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Clinton Calls Out GOP on Voting Rights; Rick Perry: "I've Been Tested"; American Pharaoh Goes For Triple Crown. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired June 5, 2015 - 07:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: My turn. Despite being molested by their brother Josh Duggar, Jill and Jessa are defending him. In an interview airing tonight on FOX, the sisters say they're horrified by the way the story has been portrayed in the media. Both women say their brother is not a child molester or rapist, calling those words "embellished lies." Recall, Josh has allegedly said that he molested as many as five kids, including his sisters and one that was not his sister. He has apologized, as well.

[07:30:13] ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: OK, here is the story that I was working on so diligently because it's a great one, victory is extra sweet for a Golden State Warriors super fan. Her name is Sweetie and she is 105 years old and the Warriors treating this lady to Thursday night's overtime win in game 1 of the NBA finals. The Warriors overcame the Cleveland Cavs and Lebron James' 44 points to win 108-100. Sweetie turns 106 next week.

CUOMO: I like how she was all decked out, too, yet calm. That's a true fan. An overtime game, and that's how she made it to 106. Nice and good, and calm. You know who else is, John King, on "Inside Politics," always steady.

JOHN KING, CNN HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": I love a fan like that. That is that a great arena. I was out there earlier, and she is pretty awesome. I hope I am still going to games at 106. Looking forward to that.

Busy day to go "Inside Politics," so let's get straight to it, with me this morning to share their reporting and their insights, Jackie Kucinich of "The Daily Beast" and Steve Peoples of the "Associated Press."

Let's start with Hillary Clinton, the big speech in Texas yesterday talking about her plan to expand voting rights. The details in a second, but what was interesting about this, and a lot of times politicians will say the other side or the Democrats will say it the Republicans, Hillary Clinton decided she wanted to name names.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Governor Perry is hardly alone in his crusade against voting rights, In Wisconsin, Governor Scott Walker cut back early voting, in New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie vetoed legislation to extend early voting, and in Florida when Jeb Bush was governor, state authorities conducted a deeply flawed purge of voters before the presidential election in 2000.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Those four Republicans just happen to be potential candidates for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016. Here's what Hillary Clinton said should happen.

She said we should have automatic voter registration, when you are 18 years old, you should be automatically registered unless you opt out. She also wants it to be easier to register online and she also says early voting should be expanded.

And a number of states are trying to draw back last time. I will say for the record, pretty common sense. I get there are some issue about, you know, verifying identification and all that, and I think you can do both.

But let's get to the politics for Hillary Clinton here, she is pushing this policy, but politically what is she trying to do?

JACKIE KUCINICH, "THE DAILY BEAST": She is trying to consolidate the Obama coalition who obviously did not vote for her and she wants to get them out and excited, and this is a way to do that. So I think this is aimed straight at them.

KING: Is it strange or just a sign of her confidence that she is going directly after the Republicans by name?

STEVE PEOPLES, "ASSOCIATED PRESS": I was surprised she was as overt as she was in going after Scott Walker and Rick Perry -- Scott Walker is certainly isn't a second tier candidate, but some of these folks, who may not be at the top of the list.

I've talked to the Scott Walker people seemed giddy that she would legitimize his campaign, as she did. So you know, clearly she is trying to, you know, change the trend of her negative numbers, but she may have indirectly helped Scott Walker in the short term.

KING: Well, see how this one plays out. A little point of personal privilege here, I spent a decade of my life covering Bill Clinton, one of the fascinating things when you cover Bill Clinton is he would say these southernisms, I will call them.

During his campaign in 1991, 1992, up in New Hampshire, suddenly he would talk about pig squealing under a gate or journals on a fence post. Yesterday in her speech, Hillary Clinton borrowed a line from Bill.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: Of course, I learned it from him. You find a turtle on a fence post and it did not get there on its own. All of these problems with voting just didn't happen by accident.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KING: For me, it's just interesting and fun to watch candidates try to develop on how they want to communicate. What do you make of turtles on the fence post?

