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The Situation Room

Israel Boosts Security Amid New Wave of Attacks; Democrats Try to Build on Record-Setting Debate; Biden Source: Clinton Debate Won't Affect Decision; Clinton, Sanders Camps Each Claim Debate Win; CNN Polls: Trump Has Big Leads in Two Key States; Ivanka Trump Speaks About Father; Kim Jong-Un's Gift, A Floating Restaurant. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired October 14, 2015 - 17:00   ET

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

[17:00:00] WOLF BLITZER, THE SITUATION ROOM HOST: Happening now, wave of terror, a series of attacks, most by lone Palestinian assailants spreads fear and chaos in Israel as authorities sent troops into the cities and set up checkpoints in Arab neighborhoods. Can the U.S. help calm things down? I'll speak with a top Israeli security official.

Building on the debate, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders both do well before a record audience in CNN's Democratic presidential debate. Did they just close the door in a Joe Biden candidacy? And can they turn the applause into campaign cash?

The Donald's daughter, as GOP frontrunner Donald Trump twits about the Democrats and gets ready for a big rally. His daughter speaks exclusively with CNN about what a President Trump would do for women.

And under the sea, in a country where many go hungry, North Korea's Kim Jong Un gives a grandiose gift to his people, a floating restaurant. We have an exclusive behind the scenes look.

I'm Wolf Blitzer, you're on The Situation Room.

Let's get to the breaking news. Two more attacks in Jerusalem today. The latest of the stunning wave of assaults against Israelis, they include stabbing, shootings and ramming by vehicles. They're carried out by lone assailants randomly without warning. The casualty count is rising. Israeli authorities are struggling right now to cope. Police say one attack was foiled today in Jerusalem. The Palestinian assailant was killed. Another attacker wounded a woman at a bus station. The Israeli military has begun sending troops into major cities and police are setting up checkpoints in Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem. The United States meanwhile is voicing alarm. Secretary of State John Kerry is planning to travel to the region.

And politics, more than 15 million watch last night's Democratic showdown here on CNN, the most ever for a Democratic presidential debate. The Vice President Joe Biden was among the viewers, he says all the candidates did a good job, but Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders camps were especially happy today, did very strong performances make it tougher for Biden to jump into the race.

Our correspondent, analyst and guests will have full coverage of all the day's top stories. Let's go straight to Jerusalem first. Our Senior International Correspondent Ben Wedemen is standing by.

Ben, another day of shocking violence, take us through it.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, the first attack of the day Wolf occurred outside Damascus' gate in mid afternoon where apparently a Palestinian men, a native Hebron in the southern West Bank was acting suspiciously according to the Israeli police. When the border police approached him he pulled a knife and appeared to lounge at them. They open fire but he managed to get away from that group but he was taken down by another group of border policemen who shot him dead.

Now, just about two and a half hours that -- there was another attack outside the normally very busy and crowded central Jerusalem bus station there. According to the accounts from the police, there was a 72-year-old woman who was on the sidewalk. She was attacked by this man in his late 20s from the Palestinian neighborhood of Ras al-Amud in eastern Jerusalem. She was stabbed in the upper torso. A bus driver managed to bring her onboard a bus, closed the door. The attacker went up the street and he was shot, neutralized in the terminology of the Israeli police.

Now, the police also released some close circuit video of an attack that took place in Pisgat Ze'ev on Monday involving a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old Palestinian boys, they are using knives, attacked a 13- year-old Israeli boy on a bicycle then went after an older men as well. Both of those -- one of those attackers was killed, the 15- year-old, the 13-year-old was severely wounded and is now in an Israeli hospital.

Now, while all these is going on, in Bethlehem there were violent clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces as well. So, it's definitely had been a very rough day. However, keep in mind that yesterday three Israelis were killed, one Palestinian in clashes so definitely it's been a difficult almost two weeks now, these steady clashes, Wolf.

BLITZER: What was the basic message from the Palestinian authority? President Mahmoud Abbas, he addressed the Palestinian people today on television.

