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CNN NEWSROOM

Trump, Clinton Swap Charges of Bigotry, Racial Bias; Rubio Soft-Pedals Earlier Attacks on Trump; Clinton Aide, Weiner Split Amid New Sexting Scandal; Chicago Violence: Shooting Stats This Year on Track to Top 2015. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired August 30, 2016 - 09:00   ET

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


[09:00:00] CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: -- community, raised 20 grand and bought a permanent quadriciser so the people with physical challenges in their school can get more mobile.

CAMEROTA: Fantastic. Good for those boys.

Time now for "NEWSROOM" with Carol Costello. Hey, Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Hey. Have a great day. Thanks so much.

NEWSROOM starts now.

And good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.

The politics of race, casting a large shadow on the presidential showdown between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Both campaigns trading jabs over charges of racism and mistreatment of minority voters. One Trump supporter, himself an African-American, forced to apologize for this tweet, showing Clinton in black face.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PASTOR MARK BURNS, TRUMP SUPPORTER: It was, in hindsight, a horrible image to use. For me, the black face wasn't the focal point of the picture. For me when I saw it, it was showing how Hillary Clinton and the Democrat Party panders after the black vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: And the Trump campaign scrambles to disavow a robocall from the former leader of the Ku Klux Klan, David Duke, urging Louisiana voters to support him and also to elect Trump to the White House.

And Mr. Trump seizing on the latest sexting scandal that has engulfed the husband of top aide -- top Clinton aide Huma Abedin. Trump saying Anthony Weiner's repeated misbehavior just another sign of Clinton's bad judgment.

There is a lot to cover this morning, and Jason Carroll is here to walk us through it. Good morning. JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A lot to cover.

Allegations of racism and sexting. What could be next with this campaign?

You know, the pastor who tweeted that cartoon of Clinton in black face apologized for doing that again this morning on CNN's "NEW DAY." Pastor Mark Burns saying there are so many different ways that he -- creative ways that he could have gotten his message out there but without question that tweet and the David Duke robocall is sure to complicate Trump's attempt to reach out to African-American voters.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL (voice-over): Accusations of racism leading to more personal attacks on the campaign trail.

KELLYANNE CONWAY, DONALD TRUMP CAMPAIGN MANAGER: People will look at that and say you seem desperate.

CARROLL: Donald Trump's campaign manager hitting back at Hillary Clinton's running mate for remarks he made last week, linking Trump to former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke.

SEN. TIM KAINE (D), VICE PRESIDENT CANDIDATE: Donald Trump is pushing their values, Ku Klux Klan values, David Duke values.

CONWAY: In the case of Tim Kaine, I mean, we expect the rough and tumble politics, the lies from Hillary Clinton and her folks. And you stood so low and you are making these allegations. And I think it's going to backfire.

CARROLL: But Duke, who is running for a Senate seat in Louisiana, is promoting Trump in robocalls for his Louisiana Senate campaign.

DAVID DUKE, FORMER IMPERIAL WIZARD OF THE KU KLUX KLAN: It's time to stand up and vote for Donald Trump for president and vote for me, David Duke, for the U.S. Senate.

CARROLL: Trump had been criticized for not disavowing Duke's endorsement quickly enough during the primary. Trump's campaign did quickly disavow the robocalls in a statement and on CNN.

KATRINA PIERSON, NATIONAL SPOKESPERSON, TRUMP CAMPAIGN: It's absolutely disturbing, the Trump campaign has no knowledge of the campaign that David Duke is running and we have disavowed David Duke and don't condone any of the activities that he's doing.

CARROLL: At a fundraiser in the Hamptons, Clinton saying Duke's Senate bid is a byproduct of Trump dog whistles to racist voters.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Nobody knows how well he is doing and how his embrace of Trump and Trump's acceptance of him could put that man, that despicable man, in the Senate of the United States.

CARROLL: This is as Trump supporter Pastor Mark Burns apologized after tweeting this photo of Hillary Clinton in black face, mocking her outreach to black voters.

BURNS: The last thing I want to do is to offend people.

