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Erin Burnett Outfront
Obama Shifts Plan for Troop Withdrawal; Trump Raises $3.9 Million During Third Quarter; Trump's Children To Hit Campaign Trail. Aired 7-8:00p ET
Aired October 15, 2015 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[19:00:05] ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: OUTFRONT next, President Obama's about-face. Instead of ending the U.S.' longest war, the President says he's keeping thousands of troops on the ground.
Plus, Donald Trump's kids out to try to sell their dad. We have a special report. And we're learning more about NBA Star Lamar Odom's wild days and nights at a Nevada brothel. The sheriff investigating the case is my guest tonight. Let's go OUTFRONT.
Good evening. I'm Erin Burnett. OUTFRONT tonight, a major reversal for President Obama in Afghanistan. The President who came into office vowing to end that war, announcing today he is keeping more American troops in the country. The President changing his mind, because he says those troops are needed to prevent terror attacks on America.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRES. BARACK OBAMA (D), UNITED STATES: But as your commander-in- chief, I believe this mission is vital to our national security interests in preventing terrorist attacks against our citizens and our nation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: The President saying this is, quote, "the right thing to do." Some of the 2016 republican presidential candidates obviously agree. We were all still -- all, though, were still quick to slam the President's leadership, including the candidate rising fastest in the polls, Carly Fiorina.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLY FIORINA (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I certainly support his recognition of reality. I mean, the reality is that the complete withdrawal of our troops from Iraq destabilize that country and he now is recognizing that Afghanistan is becoming potentially a haven for ISIS and that the Taliban is not on the wane, as he tried to convince the American people for years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Barbara Starr is at the Pentagon, beginning our coverage tonight. Barbara, the President who vowed to end the wars, not extending the troop withdrawal again. He is going to stay in.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Erin, good evening. In Afghanistan, it is almost always about preserving security. This could be a problem for years to come.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STARR (voice-over): As the Taliban shows their biggest win in years, briefly taking over a city in Northern Afghanistan, and ISIS and al Qaeda continue expanding their ranks across Afghanistan, President Obama says the situation is still too dangerous to cut the size of U.S. forces still fighting in the country's longest war.
OBAMA: The bottom-line is, in key areas of the country, the security situation is still very fragile. And in some places, there's risk of deterioration.
The administration had sought to end U.S. involvement in the 14- year war that began less than one month after the 9/11 attacks. The plan had been to cut dramatically the number of troops next year. Now, the 9,800 troops will remain through most or all of 2016, dropping to 5,500 in 2017.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Afghan Security Forces' uneven performance in this fighting season also underscores that their shortfalls will persist well beyond this year.
STARR: The country remains fragile. The Taliban in a surprise attack last month seized Kunduz, a major city in Afghanistan. In the fight to push the Taliban back, a U.S. air strike hit a hospital, killing doctors and patients. And just last weekend, U.S. forces participated in a huge raid on an al Qaeda training site, while touted as a success, it shows extremists are still operating there. The four-star commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan had made clear he was not ready for a quick drawdown.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In your professional military judgment, conditions on the ground at the present time would require some revision of the withdrawal plan.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll stomp my foot.
STARR: Some republican presidential candidates want more troops. President Obama's decision not the final word.
OBAMA: I suspect that we will continue to evaluate this going forward, as will the next president. And as conditions improve, we'll be in a position to make further adjustments.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STARR: Tonight, no estimate of when the nation's longest war, no predictions when it may end -- Erin.
BURNETT: Barbara, thank you. And Nick Paton Walsh is on the ground tonight in Istanbul. And
Nick, you've spent a lot of time in Afghanistan. The situation there deteriorating. I guess the question for you is, will more American troops really prevent terror attacks on America?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Very hard to tell. I mean, when al Qaeda launched 9/11, it was from an Afghanistan run by the Taliban, which has collapsed really as a functional society, enabling them to have a place there now. At this stage, the Taliban, yes, they're resurgent. But there's a fair bit of al Qaeda. In fact, U.S. Special Forces work with the Afghan counterparts against a 30-square-mile al Qaeda training camp in just the last few weeks. And we know now too that ISIS has a substantial presence in the east.
[19:05:13] The fact that this force level will sustain at about 10,000 means there will be the counter-terror power there, the air strikes, that kind of ability to go after those extremists inside of Afghanistan, but it's not the whole package. It doesn't stop the country from being a failed state. Doesn't stop the Taliban from perhaps providing other enclaves, and doesn't take away the feel from radicalism which is poverty, the fact that people don't simply see a future for themselves. It's not a one-all solution and it does belie one serious problem here.
