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Erin Burnett Outfront
Awaiting Clinton, Trump Events Amid Tightening Race; President Obama About to Speak in North Carolina; New Polls Show Race Tightening Four Days Before Election; Pres. Obama Rallies Voters in North Carolina. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired November 04, 2016 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[19:00:09] ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: OUTFRONT next, the breaking news. Donald Trump about to rally supporters in Pennsylvania as our electoral map shows some states moving in Trump's direction, tonight does he have the momentum with only four days until Election Day?
Plus, Hillary Clinton making a last minute pitch in Michigan. A one state blue state. Can Trump really turn it?
And President Obama speaking live this hour, can he close the deal for Clinton? We'll listen to him. Let's go OUTFRONT.
And good evening. I'm Erin Burnett. OUTFRONT tonight the breaking news. Down to the wire. Four days to go. Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton crisscrossing battleground states both in a frantic push for every last vote. Trump is about to rally supporters you see in your screen in Pennsylvania. Hillary Clinton moments away from the star of the free get out the vote concert in Ohio. She's with rapper Jay-z this hour. Trump today touting a shift in momentum.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: New polls just out have us with a very substantial lead in Ohio. Nationwide, many of the states. We're looking great in Florida. We're looking great in North Carolina. We are looking great in the state of Pennsylvania. We just left New Hampshire. We have a lead in New Hampshire.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Now that comes as our new electoral map shows there is a shift. Hillary Clinton's electoral vote total dropping below the magic number of 270 in terms of state chicken count on. Three states, Ohio, Utah and New Hampshire along with what could be the crucial second Congressional district in Maine moving in Donald Trump's direction. In the latest poll just out moments ago, Clinton leading Trump by two points.
That is of course within the margin of error. And all in our poll of polls now shows her leading by five. Trump's gains have been unsettling the Clinton campaign. She made a last minute stop tonight in Michigan which is of course a state that was solidly blue. Not even under consideration for Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Imagine having a president who demeans women and mocks the disabled. Who insults African- Americans and Latinos and Muslims. Who personally engages in busting unions and preventing people from having the right to bargain collectively.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Clinton was handling the latest jobs report which showed unemployment going below five percent. Markets though reacting to the volatile rates. The S&P 500 down from nine days in a row. That is the longest losing streak in 36 years. A lot of news to get to tonight. We have reporters in the battleground states around the nation.
We begin with Sara Murray at the Trump rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania. And Sara, I know you have been talking to your sources tonight. Trump trying to close the deal. What do you expect here when you take the stage just moments from now?
SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erin, I think his biggest goal is not to meet any unforced error. To try to stick to the script and paint Hillary Clinton as a crooked politician and perhaps most importantly to try to move the states like Pennsylvania that just a couple of weeks ago appeared completely out of his reach but where we are now seeing some polls begin to tighten. And it's interesting Erin because I have talked to probably half about the Republicans across different battleground states and they are still convinced even despite the polls tightening that Donald Trump is not going to be successful on November 8th.
Even though he has momentum and even though we're seeing polls close in places like Pennsylvania and get a little bit closer. But, but even as they say that -- they say look this is a candidate who has defied all of our expectations to this point. And everyone is kind of holding their breath to see if he can pull out a surprise win on November 8th.
BURNETT: All right. Sara, thank you very much and now let's to Brianna Keilar, she is OUTFRONT, she is in Cleveland. That is where the Clinton rally is about to get under way. And Brianna, obviously, this is a very big night for her.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: This is a very big night for her. She's going to have the star power of Jay-z here in Cleveland tonight with a crowd that is starting to fill in here. Specifically tonight she's trying to attract young African-American voters. They have been slow to come around and to support her. A number of them look at some of the language issues in the nineties when she backed her husband's crime bill that led to the era of mass incarceration that she now rails against.
Even though she does have a proposal for criminal justice reform now and she talks about ways she'd want to change the development through the 90s. It just has been difficult for her with this voting bloc. So she's getting a little help tonight. Lot of rumors that Beyonce might be showing up although we are told by the campaign that it isn't true. And Hillary Clinton earlier today in Pennsylvania today courting women, tailoring her economic message to them.
She's doing better in Pennsylvania, better in Michigan which is her second visit of the day when she is here in Ohio. Pretty tough. The latest Quinnipiac University poll has her down five points here. Her campaign knows this is going to be a tough state to win but overall Erin, talking to aides, they are cautiously optimistic. I think it would very happy to have the atmosphere, they had eight days ago before the news that the FBI was looking back into the e-mail matter but they at this point feel the math is on their side overall -- Erin.
[19:05:32] BURNETT: All right. Thank you, Brianna.
And now let's go to David Chalian, he is OUTFRONT in Washington. And David, you are the keeper of the controller of the map and there are some big changes tonight.
DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: There are big changes and they are all in Donald Trump's direction, Erin. This is the old map. This is where they were yesterday when we spoke. And here is the new map. What has changed? Well, we moved New Hampshire from a lean Democratic state from a battleground state. Ohio from battleground to lean Republican. Utah from battleground to lean Republican. And up here in Maine, that one electoral vote up in the second Congressional district from battleground to lean Republican. So what does that mean? Take a look there. Two sixty eight for Clinton. She falls below 270. Two-zero-four for Donald Trump.
BURNETT: So, that's -- I mean, obviously pretty incredibly when you just look at the basic leans. Right? But when your cost about getting to 270, she obviously only has two points there to go and he has many more. So, what do these changes mean for the race to 270?
CHALIAN: So, let's look at his path first. You absolutely right. He definitely has a steeper cline. It may have gotten a little less steep but it's still steep. He has to run the table on these yellow states. Let's give him every one. Nevada, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, New Hampshire all five remaining states, he only gets to 269. There is an electoral vote here in Nebraska. That also allocates their electoral votes by Congressional districts, if he gets that, he is at 270. That is his path now.
