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CNN NEWSROOM

New Clinton Ad; CNN Correspondents To Carry Torch; Overdoses in Brooklyn; Trump VP Watch. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired July 14, 2016 - 09:30   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:33:33] ANA CABRERA, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks for rolling with me. I'm Ana Cabrera.

It is a busy day ahead for Hillary Clinton. The presumptive Democratic nominee travels to Washington where she will speak to the nation's oldest and largest Latino civil rights group before she heads to Capitol Hill. And once there, she'll have lunch with Democratic senators, including four rumored to be on her VP short list, Corey Booker, Sherrod Brown, Tim Kaine and Elizabeth Warren.

Now, Kaine is slated to hit the trail with Clinton this afternoon. They're holding an event in Virginia. All of this as her campaign also released a new ad this morning questioning Donald Trump's stability as a role model for kids. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I love the old days. You know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this, they'd be carried out on a stretcher, folks.

And you can tell them to go (EXPLETIVE DELETED) themselves.

I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose any voters.

ON SCREEN TEXT: Our children are watching.

What example will we set for them?

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Our children and grandchildren will look back at this time, at the choices we are about to make, the goals we will strive for, the principles we will live by.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: It's a new take. Here to discuss, Josh Rogin, a columnist for "The Washington Post," and Taryn Rosenkranz, a Clinton supporter.

Josh, to you first. Who do you think Clinton is really trying to appeal to with this ad, Democrats, independents, women? JOSH ROGIN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I think the Clinton

campaign just has to respond to just what's been overwhelming mud- slinging from the Trump campaign and they've gone about that in a few ways. So, first of all, they're painting Trump as a threat to democracy and national security, which is to appeal to Democrats and their base because it's not a point that Republicans are likely to agree with, or independents for that matter. And then they're sort of trying to take the moral high ground by appealing to minorities with whom Trump is polling at very, very low levels, especially in swing states. So this is their response.

[09:35:24] CABRERA: Do you think it's an effective ad?

ROGIN: I do it's an effective ad. I think there's a risk, though. You know, by going negative this early and by taking these sort of drastic measures to paint Trump as a threat to American democracy, that doesn't leave you much room. And there's still four months left. So the question is, will she stay negative that long or will she eventually turn back to why she's running and why she's the best candidate for president.

CABRERA: Clinton has out spent Trump already in media and ads like those 40-1 and yet recent polls show there is a very, very tight race. So, Taryn, how effective are these ads, really?

TARYN ROSENKRANZ, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, I think -- well, obviously, this one's just come out, but I do think that what's happening here is obviously Trump is using earned media in a different way, right? He's saying these outlandish statements and he's getting it out there. And I think what she has to do and why she has to spend this money is she's really got to get the truth about him out and all of the things he's done sort of over the years.

Looking at that video that came out over the weekend that had 11 million views of that small business owner that talked about Trump's business practices, I mean these are things she's going to have to do to get out there and to really kind of expose the truth about him. And so I think that is going to take a little time because it's quick and easy for Trump to sort of say this one comment and then get a lot of attention for it. So she's going to have to have a strategy to kind of hit out the truth in a different way for them.

CABRERA: We're seeing a lot of polls coming out now. Yesterday we talked about this Quinnipiac polls from the swing states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida. There you see them. The one that was really -- really catching a lot of attention was the numbers from Florida because it was a stark change from what we had seen just a month ago there where Clinton had a very strong lead and now Trump has taken the lead there.

Some good news for the Clinton camp, though. In a new Monmouth poll showing Clinton with a double digit lead in Colorado. I mention Florida and Colorado because both have large Hispanic populations. And, Josh, we know Clinton is going to go address this key Latino civil rights group today. It's a demographic both sides of the aisle need in November. What's Clinton's message today? ROGIN: It's very simple. The Clinton message is that the Trump plans

on immigration and Trump's statements against Latino populations and Latino judges are -- just should be a litmus test for Latino voters. And I -- it remains to be seen whether or not that will be the case. The Latino community is very diverse and doesn't always vote the same way.

At the same time, when we look at those polls, we have to remember that these were taken during Clinton's worst week, right, when the Justice Department was accusing her of lying about her e-mail scandal. So this is a -- really a snapshot in time. What we're going to see now is, we're going to see the Republican Convention where Trump will get a bump. Then the Clinton convention, where she will get a bump. And then there will be a settling and then we'll really be able to see where a lot of these things really stand.

