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Erin Burnett Outfront
Trump Makes No Apologies For Judge Comments; Ryan Stresses Unity A Day After Slamming Trump; Trump Team Asked For Judge to Step Down in 2008; Trump Appeals to Sanders Supporters; Four Killed in Tel Aviv Terror Attack. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired June 08, 2016 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[19:00:08] ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: OUTFRONT next, Donald Trump refusing to say he's sorry. His latest defense of the Trump University judge controversy. Voters don't care. The Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is OUTFRONT.
And this isn't the first time Trump going after a judge, why he argued that two other judges had step down from a case. He said it had nothing to do with their race or gender. Our report, coming up.
Plus, Trump and Clinton, their next fight is for Sanders' supporters. Let's go OUTFRONT.
Good evening. I'm Erin Burnett. OUTFRONT tonight, no apology. Donald Trump ignoring demands from party leaders and donors. For an apology over his remarks about an American judge's Mexican heritage. Tonight, dismissing criticism telling Bloomberg News and I quote Mr. Trump. "It's not a big case, and they, the voters, don't care about it. Nobody cares. We want to get on to where the economy is going and everything else."
Now that combined with a scripted and toned down Super Tuesday victory speech, giving House Speaker Paul Ryan cover to call for party unity. Telling House Republicans behind closed doors today, quote, "it's time to be united." Otherwise you get stuck with Hillary Clinton. Ryan, of course, yesterday calling Trump's remarks about the judge racist. Republican leaders tonight with a dilemma. How to support their party's nominee while condemning his actions.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is OUTFRONT tonight. I'll speak to him in just a moment.
But we begin with Sara Murray in New York. And Sara, Donald Trump is trying his very best to bury the judge controversy tonight.
SARA MURRAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Erin. And his more polished approached on the campaign trail yesterday gave some people sort of optimism that you are going to see a change in tone from Donald Trump. But does that really mean a more discipline candidate? In interviews today, he said the teleprompter was a one off for a special occasion and that may not be what people on Capitol Hill want to hear.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MURRAY (voice-over): A day after Donald Trump insisted he would stop talking about Trump University, he's back on the subject telling Bloomberg nobody cares about the case. But stopping short of attacking a federal judge, he's previously accused of being biased because of his Mexican heritage. On Tuesday, Trump turned to a teleprompter and a carefully crafted statement, to calm the nerves of his GOP colleagues.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I understand the responsibility of carrying the mantle. And I will never, ever, let you down.
MURRAY: The change in tone easing some hand-wringing among top Republicans.
SEN. TIM SCOTT (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I think it shows leadership when he takes responsibility and walks those comments back. That's a good direction. A new direction, frankly. And one that I'm pleased with.
MURRAY: RNC Chairman Reince Priebus tweeting, "Great victory speech by Donald Trump tonight. Exactly the right approach and perfectly delivered." But some Republicans remain skeptical.
SEN. DAN COATES (R), INDIANA: I think it's time for Donald Trump to shift from the thought of the moment, spontaneously uttered to a more disciplined way of running a campaign for president of the United States.
MURRAY: And others insist, Trump needs to go much further in overhauling his image.
SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R), MAINE: He should apologize to the judge and to the American people.
MURRAY: It's an overhaul some in his campaign aren't eager to embrace. Arguing Trump's unscripted style is part of his winning formula, one that's not likely to change in a general election fight. But Trump's unpredictable tangents are already putting GOP leaders in a bind. One the tabloids are eager to exploit. Today, the "New York Daily News" is blasting Paul Ryan on the cover, under the headline, "I'm with racist." The House Speaker still supporting Trump, despite delivering this blistering criticism Tuesday.
REP. PAUL RYAN (R), HOUSE SPEAKER: Claiming a person can't do their job because of their races is sort of like the textbook definition of a racist comment.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MURRAY: Now, while Trump's personality may not have changed overnight in talking to sources today, a number of Republican outsiders and even those inside the campaign say they do hope you'll see a new approach to the campaign organization that the campaign will begin to build out their political organization in the states, and that Trump will start to raise more money so he can take on Hillary Clinton in the general -- Erin. BURNETT: All right, Sara, thank you.
OUTFRONT tonight, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. He is out with a new memoir. The long game. And I want to talk to you about that in just a moment. Senator, much in that so relevant to what we're talking about now. I want to start, though, with what's going on with Donald Trump. Last night you came out with strong words. You said Trump needs to, in your words, apologize for the various totally inappropriate things he said. Over the last couple of weeks. So far, he has not said the words "I'm sorry," Senator.
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: Well, maybe using a prepared text last night and not attacking any other Americans was a good start. So I think it's still time for him to begin to act like a presidential candidate. Should be acting. And though I haven't given up hope, but certainly last year, last week was not a good week for Donald Trump.