For the past four years, ever since Barack Obama said the tide of war is receding, they told us the Afghan security forces were ready. Well, it's pretty clear that today finally the White House admits that that narrative they've been selling so hard really wasn't true. They accept they're not ready and that really shows there are a lot of problems in Afghanistan that are under the surface, all the narratives of success we've been hearing. What else is to come out, and what else does that mean for the homeland security -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much. Nick Paton Walsh, as we said, live in Istanbul tonight.
And even as President Obama says, he's sending troops to Afghanistan, keeping them there. He's still refusing to put American combat boots on the ground in Iraq or Syria, even as ISIS vows to strike America. And now Russian President Vladimir Putin is calling the U.S. policy there weak as he builds up a major military presence in Syria.
Elise Labott is OUTFRONT. Elise, is the United States going to do anything about it? You have Vladimir Putin said, saying, the U.S. is, quote-unquote, "weak."
ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think they wanted just sit back and kind of let him hang himself, Erin. I mean, President Obama's view is that sooner rather than later Russia is going to see the error of its ways and engage in talks in the political transition and phase out Assad. Because you know, the Saudis are talking about, you know, sending every Jihadi known to man, there's a lot of arms going to now only the rebels but other jihadists. And, you know, they're threatening that this is going to be a new Afghanistan. But a lot of U.S. officials believe us to hasten that day when Russia kind of believes that they need to get out. The U.S. needs to flex its military muscle in Syria and not let Putin dominate the skies. And that includes, you know, something maybe like a no-fly zone. There are a lot of people that think that eventually Russia will get tired, but they need to put some pressure on Moscow to make that happen.
BURNETT: All right. Elise, thank you very much.
And OUTFRONT now, the former CIA Operative Bob Baer. Bob, you just heard Elise reporting. I mean, the United States' strategy is they think Putin will eventually hang themselves and realized the failure or error of his ways. Will that happen or does the U.S. need to stop Putin?
BOB BAER, FORMER CIA OPERATIVE: Well, I think the hope is, definitely, that the Russians get themselves into some sort of quagmire, learn their lesson, and pull back. But the problem is, there's going to be so much wreckage in the meantime, that the country is going to be in a worse situation and more refugees. And as was mentioned, its the Saudis. The Saudis are apoplectic about this, that we are going off the Islamic State, the Russians are going after the rest of the opposition. And they are dumping money into all Islamic groups there. So that the tension is going up rather than lessening. So this could get a lot worse -- Erin.
BURNETT: It could get a lot worse. I know you've been incredibly concerned about a broader war that could happen, if U.S. and Russian planes, for example, were to collide. President Obama, in the meantime, Bob, says he's keeping troops in Afghanistan, a place you've spent a whole lot of time. And he says he's doing it explicitly to prevent terror attacks on Americans. Will it make a difference?
BAER: No, it's not going to make any difference. That's a political statement. What he's afraid of is that Afghanistan will collapse completely. It will be overrun by the Taliban. The Islamic State will get a big foothold there. He doesn't want to leave office having lost Afghanistan. I mean, the chances of an Afghan flying, you know, to the United States and committing a terror attack is remote, at this point. I think what he really doesn't want is, in 2017, the Democrats having lost Afghanistan. And he had no choice. I mean, the Taliban was resurgent and taking Kunduz was a huge setback for the government. And more were to follow. And without the U.S. Air Force, you know, what do you do?
BURNETT: All right. Bob Baer, thank you very much.
And next, Jeb Bush plunging in the polls, but still raking in the dough. More than $13 million in the last quarter alone. And the breaking news, Donald Trump's fund-raising numbers just coming in. Yes, you thought he was self-funding his campaign. Well, he took in a whole lot of money, too. We have that headline, after this.
Plus, Ivanka Trump, one of her father's closest advisers, now a major player on the campaign trail along with her brothers. Can they sell Trump to America?
And a secret bunker of missiles in Iran. Look at this footage. Iran taunting the U.S. with video of the stash. We're going to show it to you. Will President Obama do anything about it?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:13:13] BURNETT: Breaking news, Donald Trump releasing new fund-raising numbers just a couple of moments ago. The GOP front- runner announcing he's received $3.9 million in donations during the third quarter. You may say, wait a minute, he wasn't raising money, that's true, those donations though came from about 74,000 supporters. Trump hasn't solicit a donations because he's self-funding his campaign. The average donation though to Trump was, $50 and that includes people buying those "Make America Great Again" hats, things like that go to that campaign. $3.9 million. Jeb Bush on the other hand is raising money. In the first full quarter as a candidate for Mr. Bush, he announced today that he raised more than $13 million.
Sara Murray is OUTFRONT. And Sara, Trump's raised a lot of money for someone who says he doesn't need it, right? But there was more to that, that he spent quite a bit of money.
