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Erin Burnett Outfront
Ex-Staffer: Trump University "A Total Lie"; Trump and Clinton Call Each Other Frauds; Trump Rails Against Press For Asking About Vets Donations; Obama Making Passionate Case for a Democratic Successor; Frantic 911 Call on Zoo Incident Released; Trump to do Business in the Middle East. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired June 01, 2016 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[19:00:11] ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: OUTFRONT next, Hillary Clinton calling Donald Trump a fraud, as Trump is set (ph) with damning allegations about Trump University. What former employees are saying tonight?
Plus, my exclusive interview with one of the most powerful businessman in the world. His warning to Donald Trump tonight.
And a newly released 911 call, a frantic mother for a three-year-old trapped in a gorilla's pen. Did zookeepers have to shoot to kill? Let's go OUTFRONT.
Good evening, I'm Erin Burnett. OUTFRONT tonight, a total lie, that's what one former Trump University employee is calling Donald Trump's now defunct real estate school and what maybe the most damning charges level against Trump during his candidacy. Former Trump University workers and students slamming Trump and the school in a class action suit. One manager testified the university in his words, quote, "Preyed on the elderly and uneducated to separate them from their money."
The testimony questioning Trump's honesty. This trustworthiness, his character and Hillary Clinton was very quick to jump on board.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is just more evidence that Donald Trump himself is a fraud. He is trying to scam America the way he scams all of those people at Trump U.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Minutes ago, Trump is firing back tweeting, "Crooked Hillary Clinton is a fraud who has put the public and the country at risk by her illegal and very stupid use of e-mails. Many missing!" Trump has insisted all along this suit represents just a small number of people, he says the majority of former students give the university high marks.
Drew Griffin begins our coverage OUTFRONT tonight. And Drew, how damaging are these allegations that we are now seeing? DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: I think we are, first of all we are seeing them and we are seeing them from Trump University employees and that is why they are so damning. These employees kind of laying out the case that the lawsuits lay out alleging that this was less of a school and more of a scheme to separate people from their money.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN (voice-over): Trump University preyed upon the elderly and uneducated to separate them from their money. That is the declaration of Ronald Schnackenberg, sales manager at Trump University from October 2006 through May of 2007. Schnackenberg says, that's when he quit because I believe that Trump University was engaging in misleading, fraudulent and dishonest conduct. Schnackenberg even sites an example of a couple he thought couldn't afford a $35,000 elite program, he was supposed to sell them because of their precarious financial condition.
He writes the couple, would have had to pay for the program using his disability income and taking out a loan based upon equity in his apartment. He refused to make the sales he says and was reprimanded by Trump University. Then he stood by as another sales person talked them into buying the $35,000 seminar. "I was disgusted," he wrote. Corinne Sommer, a sales event manager for six months at the school said instructors used high pressure sales techniques no matter the financial situations of the students. "I recall that some consumers had showed up who were homeless and could not afford the seminars," she writes, "yet I overheard Trump University representatives telling them, it's okay just max out your credit card."
The declarations just released are part of an ongoing class action lawsuit. One of three claiming the school was a fraud. Trump's defense so far, the declarations will be disputed in court and on the campaign trail. Trump holds up high approval ratings for his school while individually attacking his former students who have sued him.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESUMPTIVE GOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So, we have 10,000 service from former students giving Trump University rave reviews --
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: Erin, the Trump organization tonight finally responded to these declarations saying, basically they're simply not true. A spokesperson telling us that declaration testimony of the former employees was recanted or completely discredited after depositions. That's a quote but we're going to have to check the Trump groups words for it because the spokesperson also said those depositions are not going to be released -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Drew Griffin.
Now, Hillary Clinton going after this hammering Trump hard on this issue all day. Jeff Zeleny has been traveling with Hillary Clinton. And Jeff, you know, you just heard a moment ago. Hillary Clinton now coming out calling Trump a fraud saying he is scamming the American people. Does the Clinton campaign think that this attack will work?
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Erin, the word fraud and the word scam are not as important as the people on faces behind these stories. What we've seen over the last, you know, sort of day or so and certainly intros piece there, this is a preview to television commercials in this fall presidential campaign. These are the stories of real people being defrauded. That's why the Clinton campaign believes that this is a different moment in simply saying, oh, he's a loose cannon on foreign policy. Can't be trusted in the White House.
[19:05:17] This is something that cuts directly at the, you know, at the heart of a strength of Donald Trump. His business acumen, you know, his ability to make money. But more importantly this feeds into the argument that the Clinton campaign is trying to make, that he is in it for himself. That these personal stories and people that found in lawsuits and were only, you know, on June 1st here, Erin, important to point out. So much more still to come out. We don't know if this will have an impact but the Clinton campaign believes it will stop the expansion of Donald Trump. That's what this month is for, is to sort of level up his growth and support. As the Clinton campaign tries to finish their primary and get on with this actual general election campaign -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right, Jeff Zeleny. Thank you very much.