BURNETT: Now, Senator, I have to say, when you said that, I'm thinking OK. He used prepared remarks and he didn't attack any other Americans. That is a pretty low bar, isn't it?
[19:05:12] MCCONNELL: Well, it's a good step in the right direction. You know, I've run into him at the NRA Convention in my hometown of Louisville a couple of weeks ago, and I said, hey, Donald, we were in the green room and I said, hey Donald, you got a script? He pulled it out of his pocket and said, I hate a script, it's so boring. And I said, put me down in favor of boring. He's now one of the two people that are going to be president of the United States of America. And he needs to begin to act like a presidential candidate. It's not inappropriate to have thoughtful remarks and nothing wrong with reading them. And I hope that we'll see more of that.
BURNETT: He has, of course, though, with pride here on CNN said that he has not apologized in his life. And he was asked on -- last night on FOX News about the anger in the Republican Party, directed at him over this issue of the judge who is of Mexican heritage. And here's how he responded to the question.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: They have to get over it. Ideally, as to whether or not they endorse me, it's OK if they don't. But they have to get over it. They shouldn't be so angry for so long.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: "Time" magazine of course today, Senator, reports Trump says, he was disappointed and surprised by criticism from GOP leaders, including yourself. That doesn't sound like somebody who is about to apologize or somebody who is trying to be conciliatory or work with somebody like you.
MCCONNELL: Not yet. But, look, if he wants to win the election, he needs to quit these gratuitous attacks on various Americans. Not only those who competed with him for the nomination, but various Americans, you know, of -- based on their ethnicity, is completely unacceptable in America in 2016. Donald Trump has got a lot of good qualities, but he needs to put them forward, and suppress some of these other actions. That while they may have been issues that didn't defeat him in the Republican primaries, he's now got a totally different electorate. Out all across America, people of different ethnic background if he's going to be president, he's going to need to be president of all of the people, not just some of them.
BURNETT: This issue, though, with the judge, has caused some in your party, Senator, of course, to question Donald Trump in ways he has not been questioned before. Senator Mark Kirk, the first Congressional lawmaker to withdraw his support from Trump. Bob Corker also supporting Trump, as you know, said yesterday that Trump has two to three weeks to turn things around. The hanging thought there, extensively that Corker could then jump ship. Is there anything Trump could do that would get you to rescind your endorsement?
MCCONNELL: Well, look, he's been chosen by the Republican primary voters all across America. He won it the old fashioned way. He got more votes than anybody else. So he's going to be the nominee. What most of us would like to see is him run the kind of campaign that gives him a chance for a victory. Because we don't think four more years, just like the last eight, are good for the country. And Hillary Clinton will be four more years, just like the last eight. If people are satisfied with where America is today, they think this is as good as we can do, then they probably ought to vote for Hillary Clinton.
Donald Trump has an opportunity here to be changer (ph), to take America to a different place. But in order to succeed in doing that, he needs to run a credible, thoughtful campaign and indicate -- and demonstrate the seriousness that people expect of their president.
BURNETT: And now Senator, you said that Donald Trump is, of course, the will of the GOP electorate. You've said before, disrespecting that would be disrespectful if you were to not support him. But in your book, you wrote something that really stood out to me. You wrote about your mentor, Senator John Sherman Cooper and you called him the first truly great man I've ever met, in your words. And you wrote about his unwavering commitment to the civil rights act, even though many of his constituents were so deeply opposed to it.
And you recanted a conversation you had with the Senator and you wrote about it, that it went like this. How do you take such a tough stand and square it with the fact that a considerable number of people who elected you have the opposite view, I asked, referring to yourself. He didn't hesitate a moment, you write. I not only represent Kentucky, I represent the nation, and there are times when you follow and times when you lead. Could you change your mind about Donald Trump? Because you personally think he is not the right person to lead this nation?
MCCONNELL: That would be substituting my judgment for the judgment of the Republican primary voters all across America. They have made a selection. They have chosen Donald Trump. He will be our nominee. So the question is, can he actually win the election? BURNETT: But isn't that what Senator Cooper --
MCCONNELL: Let me finish.
BURNETT: But Senator Cooper said that he went against his constituents, because he just went with what he felt was right in his heart.
[19:10:02] MCCONNELL: Well, that was one senator in 1964, doing something that I thought was very courageous. We have an obligation here in 2016 to see if we can turn this country around. And the primary voters have selected Donald Trump to be the change agent, and what we're trying to do is to get him to act and speak like serious presidential candidate. So he has a chance to achieve the things that most of us would like to achieve in turning this country around.
