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Presidential Race; Jobs Report; Sanders Backs Investigation Into Clinton's Emails; Colin Quinn Talks Trump on "SNL". Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired November 6, 2015 - 08:30   ET

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


[08:30:00] ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Expressing his feelings about journalists trying to delve into his violent childhood. Joining us this morning to talk about all of this, former chief of staff to President Georgia H.W. Bush and former New Hampshire governor, John Sununu.

Good morning, governor.

JOHN H. SUNUNU (R), FORMER NEW HAMPSHIRE GOVERNOR: Good morning, Alisyn. How are you?

CAMEROTA: I'm well.

Let's start with this Ben Carson interview that we just did here because I think that this speaks to an emerging narrative about what's happening across the presidential election. And that is that they're - they're making it a referendum on the media, particularly since the CNBC debate. And I'm wondering - I mean this is nothing new, but it seems to really have taken hold in this election cycle, and I'm wondering if you think that that's a winning strategy for candidates like Ben Carson?

SUNUNU: Well, look, I haven't endorsed anyone. And I think Ben Carson is a good man. But I'd be a little concerned about his going into the White House with the same level of inexperience as the current occupant and we could end up with the same kind of a disaster because of that inexperience. Look, the media - his message on the media is something that I think resonates across the whole country, Republican and Democrat. I think people are concerned at what they perceive has been a very shallow process by the media over the years and all of a sudden they're being - it appears that the public is willing to have it talked about and willing to give it a positive response. And, frankly, I wholeheartedly agree with that perspective.

CAMEROTA: That you think the media -

SUNUNU: Whether -

CAMEROTA: What, that the media has been too superficial?

SUNUNU: I think it's been superficial. I think it has been slanted and biased. And I think it thinks too much of itself and quite often does not understand the significance of issues to the American public and tries to ignore some issues that are important to the public and tries to put its spin on issues in a way that the public kind of looks at and wonders whether the media really is living in the same world they are.

CAMEROTA: So, governor, do you think it's fair to look at a candidate's autography and go back and try to verify or even just build on one of these sort of pivotal points of their biography?

SUNUNU: Look, you can go and do whatever you want. Ben was absolutely correct though. One would wish that you showed the same kind of focus and interest on the slight fiction that Barack Obama called his autobiography. And so, yes, you - it's OK. It's fair to do it. Just do it fairly across the board. But you don't.

CAMEROTA: Let's talk about another biography, and that is one that Jon Meacham has just done on George H.W. Bush. And he says some interesting things and I want to get your take on it because, obviously, you know all the players. You worked well with all of the players. Here is what George H.W. Bush now says about Donald Rumsfeld. Let me read it. "I think he served the president badly. I don't like what he did and I think it hurt the president has his iron flank view of everything. Rumsfeld was an arrogant fellow and a self-assured swagger." What do you think of President Bush speaking out like this now and saying that?

SUNUNU: Well, of course, I think my book, "The Quiet Man," is better than Jon's, although I haven't read Jon's so I can't honestly make that comparison.

Look, George Bush, George Herbert Walker Bush has very strong feelings about a lot of people. His - any feelings he express on Secretary Rumsfeld, who I think did a pretty good job for George W., any feelings he expresses about Rumsfeld in that book I can tell you are pretty consistent with the feelings that George Bush had about Donald Rumsfeld over the years that I knew him. So I'm not surprised about what he said there. But I don't think that should be the most important thing that people are talking about in Jon Meacham's book. I think Jon Meacham's book is about 700 pages of in-depth discussion of the life of a great man, the 41st president of the United States.

CAMEROTA: Here's another interesting tidbit and this one shows inconsistency, at least in how he first felt about Dick Cheney and how he feels now. So let me read that to you about - this is - the - President Bush on Dick Cheney. "He had his own empire there and marched to his own drummer. I don't know, he just became very hard- line and very different from the Dick Cheney I knew and worked with." What do you think, did Dick Cheney change?

SUNUNU: Well, I think the president was paying a lot more attention to detail than most people about what was happening. I think he probably had a lot of insight coming from better access to what was going on in the White House. And, look, if George Herbert Walker Bush saw that difference, I'm sure that difference existed. I'm very comfortable in accepting his description there.

