Return to Transcripts main page
Erin Burnett Outfront
CNN Poll: Clinton's Lead Over Trump Cut in Half; Interview with Vice Presidential Nominee Mike Pence; Awaiting Trump Rally in New Hampshire; CNN Poll: Clinton's Lead Over Trump Cut in Half; President Obama Speaking at DC Event. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired September 15, 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 ANCHOR: OUTFRONT next, the breaking news. New poll showing Hillary Clinton's lead over Donald Trump disappearing. This as the Trump campaign unveils its economic plan. Does it add up? I am going to be speaking with Trump's running-mate Mike Pence.
Plus, Ivanka Trump shutting down an interview after tough questions about her father? Is Trump's best surrogate feeling the heat?
And CNN access to one of the most dangerous cities earth. We are going to go inside Aleppo tonight. Let's go OUTFRONT.
Good evening, I'm Erin Burnett. OUTFRONT tonight, the breaking news, neck and neck, a new CNN poll of polls showing Donald Trump gaining major ground. Clinton leading Trump national lead by just two points. Her lead from two weeks ago slashed in half. This comes as Clinton returns to the trail after staying home sick for three days. Clinton flying to the key battleground state of North Carolina, sign and project new strength and energy. The candidate taking the unusual step of holding a brief press conference fielding multiple questions about her health and admitting that she could have been more forthcoming about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I thought I was going to be fine. And I thought that there wasn't really any reason to make a big fuss about it. So I should have taken time off earlier. I didn't. Now I have. And I'm back on the campaign trail.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Trump today trying to seize on his momentum with a major address on the economy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Over the next ten years our economic team estimates that under our plan the economy will average 3.5 percent growth and create a total of 25 million new jobs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Do his numbers add up? I'm going to be speaking to his running mate Mike Pence in just a moment for an extended interview.
But first Brianna Keilar is OUTFRONT with the Clinton campaign. And Brianna, what do we expect to hear from Clinton tonight? Obviously she's coming out today and she's doing plenty of events.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Erin, as you know Hillary Clinton is speaking before the Congressional Hispanic Caucus tonight at this gala dinner. And so she's going to be tailoring her message as she also tries to appeal to Hispanic voters. You know that she's hanging so much on this election on the coalition of Barack Obama put together in 2008 and 2012. That includes young people. That includes young voters and it does include Hispanic voters as well.
And she's been underperforming with some of these key constituencies. So that is a place where she's going make some headway. I think we're expecting perhaps to hear something that she debuted a little bit today, which was as she came back on the road after three days of rest, trying to recover from pneumonia, she talked about how it had given her some perspective on the campaign. Something that is tough to do when you are on the campaign trail. And it seemed to be that while she certainly had criticism for Donald Trump, she was also putting forth a rationale for why voters should vote for her. Not just trying to disqualify Donald Trump. Perhaps not surprising as she's making a course correction as she's sort of starting to see a tightening in the polls, in national polls as well as these battleground states.
BURNETT: All right. Brianna, thank you very much. And, you know, as Brianna is there with Hillary Clinton, Trump today was out giving a speech, a big speech on his economic plan.
Phil Mattingly is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tonight, Donald Trump pledging a major boost in economic growth as he seeks to tie together his disparate academic proposals.
TRUMP: My economic plan rejects the cynicism that says our labor force will keep declining. That our jobs will keep leaving and that our economy can never grow as it did once before.
MATTINGLY: Trump's speech in New York light on new details but heavy on laying out Trump's vision and guarantees.
TRUMP: Under our plan the economy will average 3.5 percent growth and create a total of 25 million new jobs.
MATTINGLY: But a major hole in Trump's promise, that the plan will be deficit neutral.
TRUMP: You can visit our website. Just look at the math. It works.
MATTINGLY: But it remains unclear that it actually does. Trump pledging not to raise taxes. And not even addressing the growth of entitlement programs in his remarks. Two of the most common targets for raising revenue. Trump instead relying on regulatory, tax and energy reforms and his promise economic growth, all as he belittle Hillary Clinton's economic proposals.
TRUMP: Her tax increases are unbelievable. The only thing she can offer is a welfare check.
[19:05:04] MATTINGLY: But the new insight into Trump's economic plan will not extend to his taxes at least according to his son, Donald, Jr. According to Pittsburgh newspaper, it wasn't beyond going audit that was keeping Trump from releasing her returns.
DONALD TRUMP, JR., SON OF DONALD TRUMP: That would create probably 300 million Independents financial auditors out of every person in the country asking questions that they are going to describe from his main message.
MATTINGLY: Even as House Speaker Paul Ryan, the party's 2012 vice presidential nominee said otherwise.
PAUL RYAN (R), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: I really think we should release those. I'll leave to it him when to do it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[19:05:40] MATTINGLY: And Erin, Paul Ryan is likely going to be waiting a long time if he sees them ever. And the reality is this. With Donald Trump, Jr., said to that Pittsburgh papers, what I've been hearing from Trump advisors now for a couple of weeks, Erin, they say this. We don't see the upside of releasing them and they don't feel like they are being punished for not releasing them. I talked to a couple of Clinton advisors today Erin and they said they are aware of that. So, expect a major push from the Clinton campaign on this issue, they've been doing it for the last couple of weeks. Expect that to intensify in the weeks ahead, they want to make Trump feel pain for not releasing those taxes -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Phil, thank you.
