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Trump Pulls Away from Field in New CNN Poll; Poll: Sanders & Clinton in Dead Heat in Iowa; Former Cop to Appear in Court for Bond Hearing. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired September 10, 2015 - 07:00   ET

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


ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is a big deal. Political analysts have been saying for months, all summer, that Trump was going to fade and that has not happened. His lead is growing, and he's now the first Republican to get past 30 percent.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JONES (voice-over): This morning the Donald still sitting high atop the pack. In the new CNN/RNC poll, GOP voters say they think Trump is most likely to win the Republican nomination.

Ben Carson surprising some by taking a jab at the GOP frontrunner Wednesday, going after Trump's faith.

DR. BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life. And that's a very big part of who I am. I don't get that impression with him. Maybe I'm wrong.

JONES: To which Trump shot back on Twitter, "Wow, I am ahead of the field with evangelicals and virtually every other group. And Ben Carson just took a swipe at me."

But Carson didn't stop there, critiquing Trump's immigration policy, as well, though not mentioning him by name.

CARSON: If anybody can show me how you can actually round up these people who aren't necessarily going to be cooperative and how that's not going to jam up the court system and cost enormous amounts of money, I'm perfectly happy to listen.

JONES: Trump sticking it to Carson, too.

TRUMP: He doesn't understand it, and he's wrong.

JONES: As Trump's lead grows, a controversial new profile of the billionaire hitting the newsstands in this month's issue of "Rolling Stone" magazine. The magazine quotes Trump insulting rival GOP candidate Carly Fiorina while watching her on TV, saying, quote, "Look at that face. Would anyone vote for that?"

Fiorina responding on FOX News.

FIORINA: I'm not going to spend a single cycle wondering what Donald Trump means, but maybe, just maybe, I'm getting under his skin a little bit, because I am climbing in the polls.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JONES: Now Trump's campaign has not yet commented on "The Rolling Stone" piece or on Fiorina's response to it -- Chris.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Athena. Thank you very much.

Coming up in about a half hour, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump will join us live. He'll discuss the polls and why he believes he's out in front. And he'll take on the controversy, as well -- Mick.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Meanwhile on the Democratic side, another new poll out shows more concern for the Hillary Clinton camp. Numbers from Quinnipiac University show a statistical dead heat with Bernie Sanders in Iowa, days after Sanders expanded his lead in New Hampshire.

CNN senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny looking at this for us -- Jeff.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning, Michaela.

The summer of Sanders may now have some staying power. For the first time, a new poll this morning finds Senator Bernie Sanders has closed the gap in Iowa with Hillary Clinton, and he's running even with her.

Now, let's take a look at some of these numbers from this new poll, released really just a few minutes ago. Sanders is now at 41 percent, with Clinton at 40 percent. That's effectively a tie, when you consider the margin of error. But a considerable change from only two months ago, when Clinton was leading Sanders by 21 points.

Now this marks the second state where Sanders is overtaking Clinton. Of course, look at these numbers from New Hampshire in a poll earlier this week. Sanders is leading Clinton by nine points, 41 to 32 percent.

But when you look deeper into these numbers, you get a sense of why this is happening. Take a look at what Iowa Democrats had to say when asked whether candidates are honest and trustworthy.

Vice President Joe Biden at 91 percent. Bernie Sanders right behind him at 86 percent. And Clinton is significantly lower at 64 percent. If you're wondering why she apologized this week about using private e-mail as secretary of state, this is why. Her trust and honesty have taken a significant hit over the summer.

One more thing: on favorability, always a key measure in these polls, Clinton is now at 76 percent, down nine points from July. But still has a very strong rating among Democrats, coming in just under Sanders and Biden. So while Clinton still holds considerable advantages, this poll is another reminder of her challenges ahead this fall. She well remembers eight years ago her frontrunner status eroded in

Iowa. She ultimately finished third there. Of course, these Iowa caucuses are the first contest of the 2016 campaign that kicks off only five months from now in February -- Alisyn and Chris.

CUOMO: All right, Jeff, appreciate it. We'll be back with you in a little bit.

Joining us this morning, we have President Obama's former advisor and the CNN's newly-minted senior political commentator, Mr. David Axelrod.

Welcome to the team.

DAVID AXELROD, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Great to be here.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Great to have you.

AXELROD: Yes. I wish it were a more exciting election year, but nonetheless, we're here.