BURNETT: So I guess what I'm trying to understand, and I know there are so many people who look at you as a leader -- a leader of the Republican Party. You know, when your mentor was talking about the civil rights act and how he was so committed to it. Some of the things Donald Trump has said -- let's just keep it specifically to the issue of Hispanics. But most specifically about this judge. Seem to be in that same vein to many. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I have a judge who is a hater of Donald Trump. A hater. The judge, who happens to be, we believe, Mexican -- we're building a wall. He's a Mexican. We're building a wall between here and Mexico. He is giving us very unfair rulings. His Mexican heritage. And he's very proud of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Paul Ryan says this is textbook definition of a racist comment. Is he right? Do you agree?
MCCONNELL: Well, first I want to go back to what you were saying about Senator Cooper. I would point out that even though Senator Cooper voted for the civil rights bill and Barry Goldwater voted against it, Senator Cooper supported Barry Goldwater for president. In other words, he knew that Goldwater was not the perfect candidate. He was not happy with what he had done on the civil rights bill of 1964. As a Republican leader, I have an obligation to respect the wishes of Republican primary voters all across the country. With regard to Donald Trump's utterances over the last week, I disagree with all of them, and I've specified them over a period of time, over the past week. But he is the nominee. He earned it. He got the most votes.
BURNETT: Do you think that Paul Ryan went too far when he said these comments?
MCCONNELL: I'm not going to critique the speaker. I can speak for myself. And I have spoken for myself. I have listed all of last week every occasion upon which I differed with Donald Trump. Particularly attacking people on the basis of their ethnicity. Totally inappropriate. But he is the nominee. And so I would like to see him change. And maybe using a prepared script and not attacking anyone last night is a good step in the right direction.
BURNETT: All right. Well, Senator McConnell, very much appreciate your time tonight. Thank you.
MCCONNELL: Thank you.
BURNETT: And OUTFRONT next, Donald Trump's attack on the judge in the Trump University case is not the first time he has gone after judges. Our report, next.
Plus, Trump making a big pitch in last night's victory speech for Sanders voters, directly speaking to them to come over to join him. Will they?
And the breaking news tonight, a deadly terror attack in Israel at a very popular tourist spot. We're live on the scene.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:16:38] BURNETT: Tonight, Donald Trump insisting to Bloomberg News he's been treated unfairly in the case against Trump University. And this is not the first time Trump has gone after a judge.
Jessica Schneider is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TRUMP: If I'm forced to fight for something, I really care about, I will never, ever of back down and our country will never, ever back down.
JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Donald Trump never shying away from controversy. His latest battle against the judge presiding over the Trump University lawsuit in California.
TRUMP: I've been treated very unfairly by this judge. Now, this judge is of Mexican heritage. I'm building a wall, okay? I'm building a wall. He's a member of a society where, you know, very pro-Mexico and that's fine. It's all fine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Except you're calling into question his heritage.
TRUMP: I think he should recuse himself.
SCHNEIDER: Trump's lawyers have not filed a motion for Judge Curiel to recuse himself. But back in 2008, Trump's longtime lawyer, Jay Goldberg, did exactly that to another judge in New York.
JAY GOLDBERG, DONALD TRUMP'S FORMER ATTORNEY: He was prejudiced. And openly indicated that he was prejudiced when he spoke to my co- counsel. And spoke to a congressman.
SCHNEIDER: The case was a contract dispute between Trump and several Hong Kong businessmen involving real estate in Manhattan. The judge, an African-American justice named Richard Lowe. But Goldberg insists, the demand for recusal wasn't about race.
(on camera) So this wasn't a matter of race, ethnicity, gender.
GOLDBERG: No, not at all.
SCHNEIDER: This was about being biased in your view.
GOLDBERG: Right.
SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Although he said the request was unsupported and baseless, Lowe eventually recused himself out of an exercise of caution, according to court documents. But it didn't end there. Trump and his attorneys also filed a motion to recuse the next judge, a woman, because they say she was biased, but she did not step down.
PAUL CALLAN, FORMER PROSECUTOR: It's extremely rare for an attorney to ask for recusal and judges usually deny the motion. Because they don't like their basic fairness and integrity being challenged this way.
TRUMP: Good luck, everybody.
SCHNEIDER: Trump lost the case. And though Goldberg defends his client on the previous requests for recusals, he thinks Trump went too far against Judge Curiel.
GOLDBERG: Just because of his prejudice -- heritage. For him to think that he would be prejudiced is not appropriate.
SCHNEIDER (on camera): What would you recommend to Donald Trump, because he has come under such fire for these comments?
GOLDBERG: Well, people say that Donald is hesitant about apologizing. Yesterday, I don't think went far enough.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER: Now we reached out to the judge late this afternoon for comment, but we did not hear back. Attorney Goldberg says he was the one and not Trump, who asked for the judges to be recused. But, of course, Erin, Trump himself would have had to approve his attorney's actions -- Erin.
BURNETT: Thank you very much, Jessica.