KUCINICH: Well, Bill Clinton was very popular particularly with African-Americans, but she kind of lacks the folksiness that her husband has. So we'll see if she works on that a little bit.

PEOPLES: Yes, clearly Hillary Clinton right now is trying to figure out how to connect with voters, and come across relatable. This is her latest effort and unclear if it works, but she will keep trying.

KING: Rick Perry came into the race in 2012 and a lot of Republicans said it was the second coming of Ronald Reagan, he was the Texas governor. He was going to get into the race. People thought he was a big threat to Mitt Romney. He not only fizzled. He failed miserably, had a pretty bad campaign.

Nor Rick Perry says this time it will be different and he says his experience is what matters most.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICK PERRY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Leadership is not a speech on the Senate floor, and it's not what you say, it's what you have done. We will not find the kind of leadership needed to revitalize the country by looking to the political class in Washington. I have been tested.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[07:35:06] KING: Hillary Clinton served in Washington as first lady, in the United States Senate and the secretary of state, so he could mean her, but there are also are five Republican senators or former senators in this field right now.

And remarkably it looks like we could have as many as eight governors and former governors in the Republican field. First day officially out of the box for Rick Perry, 2.0, what did you think?

KUCINICH: You know, Rick Perry can't be counted out. I mean, I know he has a really, really tough road to climb here, but he is a great retail politician. He could do well in Iowa and he could do well in South Carolina, so I wouldn't count him out and it's definitely tougher.

KING: It's remarkable to be that if you look at the field, you know, Ted Cruz is a Tea Party guy. You have Mike Huckabee, an Evangelical guy. Rick Perry is actually maybe the only candidate in the field who can go into a meeting with every slice of the Republican Party. From the Evangelicals to the establishment and not get kicked out of the room.

PEOPLES: It's hard to spend any time with Rick Perry and not be impressed one on one. He can work a room like almost no one I've seen. I put him in the same category as maybe a Chris Christie, right, where he can connect one-on-one and we all know that that really matters in New Hampshire and Iowa, and so I would agree with Jackie you can't count Rick Perry out.

KING: Especially in a field with 15 candidates and no clear frontrunner. We'll watch how he does.

One of the things some Perry people were privately grumbling about yesterday was his big announcement day, and the Jeb Bush folks leak out we are going out on the 15th.

And we know Jeb Bush next week will be in Europe while the candidates do this. They go overseas for their international skills. He'll be in Germany, Estonia, and Poland.

And then he comes home and he announces on the 15th and he does a pretty traditional trip. He is going to go to Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and also raise some money in D.C. and Florida.

I guess, finally, it has been obvious for some time. We talked about it when Hillary Clinton was not quite a candidate, and he is going to be officially in, what makes it different, anything?

KUCINICH: You know, the fact that Jeb has not gotten in yet, I think it opened up the field. That's why you have so many candidates out. John Kasich, the governor of Ohio said as much in an interview recently, saying Jeb has not been able to consolidate anything, and we will see if he is an actual candidate if that changes the narrative.

KING: The other Floridian who is on Fox News yesterday, Marco Rubio likes to say his foreign policy credentials is one of the reasons you should vote for him for president. A lot of people are confused by this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The immediate responsible we have is to help them build a functional government that can actually meet the needs of the people in the short and long term, and then ultimately from that you would hope it would --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That sounds like nation building?

RUBIO: It's not nation building. We are assisting them in building their nation. We have a bested interest in doing that. The alternative to not doing that is the chaos we have now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Help me.

PEOPLES: The important thing to remember here is that this is an issue that's really in Marco Rubio's wheelhouse and he wants to talk about foreign policy.

I sat down with him recently and he talked about him having more foreign policy experience than the others combined. Whether or not that's true, I mean, this just illustrates what a delicate balance this Republicans are trying to walk.