And OUTFRONT now, the executive vice president of the Trump Organizations, special counsel to Donald J. Trump Michael Cohen.
Michael, good to talk to you again. So, you know, you heard the reports here sworn testimony, the statements from former Trump University employees. One employee resigned in that report because of what he called fraudulent, misleading dishonest context of the university preying on the elderly and on the uneducated. Other statements from other former employees also on that piece saying similar things. Your response?
MICHAEL COHEN, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, TRUMP ORGANIZATION: First of all, I don't have a response, I disagree completely with the statements that were made by Drew and others. Trump University had a 98 percent approval rating. Now, I won't get into talking about the merits of the case, that right belongs to Alan Garten who was the general counsel at the Trump Organization. He is the most informed when it comes to those. But I will tell you, 98 percent approval and we have that at 98 percent approval.com where you can there's about 10,000 reports handwritten by students all claiming that Trump University actually helped them.
So, when they talked about frauds and scams, why don't you ask like the 14-year-old boy who went with his mom and ended up making a million dollars? Just because this individual didn't succeed. You know, that's life, not everyone that goes to Harvard actually becomes a millionaire. Not everybody that goes to school for journalism becomes a broadcaster.
BURNETT: OK. This is a fair point. But the 98 percent just to understand where that comes from, those are self-selected, right? Those are people who --
(CROSSTALK)
COHEN: Oh, no, oh no, that's --
BURNETT: -- to say what they wanted to say.
COHEN: That's correct. But it is the best majority of students. Yes, there are probably handful that elected not to do it maybe they needed to run to go deal with family. But most of these students if, I mean, the best majority actually filled out these forms.
BURNETT: So, where are they all that? I mean, according to red state --
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: OK. According to red state though, there was a video today that the Trump campaign put out, some of the people who they said were very satisfied with what they got exactly what you're saying. Red state looked at those people in the video, one of them professional testimony -- for seminars, and others giving those kinds of seminars from -- one of them with an ongoing business relationship with the Trump family, sells protein water on their properties.
If there are so many people out there who are happy, why does the video have to rely on people with those sorts of links?
COHEN: I don't know who choice to make them. But again, if you go to the website 98percentapproval.com, you will see the testimonials by almost 10,000 people and we've put them all up. Now, of course there are certain aspects that are redacted which we have to do with privacy purposes --
BURNETT: Uh-hm.
COHEN: But they're all there.
BURNETT: So, the school promised the instructors have been handpicked by Trump, this is one of the issues as I'm sure --
COHEN: Right. As I said when it comes to the --
BURNETT: Yes.
COHEN: -- when it comes to the specifics of the -- and the merits of the case, that's best left for Alan Garten.
BURNETT: Right. So, let me just ask you this in the perspective of someone who knows Donald Trump and his character because what the issue for this might be, does question his character, this lawsuit does. In a deposition he acknowledged he didn't pick the instructors, right? But the school had promised that he would. How does he square that? I'm not talking (INAUDIBLE) I'm talking personally. What do you think with that? COHEN: I don't know if we could distinguish the two of this -- Mr. Trump is doing incredibly well in this lawsuit which by the way according to my understanding is a civil lawsuit unlike the criminal lawsuit that Hillary Clinton is facing right now with her emails scandal. I think before she calls Donald Trump a scam artist or a fraud, she should really look in the mirror and she should turn around and see, who's been scamming me and people of the United States of American and who is really a fraud as a politician?
BURNETT: And of course we'll see whether there are any charges right now at this point for Secretary Clinton or whether there are not, and there's a lot of questions on how that will go. But she raises a tweet today about this issue. She says, "The Trump University con says a lot about Trump, if you can't thrust him with your personal finances, how can we thrust him with our country."
Are you worried that that line of attack might stick?
COHEN: No, because nobody looks at Hillary Clinton and believes anything that comes out of her mouth. You know, unfortunately her reputation is so damage, that there's absolutely nothing that she can say about Mr. Trump that's going to change either his supporters or probably a substantial number of the Bernie Sanders supporters who will not vote for Hillary Clinton under any circumstance.
[19:10:22] BURNETT: So, I want to ask you one final thing here about the veterans donation, the other issue of course that Mr. Trump --
COHEN: Right. She didn't want Tom Llamas from ABC. I mean, anybody who can say the things that he said when he's invited as a quest to a press conference that benefits veterans and veteran organizations when Mr. Trump went out and raised whether it was five million, 5.6 or $6 million. The way that he said it was so disgraceful, it's my opinion, ABC owes Mr. Trump an apology. I think Trump should be removed from the campaign trail because he's clearly not a journalist.