WEDEMAN: Well, it was a message of defiance. What he is talking about, he didn't send out any call for a calming down of the situation. In fact he said that the Palestinian authority would take the Israeli government to the international criminal court in the Hague over the killing of innocent Palestinians in his words over the Gaza war and the occupation of the West Bank.

[17:05:12] He didn't send any conciliatory messages whatsoever, so it might indicate that he himself is feeling under pressure from the Palestinian street and feels he has to take a hard line which isn't going to diffuse the tensions at the moment. BLITZER: Ben Wedeman in Jerusalem, thanks very much. The violence certainly has been building for weeks and as the casualty count grows, there are now growing fears that this could turn into another long and bloody Palestinian uprising. Let's bring in our global affairs correspondent Elise Labott. She is working the story for us as well, so where is this heading?

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf these daily attacks are sparking fears. This could turn into another Intifada but the random nature of the violence is flummoxing Israeli security and raising questions about whether the U.S. has any influence to calm the situation.

Today, knife wielding Palestinian teenagers attacked Israelis in what has become a daily outbreak of violence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: During -- I hear screams, girls were screaming, "terrorist, terrorist."

LABOTT: A day earlier, a Palestinian captured on video ramming his car into a group of Israelis waiting for the bus and hacking them with a machete before being shot by security.

Two weeks of attacks have shaken both Israelis and Palestinians and spark fears of a third Intifada. Secretary of State John Kerry hopes to travel to the region to urge leaders on both sides to insist on calm.

JOHN KERRY, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: I will go there soon, at some point appropriately, and try to work to reengage and see if we can't move out of way from this precipice.

LABOTT: But for Israel, lone wolf attacks are better foiled by security not diplomacy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Secretary of State is always a welcome guest in Israel but ultimately we believe that this -- this current wave of terror to de-escalate, first of all, we have to take the steps that we need to take to protect our people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of several incidents, a shooting that has taken place.

LABOTT: But unlike previous uprisings where terrorist attacks were orchestrated by well-organized groups, young Palestinians unaffiliated to a political movement are independently lounging random attacks spurred on by social media and in some cases encouraged by Palestinian leaders who were called out by Kerry.

KERRY: This violence and any incitement to violence has got to stop. The situation is simply too volatile, too dangerous.

LABOTT: U.S. officials said the U.S. is also concerned about excessive force by Israeli security forces against Palestinian rock throwers. Dozens of Palestinians killed in clashes across east Jerusalem in the West Bank. Their deaths captured on video and broadcast by Palestinian networks fueling more attacks against Israelis.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): It's true we have faith without love as a price, but it is the price worth paying for freedom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LABOTT: And Kerry wants to have some sort of summit with the leaders meeting with each one separately, but he is mindful about creating expectations and further inflaming a volatile situation so he's treading very carefully and after years of fruitless diplomatic effort and strangled relations with Israel over the Iran deal, it's unclear at this point what any influence the U.S. can have right now, Wolf.

BLITZER: Yeah, the situation seems to be getting almost out of control. Right now, Elise thanks, very much. Israel clearly stepping up security but the unpredictable and seemingly unorganized wave of violence poses a new kind of challenge. Joining us now is the Israeli Police Spokesman Micky Rosenfeld. Micky thanks very much for joining us. The violence seems to be getting worse by the day. Roadblocks are being established in some Arab neighborhoods. But is shutting down the neighborhoods and bringing in more Israeli troops the answer here?

MICKY ROSENFELD, ISRAELI POLICE SPOKESMAN: Well, the Israeli police have heightened security over the last in fact 10 days, and we've taken careful steps in carrying out security measures. But due to the ongoing attacks that have taken place which unfortunately have cost the lives of seven Israelis that have been killed both in Jerusalem as well as in Judea and Samaria, it's been necessary to mobilize different units in Jerusalem that can respond quickly to ongoing terrorist attacks. We're dealing with lone wolves, individuals who are living the different Israeli-Arab neighborhoods such as Tubaka (ph) and Ras al-Amud and instead of going to work in carrying out regular days work or coming into Jerusalem for medical treatment and assistance, what is taking place is they are carrying out terrorist attacks and targeting innocent Israelis.