OUTFRONT now, Basil Smikle, executive chairman for the New York State Democratic Party. Hillary Clinton supporter Amanda Carpenter, former communications director for Senator Ted Cruz. Jason Osborne and Kayleigh McEnany, CNN political commentators, Donald Trump supporters. John Avlon, editor-in-chief of "The Daily Beast." And Mark Preston, our executive politics editor.
OK. So Jason, Trump says he's going to do better. He says -- he of course, he does -- there is a history here of wanting to get judges recused from cases. Do you really think he's going to change this time? You know, his statement today, it is unfortunate my comments have been misconstrued as a categorical attack against people of Mexican heritage. That's going to do it?
JASON OSBORNE, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: You know, I think Donald Trump made a statement just like you read, that puts this issue to rest for him. I think what we're going to see, and we can talk about, which we have talked about for years, is judicial activism. We Republicans have had an issue, Democrats have had an issue when either side appoints a judge, what is their background and where did they come from and how do they make decisions.
So, I think the issue with Curiel is done, as far as we're concerned and we're going to start focusing on a general election and looking towards how we can appeal to the Sanders supporters and start bringing those folks that are unhappy with how the government is working.
BURNETT: John, is this issue with Curiel done? I mean, Donald Trump wants to be done. He says he's not going to talk about it again. Although he talked about it after he said he wouldn't talk about it.
JOHN AVLON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes.
BURNETT: He said his comments have been misconstrued but yet he has not said I'm sorry.
AVLON: Correct. But that doesn't seem to be in his DNA. But this doesn't over. Even the Donald says he's not going to talk about it. And then he immediately does. Look, the fact that Republicans started running from The Hills when this was said, wasn't just, it was in the words of Paul Ryan sort of rank racism. Right? It was because it is also an electoral poison pill when it comes to red states particularly throughout the southwest.
This is deeply damaging to the Republican brand. Not only in terms of an autopsy but in terms of the election in down state Senate seats. So Donald may be done with them with it. I think it's very inspired to say we're going to move it to a conversation about judicial activism. But I think that's a degree of wishing and hoping. This is a real mark, you're not going to be able to spin your way out of it. You're going to have to apologize and do something more. You're going to have to lead by example.
[19:21:28] BURNETT: And, of course, what happens here, Mark, is we're seeing in a sense the Trump playbook. He throws a bomb out there, he gets criticized for it, he gets some defense for it from surrogates. And he says he's not going to do it again. They all -- the Republican leaders say, OK, OK, OK. And then it happens again. Here he is, just on this particular issue of the judge of Mexican heritage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: He's a Mexican. We're building a wall between here and Mexico. The answer is, he is giving us very unfair rulings. Rulings that people can't even believe. RYAN: Claiming a person can't do the job because of their races sort
of like the textbook definition of a racist comments.
TRUMP: I understand the responsibility of carrying the mantle, and I will never, ever let you down. Too much work, too many people. Blood, sweat and tears. Never going to let you down.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
I like to say what it is. And so many people are now seeing that this whole thing is a disgrace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: That's an hour after the press conference, Mark. He called the whole thing a disgrace. And that's after the statement came out that I just said in which he said it was all misconstrued in which he said this is the last you're going to hear about this from me.
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EXECUTIVE EDITOR: He's also said in the past too, that he never said statements that he didn't want to then own up to when there was a lot of criticism that was cast upon him. Here's the issue. And I really think that it really was wrapped up in the interview that you did with Mitch McConnell, who was very enlightening about the problems that Republicans are going through right now. Three things that he said at the end of the interview. I typed them down. Not verbatim, but close enough.
One, he said, I have listed where I disagree with them. And noted that there were many things that he disagrees with Donald Trump. Two, he wished he didn't make those statements, and three, he kind of wished he stayed to a script. Now, this is the Republican leader in the Senate talking about his flag bearer heading into November.
BURNETT: Yes.
PRESTON: Not very inspiring. Certainly not at this point. Not that that can't change.
AVLON: The world's lowest bar is Mitch McConnell saying he should be thoughtful. I mean, you know, you're asking your candidate to be thoughtful?
BURNETT: He said he had a script, and he didn't insult gratuitously any other Americans.
AVLON: When that's your bar for a win, you've got a deeper problem. That was a rhetorical straight jacket Donald Trump was put in last night and it's not sufficient, it's not in his nature. And when the Senate Majority Leader is saying that Donald Trump needs to be thoughtful in order to be a credible candidate, he's basically saying he's not thoughtful and not credible.
