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Marco Rubio to Seek Reelection to Florida Senate Seat; Trump to Hammer Clinton Over Ethics, E-mail; Clinton Meets with House Dems on Capitol Hill. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired June 22, 2016 - 10:00   ET

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


[10:00:15] CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.

We're following breaking news this morning. Senator Marco Rubio will seek re-election in Florida after his failed presidential bid. And this comes as we follow three other major political events unfolding right now. Any minute now Hillary Clinton will huddle with House Democrats behind closed doors on Capitol Hill. This just one day after she called Trump dangerous for the U.S. economy.

Now Trump will hit back. He is expected to issue a rebuttal later this hour. A source telling CNN Trump will tear into Clinton on issues like her e-mail scandal and immigration. We're also keeping an eye on House Speaker Paul Ryan. He's expected to hold a news conference. The big question, will he weigh in on the war of words between Trump and Clinton?

All right, we've got a lot to cover this morning. We're following all of this with our team of political reporters and experts. Let's begin, though, with CNN's Manu Raju. He's on Capitol Hill. He broke the news about Senator Marco Rubio. What can you tell us?

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right, Carol. What we're hearing is that Marco Rubio has reversed his decision to drop out of the Senate race. Drop out of the Senate, I should say, and retire at year's end. Remember when he ran for the president he made very clear that he was going to be a private citizen come January, if he did not win the White House. That's something he said hundreds of times on the campaign trail.

But he has come under relenting -- unrelenting pressure from Republican leaders here on Capitol Hill since he dropped out of that presidential race saying that look, you're the only one who can keep the seat for the Republicans. This is a critical seat and a very expensive state at a time when the Senate majority could easily flip to the Democrats if Florida goes to the Democrats. That is something that he has heard increasingly in the last three weeks in particular.

So Marco Rubio went home, talked about it with his family over weekend. What we're told from a source familiar with Marco Rubio's decision that he is going to jump back into the race, jump -- run for the Senate. A big decision that has major implications for control of the Senate, for the Florida Senate seat and for frankly Marco Rubio's own political career. He's still young, he still has a chance potentially one day to run for president again if he wants to, which I'm told that he certainly does.

So how that impacts, that will be interesting to shake out. But I should say Democrats have told me that they are prepared for this race. They're going to spend a lot of money against Marco Rubio for one big reason. They believe that they knock him out in November potentially that takes him off the table for being president ever in having a chance to win the White House. So this is going to be intense focus over the next several months here as Marco Rubio making really a major decision that will shake up the race for the Senate later this fall -- Carol.

COSTELLO: This has been an amazing political season, I'll tell you that. Actually you're on Capitol Hill to talk about Hillary Clinton because she's going to meet with Democratic House members today for a sort of a political pep rally of sorts.

RAJU: Yes, that's right. And as we were expecting here momentarily, we have not seen Secretary Clinton yet but she's supposed -- we heard that she may be stuck in traffic if you can believe it. So she's going to be here. And House Democrats are gathering here. It is going to be a pep rally. I mean --

(AUDIO MISSING/DEFECTIVE)

[10:06:56] HILARY ROSEN, CLINTON SUPPORTER: -- running a campaign, you know, in lockstep with a lot of these House members is going to be more important than ever. So I think you're going to see a huge amount of enthusiasm for her, not just as the first woman nominee, somebody that a lot of them know very well but actually as somebody who can really make a difference in turning over the Congress.

COSTELLO: So let's talk about turning over Congress for just a second. I know it's on the Senate side, S.E., but Marco Rubio has decided to run for re-election. How much does that have to do with Donald Trump?

S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: A lot. I mean, I think Republicans are very nervous about having Donald Trump at the top of the ticket, retaining the Senate. It's looking tough especially for people like Pat Toomey, Kelly Ayotte, Mark Kirk. Republicans in some purplish states. Now Florida is a swing state and Republicans have a much better chance with Marco Rubio running for Senate in a general election of holding that seat.

Now I think it's a lot of risk and very little reward as Manu pointed out. If Marco Rubio doesn't win this race, I think he's pretty banged up. That doesn't mean he can't recover and run for president one day but that's not really the way you want to -- you want to go out. And I think you could make the argument that becoming a private citizen for a term, working in the private sector for a term, staying out of the mess of the Senate could position him better for a future run.

But look, if he can pull this off and save Florida for Republicans, the Senate seat for Republicans, then he's something of a hero going into the next six-year term or four-year or three-year term if he decides to run for president in four years. COSTELLO: Interesting. So, Alice, in -- was it the Quinnipiac poll

-- I'm asking my EP Michelle, I think it was Quinnipiac. It was a poll that came out yesterday, Hillary Clinton is way ahead in Florida by, what, six to nine points, is that correct?

