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Sanders Rally Supporters in California; Rubio Talks to CNN; New Superbug Questions; Op-Ed: GOP Unites Behind Trump, Democrats in Disarray; "Racist" Detergent Ad Sparks Outrage. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired May 28, 2016 - 16:00   ET

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


ANA CABRERA, CNN ANCHOR: Top of the hour, thank you for rolling with us. I'm Ana Cabrera in New York. You are live in the "CNN Newsroom."

Well, this weekend, all political eyes are on the biggest primary prize, California. Primary day is June 7. The latest polling now puts the two Democrats, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders virtually tied for that state's mother load of delegates. No public events scheduled for Clinton today, but Sanders is busy. Just a few minutes ago, he wrapped up a rally in Santa Barbara. He has another event coming up within the hour. Sanders told supports the number one priority right now is to send Donald Trump home.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERNIE SANDERS, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What is most important in my mind is that we have the strongest Democratic candidate there who, in fact, not only defeats Mr. Trump, but will demolish Mr. Trump.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: All right, Dan Simon is live now from Santa Barbara. Dan, Bernie Sanders - he is really eager to debate Donald Trump.

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He certainly is, and the crowd just ate that up. We'll talk about that in a second, but Bernie Sanders doesn't really seem to care whatsoever that Hillary Clinton has what appears to be an insurmountable lead when it comes with the delegate math. You talked about it, he's campaigning hard in California. He had this event in Santa Barbara City College. He's got a couple more today, but the polls, you know, showing this is virtually dead heat. So that is why Bernie Sanders is going hard at Hillary Clinton.

The line that seemed to draw the most applause today had to be when he talked about this debate with Donald Trump. As you know, Bernie Sanders proposed debating Trump. Trump seemed open to it, and then changed his mind. This is what Sanders had to say about that, take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANDERS: Donald Trump initially said, yes, then he said, no, and then he said yes, then he said no, so I think for a guy who changes his position so many times, I would hope he'd change it one more time and say yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIMON: Well, if Sanders can somehow pull out a win in California, it will certainly strengthen his argument that the super delegates should come over to his side. Of course, that is a farfetched scenario. The more likely scenario is that it will give him more leverage when it comes to the party platform in Philadelphia this summer. Ana.

CABRERA: Dan, I know you covered that major issue of drought in California since you were based there in San Francisco. It's plagued the state, we know, for at least five years. Donald Trump just announced yesterday he will end the drought if he's elected president. Are people there buying it, and what is his proposal to do this?

SIMON: Well, his proposal really is not clear, Ana, and you're right, we're in the middle of a five-year drought. We did have a wet winter and that certainly helped things. More of the reservoirs have water. The snow pack in the Sierra which is crucial for the water supply in California is much better than it was, and in terms of what Trump is saying?

Basically, he's saying the state is too environmentally conscious, that we are protecting the fish, and if he were president, that would stop. As for whether or not people will buy it, it depends whether or not you're a Trump supporter. If you're not, chances are you don't agree with that sentiment. Ana.

CABRERA: All right, Dan Simon reporting in Santa Barbara, California where Bernie Sanders is starting another event underway here in about the next hour. Thanks to you.

A total of 546 democratic delegates are up for grabs there in California's democratic primary, and as it stands now, Hillary Clinton needs fewer than 100 delegates to clench the party's nomination. We have two CNN political commentators joining us now.

Ryan Lizza in Washington and Marc Lamont Hill in Philadelphia. Ryan, I'll start with you, we mentioned the poll, and very, very tight race right now between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, and that poll also found the majority of Californians are pretty unhappy with their choices for president on both sides of the aisle. Can any of the candidates turn that perception around?

RYAN LIZZA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATORS: I think it's going to be tough for the two most likely nominees, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. They have historically high negatives. Trump's are the highest of any presidential nominee, and really tough if you've been in politics as long as Hillary Clinton has to change people's minds about who you are. You know, she has a very low ceiling and a relatively high floor, and I think she's operated in that narrow space for many years, and I think that's one of the reasons that some of the general election polls show Sanders doing better against Trump is Sanders is not as well-defined. People read into him. People who do not know him well read into him what they like.