So definitely security, heightened security will continue.

[17:10:00] The Israeli IDF forces 300 extra personnel are now working under the commander of the Israeli National Police which is important and significant as well. And also after yesterday evening's cabinet decision, at the moment, later on, what we've seen at least during the day is roadblocks that are being set up in the different neighborhoods to make sure that we have more control of individuals that are coming in and out.

BLITZER: Yes I was going say Micky the -- I understand the need for security, what the Palestinian say, their point is that these security measures that Israel is imposing, they say makes the situation a bad situation, even worse then they also then say, with all these Israeli presence, all of these blockade or whatever, they have the right to defend themselves to which you say... (AUDIO GAP)

Can you hear me?

ROSENFELD: I didn't hear exactly what you said towards the end but I wanted...

BLITZER: The point is that Palestinians say, what you're doing, which is perhaps understandable, what you're doing is making a bad situation even worse by shooting off neighborhoods, putting police all over the place, bringing in the military. That's only further exacerbating a very, very tense situation.

ROSENFELD: All the steps that are being taken are being taken in order to make sure that the situation stays under control, and it doesn't get out of hand. We're seeing over the last 10 days incitement both in the Palestinian media as well as across the social media, which is definitely a problem, it's inciting young individuals, Palestinians as well as Israeli-Arabs to carry out attacks. There's no reasons whatsoever for there to be incitement, the situation on the ground until just 10 days ago was relatively calm and relatively quite. But at this moment in time we're dealing with the lone wolves, those individuals who had no (ph) potential terrorist.

BLITZER: And now police operations will continue on two levels, number one, extra police units in and around Jerusalem with emphasis on the old city, and at the same time, intelligence trying to find those potential terrorist and a fast response to any incidents and any attacks on all levels. The Israeli Public Service Minister approved steps today that would make it easier, we're told for civilians, for Israeli civilians to obtain gun permits. Do you think the Israeli citizens should be defending the streets with more guns on their sides armed?

ROSENFELD: Absolutely there's no problem with that, whatsoever. The more Israelis that are walking around with pistols, that is important that the members of the public can also respond and react. Let's not forget that just over a week ago, a Palestinian an 18-year-old woman stabbed an Israeli man in the back of his neck in the old city. He pulled out his weapon he responded and he shot that Palestinian woman who was in fact taken to hospital in serious condition. So it is effective, every Israeli walking around with a pistol has gone through a three years of IDF training, and therefore there's no problem whatever. Apart from the individuals that are walking around and personnel security officers that are also in and around the streets that supports the general security that's taking place in coordination with the Israeli National Police.

BLITZER: So you're saying that Israeli citizens, not only in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, all over the country should start packing weapons right now walking around with pistols?

ROSENFELD: What I'm saying is that people who have pistols and who can walk around in the streets with weapons, there's no problem with that whatsoever, everyone is well-trained, has gone through three years of IDF service, reliable, responsible, has gone through training, and yes it's an important step in the same way, as many years ago there were individuals and security guards outside every restaurant, central bus stations. One of the plans is to heighten security also on public busses as well, so there'll be a private security response on busses and public transport.

At this stage, we're taking every step necessary both in public areas and national security in order to make sure that the situation stays under control.

BLITZER: Well, one final question Micky before I let you go. Aren't you concerned, you know, it's one thing for police, military to walk around with weapons, but it's another thing for civilians simply to be walking around with weapons, some of them maybe trained, some of them not so well-trained, aren't you concern that they might simply shoot before they really know for sure that there's a danger?

ROSENFELD: There are very strict firing orders, when one is allowed to open fire both for the Israeli police as well as for citizens. One is only allowed to open fire when you're (inaudible) situation, but unfortunately what we've seen over the last 10 days is sporadic attacks that have taken place in many cities around the country. And therefore at this moment in time we have to make sure the heightened security continues, that people that are walking around with their own personal weapons. And lots of the Israeli National Police, border police and undercover units, they're working in different areas is essential.