KAYLEIGH MCENANY, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: Donald Trump ran against these people. Donald Trump ran against --
(CROSSTALK)
Donald Trump ran against the establishment of his party, and to Mitch McConnell's credit, he has been an absolute hero on this point. Because he has said, it's the will of the people. That's what matters. I'm sticking by the voters. And I think that that's very courageous, that's what he should do. That's absolutely correct. But Donald Trump is not going to be a scripted politician. That's what everyone wants him to be. Everyone wants him to be like --
(CROSSTALK)
No, you've got to let me finish. Everyone wants him to be like Hillary Clinton, marching out there with rhetorical throws right off the teleprompter. That's not Donald Trump. He's out to bust up Washington, not to become Washington.
(TALKING OVER EACH OTHER)
BURNETT: Let me ask you, though. Someone that was involved in helping him write that speech last night told me it was anguishingly difficult to get him to go deliver a scripted speech. That does not indicate that he is going to be doing more of it.
AMANDA CARPENTER, FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR SENATOR TED CRUZ: Yes, the saddest part, you had to put the words on the screen in his mouth to call for party unity. There is such a bigger problem with this lawsuit. It's not what the judge -- it's not really with racism. It's the fact that Donald Trump is making this his highest priority to litigate this case and the public's fear while he's running for president. Why he didn't settle this -- I know people say he doesn't settle. You needed to make this go away. You ran a low-rent, trashy scheme to take advantage of people who admired you as a businessman while you were already --
BURNETT: Well, the courts of course will decide.
CARPENTER: I don't know if it's fraud or not. But this is a nasty thing to do. He shouldn't (INAUDIBLE) go away and focused on running for president.
BASIL SMIKLE, HILLARY CLINTON SUPPORTER: But we can't sweep this under the rag, it was a racist comment. The Speaker of the House called him on it. And with everything I need to know about what's going to happen in the next five months came through in your interview with Mitch McConnell. This man was contorting himself to find a way to support Donald Trump. And he cannot do it. There's nothing heroic about that. What it is, is it's this clumsy attempt to try to defend a man who is indefensible at this point.
And, again, I think this is -- this pretends the next five months, you'll see Republicans who have endorsed him basically do it in name only. Step away from him, have to go through a period where they're going to script him, and then he comes off script and then they're going to have to figure out what to do.
MCENANY: And this is what the Never Trump movement and the Democrats have been trying to do. They have been trying to create a caricature of Donald Trump. It's not going to work. Millions of people have seen through it. And look, Chris Christie said is right. He's known this man for 14 years, he doesn't have a racist bone in his body. We can't say it's a racist all day. People just don't buy it.
[19:26:11] BURNETT: All right. Thank you all. You're going to be back with me in just a moment. Bernie Sanders next, vowing to fight on against Hillary Clinton. Could his supporters wind up going to Donald Trump? Now is when we find out.
Donald Trump, by the way, says this golf course is worth $50 million. When it comes to paying taxes on it, though, it's a different story. This is where he was last night for his big Super Tuesday speech.
We have an OUTFRONT special report, coming up.
And we're following the breaking news tonight, a deadly terror attack, a popular market. We are live with the details.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:30:35] BURNETT: Tonight, Donald Trump trying to crash Hillary Clinton's Party. Trump fighting to win over Bernie Sanders supporters after Clinton declared victory in the Democratic primary race.
Clinton, though, is hitting back hard at Trump, telling Anderson Cooper moments ago that Trump is dreaming.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Donald Trump, who set up a fake university, Trump University, that committed fraud on people, who doesn't want to raise the minimum wage, who wants to go backwards when it comes to universal health care, who has proposed a tax plan that would just be great for billionaires and terrible for everybody else. So, as we reach out and we talk about what's at stake in this election, I really believe a lot of senator Sanders' supporters will join us in making sure Donald Trump doesn't get anywhere near the White House.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Will Clinton be able to seal the deal, though, with Bernie Sanders' supporters? That is what it all comes to.
Joe Johns is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hillary Clinton making history, becoming the first woman to capture a major party presidential nomination.
CLINTON: We are all standing under a glass ceiling right now.
JOHNS: The former secretary of state reveling in the moment Tuesday night in Brooklyn.
CLINTON: This campaign is about making sure there are no ceilings, no limits, on any of us. And this is our moment to come together.
JOHNS: With a hard-fought primary now behind her, Clinton is seeking to unify the Democratic Party, extending an olive branch to Bernie Sanders and his supporters.
CLINTON: Senator Sanders, his campaign, and the vigorous debate that we have had about how to raise incomes, reduce inequality, increase upward mobility, have been very good for the Democratic Party and for America.
JOHNS: Clinton closed out the campaign with four wins Tuesday night, including a convincing victory in California, where Sanders had a singular focus in recent weeks.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The struggle continues!
JOHNS: As the primary season comes to an end, the Sanders campaign is preparing to cut half its staff, with Washington, D.C., the only remaining contest. Still, Sanders is not ready to fully step aside.
SANDERS: Next Tuesday, we continue the fight in the last primary in Washington, D.C.