CAMEROTA: And one that started earlier, if only.

AXELROD: Yes.

CAMEROTA: Let's talk about those new numbers that are fresh out of the oven right now. Bernie Sanders has met Hillary Clinton in Iowa. They're both at 40 percent, 41 percent among Democrats' choices. What's going on?

AXELROD: In this particular poll. It's very hard to poll the Iowa caucuses because of the way the process works. You have to show up, stick around for a couple of hours. It's better to poll off of lists of people who have attended the caucuses or at least partially off of that. "The Des Moines Register" poll does that, and she had a lead, but Bernie was surging in that poll, as well.

[07:05:08] Look, the Iowa caucuses is a very liberal, very white event. And Bernie Sanders has a real appeal there. And she's going to have to work to win the Iowa caucuses.

You talk to people on the ground and what they say is, unlike 2008, she is really building an organization there to bring people to the caucuses, to bank those commitments. And I think, ultimately, that's going to tell.

But this is not going to be an easy fight for her. She's going to have to work for it. And New Hampshire is going to be more difficult.

CUOMO: I like Quinnipiac, but I like CNN much, much more.

AXELROD: Yes.

CUOMO: And we have our own poll out there.

AXELROD: Why is that? CUOMO: Well, accuracy.

AXELROD: You're going to go far in this organization.

CUOMO: Thank you very much, sir.

So we look at the numbers this morning. People said, "He won't get 20. He won't get 25. There's a limit on it, in terms of the extreme fringe." He's now over 30 percent. You take him and Carson -- and let's put Fiorina in there also -- you've got well over 50 percent of GOP and independents.

Remember, the CNN poll isn't just some extreme enclave within the party. They're saying we want something different. How do you interpret that message? How does it sustain?

AXELROD: Well, look, there's no doubt this has been the summer of Trump. He has got -- I think one of the most telling statistics is -- and it's reflected in the fact that he'll be here later today -- he has dominated the media. He has gotten twice as much media coverage as the entire Republican field combined other than Trump. I mean, he's eclipsed everybody.

CUOMO: You think that's why he's up?

AXELROD: I think that's part of why he's up. He's masterful at using the media. I think he is a -- he is -- I refer to him as one of the middle-finger candidates who were, you know, for people who are aggravated at the Republican establishment and the Washington establishment. Aggravated about the economy and the flat nature of wages. And, you know, in the Republican and Democratic parties, there are different villains for that.

Trump is speaking to immigration, a nativist group, to trade as a cause of these problems. And he is energizing a Republican base that is there.

Is it enough to win the nomination? I'm very doubtful about that. But in a field of 17, 30 percent looks pretty awesome.

CAMEROTA: With these numbers, why are you so doubtful that he could win the nomination?

AXELROD: Because the question is how much -- I mean, that's the challenge for him. Can he keep growing?

And I also believe these -- my experience with these presidential races work in phases. I said a couple of weeks ago that, you know, we're still in the swimsuit competition, just to put it in the parlance that Mr. Trump would understand. We're going to move into talent round, when I'm not sure that "Don't worry about that problem. I'll take care of it" will be a sufficient answer for a majority of Republican voters.

I think he's going to have to get more substantive in his responses.,,

CUOMO: But if you look at this...

AXELROD: ... to satisfy people that he can actually be president of the United States and is not just a kind of protest candidate.

CUOMO: But let's put him in parallel with somebody that doesn't happen that often. Not Ronald Reagan. Then-Senator Barack Obama. OK? You know that race very, very well, obviously.

AXELROD: Yes, I know that guy.

CUOMO: Hillary early on is giving him a beat-down for the same reasons that she was giving everybody a beat-down here. Then what changes? You change. You change your game with Senator Obama and say, "Look, look, if you want to do this the traditional way, you'll get more of the same."

AXELROD: Yes.

CUOMO: We're going to use something that nobody ever uses, because they believe it's too trite to be true, but we believe it is true, because he's different than Hillary Clinton, and not just because of the color of his skin. It's the content of his heart and where it comes from. He's just change.

And in one word that has been retread more times than any other word in politics, he starts to move. He starts to move.

Donald Trump is -- and I know you've got the smile on, but to many people he is that same manifestation.

AXELROD: I do not diminish his skills and his capabilities as a personality. I think you move beyond the personality, and you get into substantive differences. And people begin to judge, are you prepared to be president of the United States?