The rapid response of our police officers has prevented Israelis from being injured or even killed.

[17:15:04] And this will continue as long as necessary, until the situation comes down.

BLITZER: It's obviously a very tense situation indeed. Micky Rosenfeld is the national spokesman for the Israeli Police Force. Thanks very much for joining us.

ROSENFELD: Thank you.

BLITZER: Up next, as the Democrats try to build on their big debate, I'll speak to a former Obama campaign who once gave advice on how to beat Hillary Clinton. I'll ask him what Secretary Clinton needs to do right now to win. And Donald Trump's daughter speaking exclusively to CNN about what her father means to her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IVANKA TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP'S DAUGHTER: He's given me every opportunity to succeed, he's been loving and supportive, he's pushed me, he's corrected me, he's disciplined me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:20:00] BLITZER: Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders both performed very well before our record audience in CNN's Democratic Presidential Debate. Did they do well enough though last night to close the door on a Joe Biden candidacy? And can they turn the applause of the campaign cash? Let's go live to our Senior Washington Correspondent Jeff Zeleny is joining us from Las Vegas. So, how will they build on this Jeff?

JEFF ZELENY, SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf, Hillary Clinton is back on the campaign trail right here in Nevada tonight. She's trying to do just that, build on that momentum that she had last night on that debate stage. Now even Vice President Joe Biden praised all the work of the Democratic rivals but his allies tell me tonight that's not enough to necessarily keep him out of the race.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

The Clinton campaign wasted no time trying to capitalize on the debate in a late night rally, and a boost from their biggest surrogate. Wow, wow, wow. That's how Bill Clinton summed up the Democratic debate today in a letter to donors. This not so partial observer was watching along on CNN like at least 15 million Americans as Hillary Clinton commanded the stage.

HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think that being the first woman president would be quite a change from the presidents who had up until this point...

ZELENY: She oozed confidence but hardly stole the show. Bernie Sanders had strong moments of his own, even coming to her defense on her biggest controversy.

BERNIE SANDERS, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: ... and that is that the American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn e-mails.

CLINTON: Thank you. Me too, me too.

SANDERS: You know.

ZELENY: Sanders got a mediate feedback. He raised nearly $2 million after the debate and a crash of attention.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everyone relax.

ZELENY: You said enough of these damn e-mails. What about some of your supporters who believe there are some legitimate questions about that?

SANDERS: I gave my view and they may well be legitimate concerns. What I said is that there is a process underway. I didn't say forget it. Forget the issue, ignore the issue.

ZELENY: The debate didn't shake up the field as much as solidify it, putting Clinton back in the driver's seat, perhaps making it even more difficult for Joe Biden to run. At the White House today, the Vice President had praise for the Democratic candidates but no answers about his plans. JOE BIDEN, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: I was proud of, I thought they all

doing well.

ZELENY: If Biden doesn't jump in over the next week or so, the Democratic field seemed set. And the differences are coming into a sharper view. Clinton went on offense starting with Sander's record of voting against some gun control measures.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Secretary Clinton, is Bernie Sanders tough enough on guns?

CLINTON: No. Not at all. I think that we have to look at the fact that we lose 90 people a day from gun violence.

SANDERS: As a Senator from a rural state, what I can tell Secretary Clinton, that all the shouting in the world is not going to do what I would hope all us want, and that is kick guns out of the hands of people who shall not have those guns...

ZELENY: That explanation offered an opening for Martin O'Malley.

MARTIN O'MALLEY, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Have you even been to Western Maryland? We were able to pass this and still respect the hunting traditions of people who lived in our rural areas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: Now the next time this Democratic fields comes together for a debate exactly one month from today, we will know if Vice President Joe Biden is going to join them or if others have dropped out by then. But well, speaking of the Vice President, I am told that his campaign and waiting it's still very much alive. They're identifying potential workers in this early voting states to see if he pulls the trigger. They believe he has about one week left to finally make this decision. Wolf.