[16:05:08]

I do think on the Sanders versus Clinton match in California, very clear from the polls that Sanders could win that huge state and frankly, send Clinton limping to the finish line. I don't really see the scenario by which he wins, but he's really making it very tough for her to sort of tie this up.

CABRERA: And is that doing damage for the party, Marc?

MARC LAMONT HILL, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, it depends on how you understand the damage. If the goal is to put a progressive agenda socially, economically et cetera on the table, it's not doing the party damage. Voters have the opportunity to vote for whom they want, and if they choose Sanders this late into the game knowing that Hillary Clinton is still the likely nominee, they're sending a message to Donald Trump. They're sending a message to the GOP, but more importantly, they're sending a message to DNC and to Hillary Clinton. So I don't think it's damage, but it's necessary work.

Now does that weaken Hillary Clinton going into a general election? Absolutely. But Bernie Sanders has to be eyes wide open about that and make a decision about how to engage her going up into the convention and on the convention floor.

CABRERA: I just talked to Bob Dole live here on CNN. He has some input about Donald Trump's possible running mate. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOB DOLE, FORMER PRESIDENTIAL NOMNEES: Someone like Newt Gingrich and none of us are perfect, but Newt Gingrich, I think is a good fit for Trump because he can help him in all those areas, and then Trump has to listen. You know, you got to have some people you trust if you're the candidate, that you can confide in and they can tell you, Donald, you're making a mistake, you shouldn't do this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: So he is a big Newt Gingrich fan for the Trump ticket. Ryan, your reaction?

LIZZA: My reaction is if Newt Gingrich were the running mate for Donald Trump, this would be like "Back to the Future" this race. We have Hillary Clinton from the 1990s. Donald Trump who was best known in the 80s and 90s as a real estate developer. And then 1990s, Newt Gingrich. This would really not be an election about the future.

I'm a little puzzled that why Bob Dole is saying that to be totally honest. Gingrich is not a particularly popular figure in American politics. I mean most politicians are unpopular right now. Let's be honest. It's really hard to get above 50 percent for any one nationally, but Gingrich is not someone that brings a lot to the ticket.

The one criteria he does satisfies is Donald Trump has said that he wants a Washington insider, he wants someone who knows Congress, knows the Hill and I suppose, you know, Gingrich satisfies that. Otherwise, I find it very, very puzzling. I don't see a lot of other Republicans hinting that Newt Gingrich would fit the bill and help the Trump ticket.

CABRERA: Bob Dole doesn't necessarily, you know, I mean, Bob Dole also talked about the minority groups that Trump needs to reach, and Newt Gingrich doesn't necessarily seem to be a fit for reaching those groups, does he, Marc?

LIZZA: Never been his strong suit.

HILL: Well, say you have a ban on Muslims and build a wall against Mexicans (INAUDIBLE) engage those groups. I'm not sure that his vice presidential choice will make a huge difference one way or the another. But what he has very specifically is he's not likely picking a person of color and that he's not likely choose a woman because he said those things are - "banter." As if building a wall and banning Muslims is not banter, but he says he's going to choose a white man.

Newt Gingrich, to me, is actually a solid choice (INAUDIBLE) because Newt Gingrich is actually very smart. Donald Trump needs someone who knows things on his ticket. He is someone who is a Washington insider, but also has significant legislative influence, and lastly to Ryan's point, it harkens back to the 1990s in those days when Newt, as speaker, would do nothing but beat up on the Clintons. I think he wants to conjour those memories for voters who missed those days. That's the only way he gets (INAUDIBLE) Republicans back on board.

CABRERA: Let's listen to what Bob Dole had to say about Hillary Clinton as well and the challenges she has to overcome.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOLE: She's been around, what, 30 years, I don't know, but a long time, and Bill Clinton who would be a great asset has had this health problem and doesn't look strong and robust like he has been in the past, and that affects his voice. He's not going to be able to go out there as fire and brimstone he would have had earlier.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: So is Bill Clinton more of an asset or a liability to Hillary Clinton? Ryan?

LIZZA: You know, we were talking a second ago about what political figures actually maintain some popularity nationally, and to be honest, Bill Clinton is one of the few that has an approval rating that is up above 50 percent. Hillary Clinton doesn't. Donald Trump doesn't. Most of the politicians who have on the scene for a while don't.