So, Alice, that has to worry Republicans, right? And so hence please, Senator Rubio, run.

ALICE STEWART, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I think -- I think Marco Rubio obviously has been struggling with this decision but what we're going to see is a concentrated effort on the part of the GOP. We'll probably hear Paul Ryan talk about that right now from the RNC headquarters. There's going to be a concentrated effort not just for bringing voters out for the presidential race but down ballot, for the House and Senate races and governor and statewide races.

But here's the focus. A lot of these polls right now, they are -- it's so far out. They are not significant. And what we're seeing now with the shuffling in the Trump campaign just now being able to pivot from the primary campaign where he was attacking Republicans and the House -- you know, the former candidates and his challengers, now he's shifting as we're going to see today in this speech, he's shifting his focus and prosecuting his case against Hillary Clinton and also Barack Obama.

And that's going to be a huge difference. And that's where we're going to see a lot of these statewide numbers and these polls tighten up quite a bit because it's taken a while to get here, there's no mistaking that.

[10:10:03] But the pivot now from the primary race that the Trump campaign has been doing to now the general will make a big difference, and as we get closer also to convention, and without a doubt as we get to the debates, things will certainly tighten up.

COSTELLO: All right. S.E., I want to talk a little bit about Mr. Trump's speech as we await Hillary Clinton's arrival at the Democratic caucus. Mr. Trump is expected to give a no holds barred speech in light of Mrs. Clinton's speech attacking his economic policy and in case any of my viewers miss Mrs. Clinton's speech, here's an example.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Just imagine, if you can, Donald Trump, sitting in the Oval Office the next time America faces a crisis. Imagine him being in charge when your jobs and savings are at stake. Is this who you want to lead us in an emergency? Someone thin-skinned and quick to anger?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: So my question to you, S.E., does Trump run the risk of looking like a thin-skinned bully if he hits back too hard?

CUPP: Well, that hasn't been a problem for him thus far. Look, it's anyone's guess what he's going to do today. He was just two days ago criticizing Hillary Clinton for using a prompter and a script for her speeches and promising to continue to be himself on the campaign trail. As Sara Murray pointed out, he got teleprompters set up at his speech. So I'm not really sure he knows which way to go.

He signaled he was changing tone with the firing of Corey Lewandowski but he's promising to be himself. Yesterday after her economic speech, my e-mail lit up, ping, ping, ping, ping, ping from the Donald Trump campaign hitting Hillary on various economic issues. If he sticks to some of those attacks today, I think they'd be very effective. But as we know, he has a tendency to leave page and veer off into inclement weather and then the news cycle surrounding that becomes not very beneficial to his campaign. So look, it's all in his hands. This is all up to Trump. We'll see today whether he really does take a change in tact.

COSTELLO: We'll see. OK, so, Hillary, Mr. Trump will probably bring up issues that Mrs. Clinton ought to answer for, namely those surrounding the Clinton Foundation like contributions from countries with human rights violations like Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and others. And Clinton knows that. The foundation has already fired off e-mails to the press detailing where the money goes from the Clinton Global Foundation. So those attacks on Mrs. Clinton could be quite effective, right?

ROSEN: Well, I don't think those attacks are going to mean much. Look, when Hillary Clinton was secretary of state, there was no stronger advocate for women's rights, for human rights, for being aggressive with countries that did not treat their people well. So I just think those attacks will fall flat.

The key issue I think for Donald Trump is going to be what is his positive image -- his positive view on the economy to create jobs, to help people's own pocketbooks. What Hillary Clinton laid out yesterday was scathing in terms of how he has consistently enriched himself when he does his business dealings, no matter the consequences.

When companies go bankrupt in Atlantic City, it's the little -- it's the construction workers who don't get paid, it's the small businesses who don't get paid. So Trump has to convince people that he actually is going to look out for them and not just for himself. I think that's going to be his biggest economic challenge in this.

COSTELLO: Well, Alice, here's the problem because he calls -- Mr. Trump will call it blood money, this money coming from places like Saudi Arabia coming into the Clinton Global Foundation but Trump has business ties to Dubai, to -- and to other Middle East countries. So how -- doesn't that sort of -- doesn't it cancel each other out?

STEWART: Not at all. When Hillary Clinton is talking about how she is a champion for women and for women's rights and also the LGBT community --

COSTELLO: He says that, too, though. He's a champion for women.

STEWART: But the Clinton Foundation is known to have taken millions of dollars from countries that have -- led atrocities against women and those in the LGBT community.

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: How is that different from having business ties and profiting from them personally?

