just getting that 25, 30, 35 percent every single time. And we sit here saying well clearly it's not going to be Donald Trump. There is no way it's going to be Donald Trump. So we came up with all these different lanes and theories and stuff like that at the end of the day the guy was getting 25 percent.

CUOMO: We slept on the movement Bernie Sanders is the only one that has that right now. And that's why you've got to give it some respect.

JONES: And I think, again, for him, his electability argument, and I didn't know those numbers that you raised before, that his numbers were going up, that it makes sense to me that the idea that he is electable goes up. I think to be electable, you have got to electrify.

[00:55:00]

JONES: If you don't have the money, which is Bloomberg's thing you got to have the energy. You have to have the people. Those Bernie Sanders rallies that we don't show often, those things are really, really fired up. And that energy can sometimes get a candidate across the finish line.

CUOMO: Well, we're going to be seeing soon enough what it means. The money totals are going to start to come in. Polls are going to be released. And then before you know it; it's going to be one state on top of the other, hitting you on the head. And you know who is going to be there every step of the way CNN will to all of you thank you.

MCAULIFFE: And to now Chris FEC reports cone out.

CUOMO: Thank you very much. I was even more right than I knew. Andrew yang, my favorite group Tribe called quest has aligned. You're a box of positives. You're a big plus, love. Thank you very much for joining. You are value added. All right thank you for watching. The news is going to continue of course here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello.

END