He's got to sweep the table. But Hillary Clinton, remember, she is at 268. What does Hillary Clinton needs? Just one of these remaining battleground states. New Hampshire, the smallest one, only four electoral votes. That will do the trick and get her over 270. She only needs to pick up one of these battleground states. Donald Trump still needs to run the table -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much David.
And OUTFRONT now, Patrick Healey "New York Times" political correspondent who's covering the campaign of course. Jamie Gangel our special correspondent. John Avlon, editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast. Clinton supporter Van Jones was a special advisor to President Obama. Trump supporter Jeffrey Lord was a White House political director on President Reagan. And MJ Lee, our national politics reporter covering the 2016 campaign.
OK, Patrick. Big changes to the math. All right. This is significant for Donald Trump. This puts just on the basic assumption for the CNN map if she goes below 270. But now we're talking about a Congressional District in Nebraska.
PATRICK HEALEY, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Right. Nebraska. Nebraska. Who thought it would come down to Nebraska? It's, you know, four days out. One candidate usually has momentum. And one candidate doesn't quite. And right now, the momentum is with Trump. But here's the thing. The Clinton campaign which has had a pretty good polling operation going for months says that there is absolutely no way that Trump has a path in Nevada. That they see sort of Nevada as pretty much all but safe. They're fighting very hard in New Hampshire.
BURNETT: Yes.
HEALEY: They see, you know, definite potential in Florida. But here is the key thing. I think what you're going to see certainly over the next four days is a great deal of focus on Pennsylvania. Because for all of Donald Trump's scenarios, he doesn't really win -- certainly in any way sort of smoothly without Pennsylvania. He can win Florida, Ohio, New Hampshire, Iowa, North Carolina. And the traditional Republican states and he still loses without Pennsylvania.
BURNETT: Right. He needs these sorts of magic little waves, Jamie. One of which is the second Congressional district in Maine.
JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: Right.
BURNETT: And I remember a couple of months ago, we were getting our maps fixed here at CNN and there was this issue over Maine CD two. And everyone goes, what the heck is that? OK. That's what it is. It is working now everybody. The key thing is though, this could be crucial now. It's changed now to our map to lean Republican. Your sources there tell you what?
GANGEL: My sources told me that it is going for Trump. Obviously it is not Election Day yet, but I spoke to someone who follows Maine very, very closely, who is looking at all of the internal stuff there. And is convinced that will go, like Nebraska. It is one vote. But if he's going to thread the needle --
BURNETT: For trump these single votes here and there really matter. Not so much for her.
GANGEL: Exactly.
BURNETT: And MJ, all of this has effective sort of her rhetoric. You have been out on the campaign trail. Thank you for coming home for a few hours. (LAUGHTER)
But you have been out with her and you have notice a change in her rhetoric.
MJ LEE, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER: Yes. Absolutely. And what's remarkable is that she has tried so hard over the last 12 months to say that she wants to end this campaign on a positive note, talking about the work that she's done to help children, to help women. But if you listen to sort of the core of her message the last couple of days, it is really about Donald Trump and going very hard against him. Yesterday we heard her talking about the Central Park Five case which is a very dark case.
We heard her talking about the Ku Klux Klan and the paper that seems to endorse Donald Trump. She was introduced by a woman who was -- because she alleges that Donald Trump refused to rent her an apartment because she was African-American. So that is not exactly --
[19:10:20] BURNETT: Much more negative.
LEE: Very negative. And just sort of a dark rhetoric that I think she's ending on when she desperately wants to be talking about herself and talking about sort of her vision and just the work that she's done in public life.
BURNETT: And Jeff though, all in when you look at these polls, OK? Look, there is no question when you talk about momentum in individual places you see it for Donald Trump.
JEFFREY LORD, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: Right.
BURNETT: But when you look at the overall poll of polls because she's moved up in some as has he. We are sort of exactly where we were a week ago before the FBI News even broke. So, that would be mean, that's an unchanged in a week.
LORD: I do think there is change here and I do think that there is a momentum on his part. This is beginning, I mean, this is Friday. But it is beginning to remind me a little of the Reagan/Carter race. And I don't say that because I worked for Reagan but because that race was like this one in the sense that Carter was either seen as ahead or Reagan was closing. And at the last minute there was this huge surge that turned this from a close election into a landslide.
You know, I'd be nuts if I sat here and said that, you know, that that is exactly what's happening. But I can see it. I mean, you know, my other alternative to being with you tonight Erin was to be right there, which is 20 miles from my house.
BURNETT: Uh-hm.
LORD: And I just heard from somebody who was there. And I mean, these people are going crazy there. I mean, there are signs all over the place. There was a lot of momentum there.
BURNETT: Van?
VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Look, if you are a Trump voter, you smell that blood in the water.
BURNETT: Right.
JONES: And you are getting pumped and you are getting excited. And every Democratic I know right now is checking the validity of their passports. They are like Van, I can't do it. I can't --
(LAUGHTER) -
So yes, so you have got, you know, you've got some damp bed covers with the Democrats. It is true. But I don't think at the end of the day that the math is there for him. But you can't deny this momentum.
BURNETT: Yes.
JONES: Joe Biden is coming to Harrisburg on Sunday, I believe. And the President of course will be in Philadelphia on Monday. The only reason they are sending these people there is because they are very concerned, that they are about to lose Pennsylvania.
BURNETT: Now, John, you just mentioned Joe Biden, so these top surrogates are out, right? And they are going to be out all weekend. So are we, we all are going to be here this weekend. OK. I want to play something Bill that Bill Clinton said about Melania Trump and her speech today when he went out here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FMR. PRES. BILL CLINTON (D), 42ND PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Yesterday I never felt so bad for anybody in my life. As I did for his wife going out, giving a speech, saying oh cyber bullying was a terrible thing. I thought, yes, especially if it is done at 3:00 in the morning against a former Miss Universe by a guy running for president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Smart move to go after Melania Trump?