And OUTFRONT now, Donald Trump's running-mate Mike Pence. And Governor, thank you so much for being with me tonight. I appreciate it.
GOV. MIKE PENCE (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Good to be with you.
BURNETT: So, Donald Trump is saying, the economy is going to grow three-and-a-half percent on average. He says on a ramp up to four percent. He says, possibly more than that.
PENCE: Yes. Maybe more.
BURNETT: Obviously, you look back. That hasn't happen since the late 1990s which was of course above all for this economy. What makes you believe you can accomplish that sort of growth. PENCE: Well, I think -- history is that when you let people keep more
what they earned, you lower marginal tax rates, you roll back, excessive regulations, you unleash the power of American energy. This economy comes roaring back and roaring back very quickly, Erin. We saw it happened in the days of Ronald Reagan. Frankly, we also saw it happen in the days of John F. Kennedy. The truth is that lowering marginal rates under the Kennedy administration, under the Reagan administration, transform the American economy and Donald Trump and our confidant that the struggling economy today where it's literally the slowest economic recovery since the great depression will come roaring back when we put those time honored principles of growth back into practice.
BURNETT: Now, Trump is calling your child care proposal essential part of his entire tax plan.
PENCE: It is.
BURNETT: Right. He is making this a core. You're offering six weeks of partially paid maternity leave as part of your plan, right? This is not Republican or Orthodoxy far from it. Your friend Paul Ryan does not support it at all. This is not something Republican support. This is an issue Democrats support. Why make it a central part of your plan?
PENCE: Well, I think it's just Donald Trump's appreciation with a lot of great input from his extraordinary daughter Ivanka. It's his appreciation for the rule of working women in the challenges that families face, with the cost of child care and not only for that paid leave using the unemployment insurance program to provide support from companies that don't offer that. But also, allowing for the full deduction for all American families for the cause of child care.
For a lot of working families, child care is a dominant part of their family budget. And as a family, I always lived on a budget myself. Raised three kids. I got almost all of them through college. I think Donald Trump is exactly right. Once we get this economy growing again, we're going to be able to pay for this kind of a program. But doing it all through tax relief, deductions, tax credits is the right approach.
BURNETT: Right. So, the St. Louis Feds estimates that unemployment insurance is fraud which of course is what you've mentioned this what would pay for that. It's about $3.3 billion a year for part of it, right? Look, six weeks personally paid maternity leave is a lot of money. It's probably going to be a lot more than $3.3 billion. Where are you going to get all of that money?
PENCE: Well, I think the short answer is there. The longer answer is growth.
BURNETT: -- on that growth figure.
PENCE: Well -- and I have to tell you, I mean, when you look at the plan that he outlined today, the economic growth of New York. It really is a bold plan of lowering marginal rates, lowering business taxes. The repatriation. Lowering their rate on taxes. Taxes on business income to bring those dollars back in the country. Smarter and tougher trade deals. Ruling back excessive regulation.
I think, you know, there's estimates of 3.5 percent growth. But you heard Donald Trump today say with a wink that he is not supposed to say it but we really do believe the economy is going to grow, growing economy, and expanding economy make it possible for us to provide this additional opportunities, these deductions and these credits for working families.
BURNETT: So, the issue for working mothers is crucial, right?
PENCE: It is.
BURNETT: Seventy percent of mothers in this country work, I am one of them.
PENCE: Right.
BURNETT: You once wrote about a study of daycare kids in an op-ed. This is a while ago but your conclusion was, "Sure, you can have it all but your day care kids get the short end of the emotional stick." Have your views changed?
PENCE: Yes, they really have. I mean, that was probably a really long time ago when I saw that. Frankly I have --
BURNETT: 1997. I believe. It was a long time ago but --
PENCE: Yes. Yes.
BURNETT: But your views have changed.
[19:10:10] PENCE: I still had dark hair back then, Erin. I would tell you that I really do believe, well, I will always believe that, you know, the best child care is in the home. A family that has the means to be able to provide that. But we have some moral class childcare in a country today and particularly in the state of Indiana are proud of what we've done. To provide the first ever public funding for pre-K education. To help kids that particularly disadvantage. Kids to be able to make-up for what they might not be getting in the home. So, they're ready for school.
So, I really do believe this is an idea whose time has come giving these choices to working families particularly working women is a part of I think Donald Trump's vision to make America great again. To make sure this economy is working for every American family and I couldn't be more supportive.
BURNETT: So, your campaign with this child care obviously being a focal point of it. Look, the women voter issue is an issue. You even wrote on some polls, over all though of course 54, 36 percent, 54 percent of women supporting Hillary Clinton, this national poll. You know, today, we learned Ivanka Trump did not want to address questions about some of the things her father had said, about pregnancy, actually back in 2004. Here is what he said about pregnancy and also a couple of other things
he has said about women who work.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: A pregnancy is never -- it's a wonderful thing for the woman, it's a wonderful thing for the husband. It's certainly an inconvenience for our business.