SARA MURRAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's absolutely right. You know, he's raised a lot of money, but he also goes on the trail and he talks about how cheap is this campaign has been for him. He talks about how he's only put in about $2 million of his own into this account. Well, it turns out, that's not the whole picture. Donald Trump has spent $2 million of his own money, but he spent about $5.6 million total, which means he's spent an awful lot of other people's money as well. And while he may be very far ahead in the polls, it's pretty clear that this money race is heating up.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MURRAY (voice-over): Tonight, new fund-raising numbers show the Bush campaign isn't going anywhere.
JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's an amount that will be competitive, for sure.
MURRAY: Bush raised $13.4 million in the third quarter, a haul that puts him near the top of the GOP pack. But Dr. Ben Carson besting Bush with $20 million last quarter. And Texas Senator Ted Cruz isn't that far behind. Bush's latest numbers should calm some concerns from donors, who have watched their candidate fall behind in key early states, as Donald Trump surges. Trump still sits atop the GOP field. Now, he's trying out some general election style attacks.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If I don't win, I consider it to be a massive failure. That means primaries, that means win the election. Because otherwise, hey, we've all had a lot of fun, but nothing's going to happen. I watched Hillary last night with "We're going to give this, we're going to give that, we're going to give that." She's the poor woman, she has got to give everything away, because this maniac that was standing on her right is giving everything away, so she's following him. I call him a socialist socialist/communist, okay, because that's what he is.
MURRAY: The republican front-runner hedging his bets, taking on Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in the same breath.
(on camera): So, why go after Bernie Sanders if you think Hillary Clinton was the stronger candidate, if you think she is winning?
TRUMP: Well, you never know what's going to happen. You never know. I mean, I may take that she did better. I actually thought she probably won last night, some people might have thought she did. I have no idea who the candidate's going to be. We'll going to have to see.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MURRAY: Now, the Bush campaign gave us a little bit of a document dump today. They also released Bush's health records, his tax return, as well as a list of his bundlers. It seems pretty clear, there is still some uneasiness surrounding that campaign. They need to prove to donors not just that they can raise money, but that investment is actually getting them somewhere in the polls -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Sara.
And OUTFRONT now, republican strategist Ana Navarro, she is Jeb Bush supporter and friend of Marco Rubio. Also, CNN political commentator and host of "The Ben Ferguson Show," Ben Ferguson.
BEN FERGUSON, RADIO HOST, "THE BEN FERGUSON SHOW": Good evening.
BURNETT: All right. Ben, let's start with these Trump numbers, because they just came just out a few minutes before this show began.
All right. So, Donald Trump, I guess it's those keep America great hats and also unsolicited donations.
FERGUSON: Yes.
BURNETT: Right? Seventy four thousand people, average donation, $50. That means a lot of people are giving money to him without being asked, knowing that he doesn't need it, to a total of almost $4 million. What's your take?
FERGUSON: I think it's a great talking point for Trump's campaign. It's, hey, we can raise millions of dollars even when we're telling you not to give us money, because I'm self-funding. And when he's had his campaign stops, he's not out there saying, write a check, and if you feel called to do it, write a check or give to the campaign. That's absolutely not their strategy. And so, for him, I think it just goes back to what he's been saying the whole time. I'm self-funded, no one is going to control me. And so be it, if someone wants to give $30 or $40 or $50, that's a real average American. And it fits right into what he's been saying for the last several months.
BURNETT: And Ana, the problem is, of course, he has successfully parlayed that against someone like Jeb Bush, you're a major fund- raiser, you're in those disclosures today as someone who's raised a lot of money for Jeb Bush. He can't make that argument that no one's trying to control him, because he needs to raise money from big donors.
ANA NAVARRO, JEB BUSH SUPPORTER: Well, he absolutely can make the argument and in fact, he's made it to Donald Trump himself, who was one of the big donors back when Jeb Bush was governor and he wanted casino gambling passed in Florida and Jeb Bush opposed casino gambling in Florida. And I can also tell you that, you know, I've been a supporter and donor of Jeb Bush's for a very long time. And he, at times, opposed things that I wanted. So, you know, the people that invest in your campaign doesn't necessarily mean that you are controlled by them.
[19:18:08] BURNETT: So in terms of the overall money, $13.4 million for Jeb Bush. Again, we'll contrast that to Donald Trump, who had $3.9, without trying. Jeb Bush, trying very hard. $13.4 million. Ben Carson, $20 million. Ted Cruz, $12 million. So, these are the numbers we have there for the top fund-raisers. Has it gotten harder for you, Ana? I mean, this is a real direct question. Has it gotten harder, as his poll numbers have come down to raise money for Jeb Bush?