CABRERA: And yet, Taryn, there's this new Gallop poll that questions how afraid different groups are about the outcome of this year's election. And as you can see, Hispanics are a lot less fearful than African-Americans or even white.

ROSENKRANZ: Yes, it's interesting to see that. I mean I think polls at this time, especially when we're trying to get those feelings at different moments in the campaign are always going to kind of be all over the place. But sort of getting this different groups and how they're feeling. I think, you know, we're just really getting into the heart of the general election message, and I think this is the part where people's feelings and fears are going to be increased and heightened in some ways, and in other ways they're going to be decreased. That's sort of the reality of Trump and how fundamentally he -- unfit he is, is going to kind of come in. I think people will be less fearful that he might win and what that means. And so I think it's just kind of the -- it's going to be sort of parallel, if you will, to what's happening politically. And I think right now people are feeling pretty good about Hillary Clinton's chances to win. And so some of that fear about what will happen is starting to dissipate as well. It's interesting. Or at least that's the theory at this point.

CABRERA: All right. And it's been one of those elections. You just never know.

ROSENKRANZ: Right. Exactly.

CABRERA: Taryn Rosenkranz and Josh Rogin, thanks to you both.

ROGIN: Thank you.

ROSENKRANZ: Thanks, Ana.

CABRERA: Still to come, it looks like something out of a zombie movie, people stumbling around in the streets. They seem to be in a daze. Well, now police are trying to find the source of a deadly drug they believe is linked to dozens of overdoses here in New York.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [09:43:41] CABRERA: Well, the opening ceremonies for the summer Olympic games in Rio are just three weeks away and the Olympic torch has arrived there in Brazil. Right now it's passing through the city of Curiseba (ph). It's a little more than 400 miles from Rio. To help get this torch from one place to another, CNN's own Shasta Darlington and Arwa Damon will each carry this torch today for about three minutes apiece.

What an amazing opportunity, Shasta. I know you're joining me live from there. You haven't had your turn yet. Tell us about what you're expecting.

SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN BRAZIL BUREAU CHIEF: It really is. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Really helping bring home what the Olympics are about. And for us I think it's a great way, at least for me, to get away from the bubble in Rio where we've had to focus on all of the problems plaguing the Olympics from the Zika virus to the political chaos and the polluted waters. This time we're really going to be out on the streets trying to carry that flame around the country, remind Brazilians what a proud moment this is.

They are going to be hosting the first Olympic games in South America. Something they were so enthusiastic about back from 2009 when they won their bid to host these games. And that enthusiasm has, unfortunately, faded because of all of the problems in the country, because all of -- of all of the problems facing the development and the -- and really the installation of everything in Rio de Janeiro. But here, in Cuichiba (ph), going around Brazil, the idea is to just bring Brazilians into the fold, remind them that this is their party too. And it's great to be a part of it. I really hope that we'll get to see people out on the streets, cheering us on, getting excited about their own athletes, about their participation in these Olympics, Ana.

[09:45:21] CABRERA: We'll be cheering you on from there and there in spirit. I'm so excited for this opportunity you have. Thank you, Shasta Darlington. Good luck.

Coming up, the pictures are disturbing. Dozens of people overdosing on what police believe is synthetic marijuana. It's happening in Brooklyn. What's going on? What do you need to know about these drugs, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:50:08] CABRERA: Dozens of people overdosed, they collapsed on the streets of Brooklyn, and now police are trying to track down the source. They're pointing to synthetic marijuana, known on street as "K-2" or "Spice." This dangerous stuff is often a picture of herbs or shredded plant manner laced with chemicals that have a similar effect to THC, that's the psychoactive component of pot. While some people may feel relaxed, a bad trip can be deadly. And getting your hands on this is so easy it's scary.

Let's bring in CNN's senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.

Elizabeth, what happens when people take this stuff? ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Ana, like with many

drugs, people originally, or might at the beginning, feel good. They might feel an elevated mood, a relaxed feeling, altered perception, but then bad things often happen too. For example, increased heart rate, nausea and vomiting, hallucinations, panic attacks, violent behavior, seizures, coma, stroke, and even death.