I don't think it's all bad. I think Dick Cheney was a very strong vice president for George W. Bush. And I think it was a time when we needed both a strong president and a strong vice president.

[08:35:01] CAMEROTA: One last tidbit and this is Don Rumsfeld responding to what George H.W. Bush said in the book. He says, "Bush 41 is getting up in years and misjudges Bush 43, who I found made his own decisions." Ouch.

SUNUNU: Well, you know, let's just go back over the last three or four minutes that we've had. This is a national TV show in which we're supposed to be discussing really important issues and you chose to waste my time talking about little comments stuck in a 700-page book. And you get upset when people say, you, Alisyn, are conducting superficial interviews? Ha. Ouch. Ouch.

CAMEROTA: Well - well, I - governor, I'm sorry that you feel that we're wasting your time. The reason that we like talking to you about it is because you happen to know people personally.

SUNUNU: Look -

CAMEROTA: And this is sort of interesting to look back at how the president feels.

SUNUNU: All right, let me give you a context then.

CAMEROTA: Yes.

SUNUNU: Let me give you a context them. In any administration, and in other administrations looking at any administration, there are always differences of opinions on how things done and how people act. But in the long run, the - it is usually true, and I will say in this particular case, you are talking about nitpicks of difference amongst people, all of whom I really believe made great contributions to dealing with issues in a tough way at a tough time when this country needed leadership. And, frankly, taking one comment out of a diary does not define a full sense of what someone appreciates or doesn't appreciate about an administration.

CAMEROTA: Governor, my producers have just done the unthinkable in live television and they've said we'll give you more time because if Governor Sununu feels as though we've wasted his time. Governor, what would you like to talk about in our final moments?

SUNUNU: Well, I'd like to talk about what's going on politically. I'd like to talk about the fact that I am extremely concerned that the American public seems to be supporting style over substance. I'm concerned that we really haven't debated tax plans or that we haven't talked about in any detail way about how we deal with the loss of America's prestige around the world and the failure of this administration to deal with -

CAMEROTA: But hold on, governor, I mean I just want - I like what you're saying, buts isn't that what Don -- Donald Trump's whole campaign is about, make America great again. Ben Carson feels that we've lost prestige around the world. They are - and I'll put up the polls for you just to show you how well they're doing. SUNUNU: I want more than bumper sticker slogans. I want details on how. I want to know, how do you really sit down and deal with Putin. Neither one of those two guys have really talked about the importance of rebuilding our national defense so that when you do sit down with Putin, you're dealing from strength. Similar to what Ronald Reagan did and what George Herbert Walker Bush was able to take advantage of with Gorbachev.

Well, we talk about immigrants. I don't hear anyone suggesting that one of the great fails of our allies in that part of the world is that our dear friends over there are not taking in immigrants and letting them flow into Europe and the United States. I really would like someone on the campaign to stand up and urge our friends in Saudi Arabia and the UAE and in the countries over there to accept some of their Arab brethren that have been exiled in essence by the - by the horrors of wear.

I would like someone to talk about the fact that we as Americans are going to have to tighten our belt and cut our - and cut spending significantly. I would like someone to talk like Bill Clinton and say, we need welfare reform and we need entitlement reform. Bill Clinton championed welfare reform and it's one of the most important pieces of legislation passed and we need to say the hard things about taking people out of dependency and that we have a huge segment of our population locked into spending their lives in dependency and counting on the EBT card. We have to talk about the fact that people have become discouraged and not being willing to go out and look for work. We have to talk about all those things in detail, not just with the bumper sticker slogans of "make America great again."

CAMEROTA: Governor, have you thought of running for president this time around?

SUNUNU: No, I'm too old and cranky.

CAMEROTA: Well, just to mollify (ph) you, we did talk to Dr. Carson about the refugee crisis. We did talk about welfare reform with him. So we are getting around to asking those questions. You've made a great case. Thank you. Thanks for being on NEW DAY despite your crankiness at this hour. Great to see you.

SUNUNU: Thank you. Enjoyed it. It's very therapeutic.

CAMEROTA: You bet. Thanks so much. Glad to be your catharsis, governor. Great to see you.

Let's get over to John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: I don't want to cut off that moment you were just having right there, but we do have big breaking news.