JOHN AVLON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: You know, it is never a smart move to go after a candidate's wife. I do think that, you know, the way Bill Clinton framed that right was empathy.
(LAUGHTER)
It was he felt her pain. And clearly working his comedic timing. What I'm generally interested though as we discussed last night, is why all the issues Melania Trump could have picked, she would have picked this one. Unless it was so obviously going to draw the, you know, draw the attention that it was an attempt to basically troll the entire news organization. Because you know you were going that hit, could have picked anything in the world. But, you know, Bill Clinton is out on the stump. And he's always as much a risk as a reward. But he's tireless and everyone is in the field today. I'm not sure there would be a blow back on that. If it was more mean spirited, or mean spirited --
BURNETT: So, let's talk about mean spirited. Yes. Yes.
HEALEY: I think I was struck by how this is a reminder that of the last year and a half, Bill Clinton actually has relatively few unforced errors compared to 2008 when I was covering the Clinton campaign and they were so concerned about how we were --
BURNETT: Yes. They just have been recent, I mean, ObamaCare being the worst thing ever or whatever it was. Right. The crazy thing.
All right. Van, you mentioned mean-spirited though. And there was something mean-spirited today. OK? It was John Sununu and he came out and took a job at the Clinton's, at Trump rally, and here is a quick clip of what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN SUNUNU (R), FORMER NEW HAMPSHIRE GOVERNOR: Do you think Bill was referring to Hillary when he said, "I did not have sex with that woman"?
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: That man is like an elementary school on Saturday morning, no class. That is just a classless comment. And it used to be that you would have that kind of stuff with the schoolyard, the kids and the corner, they say that kind of stuff and then the adults would get them in trouble. This is a not safe for work election. And the adults now say stuff that the kids are embarrassed by.
[19:15:19] AVLON: But first I just want to give Van a shout out for necessitating a fat Albert joke.
(LAUGHTER)
But look, I think he said it right. This man is a major figure in New Hampshire. He was the chief of staff for President George H.W. Bush.
BURNETT: Yes.
AVLON: And I think that is the line and humor. Right? Are you punching down? It is mean-spirited. And in this case there is no interpretation of that joke that is not mean spirited and dismissive to Hillary Clinton.
LORD: I mean, bad taste. Clearly. I agree with Van Jones.
(LAUGHTER)
What is happening here? But in the sum total of what's happening out there, people's concerns about their jobs, the economy, ISIS, et cetera. This is will vanish in a second.
BURNETT: Jamie, Hillary Clinton is going to appear with Jay-z. OK? On the issue here. You know, you just heard her saying demeaning to women. So, I also find that sentence somewhat jarring. OK? Jay-z was singing violent offensive lyrics that demeaned women years after Donald Trump's lewd "Access Hollywood" tape was recorded. Is she pushing a double standard when she calls Trump horrific, demeaning to women and yet appears on stage tonight probably with Jay-z?
GANGEL: She's trying to win. Look, these are, I was talking to someone at the Clinton campaign today and they said, are we happy that the polls are getting close? No. Do we think she's still going to win? Yes.
KELLY: Uh-hm.
GANGEL: But we need do everything possible in all of these states. You saw Barack Obama in North Carolina. They are trying to take that one off for Trump. They are going all out in Pennsylvania, Ohio.
AVLON: The key here is, you know, Cuyahoga County, bringing out Jay- z. They're obviously, that's going to be a major motivator. It's politics, pop culture that always brings a lot of attention. The one thing about, standard with Jay-z there, you have to be careful when dealing with artists. Right? I mean, if no presidential candidate or a political figure appeared with Johnny Cash because he shot a man in Reno wants to watch him die. I think, you know, you got to play full standards. So, I think it's pop political figures, elected office with a higher standard than ours.
BURNETT: OK. Actually, hold on, hold on. Let me go to Jeff. I would imagine you don't agree with that.
LORD: Well I just think --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you know who Jay-z is?
(TALKING OVER EACH OTHER)
(LAUGHTER)
LORD: Not only do I know but I researched his lyrics which is why I would suggest that this is not the best place for her to be.
HEALEY: Let me say something. Don't you think they would probably ask for Beyonce first?
JONES: Exactly. Let's be clear.
HEALEY: They are trying to energize, they are trying to energize, you know, young black men to turn out at the polls. She was in Detroit today. That gives you a little play in Toledo and Cleveland not far away. You know, but it's very much sort of this is going to target -- I think John's right. I mean, if everyone, if every candidate had to defend the artists who run with them, these people would never be out there. LEE: I also point out that, you know, this is one of Donald Trump's
favorite topics. It is true that Hillary Clinton does not draw the kind of crowd that Trump can draw.
GANGEL: But Jay-z does.
LEE: Right. Exactly. When I was at a J-Lo concert in Miami the other night, there were thousands of people there. That is not usually a sight that you see. And she knows, and her campaign knows that they need these kinds of celebrities, big surrogates like Obama and Michelle Obama to really bring out the people and get them to be enthusiastic.
LORD: Jay-z -- will not be in the Oval Office.
JONES: They will visit. But look. Obviously even the African- American community, some of those lyrics have been criticized and rightfully so.
BURNETT: Yes.
JONES: But Jay-z has been remarkable over the past several years leading a charge along with Alicia Keys and others to be more engaged. The thing is a good thing.
BURNETT: Right. Right. And he's apologized for some of them.
All right. Next, we're standing by for Donald Trump about to speak live in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The Clinton campaign is scrambling to protect Michigan -- solidly blow. Could Trump turn Michigan red?
Plus, did Rudy Giuliani know that the FBI was reviewing new e-mails related to Hillary Clinton's e-mail server before the public? Before you.
