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Interview with Senator Richard Blumenthal; GOP Critical of Trump; White House Orlando Trip; Jury To Consider Charging Gunman's Wife; Over 14 Hour Filibuster. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired June 16, 2016 - 13:00   ET

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


ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: As we watch the president depart, Air Force One in the -- now in the background of this -- of this image you're now seeing. I'm going to turn things over to my colleague, Wolf Blitzer.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks very much. I'm Wolf Blitzer. It's 1:00 p.m. here in Washington. Wherever you're watching from around the world, thanks very much for joining us.

Only moments ago, President Obama touched down in Orlando, Florida, coming to the scene of yet another mass shooting. This one at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando where 49 people were gunned down, making it the worst single-shooter mass killing in United States history. You see the president walking down the stairs from Air Force One landing in Orlando only moments ago.

The president and the vice president, Joe Biden, they will both visit this hour with family members of some of those victims as well as with some survivors of that terror attack. They will also speak with law enforcement and medical professionals. We expect to hear from the president later today from Orlando. We will, of course, bring you his remarks.

One of the victims being remembered today is Eric Ortiz-Rivera, a 36- year-old newlywed who came to Florida from Puerto Rico looking for a better life. He's being laid to rest today as families begin the process of burying their loved ones, 49 loved ones.

We have a team of reporters covering the story for us. Our CNN Correspondent Boris Sanchez is on the scene. Our White House Correspondent Michelle Kosinski is at the White House. Our Senior Investigative Correspondent Drew Griffin is in Florida as well.

Boris, the White House says this will be an emotional trip for the president. What's his schedule?

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Wolf. Yes, the president, as you just saw, arriving moments ago. At about 1:30, he's set to meet with the families of victims and survivors of this brutal attack on early Sunday morning.

The White House, as you said, saying this is an emotional trip. It's also a trip that the president is very familiar with. He's made similar trips like this before, most recently in San Bernardino, and in Charleston last year, and, of course, Newtown, Connecticut. So, it's not something that he's unfamiliar with.

The White House, yesterday, describing the president as a symbol of the American people. And so, what he's trying to do here is show comfort and support to those who really need it most right now. Essentially, they're saying that he's going to be meeting with not only the families and victims and survivors, but also with surgeons and doctors and nurses that tended to those that were wounded. And also, he's meeting with law enforcement and first responders who were on the scene when all of this happened.

One interesting note, Wolf. As you saw the president arrived on Air Force One with Senator Marco Rubio and a representative from central Florida, Corrine Brown, the idea here is to show solidarity, despite political differences, to show that they are united in this message to the community here in Orlando. That the country is standing by them at a time where they desperately need some help and morale -- Wolf.

BLITZER: You know, Michelle, Boris makes a good point. This has been a frequent -- unfortunately, a frequent occurrence for the president. He's often, over these years, had to take on the role of comforter in chief. This is a role he certainly doesn't want. But he's -- he does it on so many occasions and certainly it will affect his legacy down the road. Talk a little bit about behind-the-scenes, what drives the president in moments like.

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: You sense the emotion palpably whenever the president speaks about these, I think, what we've seen over the years. Again, he's made these trips nine times before today for mass shootings. We've heard him speak in the briefing room and elsewhere just following them so many times.

And each time, he kind of steps up -- steps up that emotion. And we've seen him grow increasingly angry and frustrated. We've seen the president shed tears over these mass shootings when he was talking about meeting with families of the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre.

So, the president has tried, increasingly, to get the point across, in his view, that Congress needs to do more. He has tried to take executive action a number of times. I mean, he's had more than two dozen executive orders while he's been in president -- while he's been in office. But those only go so far. I mean, some would say that they really don't do much at all. Some have been called toothless. Some require congressional approval that doesn't come.

So, it's been difficult for him to try to get his agenda accomplished in the area of gun control or more research on shootings. We've seen him try time and time again. What's been hard, of course, not just in this area but in other areas, is trying to build consensus, trying to find a compromise to get more done.

Now, there's another opportunity to do that. We see Congress trying to come up with a compromise, at least in the area of keeping people who are on a terror watch list from easily getting their hands on weapons. So, that could potentially be one of the accomplishments that the White House will be able to claim. [13:05:03] But he's described it as one of his biggest frustrations, that this has been such a stalemate in the U.S. And I think some more of that emotion is absolutely going to come across today. But it gets to the point, Wolf, where these things keep happening and the president expresses more and more anger and frustration that comes across quite powerfully, at times.