They don't want to rule out anything in the Middle East, and they are going after the president and there are no simple solutions over there.

KING: It's the ultimate responsibility. Help them build a functional government. Sounds like nation building, a logical question from one of the host there. It's assisted nation building, I guess.

KUCINICH: He needs to have an answer for this. There needs to be a coherent answer because he based his brand so much on foreign policy. You saw other Republicans getting tripped up on the Iraq question. It's a little bit surprising that he didn't have an answer for this one.

KING: And maybe he could say, Mr. Cuomo, that he doesn't think President Obama is doing it very well, but if you listen to just that answer, I'm sure Marco Rubio will disagree with you and just that answer, what he is saying there is essentially what the administration says it's doing right now.

CAMEROTA: I am not Mr. Cuomo, but I am Mrs. Cuomo.

KING: I was told he would be there.

CAMEROTA: I put him in the penalty box.

KING: Excellent. Good for you. Don't let him out.

CAMEROTA: I won't. Thanks so much, John. Make sure to watch John King and his "INSIDE POLITICS" panel break down the best political news of the week every Sunday at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. We'll be tuning in.

While the stakes are very high at Belmont this Saturday, American Pharaoh is attempting to become horse racing's first Triple Crown winner in more than three decades. American Pharaoh's trainer joins us next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:43:19]

CUOMO: Sport of kings, horse racing, American Pharaoh attempts to become the first horse racing Triple Crown winner since Affirmed 37 years ago. In less than an hour, he is going to complete one last training round and then that's it at Belmont Park, and that's all about going for the gold.

CAMEROTA: OK, also set to make history tomorrow is his legendary trainer, Bob Baffert, who joins us live now. Good morning, Bob.

BOB BAFFERT, TRAINER, AMERICAN PHAROAH: Good morning.

CAMEROTA: How are you feeling?

BAFFERT: So far I feel great. The horse looks great. As long as he feels good, I feel really well.

CUOMO: So the initial plus minus on this is, yes, he won the first two, is it true that Pharaoh has experience at this distance and that gives him an advantage over other horses. However that none of the other horses have run the previous races so they are fresh, is that the plus minus?

BAFFERT: No, I think the other ones held out for one race to freshen up for it, and it's like throwing a horse throwing eight innings and then you put in some fresh batteries at them.

But I think he's out for it. He's trained really well. The distance, it's totally different for him, but they are all in the same boat. I think he is a very special horse. That's what it's all about.

CAMEROTA: So Bob, you've trained lots of horses, what makes American Pharaoh so special?

BAFFERT: Well, I mean, this is my fourth time. I probably should have won it a couple times before --

CUOMO: Or it's the reverse, you show that you can get here, because this is your fourth horse that has a shot at the Triple Crown. I know you are being humble, but that's a big deal.

[07:45:10] BAFFERT: Well, he is really special. This is the only one I brought up here where he was actually 2-year-old champion, and now he has gone undefeated and wins his races with ease. The derby, he had to work at it. He didn't really bring his best race.

But I just really think come into the race, I mean, if it's going to happen for me, this is probably my strongest hand I ever had coming up here. So I think this is the year you better tune in. I feel good about it.

CAMEROTA: OK, fair enough. You know, we had Victor Espinoza, his jockey, on NEW DAY earlier this week, and he said that what he thinks is so different about American Pharaoh, he said that his legs move as though he is floating. But then I heard you say, what you think is so special, he is explosive. Explain this combo of explosive floating.

BAFFERT: Yes, he has the most fluid and beautiful stride, and it's very efficient. When he gets over the ground, he just moves along and skims over the top. He just moves over the ground. He has a long stride.

He makes about a stride and a half to every other horse's stride. That's his weapon. He is quick. He can get to a spot without using too much energy, and I think that's probably his biggest weapon.

CUOMO: So you are three to five, right, so you're in front of the odds here, so people will have to put down money so people like Alisyn and I. We are trying to figure out what to do with the college accounts. You go all in? Are you feeling it?