[16:10:15]

Barack Obama, Bill Clinton does. So just using that metric alone, you'd have to say he's more of an asset than a liability. You know, Dole and Clinton have a sort of interesting relationship. Of course, Bill Clinton beat Bob dole in 1996, but after that, as Clinton does with a lot of the people he defeats, they developed a kind of close relationship just the way they did with the Bush's, and so his criticism of Clinton in the clip you just played there was quite tepid compared to say what Donald Trump has been saying recently.

CABRERA: But, Marc, I wonder if Bill Clinton is having the kind of effect given his popularity that one might expect in terms of getting people excited about Hillary Clinton's potential presidency?

HILL: I worry that because Bill Clinton is such a contrast to Hillary Clinton in terms of personality, engagement, modes of addressing the voting basis, in fact what voters see is not excited about Hillary Clinton, but they realize what they are not getting with Hillary Clinton. We had this guy, and now we don't. I'm not saying that's fair to Hillary Clinton, but I think, unfortunately, that might be the game that we see.

Bill Clinton is the only popular person going around the country between Trump and Hillary Clinton right now. So I think it could ultimately be a disservice, but given what her alternatives are, she has no choice but to have Bill Clinton on the stump to galvanize and bring out big crowds and he can be the attack dog against Trump that she so desperately needs.

CABRERA: Marc Lamont Hill, Ryan Lizza, thanks so much for joining us.

LIZZA: Pleasure.

CABRERA: Coming up, libertarian dream ticket seen by some as a possible third party spoiler could be in jeopardy. We will take you live to the party's conference or convention, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

16:15:05

CABRERA: So as we widdle down who is actually running for president of the United States, let's not forget the chance for a third party spoiler. Right now in Orlando, Florida, the libertarian party is gathering - they will pick their presidential and their vice presidential choices this weekend.

Now this is a gathering that usually just goes unnoticed, but not this time around. Nope. This is a different kind of election. CNN's Phil Mattingly is joining us from the libertarian convention in Orlando. So, Phil, a lot of talk about a possible Gary Johnson and Bill Weld ticket, even though they are selected separately. What's going down there right now?

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A dream tickets of sorts, right, Ana? You had two two-term Republican governors very dedicated to the libertarian cause if they can only get the nomination. Gary Johnson looks likely to secure the nomination for president, Peterson, one of his competitors, speaking behind me right now. But Bill Weld has got some problems here. The reason is this, he does not necessarily strike the cord with the libertarian faithful at this convention right now. They look at what he's bringing to the table and (INAUDIBLE) of Massachusetts, even how he's spoken to delegates behind the scenes here. He was booed and jeered during a debate last night.

We talked to advisers to Gary Johnson, more than 20 people working to wrangle delegates on Bill Weld's behalf. There's a lot of work to do.

There's a real responsibility, Ana, that this dream ticket doesn't actually make it out of this convention.

CABRERA: To be expected. A lot of people are saying the libertarian could be a spoiler, the libertarian party in this year's general election. We know that whoever is on that libertarian ticket will be on the ballot in all 50 states. Is this all because of the high unfavorables that perhaps libertarians are more hopeful this time around?

MATTINGLY: Historically high unfavorables for Hillary Clinton and for Donald Trump. Look at the people who want a third option, more than 40 percent in several polls in a row want to vote for somebody instead of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. So yes, there's a palpable sense in this convention right now. More than 900 delegates, more than 200 media representatives are here. People are paying attention.

Johnson right now polling at around 10 percent. If he can get to a 15 percent threshold, he actually gets to be on the debate stage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARY JOHNSON, LIBERTARIAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The only chance of winning is to be in the presidential debates, to be in the presidential debates, you got to be in the polls. Look, just put us in the polls. I think that by putting us in the polls, there'll be attention drawn to what it is that we're saying, and you know what? If that happens, anything's possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: Anything's possible, but, Ana, if you talk to people here, no one is expecting an actual victory in November, but as you pointed out, a potential spoiler. Just look at past elections, Ralph Nader in 2000, and Ross Perot in 1992. If Gary Johnson could lock up five, six, seven, 10 percent. That is a huge number in what is expected to be a close election.