Remember, we won the Iowa caucuses. Then we were stunned in the New Hampshire primary, and we had to go all the way to June to win the nomination, because I think people said, "He seems good, but he's a former state senator four years ago. And we want to see, is he really capable of being president of the United States?"

I think Donald Trump is going to go through that scrutiny later in this process. Right now I think this is a no-cost vote to be for Donald Trump.

CAMEROTA: If you were advising Hillary Clinton in this campaign, what would you tell her to do? You know, there was that funny headline and some people -- I think maybe you -- likened it to "The Onion."

AXELROD: Yes. Yes.

CAMEROTA: She plans to become more spontaneous soon.

AXELROD: Yes, announcing a spontaneity burst. Look, I think that it -- I think they actually need to do that. I would get away from teleprompters. I would get away from set speeches. I would get away from direct-to-camera ads. I would just interact with people.

Because she is at her best when she is in real interactions with people. She is not great at the scripted stuff, which kind of bespeaks politics, calculation. So I think that she needs to get -- every politician has their strengths. Hers is not that. That's a Barack Obama thing, to be able to give speeches, to do the direct to camera. She needs to be interacting with people.

[07:10:21] CAMEROTA: David, stick around if you would, Because we're going to need your help. We're going to talk to Donald Trump momentarily at 7:30 Eastern, and then we're going to bring you back.

AXELROD: I'll do everything I can.

CAMEROTA: We're going to bring you back for your commentary after this conversation.

CUOMO: Because it would be very helpful. Because if the question is, can Donald Trump take the vetting, right, that's one of the unique opportunities we've had in our interviews with him, is that we do them a little bit differently. So we'll do it, and then you judge it for us.

AXELROD: OK. I'll do that.

CUOMO: All right. And as we've been telling you, it's not all about Donald Trump. We try to get as many of the candidates on as we can, as frequently as we can. And to that, Bernie Sanders, you will feel the Bern with Wolf Blitzer today at 1 p.m. And Jeb "I'm better looking than my brother" Bush will be on with Jake Tapper on "THE LEAD" at 4 p.m.

CAMEROTA: He says that with a lot of relish. Did you notice that?

Meanwhile, be sure and tune into the Republican debate right here on CNN Wednesday, September 16, 6 and 8 p.m. Eastern.

And tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern, you will find out which candidates will be on that main debate stage. And as we said, in just a few moments, we'll be speaking with Donald Trump, so stick around.

Up next, though, more on the court hearing today for that former Charleston police officer seen on video shooting that unarmed black suspect in the back. Will new defense evidence shed new light on this case?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:15:22] PEREIRA: A highly-anticipated bond hearing this afternoon for a former South Carolina police officer caught on camera fatally shooting a black unarmed suspect in the back. Former North Charleston cop Michael Slager facing murder charges for the death of Walter Scott. He is expected to come face to face with Scott's parents and his two brothers today in court.

Here to weigh in on Slager's bond hearing and these new details is Walter Scott's family attorney, Chris Stewart.

Mr. Stewart, thank you so much for joining us. First of all, I'm curious what the reaction has been to the family about this bond hearing today, how you're feeling about it, what you think is going to happen.

CHRIS STEWART, WALTER SCOTT FAMILY ATTORNEY: Thank you for having me.

You know, the family is prepared. We let them know exactly how things were going to happen today. We're all going to be in attendance to see the proceeding between the solicitor and Mr. Slater's legal team. And we accept whatever the judge ends up ruling.

PEREIRA: So we know that some new information has been -- has surfaced from these court documents. And I want to go through some of them with you and get your reaction to them and how you think they're going to affect the case overall. We know a toxicology report shows that Mr. Scott had cocaine and alcohol in his system. And not a level that would have considered him impaired. Does any of this matter to you? And does it affect your case?

STEWART: The entire thing -- and I read every single page of the 150- or-so-page document -- was one of the worst failed magic tricks I've ever seen.

PEREIRA: How so?

STEWART: What his legal team is trying to do is get us to not look at the videotape anymore.

We all know that the amount that was found in his system was a very trace amount, not even to the point of being impaired. So it's not relevant at all. They just wanted to attack his character.

PEREIRA: There's further analysis that's done. They did blood analysis on the officer's clothing. They took data from his Taser. They found gunshot residue, apparently, on Scott's hands.