NAVARRO: You know, I think it's -- look, first of all, the summer is a hard time. It's the hardest time to raise money, all right? Everybody's on vacation, nobody wants to think about it. And there's 15 other candidates running. So, there's a lot of people that are committed to other candidates. I have a lot of friends who are supporting Marco Rubio, who would have been supporting Jeb had they not been supporting Marco. There are people like me who are supporting Jeb who would have been supporting Marco had Jeb not been in the race. So, there's a lot of competition for dollars and, you know, and performance does make a difference. But $13 million is a very good, very good number for Jeb. It means that he is in the top tier of the -- the top third tier of polling.
FERGUSON: Let's be clear.
NAVARRO: And also, the top tier in fund-raising.
BURNETT: Ben?
FERGUSON: Let's be clear, though. It was not hard for everyone to raise money and they can't all say that it was because of summer. Look at Ben Carson's numbers. It was summer and he raised $20 million. I mean, if you're writing a check to Jeb Bush right now, the big question you're asking yourself is, "Am I getting a good return on my investment and hedging my bets that you're going to continue to be a viable candidate?" If you look at this next corner, before you write a check or host a rally or host a fund-raiser at your home or at your business, you're going to look at this and say, is this money being well spent? And I think one of the biggest challenges that Jeb Bush has right now is, yes, he's been able to raise the money. And $13 million is not shabby, by any means. But at the same time, what are you doing in this race and are you in the top three or are you still outside of that? That's where he's going to have a problem I think going into the next quarter of fund-raising. Can he convince people?
NAVARRO: You're right. You're right. And that there are some donors who do this for hedging your bets. Right? You want to be --
FERGUSON: A lot of them do, though.
NAVARRO: Yes. A lot of people also do it because they want to support the person they think is the most qualified to be president. I mean, that idea, as refreshing as it may sound, actually holds true for some donors. And so I think some people are buying into Jeb's strategy that he's in this for the long term and he's playing the long game.
BURNETT: Ana, what do you make though about when Donald Trump came out, I mean, no one really expected an announcement from him today. Almost $4 million. And he has categorically not asked for any money. Now, he does sell the hats, I get it. Right? I mean, they are getting that money, but so $74,000 individual donations. Small amounts of money. Does that concern you?
NAVARRO: No, it doesn't. I mean, look, his poll numbers concern me. The donations he's getting are not surprising. I think it's the same formula as for Ben Carson. A lot of this organic movement that's happening around Trump, around Carson, turns into small donations.
BURNETT: Right.
NAVARRO: It is a great advantage for people, like them frankly.
BURNETT: Ben?
FERGUSON: If you're Jeb Bush, the bottom-line is, whether you admit it or not, you have to be concerned about where you are in this race, and you have to be concerned that Ben Carson can raise $20 million and you couldn't. And Ben Carson does not have the network or the connections that Jeb Bush has. He does not have the same power with political individuals around him and bundlers around him. That's your big concern tonight, is, how does a guy like Carson come up with that kind of cash? And I've got an incredible network of highly experienced political operatives, fund-raisers and bundlers, and I didn't come close to Ben Carson's numbers.
NAVARRO: Yes. But let me remind you --
BURNETT: -- respond to that.
NAVARRO: Let me remind you though --
BURNETT: Because Ben Carson's numbers were huge.
NAVARRO: Yes, but, listen --
BURNETT: Huge!
NAVARRO: But there's also 13 other people whose numbers were not huge. And they were even much smaller than Jeb Bush.
FERGUSON: Right, but they're not the caliber of Jeb Bush. Jeb bush was a great candidate.
NAVARRO: Jeb Bush has been out of government for a very long time now. You have got sitting governors like Chris Christie who raised $4 million. Like John Kasich, who raised $4 million. Like Bobby Jindal, who raised a little bit over $500,000. So you've got a slew of sitting governors, sitting feminists --
FERGUSON: Totally agree.
NAVARRO: -- and other people who have not only are not raising the money, but also are lower in the polls. And the question --
FERGUSON: But Ana -- Ana--
NAVARRO: -- they've got to be asking themselves today is, what am I doing in this race?
FERGUSON: But, Ana, Ana, Ben Carson, to use your logic, you said Jeb Bush has been out of politics for quite some time. And so, that's why it may be harder for him. Ben Carson has never been in politics. And he raised $20 million. You can't overlook that.
NAVARRO: I'm not. I think it's -- I think it's a huge credit to him. And I think it's a huge testament to him. And I think it reflects two different models. Ben Carson has a lot of small donors. Jeb Bush has a lot of donors, and as you know, they're being supported by different, different --
FERGUSON: Bigger donors.
NAVARRO: -- different niches of donors, frankly.
[19:23:16] BURNETT: All right. Well, thanks very much to both of you.
And next, Donald Trump trying to deal with a big problem he has had. And so he's putting his kids on the trail. Can they get it done?