CARROLL: Meanwhile, the Republican nominee seizing on the latest sexting scandal surrounding the husband of longtime Hillary Clinton adviser Huma Abedin.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: She is married to a guy that is uncontrolled and uncontrollable.

CARROLL: Abedin announcing her separation from disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner after the "New York Post" published suggested pictures he allegedly sent to another woman with his child lying next to him. Something people close to the family tells CNN left Abedin furious and sickened. Trump using the opportunity to slam Clinton's, quote, "bad judgment."

TRUMP: He's a sick person and, you know, she has access to classified information. To think that it's very likely that much of this information Anthony Weiner would know about. And I think it's something that was terrible.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL: And the campaign shifting to policy tomorrow when Trump delivers his speech on immigration. Some of his supporters concerned he is softening his position on his promise to put into place that deportation force to deport an estimated 11 million undocumented people living in the United States.

[09:05:08] The campaign hoping to clarify Trump's position during that speech tomorrow.

COSTELLO: It will be a big week for Donald Trump this week.

Jason Carroll, many thanks to you.

So let's talk about Donald Trump's big week. With me now Paris Dennard, a Trump supporter, and Lily Eskelsen Garcia who is a Clinton supporter.

Thanks to both of you for being with me this morning.

Paris, let's start with -- let's start with Huma Abedin. Does Mr. Trump have proof that Huma Abedin is sharing state secrets with her husband?

PARIS DENNARD, TRUMP SUPPORTER: No, I don't think Mr. Trump or anybody has actual proof that Huma was sharing top secret information with her husband. But --

COSTELLO: So why go there -- why go there, Paris?

DENNARD: But what it does raise is the seriousness of the issue of having a secret server and having top secret information that was accessible to a lot of people. And as the State Department said or as the FBI said --

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: But how does -- how does connecting Anthony Weiner to that --

DENNARD: Because you have a person who has exercised bad judgment. If he's incapable of keeping his own son out of his sexting escapades, then certainly one could make the conclusion that he's not able to have good judgment as it relates to information that his wife may or may not have shared with him.

COSTELLO: So you think his wife --

DENNARD: So it's an issue of judgment. It's an issue of judgment.

COSTELLO: His wife is sharing -- I just want to clear this up. And really get at what Mr. Trump is saying. He says that Huma Abedin is sharing secret information that she got from Hillary Clinton with her husband Anthony Weiner who's passing it along to someone maybe kind of? Is that what he's saying?

DENNARD: What he's saying is -- it's not unheard of for people in politics to have spouses to talk to them about the things that they're doing. Huma is a very close aide. She's not just an assistant. She's a senior person. She's a very loyal person to the Clinton -- the Clinton campaign and the foundation for many years. So just like Petraeus who shared information with his spouse or his woman that he was seeing at the time, it's not unheard of or uncommon for this to happen. And if it did happen, Anthony Weiner has shown extreme lack of good judgment.

COSTELLO: OK.

DENNARD: In terms of information.

COSTELLO: But there is no evidence that anything like this happened. And I just want to reiterate that because I'm a journalist.

DENNARD: Right. There's no --

COSTELLO: And unless I see proof, it didn't happen.

DENNARD: You like facts. So do I, Carol.

COSTELLO: I like facts. OK. All right. So, Lily, bringing up Huma Abedin -- Huma Abedin does seem to be involved in every controversy that comes down the pike with Hillary Clinton. At what point does she start hurting Mrs. Clinton?

LILY ESKELSEN GARCIA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Let's talk about Donald Trump's bad judgment in throwing out wild accusations. Here's a family that is facing a scandal. I can't imagine what it would be like to go through what this family is going through right now. But to somehow link Hillary Clinton and all of these things, I was absolutely shocked to have wild accusations about Huma thrown out there in the middle of all of this.

What business is it of Donald Trump's to somehow link something that he has no evidence for in a situation like this? That's some pretty bad judgment right there.

COSTELLO: Well, I will say, Paris, that, you know, Mr. Trump has a problem with women voters, right? Huma Abedin is a human being and she's going through an awful time right now. It can't be very much fun. So why even go there? Why not let voters draw their own conclusions?

