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GOP Debate; Fallout and Fireworks from Republican Debate. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired August 07, 2015 - 13:00   ET

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

SUSAN SARANDON, ACTRESS: Some kind of public outcry as a reach to try to put pressure on the governor to reconsider this, because otherwise -- and as a rule, he's been on death row for 17 years.

ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: I just want to make sure people know that our series which you so eloquently are a part of and we thank for that. "DEATH ROW STORIES" airs this Sunday, 10:00 p.m. Eastern, right here on CNN.

Susan Sarandon, lovely to have you hear. Sister Helen Prejean, thank you for coming. Thank you both.

Thanks for watching, everyone. Brianna Keilar takes it from here.

(MUSIC)

[13:00:35] BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Hi there. I'm Brianna Keilar, in for Wolf Blitzer. It's 1:00 p.m. here in Washington, 6:00 p.m. in London, and 8:00 p.m. in Jerusalem. Wherever you're watching from around the world, thanks for joining us.

The first debate of the Republican primary is over but it is generating even more fireworks and fallout the day after. The top ten Republican candidates squared off in prime time and we'll have in- depth analysis throughout the next hour. Who stood out? Who didn't? Any major gaffes? Any stumbles?

But we begin with highlights of some of the most memorable moments.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRET BAIER, DEBATE MODERATOR: Anyone on stage -- and can I see hands -- who is unwilling tonight to pledge your support to the eventual nominee of the Republican Party and pledge to not run an independent campaign against that person.

Raise your hand now if you won't make that pledge tonight.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

Mr. Trump.

SEN. RAND PAUL (R-KY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is what's wrong. He buys and sells politicians of all stripes. JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They call me "Veto Corleone"

because I've vetoed 2,500 separate line items in the budget. I'm my own man.

MEGYN KELLY, DEBATE MODERATOR: You've called women you don't like fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals. Your Twitter account --

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Only Rosie O'Donnell.

MIKE HUCKABEE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's time that we recognize the Supreme Court is not the supreme being and we change the policy to be pro-life and protect children instead of rip up their body parts and sell them like they're parts to a Buick.

TRUMP: If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even be talking about illegal immigration, Chris. You wouldn't even be talking about it.

PAUL: I don't trust President Obama with our records. I know you gave him a big hug. And if you want to give him a big hug, go right ahead.

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R-NJ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Senator Paul, you know, the hugs that I remember are the hugs that I gave to the families who lost their people on September 11th.

GOV. SCOTT WALKER (R-WI), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's sad to think right now but probably the Russian and Chinese government know more about Hillary Clinton's e-mail server than do the members of the United States Congress.

PAUL: See, I think you're on the wrong side of this if you're still arguing for single payer.

TRUMP: I'm not -- I don't think you heard me. You're having a hard time tonight.

BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The only one to take out half of a brain -- although you would think if you go to Washington that someone had beat me to it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Well, Donald Trump was certainly the wildcard in that Republican debate. He did not disappoint. Trump's battle with moderator Megyn Kelly continued on Twitter long after the debate was over and it all started with this exchange.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KELLY: You've called women you don't like fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals. Your Twitter account --

TRUMP: Only Rosie O'Donnell.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: I think the big problem this country has is being politically correct.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

I've been challenged by so many people and I don't frankly have time for total political correctness and to be honest with you, this country doesn't have time, either. And honestly, Megyn, if you don't like it, I'm sorry, I've been very nice to you, although I could probably maybe not be based on the way you have treated me but I wouldn't do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Let's bring there CNN chief political analyst Gloria Borger.

So, Gloria, I thought the beginning of that worked for Trump in a trump way. I don't want to be politically correct. But then when he went to attacking Megyn Kelly, it makes you wonder if that's going to hurt him with women voters.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Sure. Look, I think people who like Trump will like Trump no matter what, women included. But I do think that the Republican Party has a gender issue.

Remember, Barack Obama won women by 11 points last time. Hillary Clinton, should she become the nominee, will certainly gain some women's votes by virtue of the fact that she's a woman, although women don't just vote on that, but that will certainly be appealing.

And Donald trump has a 62 percent unfavorable rating with all women. Among Republicans it's 42 percent.

So when he says that and then he says, you know, I've been nice to you and maybe I shouldn't be, and I think Megyn Kelly was sort of very reserved and didn't get into it with him.

[13:05:00] I think reading those remarks were offensive. And I was actually kind of surprised that none of the other candidates sort of jumped in.

KEILAR: It could have been an opportunity, I think.

BORGER: I think if Carly Fiorina had been there she might have jumped in.

KEILAR: She might have jumped in.