And the dramatic 911 calls when basketball star Lamar Odom was discovered unconscious.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somebody just came up to me and said that he apparently had some cocaine on him that he finished.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:27:35] BURNETT: Tonight, as Donald Trump comes out with his latest fund-raising numbers, he's threatening to boycott the next republican debate. He wants a time limit of two hours. He insists the candidates must be allowed to make opening and closing statements during that time. But on the campaign trail, Trump isn't focused on the GOP race. He's acting, in many ways, like he's already locked up the nomination and he's focusing on Hillary Clinton. And to beat her, he needs his children.
Dan Simon is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVANKA TRUMP, DAUGHTER OF DONALD TRUMP: My father, Donald J. Trump.
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ivanka Trump, one of her father's closest advisers, and now a major player on the campaign trail. Last night, while Donald Trump led a rally for thousands in Virginia, his children hit the virtual trail for the first time, talking about their father to millions of TV viewers.
I. TRUMP: He's been an amazing parent. He's given me every opportunity to succeed.
ERIC TRUMP, SON OF DONALD TRUMP: He held us to a high standard and when he never let him down. And he was an amazing father.
I. TRUMP: He's the most formidable negotiator I've ever seen.
E. TRUMP: He's an amazing man and we've seen a lot of great negotiators. We deal with them every single day and there's no one better than he is.
SIMON: Amazing, great, formidable, superlatives Trump would approve of.
JOHN AVLON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: He's a master at building his own brand. They clearly have taken those notes and the brand is not subtle. The fact they sing from the same hymnal isn't a total surprise.
SIMON: Trump knows his children are some of his best weapons and his biggest rival can't be surprised he's letting them woo voters.
BILL CLINTON (D), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: He's a master brander, and he's the most interesting character out there.
SIMON: And ever since they appeared on their dad's hit show "The Apprentice," Don Jr., Ivanka, and Eric Trump are the best examples of their dad's brand.
AVLON: It humanizes a candidate who can seem all brash, blunt, hard edges and he really needs that right now to address some of his unfavorable numbers, which are sky high.
SIMON: According to a recent Suffolk University USA Today poll, the three words likely voters used to describe Donald Trump, "idiot," "jerk," and "stupid." And that's not the man Ivanka and Eric Trump say they know and love.
I. TRUMP: I wouldn't be the person I am today. I wouldn't have the ambition, the drive, the passion, the commitment to what it is that I'm doing, both for the Trump organization and for my own brand if he hadn't encouraged me, emboldened me, given me the confidence that I could do whatever it is that I set my mind to accomplish if I had the vision, the energy, the passion and the work ethic to match.
SIMON: The big question now is whether Ivanka and her brothers can convince voters that this is the Donald Trump who would live in the White House, not this one.
TRUMP: They're losers. They're just losers.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SIMON: And Erin, anybody who saw Ivanka on our air over the past 24 hours with Poppy Harlow must have been thinking, why hasn't the Trump campaign used her more up to this point? I think the message we're now getting is, stay tuned. It seems like she and the rest of the adult children are eager and willing to hit the campaign trail -- Erin.
BURNETT: It certainly seems that way, and as you pointed out, in different ways than normal. Not necessarily going to the rally, doing the TV interviews, reaching more and more voters.
Dan Simon, thank you very much.
And OUTFRONT now: political commentator and former Reagan White House political director, Jeffrey Lord, a Donald Trump supporter. And, Democratic strategist and the cofounder of Purple Strategies, Steve McMahon. He's a Hillary Clinton supporter.
All right, Jeff. Let me start with you. We know Donald Trump is going to lean heavily on Ivanka and the rest of his family during the campaign. We saw that last night. He was at a rally. Eric Trump was doing a television interview. Ivanka Trump was doing an interview right here on CNN.
You say they remind you a little bit of another famous family.
JEFF LORD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: They do. They remind me of the Kennedys, as the Kennedys originally appeared on the scene in 1960. John F. Kennedy in that day was relatively unknown, unlike Donald Trump today, so when he suddenly appeared in the state of Wisconsin and then in West Virginia for the early Democratic primaries, people were astonished to see that he had this very large family, all these sisters and brothers, they brought their kids, they brought -- it was quite an incredible thing.
Hubert Humphrey once remarked that he felt like the tiny neighborhood grocery store guy going up against the A&P, which was the big grocery store chain of the day.
So, I really think that the Trumps have that potential. They're on the cover of "People" magazine. They're quite an extraordinary family.
BURNETT: Steve? When you hear the Kennedys and the Trumps in the same sentence, what do you think?
STEVE MCMAHON, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Wow. I'm reminds of Lloyd Benson's old line. And actually, I worked for Senator Kennedy, so I'll go ahead and say it. I knew the Kennedys, I worked for Senator Kennedy, Donald Trump is certainly no John Kennedy.
The family that comes to mind more for me is, you know, the Kardashians, frankly. The family has been in the news for reasons that have to do with their fame and their bluster and their braggadocio.