There's a suggestion that perhaps Mr. Scott reached for the Taser and tried to harm the officer. What's your -- what's your reaction to those statements?

STEWART: The video tells you everything. You know, we watched Officer Slager walk over to the man he just murdered and touch his hands while handcuffing a dead man behind his back. We all know gunshot residue can be transferred with touch. He just shot a weapon eight times.

For the Taser evidence they found, it was particulates. That can happen when he is trying to drive-stun Mr. Scott in the back and the front.

So things that they're trying to say is groundbreaking new evidence doesn't defeat anything. The most important thing is the big confrontation they're saying occurred. This is the injury.

PEREIRA: We're seeing, what, his knee? This is Officer Slager's knee?

STEWART: It is a scratch on his knee. I've seen worse getting out of the bed and bumping it into something. So they're trying to inflate the system and make all of the public look somewhere else when the video tells us everything.

PEREIRA: Slager apparently did a Skype interview from -- from jail, and he made the comments that what actually happened is going to come out. What do you think he means by that? And do you believe that there's other evidence, other video, other images, other tests that are going to show this what happened on that day in a clearer way?

STEWART: No. It's -- they have to come up with something. You know, this is one of the few times in history that an actual murder was caught on camera.

And we also -- people are forgetting that we have the witness who filmed it, who did an interview, multiple interviews and said, he watched the entire thing even before he started filming. And he said at no point did Mr. Scott take that Taser from that officer.

So it's almost silly that all of this is going on. But they have to argue something.

PEREIRA: So...

STEWART: But they can't defeat that.

PEREIRA: Right. And that is an image that will stick in so many people's minds.

STEWART: This is the first shot.

PEREIRA: Yes. I think that is an image that will stick in many people's minds.

STEWART: And the most important thing -- and the most important part of this is that's the first shot. He was about 20 feet away.

PEREIRA: All right. I want to say thank you to Chris Stewart for joining us today. This new information that we've been learning about the case. We'll see what happens at this bond hearing, and I'm sure we'll be talking to you in the coming days. Thanks for joining us today on NEW DAY.

STEWART: Thank you.

CUOMO: All right. So if we look at the state of the race right now, Donald Trump should be a happy man. A new CNN/ORC poll has his lead, like his legend, continuing to grow.

[07:20:06] We're going to talk to the Republican presidential frontrunner about the poll numbers, what he offers the American people, and how he justifies some of what comes out of his mouth.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) CAMEROTA: Donald Trump widening his lead in the latest CNN poll. Thirty-two percent of Republicans say he has their vote. That's a bump of 8 percent in the last month.

Ben Carson up ten points also. So we will ask Donald Trump live about this and so much more in just a few minutes.

And another poll, Quinnipiac, shows Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton now in a statistical dead heat in Iowa. Clinton has led Sanders by 20 points in July. Vice President Biden coming in at 12 percent.

CUOMO: The supreme leader of Iran predicting -- listen to this -- Israel will no longer exist in 25 years. This comes from comments published on his website from Ayatollah Khamenei. He was also ruling out any further negotiations with the United States beyond nuclear issues. Some have suggested the nuclear deal could lead to a thaw in tensions between the U.S. and Iran. The ayatollah throwing cold water on those hopes.

[07:25:08] PEREIRA: Dozens of U.S. intelligence analysts have reportedly fired -- filed, rather, a complaint with military commanders about reports on ISIS and al Qaeda being inappropriately altered by senior administration officials.

"The Daily Beast" report says the Pentagon inspector general has opened an investigation now. The analysts allege the intel is being turned into happy talk, portraying the terror groups as weaker than they really are.

CUOMO: All right. So we've got a new CNN/ORC poll for you. The GOP and independents, and it shows a huge headline. You want something different if you're in the GOP or you're an independent voter. You've got Donald Trump. You've got Ben Carson. They take 50 percent of your vote. So we're going to ask the man himself: Why, Mr. Trump, are you so high in the number? How can you deliver on the promise? And how do you justify some of the things you've said?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: Welcome back. Donald Trump's on the phone. Mr. Trump, can you hear us?

TRUMP (via phone): I can. Hi, Chris.

CUOMO: Good. Good to have you. A lot to get through this morning. There's a new CNN/ORC poll. You are aware of it. Other than you're surprised that you don't have more than 32 percent of the vote, how do you explain these numbers? What do they mean to you?