BURNETT: Now, they have said ABC very clearly that they stand behind him and behind what he said.
COHEN: If it was up to me, he wouldn't be sitting front and center next time for any of these press releases and be sitting in the eighth row where he belongs. Because the first rows are for people like yourself, real journalists not tabloid people looking to make the news, not to report the news.
BURNETT: So, let me ask you though because the point here is a bigger one. And you have a point whether it's five million, 5.6, six million, it's a lot of money they wouldn't have gotten otherwise. It's a very fair question.
COHEN: And it's a great cost.
BURNETT: OK. And it is a great cost.
COHEN: And Donald Trump is the one that actually brought the cost to the forefront. BURNETT: All of these things are true in the sense of he because he chose to have that fundraiser raise all of this for him. But the issue here -- that the fair one I think is, let's just give the example for his own personal donation. He said, look, I'm going to give a million dollar of my own money to veterans. And by the way, he has given that money --
COHEN: And more by the way. And more over the years.
BURNETT: True. But I just want to understand the issue here, ask about this one specific case. So, he made the promise at the fundraiser in January. His campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said he gave the money away a month ago. But he actually wrote the check to a group that he knows very well, just last week, the day after "The Washington Post" raised questions about where was the money? This is purely a perception question to you. Does this give the impression that he only did it because he was under pressure?
COHEN: No way. Donald Trump has been giving money to veterans groups for many, many years and he will continue to give money. He is the one whose brought to the forefront. The issues and the disgraceful treatment of our veterans. Anybody that puts on the uniform, whether it's police officers, firemen, Army Navy, Air Force, whoever it may be reserves, these are people who put their lives on the line for us every single day and Mr. Trump has nothing but the outmost of respect for them.
BURNETT: So, the issue of timing you think is not serious.
COHEN: Not serious at all. He keeps stated that he was going to raise $6 million and he probably will exceed the $6 million number. It's just a matter of time before which the people who made the pledges actually sent them in which is, in all fairness, very different than Hillary Clinton that took in hundreds of millions of dollars for hospital in Haiti that went to the Clinton Foundation, that was never built. And that's years ago, where was that money? How come nobody is asking those questions? Because the liberal media is dishonest and it's disgusting very much like Tom --
BURNETT: Well, but I think it is fair to ask where the money was, I think you have to admit that's a fair question. Right?
(CROSSTALK)
I mean, the checks were all written after these questions were raised. So, it is fair question.
COHEN: Erin, it is a fair question. However, the way that he asked the question by polling out Mr. Trump and saying, you're exaggerating your -- this is not the way that we would expect you to be president, it's so disgraceful that he really should not be invited back to any of these press conferences.
BURNETT: All right. Michael Cohen, thank you very much. I appreciate your time.
COHEN: Good to see you.
BURNETT: And OUTFRONT next, following the money trail from Donald Trump to the veterans, what are the facts on this issue?
Plus, President Obama attacking Donald Trump tonight, why it's so personal for the President?
And just released, a mother's frantic call to 911.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOTHER: My son fall in the zoo exhibit at the gorillas. The Cincinnati Zoo -- my son fell in with the gorilla. There's a male gorilla standing over him. I need someone to contact the zoo, please.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:17:30] BURNETT: Tonight, Donald Trump doubling down on his donations for veterans slamming the media for asking any questions and today tweeting, "So I raised/gave 5.6 million for the veterans and the media makes me look bad." They do anything to belittle, totally bias."
Tom Foreman is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TRUMP: Six million dollars. We just correct. Six million dollars. Right. Six million.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As campaign pledges go, it was a winner. Donald Trump raising $6 million in donations for veterans and keeping in a million of his own. The candidate handling out oversized check to make the happy applauds. But that was late January, soon the photo ops and checks appeared to stop and the questions started. Where was the rest of all that money promised to veterans?
TRUMP: We raised so much money for the vets. Through February, March and April the demand for answers grew with the campaign largely ignoring or deflecting them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We talked to one of the spokespeople, she said it's on the website, I didn't see it on the website, but we'll able to find out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have been asking, we have been asking, other news organizations has been asking. Where's the accounting of this?
FOREMAN: Finally four months after the money was pledged, the scrutiny mounting from CNN and a series of questioning tweets from "The Washington Post" on May 23rd, Trump said, "enough."
TRUMP: And you make me look very bad. I have never received such bad publicity for doing such a good job. So, I will give you the names if that's what you want, right?
FOREMAN: In a contentious news conference, he laid which group have received a total of 5.6 million in donations with more on the way he says, all the while sneering at his skeptics.
TRUMP: You know my opinion to the media, it is very low.
FOREMAN: But hold on, inquiries by CNN and other news agencies found while a good portion of the money went out from a timely fashion. Many other donations were dispersed little more than a week ago. A mid that storm a question from the media.