I'm not suggesting they're not great kids. I'm sure they are. I know they love their father, they're very articulate spokespeople. But they're hardly the Kennedys, they're hardly the Reagans, they're hardly, frankly, the Clintons or even the Bushes.
So, this campaign has a long way to go.
LORD: You know --
MCMAHON: We're going to get to know them a little bit better and we'll see.
BURNETT: Jeff?
LORD: These kids have not an ounce of scandal around them. I talked to Donald Trump over a year ago about his kids. And he talked very candidly about raising them and how he was very tough with, you know, no smoking, no drinking, no drugs. Talked to me how he had friends who had kids who were -- you know, rich kids and all of this and they had a very difficult time and didn't turn out very well.
And he was enormously proud of his kids. They play an enormous part in his life and in the life of that company. They're incredible assets. And certainly as America gets to know them, I think they're really going to like them.
BURNETT: Well, they are going to get them more, Jeff. Ivanka and Eric just used the same words and the same language. You heard them in that interview, amazing, great. And to your point, you know, at one point, I believe Eric Trump talked about, you're never going to see any of us dancing on a table, right? That their father was very stern and strict with them.
But they're trying to have him come across as tough, but kind. Someone who taught them to not be entitled, right? That's going to be a key part of their message.
Will they, actually, though, be able to bring voters onboard, who currently see Trump, when it was an open-ended question, what words do you think of when you think of Donald Trump, "idiot," "jerk," "stupid" and many other words along that same vein. LORD: I saw -- I've been reading -- I've been reading so many
polls the last few days, I can't tell you which one this was, but it showed that his favorables had gone up considerably and his unfavorables were about what they were for Mitt Romney at this stage in 2011 before Mitt Romney ran for president.
So, these things can change. And his kids will definitely be an asset, once they're out there. There's no question.
BURNETT: Steve, in the interview here on CNN, Ivanka talked about her friendship, specifically with Chelsea Clinton. Is it fair to say, now, you know, you're saying they're more like the Kardashians than the Kennedys, when you see Ivanka Trump as a Hillary Clinton supporter, are you worried? Is she a more powerful surrogate than Chelsea Clinton?
LORD: I mean, I don't know. I think in a real estate transaction, she might be.
Part of this comes down to your experience and what you're most comfortable doing and the Trumps have not been in the public eye to the extent the Clinton kids have. And politics is not just something that comes along once every four years for the Clintons.
[19:35:04] It's something they've been doing for 20 years, pretty much nonstop.
I have no doubt that Ivanka Trump loves her father. I think she's a very articulate spokesperson. I think it's a smart strategy to bring her and the kids out, to take some of the rough edges off of Donald Trump.
But I don't think it's a fair fight to put her up against the Clintons, because for the Clintons, this is the family business. And for the Trumps, the family business is real estate.
BURNETT: But how does Chelsea Clinton --
(CROSSTALK)
LORD: Actually, that's an asset.
MCMAHON: I'm sorry?
LORD: Actually -- actually, that's an asset. I mean, I take nothing away from Chelsea Clinton. I think she's terrific. And you know, as a rule of thumb, when kids are attacked, I don't really like to go there, you know? I think, you know, the parents is one thing, but kids is another.
I think Chelsea Clinton is outstanding and a credit to her parents, and she and Ivanka Trump are friends. But practically one of the problems is, Chelsea is a presidential child. She's grown up, she has been doing this. The Trumps are new at this. And I think there is that curiosity factor there. MCMAHON: OK, fair point. And I agree with you, by the way,
about not going after the kids. And I hope I'm -- I'm not going after the kids at all.
But I will make this point. They're the children of wealth and privilege. They're the children of billionaires. And to the extent that this campaign is focused more and more as Bernie Sanders, for instance, has tried to focus it, on whether or not the system works as well for people of the middle class as it does for people who are very, very wealthy, that's a comparison that, frankly, benefits the Clintons.
BURNETT: All right.
MCMAHON: They came from Arkansas. They came from nothing. And they weren't -- you know, Chelsea Clinton wasn't born with a billionaire dollars in their trust fund.
LORD: And now they're billionaires.
BURNETT: All right. Well, I appreciate both of you taking the time. It will be interesting to see, in the context of all of this, Donald Trump's fund-raising numbers, with an average of $50 from 74,000 people. Something that goes right to the heart of what you're saying. Obviously, appealing to a lot of people who do not have a lot of money. Thanks to both.
And OUTFRONT next, this video released by Iran, showing an underground bunker packed with bombs and missile launchers. They put this video out after the nuclear deal, thumbing their nose at the United States. Will the U.S. do anything about it?
And new details on Lamar Odom's wild weekend in Nevada. We have the 911 calls when he was found unresponsive.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: He's got, it looks like some kind of white stuff coming out of his mouth. A bunch of white stuff coming out of his nose, too.