I mean, it is surprising to see the president of the United States shed tears during a speech on this topic. But then, what more really can he do? What more really can he say?

And the White House is aware of that. There's only so much anger and frustration that will come across in an address. And, of course, you know, the upshot if that is what action then would that spark if any.

So, it'll be interesting to see about 4:00 today, after the president has these very private, very emotional meetings. What does he say to the American people? Is it going similar to what we had -- we've heard before? Or is he going to take this, in some way, a step further -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, good point.

Drew, each day, there seem to be a lot more details about the shooter, the events leading up to the attack. I know you're working your sources. You're getting new information. What are you learning?

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: Information on what may be another potential missed warning sign. We know that four or five weeks ago, Omar Mateen attempted to buy body armor at a gun store about 15 miles from his home which is behind me.

But now, we're learning from one of the store managers there that the store became suspicious and four or five weeks ago, Wolf, alerted law enforcement to this person who came in and was on a cell phone, they said, speaking what sounded like Arabic when he was asking to buy body armor. We have not been able to confirm which law enforcement agency they contacted.

But, again, this is part of a growing body of evidence that all along the line, going back years, there have been warning signs of what this person might be up to -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And what about, Drew, the wife of the terrorist, Noor Salman? How long before we know whether this grand jury that has now convened might consider, might actually recommend charges?

GRIFFIN: Well, you know, she's not going anywhere. She's, apparently, no threat to anybody. And we've heard that they are going take their time presenting whatever kind of charges they are asking for.

But it seemed to have taken a little turn for the worse for Miss Salman yesterday when it -- she seemed to have conflicted herself. She now says, or is reportedly telling authorities, that when her husband left this home on Saturday, she had suspicions he might be heading for -- to attack.

That is different than what she has told before that she knew he was planning some sort of attack, that she was trying to dissuade him. But she had no idea about the planned attack in Orlando. This, I believe, ramps up the potential case against her that she is now changing her story to investigators, at least that's what our sources are telling us.

BLITZER: All right. Boris and Michelle and Drew, guys, thanks very much. We'll, of course, get back to you.

When it comes to the debate over gun control, following the attack, Democrats are declaring at least a bit of a victory. They say Republicans have now promised to vote on two important pieces of legislation following yesterday's nearly 15-hour filibuster. That filibuster was led by Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut. That's the same state where 20 children and six adults were shot and killed in the Sandy Hook massacre. Murphy recalled the tragedy throughout his more than 14 hours on the Senate floor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D), CONNECTICUT: Yet we just persist this week as if it's business as usual. Why did you sign up for this job if you're not prepared to use it to try to solve big problems? And we are right on the precipice of getting to the point in this country where we accept this level of gun violence, of gun homicide as just a normal facet of life in this country.

I want to introduce you to Dylan Christopher Jack Hockley who, in this picture, is age six. He idolized a woman named Ann Marie Murphy. Ann Marie Murphy was his special education teacher.

When Adam Lanza walked into that classroom, instead of hiding, instead of panicking, Ann Marie Murphy found Dillon Hockley. If Ann Marie Murphy could do that, then ask yourself, what can you do to make sure that Orlando or Sandy Hook never ever happens again?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Joining us now is Senator Richard Blumenthal also from Connecticut. He asked Senator Murphy several lengthy questions to help give him a break over the course of that lengthy filibuster overnight.

Senator, thanks very much for joining us.

[13:10:03] SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D), CONNECTICUT: Thank you.

BLITZER: As you know, Republicans have now promised to vote on two measures that would expand background checks, stop those on the terror watch list from being able to buy guns. Do you think those votes will actually take place any time soon?

BLUMENTHAL: I think they will take place as early as Tuesday. I was very, very proud to be on the Senate floor for the full close to 15 hours that the filibuster proceeded. And it had an effect. It got attention from our Republican colleagues who were in the majority. And we have a path towards a vote. I can't predict what the outcome is going to be. But at least it will not be business as usual.

Remember, when we arrived here on Monday, it was going routine consideration of an appropriation bill for commerce, justice and science. We have a commitment to a path forward on those votes.