DENNARD: Well, you know, just to be very candid with you, I didn't like the fact that Democrats in the Hillary Clinton campaign tried to make an issue of Mr. Trump's campaign manager in relates to his personal life. I don't like how we deal with Huma --

COSTELLO: You mean Steven Bannon?

DENNARD: Meaning Steven Bannon. I don't think that has any place in his role as campaign manager and I don't feel that Anthony Weiner and Huma's relationship has any role or should play a role in this case. It should be about Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. That's it. But as it relates to Hillary Clinton --

COSTELLO: So was it tit-for-tat?

DENNARD: Possibly. This is politics. It's rough and tumble. But I think the Hillary Clinton campaign is smart for not commenting or engaging on this issue because, Lily, I do believe that Hillary Clinton has an issue as it relates to women voters and her issues with her own husband and philandering and lying and cheating and things of that nature so --

COSTELLO: But the polls --

DENNARD: -- it's not good for them. It's not good for them to --

COSTELLO: Just for facts. Just the facts again. The polls show that women overwhelmingly support Hillary Clinton.

DENNARD: If Hillary Clinton was to engage in this type of conversation as it relates to infidelity, cheating, it brings up all these issue that the Clinton campaign does not want to talk about. So it's a smart move on their part politically to not address Huma or Anthony Weiner.

COSTELLO: Lily, your thoughts?

GARCIA: Wow. OK. So having this campaign CEO is the same thing as what?

[09:10:03] This is just interesting to me. Of course it matters who he selects to run his campaign and having someone who has the political opinions and connections and conspiracy theories as the person he's selected --

DENNARD: No. I was talking about his personal life. No, no, I was talking about his personal life with his wife. His personal life.

GARCIA: My turn now. My turn. OK. Not my turn?

COSTELLO: Lily, go ahead. Go ahead.

GARCIA: Thank you. What -- I think what we're talking about here -- I mean, the issues that are -- that just preceded this panel on David Duke and all of the white supremacist groups who are supporting Donald Trump with every fiber of their being, that's what we should actually be talking about here.

DENNARD: Well, let's talk about it.

GARCIA: Whether or not Donald Trump repudiates them --

DENNARD: Which he has.

GARCIA: -- they see something they really like in Donald Trump and that's something that should worry all of us.

COSTELLO: All right. I'm going to have to leave it there. And Mr. Trump did disavow David Duke's support for his campaign.

DENNARD: Repeatedly.

COSTELLO: All right. I have to leave it there. Paris Dennard, Lily Eskelsen Garcia, thanks to both of you.

Presidential politics are looming large today in primary contests involving some big names. In Arizona John McCain is seeking his party's support for a sixth term. This as he maintains an uneasy alliance with Trump and the supporters who rail against Washington insiders.

Fellow Senator Marco Rubio also trying to woo Republicans despite nasty exchanges with the GOP nominee. Rubio backing away from the accusations that could alienate voters in a state where Trump remains popular.

Florida voters will also decide the fate of Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the former head of the Democratic National Committee, the party's progressives, still furious despite ousting her amid claims that she unfairly favored Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders.

Let's bring in senior political reporter Manu Raju. He's following all of this, this morning. Hi, Manu.

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Carol. Now all three of those candidates are expected to win today's primaries by pretty healthy margins. But the one wildcard, this is a late August primary, turnout is going to be probably pretty low. And it's going to be unexpected exactly to see who turns out to the polls and whether the activists can get their choices over the party establishment.

But what's a bigger concern particularly for those senators is what happens in the general election and what happens because of what's happening in the presidential race. Whether the unpopularity of Donald Trump will hurt Republicans down-ticket and similarly whether Hillary Clinton's problems and trust and questions of trust and -- and honesty will hurt Democratic candidates.

Now yesterday I had a chance to talk to Marco Rubio, who's in a particularly awkward position with Donald Trump, having criticized him so sharply in the primary, but needing those Donald Trump supporters to come out in November. And when I talked to him, he really walked a fine line.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: You said a lot of things about Trump during the primary that you have not taken back yet.