JOHNS: Sanders will be in Washington tomorrow to meet with President Obama at the White House, and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid at the capitol to discuss future plans. Vice President Biden urging Democrats to be graceful and give Sanders the opportunity to decide on his own how to proceed.
Clinton, though, is already looking forward to her next opponent, calling out presumptive GOP nominee, Donald Trump, in an interview today with CNN's Anderson Cooper.
CLINTON: I'm looking forward to working with him to achieve our goal, which is to defeat Donald Trump. And Senator Sanders has said he'll work every day, every week, to see that happen.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS: Senator Sanders arrived back here in Vermont, just a little while ago, and he and the campaign very noncommittal on the next step. Sanders did not speak to reporters. He did talk very briefly to some supporters who were waiting here at the airport to greet him.
He was especially noncommittal, the campaign manager was, on what is going to be talked about when the president, as well as the Senate minority leaders sit down tomorrow with Senator Sanders.
Erin, back to you.
BURNETT: All right. Thanks very much to you, Joe. And my panel back with me. Also joining me, the national spokesperson
for MoveOn.org, Karine Jean-Pierre. She is also a Bernie Sanders supporter.
John Avlon, let me start we start with you, though. Tomorrow, this is a big meeting. President Obama meeting with Bernie Sanders. Bernie Sanders, right, has been a stalwart, he's not getting out.
Is the president going to say it's time? Should he say this is it?
JOHN AVLON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes. Yes, he should. Look, it's mathematically -- the game is over. He's fought a great race. He has changed the debate inside the Democratic Party. He has run a race that 74-year-olds around the world should aspire to that kind of a career capping moment. Rallying million around a cause he has fought for in a lonely way for much of his life.
But the math is done. This is over. It's time to try to heal the party. And I imagine that's what President Obama is going to say, because he apparently is just fired up to get back on the campaign trail.
BURNETT: He wants to take on Trump.
Now, Karine, of course, the thing is, Bernie says, but look, Hillary Clinton doesn't get there without superdelegates, right?
[19:35:04] People who do what they wish and don't necessarily do what the voters want them to do. So, does that give him a leg to stand on to stay in?
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE, NATIONAL SPOKESWOMAN, MOVEON.ORG: Well, let me -- I just want to touch base on what John said. I think Bernie Sanders needs to be given the time. He's earned the right to be given some time to just do this on his own, you know, on his own time line.
This is somebody who garnered 10 million voters, right? Few millions of those were new voters. And then not only that, he revolutionized politics, as we see it. Over 200 -- he raised over $250 million and 7 million people gave him that money, right? Small donors gave him that money.
So, I think we just need to give him time and he'll come around and he will unify the party. That's what he wants to do.
BURNETT: Just give him some time.
JEAN-PIERRE: All right, give him some time to figure out how he wants to do.
BURNETT: Another person not giving him any time is Donald Trump, who for the first time last night came out and directly appealed in his -- in his teleprompter speech to Bernie Sanders' supporters. Here's how he did it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: To all of those Bernie Sanders voters, who have been left out in the cold by a rigged system of superdelegates, we welcome you with open arms. Believe me.
(CHEERS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Now I'm sure he does. He's not going to turn a voter down.
But, Jason, do you really think Bernie Sanders supporters are going to go for Donald Trump? Keep in mind, the last time around, right, Hillary Clinton supporters said they would never vote for Barack Obama. They did.
JASON OSBORNE, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: Right. No, I think you have to look at the reasons why Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders got into this race, because they feel that honestly the federal government is out of control. That it's controlled by too many people in the establishment.
And so, when Bernie Sanders folks have come out and say the only reason that Hillary Clinton is in the lead is because of superdelegates, then, you know, Donald Trump has an appeal to them.
Now, whether or not Bernie Sanders folks and Donald Trump folks agree on the solution to the problems, they agree that there is the same problem.
BURNETT: All right. Some people -- this may surprise you. They are. At least we have talked to -- the past few months, Bernie Sanders supporters who say they would vote for Donald Trump. Here's one of them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KYUNG LAH, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You'd rather vote for Donald Trump than Hillary Clinton?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For sure.
LAH: But somebody who supports Bernie, you would naturally think they would vote for Clinton instead of Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right. But we don't like Clinton. I don't like another Clinton. It seems like a hunger for power and staying in power forever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: This is the problem faced.
BASIL SMIKLE, HILLARY CLINTON SUPPORTER: I honestly think that most people that support Bernie Sanders are going to go and support Hillary Clinton. I really do. I think there are maybe a lot of hurt feelings. I think Karine is
right. That it's a process not just for the candidate, but also for his supporters and he has to help them along in this process.
So, I do think it will take time. But I do think they'll come around.