BAFFERT: You buy a ticket, and if he wins, you put it in a frame and you say, look, I was there.

CUOMO: So it's about the history and not the money?

BAFFERT: No, it's all about the history and not about the money. You guys make so much money, you don't need anyway.

CAMEROTA: Bob Baffert, thanks so much, best of luck to you. We will certainly be watching. I can't wait to see if this is history in the making.

BAFFERT: Thank you. And I just hope it happens. It has to happen one of these days, and hopefully it's me and Pharaoh. He is a very kind and sweet animal so he deserves it.

CUOMO: He speaks very well of you, too. Hopefully he makes this good kind of history and you come back on the show to talk about it.

CAMEROTA: That's great. Thanks, Bob.

CUOMO: The all-important jobs report for May is coming out in the next hour. It's big. They are saying it's going to be harder to predict than normal. What does that mean? We will tell you coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:52:00]

CUOMO: It is time for CNN Money now, and there is a big headline coming our way so we have chief money correspondent, Christine Romans in the Money Center. We're waiting on the job numbers, but this is different than usual, why?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, we are looking at maybe 222,000 jobs added basically unchanged, Chris, from last month, and unemployment holding at 5.4 percent. If true, those are pretty strong numbers.

But what I'll be watching pretty closely, wages have been stagnant. Wage growth has been AWOL in the jobs recovery, stuck around 2 percent growth. So that's the important thing to watch there.

This next story is earth shattering. Barbie can wear flat shoes for the first time ever. For more than 50 years, the Barbie doll, her permanently pointed toes have been forced into the tall high heels shoes.

Now she is getting adjustable ankles so she can be a bit more modern and wear something more comfortable. Life as we know it, Alisyn, has changed, Barbie will be wearing flats.

CAMEROTA: I needed adjustable ankles. Christine, thanks so much.

All right, our top story, the U.S. government hacked again. The private information of at least 4 million employees swiped. The U.S. is pointing a finger at China. We have all the latest for you ahead. CUOMO: And in an all new "PARTS UNKNOWN," Anthony Bourdain, heads to a city known for its beautiful architecture, gipsy music and spicy foods, Budapest. Here is a preview -- Budapest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY BOURDAIN, CNN HOST, "PARTS UNKNOWN": Budapest. I don't know why it took me so long to get here. Everybody said it was so great. It is great. The architecture is very deeply satisfying, and ranges from the classic to the quirky to the lush and the eccentric.

It's just a deeply pleasurable experience walking down the street. I find myself coveting buildings here, and I am not one to indulge in architecture, and I find myself wanting to own or live in every building I see.

I never felt that way before and the food is indeed rich and deep and deeply satisfying. And it's also spicy. I like spicy. You should come here. I am glad I did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:58:38]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Possibly the biggest government hack we have seen.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The breach could affect every single federal agency in the United States.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The reality is, you can't prevent the attacks. All you can do is learn to detect them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One of the three men allegedly involved had been communicating online with known ISIS members.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't have facts to go on, we have allegations.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Move over Viagra.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is for women that don't have a lot of sexual desire.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's very complicated, because really desire is in our brains.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO: Good morning. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Friday, June 5th, 8:00 in the east. We have news of what may be the biggest government computer breach ever and the U.S. is pointing a finger at China. The personal and employment information of at least 4 million past and present workers were stolen from government computers.

CAMEROTA: So investigators do believe that mass attack originated in China. All of this as new information from Edward Snowden reveals the NSA has been tracking hackers by secretly expanding internet spying on Americans.

We have these stories covered from every angle, starting with Athena Jones live for us at the White House. What's the latest there, Athena?

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn. You remember that huge data breach at Target a few years ago. The list has only been growing, Sony, Home Depot, the health insurer, Anthem, even the IRS. It's a disturbing trend and now what could be the biggest government breach in history suggests it's only getting worse.