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), FLORIDA: The primary is over.

RAJU: Con artist. Sham artist. You still don't --

RUBIO: The primary is over.

RAJU: You're not taking that back.

RUBIO: No, but the primary is over. Right now the primary is over. The Republican voters have chosen a nominee and we have a choice between two people. There's only two people in the world that can be president, Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. And I do disagree with Donald on a number of things. I disagree with Hillary on everything. And that's the choice before voters now. People can pretend we have other choices, but those are the only two choices.

RAJU: You said that he's too erratic to be trusted with the nuclear codes?

RUBIO: The primary is over. I'm not focused on the primary argument.

RAJU: How can you support someone you still have not --

RUBIO: How can Patrick Murphy support Hillary Clinton after all the outrageous things that keep coming out about her?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: Now that last remark about the Democratic challenger that he'll likely face in November trying to tie Patrick Murphy to Hillary Clinton. Patrick Murphy actually told me yesterday that he trusts Hillary Clinton. Expect the Rubio campaign to go after him on that issue.

But interesting also, Carol, I talked to Marco Rubio about Donald Trump's position on immigration ahead of that Wednesday speech and Marco Rubio said that he doesn't think that Donald Trump's call to deport 11 million illegal immigrants is realistic. He says not realistic. He doesn't think that Mexico would pay for a wall with -- in the border. But at the same time, Carol, he would not characterize Donald Trump's rhetoric on the issues, instead criticizing Democrats, showing that fine line that he's balancing even on the issue of immigration -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Manu Raju reporting live from Orlando this morning. Thank you.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, we know Anthony Weiner a little too well thanks to many embarrassing sexting scandals. But what do we really know about his wife? We'll talk about that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:19:05] COSTELLO: Anthony Weiner remains silent over his latest sexting scandal after his wife and top Hillary Clinton, Huma Abedin, announces her split from the former congressman.

On Monday, "The New York Post" published explicit photos Weiner allegedly sent to another woman, and it's not the first time Weiner has been on a hot water for sending lewd photos and that's not lost in the tabloids. It's all over the headlines again today. It's all over "The Daily News" and it's all over "The New York Post".

All of this happening as Abedin's role in Clinton's career comes under scrutiny.

Brian Todd joins us now with more on that.

Good morning, Brian.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

A lot of questions being asked this morning about Huma Abedin's role in Hillary Clinton's career, her very crucial role in the Clinton campaign and questions over whether Huma Abedin might in fact be a liability for Hillary Clinton at this point. Either way, these latest reports about Anthony Weiner have clearly put Huma Abedin over the edge after a series of embarrassments and attempts to save her marriage.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[09:20:04] HUMA ABEDIN, HILLARY CLINTON AIDE: I'll be making no further comments. Thank you.

TODD (voice-over): For someone who always seems to disdain the spotlight, Huma Abedin has been pushed into it. Tonight, Abedin, Hillary Clinton's longest serving aide, is dealing with another humiliation caused by her husband, former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner. A new report from "The New York Post" that Weiner sent sexually explicit photos to another woman, including one picture with Weiner and Abedin's 4-year-old son apparently sleeping next to him, prompted Abedin to announce she's separating from Weiner.

KIRSTEN POWERS, FORMER CLINTON ADMINISTRATIVE STAFFER: I can only imagine how painful it must be for her. She has a child with Anthony Weiner. They're a family. So, I think this is a very personal thing that she's having to live out in a very public and I wouldn't wish this on anybody. TODD: A close friend of Abedin's tells CNN Abedin and Weiner have,

quote, "essentially been separated for months." A clear sign of that, according to the friend, Abedin had been seen recently without a wedding ring, which people around the campaign noticed. Weiner's sexting scandals go back five years when Breitbart News first

published a racy photo of his underwater. He first said he was hacked, then admitted he lied, and then resigned from Congress. Two years later while Weiner was running for mayor, more explicit messages from him were revealed. He used the pseudonym Carlos Danger.