A new jobs number from the Labor Department for October, which is frankly a wow. Chief business correspondent Christine Romans here with that.

[08:40:06] Romans. CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Wow, 271,000 wows. That is the net new job creation in October. Much stronger than expected. That means businesses were hiring aggressively in the month. The most hiring this year going all the way back to last December. That drove the unemployment rate down. Five percent is now the unemployment rate. That is the lowest since April 2008. So we're pre- crisis levels now. Five percent unemployment. This is the kind of number that is suggesting that hiring is

continuing here and that's driving the unemployment rate down.

Let me show you the sectors. A couple of important ones here. Healthcare continues to be very strong hiring and you're seeing it across the spectrum. You're seeing doctors, ambulatory care centers and you're seeing some of the lower wage job in healthcare continue to grow. But look at business, these are jobs that tend to pay a little bit higher. Business information services. These are lawyers. These are folks who work in offices. These are consultants. These are jobs that are moving very strongly here as well.

Let me show you what this means for average job growth this year, 206,000, the implications for the Fed. Likely the Fed has more ammunition to raise interest rates in December, guys.

CAMEROTA: OK, Christine, thanks so much for all of that.

Let's talk about the Democratic side. Bernie Sanders lagging behind Hillary Clinton in Iowa now. This is a brand new CNN poll. What does he need to do to get ahead of the Democratic frontrunner? Sanders' campaign manager will be here live, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: All right, a new CNN/ORC polling out of Iowa this morning. Look at this, Hillary Clinton leading Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. So what's the senator going to do about it? The answer might now be changing. Joining me now to discuss the campaign, manager for Senator Bernie Sanders, Jeff Weaver.

Jeff, thank you so much for being with us.

JEFF WEAVER, SANDERS CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Always a pleasure, John.

BERMAN: I would like to take a small walk down memory lane to Las Vegas, Nevada, the site of the first Democratic presidential debate where Senator Bernie Sanders said this about Hillary Clinton's e- mails. Let's play it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn e-mails.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you. Me too! Me too!

(END VIDEO CLIP) BERMAN: So he was sick and tired and that was only a few weeks ago. But now, in "The Wall Street Journal," he says this. He says there's an investigation going on right now. "I did not say end the investigation. That's silly. If her e-mail practices foiled public records requests or compromised classified information, those are valid questions." So before he was sick and tired. Now they're valid questions. What changed?

[08:45:08] WEAVER: Well, actually, John, nothing changed. And, in fact, if you look at the CNN website today, there's a story by your colleague Dan Merica showing, in fact, that nothing has changed. Chris Cuomo interviewed a senator right after the debate literally as he was walking off the stage and he said exactly the same thing. What the senator was concerned about and is concerned about that this preoccupation with the e-mails was really blocking out discussion of any of the important issues facing the American people, like affordable college education, about the need to raise wages in this country. About needing to stop bad trade policies. That is not to say that the investigation is not valid, but this preoccupation with day in and out with the e-mails was really, I think, crowding out the political discussion about the important issues facing the American people.

BERMAN: Because what some people suggest, and we saw in the Jefferson Jackson Dinner in Iowa where the senator had some sharper criticisms for the secretary of state. Didn't name her by name, but it was clear who he was talking about. Is that -- now that the polls have changed a lit bit, now that he's trailing in New Hampshire in at least one poll, now that there's a bigger gap in some of the national polls, now Senator Sanders has decided to be much more critical of Hillary Clinton than before. Are you saying that is not true?

WEAVER: I wouldn't say critical, but I do think an election is a contest of ideas. And Secretary Clinton and Senator Sanders have some very different ideas on some very important issues. And so voters are going to be asked to make a decision about which candidate they think best represents their interests and who is going to protect them when they get to Washington against the big money interests that are propping up this rigged economy that we have.

I mean let's be clear, Secretary Clinton has spent between 6 and $8 million on television advertising in Iowa and new Hampshire since August. We have just barely gone on television. These races - studies of history know that the races in Iowa and New Hampshire are very volatile and go up and down. I'm sure we'll be ahead again in some of these polls and down again in others, as will Secretary Clinton.