I'll say one other quick thing. If you listened to her speech last night, that was an incredibly unifying speech in my opinion. But one thing that's also overlooked is the video that came before that. It sort of -- it had her campaign touching on a larger movement. Especially proud they put in Shirley Chisholm (ph), who talked about being unbought and unbossed.
And I think that kind of messaging, if she continues that through the next five months, I think you'll see a lot more Bernie Sanders supporters coming to her side, and creating a same kind of movement going in.
BURNETT: OK. Mark, do you think that Bernie Sanders supporters will ever buy that Hillary Clinton is a movement candidate?
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EXECUTIVE EDITOR: No. And they don't have to. Let me make a very bold prediction here. I mean, this is very bold now, so everybody remember it.
A few weeks ago, we never thought that Donald Trump would become the nominee so quickly, right? My God, and he was. So what did we do in the media and in politics, we looked for the next storyline.
The next storyline was, look at this Democratic fight we've been ignoring up to this point. We've been following it. What's a great moment in that? The Bernie Sanders people aren't going to support Hillary Clinton.
It's a red herring. They are going to support Hillary Clinton.
(CROSSTALK)
AVLON: There is scar tissue around this. The Democrats perhaps remember, 98,000 votes is what Ralph Nader got in Florida. And Bush won the state by 575.
So, I mean, there is a cost to doing a never Hillary movement. And as far as the Trump campaign trying to appeal to Bernie Sanders supporters on the theories they're equally disaffected independents, yes, they're angry at a rigged system. That's where the similarities stop.
AMANDA CARPENTER, FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR SEN. TED CRUZ: I think when a few cases where there's going to be a crossover which will be minimal. One, there's people they want an outsider, just to break the system up. Burn it down. The two guys, Bernie or Trump.
And then there is also the trade issue, which has scrambled the map on both Republican side and Democratic side. There are some weird overlap between Tea Party people and progressive people on the trade issue.
I think Donald Trump is probably more equipped to exploit that at this moment in time than Hillary Clinton. But she may figure it out.
OSBORNE: Yes, but I think one thing that I found interesting is Hillary Clinton today when she said that Bernie Sanders and her are united in one thing and that's to defeat Donald Trump. I don't think that speaks to Bernie Sanders' voters who were not united to defeat the Republican. They were united to change the government.
BURNETT: Well, they were united for somebody as opposed to against, which is a key point.
Thank you all very much.
And next, why one town is furious with Donald Trump over this golf course. An OUTFRONT special report.
[19:40:03] And the breaking news tonight: terrorists opening fire at a market, at least four are dead at this hour. Many seriously injured. We're live on the scene.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Tonight, Donald Trump is defending his tax decisions on one of his golf courses, where he made his big speech last night, a multimillion dollar club outside Washington. And that was outside New York. But there is another one now that can serve as the backdrop for a speech attacking Hillary Clinton on Monday.
Trump also turned to his resorts for speeches. He likes them for the branding and publicity. The resort, though, of course outside New York where he spoke last night is at the center of this tax fight.
Kyung Lah has a story you'll only see only OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TRUMP: I'm going to fight for you, the American people.
LAH (voice-over): Donald Trump's promise, as he celebrates his final Super Tuesday victory at Trump National Golf Club, Westchester, just outside New York City.
TRUMP: Together, we will put the American people first again.
LAHS (on camera): Has that been the experience here in Ossining?
DANA LEVENBERG, OSSINING TOWN SUPERVISOR: Absolutely not. He's putting himself first.
LAH (voice-over): Ossining Town supervisor Dana Levenberg says her town is embroiled in a lawsuit with Trump, over how much he pays in taxes on his golf course.
[19:45:10] Touting a 101-foot waterfall at 13th hole, Trump National claiming it's the most expensive golf hole ever constructed. The dispute centers on how much each side thinks all this is worth. In campaign filings, Trump says his Westchester golf course is worth more than $50 million. The town values it at around $14 million.
But last year, his attorneys argued the course was worth far less. Only $1.35 million. If Trump's lawyers get that low value, Trump saves $425,000 in taxes a year.
Trump wins. Parents say the public school children then lose out. More than half that loss will be felt in the district's budget.
LIZ SUSMAN KARP, PARENT: That means his school taxes would decrease by $250,000. To our small district, $250,000 is a real loss. Looking to cut his taxes on a successful venture is not supportive of the little people.
LAH: But multiple tax experts tell CNN that Trump is not alone in what he's doing.
ROB KOVACEV, FORMER ATTORNEY, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TAX DIVISION: It's perfectly normal. You would expect that any one of the net worth of Mr. Trump would put a lot of effort to make sure he pays as much as he owes, but no more.
LAH: Ossining in Westchester County has pockets of wealth, with some homes valued at more than a million dollars. Trump's lawyers essentially saying his town-assessed multimillion dollar golf course should pay the same taxes as one home.