And we're waiting for President Obama to speak live. He is campaigning hard in a state that could decide the White House?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRES. BARACK OBAMA (D), UNITED STATES: But if you vote, we'll win North Carolina. And if we win North Carolina, Hillary Clinton will be president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[19:23:07] BURNETT: Breaking news. Seconds away from President Obama speaking at a Hillary Clinton rally in Charlotte. These are live pictures out of North Carolina, the President is speaking in prime time to get the maximum attention here. To try the win this state.
Gary Tuchman is OUTFRONT at the rally in Charlotte. And Gary, obviously he's saying if he can win North Carolina, for her she wins the White House. This is a crucial speech tonight.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, Erin. A big component of presidential election night is arithmetic. And if Donald Trump does not win here in the state of North Carolina, the electoral map is not kind. It is hard to conceive of a winning scenario for Trump without winning the state of North Carolina for Hillary Clinton though she doesn't have to win here. And that's why the Clinton campaign is relishing sending Barack Obama, her surrogate in chief to the state of North Carolina to campaign for her.
So right now, we are in -- Charlotte, Barack Obama is expected to -- foreign leaders talked to thousands of people here. Earlier in the day, he was in the military city of Fort Bragg. Two days ago at the University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill talking to North Carolinians there. His message, his legacy is at stake. He's telling everyone who likes him to make sure they don't get complacent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: You need to vote. Because I know this. That if you vote, we'll win North Carolina.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
And if we win North Carolina, Hillary Clinton will be president. I need you to vote, don't choose fear. Chose hope.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: Donald Trump has not been bashful about bashing or actually Barack Obama, that is, bashing Donald Trump. Trump hasn't been bashful about it either in the past and particularly during these last few days. Barack Obama has bashed Donald Trump quite a bit. He's been serious at times. He's also had fun, joking and laughing about some of the things Donald Trump has said. Barack Obama will take the day off tomorrow from campaigning for Hillary Clinton but he resumes on Sunday in Kissimmee just outside of Orlando, Florida -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Another obviously crucial battleground, Gary, thank you. And you can see, President Obama is going to be taking that podium any moment. We're going to be taking you there live and listening for a bit. But meantime there is a fierce battle under way in another state that the Trump campaign sees as the battleground. That's Michigan. Hillary Clinton just wrapping up a rally in this traditionally blue state. She didn't expect to have to go back there. Mike Pence though was there today because a new poll shows the race for Michigan tightening. Only four points now between the two candidates tonight.
Jessica Schneider is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TRUMP: Thank you. We're going great in Michigan. We're going to win Michigan.
JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It is a state that has voted solidly Democrat in the last six presidential elections but the Trump campaign is convinced it is still in play. Trump's family hitting the ground hard in the final stretch.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we are going to win this again. And we are going to win --
SCHNEIDER: Ivanka speaking at the women's forum this week. Donald Jr. holding court on college campuses and Eric thanking volunteers. He stopped by this grassroots campaign office 30 minutes outside Detroit.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to win Michigan. I mean, the amount of signs is incredible.
SCHNEIDER: Clinton's team though says, campaign signs don't equate to votes. What do you say to that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We'll see on Tuesday. We'll see on Tuesday.
SCHNEIDER: Meshawn opened this office back in August. Together with several other women, they have spent tens of thousands of their own money to support Trump.
(on camera): You're putting a lot of your own money into this, why?
MESHAWN MADDOCK, WOMEN FOR TRUMP: Oh, absolutely. We need this to happen. We understand that this is a grassroots movement.
MANAN SHENDAN, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: We see Democrats coming in. We see Independents. We see people coming in who have never voted before and they are going, I'm voting this time.
SCHNEIDER (voice-over): These two volunteers say they have made nearly 4,000 phone calls combined in the past week.
(on camera): Can Donald Trump really win this state?
GABRIEL COSTANZO, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: Absolutely. I mean, especially over the past week, there's been a significant shift in the feedback from the voters. It's, I'm voting for Trump. My neighbors are voting for Trump.
SCHNEIDER (voice-over): In the final week of the campaign, Donald Trump and the RNC spending about $900,000 on ads in Michigan. Hillary Clinton and the Super PACs behind her pouring in 2.3 million.
The unexpected race in Michigan has the Clinton campaign on the move. Bill Clinton made a surprise stop in Detroit this week. Bernie Sanders stopped in two spots around the state. And Clinton surrogates continue to talk her up to supporters.
SEN. DEBBIE STABENOW (D), MICHIGAN: We've got people all around the block here, thousands of people standing in line.
SCHNEIDER (on camera): The Trump campaign though saying, the Hillary camp is panicking. Are they?
STABENOW: No. Absolutely not. Wishful thinking on their part. SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Hundreds waited for Clinton at her Detroit
rally Friday. The head of a local charter school saying he's doing what he can to get out the vote.
ROGER SIMMONS, HILLARY CLINTON SUPPORTER: We're making sure that we get the kids out here to make sure that their parents know they have to get out and vote for Hillary. Go Hillary.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER: And both campaigns have a slew of surrogates they will be dispatching throughout the state this weekend. The Clinton campaign will dispatch the mayor of D.C. right here in Detroit. As for the Trump team, they will be dispatching Sarah Palin and Mike Pence.
Now as for that latest poll here that shows Hillary Clinton up four points. It also shows the number of undecided voters at 13 percent -- Erin.
BURNETT: Incredibly high. All right. Thank you very much, Jessica.
OUTFRONT now Jason Miller. He is the senior communications advisor for the Trump campaign. So, let me start with Michigan. Obviously, you guys are making a big play in Michigan. She's ahead but you heard Jessica just point out, she still have 13 percent undecided. The margin right now is four in terms of her ahead. What is your plan to make up that difference? Close that gap?
JASON MILLER, SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS ADVISER, DONALD TRUMP CAMPAIGN: We feel very good about Michigan heading into the final days of the campaign. Mr. Trump will be there on Sunday. May even be back there again before the election. We're seeing already the combined absentee and early vote totals out of Macomb we're leading. Also statewide that is very good spot to be in. We're on offense. We're going to a number of states. Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Mexico. States that President Obama has carried the last two cycles and we think Mr. Trump can win this next week.