So we are not concerned. We have an excellent ground operation in both states. We are going out and meeting the people. At the end of the day, people want real change in this country. They want to deal with this (INAUDIBLE) economy and they want to deal with the corrupt political system (INAUDIBLE) --

BERMAN: Jeff Weaver. The connection is getting a little bit sketchy here so I'm going to say thank you very much. Really appreciate you being with us. Talk to you again real soon.

WEAVER: Always a pleasure, John.

BERMAN: All right. His off-Broadway show is back by popular demand. A very funny man, Colin Quinn is next. What does he think about Donald Trump appearing on "Saturday Night Live"? What does he think as he gazes at images of himself? Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:51:42] MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Donald Trump hosting "Saturday Night Live" this weekend. It's expected to draw a huge viewing audience. But his appearance is facing some controversy.

Here to discuss all sort of things with us, stand-up comedian, actor, writer, "SNL" alum, my goodness, this guy's schedule tires me out, Mr. Colin Quinn. His comedic play "The New York Story" is back by popular demand for a second run off-Broadway.

Before we get to all your stuff, I just need to know, are you here to question Alisyn's journalistic ability?

COLIN QUINN, STAND-UP COMEDIAN, ACTOR, AND WRITER: Everyone else is.

PEREIRA: Everybody else is yelling at her today.

CAMEROTA: Go ahead. Bring it on.

PEREIRA: Do you want to talk a shot?

QUINN: Oh, you're really getting hammered this morning, huh?

(LAUGHTER)

CAMEROTA: Yes.

QUINN: You woke up, you're like, wait, what's going on? It's early -- How dare you?

CAMEROTA: Ben Carson, I expected. Not John Sununu. So bring it on.

QUINN: First of, John - Speaking of - Now that you guys brought it up, I don't like being pushed back for another John Sununu segment. What is it, 1988? Who's going to pull me next time?

PEREIRA: I'm sorry. Was a little flashback for you.

QUINN: Alexander Hague? Jeez.

PEREIRA: We really wanted to talk to you today.

QUINN: While Colin waits, Sununu - I said who? Oh, yeah, Sununu.

PEREIRA: You had to look at your watch to figure out what day it was, what year it was.

QUINN: Unbelievable. (INAUDIBLE).

PEREIRA: So we wanted to ask you about all of this because, you know, this weekend obviously, that everybody is talking about Trump.

QUINN: Yes.

PEREIRA: Going to your old stomping grounds. You were there from '95 to 2000.

QUINN: Yes. We're going to have a very political day - I mean, it was a political show. But I'm saying there weren't a lot of --Political people didn't go on in those days. You know what I mean?

PEREIRA: A little bit. But to the extent like they are now.

QUINN: They do like a quick thing, do you know what I mean? It all started with, you know, the first one I remember who actually did a little bump that made him popular was Jesse Jackson in the '80s. Remember?

(CROSSTALK)

BERMAN: Green eggs and ham.

PEREIRA: Green eggs and ham. Fantastic.

QUINN: That was the first thing.

CAMEROTA: And then what happened? Lorne Michaels realized, hey, this works.

QUINN: Yeah - Well I think just yeah -- Suddenly -- he always wanted him on. But they were like hey this could work for us. So people doing little shots kind of worked.

PEREIRA: Do you like it?

QUINN: Do I like it? I could care less. I mean, you know. I don't care.

CAMEROTA: But do you like - What do you think -

QUINN: I like it -- It adds to the excitement when they do one thing. But hosting a whole show is, you know -- hosting a whole show -- someone for Jim Carrey is like hard. So these guys are hosting the whole show is crazy.

CAMEROTA: Well, that's interesting. So how will Trump do?

QUINN: It will be fantastic. It will be the best. I bet it will be the highest rated show of all time. Sounds like something Trump would say. This is going to be the best ratings ever.

BERMAN: So if you're on the cast, I mean, obviously a lot of controversy surrounding this. Do you think it gets to them? Do you think they care about the controversy swirling around it? QUINN: No. Everybody is just like, you know, I think everybody is

just trying to get there, you know, trying to be funny. Trying to get whatever their stuff is on. I don't think Trump cares either.

CAMEROTA: But how heavy of a lift is it for the cast? When you have somebody who is not Jim Carrey, who is not an actor -

(CROSSTALK)

QUINN: It's less heavy because you get to do your stuff. When you have somebody like Jim Carrey, you have to make sure they get their parts because they know what they're doing.