BLITZER: Let's see what he decides. Thanks very much Jeff Zeleny. Joining us now is David Plouffe, he's a former senior adviser to President Obama, also a former Obama campaign manager. Currently a chief adviser at Uber (ph). David, thanks very much for joining us. A lot of people are saying it was a big win for Hillary Clinton last night. Do you agree?

DAVID PLOUFFE, FRM SENIOR ADVISER TO PRESS. OBAMA: Yeah, I think she had a strong performance. She's a strong debater, we certainly witnessed that in 2008. And I think the structure of the race suggests that she can be very difficult to beat. I think she probably put to rest some of the concerns that people had out there. And to acknowledge the question is how does she build on this and, you know, drive a compelling message on the economy most particularly. And, you know, build a strong grassroots organization not just for the primary but to win a, what will probably a very close general election.

BLITZER: Does her strong performance made Joe Biden entering this race a little bit more of a long shot? PLOUFFE: I don't know. My guess is that decision is not going to be

based on the debate no matter how. It's a very personal decision first and foremost.

[17:25:03] Obviously there's a lot of people encouraging the Vice President. So at the end of the day he'll make the decision best for he was family. But my sense is, that debate is not going to be determinative. He's got other factors. You know, does he think he can put together a compelling campaign. And most importantly is it the right time for him and his family.

BLITZER: Well, about the political part of it, forget about the family for a moment. Because you're a political operator you understand these things. Could he put together a strong campaign that would effectively challenge, let's say Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders?

PLOUFFE: Former political operative Blitz, I'm a little rusty. But, listen, I think Hillary Clinton, sure I mean campaigns still have the capacity to surprise. So, we have to watch it unfold. It's very early but, you know, Hillary Clinton is very, very strong. I think she's strong across the country. She's strong in all the states. I think she'll build a strong organization. So, she was very difficult in 2008. We obviously had to run a very strong campaign leader (ph). She's a lot stronger now. So I don't see that there's a natural opening for someone to come in and get 40, 45 percent of the vote and enough states to become the president. But, again campaigns have surprised us before. But right now it looks like she's got a very, very solid advantage obviously.

BLITZER: Ryan Lizza our CNN political commentator at Washington, correspondent for the New Yorker Magazine has been reporting on a document that you co-authored back in 2007 with some other Obama campaign officials that document on how to beat Hillary back in 2007, and principally that kill Hillary strategy at that time was to go after her character. Do you think the same strategy could be embraced this time?

PLOUFFE: Well that's a long time ago Wolf. I barely remember that memory, much less that time but, listen I think, you know, that debate was a heated debate. I think there was agreement on some key issues, disagreement on some key issues like Iraq. And so, you know, Bernie Sanders in particular have to decide what he things his pathway is. But at the end of the day, I think Hillary Clinton showed last night, she's got a command of the issues. I think she dealt well with the questions about the e-mails. Maybe that will be for space now. The media might give her a little more room to go out there and driver her message and ultimately she's going to start advertising and doing things with some force that allows her to directly communicate to voters.

But, you know, I think in a Democratic primary it's hard again. She is much stronger right now than she was in '08 she was very strong then. I just don't see a natural opening for Bernie Sanders or anyone else. You know that's evident right now. And again, politics has shown us time and time again, even in the world of big data and a lot of knowledge. We can be surprised. But right now I think she's got a commanding position, and my suspicion, what I understand is they're building a very strong grassroots campaign in Iowa, in Nevada, in South Carolina and even in some of the states after that. Which is, you know, this is a long march to get enough delegates.

She understands that very well. She went through that seven years ago. So I'm sure she's building a campaign that's taken everything into account and that's important. I mean, the candidate, the message that's key, but the machinery and the organizations and the grassroots and the technology is also important. And my sense is they're doing a pretty good job at that.