TRUMP: This is my check for a million dollars.
FOREMAN: And that includes Trump's own check. Finally signed and delivered.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOREMAN: Trump's team suggests the delay was because they had to check out all the groups that were going to get that money and certainly those groups that receives as distributions are very pleased. But Erin, other people how and when and where they got that money still matters especially when the man orchestrating it wants to become president -- Erin.
BURNETT: Tom Foreman, thank you.
And now, Margaret Hoover, a veteran of two presidential campaigns. Jason Osborne, a Donald Trump supporter. David Gergen, former presidential advisor to four presidents. And Mark Preston, the executive editor for CNN Politics.
Let me start with you, Jason. Look, on the bottom-line here, no one is criticizing Donald Trump.
JASON OSBORNE, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: Right.
BURNETT: And I made this point with Michael Cohen a moment ago, right? He raised $5.6 million for veterans. That's a great thing. That's a wonderful thing.
OSBORNE: Right.
BURNETT: No one is going to criticize that. But to go on a tirade against reporters for questioning Trump on, where is that money? It's been months and months and months, where is that money? That is where the issue is. The money was not given out last week if he went through and look at all the checks and the dates. Most of his money wasn't given out until day after "The Washington Post" asked a lot of questions about where it was.
OSBORNE: Right.
BURNETT: That's a troubling timeline. OSBORNE: But I think -- I understand what you're saying and I understand how, you know, the attack on the media maybe perceived but I think there's also -- the other side of it was, when you put together an event, within a week, I mean, if you remember back in January, this -- he made the decision to do this event pretty quickly. And so getting the pledges, and that's what they've been operating on, there is what has been pledged, following up with that and getting actual people to write those checks, that took some time. Then you've got all of these groups out there that say, we represent the vets and they have applied for this money, you have to do the vetting on it.
And so four month time period, I mean, I know there's campaigns that are still looking. I think Bob Dole is still looking for checks to be contributed to him from --
BURNETT: All right. All that might be true. That is a fair point. And I know Margaret is giving money away. I know these things take time. You got a vet. But the $1 million check, the one I just asked Michael Cohen about --
OSBORNE: Right.
BURNETT: When Donald Trump finally wrote, and he wrote it at the day after "The Washington Post" first raised questions, he wrote it to an organization he's donated to before.
OSBORNE: OK.
BURNETT: So, what was the vetting? Right? So, why does it take so many months, I guess that is a fair question --
OSBORNE: Well, you know, I think you'd have to ask him personally why he gave to that organization, I can only say for my standpoint is, you know, as you're going through this and you're looking at all the different organizations that, you know, he wanted to see who came in and asked for this money and wanted to give the money for the best organization out there. At the end of the day, if the vetting was taking too long for him, then he made the decision to go with an organization that he went --
BURNETT: OK.
OSBORNE: Which I would add is a million dollar, more than Hillary Clinton every donated to a vets organization.
[19:22:13] BURNETT: So, Margaret, does that make sense to you? That logic?
MARGARET HOOVER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, look, it's very reasonable logic. I don't think that it actually does take four months to vet organizations, I worked, I gave away, you know, $5 million for major donors to veterans philanthropies in much shorter times than that. But it can take longer if you have other news to do like run for president, I suppose. Look, it's a plausible explanation but it's not really, it doesn't have to (INAUDIBLE) and we all know it. I mean, what we know is, that was an opportunity for him to make a
scene, to skip the FOX News debate, to instead deflect the attention on to veterans which by the way, is a good thing, we like that and then he didn't do anything until the press holds his feet to the fire. That is the reason we have a transparent press. This is the reason transparency is the hallmark of Democracy. And the press did the good job here. Now when he comes after the press and goes after the media, that also plays into his hands because, who is more vilified than politicians by the media?
I mean, what's striking here is that that is a play and continues to be a play that he's continuing to do this solidify conservatives for supporting him and he's not running a general election candidacy. And that's the part to me is the most interesting is that, you know, he's saying, why was the media going after me? And that's how you show up the right.
OSBORNE: Yes. And at the same time, he's talking about veterans and the issues that have been facing veterans for almost a year now on this. And so, there's nobody that can question his commitment to the veterans. Now, when he set up the -- I'm going to do this event and benefit veterans organizations, the process in place to actually do something like that, he can say it but then you've got to stuff, it's got to be implemented. And that's a difficult part.
BURNETT: OK. Does this add up to you David, because I know that's all came out, that a lot of questions was, this is just pandering to hold this event to begin with. You thought it was real and significant --
DAVID GERGEN, FORMER PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER: Sure.
BURNETT: As a veteran, you believed in him. What do you think now about the fact that it took so long to do this that it only happened after a press question?