There's a lot of thought going on here about the impact that they could have. If not winning, they are trying to fold a policy discussion one way or another. The key there? Getting on that debate stage. For Gary Johnson, that means winning his nomination here, and hopefully if he has his way, Governor Welds coming with him as his vice presidential nomination.

CABRERA: Very, very quickly, Phil, you can hear the energy in the room behind you there. They are fired up. He said in that sound bite we just played, in order to get in the debates, he has to get in the polls. How does he get in the polls? MATTINGLY: Attention, and I think that's why this matters so much,

and when you talk to his team, talked to Gary Johnson's team, the idea of having Bill Weld on the ticket is so important. You got another two-term governor that's (INAUDIBLE) a big time ticket and very real- time possibility.

People take it seriously. We take it seriously. Those are crucial components of the surveys going out actually including his name, that's what matters. He has to be at 15 percent in at least five polls to qualify for the debate stage. To get that, he needed attention. It's a little bit of a chicken and egg thing, Ana, but this is very important for them going forward. That's why Bill Weld is what they want.

CABRERA: All right. Phil Mattingly, thanks for the play-by-play. We appreciate it.

Well, after months of blasting Donald Trump to the campaign trail, Senator Marco Rubio is now facing a tough decision. Will he back this man who mocked him as little Marco and actually help Donald Trump in his quest to now win the White House?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:23:30]

CABRERA: Just a few months ago, Senator Marco Rubio thought there was a chance he'd end up in the White House. Well, today, not only is he watching Donald Trump clinched the nomination that he so badly wanted, but he's also walking away from his Senate seat saying he has no intention to run for re-election.

Now in an exclusive interview with CNN, Rubio is talking about all of it, including whether he will be at the GOP convention and if he's willing to fully support his bitter rival, Donald Trump.

CNN's Jake Tapper sat down with Rubio for that one on one and he joins us now with a preview. Hi, Jake,

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR "STATE OF THE UNION": Ana, just a few weeks ago, former presidential candidate Senator Marco Rubio was still unsure whether or not he'd even attend the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this July. He earned 167 delegates during the primaries earlier this year. He still holds them until he officially releases them. In an exclusive interview with CNN, he tells me his plans for Cleveland and the convention.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TAPPER (on camera): When we last spoke, you said that you were not sure what you were doing if you're even attending the Republican Convention in Cleveland. Have you made a decision?

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), FLORIDA: Yes, my sense is I'll go to the convention.

TAPPER: You are?

RUBIO: I don't know that I'll have a role in the convention, but I have a lot of people going there, supporters.

TAPPER: But if Donald Trump asked you to speak on his behalf, you would do so?

RUBIO: Maybe I'd certainly, yes. I want to be helpful, I don't want to be harmful. Because I don't want Hillary Clinton to be president. Look, my policy differences with Donald Trump, I spent 11 months talking about them so I think they're well understood.

That said, I don't want to be - I don't want Hillary Clinton to be president. If there's something I can do to help that from that happening and it's helpful to the cause, I'm most certainly be honored to be considered for that.

[16:25:08]

TAPPER: Are you planning on releasing your delegates?

RUBIO: Yes, in fact, basically, technically have already, because Donald's going to have the majority number and at the point will be relevant. If we have not done so already, we will.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TAPPER: Rubio obviously mincing no words with me about his support for Donald Trump, despite some misgivings on some policy and politics and about Mr. Trump's character and temperament, but Rubio will certainly stand with his party this fall, perhaps with an eye on his own future within the GOP. Ana.

CABRERA: Thanks, Jake. Don't miss Jake Tapper's entire interview with Marco Rubio. It's on "State of the Union" tomorrow morning at 9:00 Eastern only on CNN.

Now, imagine a bacteria that can kill every other person it infects. What if I told you it actually exists, and it's here in the United States. There's effectively no antibiotic that can stop it. We'll talk about this super bug that's now terrifying medical experts. Next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: An incurable, super bug has arrived here in the U.S., it's a moment doctors have been dreading for years. The CDC director calls it a "nightmare bacteria." The problem? No existing antibiotic can be used to treat this super bug.