BLITZER: And we'll see how she does October 22nd when she's grilled before the house select committee on Benghazi, we'll see if Joe Biden makes a decision before or after that hearing. David Plouffe, thanks very much for joining us.

PLOUFFE: Thank you.

BLITZER: Coming up, Donald Trump is often criticized for harsh comments about women, but in a CNN exclusive, Trump's daughter Ivanka takes a very different view.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: He'd be amazing for women in this country. He would be incredible for women in this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:30:00]

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Tonight, the Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders campaigns, they're trying to capitalize on their candidates' debate performances with each side declaring victory.

[17:33:41] But in a political season dominated so far by a lot of social media. Even the suggestion of who won is up for debate right now.

Take a look at this. Viewers who were logged into the -- into Facebook during the debate said Bernie Sanders won by a landslide, but pundits and newspapers seem to disagree. Let's bring in our chief political correspondent, Dana Bash, and our senior political correspondent, Brianna Keilar.

Brianna, look at these numbers. Voters think Bernie Sanders stole the show. So how do you explain the difference in opinion between these two different audiences? BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, part of

it, Wolf, is that Bernie Sanders has been garnering this enthusiasm that Hillary Clinton has been struggling to. And so he had a lot of people in his corner who were rooting for him. And he did do a good job.

And so I think they have been very enthusiastic about his performance. They like specifically how he talks about economic issues, how he said that Congress doesn't regulate Wall Street; Wall Street regulates Congress.

So you see, even in how he was able to fundraise off of his debate performance. It's sort of this -- it's sort of this effect of enthusiasm that is getting more enthusiasm.

The question for Hillary Clinton is after her debate performance, which a lot of people look at and say was very solid, she was able to rebuff some of the questions about her Iraq war vote and a number of other issues, including flip-flopping on some issues, because she did have some of these weak spots that she was able to protect, I think the question now is, is she able to get a little more enthusiasm? And that's something that we'll be seeing here in the coming days.

[17:35:16] BLITZER: Dana, would you expect Hillary Clinton to start sharpening a little bit her tone, how she deals with the possibility, let's say, of a Biden run? And do you think his time is up? Does he need to make a decision now?

BASH: Well, I mean, I think that Joe Biden needs to make a decision soon. I think it's not so much about the debate or -- or anything around the debate. It has to do with the calendar. And it has to do with the fact that the trains have left the station. And he needs to jump on.

But I'm sort of -- based on conversations with Democrats, I've sort of heard the opposite of conventional wisdom on Hillary's debate performance and what that might mean for a Joe Biden run, in that, you know, she was not battling a lot of opponents that are really, you know -- let's just be frank about it -- up to her caliber.

And Joe Biden possibly would be, when it comes to experience and the kind of voter that -- that he would go after. She also had heard a lot of concern among Democrats, who are really focused on the electability getting someone on the Democratic side in the White House in November of 2016 still worried about the fact that she might not be able to do that because of her name, because of people aren't, as Brianna said, aren't as enthusiastic about her and that maybe a cynical approach by Joe Biden would be to understand that and say, "You know what? I'll give it a try. I'm as authentic as it gets."

BLITZER: Dana Bash, Brianna Keilar, guys, thanks very much.

Coming up, Donald Trump's daughter speaks exclusively to CNN about what her father means to her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: He's pushed me. He's corrected me. He's disciplined me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:41:36] BLITZER: Donald Trump paid very close attention to the Democratic presidential debate. And he's going to be online, and he went online to show his disdain. We may hear more of that scornful tone in a rally that Trump will hold shortly.

Meantime new CNN/ORC polls show Trump is still the Republican frontrunner. Make that way out in front in two key -- two more key states. Our political reporter, Sara Murray, is on the trail with him in Richmond, Virginia.

Sara, these new polls, they tell a pretty dramatic story, don't they?

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. It's a story of Donald Trump trouncing his competitors in some of these early states.

Let's start with taking a look at numbers in Nevada. You see Trump there with a 38 percent support, a huge lead over Ben Carson, who is at 22 percent.