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BURNETT: Tonight, NBA star Lamar Odom surrounded by he has family, including the Kardashians, as he fights for his life at a Las Vegas hospital.
We're told the former reality star is unresponsive. His estranged wife, Khloe Kardashian, has been in charge of Odom's medical care ever since he was discovered unconscious by two prostitutes at a Love Ranch on Tuesday. He was staying on site at the Love Ranch for a few days. A stay that we are now learning cost Odom $75,000.
In a moment, I'm going to speak to the sheriff in charge of the investigation, but first, Kyung Lah is OUTFRONT. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CALLER: You need to hurry please, because he's got blood coming out of his nose, white stuff coming out of his mouth. I can't get him to wake up. He's like, almost not breathing.
KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Before that emergency call to save Lamar Odom's life, the weekend is said to have begun as an escape.
CALLER: Somebody just came up to me and said that he apparently had some cocaine on him, he did this on Saturday.
LAH: Saturday, the day Odom arrives at the Love Ranch brothel. Police say witnesses told them the former NBA and reality TV star did cocaine that day, but it's unclear when. He arrives with the brothel's general manager, who picks up in Las Vegas and drives him to Crystal, Nevada.
TJ MOORE, LOVE RANCH GM: He did not indicate what he was getting away from, but he was very adamant about, no phone calls, don't acknowledge that he was here. He just wanted some rest and relaxation.
LAH: According to ranch employees, Odom spends time in the bar, but mainly here in the VIP suite. The ranch owner says Odom paid $75,000 for the room and two women, periodically taking herbal Viagra, not the prescription pill, but an over-the-counter supplement.
CALLER: Something called Reload 72 hour strong sexual performance enhancer for men. I mean, this is some sort of packaged supplement and they said he's taken a bunch of these.
LAH: Ranch worker Richard Hunter says that Odom purchased Reload at the brothel.
RICHARD HUNTER, LOVE RANCH EMPLOYEE: They were ballparking maybe like ten over three days or something like that.
LAH: On Monday, two women working at the ranch leave Odom in his room.
HUNTER: That was Monday night, and they said, you know, we'll see when you get up. Because he had not -- he still had kind of an open-ended stay, he hadn't really said when he was going to be leaving.
LAH: The pair return around 3:15 Tuesday afternoon and find him unresponsive.
DISPATCHER: Is he conscious?
CALLER: No.
LAH: About 18 minutes later, the first ambulance arrives at the secluded brothel. Paramedics drive Odom to the nearest hospital and transfer him to Sunrise Medical Center, traveling by ambulance, Odom too tall to fit into a helicopter. His estranged wife, Khloe Kardashian, rushing to be by his side, followed by her family, captured in this photo. Odom's own children arriving to visit their ill father.
Turning to social media for support, Kourtney Kardashian tweeting this picture of her child and Odom, believing in the power of prayer for this beautiful soul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAH: As far as the supplement that Odom ingested from that particular ranch, the FDA did issue a warning two years ago about Reload, warning consumers that it may be unregulated. It is absolutely unregulated, that it has the same ingredients as Viagra and can lower blood pressure to dangerous levels.
The FDA warning, Erin, if you have it, throw it out. Do not use it -- Erin.
BURNETT: Kyung, thank you.
And OUTFRONT now, the Nye County Sheriff Sharon Wehrly who is leading the investigation.
Sheriff Wehrly, where does the investigation stand tonight?
SHERIFF SHARON WEHRLY, NYE COUNTY, NEVADA: Right now, the investigation is still ongoing. The detectives are actively working to contact various witnesses.
[19:45:03] They've interviewed some so far. They're going to have a cadre that they have not contacted.
We did get the evidence down to the crime lab, and it's being processed.
BURNETT: Do you know when we will get those toxicology results back?
WHERLY: No, I really don't. I mean, that's up to the lab itself. Usually, it can be anything from three to seven or eight weeks before we know anything?
BURNETT: So a matter of weeks.
Sheriff Wehrly, have you been to the hospital to see Lamar Odom?
WHERLY: No, I have not. My two detectives have both been there.
BURNETT: And what -- what have they told you? What do you know? And what could you tell us about his condition?
WHERLY: Well, really, I don't know anything about his condition and they went there to have blood drawn and they did that. As far as I know, he was still unresponsive at that time. BURNETT: Has this sort of thing ever happened before? I mean,
this particular location, this Love Ranch, were you shocked when you got this call or is this sort of the behavior, the possible drug use we're hearing about, that you would expect?
WHERLY: No, we've had medical calls to a brothel before, not often, but nothing of this magnitude.
BURNETT: All right. Well, Sheriff Wehrly, we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us tonight. Thank you.
WHERLY: You're more than welcome.