Putting a wife to work is a very dangerous thing.
I won't do anything to take care of them. She'll take -- I'll supply the funds and she'll take care of the kids.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: What is your reaction to those comments?
PENCE: Well, my reaction is that people need to listen to what Donald Trump are saying today. This is a man who loves his family and loves this country. And he's build a business, it's really advance. And the opportunities for women, executives all over this country and a little bit all over the world. And I think his record, whatever -- many years ago may have been. The truth is that he's got a heart for women and the workplace, he's demonstrated that by advancing women executives in his organization. And that is the way he's going to advance policies and that is the way we'll operate this administration.
BURNETT: And of course he said those things over several years. He said those things many times. You yourself this week on Capitol Hill remaining with other Republican leaders and I know one of them said to you, what do I say to my daughter when she says Donald Trump doesn't like women. What do you say?
PENCE: Well, I told that Congressman, just give her a hug for me and tell her it is just not true. It is one of the -- it is one of the characters of this good man that couldn't be farther from the truth. When you look at the record that Donald Trump has built in business and the opportunities, the equal opportunities he's extended to women in the workplace, I think it really speaks for itself. And the proposal for child care that he brought forward today. With that extraordinary execute who happens to be his daughter Ivanka Trump, an accomplished businesswoman in her own right, I think gives you a great, great look at who this man really is.
BURNETT: So, you think he's changed, right? Because I mean, let's just be honest, right, as a woman when I hear I think putting a wife to work is a very dangerous thing, it is a pretty nasty awful thing to say.
PENCE: Well, I don't know when he said that. And I don't know the context that he said it in.
BURNETT: He was talking about his wife at the time, Ivanka Trump. PENCE: Well, what I can tell you is, this is a man who has a real
heart for advancing the interests of women and men in this country. And frankly as I campaign with him and campaign for him, Erin, you know, the women and men who come out to these rallies whether it is a huge Donald Trump rally or maybe a thousand people like I saw in Scranton, Pennsylvania yesterday. I think they are coming out and you are seeing the tremendous momentum in this campaign. Because people hear in that message to make America great again. They hear in those policies of getting this economy moving again, about having a safer and stronger America at home and abroad. Exactly the policies that women and men in America want to see a president advance.
BURNETT: Today Donald Trump was critical of the Fed. He's been critical of the Fed. You have also over your career been critical of the Fed's unprecedented efforts to try to help this economy out of the great recession. He'd always taken the criticism farther than he doesn't like what the Fed is doing to saying that the head of the Federal Reserve Janet Yellen is actually doing things specifically at the behest of Barack Obama. And to help Barack Obama. Here is how he put it just this week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: She's obviously political and she's doing what Obama wants her to do. I think she's very political and to a certain extent I think she should be ashamed of herself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: You know, that would be corruption at an unprecedented level if she was actually doing what Barack Obama told her to do. Right? The Fed being independent is what makes this country the top business destination in the world. Do you agree that Janet Yellen is doing what Barack Obama tells her too? That she's holding rates low to help him, to help Hillary Clinton get elected?
[19:15:18] PENCE: You know, I just think it is hard to understand why the Fed continues to advance policies that really work for Hedge Fund managers on Wall Street here in New York City and really aren't working for working families on Main Street. I mean, the art officially low interests rates really hurt working families in their savings account but they really work for these big investors and these investment banks that can essentially borrow almost free money and invest it in the stock market and make big returns.
I think Donald Trump is saying that it is time that we -- that we brought forward the kind of economic policies that will allow interest rates to return to a rational point. And when you get this economy growing again, I promise you that will happen under a Trump administration.
BURNETT: On a personal level though, do you think Janet Yellen is doing what she's doing to help Barack Obama?
PENCE: Well, again, I just think it is very curious to see the Federal Reserve continue to resist efforts to respond in the marketplace in a way that puts the interest of middle class families first. And whatever the motivation, that all is going change in the Trump administration win. But growth comes first, Erin. That is the most important thing for reviewers to know. What Donald Trump laid out today is a bold plan to get this economy moving again. And policies that he's advancing, well, we truly believe will create 25 million new jobs over the next ten years.
We're going work with newly reelected majorities in the House and in the Senate to advance those policies right out of the gate in our administration and this economy is going to come roaring back and then our monetary policy will be more rational and it will reflect a growing economy.
BURNETT: Your friend Paul Ryan today says, Donald Trump should release his tax returns. That is a significant person to come out and say it. At the last -- presidential candidates of course right now the top Republican, elected Republican in the country. Is he wrong?
PENCE: Well I think Donald Trump has every intention of releasing his tax returns. Once a routine audit is completed and I was happy to at his encouragement and with his full support to release my tax returns. And it was a pretty short read. There is a whole lot of zeros that separate the two of us.
BURNETT: Right.
PENCE: But what your viewers ought to know is that both Donald Trump and I and frankly the other two major party candidates in this race have all filed the full financial disclosure that Federal law requires. And people that want to learn about Donald Trump's financial interests can read over a hundred pages of disclosure online right now at the Federal Election Commission. And I encourage people that are curious to do that. Those tax returns will be coming when that routine audit is done.