BLITZER: In order to pass that legislation in the Senate, will you need a simple majority, 51, or will you need 60?

BLUMENTHAL: We probably will need 60 votes which, obviously, increases the difficulty. But I think we're really at a tipping point, Wolf. Orlando crystallized and galvanized not just the president again, and he has become, in a way, the comforter in chief, but also the American people.

The reaction to this filibuster was really uniquely overwhelming. The communications to my office, as well as Senator Murphy and Senator Booker, we all worked as a team on this effort, was very, very powerful.

So, I think we have a decent chance and a growing chance because our colleagues are going to look at themselves in the mirror and look at their constituents in the eye this November.

BLITZER: Even if it passes, though, and you get that 60-vote majority in the U.S. Senate, it's got to go the House of Representatives.

I want to you listen to what the speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, said just a little while ago about banning people on the terror watch list from buying guns. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. PAUL RYAN (R), U.S. SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: We want to make sure that something like this doesn't happen again. Everybody wants that. But as we look at how to proceed, we also want to make sure that we're not infringing upon people's legitimate constitutional rights.

As the FBI director just told us the other day, and I think he said this publicly, if we do this wrong, like the president is proposing, we could actually blow our ongoing terrorist investigations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: But because the FBI director, as you know -- and you're a former attorney general in the state of Connecticut. What he said is that if there are individuals on that terror watch list and they go and want to purchase a gun and they're denied the opportunity to buy a gun, that may -- they may then realize that they've been spotted and they're no longer going able -- the FBI won't be able to do to them what they were trying to do, find them in the act. Do you understand the concerns that the FBI director has which were reflected by the speaker today? BLUMENTHAL: I understand that concern well, not only as a former attorney general of my state, Connecticut, but also as a former federal prosecutor, the U.S. attorney. And that is exactly why, Wolf, we have built into the legislative proposal discretion on the part of the attorney general of the United States to pursue or not a barrier to that terrorist buying a weapon.

Remember, we're talking about a fact-based, evidence-based determination by the attorney general of the United States that that person is engaged in or preparing to do terrorist activity. And there is a right of appeal. There's a due process but also a discretion on the part of the attorney general whether to proceed or simply to investigate that individual and avoid premature disclosure. So, that is very definitely a concern that is addressed.

BLITZER: Because it's a -- it's a real sensitive matter, if you go ahead and you tip off someone who's under investigation for possible terror activities and undermines an entire investigation. It's, obviously, a very, very delicate matter you've got to deal with, right?

BLUMENTHAL: It is. But, Wolf, equally so is the concern that somebody who is supported or inspired by ISIS or some other enemy abroad is going to do harm to as many as 49 innocent individuals. And that individual, in this case, could have been stopped. We can't say, with certainty, whether he would have been.

But if that individual had been on a terrorist watch list, if the FBI had continued the investigation, and if he had been stopped from buying that firearm with the law that we're proposing, 49 people might still be alive today. And that is a real concern as well.

[13:15:07] BLITZER: It certainly is. All right, Senator, thanks so much for joining us.

BLUMENTHAL: Thank you.

BLITZER: Senator Blumenthal of Connecticut.

Up next, Donald Trump says he'll go it alone without GOP leaders, if necessary, but why aren't members of his own party lining up to give him the support he obviously wants. We're going to take a closer look.

Also, let's take a live look right now at the scene in New York, at the 9/11 Memorial, as they hold a ceremony to remember and honor victims of the mass shooting in Orlando. They now have a moment of silence.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Today marks the one year anniversary of Donald Trump's candidacy, and what a year it's been. He's gone from punchline to presumptive presidential nominee. From riding down the grand escalator at Trump Tower in Manhattan, to now metaphorically riding on the shoulders of millions of Americans cheering his every move. But not all Republicans are cheering or coming to his defense. Many of

the party faithful in Washington are just wondering what he'll say next. We've seen it this week with Trump talking tough on - in the wake of the Orlando terror attack. He's taken plenty of shots from President Obama, presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, both of whom called Trump's ideas dangerous. But as our Manu Raju reports, Donald Trump has been forced to fight back alone without the usual chorus of the Republican cavalry.

[13:20:24] (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. RON JOHNSON (R), WISCONSIN: Thank you.

