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AT THIS HOUR WITH BERMAN AND MICHAELA

Presidential Candidates' Dueling Messages on Iran Nuclear Deal; Hillary Clinton Apologizes for E-mail Scandal; Kim Davis Released from Jail; High School Football Players in Court for Hitting Referee; Migrants Run for Their Lives as Desperation Grows. Aired 11-11:30a ET

Aired September 9, 2015 - 11:00   ET

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


[11:00:00] VICTORIA ARBITER, CNN ROYAL CONTRIBUTOR: Prince George is utterly delicious and I hope you get to see him yourself.

(LAUGHTER)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: That will be so much better than --

Victoria, thank you so much.

ARBITER: Thank you.

COSTELLO: Thank you to Max Foster.

I'm Carol Costello. Thank you, and have a good day.

AT THIS HOUR with Berman and Bolduan starts right now.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And now, she is sorry, really sorry. The e- mail apology months in the making. Why the change? What do her opponents think the about it.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: And CNN on the front lines of desperation as families are running for their lives in desperation. And mother with her newborn in arms far from home in the middle of nowhere. We will take you there live.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The "Eye of the Tiger" is nothing to be trifled with, and not by the Kentucky clerk, Kim Davis. So says the band Survivor. And we have the angry founder up live.

One clever reference down so far.

Hello, I'm John Berman.

BOLDUAN: Hello, everyone. I'm Kate Bolduan.

And we will have a beginning with the dueling messages on the Iran nuclear deal. Presidential candidates, some bashing, others backing the controversial agreement. Republican front runner, Donald Trump, speaking against it. He's not just doing that. He's also holding a rally in Washington today with presidential rival, Ted Cruz, on their shared opposition to the deal.

BERMAN: Yes, you will see it live here on CNN this morning.

This morning, Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton, spoke out about the Iran deal, giving forceful backing for the Obama's administration's negotiations and the deal, but her words were also carefully chosen. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My approach will be distrust and verify. We should anticipate that Iran will test the next president. They'll want to see how far they can bend the rules. That won't work if I'm in the White House.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Now, the focus on the foreign policy from Hillary Clinton comes as she is tries to turn attention away from the e-mail controversy. She as apologized not once, not twice, but three times in the last 24 hour, and she is sorry, now at least, for using a private e-mail server as secretary of state.

BOLDUAN: Her apology can be seen on Facebook. And she apologized to Ellen DeGeneres on her show, and in an interview on ABC News. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: Even though it was allowed, I should have used two accounts, one for personal, and one for work-related e-mails. That was a mistake. I'm sorry about that. I take responsibility. I'm trying to be as transparent as I can.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Let's bring in Katie Packer Gage, Mitt Romney's former campaign manager; and CNN's political commentator, Hilary Rosen.

It's great to see both of you.

And so Hilary, first to you, on Hillary, she is now apologizing to anyone who will listen, and did she get it right this time or these times since it is three times in the past 24 hours?

HILARY ROSEN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR; Well, she has always been sorry, and the words weren't right, and they weren't right, and everybody has a lot of opinions of what words she should be using, but she said a long time ago that it was a mistake, and so, you know, let's move on from that, and here is my favorite thing today the about it a and the tease is that we are come can pairing what she said comparing to what Donald Trump is going to be saying today, and the thing that Donald Trump said the day before that he went to a military-like elite prep school in New York State, and therefore he has more military experience than a lot of guys, you know, men and women who have served in the military.

(CROSSTALK)

ROSEN: You know the idea that --

(CROSSTALK)

BERMAN: And I mean, he leads the opponents, Hilary, by the same margins that Hillary does or Hillary trails the opponents though.

(CROSSTALK)

ROSEN: Yeah, and so let's stop talking about e-mails and talk about this Iran deal.

(CROSSTALK)

BERMAN: Apparently, voters are talking about it. Voters are talking about it in the Clinton-run focus groups.

Katie, let me ask you about that because one of the most striking things about this story to me, some of the process is what is leaked out in the process is that one of the reasons that the Clinton campaign decided to go with the apology tour is that she saw videotape of a focus group of voters in New Hampshire is that they were caught up on the mess.

KATIE PACKER GAGE, FORMER MITT ROMNEY PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Well, Hilary Rosen and I finally found something that we can agree on, which is Donald Trump talking about his military experience.

But, yes, it is a huge mistake for the Clinton campaign to talk about this telegraphing of the softer side and the more heart, and the voters of America know Hillary Clinton, and they don't think that she is particularly understanding what it is that she has done wrong. She is obviously sorry that she got caught doing something that we know was quite wrong and potentially compromised national security, and so she is finally grudgingly saying that she is sorry, because she has seen a huge plummet in the polls. So it is not surprising that they have gone this direction, but it is surprising to telegraph the movements in a way that makes all of the actions seem plan and plotted.