BURNETT: So, North Carolina? Poll of polls, I'll show you behind in North Carolina.
MILLER: We feel good. We look at Republican absentee early voting, combined early vote right now, is way ahead of where the pace was four years ago. We think this is another state heading into Election Day where we think we can deliver.
BURNETT: So, in terms of the surrogates out on the trail, you talk about Trump maybe going back to Michigan himself. Chris Christie has been out on the trail a lot. Obviously two former aides for the governor were convicted on charges related to the Bridgegate today. He's scheduled to campaign on your -- behalf tomorrow, on Donald Trump's behalf. Is he going to do that?
MILLER: Governor Christie will not be out on the campaign trail for us this weekend. But we have plenty of other surrogates as we saw the Trump families out there with Eric and Don and Ivanka. We have a great crew, Mayor Giuliani is in Denver tomorrow. Governor Pence is, I believe he has three or four states and of course Mr. Trump has four states tomorrow. Five on Sunday, four on Monday. A much different close than Secretary Clinton heading into the final days.
BURNETT: So, let me just ask you about Chris Christie though, obviously significant. Because, he was, you know, really the first one to endorse Donald Trump and he's been a very loyal to him all the ways through.
[19:30:07] He's not going to be in the campaign trail for you tomorrow. Will he for the rest of campaign? Is he still going to be the co-chair of the transition team in the next few days? Or --
MILLER: I'll have to leave that up to the governor Christie. That is up to him as far as if he'll be out there on the campaign trail. And last time, I checked he's not the one who's under FBI investigation both personally and into the foundation. So, that would be more with Secretary Clinton.
BURNETT: So, let me ask you, the Clinton campaign doubling in Hispanic voters in early voting. That's what they see in early voting, right? You see some positives in North Carolina. They see that. Republican pollster says he thinks Trump needs to win north of 40 percent among Hispanics to win the White House. Mitt Romney got 27 and lost. Mitt Romney also didn't talk about building a wall and never referred to Mexican immigrants as rapists. Can you get to 40 percent? Is that even in your radar?
MILLER: I know what we can get to which is 270 electoral votes. I think Mr. Trump will go past it. If you look at the key battleground swing states, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, in really good shape, the state of Ohio, which is a blue state, traditionally. Mr. Trump, we're pretty confident, will win. New polling out today showing Mr. Trump is ahead by three points there. We feel good about where we are in Nevada early on.
And you look to other southwestern states, talk about Colorado, talk about New Mexico, states that Democrats don't want to talk about, but they are up there advertising. Our own polling shows us leading in New Mexico. That would be blue to red.
And again, as you featured, Michigan and Pennsylvania, these are two state where Mr. Trump and his message renegotiating these terrible trade deals and cutting taxes has put the states in play and really energized a lot of people.
BURNETT: Mark Cuban was out on the trail today, surrogate for Hillary Clinton, been unafraid to hit at Donald Trump. He says here is why he doesn't trust him. Here's what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK CUBAN, OWNER, DALLAS MAVERICK: There is going to come a time that Donald Trump, God help us, is president, where a Putin or an Assad would say to him, Donald, if you do this, I'll give you $20 billion. If Donald Trump, who rips off people for thousands gets offered by
some dictator somewhere, some desolate somewhere $20 billion, do you think he's going to do what's right for the country?
AUDIENCE: No!
CUBAN: Or do you think he's going to take the money.
AUDIENCE: Take the money!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: That is an accusation of bribes.
MILLER: I got to respond to Mark Cuban, but what do I find funny is in the final days of this campaign, the Secretary Clinton's surrogates overshadowing her own efforts in the campaign trail. If she's not out there with a Mark Cuban or Jay-Z or somebody else, there is no pizzazz. There's not, there isn't the energy, there's not the excitement.
Mr. Trump is the one who has the excitement, the crowds coming down the home stretch. I think we're going to see that, and I think it's a really reflection of there is just nothing energetic behind Secretary Clinton at all.
BURNETT: And quickly before we go, I know you said Chris Christie is not going to be on the campaign trail tomorrow. Is he going to be on the campaign trail Sunday or Monday?
MILLER: I'll leave that to Governor Christie. I don't know if he won't be on the campaign trail tomorrow.
BURNETT: OK. As of course, he was scheduled to do, I was going to make that clear.
Thank you very much, Jason Miller. I appreciate it.
Let me go back to my panel.
Let me just start with you, John, on that. You know, Donald Trump doesn't have as many surrogates out on the trail as Hillary Clinton does. Losing Chris Christie who's perhaps his most vocal, incredibly effective in North Carolina, I'm sorry -- in New Hampshire where he did so many town halls so effectively. That's blow.
JOHN AVLON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: It's a loss, but I think it reflects reality which is the Bridgegate convictions today. I mean, and it does bring in an alternate reality, where Chris Christie had been the VP, this would have been overshadowing. I think there is no way for him to campaign on this final week without being a major distraction, but it is a loss because he's a very powerful passionate surrogate for Donald Trump and has been very loyal at great personal and political costs, frankly.
And so, it's a bit of a blow to both the campaign and the governor. BURNETT: Jamie, obviously, that is a significant development there,
but also in terms of the polls. You heard Jason make the case, look, he got the undecided. They feel that they have the upper hand in Michigan. What do you make of that undecided in Michigan? Four percent gap right now. Clinton on top, 13 percent undecided.
Who is undecided? By the way, "USA Today" has 20 percent of Hispanics in this country undecided. Just to make a point. A lot of people don't know who they're voting for.
JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: The Clinton campaign saying they are still confident about Michigan, that they think they are just fine. That said, not only -- she's up 4 percent. But that poll's margin of error is plus or minus 4 percent.
BURNETT: Right.