BURNETT: Now, of course, as you pointed out though, you have got 2002 through 2007 not under audit. Now, I can understand it might be awkward to put out those years and not the current once. But they are not under audit. Right? So, if audit is the excuse, there's a real inconsistency there. Why shouldn't he just put out the years that he has that aren't under audit?
PENCE: Well, I think that -- I think I would refer you to Donald Trump and to his campaign for the specific answer to that. But I think it is because when he puts that information out he wants the totality of the information. I think members of the media and frankly the public are interested in that kind of information. And so I think there is a desire to be transparent. I thought it was an example of the kind of leadership that he's shown. And a couple of weeks ago, he said that he was going to produce his health records whether or not Hillary Clinton ever produced hers.
And he presented those earlier today to the American public. I am pleased that the other candidate have done that. I think my health records will be out before the next couple of hours is up. But I think ultimately the American people are focused more on the issues facing this country. With all due respect Erin, as I'm campaigning around America, I don't hear a lot of people talking about tax returns. I hear a lot of people talking about high taxes, ObamaCare, the weight of regulation, about trade deals that have cost American jobs. The war on coal.
I think that is why more and more people each and every day, as is evidenced in a lot of those polls that you referenced. More and more people every day are being drawn to the leadership that Donald Trump will provide to this nation once he's elected president.
BURNETT: Now, the majority of people do want those tax returns. And as you know you put yours out. Everyone else involved has put theirs out. Right? He's the only one who hasn't. You know, Reed Hoffman, I spoke to him yesterday, the billionaire founder of LinkedIn. He is a Clinton supporter. He's put out a challenge obviously that Donald Trump that he'll donate money to veterans if Trump releases his tax returns. But he said something about that that was really interesting, Governor.
He said, the tax returns will reveal part of his character. Certainly things we need to know. Such as what businesses that he's doing overseas that could be very relevant. Someone to be president of the United States. But also about charity. Campaigns as he gives away tens of millions of dollars a year. Why not come out and show us where. Why should such a thing be a secret?
[19:20:26] PENCE: Well again, I think he's been very forthcoming about saying that he'll reveal those tax returns when a routine audit is done. I mean, audits sometimes result in a dispute between the Internal Revenue Service and the tax filer which means, sometimes ultimately that dispute is resolved in favor of the Internal Revenue Service and a tax return has to be filed on an amended return. I think his interests in making sure of the most accurate information is available.
But, you know, I would tell you that, the character of this man is something that I see each and every day. Not just when the lights are on or when the klieg lights go off. And Donald Trump is someone who is one of the most gracious and generous people I've ever met in my life. I was down in Louisiana and Baton Rouge with him and without any reporters around, I saw him privately make a pledge of over a hundred thousand to help families that were recovering from the horrific flooding in Baton Rouge. And, you know, he has donated tens and millions of dollars to charities over the year and the American people will have those details in the days to come. I'm confident of that. But I really would tell you, Erin --
BURNETT: Maybe not before the election.
PENCE: Well, you know, we'll see. But I would tell you. I don't doubt that if people are asked an up or down question on a poll, would you like to see tax returns, yes or no, most Americans say, sure. But when I'm out campaigning with Donald Trump and for Donald Trump. When I'm walking through diners, when I am visiting with hardworking Americans each and every day, what they are talking about is the struggles that this country is facing at home and abroad. It is security, it's prosperity, it's the Supreme Court.
BURNETT: Yes.
PENCE: And it is upholding the highest standards of ethics and the highest office in the land and I truly do believe that that is why there's so much momentum behind this campaign and why I like our chances on November 8th.
BURNETT: You are -- you have been dispatched to Capitol Hill obviously --
PENCE: Yes.
BURNETT: -- to try to garner support. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid came out today and said some pretty strong things about Donald Trump. On the Senate floor. So, in case you didn't get the chance to hear it, let me just play it for you. Senator Reid.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: Let's be clear about Donald Trump. He's a spoiled brat, raised in plenty. Who inherited a fortune, used his money to make more money. Trump is a human leech who will bleed the country and sit at his golf resort laughing at the money he's made even though working people have been hurt and ruined.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: What's your response?
PENCE: I think those remarks are beneath the dignity of the United States Senate but it's nothing new for Harry Reid. I mean, we heard the same kind of stuff come out of him about Mitt Romney four years ago and he did it on the Senate floor. Look, you know, I am -- and to be honest with you, I'm starting to get a whiff of desperation from the other side. It seems like the attacks are getting a little more intense.
And I think that is because they sense what I sense all over this country. More and more Americans every day are responding to Donald Trump's broad shoulder, confident vision to get this economy moving again, to rebuild our military. To make sure we have a Supreme Court that respect our constitution and I truly do believe that we're on our way to a great victory in November.