I mean, you look at South Carolina, it's another double-digit lead for Trump. He's polling 36 percent support there, compared to Ben Carson's 18 percent support.

All of this must make Trump feel like he can take a little breather from attacking his Republican opponents, because lately he's decided to go after Bernie Sanders instead. Today with an Instagram video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The world is a dangerous place. We need a tough, strong leader. And it's not this guy.

GRAPHIC: Bernie can't even defend his microphone. How will he defend the country?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MURRAY: Now, lest Donald Trump stay on one target too long, he also went after Hillary Clinton today. This one was on Twitter, going after them for the debate last night, saying, "The debate last night proved that Hillary is running against the B-team. She won't be so lucky when it comes to me."

So, Wolf, I think the big question is what are we going to hear from Trump here tonight? Will he double down on these attacks on Hillary Clinton? Or perhaps his new favorite punching bag, Bernie Sanders?

BLITZER: Sara Murray, thanks very, very much. Trump clearly ahead in the polls in Iowa, New Hampshire, South

Carolina and Nevada. Those are the first four contests. If he carries all four of those states, that's a huge, huge deal.

Donald Trump has been criticized for some of his harsh comments about women, but in an exclusive interview, CNN's Poppy Harlow sat down with Trump's daughter, Ivanka, who spoke about this issue in her own relationship with her father. Poppy is joining us now live.

It seems like Ivanka really opened up to you. Tell us what she said.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: She absolutely did. It was a long interview. It was a fascinating interview. She opened up. She talked about her father's campaign.

She also talked to me a lot about the work she's doing to encourage other women to follow their dreams. She launched this Women Who Work campaign. She talked about her own business empire, which is worth hundreds of millions of dollars in its own right already.

We sat down together, Wolf, at the Fortune Most Powerful Women's Summit this morning in Washington, D.C., and here is part of our interview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARLOW: What would a President Trump do for women in this country?

TRUMP: He'd be amazing for women in this country. He would be incredible for women in this country. And he's starting to articulate his positions. It's not my place to articulate those for him. I'm not part of the campaign. I'm very busy. And he's kept me very busy, working alongside my brothers and running the organization now that he's taking this step and in terms of his efforts to try and make this country great again, as he says. So, you know, I'll leave policy to him.

HARLOW: Yes.

TRUMP: But I can speak from my vantage point as a child and also from my vantage point as a colleague and somebody who works for him.

[17:45:02] He's been an amazing parent. He's given me every opportunity to succeed. He's been loving and supportive. He's pushed me. He's corrected me. He's disciplined me. And I think as a parent now myself I appreciate how hard that is more than ever before.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: We also talked about the fact, Wolf, and this is fascinating to me, that the Trump Organization, although there are more men than women that work at it, 57 percent to 43 percent men-to-women ratio, there are more female executives within the Trump Organization than male. And I asked Ivanka Trump, all right, so how do you spread that across the Fortune 500? And she said, simply put it is bad business not to make women equal to men in the workplace. And she said to me if you don't do that, your business is, quote,

"going to fall behind." Interesting perspective from quite a businesswoman in her own right.

BLITZER: Certainly is. And Poppy, you also asked her about her relationship with another famous candidate's daughter. What did she tell you about Chelsea Clinton?

HARLOW: I did. Many people don't know how close of friends Ivanka Trump and CHELSEA Clinton are. In fact, last week in an interview Chelsea Clinton said, quote, "I love Ivanka." Well, Ivanka Trump reiterated that today saying it has not been an issue for them that their parents are running in campaigns and potentially could be against one another in the general election. She said the politics of our parents is not relevant to our friendship -- Wolf.

BLITZER: I met Ivanka Trump and you're absolutely right. She's a very talented, intelligent woman.

HARLOW: Yes.

BLITZER: And to our viewers I want to make sure you know you can see Poppy's entire exclusive interview with Ivanka Trump later tonight on "ERIN BURNETT OUT FRONT." That's right after THE SITUATION ROOM, 7:00 p.m. Eastern only here on CNN.