Here's what we now know about the first U.S. patient. She's a 49- year-old woman from Pennsylvania. She has not traveled outside the U.S. in the past five months. The bacteria was found in her urine and doctors have no idea how she got infected.

The CDC is frantically tracing all the woman's possible contacts to see if this bacteria has already spread. We know you have questions about the super bug. We asked you to tweet us, and now we're going to get you some answers.

Let's bring in our CNN medical analyst, Dr. Seema Yasmin, a public health professor of the University of Texas. All right. To our first viewer question, doctor. This is from Fenwayan, who asks, "is it just a matter of time before the spread?

[16:30:02] What can the average person do to stop this?

DR. SEEMA YASMIN, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: Sadly, yes. It is just a matter of time because this continues to spread. In fact, this superbug we're now seeing in America for the first time ever was discovered last year by Chinese researchers. They found it in a hospital patient. They found it, and since then, it's traveled to the U.K., parts of Europe, and Malaysia as well.

So, it's no surprise it's here in America, and it only was a matter of time before it just continues to spread. The second part of the question, though, is really important. What can we do now to try to stop this? The point here -- I mean, this is a tricky one, because we have been so reckless in how we use antibiotics, and what we have to do now is be really careful how we use them, when we use them. And really ask ourselves, should I use them in this particular case?

CABRERA: All right. On to question number two, from another viewer, from Roger, who asks, what happened to other bugs that in the past have resisted antibiotics? Is a cure eventually found or do they just die out?

YASMIN: They can do really well for themselves. These bugs are smart. They are outsmarting the drugs that we have. It's a great question by Roger.

And what usually happens is these bugs continue to evolve. They continue to try to evade whatever we put in front of them. Sometimes they might die out, sometimes they get stronger and stronger. And it's why we've seen in the last year 23,000 Americans have died because they have an infection that we as doctors have nothing left to treat them with. And 2 million Americans every year get sick with infections that, again, we've run out of drugs that we can use against these bugs.

CABRERA: What you're saying is not reassuring, Doctor. We have more questions for you. This is from our third viewer who has sort of a three-part question from Jason George. I'll kind of break it down.

Let's start with -- what are the symptoms of a resistant infection?

YASMIN: Great question, and the tricky part, again, often times symptoms are not different to if the bug was a regular bug. It wasn't resistant.

So, this example from Pennsylvania is a really good one, but this woman has the regular symptoms you get with a urine infection that many woman have, abdominal pain, things like that. What's interesting in this case, Ana, that, hey, (INAUDIBLE) a military facility, that's how we now that it has this mutation. It could have been that she'd be like many other parents. You have a urine infection, you give them antibiotics, you never test to see what bug it was over whether there was resistance there.

I think as we start looking for more of this, we'll find more of this.

CABRERA: The same viewer asked, when do you call the doctor?

YASMIN: Doctors might be part of the problem, and, you know I'm being very honest here. I'm a doctor as well. We might be to blame because we've been so negligent in how we prescribe antibiotics.

We had antibiotics only since the 1940s. It hasn't even been a hundred years, and already, we scratched many off the list of what's left that we can use. So, it's partly the doctors' responsibility, overprescribing, sometimes it's the patient's fault for not taking them as prescribed, and then agriculture has a part to play as all the antibiotics made every year, 18 percent are used in animals, it gets used by agriculture.

All these bits going on, is that what makes this is challenging problem to try and fight.

CABRERA: You talked about antibiotics and their role. Is antibacterial soap still recommended, he asks?

YASMIN: Some scientists think that that actually might be making this problem worse. That we keep exposing bacteria to small doses of things that aren't good for them, but when exposed to small doses, it won't kill them, and it gives them a chance to get used to it. It gives them a chance to mutate and say, well, what can I develop? What mutation can I evolve that would help me get away from this antibacterial soap or this antibiotic in the future?

So, it could be those things that are making the problem worse than it already is.

CABRERA: Well, Dr. Seema Yasmin, thanks for helping to clear up the fact and fiction. Hopefully, we can put your words into action. Thanks so much.

YASMIN: Thanks, Ana.

CABRERA: Back to politics now. While the Republican race is settled, Donald Trump, the presumptive nominee -- well, the Democrats battle bitterly. The divide between political parties starting to take a major shift. We'll discuss the role reversal in presidential campaigns next here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Stay with us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Cerebral palsy didn't stop this dancer from living her dream in the spotlight.