[11:05:36] BOLDUAN: And, Katie, let me ask you something. You are both saying that they were talking a lot about Donald Trump. You know who has not been talking a lot about and it is helping him in the polls is Ben Carson, and he is on the rise, and second nationally in the recent polls and second in Iowa and third in New Hampshire, Katie. But now if he has a look at the sniff of the front, he is attacking or jabbing him for the first time. Listen to him in immigration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BEN CARSON, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It sounds really cool. Let's just round them all up and send them back. And people who say that have no idea of what that entails, in terms of our legal system, the costs. Forget about it. And plus, where do you send them? That is a double whammy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: And a double whammy right there. And, Katie, he said that he would be open to being on the ticket with Donald Trump.

PACKER GAGE: Well, I can't speak to whether or not he would be on the ticket with Donald Trump, and I can't say that Donald Trump will be on any of the Republican tickets at least, but Ben Carson is seen as a outsider willing to take on the establishment, and it is interesting that he is calling out Donald Trump on the ridiculousness of the plan that he is proposing, and welcomed to see somebody in a different position as Jeb Bush or somebody else to be willing to take him on.

BERMAN: And, Hilary Rosen, you are seeing Hillary Clinton on Ellen DeGeneres, and you are seeing Jeb Bush on the premier of "The Late Show" with Stephen Colbert show, and Colbert was giving him advice on how to be more Trump-ier, especially when talking about the Iran nuclear deal. Listen to how Jeb Bush responds.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEB BUSH, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I will build a strong wall between the United States and Iran --

(LAUGHTER)

-- and make Iran pay for it.

(APPLAUSE)

BUSH: Trucks are strong. I will turn the National Mall into a luxury golf course.

(LAUGHTER)

And China will respect that.

I promise to meatloaf on the $10 bill.

(LAUGHTER)

And I would give Little John a cabinet position, which will send a message that this great nation will never turn it down for what?

(LAUGHTER)

(SHOUTING)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(LAUGHTER)

ROSEN: Well, he needs the writers to follow him around, because it is going to help him.

(CROSSTALK)

ROSEN: Yeah, of course, particularly someone like Jeb Bush who has been slumping around and taking beatings from Donald Trump for three weeks, he needs some unique ways to fight back.

Look, Hillary Clinton went on Ellen DeGeneres, and these are moments when the Americans get to see them on spontaneous moments, and that is obviously somewhat scripted. But the strategy here that everybody is suffering with is how to turn the campaign into entertainment the way that Donald Trump has. I feel for all of the candidates Republicans and Democrats that it is now the playing field that they feel they have to engage on, because when push comes to shove, that is not what the American people want in their president.

BOLDUAN: Well, Katie, it is great to see you.

And, Hilary, great to see you as well

And when you come back on next, we will have you define "turn it down for what" means.

(CROSSTALK)

BOLDUAN: That is the Hillary that I know and love. That is the woman who taught me what a selfie was years ago.

Great to see you guys.

(CROSSTALK)

ROSEN: You are good at it now, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Oh, good.

(LAUGHTER)

And a reminder, if you need one, because we need a reminder of this, the CNN Republican debate is one week from tonight, and you can see it live on CNN and streamed live, Monday, September 16th.

And tomorrow on CNN, Donald Trump is live once again on "New Day," 7:00 a.m. eastern.

And Jeb Bush is going to be live with Jake Tapper on "The Lead," at 4:00 p.m. Look forward to that.

BERMAN: And coming up, rising up, back on the street, back on the streets but not a rally for Kim Davis. The group who performed the classic, "Eye of the Tiger," is livid that it was played when she was released from jail. We have the band's founder live. [11:10:00] BOLDUAN: Plus, brand new twist in the attack on a referee. A coach now on leave and the players accusing the ref of making racial slurs.

BERMAN: And the kind of suffering the world has not seen in generations, families struggling to survivor as the world leaders talk, talk, talk.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: New this morning, Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who was jailed for refusing to issue marriage licenses to the same sex couples, plans to return to work Friday at the earliest. And she has been released from jail and you can see it here. The court ordered her not to go forward with interfering with the deputies to issue the licenses to all legally eligible couples.

BERMAN: And now the question is if she will continue to follow those orders.

And now we go to Martin Savidge, in Morehead, Kentucky -- Martin?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And the question is, what will she do when she returns to work. And we are hearing that she may not return until maybe next week. I spoke to one of the attorneys, and he said that basically she needed some time to rest and be with family, and that is what she is doing, clearly after this whirlwind that she is undergoing.

Meanwhile, inside the clerk's office, they are still issuing marriage license but what is key is that her name is not on the licenses and that has been since Friday. And the way it works, these licenses are not a stack of pre-printed with her name embedded upon them, and they don't have that demand here. And the way it works is that when you go in and you want your license, one clerk may sign them, and she signs as well. But again, her name has not been appearing on the licenses since Friday, and the count so far is that there are ten marriage licenses issued in the absences, and seven of them for same-sex couples, and that is as of this morning -- John?

[11:15:10] BERMAN: And will they continue to issue the licenses without her name or will she get in the way? We don't know yet.

Thank you, Martin Savidge.

There is more controversy surrounding Kim Davis, and it involves Sylvester Stallone and Mr. "T." The rock band Survivor is furious their song "Eye of the Tiger," from "Rocky III," was played as walk-up music for Davis at yesterday's rally.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Will you help me to welcome to the stage Kim Davis.