And I thought Megyn Kelly's question was great. I thought she was a class act and how she responded. And it didn't end there. Trump tweeted at her "Wow, Megyn Kelly bombed tonight. People are going wild on Twitter, funny to watch." And then he retweeted fans who referred to Kelly as a bimbo. Earlier he tweeted, "I really enjoyed the debate tonight even though the FOX News trio, especially Megyn Kelly was not very good or professional."

Now, I will say I disagree with those comments.

BORGER: So do I. I think they did a terrific job.

KEILAR: Is making a situation -- and I get it, some of his followers will be fine with that.

BORGER: Totally.

KEILAR: But there are many people like Megyn Kelly don't want to hear him talk to women that way. Is he making a bad situation worse?

BORGER: Well, I think one of the things you want to do at a debate like that is let the American public see you as a potential president, OK? And when you're retweeting a coat that calls an accomplished anchor, lawyer, and mother a bimbo, I don't think that's really presidential.

So, in the long run, I don't think Donald Trump did himself any good. Again, his supporters will be his supporters. But I don't think he did himself any good.

KEILAR: Carly Fiorina, she did not make it into the prime time debate as we saw, Gloria, but she was hailed as the breakout star, the so- called "Happy Hour" debate. And she took some pretty hard swings at Hillary Clinton on this and Donald Trump that he had with Bill Clinton before he got into the race. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARLY FIORINA (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I don't know. I didn't get a phone call from Bill Clinton before I jumped in the race. Did any of you get a phone call from Bill Clinton? I didn't. Maybe it's because I hadn't given money to the foundation or donated to his wife's Senate campaign.

Hillary Clinton lies about Benghazi. She lies about e-mails. She is still defending Planned Parenthood, and she is still her party's front-runner. We need a nominee who is going to throw every punch, not pull punches and someone who cannot stumble before he even gets into the ring.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: What does that performance do for Carly Fiorina.

BORGER: It's very good for her. Look, she's fearless. She's precise in her attacks. She has this kind of CEO fluency that -- where she can just -- has a command of the stage. And I think at that debate last night, she showed she was kind of the star of that pack and, again, to our previous point about Donald Trump, there was no other woman on the stage last night with Donald Trump and I guarantee you, Carly Fiorina would have made a difference had she been there in that Megyn Kelly exchange.

KEILAR: We'll see if maybe she's in it in the next debate. Who knows?

BORGER: We'll see. KEILAR: Gloria Borger, thanks so much.

BORGER: Sure.

KEILAR: A programming note: Republican front-runner Donald Trump will be Don Lemon's guest on "CNN TONIGHT". That will come your way at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

And he did, right? Donald Trump stole the spotlight before even said a word. The debate started with a question about whether the candidates would rule out a third party bid if they were not the Republican nominee.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BAIER: Raise your hand now if you won't make that pledge tonight.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

BAIER: So, Mr. Trump, to be clear, you're standing on a Republican primary debate stage.

TRUMP: I fully understand.

BAIER: The place where the RNC will give the nominee the nod.

TRUMP: I fully understand.

BAIER: And that experts say an independent run would almost certainly hand the race over to Democrats and likely another Clinton. You can't say tonight that you can make that pledge.

TRUMP: I cannot say, I have to respect the person that if it's not me the person that wins. If I do win and I'm leading by quite a bit, that's what I want to do. I can totally make that pledge if I'm the nominee. I will pledge I will not run as an independent.

But -- and I am discussing it with everybody but I'm talking about a lot of leverage, we want to win and we will win. But I want to win as the Republican. I want to run as the Republican nominee.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Sean Spicer is communications director for the Republican National Committee, the RNC. And he joins us now from Cleveland.

All right. Let's start with Donald Trump, Sean.

Is he embarrassing the Republican Party by standing there in the city, the same city where the nominee will be coronated and saying he's not going to support that candidate if it's not him?

SEAN SPICER, RNC COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: That's not what he said, Brianna. But I think - - [13:10:00] KEILAR: He wouldn't guarantee that though. I mean, let's

be clear, he didn't say he would support them, he left it wide open for launching a third-party bid. Is that embarrassing for the Republican party?

SPICER: Well, obviously, look, I'd be lying if I said I didn't want all the candidates to right here right now pledge their 100 percent support to support our eventual nominee, because we need to be united as a party. If we're not, a third party would be a huge help up to Hillary Clinton. I think Mr. Trump understands that.

So I think we're going to continue to have conversations with him. I think eventually he will support -- agree to support whomever the nominee is. He knows better than anyone that if you don't have a Republican nominee and a Republican Party united, that Hillary Clinton certainly -- her odds of becoming president become a lot easier.

KEILAR: His attack and then his Twitter tirade after the debate against Megyn Kelly, doesn't that hurt when the party is trying to appeal to more women and you've been struggling with women compared to Democrats?