Now, Ana, we've learned from the Centers for Disease Control is putting out new numbers later today about people who are using K-2 and what they found is that the most dramatic increase over the past five years has been in the northeast part of the country.

Ana.

CABRERA: Do we really know what's in synthetic marijuana?

COHEN: You know what, Ana, we really don't because, as you mentioned, it's sprayed with these chemicals and it changes all the time. The folks who make it will change it and put in new chemicals sometimes to, you know, evade law enforcement. But the basics of what we know is that it's a mixture of herbs and spices or shredded plants. Sometimes they actually use cardboard. And then they lace it with these chemicals similar to THC, which, as you mentioned, is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. But, again, there's no sort of one real recipe. They're changing these chemicals all the time.

CABRERA: You know, I'm based in Colorado, where we have the real stuff. Marijuana is legal for recreational use there. And yet we still have the synthetic stuff on the street everywhere. Why is it so hard to get it out of people's hands?

COHEN: You know, part of it is because they're constantly changing the constitution of it. So you could say, all right, it's made out of these three ingredients and we're going to make that illegal, when the -- you know, the producers of it will just change those three ingredients and make up some new ones. I mean this is very sort of cheap stuff that they're using, which is why people are using it instead of marijuana. Also, it's often made outside of the United States. It's very, very hard to track down this stuff.

CABRERA: And you talked about that in terms of the source. That's the bigger picture. But in terms of this investigation that we just discussed in Brooklyn, do they know what the source or where the drugs are coming from? Are they sold at your convenience store?

COHEN: You know, in New York City, they made a raid, the police and others made a raid of five different stores thinking that they might find the K-2, but, in fact, they didn't. So they are still searching for it. You know, I imagine what happens is that stores learn that the police are going to make a raid after a situation like this and they stop selling it. And then when the attention goes down, they might start selling it again.

CABRERA: Interesting. Elizabeth Cohen, thank you very much.

Still to come, for politician, it's all about what you say. So who claims they can make America again with Donald Trump the best? Who has sold themselves the best to him?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:57:44] CABRERA: Not since "you're fired" has Donald Trump and his slogans taken the world by storm. So when it comes to picking his running mate, which VP choice nails his newest catchphrase best? Here's Jeanne Moos with our "make America great again challenge."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Since Donald Trump can't legally pick the guy in the mirror for VP, he may have to settle for one of these three. So why not audition all three? Let's start with how confident they sound saying this --

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: Bring you the next president of the United States, Donald Trump.

NEWT GINGRICH (R), FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER: The next president of the United States, Donald Trump.

GOV. MIKE PENCE (R), INDIANA: The next president of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump.

MOOS: Hmm, pretty similar. Jimmy Fallon has already predicting how The Donald will introduce his VP.

JIMMY FALLON, LATE NIGHT TALK SHOW HOST: This next person will be a footnote in history at best.

MOOS: And which of the potential footnotes got the warmest greeting from The Donald? Indiana Governor Mike Pence got handshake, a brief touch on the arm and a funny face accompanied by pointing. Newt Gingrich, likewise got a handshake and an arm around the back and a pat on the shoulder. But Chris Christie got a handshake and a hug. Advantage Christie.

Still, the acid test is the ability to deliver The Donald's core message.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: We are going to make America great again.

MOOS: Though even The Donald's delivery isn't great when he's tethered to teleprompter.

TRUMP: And we're going to make America great again.

MOOS: So how do the would-be VPs do when they --

PENCE: To borrow a phrase, make America great again.

MOOS: Mike Pence.

PENCE: And we can make America great again!

MOOS: Newt Gingrich.

GINGRICH: To make America great again, I'm going to be for Donald Trump.

MOOS: Chris Christie.

CHRISTIE: And I am confident that he will make America great again.

MOOS: The Donald has his work cut out for him, making his VP great at delivering his signature line.

TRUMP: And we are going to make America so great again.

MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN --

PENCE: And we can make --

CHRISTIE: America --

GINGRICH: Great again.

TRUMP: Greater than ever before.

MOOS: New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[10:00:00] CABRERA: The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM begins right now.

Happening now in the NEWSROOM, veep frenzy at a fever pitch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: And we're thinking about two.

(END VIDEO CLIP)