Levenberg, who is a Democrat, and many residents, maintain that's wrong, especially for a man who wants to be president.
LEVENBERG: I just think it's so unfair. I mean, who is going to be paying the difference? Except for the people of Ossining.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAH: Now, CNN did make multiple attempts to try to reach Trump's attorney in this matter. He did not respond to those attempts.
BURNETT: You've done a lot of reporting, though, on golf courses, with Donald Trump. This is a core perhaps of the tax question.
LAH: Absolutely. Because we have seen this tactic, this move, where he's done this in Los Angeles. You know, filing 298 appeals to try to lower the value of that golf course, while still maintaining that that golf course is worth $50 million in his FEC filings. We see he's trying to get tax breaks here in New Jersey, just outside of New York.
So, it's something we have seen. But we need to stress, this is not uncommon. This is something that does happen. The question now, though, is people are saying, hey, he's going to run for president, going to fight for the little guy? What about the little guy?
BURNETT: All right. Kyung Lah, thank you very much. And next, breaking news. A deadly attack at a big tourist spot. A
source saying that terrorists were in disguise. They actually dressed up to fit in. At least four dead at this hour. We are live on the scene.
And we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:51:49] BURNETT: Breaking news, a deadly terror attack, at least four killed, five injured after terrorists open fire at a popular market. Surveillance video shows diners fleeing the scene.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
BURNETT: You can see walking down the street, shooting in cold blood. This video shows the moment one attackers was shot by police, the second was captured at the scene.
Phil Black is OUTFRONT tonight in Jerusalem.
And, Phil, what more are you learning about this and then the disguises the attackers may have used?
PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The Israeli authorities, Erin, are confirming that these attackers, the terrorists were Palestinians. It means, they're not Israeli citizens, or what you would call Arab Israelis between the Palestinian territories, almost certainly the West Bank.
So, tonight, the Israeli government promises to take strong what it describes as offensive and defensive action in order to find out who cooperated with this and also to assure it doesn't happen again.
The issue here is that somehow these two men got semiautomatic rifles into Israel and that's not supposed to happen, according to the security infrastructure that exists here. There are reports these men were dressed up as Hasidic Jews, we don't know if that's true, because it hasn't been discussed by Israeli officials just yet.
There's reason to put it in some context, Tel Aviv is a secular town, this market is a secular location, it's not the sort of place conservative Jews hang out and nor the sort of place where dressing as a conservative Jew would profile.
We know two men, the police have one of them shot and injured, stabilized later in the hospital, and the authorities will be working to identify them, where they're from, and following that threat to ensure there's no continued threat from any friends or associates, Erin.
BURNETT: Obviously, this was planned and coordinated, more than one person involved. I know you say they have them alive. Do they have any idea who exactly is responsible, who planned this?
BLACK: Well, they're talking about Palestinians, so we know that much. What we don't know is whether or not they are part of a bigger, wider group. No one accepted responsibility and it is interesting to note that all of the attacks that have been taking place in the last six months, the recent spike in violence has been largely individuals acting alone, motivated to usually use knives, cars, whatever they can.
It's possible it could be just these two people, acting alone. That's what authorities are working to determine right now.
BURNETT: Thank you very much. Phil Black, live in Israel tonight.
And next, Hillary Clinton's historic moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:58:12] BURNETT: Donald Trump relies on the art of the deal. Hillary Clinton believes in the art of what appears to be impossible possible. Well, Donald Trump believes in that with his real estate and buildings.
But here's Jeanne Moos.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Remember when she was standing by Bill's side playing second fiddle. Now, she's the power in the power couple and he's tweeting, "I couldn't be more proud, history made."
As the cheers washed over her, you' think she was having palpitations from the number of times she clutched her heart. At one point opening her arms as if to embrace everyone.
The first woman to claim the nomination inspired sober headlines and exuberant ones and there were some sweet tweets. Mood at 1:45 a.m. tweeted one supporter.
JAMIE KING, ACTRESS: God bless America!
MOOS: Actress Jamie King held up her son to the TV.
The glass ceiling was invoked by the sign "caution, shattered glass." Up until now, mostly men breaking through glass ceilings in movies, and they tend to be going the wrong way.
Back when 21-year-old Hillary gave a commencement speech as she graduated from Wellesley College, she mentioned her mom.
CLINTON: My mother used to say, you know, I will always love you but there are times I won't like you.
MOOS: When she was presumptive nominee, she was still mentioning mom.
CLINTON: I wish she could see her daughter become the Democratic Party's nominee.
MOOS: Right after college, Hillary worked briefly at an Alaska fish cannery.
CLINTON: My first job was to gut the salmon.
MOOS: Now, her job is to gut Donald Trump.
CLINTON: Reminding us daily just how great he is.
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BURNETT: Thanks for joining us. See you back here tomorrow night.
Anderson starts now.