BURNETT: And one final thing to get your reaction to that is getting a lot of discussion today. Donald Trump Jr. getting some flak for some comments he made while he was explaining the treatment he says his father gets from the press compared to the treatment Hillary Clinton gets from the press. Let me just play for you his full answer and how he described it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP JR., SON OF DONALD TRUMP: The media has built her up. They have let her slide on every indiscrepancy, on every lie. On every DNC game trying to get Bernie Sanders out of the thing. I mean, if Republicans were doing that, they would be warming up the gas chamber right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: And of course, the anti-defamation league has come out and said Trivialization of the holocaust and gas chambers is never OK. Do you think he just used the wrong words?
PENCE: Well, clearly he was talking about capital punishment and not making a reference to that -- that -- that awful period of history we know to be the holocaust. But look his point -- his point is well made. Beyond whatever rhetoric he chose to use. I mean, to be honest with you. Since I joined this campaign a couple of months ago, it's felt like two on one every day of the week. Present company accepted. I have great respect for the job that you do but it seems like each and every day many of the national media have been doing half of Hillary Clinton's work for her.
But the most amazing thing is that Donald Trump is still winning hearts and minds each and every day. And it's because he's got the right message, a message that is focusing on security. It's a message that is focusing on growth. He's laid out like he did today in at the economic club in New York, the kind of plan that will create millions of jobs in this country and now make America great again. And I just have to tell you, whatever we continue to face in the media, I'm sure it will continue and it will probably get a little -- from here. But I'm confident that that message is going to carry all the way forward. We're going to elect this good man and he's going to be a great president.
BURNETT: All right. Governor Pence, thank you very much. I appreciate your time tonight.
PENCE: Thank you, Erin.
BURNETT: And next we're standing by for Donald Trump. He's about to appear live at a big rally in New Hampshire. Hillary Clinton today out on the trail admitting this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: I have well aware that I still have work to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: And Ivanka Trump's tense interview with a magazine writer, what made her snap?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:29:12] BURNETT: Breaking news. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton both about to speak. Clinton in Washington, Trump in New Hampshire which is a crucial swing state in this election. According to CNN brand new poll of polls, Clinton leading Trump by just two percentage points. Nationally, that was five points just about two week ago. Brianna Keilar is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEILAR (voice-over): Hillary Clinton is back on the trail after three days of recovering at home from a bout of pneumonia.
CLINTON: Welcome back to stronger, together.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How are you doing?
CLINTON: I'm doing great. Thank you so much.
KEILAR: Campaigning in North Carolina. And trying to put questions of her health to rest.
CLINTON: I'm not great at taking it easy even under ordinary circumstances. But with just two months to go until Election Day?
(APPLAUSE)
[19:30:03] CLINTON: Sitting at home was pretty much the last place I wanted to be.
KEILAR (voice-over): After nearly collapsing as she left the 9/11 commemoration early on Sunday. Following the Clinton campaign releasing more information about her yesterday in a letter from her doctor, Clinton criticized Donald Trump for revealing the results of a recent physical on a television show.
CLINTON: I'll never be the showman my opponent is. And that's OK with me. Just look at -- look at the show he put on with Dr. Oz today.
KEILAR: Trump has made a habit of questioning Clinton's stamina. And she seemed to answer it.
CLINTON: People use me of all kind of things. You've probably seen that. But nobody ever accuses me of quitting. And I will never give up. I'll never walk away.
KEILAR: Deadlocked or uncomfortably close with Donald Trump in national and battleground state polls, Clinton is trying to rally the coalition of supporters that propelled President Obama to two terms in the White House. Young people, Hispanics who she will address tonight in Washington and African-Americans.
CLINTON: I am well aware that I still have work to do. And I'm very committed to continuing to travel across the country. To talk about and hear from young African Americans about the struggles they face daily.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KEILAR: We are awaiting Hillary Clinton speaking here in Washington, D.C. at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute gala dinner gathering this evening. President Obama also going to speak here, Erin.
But we did hear from earlier. She took questions from reporters and weighed in on something Donald Trump said about the pastor of a black church in Flint, Michigan, where he spoke yesterday. This pastor, Reverend Faith Green Timmons, briefly interrupted him yesterday to say that she would hope he would keep his comments apolitical, as they had agreed on when he started to criticize Hillary Clinton.
Well, this morning, Donald Trump called her a nervous mess. We heard Hillary Clinton say that was insulting and dead wrong and that she deserves better.
So, Hillary Clinton weighing in on this issue as Donald Trump tries to make inroads with the key Democratic constituency of African-American voters.
BURNETT: All right. Brianna, thank you.
And we're going to talk more about that in a moment. Our panel here, Basil Smikle, Hillary Clinton supporter, Jeffrey Lord, a Donald Trump supporter, Mark Preston, our executive editor for politics, and Patrick Healy, "The New York Times" political correspondent.
Basil, let me start with you, though, because -- you know, the new polls that came out today were not promising for Hillary Clinton. Things have changed from just a few weeks ago. Trump leading in Ohio, Iowa, too close to call in Michigan. The poll of polls nationally, I just mentioned, two points, it was five about ten days ago.
You just heard Mike Pence say he smells what he said was a whiff of desperation.
BASIL SMIKLE, HILLARY CLINTON SUPPORTER: I don't sound desperate and the campaign is not desperate. It has said all along, and we have said all along, after the convention, everybody gets their bounce, these polls are going to tighten and that's, honestly, what we're seeing right now.