(APPLAUSE) (MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The unmistakable chords of passion. The band now blasting Davis, saying they do not support her views and they don't want her using this song. And coming up this hour, we will speak to one of the founding members of Survivor, the co-writer of "Eye of the Tiger."

BOLDUAN: He had a lot to say about this.

And also this ahead. A bone-crushing tackle and new clues into why two high school players slammed a referee to ground, blindsided

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Happening now, a hearing under way in Austin, Texas, with the case of two football players who just leveled a referee in the middle of the game when he was not looking. This morning, the students claim that the referee uttered at least two racial slurs at players. The school district spokesman said that the assistant coach allegedly told the students that that guy needs to pay for cheating us.

[11:20:06] BOLDUAN: And both of the students have been suspended from the team and the school, and the coach involved has been placed on administrative leave. And now the school district is filing a report against the referee over to the alleged slurs.

Joining us now to discuss is Pascual Gonzalez, a spokesman for the Independent School District.

Pascual, thank you for joining us, and joining us by phone.

And everybody wants to know, where does the investigation stand? Have you spoken to the referee, and what has he told you?

PASCUAL GONZALEZ, SPOKESMAN, INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT (voice-over): Yeah, all of that is in progress right now, and unfortunately, this happened over a holiday weekend where lots of people were unavailable, but on Tuesday when we all r returned to work, we got into high gear to get it going. And our processes require that we suspend an employee or suspend students when there are serious actions going on, and the first thing that we do is to remove them from the school so that we can conclude investigations, and that is where we are.

BERMAN: Mr. Gonzalez, one of the things that we are hearing now is that the students are alleging that in the course of the game that the referee uttered racial slurs directed at the player, and can you give us more information on this, and exactly what he said?

GONZALEZ: I don't know the specific words that were used. I am not privy to that the information, but if ever an allegation like that is made by a student, we must follow up on it. That is exactly what we are doing, and we let you know or the governing body or the public high school Texas sport, and they are meeting on it in Austin right now. BOLDUAN: And, Mr. Gonzalez, obviously, you say that the interview

process is ongoing and the investigation is ongoing, and everybody wants to hear from the referee, and he has not spoken out too publicly, and according to the Texashighschool.com, he spoke out and said that libel and slander has been committed against him, and he believes that has been committed against him already. Have you spoken to him directly?

GONZALEZ: I have not spoken to him directly, but he is a person that we will speak to, and he is not an employee of the school district although we are charging both of the kids with assault of a school employee.

BERMAN: And, no, and look, no matter what he said, it is a separate action and issue than what these kids are alleged to have done against him, and it is possible that both sides did something wrong.

(CROSSTALK)

BERMAN: But one does not justify the other. Will this investigation into the students and what they did, and why they did it, stop with them? Do you expect to hold the team responsible? Should the team be playing football in the coming weeks?

GONZALEZ: Our superintendent has indicated that he is not going to be punishing the entire team, and there is probably 200 people in the team, because of the actions of the few students who made really, really bad choices that have serious consequences. We are holding those kids accountable, and we have suspended one coach in the process as well.

BOLDUAN: Pascual Gonzalez, and much more to be learned from this, and your investigation continues.

Thank you so much for joining us. We look forward to having you back on and learning more about your investigation.

GONZALEZ: Yes, please call me back. Thank you.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely. Thank you.

BOLDUAN: Coming up for us, a church pastor, husband and father, exposed on the website Ashley Madison, and now why his wife is urging forgiveness in the wake of a family tragedy.

BERMAN: And tired, hungry, desperately waiting for help. Incredible stories of survival as refugees search for shelter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: She had to wait in Greece until she gave birth and then walked. That baby, a little girl, she is just 11 days old, and they have made this entire journey.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:27:56] BOLDUAN: Happening right now, a group of refugees waiting in a holding area in Hungary, and they are waiting for asylum in Europe. Each story coming out is more desperate than the last. And one woman even gave birth along the journey.

We have our senor international correspondent, Arwa Damon, who has been following their story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAMON: This particular family tried to go back to Kobani after they fled, because they thought it was safe, but then ISIS launched a counter attack, and then they decided to leave.

This woman, who is in the red sweater, she actually gave birth when she arrived in Greece. She was pregnant in the dingy, and when they landed, she could not walk anymore. And she had to wait in Greece until she gave birth, and then walked. And that baby, a little girl, she is just 11 days old, and they made this entire journey, a big risk for them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: All right. This morning the European Commission made a proposal to address the crisis as thousands are streaming into the European Union everyday.

CNN is covering the story literally by land and sea. Arwa Damon is in the holding area in Hungary. And CNN international correspondent, Ivan Watson, is in a boat near the Aegean Sea.

And, first, Arwa, let's go to you, in front of the fence there, what is the very latest?

DAMON: Well, we wanted to show you what the border looks like, because this is the wall that Hungary is in the process of building to try to control or stop the flow of those coming across the borders in the very near future. And so this key gateway of so many into European Union is going to be almost completely shutdown.