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Game On for Clinton, Trump in General Election; Obama to Meet Sanders Prior to Clinton Endorsement; Clinton's All-Important Choice of Running Mate. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired June 8, 2016 - 13:30   ET

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


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[13:32:55] WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: It's game-on for Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Each used part of their victory speeches last night to launch attacks at the other. Hillary Clinton talked about building bridges instead of walls and basically referred to Donald Trump as a bully, while Trump announced he'll have a major speech perhaps as early as Monday aimed directly at both Clintons.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & CEO, TRUMP ORGANIZATION: The Clintons have turned the politics of personal enrichment into an art form for themselves.

(CHEERING)

TRUMP: They've made hundreds of millions of dollars selling access, selling favors, selling government contracts, and I mean hundreds of millions of dollars. Secretary Clinton even did all of the work on a totally illegal private server, something that, how she's getting away with, folks, nobody understands, designed to keep her corrupt dealings out of the public record, putting the security of the entire country at risk.

CLINTON: We want an America where everyone is treated with respect, and where their work is valued.

(CHEERING)

CLINTON: It's clear that Donald Trump doesn't believe we are stronger together. He has abused his primary opponents and their families, attacked the press for asking tough questions, denigrated Muslims and immigrants. He wants to win by stoking fear and rubbing salt in wounds, and reminding us daily just how great he is.

(LAUGHTER)

(SHOUTING)

CLINTON: I well, we believe we should lift each other up, not tear each other down.

(CHEERING) (END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Joining us our senior White House correspondent, Jim Acosta; and our senior Washington correspondent, Jeff Zeleny.

Jim, what do we know about the promised attack by Donald Trump against the Clintons, both of them, the former president and the current presumptive nominee, is this the sort of rebuttal to her anti-Trump foreign policy speech last week?

[13:35:18] JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I think it is, Wolf. And you heard Donald Trump really warming up the pipes for that speech last night during that address to his supporter in Westchester County, New York. I'm talking to Republican sources all morning long, Wolf, and they're saying this speech he plans to deliver probably Monday, as he put it last night, sounds like early next week, is the speech that people inside the Republican party have been clamoring for and waiting for. They've seen Donald Trump really squander these last few weeks. And he basically clinched the nomination a month ago and spent the last month stumbling all over himself. Most in particular, this case of Judge Gonzalo Curiel. I talked to a Trump advisor last night and he said this speech delivered on teleprompter, heavily scripted, Paul Manafort, much more careful than Corey Lewandowski, that speech was seen as very important because of, quote, "some bad days that they've had" during the course of this Curiel controversy.

At the same time, I talked to another Trump insider, Wolf, who feels like Paul Manafort is finally getting through to Donald Trump, this conference call where he criticizing Judge Curiel. But from what I am understanding talking to people is that Donald Trump not only talking to Paul Manafort more but also in contact with the RNC chair, Reince Priebus. He's spent the afternoon with Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey. So it sounds like a team of people have been coming together, trying to get through to Donald Trump and hammer home that message he has to get off these personal attacks and start going after Hillary Clinton. That is his opponent this fall, and not Judge Curiel.

BLITZER: Let's talk about the Democratic side, Jeff, her first order of business now, Hillary Clinton, now that she's the presumptive Democratic nominee.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: First and foremost, it's unifying this party. That was really a central theme throughout her speech last night in Brooklyn, which I thought one of the stronger speeches she's given of this cycle here, but a theme stronger together. We heard her say over and over, stronger together, and that means, I need your help, Bernie Sanders supporters. Please help me join together and defeat Donald Trump. So I think this unity thing is the first order of business here.

And the White House is somewhat helpful in that and the president has been involved. He'll get more involved here. But beyond that, the Clinton campaign is really analyzing everything Donald Trump is saying, and seeing if there will be different battlegrounds and reassessing the map right now. And also starting to or continuing to look for a running mate, something she's not spent a lot of time, I'm told, on until now, but something she'll have to do. So a full plate here but also still kind of keeping one eye on Bernie Sanders, what is he going to do?

BLITZER: We're they really disappoint last night he wasn't more gracious in conceding? He didn't concede. He said he's continuing this fight.