Coming up, fear and fury in Israel as lone Palestinian assailants carry out random attacks on streets of major Israel cities. As Israel cracks down, can the U.S. help calm things down?

And where the elite -- where the elite, I should say, meet and eat in North Korea. The country where hunger is widespread, Kim Jong-Un gives his people a luxurious floating restaurant. And guess what, we're inside with an exclusive look.

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[17:51:35] BLITZER: North Korea is struggling economically, most of its population is often very vulnerable to foot shortages but you wouldn't know it by Kim Jong-Un's latest grandiose gifts to his people, a luxury floating restaurant and a new amusement park.

CNN's Will Ripley is in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang for us. And Will, you got an exclusive look. Tell us what you saw.

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I did, Wolf. We were in the middle of celebrations over the weekend, that big military parade and I saw this shining new boat sitting on the river across from the Juche Tower. Now North Korea's critics have long accused this country of economic mismanagement, investing heavily in its military at the expense of feeding its own people and giving them enough electricity but Kim Jong-Un's trademark in recent years has been to give lavish gifts to his most valuable citizens here in Pyongyang.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) RIPLEY (voice-over): It's lunchtime in Pyongyang. The North Koreans say we're the first foreign media to come above the Rainbow, four stories, eight restaurants and cafes, 11,000 square meters all floating on Taedong River.

Supreme leader Kim Jong-Un's recent field inspection, a lead story on state controlled media. The announcer calling it a gift to the people.

(On camera): So this is where the leader sat? You marked the spot here.

(Voice-over): At the revolving restaurant and others inspected by the leader, you can probably guess the most coveted seats.

(On camera): What do your customers say when they sit in this chair in particular?

(Voice-over): "Every wants to sit here where the leader sat," she says. "They rush to grab it."

(On camera): Look at that line.

(Voice-over): A week after opening, the Rainbow has seen capacity crowds. 2,000 people in the first hour. Factory worker Song Ung brought his whole family.

(On camera): Is this affordable for everyday people here in North Korea?

(Voice-over): "Anyone can come here, it's meant for all people," he says.

Menu items run the equivalent of a few U.S. cents to a few dollars. It's hard to calculate exactly how much the average North Korean earns, some estimates say an entire family might bring in about $100 a month. Housing, healthcare, basic food rations and other services all free from the state.

Virtually nobody owns a car but they can still pay up to $2 per ride at the Rungna People's Amusement Park.

"I'm so happy to watch my daughter on the ride," says grandmother Kim Ok Sun. Her family among 3,000 people at the park considered a busy night.

"I've tried all the rides," says her daughter Cha Ok Byol. "This one is my favorite."

Some may consider this an odd investment for a nation with regular food and electricity shortages. But it's part of a promise by the regime to improve people's living standards.

We don't know what life is like in parts of North Korea we're not allowed to visit. Defectors and aid workers paint a far darker picture than these sparkling lights but here in the capital, there are more new amenities each year. More new rewards for absolute loyalty to the leader.

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RIPLEY: But even those people we interviewed go home to housing blocks where if they live on the top floor the electricity often isn't on which means they have to walk up and down many flights of stairs each day but they don't blame their leader for their economic hardship, Wolf. They say it's the fault of the United States and those sanctions.

[17:55:07] BLITZER: Will Ripley in Pyongyang for us. Good report. Thanks very much.

Coming up, a series of attacks most by lone Palestinian assailants spreading panic in Israel as authorities send troops into the cities, setting up checkpoints in Arab neighborhoods. Can the U.S. help calm things down?

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BLITZER: Happening now, breaking news, Jerusalem under siege. Terrorists targeting Israeli civilians in deadly attacks. Tonight the government is taking drastic action that may only fuel the tension with the Palestinians.

[18:00:02] Dozens of people have already died. Can the U.S. help diffuse the crisis?

Off and running, the Democratic presidential candidates hit the campaign trail after a debate that set a new record, cashing in on their political winnings.