GANGEL: So, we're talking about something very tight. Thirteen percent is huge for undecided this late in the game. And it may just mean exactly what we've seen throughout the campaign, which is people don't like Hillary Clinton. They don't like Donald Trump. Maybe those people may simply not vote. But if they do, they're going to be --
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: -- one way or the other.
John, you were the speechwriter for Rudy Giuliani. You know him very well. Rudy Giuliani, yet another crucial surrogate for Donald Trump that he can't afford to lose in the final few days.
[19:35:06] This morning on FOX News, Rudy Giuliani said that he knew the FBI was going to be reviewing more e-mails and he knew it before the public knew it, OK? So, in other words that would be illegal.
Here's what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER NYC MAYOR: I had expected this for the last -- honestly to tell you the truth, I thought it was going to be about three or four weeks ago. I did nothing to get it out. I had no role in it.
Did I hear about it? You're darn right I heard about it. And I can't even repeat the language that I heard.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: You know him. "The Daily Beast", which of course you are the editor of, has an article about this tonight. How serious is it?
AVLON: Well, the article we have tonight is that late today, ranking Democrats on the House Government Oversight and Reform Committee wrote a letter to the inspector general asking them to investigate whether there was a leak to Rudy about this. Now, he did say on air this morning that he knew about it in advance. But he said he knew about it through former FBI agents, not current.
There is a great line between gossip and leaks. But what we do know is this environment, a lot of reporting about the deep divisions inside the FBI, politically and culturally it seems, also in competition with the Justice Department, it's serious to say that you knew ahead of time. And he certainly seemed to tease it earlier in a previous interview.
BURNETT: Right. And, Patrick, though, later on CNN, he said what he heard none of that was from current FBI agents. He said he hasn't spoken to a current FBI agent in 10 to 15 months.
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: -- a current told the former and that's illegal. But the former told Rudy Giuliani in which case --
PATRICK HEALY, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Giuliani is a federal prosecutor in these circles and knows former FBI agents I'm sure he knows current ones. It may have been sort of mumbled words.
The thing that you have a problem with though is that in the last four days, you never want surrogates to become a story. Mr. Trump has a really strong trade message in states like Michigan, undecided vote and part of his momentum there. Bernie Sanders won Michigan in the primary other Hillary Clinton because of that trade message.
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: Polls said he wouldn't.
HEALY: So do you want someone like Mike Pence or Bernie Sanders going to Michigan making that case. Rudy Giuliani when he sort of creates a little bit of a cloud. Chris Christie with Bridgegate it becomes more complicated.
AVLON: Yes. The problem is we're days away, so everything matters more. The one thing is I don't think Rudy would knowingly talk to an active agent. He wouldn't want to create that risk for the individual.
BURNETT: An important insight into him, as you know him so well.
OK. So, thanks to all.
And we're going to bring you all day coverage of election day, don't miss a minute on Tuesday. And OUTFRONT next, we're waiting for President Obama about to speak live in the crucial state of North Carolina.
As we're learning that law enforcement is on alert preparing for something or anything on Election Day from a possible terror attack to a Russian cyberattack. And the fight in Nevada down to every last vote. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think when they get in the box, that the Republican vote will -- will take off.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:41:41] BURNETT: Tonight, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton making their final pitches to swing state voters on either side of me, pictures out of Pennsylvania. Trump with a rally there and Clinton with a rally with Jay-z in Ohio.
We're also awaiting President Obama to take the stage in North Carolina. We're going to be taking him live in a moment, Donald Trump live in a moment, as soon as they begin.
Meanwhile in Nevada, Clinton and Trump are in a high stakes battle over early voter turnout, because today is the last day of early voting.
Kyung Lah is OUTFRONT with tonight's big number.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Welcome to Nevada's ground war.
Today is Nevada's last day of early voting. Culinary Union 226, the Democratic foot soldier. Their mission emblazoned on their shirts.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hillary you got this baby.
LAH: An army of more than 300 fanning out across Nevada's vote-rich Clark County. This isn't "get out the vote" anymore. This is drive them vote with their cars or by bus.
Casino workers bussed on their lunch break directly to this early voting location by the union.
Martin Gonzalez works the Bellagio Hotel and like many aboard the busses, Latino. One fifth of Nevada's expected voters are Latino.
"I voted for Clinton", he says, "to make sure our rights are protected. To make sure our voice is heard in this country."
Unofficial early vote totals from Nevada's secretary of state shows as of today registered Democrats are outpacing Republicans by 5 1/2 percentage points. But in 2012, with less than a week to go, Democrats had an even bigger lead outpacing Republicans by about 8 percent, and this week, Republicans have been closing the gap day by day.
(on camera): First time voter?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First time voter.
LAH: Who did you vote for?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trump.
LAH (voice-over): Eighteen-year-old Trevor Vonovich (ph) is a voter in this Republican stronghold, an early voting location so busy they waited more than an hour to vote for Trump.
MARY WATANABE, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: I think we're going to be the last-minute attackers in the Republican Party. I just feel it. Yes.
LAH (on camera): You're feeling the energy.
WATANABE: I do. I do feel the energy. And I like I said, I think they may say one thing to their friends and I think when they get in the box, the Republican vote will take off.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAH: And we've been watching the line grow throughout the day. And I want you to take a look -- they are actually zigzagging going back and forth before they can actually get to the entrance where they will vote.
We're hearing here that they were expecting to have about 2,000 people all day. They have already blown that number. They are seeing a lot of people out here and the end of the line here is taking two and a half hours Erin before they can finally early vote -- Erin.
BURNETT: That's incredible. All right. Kyung, thank you.
My panel back with me.
So, Patrick, let me start with you, because you were saying the Clinton campaign feels confident about Nevada. But when you see two and a half hour lines, what's left for Election Day?
HEALY: No, it's similar thing to like Trump rallies. You get sort of the die-hards out there who are going to be committed. You get the same for Secretary Clinton. I think the question is that on Election Day, in terms of who is genuinely motivated, the Clintons feel they have made a really good case to Hispanic voters in Nevada and to low income voters in Nevada.