TERI WESTERMAN, DANCER: When I'm dancing, I feel like I'm flying.

GUPTA: Teri Westerman's drive and determination came from her biggest cheerleaders, her parents and brothers.

WESTERMAN: My family never treated me any different. I just happened to have to wear braces and walk on crutches and go to physical therapy a lot.

GUPTA: She endured more than 15 operations growing up.

WESTERMAN: The last one put me in the wheelchair full-time.

GUPTA: Teri pursued a career in the arts despite her new reality, and the naysayers.

WESTERMAN: The directors and producers would look at us and say, I'm sorry, we can't use you.

[16:35:00] GUPTA: So, she started her own theater company.

WESTERMAN: I need some original ideas.

I was one of the founding members of PHAMALY, which is a physically disabled acting troupe.

GUPTA: And that's not all. Teri has inspired others with disabilities by winning Miss Wheelchair Colorado and competing in ballroom dancing throughout Europe. Her latest project is a nonprofit integrated dance company called Spoke N Motion, proving possibilities are endless.

WESTERMAN: Be the person first, but if all you see when you look at me is the wheelchair, you have no idea who I am.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: No doubt you've noticed there's been a role reversal in the race for the White House. Historian Julian Zelizer points it out in an opinion piece for CNN and he writes this. "Just when it seemed the election could not get any crazier, it has. A month ago, it seemed that the Democrats sitting pretty, Republicans were in disarray. Now, it is the Democrats who are struggling."

Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, joins me now.

All right. Julian, how did we get to this point in the situation?

JULIAN ZELIZER, HISTORIAN & PROFESSOR, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: It seems on the Republican side the tensions have been much weaker in some ways than were expected.

[16:40:04] The no Trump movement has proven to be pretty thin, and many Republicans are responding to the electoral wins.

CABRERA: Are politicians being politicians --

ZELIZER: It's part. And I think a lot of it with Trump is about his personality more than just his policies, and so, I think people are settling in. Whereas I think on the Democratic side, you have a debate over principle. I think that's what is driving the Sanders campaign. And there's a lot of Democrats who are not willing to concede so quickly.

CABRERA: In part, do you think it's because Hillary Clinton made mistakes?

ZELIZER: Yes, I mean, that is an aspect of it. Ultimately, a lot of this depends on the strength of the leading nominee. She's made a series of mistakes, and she's not figured out how to bring it to an end, and, obviously, the report on the e-mail comes at a bad time, but it's also I think something deeper.

I think it's an argument about what the Democratic Party should be so Sanders' supporters want to carry this right into the convention.

CABRERA: And he's, in part, hoping to do that by a number of ways, including reversing super delegates who already committed support to Hillary Clinton. But he just, today, new information, has now asked for a couple of people platform committee members to be removed from the convention putting out this press release. I want to read a part of it for our viewers here.

It says, "In a formal credential challenge, Senator Bernie Sanders' campaign Friday asked for the ouster of two aggressive surrogates for Hillary Clinton from key Democratic National Convention Committee." Is this him grasping at straws or do you think this is a smart strategy?

ZELIZER: Well, part of it, he's trying to use his victories just to have leverage about what happens in the convention and just as important, what Hillary Clinton does in the fall campaign. The issues she talks about and who surrounds her. But he's also raising questions about the legitimacy of the whole process, we've seen this throughout and now, we've seen in the convention is almost loaded against everyone and everything I stood for.

So, I think that's a danger for her because she doesn't want to allow this competition to undermine the perception that she is legitimate victor among Democrats.

CABRERA: I spoke with Bob Dole today, and, of course, as you know, 1996, GOP presidential nominee. I asked what he thinks about the Clintons possibly going back to the White House. Let's listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BOB DOLE (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (via telephone): I think Hillary Clinton has a lot of baggage. And while she doesn't admit it, it's there, and I think that's another problem for Hillary Clinton because she's advertising that Bill Clinton will be in charge of the economy, and the economy is probably the number one problem if you really get down to it in the United States, and people want jobs.