And I would also say, operationally, as we get closer and I think you'll start to see this fairly soon, you will start to see the campaign actually deploy supporters, surrogates, operations which was already started in states across the country. Certainly in Florida, Pennsylvania, so on, that kind of operation, that kind of infrastructure we do not see Donald Trump have or have the ability to deploy.
So I'm not concerned. I think we still need to play this out. And quite frankly, in just over a week, we'll have the first debate and I actually think you will start to see a little separation after that.
BURNETT: Jeff?
JEFFREY LORD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, I'm looking forward to debate too. I think the whole country is looking forward to the debate. Look, when you go out to these Donald Trump rallies, I've been to two of them now. The impression you really come away with is the enthusiasm of people.
These people are revved up, thousands of them. I mean, they can't hold them all in any given place that they do, whether it's 10,000 in one place, 5,000 in another, there's thousands outside. I think that that really speaks to what's going on in the country. This is a change election and that is why think she's having some problems.
And I think they understand they are having the problems.
PATRICK HEALY, THE NEW YORK TIMES: There is some nervousness about that within the Clinton campaign that the idea that Donald Trump after two months of Hillary Clinton trying to use her convention, allies like President Obama, you know, policy roll outs, her vice presidential pick to try to win back, win over voters to sort of deal with the honesty and trust worthiness issue, that he's still as close as he is.
And the concern is that he is still quite a bit ahead of her as voters believe the guy could really bring real change to Washington ahead of her. The concern is in the Clinton camp still is if this is a changed election and not a referendum on Donald Trump's character and judgment, she could have a very hard time with that.
[19:35:05] BURNETT: Of course, when it comes to honesty and trustworthiness we see him ahead in the polls and people say they want the tax returns as an example. He's not putting them out. Is Clinton campaign says they are going to hammer this and hammer this and hammer this? Will it matter when Mike Pence comes on the show and as he has answered questions in recent days he's not have an answer to this question?
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EXECUTIVE EDITOR: He did have an answer and he stumbled as well. I think the issue of transparency has been dogging Hillary Clinton as it should be so far. But in the closing days, I do think these taxes are going to become a bigger issue.
Two things have happened in the last 24 hours, right? We've seen Donald Trump's son come out and basically say why would we want to release this? Because there might be something in there you are going to find that is going to take off message while my father's trying to win the White House. We don't want to do that.
You know what, that was the honest answer. That's always been the honest answer.
Second thing is Mike Pence, who's very good surrogate, very good running mate for Donald Trump is incapable of defending the fact that Donald Trump refuses to release his taxes.
BURNETT: You heard him say ask Donald Trump or ask the campaign.
PRESTON: He is the campaign.
BURNETT: That is the problem.
PRESTON: He is the campaign. Just like Hillary Clinton really bobbled up the idea of the e-mails and she should be held accountable for that. Donald Trump should now be held accountable.
(CROSSTALK)
HEALY: Just like the email is indelible stain, it seems like with Hillary, 70 percent of people still feel like something might be wrong. The taxes, 60 percent of people say it is necessary. It is necessary for Trump to put out these tax returns.
SMIKLE: Hillary Clinton has owned up to her part in these e-mails what Donald Trump has not done is talk about his taxes. When you compare that to the "Newsweek" article --
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: I don't want to go down to the e-mail discussion right now let me a chance to respond.
LORD: I just don't think the tax issue is going to resonate out there. I mean, one of the greatest problems people have in this country is the IRS, is our own taxes. They think the system is fundamentally unfair. The whole business with Louis Lerner showed there were really problems. They almost impeached the IRS commissioner the other day. That's a problem here.
So, when you look at Donald Trump's tax situation in that light, I mean, everybody believes -- a lot of people believed that they would come after him for political reasons.
SMIKLE: We need to know what kind of financial deals Donald Trump has with other nations -- why --
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: It is important. It is.
PRESTON: The tens of millions of dollar in charity.
BURNETT: Well, as I said to Mike Pence, why should that be a secret? That's nothing you should be ashamed? That should not be a secret.
PRESTON: You should be touting it.
BURNETT: All right. Thanks to all.
And next, we're standing by for President Obama and Hillary Clinton, the headline speakers at this event in Washington.
And Ivanka Trump cutting off her interviews after charging in her words, quote, "there was a lot of negativity in the questions."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:41:28] BURNETT: Breaking news: live pictures right now. You can see, that's Washington. Hillary Clinton is back on the campaign trail, going to be speaking momentarily.
For the first day after falling ill at a 9/11 ceremony on Sunday, she's about to address the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.
Now, this comes as the polls are showing a very tight race. The latest FOX News poll out just moments ago showing Trump and Clinton in a dead heat. That is with likely nationwide voters.
OUTFRONT now, senior strategist for the Hillary Clinton, Joel Benenson.
Joel, for three days Hillary Clinton was off the trail with pneumonia, speaking tonight. Campaign rally earlier today. So, she came back. She's been out there in full force.
How is she feeling?