And in their view to an early point we were talking about, is that as long as they keep a focus on Trump. As long as they keep going negative and make this a referendum and remind people on Tuesday when you wake up, the next day, you could have Donald Trump as president elect. That that is what will energize people out there.
AVLON: That's the story of the election, both campaigns, because their nominees are unpopular is best when the other guy or gal is the issue. It's a negative wave and that's what they're trying to serve.
But which -- two and a half hour wait for early voting in Nevada, that is a scandal. This is the United States of America. We need election reform. This is pathetic that people are trying to be proactive about doing their democratic duty and they are waiting two and a half hours.
VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, first of all, get ready for Tuesday.
AVLON: Yes.
JONES: Tuesday, you are going to see the same sad debacle of African Americans voting in long lines. Somebody talked to me earlier today, you know, do you think the African American vote is going as strong? I said no. I said, and don't forget, if you are African-America voting in a black community, that's a four to five hour commitment.
Just be clear. That is true in all the swing states. So, why don't these people vote? Because it's very, very difficult.
BURNETT: Jamie, you have been talking to Republicans about the concern on what happens the day after, OK? Latest poll, CBS/"New York Times", 27 percent of Trump supporters say they won't accept the election results if Clinton wins.
GANGEL: So, this has changed over time. After the "Access Hollywood" Billy Bush tape came out, most of the Republicans I was talking to, they thought it was over. They said he's not going win and they were less concerned about that.
Now that the polls are tightening, I was speaking to people all day today who said they are very concerned that if the race gets tight, if Hillary Clinton wins, you are going to hear more about it's the rigged election. And he'll get people riled up.
JEFFREY LORD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: The attorney general of Pennsylvania has sent in the state police to conduct two different raids. And this is according to "Philadelphia Inquirer". Two different raids, one in Philadelphia, one in Delaware County for voter fraud, because they are concerned that these groups are deliberately setting up a fraud situation.
Now, this is --
(CROSSTALK)
LORD: The governor of Pennsylvania and the attorney general, they are Democrats I should point out here. So --
HEALY: That's not widespread. I mean , we're not seeing it at this point. And to be honest with you, the level of scrutiny that is going on from both poll watchers, lawyers on both sides, state party officials and, you know, the news media, regardless of what people think of us, it just -- there is certainly possible incidents of fraud. But --
JONES: It is a very good thing though to be sure.
LORD: Yes. JONES: And I would rather have the professionals do it than to have
what your candidate wants random people going to --
LORD: Called American citizens.
JONES: Going to communities they don't know intimidating people.
And I'm going to tell you right now -- wait until Tuesday, if you start seeing large numbers of -- let's just put it out there -- white Trump supporters going into black communities with dogs and guns, which is what's all over the Internet.
LORD: No.
JONES: Yeah. It is all over the Internet.
LORD: Well, it may be all over the Internet, but that doesn't make it gospel. There is no dogs and guns committee in the Trump campaign, I assure you.
JONES: They are print off badges off the Internet saying they are basically going to be these posses going around. None of that is appropriate. Let the officials do their job.
(CROSSTALK)
AVLON: The larger issue of statistic is the steady drum beat we've had other the past more than a decade that a duly elected president is illegitimate. We saw it with the Bill Clinton, some folks on the far right couldn't get over the fact he was president. After George W. Bush won, some folks on the left said, he didn't win the popular vote, plus Iraq, he's not my president, he's not legitimate. God knows what's happened to this president in part because he's African- American.
(CROSSTALK)
AVLON: This makes it more difficult to unite the nation.
BURNETT: -- split country by when one person gets a 100 percent. I mean, that's part of --
AVLON: Yes. But this makes governing and uniting so much more difficult and some people feed this beast to polarize and profit off it and it's disgusting.
BURNETT: Final word, M.J.
MJ LEE, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Yes, and talking to Clinton supporters over the weekend and there is a very, very real concern among people who are supporting Clinton about just what the country is going to look like on November 9th. I think they hear the man at the top of the ticket continually talking about a rigged election and high supporters should really be careful and be on the lookout and to hear there is almost like effect. You know, on the one hand, they are excited about the possibility of a
first woman president, on seeing this woman they supported for a long time potentially becoming the president, but I think all of that has been muted by this idea and this concern that that is not going to be accepted the day after Election Day.
[19:50:04] BURNETT: And, Van, you know, as we await the president and he's going to be speaking in a couple of moments, so is Donald Trump and we're going to be listening, these are the final arguments from everybody, which is part of the reason why we think it's important to hear from them -- can President Obama deliver North Carolina? Because if you look at almost any map that we have, OK, any map, Donald Trump needs it. Barack Obama has won and lost it.
JONES: I know. Listen, this for Obama is the whole thing.
Listen, don't forget, you know, how important North Carolina has been to the entire Obama kind of run. You know, race doesn't matter. Remember that chant? Race doesn't matter.
All that sort of stuff for him. So, it was a heartbreaker for him in 2012. And you see this guy is putting it all on the line. If he doesn't get there, you know, he's going take it very, very badly.
Listen, if anybody can do it, it's Obama. Do not underestimate the energizing effect of this man.
BURNETT: Go ahead.
GANGEL: The Clinton folks also said to me today, they don't need North Carolina to win, Trump does. But they would like to take it away from him.
JONES: They don't need it but they want it.
HEALY: And also could be part of what the Democrats believe is sort of a decade shift in terms of states in the interior Midwest and sort of the Upper South, that they feel are going slowly shifting to the Democratic side. They felt like they got, in New Mexico and Virginia, Nevada. Now they are hoping for Arizona, they're hoping for North Carolina, eventually Georgia.
This is part of -- like a reclamation project. And the hope is, you know, for President Obama he chose Charlotte, North Carolina, for his convention in 2012. It was a tough loss. In 2012, you had Michelle Obama giving a great speech there last week. You have President Obama tonight. That would be a nice surprise.