They want to find a good-paying job, and that would help Trump with women, of course, everybody, Latinos, whoever might not feel kindly towards him now, but I don't think you can have a shared presidency even though you trust your wife and I assume she trusts him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: He seems to suggest that Bill Clinton would be a liability for Hillary Clinton than an asset.

ZELIZER: Well, it starts by saying Trump has just as much baggage, so that's part of the dynamic of his campaign, enough to fill 30 airplanes. So it's going to affect both sides.

But I do think there's an element of truth. Ultimately, everyone's still waiting for Hillary Clinton to tell voters exactly what she's about, what her vision is, how to guide Americans through an economy that's strong, but troubling.

So, I don't think she can say I will have this person, this person, and this person, including her husband, take care of it. I think what she needs to do in the next few months is say, this is exactly what I'm going to do, this is the vision out, and that will be the most compelling thing she can say.

CABRERA: And e-mails -- are those going to be major, major problem for her as it continues to pop up?

ZELIZER: Well, it's a problem. We'll see if it escalates, but, already, this week, this is not what she wanted to be talking about, and she's trying to figure out what the best response is, and what we've heard in the last few days is her admitting a little more. This was a mistake. I shouldn't have done this, this isn't any kind of criminal action, and let's move forward.

I think she's trying to figure out that message. She needs to, though, because it's in the news and, you know, Democrats and Republicans are talking about it.

CABRERA: Yes.

Julian Zelizer, thanks so much for being here.

ZELIZER: Thank you.

CABRERA: And offering your spin on this.

The laundry detergent commercials usually do not generate a whole lot of news or controversy. This ad is the exception, called by some the most racist commercial ever. We'll explain the outrage and we'll talk more about it, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:48:34] CABRERA: It's sparking outrage and controversy. No, it is not a political attack. This is a laundry detergent commercial. Some call it the most racist ad ever.

Our Matt Rivers shows us why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this advertisement has created quite the storm in China with many people online calling the commercial for a type of laundry detergent unequivocally racist, and once you see it, it's not hard to see why.

The ad features a Chinese woman and a black man flirting. He strides over to her, and when he leans in for a kiss, she pops a detergent capsule in his mouth and she throws him in the machine. Waits for bit, he opens the washing machine a bit a later, a smiling Chinese man pops out to the woman's apparent delight.

It is incredibly offensive and has sparked backlash across the world and on Chinese social media.

One user wrote, quote, "My God, don't Chinese marketing people get any education about race?"

Another wrote, quote, "If you don't understand why it's racist, congratulations, you're a racist."

The ad appears to be a blatant rip-off of a similarly criticized Italian laundry commercial from the 2000s. A slim Italian man is washed with, quote, "colored detergent" and emerges a muscular black man with a slogan, quote, "color is better".

A large number of Africans live here in China, particularly in the southern province of Guangdong.

[16:50:04] There have long been complaints of prejudice against people with darker skin across the country.

CNN reached out to the company behind the ad, Qiaobi, but received no response.

Matt Rivers, CNN, Beijing.

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CABRERA: All right, thanks for that. So much to talk about in that ad. Let's bring in CNN's political commentator and host of BET News, Marc Lamont Hill.

Marc, I'm wondering what's going on through your mind?

MARC LAMONT HILL, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You know, I watched that a few times, and honestly, I expected it not to be a big a deal as people said it was. When I saw it, all I can say is, wow, that was pretty racist. Maybe not the most racist ever, we've got a long history of racism in this country, but it was visceral. My reaction was visceral.

It was painful to watch. It was difficult to watch. It was so blatantly racist that it's unimaginable that the creators of it can't see the racial dimensions of this.

CABRERA: Well, the detergent company gets attention for the ad. Do you think maybe that's maybe part of why they did that?

HILL: Perhaps. Some people believe that no publicity is bad, but I think when you begin an international boycott, when you people just really strongly critiquing the product in full public view, it may be bad publicity for them. I don't think they anticipated the type of response globally that they got, but we live in the world of digital media, digital social media.

So, you can't have an ad like this and not expect extraordinary backlash, and that's what the are seeing now.

CABRERA: An ad like this would not fly in the U.S. What does that say about the racial divide in China?