BERMAN: You're going all John Sununu on Jim Carrey here, by the way.

(LAUGHTER)

PEREIRA: But then in the writer's room, talk to me about that because that is a challenge in and of itself when you have somebody like a Donald Trump in there, in terms of planning that and writing for that.

QUINN: Right. What is that going to be like? Exactly. Because it can't be repetitive, right? So the first thing will be fun. The monologue and then the first guest. But then what?

PEREIRA: Then what?

QUINN: Yeah. That's the thing. Just get repetitive?

PEREIRA: Hm. I'm watching on Saturday.

QUINN: That's why it's going to be a highest rated show ever.

PEREIRA: We got to talk about your play. This is really exciting for you. Congratulations. Second run. "A New York Play."

[08:55:03] QUINN: Yeah.

PEREIRA: You -- are you down on your city, man? What's up?

QUINN: Down on the city? Yes I like -- well I like to attack the new New York. And the new sincere kind of, you know?

PEREIRA: New York is sincere now - This coming from somebody who is an outsider.

QUINN: It's infuriating to me in many ways.

CAMEROTA: Is this my fault also?

QUINN: What's that?

CAMEROTA: Is this also my fault?

QUINN: It might be. Where are you from?

PEREIRA: Just blame her. Let's just blame her.

(CROSSTALK)

CAMEROTA: Then nothing is my fault.

QUINN: I was going to say -

CAMEROTA: They write themselves. This joke writes itself about New Jersey. Right?

QUINN: How about poor Chris Christie getting booted out of the big debate?

CAMEROTA: How about it? What do you think?

QUINN: He's going to call in, let you have it soon enough.

PEREIRA: Wait for it. Wait for it.

QUINN: You are going to get Sununued (ph). I like that expression. I got Sununued. On my show yeah, it's fine.

PEREIRA: Your show's fine.

(CROSSTALK)

QUINN: I can't sell it at this point. It sells itself.

PEREIRA: It sells itself. OK, but back to your point about this new - I'm trying to understand because I don't see New York the same way you do. Earnest. What do you mean about earnest New York?

QUINN: I mean people come up and they speak -- In the old days they were like hey what's up? They were very abrupt. The new New -- here's the thing. The way people speak now, like in the old days, New York is known for the opinionated straight shooter, right? Now even those people, like the obnoxious fan at the game, is like hang up your crazy, no offense to anyone with mental illness in their families, it's obviously a serious issue and we need more funding for research. Everybody speaks in preambles --

PEREIRA: Is it because of outsiders like me and Alisyn from New Jersey?

QUINN: Well I don't want to blame you guys, but I just feel like --

PEREIRA: Go ahead.

QUINN: I really blame the internet in many ways because it made, you know, a national culture instead of specific culture.

CAMEROTA: Yes. But isn't it also social media where every time you say anything you get that tsunami of Twitter --

QUINN: Sununu? CAMEROTA: Wow! That's how good you are. You get the Sununu of Twitter hate and Facebook hate and does that have a chilling effect on your comedy?

QUINN: You can't really let it effect you as a comedian. But yeah, sure, people try to -- everybody tries to boss each other around. That is the nature of man. And I know it sounds a little pompous to say the nature of man - I've discovered it.

PEREIRA: Finally somebody has.

QUINN: And even that is really a sexist statement.

CAMEROTA: Well thank you (ph).

QUINN: You know.

BERMAN: See, this is the new New York. It worked right here.

QUINN: Exactly.

CAMEROTA: Right, exactly.

QUINN: It works on me too.

PEREIRA: Well "The New York Play" is open now, second run. Colin Quinn, we have to wrap it up. We have another broadcast starting right about now.

QUINN: You're going to get yelled at again? Yeah.

PEREIRA: Well we won't. Alisyn will.

CAMEROTA: Colin, thanks so much. Great to see you.

QUINN: Thank you, guys. Thanks.

PEREIRA: Thanks for coming on.

CAMEROTA: It is time now for "NEWSROOM" with Poppy Harlow, in for Carol Costello. That will be right after this very quick break. Have a great weekend, everybody.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)