GERGEN: Compared to the Trump University story, I think this is becoming a non-story. I don't think there's much here. Yes, it took a whole, but you know, you've raised a lot of money, for a non-profit, you've raised a fair amount of money for non-profits. It took a while to get your donors (INAUDIBLE) generous, people that paid up. Yes, was it soft like Don that they waited, yes, but isn't it a big deal? I don't think so. But you know, I think campaigns are like stardoms and their massive undertaking --
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: And we all know it was small and not stuffed the way it should be as they have obviously admitted with a lot of then changes they've made. So, does that add up to you, Mark?
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Right. So there's so much one pack out of what happened yesterday, a couple of things. One is, yesterday's news conference was a major deflection to the Trump University dump, okay? Meaning, there's a lot of criticism about Donald Trump and how he had set-up this organization and whether or not he pleased people or not. I mean, we'll leave others to decide based upon the information that comes out. But by holding this news conference yesterday, we didn't spend the whole lot of time on the whole Trump University situation. Donald Trump yesterday said that he didn't want credit for this. I was there and I -- OK, I was outside in the snow as people were lined up. He did want a credit for this. It was a deflection at that time because he didn't want to go to the FOX News debate.
Having said all that, he did raised $5.6 million and it is going to be distributed out and that is something that's good. What I do think though is that his biggest flaw really hurt him. And that is his inability to ask for forgiveness or to try to explain the situation. And when I say ask for forgiveness saying, listen, when there are questions about what had happened or why aren't you accounting -- instead of saying to what you said, listen this is hard, these are pledges, like we're trying to get it in, maybe forgiveness is too strong a word. You know, we're trying to get it in, give us some time, you know I didn't have the staff, he just stonewall, stonewall, stonewall. That's what hurt him. This should have been a great story for him, it's still a very good story but it should have been a great story.
OSBORNE: Getting into the weeds. Like you're asking a candidate to get into the weeds to explain a story when the -- is the bigger issue for him.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you all.
And next, President Obama attacking Donald Trump without ever mentioning his name. Is there a very personal battle about to get even nasty? Our panel is back.
And newly released, a desperate 911 call after a three-year-old falls into a gorilla's pen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOTHER: He's grabbing my son, I can't watch this. I can't -- I can't -- OK, I can't watch.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:30:26] BURNETT: Tonight, Barack Obama back in the campaign trail. Sort of.
President Obama making a passionate case for a Democratic successor during a speech in Indiana, coming out swinging against Republican ideas and, of course, Donald Trump, even though he actually never said the words "Donald Trump."
Just moments ago, the president explained why.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He seems to do a good job mentioning his own name. So I think -- you know, I'll let him do his advertising for him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Michelle Kosinski is OUTFRONT.
Michelle, we see him there in that interview with Gwen Ifill putting a humorous twist on it. But, I mean, it was anything but that today. A significant speech in which he took Donald Trump on, again and again.
What was the strategy in doing that without using his name?
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is interesting. It was energetic. His shirt sleeves were rolled up. He was relaxed. And this is President Obama on the campaign trail, but not quite on the campaign trail.
I mean, he's not even mentioning names at this point. But we know from White House sources that he's been itching to get out there. And this was long. It was an hour at times fiery and shouting. And he threw everything in there.
I mean, you look at where we are. This is a place where in 2008, he won. But then was absolutely trounced in 2012. Today, he called it a whooping.
This is a place where Bernie Sanders just won the primary. So he wanted to do two things.
First, tout his policies. And how the economy has turned around. Even though the Republican governor there just said that the economy has turned around in spite of President Obama's policies. But also, he wanted to hammer the Republican rhetoric. Again, not mentioning any names.
He wouldn't mention Donald Trump. He even -- when people started booing the candidate as he referred to him, he told them not to. But here's what he did say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: Don't think that actually that this agenda is going to help you. It's not designed to help you. And the evidence of the last 30 years, not to mention common sense, should tell you that their answers to our challenges are no answers at all.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSINSKI: President Obama hit out at cynicism, on voting out of fear, or based on provocative tweets. I wonder who he's referring to there.
But the question is, you know, are his words going to register at all with the voters that he is trying to tackle here. Those who are considering or already are, voting Republican.
Erin?
BURNETT: All right, Michelle, thank you.
My panel is back with me.
Also joining me, the executive chairman of the New York State Democratic Party, Basil Smikle. He is also a Hillary Clinton supporter.
Jason, let me start with you.
You know, Trump was a guy who got the whole birther thing going, right? The birther-in-chief, people called him. He hired private investigators to go to Hawaii to see if Donald Trump was actually born there.
It's something a lot of people feel is deeply racist. This is not just political for Barack Obama. This is personal.
JASON OSBORNE, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: Well, this argument that Trump is racist because he did that. I mean, I think is ridiculous.