HILL: Well, first, let's not romanticize the U.S. We had very, very racist ads, from everything from soft drinks to Willie Horton ads in the '80s, you know, when Michael Dukakis was running against George H.W. Bush. So, we have a long history of racism in this country.

But there is a racial divide in China, and I think part of it is that many people don't recognize that African people, black people are everywhere. There are black people in China right now in the southern region who deal with anti-black racism. And so, an ad like this is not just a product of people not knowing about black people or China being in its own bubble, no, this is a reaction to racism in the country. There's a racial divide everywhere. White supremacy is ubiquitous in this world.

CABRERA: Well, Marc Lamont Hill, we thank you for joining us and talking about it.

HILL: Pleasure.

CABRERA: Well, this next story really a human interest story written all over it. Who isn't curious to see where the president and his family live after days in the White House? We learned the family has leased a swanky Washington home, and we're going to take you inside it next.

Plus, coming up at the top of the hour, a CNN exclusive. We will hear from former presidential nominee, Bob Dole, and who he thinks Trump's running mate should be.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DOLE: One like Newt Gingrich and, you know, none of us are perfect, but Newt Gingrich I think is a good fit for Trump because he can help him in all those areas and then Trump has to listen. You know, you got to have some people you trust if you're the candidate that you can confide in and they can tell you, Donald, you're making a mistake. You shouldn't do this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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[16:57:01] CABRERA: Washington's most famous family is moving. The Obamas will soon be packing up at the White House and reportedly moving into a mansion in one of Washington D.C.'s most exclusive neighborhoods.

CNN's Brian Todd has more.

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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It may be about as close to feeling like you live in the White House as a former president can get. A grand foyer with marble flooring, a gourmet kitchen with hardwood floors and six-burner stove, an expansive fenced in backyard.

This swanky multimillion dollar mansion in one of Washington's most desired neighborhoods may be the post-presidential home of Barack and Michelle Obama. Tonight, neither the first couple nor White House will confirm if the Obamas have signed the lease on the nine bedroom, eight and a half bath brick Tudor.

But sources tell CNN they have settled on a home in Washington's upscale Kalorama neighborhood.

The president has said they'll stay in Washington for a couple years after leaving the White House to accommodate his younger daughter.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Cause, transferring someone in the middle of high school would really be, tough.

TODD: The house was sold in 2014 for more than $5 million and it's now owned by Joel Lockhart, who was White House press secretary under Bill Clinton. Lockhart wouldn't comment on the reports first made by "Politico" that he is leasing to the Obamas for an estimated rental price of $22,000 a month, but experts say it's the kind of property a president would want.

Woodrow Wilson lived in this neighborhood. Hillary Clinton owns a house nearby. The house also has an au pair suite, which could accommodate Marion Robinson, Michelle Obama's mother. She's lived with the family at the White House.

But there are some features that may have to change in order for the Secret Service to continue to protect Mr. Obama.

ANTHONY CHAPA, FORMER SECRET SERVICE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: The door should be made bulletproof door, just as if it were an embassy. And the glass, the glass presents a problem, and one way of addressing it is putting ballistic panes behind the architecture that's here.

TODD: Former Secret Service official Anthony Chapa once protected former Vice President Al Gore who live nearby. He says Secret Service officers will be posted outside this house, sometimes even in the wooded area across the street.

Other adjustments?

(on camera): Even these are a big security issue, right?

CHAPA: It presents a challenge, that's for sure, because what is under it. It says sewer. Where does the sewer flow? And the fact that it's right in front of the door. So, an evaluation will be made, do we need to open these and inspect them, shut down, do we weld them shut, or maybe we work with the city to move this.

TODD (voice-over): Even the neighbors will come under the security umbrella.

CHAPA: We would actually need to know who is sleeping in these bedrooms up here.

TODD (on camera): Why? The neighbors? Why?

CHAPA: We want to know what is going on in those, and want to inform them, want to inform us. You know, they're going to be witnesses to those things.

TODD (voice-over): Tonight, the Secret Service won't comment on whether it's studying how to protect this house or how much it would cost the taxpayers.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

CABRERA: You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM on this Saturday Memorial Day weekend. I'm Ana Cabrera in New York, thanks for being here.

We begin with some breaking news, former Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole making headlines today.