STEWART: Not to mention the fact that the Clinton Foundation -- there are at least 1,000 donors that we have -- no idea the source of the income and what the money was used for. So yes, using -- going to these foreign countries and having them donate to the Clinton Foundation was a money laundering scheme for -- certainly for the Clintons and it does need to be exposed. Not to mention the fact we're going to hear today certainly not just the follow the money trail of the Clintons but her involvement with the private e-mail server is something that certainly does need to be exposed.

[10:15:08] And also, you know, another Clinton Foundation and the Clinton campaign rolls their eyes every time people mention Benghazi. But that is an important part of her so-called legacy as secretary of state --

COSTELLO: OK. I want to -- I want to stop you right now.

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: I want to stop you right -- let's stop right now, everyone, and watch as Hillary Clinton walks in to meet with the Democratic caucus. As you can see, she's beside Nancy Pelosi who invited her to this caucus. And I talked earlier to a Democratic congressman, Brad Sherman, who said this is certainly going to be sort of a pep rally for Democrats.

Hilary, can you get more into what will happen behind that closed door we just saw?

ROSEN: Well, Nancy Pelosi has got a strong hold on that Democratic caucus. People trust her from a policy and a political perspective. She and Hillary Clinton have developed a very close relationship over the last several years. And so I think what you're going to find is some good calculating political advice as to how to run in some of the centrist communities. Hillary Clinton has come out of a primary that where she really appealed to progressives but a lot of these districts that are going to need to be turned over in the Congress are more centrist Democrats.

They are looking for some pro-growth comments and looking for pro- growth strategies. They're looking in some cases for some pro- business comments. So I think you're going to find a lot of advice for Hillary about how to run in those centrist part of the countries that will really help turn over the Congress. And that's going to be a huge opportunity for Hillary Clinton to broaden this base and to bring this party together back to the best way to --

COSTELLO: All right.

ROSEN: -- the best way to defeat the Republicans. COSTELLO: All right. I'm going to leave this conversation. S.E.

Cupp, Hilary Rosen, Alice Stewart, thanks to all of you for joining me.

I want to go back to Capitol Hill and to Paul Ryan, the House speaker. He's meeting for the GOP weekly press conference. He's taking questions. We are monitoring this. We'll bring you back there and of course we're waiting for Donald Trump to begin speaking. That should happen in just about 10 minutes. I'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:21:27] COSTELLO: All right, I want to take you down to Soho here in New York City to the Trump Hotel. That's where Donald Trump will be delivering a speech on -- well, we think mostly it's going to be laying out Hillary Clinton's record and why Mr. Trump thinks it's a terrible record.

We expect this to be a no holds barred speech and perhaps Mr. Trump will share with us some of his plans for the U.S. economy and especially his plans for the middle class and blue-collar America.

So let's discuss this now. I want to bring in Dana Bash, she's our chief political correspondent, Jeff Zeleny is CNN's senior Washington correspondent, Errol Lewis is CNN political commentator and political anchor of Time Warner Cable News, and Larry Sabato, he's the director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

Welcome to all of you and thank you for standing by. Dana, I want to start with you. Set the scene.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is I think quite a typical kind of Trump event. It's at one of his own properties, the Trump Soho, or at least one that has his name licensed on it. And he's got a front row full of his supporters and the back full of reporters.

But the name of the game today for Donald Trump is to change the discussion, to change the discussion away from the fact that he hasn't raised not only enough money, but barely any money so far, away from the fact that his staff is not the way it needs to be and that he needs to ramp it up, that he had to fire his campaign manager, and maybe more importantly, away from the things that he has been saying over the past couple of weeks that has really led the political discussion and it has not been a positive one for him because it's been about redoubling his Muslim ban and of course him going after a judge that is in -- overseeing his Trump University fraud case.

Instead today what I am told is that he's going to take aim at Hillary Clinton. This is going to be all about kind of refocusing his message on the number one target, obviously in this political campaign but also the one that really unites Republicans more than anything else. And that is Hillary Clinton. I'm told he is going to be specific about going after her on not just the e-mail issue but on money given to the Clinton Foundation, accusing her of taking blood money, accusing her of having ethical issues, vis a vis being at the State Department.

And President Clinton giving paid speeches, never mind the money going into the Clinton Foundation. And of course he's going to talk about the issues that propelled him in the primary, immigration and trade is a big one that he's going to go after her on.

And much like I think from what I'm told Bernie Sanders did in the Democratic primary process, saying that she is for the kind of -- or has been at least supportive of the kind of trade deals that have hurt American workers -- Carol.