From Abedin, an extraordinary show of support.

WEINER: I love him. I have forgiven him I believe in him. and as we have said from the beginning, we are moving forward.

TODD: Around that time, a documentary on Weiner's campaign was produced. At one point in the film, Abedin clearly looks agitated as Weiner apologizes to his staff.

ANTHONY WEINER (D-NY), FORMER U.S. CONGRESSMAN: The level of guilt and pain that I feel, I'm very sorry I put everyone in this position.

A campaign aide complains she's being harassed by the media. Abedin forcefully coaches her on optics.

Seemingly a signature response from Huma Abedin, tidying up with an obsession for detail no matter how damaging the crisis. Recently e- mails obtained by the conservative group Judicial Watch showed Abedin was often approached by Clinton foundation staffers for donor's access to Hillary Clinton while she was secretary of state. The e-mails show Abedin seemed to facilitate at least one meeting. The Clinton campaign denies wrongdoing.

But after 20 years by her side, has Huma Abedin become a liability for Hillary Clinton?

POWERS: She's not a liability except for the fact that her political enemies, Hillary Clinton's political enemies will try to make her a liability. I don't think it will stick, because I think most people recognize that Huma Abedin didn't do anything other than try to make her marriage work.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TODD: Now, that former Clinton aide says that Hillary Clinton wouldn't get rid of Huma Abedin any sooner than she would get rid of which Chelsea Clinton. Huma Abedin isn't saying much this morning beyond her announcement of a separation, other than to say that she and Anthony Weiner are focused on doing what's best for their son.

CNN has reached out to Anthony Weiner for comment. We've not heard back -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. Brian Todd, reporting live for us this morning. Thank you.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM: Chicago nearing a grim milestone. The city closing in on its deadliest month in nearly 20 years.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:27:34] COSTELLO: Good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.

Chicago on the brink of reaching a deadly threshold on par with its most violent month in nearly 20 years. According to "The Tribune", 400 people have been shot in Chicago this month alone, 78 homicides recorded. The last time the city saw a deadlier month was October of 1997 when there were 79 murders.

CNN's Ryan Young live in Chicago with more.

Good morning.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes,: these are just staggering numbers, Carol, and everyone's been talking about this for so many days, especially after the shooting of Dwyane Wade's cousin. When you think about that, a mother who was walking with her child when she was shot four times, twice in the head.

That's not the only crime that's happened. Let's keep in perspective that more than 30 kids have been shot and killed in Chicago just this year. And when you look at the shooting numbers, and we'll put this up on a full screen so you can see, when you look at this year alone, when you think about the violent crimes, 2,988 people have been shot in 2015 and 2016 already 2,800 people have been shot.

You think about that crime rate that is soaring here, 43 percent higher in murders, 48 percent higher in shootings, 27 percent up in robberies. Look, this has been a conversation across this city, especially when it comes to as many young people that have been shot and killed. It's almost to a point where you can't even get through a day without someone being shot. In fact, last night two teens were shot. You have a lot of community members who are asking what can change?

And when you look at the crime rate compared to Los Angeles and New York, people want to know what the solution will be. Of course, the crime rate is here. In fact, there have been more murders in this city than New York and L.A. combined. People pointing to gangs as part of the problem. But there needs to be a larger outreach and that's something that people haven't seen so far -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. Brian Young reporting live from Chicago for us this morning.

Mr. Trump is using Chicago's spike in crime as a reason to vote Trump, promising African-Americans they will be able to walk the streets without, quote, "getting shot".

I talked with Grammy Award-winning rapper Rhymefest who acknowledged Chicago's crime problem but says Trump is not painting an accurate picture of the whole city. He also issued a challenge.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHE "RHYMEFEST" SMITH, GRAMMY AND OSCAR-WINNING HIP HOP ARTIST: I want to say that I'm inviting Donald Trump to Chicago. I will walk you down a block, Mr. Trump, and I guarantee you won't get shot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: All right. So, we tweeted Rhymefest's invitation to Mr. Donald Trump. So far, he has not tweeted back. We're still waiting.