BURNETT: And OUTFRONT next, Iran's secret arsenal uncovered. Long-range missiles Iran claims can strike any American base in the Mideast. This is a country we just supposedly signed a nuclear deal with. A special report, next.
Plus, an in-flying emergency gives new meaning to the phrase "going airborne."
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[19:51:04] BURNETT: Tonight, U.S. officials on alert, Iran releasing video of a secret weapons arsenal. The video shows a base deep underground with missile launcher as launcher and soldiers in formation. This comes just days after Iran test-fired a new generation of missiles, a test that would violate the nuclear deal.
Jim Sciutto is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Sixteen hundred feet deep under an Iranian mountainside, a hidden arsenal. Islamic Revolutionary Guard soldiers at attention and dozens of missiles on their launch vehicles. Set to dramatic music, Iranian state TV broadcast these images boasting it is just one of many protected sites around the country.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The missiles in various ranges are mounted on launchers in all bases and are ready to be launched, that is if our enemies make a mistake.
SCIUTTO: The release comes just days after Iran launched a new generation long-range ballistic missile which the U.S. says violates an existing U.N. Security Counsel resolution banning ballistic missile testing by Iran.
The U.S. is now referring the matter to the U.N.
JOHN KIRBY, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: Nobody will turn a blind eye to the destabilizing activities that Iran continues to prove capable of in the region.
SCIUTTO: Now, Iran is expanding military operations inside Syria. The U.S. believes as many as 1,000 Iranian troops are on the ground, joining thousands more fighters from the Iranian backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah.
The White House says Tehran is acting out of desperation.
JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The fact that they are having to ramp up their support and to do it in a public and conspicuous way I think is an indication that what they have done so far hasn't really worked.
SCIUTTO: But Iran is not alone. A delegation of Iranian officials arrived in Syria Wednesday to discuss a new pact with Russia, aimed at propping up the Assad regime.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The Russians, too, are backing a political situation in the crisis in Syria, but at the same time, because terrorists do not understand anything but force, naturally, that same language has to be spoken to them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BURNETT: I mean, Jim, this is pretty incredible, right? It's a video coming just as President Obama is about to sign the nuclear agreement with Iran. Can he really go ahead with that now?
SCIUTTO: Listen, there is not much the U.S. can do at this point. On the missile, ballistic missile test, they can, they say they will refer Iran to the United Nations. They say this violates an existing U.N. resolution.
But the fact is, the new U.N. resolution that's part of this nuclear deal might allow for more leeway for such testing. But on the other thing, that these under ground bunkers deploying troops to Syria, there's not much the U.S. can do.
And it does call into question, Erin, that side benefit of this deal that was talked about by some that it would usher in cooperation. You know, on the ground in Iraq, the U.S. and Iran are on the same side against ISIS. In Syria, they're on opposite, you know, the permanent interest, right? Those aren't going to change as a result of this nuclear deal.
BURNETT: Pretty stunning.
Thank you very much, Jim Sciutto.
And next, an amazing story, a woman gives birth on a plane, you're not going to want to miss this story.
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[19:58:21] BURNETT: There is a reason airlines don't let pregnant women fly too close to their due dates on long haul flights.
Here's Jeanne Moos.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This China Airlines flight arrived with an extra passenger on board, place of birth, row 49.
(APPLAUSE)
MOOS: Give the newborn baby girl a hand.
EDMUND CHEN, FILMED A BIRTH ON PLANE: It was an amazing experience to see someone giving birthright in front of me, I mean --
MOOS: Edmund Chen didn't just see it, he shot it. The China Airlines flight took off from Taiwan headed for Los Angeles.
Six hours into the flight, over the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the woman informed the crew that her water had broken. The pilot diverted the flight to Anchorage, Alaska, and moved the mother in labor two months early to her own row, right in front of Edmund.
CHEN: Oh, there was a lot of screaming, poor mother.
MOOS: Is there a doctor on the plane? There was. Though this UCLA internist had never before delivered baby by herself. Dr. Angelica Zen was on her way from her honeymoon. She spoke Mandarin with the Taiwanese mother and told ABC --
DR. ANGELICA ZEN, DELIVERED A BABY ON PLANE: It was very difficult. We had to work under very constraining circumstances.
CHEN: It was bad. Like they try to cover the whole row of blankets but --
MOOS: Thirty minutes out of Anchorage, the baby arrived before the plane did. Dr. Zen said the flight attendants acted as stand in nurses and one holding the baby cried.
The plane landed, mom and baby were taken to the hospital in good shape. The flight continued to Los Angeles where Edmund's dad was waiting for four or five hours.
CHEN: I was like, dad, someone gave birth on the plane.
MOOS: Talk about being airborne.
(APPLAUSE)
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BURNETT: And thanks so much for joining us.
Anderson starts now.