COSTELLO: So, Jeff, is this what we can expect through November? One candidate gives an attack speech and then the other candidate gives an attack speech, and then the other candidate gives an attack speech?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: It absolutely is, to be, you know, sort of frank about it, Carol. I mean, I think that, you know, beyond looking the attack speeches, I was in Columbus, Ohio, yesterday at the Clinton speech and Dana is absolutely correct about trade. That is one of the issues that worries a lot of Democrats there I talked to and the Clinton campaign about NAFTA, still debating and arguing that, you know, a couple of decades after it was signed into law.

[10:25:03] But that's why Hillary Clinton yesterday was trying to go directly at Donald Trump's own record and does his record and policies meet with what he's done. And, you know, we heard this speech as she ticked through the list of places around this globe where his products are made. He talks a lot about, you know, America first and a lot about, you know, the downsides of outsourcing.

Well, she branded him yesterday as a key outsourcer on all of his products here. So she's trying to get that point home in Ohio particularly. But look, the Clinton campaign is -- she'll be giving a speech later today in North Carolina, part two of her speech. She's going to say exactly what she would do for the economy. So I think that is the issue here. They can't spend the next four and a half months just sort of, you know, yelling at each other. Voters want to hear them say what they would do. So we'll see how much of that actually comes out today from the Trump speech.

COSTELLO: Because --

ZELENY: Maybe that's optimistic thinking here.

COSTELLO: Here's the thing -- maybe so. Here's the thing, Larry, I think people have pretty much made up their minds. They know both candidates have problems, both candidates are unlikeable. Voters have shown that in poll after poll after poll. The CNN-ORC poll said only 22 percent would change their mind about who they would vote for president. So exactly how is this helping either candidate, Larry?

LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR POLITICS, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: Well, it's -- it's continuing to harden the unfavorables for both sides. With respect to Jeff, I think his proposition that they can't spend the next four months just attacking one another will be tested sorely. I think that's exactly what both of them intend to do. They know that it's very difficult and very expensive to reduce your own unfavorables. It makes much more sense to go after the other candidate's unfavorables, and let's be honest, they both have loads of material.

COSTELLO: Oh, my gosh. So here's the thing, Errol, I think many people are confused about Donald Trump's plans for the economy because on one hand he says, well, I might be open to raising the minimum wage and then he backtracks on it. And then what he said about the national debt, which nobody quite understood what the heck he was talking about. So wouldn't it behoove him to outline exactly what he will do to help the U.S. economy and why his background as a businessman will help?

ERROL LOUIS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: It's not a bad idea. It's -- that depends though, Carol, on whether or not what Trump wants to do is to find persuadable uncommitted voters, especially in swing states, especially who are independents or even Democrats, and appeal to them. This is the pivot everybody keeps talking about under classical sort of political strategy, that's what he would be doing 24 hours a day right about now.

Trump has, though, yet to do that. In a lot of ways he's going to be tempted and I think the speech will put it to the test to just throw more red meat to the conservative base that was already committed to him, that was already going to come out to vote for him, that already reside in red states that the Democrats aren't really going to seriously contest. If he does that latter strategy, which is really what he's been doing up until now, it would be a wasted opportunity.

I mean, I don't know if you need to tell, you know, hard core conservatives in Alabama one more time that Hillary Clinton has some negative qualities. They are not going to vote for her. She's not going to win that state. Everybody knows that. If Donald Trump, though, wants to talk to persuadable middle of the road voters in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, you know, the fact that he's in Soho today here in Manhattan doesn't mean anything. If we can hear from the speech that he's aiming his message at persuadable voters, that he's maybe trying to sort of shake their faith in her. Maybe sort of raise some important questions that frankly Clinton has not answered without the hyperbole, without the bombast, without the personal insults.

COSTELLO: OK.

LOUIS: He can really get somewhere today.

COSTELLO: OK. I want to ask Dana Bash and ask her about that, Errol, because if Donald Trump goes too far and he starts talking about how Hillary Clinton should go to prison, could that backfire with those middle-of-the-road voters?

BASH: It could. But I think Errol is exactly right. The question in this campaign is going to be just -- I'm just talking tactically and the message is -- that we're talking about is based on those tactics is whether or not there are more sort of base Republicans that Donald Trump can bring his way, that can get out and vote, and we know that that is true for Hillary Clinton because she was running in a very competitive Democratic primary race, so they believe that they can kind of galvanize their base and get their numbers up.

But the question is, what some Democrats we talked to think is about 20 percent what they call persuadable voters. Those who are just not sure which way to go, whether it's because they think it's the lesser of two evils or whether they are genuinely just not sure what to do. So I think what you're going to hear in just a few minutes behind me is Donald Trump try to make the case that Hillary Clinton is somebody who can't be trusted.