I mean, the fact of the matter is, Trump appeals to people because he speaks exactly how they speak. He doesn't speak like a politician. When you go to these rallies, and you hear people that come up to him and say, you know, thank you so much for saying it like I say it. That's the appeal of Donald Trump.
Is that he is not a politician that's polished -- I mean, that is sitting here, speaking like a robot and saying the things that we're suppose. So for us, you know, inside the beltway or for the media to try and continue to say why isn't he doing this, it's an exercise in futility because he's going to continue to operate the way he does.
BURNETT: Basil, this is not the first time that President Obama has taken shots at Donald Trump. But most of them have been, you know, questions and answers, or even humorous. This was the first time he did it this way. But it is far from the only time he slammed him.
Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: No one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than the Donald. And that's because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter. Like did we fake the moon landing.
(LAUGHTER)
I mean, imagine what Trump would say if he actually had a record like this, instead of selling steaks.
I continue to believe Mr. Trump will not be president. This is not entertainment. This is not a reality show.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Does he risk making this too personal, Basil?
BASIL SMIKLE, JR., HILLARY CLINTON SUPPORTER: Not at all. So I would start by just saying, I disagree that what Trump is saying is reflective of how most people talk. Because I don't know most people that call Mexicans rapists and murderers.
[19:35:06] And so when you add the sort of Obama component into it, I think Obama standing up for a few things. He's standing up for the communities that supported him, number one, in both 2008 and 2012. He is standing up also for his policies, particularly Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act, which is sort of his signature policy issue.
So I think, yes. I mean, I would argue that there is some version of it that might be a little personal, because the Donald came after him very directly. But at the same time, he needs to be back out on that campaign trail, because I think there's a lot more at stake than just this particular presidential election. I think some of it is also his legacy.
BURNETT: Will he use the personal connection here? Will he go there on the birther issue, President Obama, as he campaigns?
DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Not very much. Not very much. Although I do think it's deeply personal. And, you know, I think he hates the guy. And I think more than that, he has great disdain for him.
You know, when you're in the Oval Office, you worry a lot. You really become sort of like a protector of the country, in effect.
And you see somebody come along. I don't care who you are. If you see your successor come along and say, this guy is no good. Look what I have done, you know. And so I think that moves him, too. But I think, most of all, he's fighting for his legacy.
You know, if Donald Trump were to win this election, if his legacy goes smash. The voters have rejected his economic policy. All things he's done, somehow then get diminished by that. So it's not unnatural.
I think he's going to come out swinging in the whole campaign.
Listen, he -- it's sort of like Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton traditionally has been able to tell the story better of the nominee of his party than the nominee can. And I think that -- Obama is going to be able to tell the story well for Hillary.
BURNETT: Mark?
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: You know, a couple things, which talk about like the pure politics of where he helps. He helps her raise money. He helps her with Millennials, which he's had difficulty with, with Bernie Sanders. Right?
He helps drive up the African-American vote. We know it's going to overwhelmingly go 96, 97 percent for Hillary Clinton. But you can still drive up the number in key states, OK? The percentage would always still be there.
But I look at Barack Obama kind of as a whole of many people. Barack Obama, Joe Biden, who then goes out and helps Hillary Clinton in the rust belt states.
Michelle Obama, potentially, a rock star, certainly in the Democratic Party. Jill Biden, your vice presidential nominee, as well. And then, of course, you have Bill Clinton. Those are pretty powerful surrogates to have heading into November.
OSBORNE: But those are people going out for the base. I mean, they are turning out the base that should be within at the beginning. I mean, you've got Joe Biden out there, who hasn't been overwhelmingly a supporter of Hillary Clinton.
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: Independents? They went for Obama. He comes out now, and aggressively campaigns. Is he going to swing them?
(CROSSTALK)
SMIKLE: And I think to the point earlier. I think he does help incredibly with independent voters. But let's also talk about the party as a whole. He helps with building the Democratic Party, because there are a lot -- particularly people in my position care about these down ballot races. I think he helps that, too, in the key states.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you all very much.
And next, just released, the frantic 911 calls made after a boy falls into a gorilla pen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's got the baby and it's still alive. But he's dragging him from one end to the other. Oh, my God.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Our special report on the gorilla's behavior.
Was he about to hurt or help that little boy?
And my exclusive interview with one of the world's most powerful businessmen. I met him outside the world's tallest building and asked him why he chose not to do business with Donald Trump.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [19:42:25] BURNETT: Tonight, the parents of the toddler who fell into the gorilla pit say they won't sue the Cincinnati Zoo. They released a statement saying their son is doing well after the incident.
Tonight, we're hearing the mother's call to 911 for the first time.