SPICER: Well, I think from a party perspective, the work that we do to reach out to women, especially younger women, has been evident by the gains that we have made and the successes that we had in 2014. So I think individual candidates, how they attempt to reach out to individuals, individual groups or Democrat graphics is up to them. We as a party are going to be committed to going places and reach out to grow our party, though.

KEILAR: How important -- when you see Carly Fiorina's performance in the earlier debate and she even made a little appearance with a sound bite that was used in the later debate, how important is it having that voice which at this point is the singular female voice in this Republican field?

SPICER: Well, look, I think there's 17 voices. I think Carly did a phenomenal job at the early debate but part of this process is not to pick winners and losers. What we've done is allowed with CNN and FOX is ensure that we have the most inclusive first two debates of any party going forward. What happened last night is exactly what was intended. Somebody can do really well someone could do not as well. They can move up, they can move down. But it gives everyone that opportunity to have their voice heard and either gain or lose depending on whether or not the voters and the supporters -- that message resonates with them.

KEILAR: If Donald Trump -- and I have to circle back to Donald Trump here, Sean -- if he does what he needs to do to get the delegates he needs, will the party -- will party loyalists wholeheartedly back him up if he's the nominee?

SPICER: Of course. I think -- look, there were 17 candidates on stage last night. Any one of them who becomes our nominee has the full support of the RNC. That's how it works. The voters of this country, Republican activists, Republican primary and caucus goers will decide who our nominee is, and we at the RNC will give them the best ground digital and data operation in the history of our country and help get them to victory in 2016, because I think that no matter who the candidate is, every single one of them has a vastly better vision and approach to this country than Hillary Clinton.

KEILAR: All right. Sean Spicer, looking like a lovely day in Cleveland behind you there. Thanks so much.

SPICER: It's gorgeous!

KEILAR: Yes, it sure.

SPICER: Wish you were here. Thanks, Brianna.

KEILAR: That would have been quite a debate to watch in person. Thanks, Sean.

Coming up, later in the hour, I'll be speaking with Debbie Wasserman Schultz. She is the chair of the Democratic National Committee. We'll be getting her take on last night's debate and the efforts to take, as you just heard Sean say, Hillary Clinton.

CNN will host the second Republican debate on September 16th. The candidates will gather at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

CNN will also host the first of six Democratic debates. That will take place on October 13th coming to you live from Nevada, right here on CNN.

We have much more coverage of the first GOP debate ahead, including a closer look at how the other candidates did. Jeb Bush, did he win by not losing? Was Marco Rubio the breakout star of the night?

And later on, we'll look at the early debate. George Pataki was one of the candidates on the stage. He'll join me to talk about it.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:18:34] KEILAR: Back to our look at the Republican debate.

So, did Jeb Bush win over any voters at last night's debate? In one of the former Florida governor's strongest moments, Bush was asked how he will overcome the attitude that the last thing the country needs is another Bush.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In Florida they call me Jeb, because I earned it. I cut taxes every year totaling $19 billion. We were - we had - we balanced every budget. We went from $1 billion of reserves to $9 billion of reserves. We were one of two states that went to AAA bond rating. They keep - they called me "veto Corleone" because I vetoed 2,500 separate line items in the budget. I'm my own man. I governed as a conservative and I governed effectively.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and Republican Strategist Kristen Soltis Anderson joining me now to talk about this.

So, governor, that was one of his stronger moments. I think a lot of people thought Jeb Bush had some weaker moments for sure as well. But it was tough for him going into this night with Trump leading the polls. How do you think he did?

JENNIFER GRANHOLM (D), FORMER MICHIGAN GOVERNOR: This is how I think he did, meh (ph). I mean he really did not do well. He didn't bring his A-game, if he has one. All I can say is, it is really a good thing that he raised all of that money before this debate because after this debate I think it will be harder for him to convince the Republican players that he is going to take it all the way. He was kind of like oatmeal. We're - I mean oatmeal at least sticks to you. Maybe he was like thin gruel (ph). It just didn't do anything.

[13:20:14] KEILAR: Oooh.

GRANHOLM: I think it was not a good fight for him.

KEILAR: Thin gruel, that is not a good review. Kristen, what did you think?

KRISTEN SOLTIS ANDERSON, COLUMNIST, "THE DAILY BEAST": I thought he did perfectly fine. And I thought that's exactly what he needed to do. I think everybody - I don't think anybody really broke out of the debate last night. I think everybody -

KEILAR: Fine - fine like OK? Fine like OK?

ANDERSON: I - I think he did OK.

KEILAR: Is that what you think, he did - he did all right?

ANDERSON: I think he's taking a little -

GRANHOLM: I'm like, meh.