ZELENY: I don't think they were disappointed because we have to remember, and Secretary Clinton remembers more than anyone, eight years ago, she did not give that famous speech on the night of the primaries. She gave it four days later and told people to give him space. I think they will give him space but there's only so long they can go on that. But they do believe that signals are getting behind the scenes that this is coming together but it's a process and takes a while.

BLITZER: Jim, how does he go about, Donald Trump, uniting his party right now? The criticism he got from Republican leaders here in Washington yesterday over his comments involving the federal judge, that was really stunning.

ACOSTA: Absolutely. It's unprecedented to have the speaker of the House, Senate majority leader both condemning the comments of the presumptive GOP nominee. A sitting United States Senator, Mark Kirk from Illinois, even though he's endangered Republican in a competitive race, he abandoned ship yesterday. And the question I'm hearing from people inside the Trump campaign, Wolf -- I talked to a key insider -- is which Donald Trump are we going to see next? The scripted Donald Trump on the teleprompter who's toning things down or go back to being undisciplined with these sort of ad homonym attacks. One Trump insider described it, Wolf, will it be Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde? That's the question in the coming week, can Donald Trump tone it down and keep it toned down -- Wolf?

[13:39:35] BLITZER: We'll see if it happens Monday or Tuesday, whenever it happens, if it's one of these scripted teleprompter speeches or more off-the-cuff, which is his usual style.

Guys, thanks very much.

Coming up, President Obama preparing for a sit-down with Bernie Sanders at the White House tomorrow. The new details we're learning about what he'll tell the Vermont Senator before giving Hillary Clinton his expected very robust endorsement.

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BLITZER: President Obama called Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders last night to offer congratulations on their campaigns. The statement from the White House press office said -- and I'm quoting now -- "The president congratulated Secretary Clinton for securing the delegates necessary to clinch the Democratic nomination for president. Her historic campaign inspired millions and it is an extension of her lifelong fight for middle class families and children." The state then added -- and I'm quoting again -- "The president thanks Senator Sanders for energizing millions of Americans with his commitment to issues like fighting economic inequality and special-interest influences on our politics."

Joining us now, our White House correspondent, Michelle Kosinski.

Michelle, now that Hillary Clinton is the presumptive Democratic nominee, when will the president go out there publicly, enthusiastically, endorse her and begin campaigning for her?

[13:45:10] MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf. This is one of the cases you could see, can almost feel the delicate dance at play here. This is still very much a work in progress for the White House. We've known for a long time the president is more than ready to get out there and rally Democrats for Hillary Clinton. Now she has the delegates she needs.

But there are two more things at play. First, Bernie Sanders is still in this race and talking about continuing the fight. And now he's requested this meeting with President Obama tomorrow here at the White House. So this is going to be a pivotal conversation. We expect it to be long. The president wants to hear Sanders out. And they are going to truly hash out a way forward. But if Sanders decides to stay in the race much longer, we're talking weeks or more, maybe even to the convention, don't necessarily expect the president to wait on his endorsement. The White House has been all about aiming for tact and good timing, inclusiveness in this, respect for the process. So what they might do is a rolled out endorsement. Before you see the big campaign-style event, side by side with Hillary Clinton, they might do something a little softer, maybe rolling something out on social media. The White House, remember, doesn't want to alienate those Sanders voters, far from it. They want to bring them in -- Wolf?

BLITZER: They need that enthusiastic Bernie Sanders support team, especially a lot of young people who really, really went out there and tried to help him.

Thank you very much, Michelle, for that report.

Coming up, Hillary Clinton certainly faces another big decision after making history. Who will she pick as her vice presidential running mate? I'll speak with a prominent Clinton supporter, Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota about the rumors she possibly could be on the short list. She's smiling, she's shaking her head. We'll discuss when we come back.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[13:50:55] CLINTON: Thanks to you, we've reached a milestone. The first time --

(CHEERING)

CLINTON: The first time in our nation's history that a woman will be a major party's nominee. (CHEERING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Couldn't even hear the end of what she said, but you get the point. Hillary Clinton, noting the historic nature of this election now that she has the delegates necessary to get the Democratic nomination for president of the United States.

Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota is joining us now.

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR, (D), MINNESOTA: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: She's a major supporter of Secretary Clinton.

Let me get it out of the way, first of all, have there been any discussions about you possibly being her running mate?

KLOBUCHAR: I have not discussed that with anyone in the campaign. And she has so many great people to talk to about that. And I think, in the end, coming from the state a Vice President Mondale, Vice President Humphrey, I know that Hillary will make her own decision based on who she thinks she can trust. I do think it will be good, given the Trump candidacy and the other side, that we have someone who is optimistic about our country and carries on this message that we need to bring the country together.

BLITZER: But you would be interested, obviously, if she asked?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, that has not happened and I love my job right now. So I think what I wanted to talk about was her incredible speech last night and the journey ahead where she really, you know, she really turned a chapter, not only in her campaign but for America by being the first woman to head up a ticket. When you think about it, all through history, this has never happened before on a major party ticket. And --

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Why has it taken -- why has it taken the United States so long, because, as you know, a lot of other democracies for decades have had women as political leaders?

KLOBUCHAR: We've had trouble all down the line. You have the rare women governors in this country, Senators, 1800, 1900 Senators in the history of America, only 46 are women. It's not just in the presidency. And I think part of this has been American politics has been dominated by a lot of men. You have the fact that they often pass it on to each other. We've had a lot of money in our politics in our country, and it's been a macho sport, and that changed last night.

BLITZER: Obviously, an exciting moment for you when you got that official word that she was the presumptive nominee, and the president acknowledged that as well.

There was this. I'm going to play it for you, Senator. There's a lot of work that Secretary Clinton has to do now to unite the Democratic Party. She's called on Democrats, obviously, to be with her, but last night, when Bernie Sanders mentioned her name, I want you to listen what happened at that crowd in California. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: Tonight I had a very gracious call from Secretary Clinton and congratulated her on her victories tonight.

(BOOING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: You heard the boos at the very end there. What was your reaction when -- I know you listened to the speeches. What was your reaction to the boos?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, I stayed up to watch that speech and I think it's not that unexpected when you have someone -- his supporters here, at the end of a long road. They wanted him to win. And if you notice, to me it was key, as I recall at 1:00 in the morning last night, that Senator Sanders kind of puts his hand up, no, no, no, don't say that. He didn't encourage that or go after her. He just went on with his message. And I have faith in Senator Sanders. He's a friend. We came into the Senate together. And when he says he'll unify behind our candidate and he said that for months, he means it. When he says he doesn't want Donald Trump as the next president, he means it. And I think just allowing him some time here. And I think what's most important to me is not when he does this, it's the words, because it's very clear that his supporters are going to hear from him and need to hear from him so that they will be cheering for Secretary Clinton just as they have cheered for Bernie Sanders?

BLITZER: Are you worried about Donald Trump's speech as early as Monday next week? He says he's really going to go after both Clintons?

KLOBUCHAR: You know what, we've had 10 months of that and he's thrown a bunch of mud out there. That's what he does. And it's certainly not just against the Clintons. I think there's a list in the "Washington Post" of 230-some people he's attacked on Twitter, and institutions that he's attacked, and that ranges from the pope to a distinguished federal judge from California. He just never stops.

[13:55:28] So I think what was really key to me was Secretary Clinton's speech last week in San Diego, that tremendous speech, where she really laid out not what did Donald Trump said today in a tweet or who did he call fat today, it wasn't that. What she did was thematically take on the fact that if we want to have a strong America, we have to invest in America, and not have a plan that adds $30 trillion to the debt like he's proposed. If we want a secure America, we can't be out there proposing, as he's done, nuclear weapons for Japan and Saudi Arabia. And if we want to have a united America -- and my favorite part last night was when she said the Pledge of Allegiance and talked about "one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all" -- we can't have the kind of rhetoric we're hearing from him to divide America.

BLITZER: Senator, we've got to leave it there, but let's continue this conversation in the weeks and months to come.

Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Thanks very much for joining us.

KLOBUCHAR: Great to be on. Thank you.

BLITZER: That's it for me. Thanks very much for watching.

The news continues right after a quick break.

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