Miguel Marquez is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED DISPATCHER: Cincinnati 911. What is the address?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, my son fell in the zoo exhibit at the gorillas. The Cincinnati Zoo, my son fell in with the gorilla. There is a male gorilla standing over him. I need someone to contact the zoo, please.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A frantic mother seeking help, in a nightmare scenario.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Be calm! He's dragging my son. I can't watch this. I can't watch. I can't watch this.
MARQUEZ: Harambe, a 17-year-old, 450-pound male gorilla, a 3-year-old boy in his powerful hands.
(on-camera): The yelling of the crowd at his face, what do you think is happening here?
CRAIG STANFORD, PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, USC: I think that is agitating him almost as much as the fact that he has this alien noble object, this child, in the exhibit with him.
MARQUEZ: Dr. Craig Stanford, co-director of USC's Jane Goodall Research Center has extensively studied great apes in the wild.
STANFORD: If he wanted to do harm, if he had intent to do harm, but I really don't think there was any intent to do harm at any point in this video, it would -- it could be over in seconds. A split second.
MARQUEZ: This is fascinating to me. I mean, he picks him up by the place --
STANFORD: There is some curiosity there. He's making looking for a hand hold to manipulate this small boy and figure out what's going on here, what is this child all about?
MARQUEZ: This is not a first. It happened at other zoos.
In 1986, a 5-year-old fell into a gorilla enclosure and passed out. Jambo, a 25-year-old male, first comforted the boy, then ran away when he woke and started to cry.
In 1996, an 8-year-old female gorilla, Binti Jua cared for a 3-year- old boy who badly injured himself when he fell into the enclosure. Neither gorilla was harmed. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my gosh!
MARQUEZ: Harambe's actions harder to understand.
STANFORD: In the wild, a silverback who is agitated will do exactly that with a sapling tree that they'll just snap over or a log that you and I could hardly pick up. They'll just kind of drag it along.
MARQUEZ: If he's crying, if he's expressing that sort of emotion in front of the gorilla, what --
STANFORD: I think if anything, it serves to heighten the stress level of the gorilla.
MARQUEZ: On the zoo's decision to use lethal force, Stanford says, there was no other option.
STANFORD: That's the tragedy. And everybody is picking sides. And we should all just be obviously siding with the gorilla. Because that's the true victim here.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[19:45:03] MARQUEZ: That two other things that Dr. Stanford said that were interesting was that gorillas don't like water so he was very curious, very confused to have gone into that water after the kid.
Also, the child was very, very lucky the water was there. If it wasn't, he probably would have dragged him over dry ground, cement, or gravel, and really injured him.
BURNETT: But at the bottom line, he said the gorilla really the victim, and that they knew it was confused, curious, but not hostile.
MARQUEZ: Not hostile, not angry, not threatened, but just very, very confused. Not sure how to react.
BURNETT: It's heart breaking. Thank you very much, Miguel.
In OUTFRONT next, Donald Trump. He wants to do more business in Dubai. But the top real estate developer there tells me, "Not so fast."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It would be very difficult to do business with somebody that makes such comments about people in the region. Of course, it's offending.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: And Jeanne Moos with Trump University's guide to handling the press. Does Trump preach what he teaches?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BURNETT: Tonight, Donald Trump is looking to do more business in the Middle East. Trump Hotel's spokespeople telling us they are currently in discussions about expanding in the region. That may leave you scratching your head with his comments about Muslims.
The man who built the world's tallest building, one of the most powerful real estate moguls in the world, says not so fast, Donald Trump.
I spoke with Mohamed Alabbar of Emaar exclusively in Dubai this weekend and asked him if he is following the U.S. election.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOHAMED ALABBAR, CHAIRMAN, EMAAR PROPERTIES: I am watching it because I'm American educated. I love America so I watch it. Some of my friends who are American educated, they were very curious. We go home just to make sure that we watch what's going on today because it's hilarious, it's fun, it's entertaining. And I was really surprised. But, you know, when you watch it, it's like that.
BURNETT (on-camera): So you have met with Donald Trump. At one point were considering a partnership with him here in Dubai.
What do you think of him?
[19:50:26] ALABBAR: Well, you know, when I met him, I think he was down to earth. He is a sweet guy. It was a short meeting we had in New York. I thought he had good common sense. So he was really a down to earth, smart guy.
BURNETT: You, though, decided at that time not to do a partnership with him. What were your reasons?
ALABBAR: Well, he was interested in doing some work with us on the tower. And I said, you know, what type of business. He said I can do branding for you, and then I charge you a fee.
I said, I'm sold. I don't need any branding. But, you know, I told him, I said in the Middle East, when you say Donald, the age group in the Middle East, Donald, they associated Donald with Disneyland.
You know, we don't really -- I mean, that's there was to it. I mean, we laughed about it together.