ANDERSON: I think he's shaking a little bit of the rust off. I think this is his first time being on the national stage on a presidential debate. First lap - first time being in a campaign in a while. But I thought his answers on things like Common Core and immigration were great because those are tough positions where he's really got to walk a fine line with where he stands and where people think the Republican base is at and I think he handled that really, really well. He took boos inside the - inside the room that came up around the Common Core topic and he turned it into applause by the end.

So, I think he did what he needed to. I don't think he goes down that much in the polls. I think it was fine and we move on to the next debate. KEILAR: All right. Let's talk about his former colleague, Senator

Marco Rubio of Florida. Listen as he pulls out this zinger comparing Hillary Clinton's ability to relate to the middle class.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's the jobs that once sustained our middle class, they either don't pay enough or they are gone and we need someone that understands that as our nominee. If I'm our nominee, how is Hillary Clinton going to lecture me about living paycheck to paycheck? I was raised paycheck to paycheck. How is she - how is she going to lecture me - how is she going to lecture me about student loans? I owed over $100,000 just four years ago. If I'm our nominee, we will be the party of the future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: That was about being in touch with voters, Kristen, is how I saw that. Rubio versus Bush, who was the more formidable Floridian here?

ANDERSON: I think Rubio flourished a little more in the setting last night. I think they bring very different messages and strengths to the table. Jeb's message is one where he focuses a lot on this right to rise concept and people having social mobility. And Rubio focuses a lot on this new American century and this generational argument. He brought it up a number of times. I think the format was great for him. I think folks will give him another look. Remember, he used to be in the top tier of the polls. I that top three with Jeb and with Scott Walker and he's fallen in recent weeks. I think this debate has a chance for him to move back up a few slots.

KEILAR: All right, ladies, thank you so much. Stand by -

GRANHOLM: Brianna, can I just say -

KEILAR: Yes, jump in.

GRANHOLM: Can I - can I just jump in really fast on Marco Rubio. I mean, first of all, Hillary Clinton had student loans, too. Her father sold grapes. He was a middle -

KEILAR: Sure. Aren't you a little worried about Marco Rubio, though, this younger face?

GRANHOLM: But wait a second, wait a second. Yes, I mean, he certainly represents the young face, but he's a guy - he talks about student loans. He's the guy who voted against allowing students to refinance their student loans at a lower rate. He voted against Pell grants. He voted against - he's talking about middle class. He was - he was one of two references to the middle class in that prime time debate and zero references in the early debate. All I can say, Brianna, is, if you're talking policy against policy, bring it on.

KEILAR: All right, those are some fighting words. Governor Granholm, thanks so much. Kristen Soltis Anderson, thank you. ANDERSON: Thanks.

KEILAR: Trump, Bush and Rubio, they weren't the only ones grabbing debate headlines. Coming up, the epic argument between Rand Paul and Chris Christie over government surveillance.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:27:52] KEILAR: During one of the more heated exchanges of last night's Republican presidential debate, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul slammed each other over the use of government surveillance in the fight against terrorism. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RAND PAUL (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I want to collect more records from terrorists but less records from innocent Americans. And I'm proud of standing for the Bill of Rights and I will continue to stand for the Bill of Rights.

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That's a completely ridiculous answer. I want to collect more records from terrorists but less records from other people. When you're sitting in a subcommittee just blowing hot air about this, you can say things like that. When you're responsible for protecting the lives of the American people, then what you need to do is to make sure -

PAUL: Here's the problem, you fundamentally misunderstand the Bill of Right. Every time you did a case, you got a warrant from a judge. I'm talking about searches without warrants. I don't trust President Obama with our records. I know you gave him a big hug. And if you want to give him a big hug again, go right ahead.

CHRISTIE: Senator Paul, you know, the hugs that I remember are the hugs that I gave to the families who lost their people on September 11th. Those are the hugs I remember. And those had nothing to do with - and those had nothing to do with politics.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: CNN political director David Chalian, CNN senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny joining me now.

I mean that was wow guys watching that last night, that moment.

Jeff, who did you think really came out winning that exchange? Either?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: I mean, Brianna, it sure was. Look at how much information was packed in there. We learned that Chris Christie was involved in 9/11 and the families of 9/11. He took a shot at Rand Paul for being a, in his words, kind of a blow hard do nothing senator. And then when he got to the substance of it all, I mean never mind that, about a debate that is really going on inside this Republican Party about civil liberties. So I think you probably have to hand it to Chris Christie for - at least for some - some in that wing of the party, he was very strong on, you know, protecting these surveillance programs.

[13:29:57] But, of course, others in the party will have a different point of view. To the libertarians out there who believe there has been government overreach, Rand Paul was music to their ears. But if we weren't talking so much about Donald Trump, if that wasn't, you know, a bit of center stage here, this would be one of the central arguments going on in this Republican presidential campaign.