But I still say Pennsylvania is the one at least for Donald Trump's hopes that is so essential.
LORD: I agree. Which is why I'm voting four times.
(LAUGHTER)
JONES: Voter fraud! Voter fraud! BURNETT: M.J.?
LEE: To Jaime's point, this idea that the Clinton campaign doesn't need it, they want. This is huge. They don't want to win by just a couple of electoral votes. They want to devastate Donald Trump. They want to humiliate Donald Trump. They want to see voters frankly get Donald Trump get crushed and have this idea and just really digest idea that this kind of candidate is not acceptable.
LORD: It's good to know that he hasn't gotten under their skin.
(LAUGHTER)
BURNETT: You know, it's interesting in the context of all this, John. You know, a few months ago, there were a lot of mainstream people who aren't political, market people who would say, if Donald Trump is elected, you were going to have some sort of market Armageddon. It's going to affect everyone's retirement. It's going to affect their 401K, people couldn't imagine it. That's changed.
Remember, Mark Cuban came on the show and said it was going to be 20 points, 20 percent. Just imagine that, OK? Anybody think about the great recession that we had that this would dwarf that.
Today, Citibank said if Trump is elected, the market will go down 3 or 4 percent. That's nothing. That's nothing. And that is a dramatic shift. That is the world has come to grips that it would be okay from the market perspective.
AVLON: We have normalized -- this election has normalized Donald Trump in terms of his policies that people were reacted to. I mean, that is extraordinary we are on this market slide at a time when Donald Trump --
BURNETT: And we are nine days in by the way. Longest --
AVLON: I don't think it's coincidence that that has coincided in part with Donald Trump's rise in the polls. I think it is about not only what we normalize in the perceptions that drive markets but also really taking into account the impact of policies and what are the impact of, you know, 11 million deportation, you know, temporary Muslim ban if NATO is degraded. What are the real-world implications? Or do you believe that Donald Trump isn't serious about policy. He's ultimately a dealmaker and because --
BURNETT: Which is what they are betting on.
AVLON: That's my point.
BURNETT: But, Jamie, you talked to establishment Republicans, is that something they are getting back on board now? Well, he said those things but he doesn't mean those things like the markets?
GANGEL: Actually to go back to what MJ said about Democrats, they really want Hillary Clinton to beat him by big numbers. There are a lot of Republicans who would like him to lose by big numbers. Remember the never Trumps. Remember all of the Republicans, the establishment Republicans who -- they want -- they are already talking about how they are rebuilding the party after Trump --
(CROSSTALK)
LORD: When you look at all those people in Hershey, Pennsylvania, tonight. They are there because they think the establishment has become corrupted and Donald Trump is their answer.
JONES: -- got to him. The biggest hat trick in American politics is every single person who does not like Donald Trump is in the establishment. I don't care who you are, where you are from.
LORD: You finally made it, Van.
(LAUGHTER)
JONES: No, but listen, according to use guy, the most amazing thing is, literally -- we had a guy out hear a couple of days ago who worked for the Bush administration or whatever.
[19:55:01] But because he is for Trump, he's not a part of the establishment. If the same guy had said he was against Trump, he is the establishment, the only thing that defines.
LORD: You are getting it now.
JONES: Oh my -- you are proud of this? This is complete horsepucky.
(LAUGHTER)
LORD: All I can tell you, I mean, to wax seriousness here, serious -- the whole Clinton FBI, all this episode really shows to a lot of people the situation bipartisanly is corrupt. And they want to make it as dramatic as possible and that is -- and Donald Trump is that vessel.
AVLON: Donald Trump is running on the anti-corruption -- when Donald Trump is anti-corruption candidate, we're through the looking glass people.
LORD: But this does, I think President Obama is going to be walking out any second. But I think what this all does, the undecided numbers, a lot of people going how in the world could those be so high? Thirteen percent in Michigan, 20 percent of Hispanics undecided. But when you see that a few days out, it could mean anybody's game and it does show deep dissatisfaction with the process.
JONES: And if Democrats do lose an election day pretty regularly. But that is that early vote.
And when you see those long lines of early vote and increasing it now in North Carolina as well for the African Americans, all those Latinos in Nevada. That should be scaring the Trump voters, because we do get beat on Election Day. But it doesn't matter we always got our votes banked. BURNETT: And President Obama, as you can see, approaching the podium.
This is a big night for him and as Van says, in a crucial state, North Carolina, of emotional significance to him and huge practical significance to the Clinton campaign.
Let's listen in to the president.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Fired up! Fired up!
Let me tell you something, (INAUDIBLE) got me fired up. That everybody please give him a big round of applause. I feel a little bit like the guest pastor coming into church. He got me fired up backstage.
There are people I want to thank. First of all outstanding Congresswoman Alma Adams is here. Your next state treasurer Dan Blue III is here. Your next governor, Roy cooper is in the house. Your outstanding mayor of Charlotte, Jennifer Roberts, is here. And all of you are here.
This is a pretty good crowd right here. So, I just want to say to you, four days, North Carolina. Four days to decide the future of this country that we love. The good news is you don't have to wait four ways because here in North Carolina, you can vote early.
If you are now registered to vote, you have until tomorrow to register and vote at any of the one-stop locations in your county. There are two within a few miles from here. UNC-Charlotte at the Cone Center. These guys right here they will show you where to go if you need to.
Or University City Regional Library. And if those don't work for you, then you can go to IWillVote.com and they will show you where to vote. But when I see something that says "Carolina votes" up there, I just want to make sure that we have put up that sign isn't telling a lie.
I need you to vote. The country needs you to vote, because I don't know about you but I like to finish what I start. I like finishing what I start. And we need to finish what we started eight years ago.
Now, I realize I'm kind of gray now. I still look good though, right?
BURNETT: Enjoying every second of it, he clearly is.
Thank you so much for joining us.
"AC360" begins right now.