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER (voice-over): Senator Ron Johnson, who is facing a tough re-election battle in Wisconsin, just three months ago welcomed Donald Trump.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Will you stump with Trump?

JOHNSON: Stump with Trump? Just because it rhymes. I don't know what else -

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would you - would you do it?

JOHNSON: It would be the Ronald, the Donald. You know, I mean we can get all kinds of rhymes out of this thing.

RAJU: Today, he's changed his tune.

RAJU (on camera): Are you feeling any more comfortable with the prospects of Donald Trump as your nominee?

JOHNSON: Oh, I wouldn't say that's necessarily the case.

RAJU (voice-over): The anxiety now shows Trump has struggled to unite his party despite being the presumptive nominee since May. While Hillary Clinton gets daily support from Democratic leaders, there's a deafening silence from Trump's own party.

RAJU (on camera): Why have you not endorsed Donald Trump?

SEN. LAMAR ALEXANDER (R), TENNESSEE: I'm going to endorse the Republican nominee when we have one. The Republican Convention is in July. It's the job of the convention to nominate the president of the United States.

RAJU: You don't think that he - he may be the nominee?

ALEXANDER: I'm not sure.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Trump.

RAJU (voice-over): Many Republicans are angry that Trump's habit of making controversial remarks has overshadowed their agenda, making their own re-election races even harder.

RAJU (on camera): Why haven't you endorsed him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just disagree with his tone. I just don't think, you know, his tone as far as Hispanics, his tone to women, and, quite frankly, his tone to veterans.

RAJU (voice-over): After Trump said that an American judge could not rule fairly in the case against him because of the judge's Mexican roots -

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He needs to focus on what his policies are - he needs to focus on those and quit spending time bashing judges.

RAJU (on camera): You're not - you're not endorsing him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I'm not endorsing him.

RAJU (voice-over): And Trump's comments have put top Republicans, like Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell, in a tough position as they are pressured to back their party's likely nominee. While Democrats bash Trump daily, the GOP tries to avoid talking about him at all.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: I'm not going to be commenting on the presidential candidate today.

RAJU: The latest Trump controversy, doubling down on his demand to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the U.S. in the aftermath of Sunday's deadly massacre at an Orlando nightclub.

REP. PAUL RYAN (R), HOUSE SPEAKER: I do not think a Muslim ban is in our country's interest.

RAJU (on camera): Do you think there's going to be any effort up here to just completely abandon Trump if he continues to say things like this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, I don't know. I mean I've distanced myself, including on the Muslim ban, a long time ago, on specific issues and I agree with him on other issues.

RAJU (voice-over): The double edge sword, Senate Republicans in difficult re-election races are keeping their distance, but need Trump's voters to support them in November.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to see how this plays out and see if Donald Trump can - can earn the support of Republicans like me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And our senior political reporter, Manu Raju, is joining us live from Capitol Hill right now. Also here with me, our chief political analyst Gloria Borger and Jackie Kucinich, the Washington bureau chief for "The Daily Beast."

Manu, you heard it here yesterday during a live campaign event this hour, Donald Trump saying he was ready to go it alone if necessary if the establishment Republicans won't get behind him publicly and vocally. Can Trump go it alone while Democrats seem to be increasingly coalescing around Hillary Clinton?

RAJU: Well, it's going to be hard. I mean, look, in one school of thought is that the establishment in Washington is not very popular, so who really needs them behind you. But the other school of thought is that, these are the folks that can help unite your party, that can help fundraise for you and create that echo chamber that is absolutely missing for Donald Trump right now. When he says something, folks are not littering the airwaves, pushing his message, pushing his agenda. That is not happening. And we're seeing that on the Democratic side and that does have some effect.

Now, Wolf, Paul Ryan just addressed reporters now, just a short time ago, and I asked him specifically, are you considering rescinding your endorsements at all for Donald Trump given the things that he keeps saying and given the concerns that you keep having with his comments. Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RYAN: That's not my plan. I don't have a plan to do that. Look, we're going to agree to disagree on some things. That's just the way things work. Mitt Romney and I didn't agree on everything. What we do agree on is we don't want another Democratic in the White House, I can tell you that, and we do have a lot of common ground on a lot of things that we think will move us in a better way in this country. We don't agree on that. Everybody knows that. And you also know that - that if some - if I'm asked a question, I'm going to answer it honestly. And if I'm asked a question about a proposal that I don't agree with, I'm going to say I don't agree with it. it's just that simple.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[13:25:01] RAJU: And he also said it's - that's not my plan at the moment to walk away from that Trump endorsements. But clearly, Wolf, the concerns from the Republican leadership, and the things that Donald Trump says overshadows their agenda, overshadows what they're trying to sell to voters, and ultimately undermines their bid to hold on to Congress.

Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. You know, Gloria, you have an important article that you just posted on cnn.com. It raises the possibility of someone else maybe at the convention, the Republican Convention in Cleveland, emerging. Scott Walker, you mentioned his name has come out, the Wisconsin governor. He was the second Republican to drop out of the presidential contest. Explain what you're hearing.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: But this gives you the idea, Wolf, first of all, of how desperate the Republicans are. And I was talking to two sources yesterday who are anti-Trump sources who have direct knowledge of two conversations that Governor Scott Walker had where people raised the issue of would you potentially allow your name to be thrown in the ring, and Walker replied that he was, quote, "intrigued" by the idea. Walker's office, of course, issued to me an immediate denial of his and saying he's only interested in being the governor of Wisconsin. So we don't know if this would - would ever develop, Wolf.

But it does give you a sense of the desperation. You have the Democrats orchestrating a ballet, right? They are so coordinated in their attacks on Donald Trump. You know, the president, Hillary Clinton, the vice president. And then you have a Republican train wreck. I mean look at Manu's piece. I've never seen so many uncomfortable Republicans, senators, trying not to answer a question about whether they support their own nominee.

JACKIE KUCINICH, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, "THE DAILY BEAST": They won't even say his name in some cases.

BORGER: Exactly. Exactly.

KUCINICH: I mean that - that has to be unprecedented. And you're right, there is this - we're seeing this cohesion on the Democratic side. Even between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, you're starting to see that come together. And yet you have Paul Ryan saying, sometimes you can't make this stuff up, when he's asked about Donald Trump going after him and Mitch McConnell still to this day.

BLITZER: Yes, you heard the Republican senator in Manu's piece, Lamar Alexander from Tennessee, saying there is no nominee yet. Let's see what happens after the convention.

BORGER: Well -

BLITZER: And, technically, he's right, there's a presumptive nominee, but the nominee will only be the nominee once that roll call occurs on the floor of the - the convention.

BORGER: You know, and so there are these last-gasp (ph) scenarios. The Walker thing is a last-gasp scenario. That people are kind of spinning out because they're trying to figure out a way to get around Donald Trump. I doubt very much that they are going to be able to do it. The fact that the establishment doesn't like Donald Trump is good for Donald Trump with his base, right? But he has to broaden that base and Republicans are looking at these polls, Wolf. One recent one, 55 percent, a Bloomberg poll, said they would never vote for Donald Trump under any circumstance. Hard to win an election that way.

BLITZER: In fact, let me show some other numbers, disturbing numbers, not just for Trump, but for Hillary Clinton as well. The question of honest - trustworthiness, good judgment, qualities for the candidates. This new CBS News poll, you can see it up there, as far as Hillary Clinton, is she trustworthy, 33 percent say yes, Trump 32 percent. Does she have good judgment, 43 percent say yes as far as Hillary Clinton is concerned, only 25 percent that says Donald Trump has good judgment. Not necessarily - she does a little bit better than him, but they're not glowing for either.

KUCINICH: Yes, it's kind of a race to the bottom when it comes to both of these categories, but I think that's why you see the Clinton campaign just today releasing two new ads that are sort of biographical ads about Hillary Clinton and her work with children, sort of softening her image and really showing that this other - the non-negative part of Hillary Clinton, which they're trying to push out there at this point because, you're right, she hasn't been able to get out from under these honest and trustworthy problems this entire election. So they've got a lot of work to do there.

BLITZER: Both of them, obviously, have a lot of work to do.

KUCINICH: Yes.

BLITZER: Guys, thanks very much, Jackie, Gloria. Manu, thanks to you as well. A good report.

Still to come, the latest on the search for that alligator that snatched a little two-year-old boy. How Disney is now dealing with fall out. We'll have that and more right after this.

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