JOEL BENENSON, CLINTON CAMPAIGN SENIOR STRATEGIST: I think she's feisty and ready to go. She doesn't like to be held back. She doesn't like to be home sick. That is part of what happened over the weekend. She wanted to plow through that.
So, I think you are going to see a lot of her and she's ready to go. She doesn't want to be sitting back here. She wants to be the taking a case to people all over America.
BURNETT: And now, she said, you know, those days gave her time to pause and reflect. You have to find a silver lining somewhere. The polls obviously, are not that silver lining. They have not been very good the last few days.
Iowa, Trump with his biggest lead in any of the battleground, an eight-point margin now. You know polls better than anyone. So, I'm really saying this with you because I know you them by heart. Two in July.
In Nevada, Trump up two points. Margin of error. But she was up four in the prior poll.
Michigan, Clinton leading Trump by three points. It is within the margin of error. It was 11 in August and obviously, it hasn't voted Republican since 1988 and we got Trump ahead in Ohio, Florida. Cutting Clinton's lead in half in Pennsylvania.
OK, those numbers don't sound good.
BENENSON: Well, they sound like what we expected. I said it during the convention, before the conventions and after conventions, that we have close elections in America. We're going to have this. It is going to be a low to mid-single digit race. That's what a lot of the polls are showing.
Every day, some other poll comes out. Some days they are up. Some days he's up. It is going back and forth. No question's it's tightened up because we got a bigger bounce after our convention. And it's in the range we expected it to be. Important for us going forward, Erin, quickly, is that we're playing
for 270 electoral votes. We're still playing more offense in states around the country and keeping the Trump campaign on defense, particularly on states that are must wins for them like Virginia, and North Carolina. They are not making us play defense anywhere. Every stay we're playing in is a stay we'd play in anyway. So, presidential elections are always close. We expect this to be as well.
BURNETT: So, Senator Harry Reid today went on the Senate floor. He talked about Donald Trump, on the Senate floor, right? This wasn't just in passing, it's what he said. Donald Trump is a human leech who will bleed the country and sit at his golf resort laughing.
I played that for Governor Pence who was just on the show. He told me that Senator Reid crossed a line and here's what Governor Pence said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. MIKE PENCE (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think those remarks are beneath the dignity of the United States Senate. But it's nothing new for Harry Reid. I'm starting to get a whiff of desperation from the other side. It seems like the attacks are getting a little more intense.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: On the issue of what Harry reed said, do you agree with Harry Pence?
BENENSON: Well, I watched Governor Pence's comments and I heard him sit here right in the seat and talk about what a fine man of character Donald Trump is. He dismissed comments he's made about when he said, that was women, said it was a long time ago. He hasn't denounced any of the hideous things Donald Trump has said. Things like accusing Ted Cruz's father unjustly more participating in a Kennedy camp assassination because he read something in the "National Enquirer", or calling women in the last couple of years, not 20 years ago, bimbos, sending copies of book to book writers who he didn't like, saying face of the dog on it.
All of these things have been written out.
[19:45:01] He has no problem with Donald Trump saying that. Look, I'm not going to sit here and talk about Harry Reid. I'll talk about Mike Pence and Donald Trump all night long.
BURNETT: Aren't you doing the same thing and not denouncing what Harry Reid said and just pointing the finger at someone else?
BENENSON: No, I'm not. You asked me a question about what Mike Pence said. You said he said this on the show. I'm responding to Governor Pence and --
BURNETT: Right. Well, Pence said Harry reed's comments were beneath the dignity of the United States Senate. BENENSON: Look, Harry Reid has been in the Senate a long time. I
think he feels very strongly about this country. He's dedicated decades of his life to serving in this country. I will let him speak for himself.
I think Donald Trump's words and actions, the insulting things he said throughout this campaign, disparaging everyone from a judge, an American born judge of Mexican dissent, to women who he disagreed with, to Muslims, to protesters at this rallies inciting violence, retweeting white nationalists from -- who have a dozen followers to 11 million people.
I think that's important for the American people. We can talk about Harry Reid, but we should be talking about Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, who's been fighting for people their whole lives. That's been Hillary Clinton.
Who's been fighting for himself and really stepping all over people throughout his career in business is Donald Trump. He's repeatedly stepped on working people and small business, bankrupted some of those just by refusing to pay them for the work they did.
BURNETT: All right. Joel, thank you very much. Appreciate your time.
BENENSON: Thank you, Erin.
BURNETT: And Ivanka Trump shutting down an interview after she was asked about this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Pregnancy is never, it's a wonderful thing for the women. It's a wonderful thing for the husband. It's certainly an inconvenience for business.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: And this heartbreaking image brought home the horror of the Syrian civil war. Tonight, we are in Aleppo for a very rare inside look at the city.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:50:46] BURNETT: Tonight, Ivanka Trump fighting back about her heated phone interview with the "Cosmopolitan Magazine" about her fathers views on the pregnancy and child care.
Tom Foreman is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVANKA TRUMP, DAUGHTER OF DONALD TRUMP: The cost has become so onerous and so crushing and there needs to be a solution to this.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ivanka Trump is leading the charge for her father's new plan and taking heat. When "Cosmopolitan Magazine" brought up this 2004 quote about pregnancy.