And I said the Giorgio Armanis of the world and all that. But that name, we associated with Disneyworld. In this part of the world, it doesn't mean anything for people except that. So, you know, we thought --
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: Donald is Disney?
ALABBAR: Well, that's how we grew up, all of us. There's my customer. They don't know who is Donald Trump in the Middle East. BURNETT: So will he be able to keep doing business here given the things that he has said about Muslims?
ALABBAR: I would say that it's going to be difficult, because I think some of the comments -- maybe he is doing them for the politics for the U.S. You know, he's a wise man, he's a smart man, but it didn't really resonate well with people in the Middle East.
BURNETT: Donald Trump's proposed ban on Muslims coming to the U.S. It's something he has doubled down on it. He's tripled down on it.
In March, he said and I will quote him, "I think Islam hates us. There's something there that's a tremendous hatred there. We have to get to the bottom of it. There's an unbelievable hatred of us."
This is the presumptive nominee --
(CROSSTALK)
ALABBAR: I don't know if he's saying that for political reason, but he's a smart man. That's so untrue.
I think the region loves the U.S. in general. Love the way America carries itself and provides services from education to health care, to Starbucks, to Apple, to Google, Facebook, you name it. I just think this is so untrue.
And if you look at the leadership in the region, most of the people who really run governments and business, they were American educated. They have loyalty to America. They have love for America. And the normal people on the street as well.
BURNETT: You come and go to the United States all the time. You were educated there. Your children as well. You have a home there.
When you think about this, on one level, but if Donald Trump is president of the United States, you might not be able to come there.
How does that make you feel?
ALABBAR: If that's really -- I mean, I don't think it will happen. I don't think that's going to happen. Because I think this is just going to be so ridiculous, but if that really happens, of course I'll be very unhappy person. But the world have so many other countries that we can go to. The world is full of so many gorgeous places. It would be really unfortunate. And I don't think this will happen.
BURNETT: The mayor of London, obviously, the first Muslim mayor of London...
ALABBAR: Yes?
BURNETT: You know, Donald Trump said I will give an exception so he could come to the U.S. And he said I'm not going to have any part of that. I don't want to be part of an exception. The whole concept of this is just fundamentally wrong. ALABBAR: Because I don't know what's this going to serve. It could be serving some political agenda for certain segment of the society. But I think at the end of the day, I really think that America has great institution. I think the results are going to be fine. And even if Mr. Trump win, I think America is govern by incredible institutions that I don't think we are going to get to the situation.
BURNETT: All right. Mohamed Alabbar, thank you so much.
ALABBAR: Thank you so much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BURNETT: And OUTFRONT next, Jeanne Moos on press relations 101 at Trump University. Did Trump skip that class?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:57:47] BURNETT: When it comes to dealing with the press, Donald Trump might want to take a page out of his own play book.
Here's Jeanne Moos.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Donald Trump is famous for knowing --
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Excuse me, sit down, you weren't called.
MOOS: How to handle the media.
TRUMP: The press should be ashamed of themselves.
By the way, the world's most dishonest people are back there. Look at all the cameras going.
Sit down, sit down, sit down.
MOOS: But maybe he should sit down and read his own Trump University media guidelines. The company play book released by the court included tips for dealing with the media such as expect to be scrutinized.
TRUMP: I like scrutiny, but you know what, when I raise money, excuse me, excuse me, I have watched you on television, you're a real beauty.
MOOS: Nowhere on the list does it say humiliate the press.
TRUMP: Even the horrible press, which is back over there. Look at all those people.
MOOS: Nowhere does it say treat the press with condescension.
TRUMP: Are you ready? Do you have your pad? MOOS: But some of the actual media tips could be useful. Reporters are rarely on your side and they are not sympathetic.
And just as Trump excuses some Mexicans --
TRUMP: They're bringing crime, they are rapists and some I assume are good people.
He also gives some reporters a pass.
Disgusting reporters, horrible people. Some are nice.
MOOS (on-camera): Now from a reporter's point of view, the play book's last media tip is our favorite. Remember, courtesy gets you a long way.
But Donald definitely didn't read that one.
TRUMP: Like this sleazy guy right over here from "ABC." He's a sleaze.
MOOS (voice-over): Trump's harshest insult?
TRUMP: They are scum.
Absolute scum, remember that. Scum.
MOOS: OK. We will try to remember.
TRUMP: Scum, scum, scum.
MOOS: Maybe the Donald needs to write up some new press guidelines.
I am here to take your compliments might be a good one.
But it was Jimmy Fallon as Trump who pronounced the Donald's golden rule of media management.
JIMMY FALLON, DONALD TRUMP IMPERSONATOR: The only one qualified to interview me is me.
(LAUGHTER)
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BURNETT: And thanks for joining us.
Don't forget, you can watch OUTFRONT anytime, anywhere, on CNNGo.
AC360 starts right now.