DONALD TRUMP: The fact is, it is an inconvenience for a person that is running a business.
FOREMAN: She shot back. "I think that you have a lot of negativity in these questions. I don't know how useful it is to spend too much time with you."
Shortly before she ended the interview, she called it "an unfair characterization of his track record and his support of professional women."
Indeed, the Trump team started the week insisting his company gives eight weeks of paid leave to new parents, but that turned tricky too, after reports found otherwise they admitted the policy can vary from one property to the next. Nonetheless the campaign keeps ripping away at Hillary Clinton's claim she's the lone champion for women in this race.
CLINTON: If fighting for affordable child care and paid family leave is playing the woman card, then deal me in.
FOREMAN: So, how do their plans compare?
Among the main points, Clinton wants to give new parents 12 weeks of paid family or medical leave. Trump says paid maternity leave alone should be six weeks. Clinton wants no more than 10 percent of their income to go for child care. Trump would give them a tax break. Clinton wants free pre-K for all four-year-olds. Trump wants tax deductions for child care savings accounts to spend as they like.
DONALD TRUMP: We need working mothers to be fairly compensated for their work and have access to affordable quality child care for their kids.
FOREMAN: The Clinton campaign says Trump's tax breaks would help the well off more than the working class. He won't offer similar help for new days leaving gay parents out. And Trump's own words from the past don't help very much, describing child care as his wife's work.
DONALD TRUMP: I mean, I don't think anything to take care of them. I supply the funds and she'll be taking care of the kids, right? You know, it's not like I'm going to be walking the kids down Central Park.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BURNETT: All right. That was Tom Foreman.
Barack Obama, as you can see, the president just taking the stage here. Let's listen to him speak. Hillary Clinton, of course, will be speaking afterwards. Here is the president?
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It is always great to be here. With one of the most festive, maybe a little wild, caucuses in Congress. Especially to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month. I want to thank Michelle for her introduction, for her leadership and
give it up for your outstanding chair, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez. CHCI's new president and CEO, Domenika Lynch, and all the tremendous public servants we have here tonight especially everybody in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Amen? Is that what I heard? Amen.
Now, I've got to admit that I'm having trouble accepting that this is my final trip here as president. But on the bright side, Michelle is not having trouble accepting it.
I love you, too, but it is hard to believe it was eight years ago I came here as a candidate for this office, and I had no gray hair.
[19:55:03] I said that we could create opportunity not just for those at the very top, but for everybody who's willing to work hard. So they could afford health care and college and retirement and give their kids a better life -- what Sarah Palin called that hopey-changey stuff.
Well, tonight I'm back here as president to say thank you. Thank you for your support. Thank you for your friendship. Thank you for your tireless efforts to deliver on that promise.
Because for all the places that we've fallen short, and for all the work that remains to be done, I am back here tonight more optimistic about the future of America than I have ever been. And why not?
Together, we fought our way back from the worst recession in 80 years. We turned around an economic freefall. We helped lift our auto industry to set new records. Our businesses created more than 15 million new jobs.
Together, we declared health care is not a privilege for a few, but a right for everybody. And we have secured health insurance for another 20 million Americans including 4 million Hispanic-Americans.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
Our high school graduation rate is at an all-time high. More Hispanic students are graduating high school and college than ever before. We strengthened our relationship with Mexico and Central America and opened up a new chapter with the people of Cuba.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
We brought nearly 200 nations together around a climate agreement that could save our planet. We affirmed that love has no limits and marriage equality is now the law of the land.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
Just this week, we discovered how much our efforts are starting to pay off in ways that really matter to American families.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Thanks, Obama.
OBAMA: Thanks, Obama.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
We learn that last year across every race, across every age group in America, incomes rose and poverty fell.
The typical household income grew by about $2,800 which is the single biggest one-year increase on record. We lifted 3.5 million people out of poverty, the largest one-year drop since 1968. The number of Americans without health insurance continues to fall and in each of these areas, Latino Americans made some of the largest gains, the fastest income growth, the biggest drop in the poverty rate, the greatest gains in insurance coverage.
That's why all in all, Hispanic families are feeling more optimistic about their prospects today than they did eight years ago.
By so many measures, our country's stronger and more prosperous than it was when we started this journey together. And we couldn't have done it without the congressional Hispanic caucus who has been with me every step of the way.
Now, none of this was easy. There was some tough years in there. You had fiscal showdowns and government shutdowns and pandemics and oil spills and pirates. You all remember the pirates?
I mean, the only thing we haven't had to deal with is, like, the asteroid, you know, or aliens. That's true, good point. I shouldn't have mentioned the aliens.
(LAUGHTER)
But we overcame all of that. We overcame all of that. And most of all we proved that change doesn't happen overnight. It doesn't happen in one term. It doesn't happen even over the course of one presidency. But change is possible. Progress is possible.
And we're here -- si se puede. We're here again tonight because we know that we got more work to do, but we know that if we put in the effort, change can happen.
You know firsthand the challenges we still face. Challenges that often effect the Latino community harshly. When governors refuse to expand Medicaid, that hits Latinos harder than most.
