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Rubio Defends Repeated Obama Attacks During Last Debate; Bill Clinton Accuses Sanders Of Sexist Attacks; Sanders Team: Bill Clinton Jabs "Disappointing;" Steinem, Albright Scrutinized On Clinton Remarks; Bill Clinton Accuses Sanders Of Sexist Attacks; Sanders Team: Bill Clinton Jabs "Disappointing;" Steinem, Albright Scrutinized On Clinton Remarks. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired February 8, 2016 - 09:00   ET

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


[09:00:11] CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me. The final push were just hours away from the New Hampshire primary and presidential candidates are racing to snatch up last-minute votes, blanketing the state with events today.

You're now looking at live pictures out of Hudson, New Hampshire, Republican hopeful Chris Christie is rallying supporters at a town hall. The New Jersey governor unleashing a series of scorching attacks against rival Marco Rubio during Saturday's GOP debate slamming Rubio for repeating the same line four times.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And let's dispel once and for all with this fiction that Barack Obama doesn't know what he's doing. He knows exactly what he's doing.

Let's dispel with this fiction that Barack Obama doesn't know what he's doing. He knows exactly what he's doing.

Here's the bottom line, this notion that Barack Obama doesn't know what he's doing is just not true.

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R-NJ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There it is.

RUBIO: He knows exactly what --

CHRISTIE: There it is, the memorized 25-second speech.

RUBIO: Well, here's the response. I think anyone who believes that Barack Obama isn't doing what he's doing on purpose doesn't understand what we're dealing with here. OK. This is a president -- this is a president who's trying to change this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Today Rubio was back at it, and not backing off that very same line.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUBIO: Now I am going to continue to say it. Barack Obama is deliberately carrying out a strategy to change America. He wants to redefine this country. And we're going to continue to say the truth. Barack Obama is systematically trying to carry out an effort to change this country. The issue is that he is carrying out an effort to change the country.

Voters across the country and especially here in -- in New Hampshire got to hear me say repeatedly the truth that Barack Obama is trying to redefine the role of government in our country and America's role in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Got it? Well, the candidate struggled for the spotlight. All eyes are actually on Mother Nature. Will snow and winter weather impact voter turnout?

Let's bring in CNN's Chris Cuomo. He's on the campaign trail in Manchester, New Hampshire. Good morning.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, "NEW DAY": Hey, Carol. How are you? You're totally right to be focused on the weather. They're all watching it. These are hearty people. Three to six inches they're saying won't make a difference. But look, every little bit counts especially in this race right now, especially on the GOP side. I mean, yes, every poll you look at including CNN's poll of polls has Donald Trump on top by a healthy margin. Will that margin hold? We'll have to see.

But what about second, third and fourth? That's the big battle that's going on right now and the big story. So let's stay on it. Specifically, what Carol was just showing you about Senator Rubio. Well, what happened at the debate wind up being resolved at the polls? Remember how much momentum he had coming in to New Hampshire from Iowa.

Let's get some perspective from CNN's Phil Mattingly. Now he's in Hudson, New Hampshire, where one of the governors is in play. The man who came after Rubio at the debate, Chris Christie -- Phil.

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Chris. Chris Christie, I talked to him yesterday, he said it didn't take him very long at all on that stage on Saturday night to recognize that he had landed a clear and decisive punch in the 36 hours since. Not only he, but just about everybody else in the race has started to follow suit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He's got to earn it. There's no coronation here. He's not going to get it. He's not going to get a layup. The whole Washington establishment can't just say part the waters, Marco's coming. And the debate on Saturday proved why that's important that all of us get challenged. DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm standing there, and I'm

saying, did I hear that five times now? I mean, you know, what's going on here? And it was, you know, obviously a sound bite that he likes. But you can use a sound bite once but you can't use it five times.

CHRISTIE: I think the whole race changed last night because you know there was a march among some of the chattering class to anoint Senator Rubio. I think after last night that's over. The fact is that Senator Rubio is unprepared to be president of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: Now, Chris, Chris Christie also yesterday told reporters that he wanted to -- quote the great political philosopher Mike Tyson saying everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face. And that's exactly what Christie thinks happened to Marco Rubio yesterday.

Now the big issue, as you pointed out, Chris, Marco Rubio came in to New Hampshire with a lot of momentum. His town halls yesterday were packed while people were willing to acknowledge that some of that momentum might be flagging. The support here doesn't look like it is. The big question, though, as we move in to these last 24 hours before voters head to the polls, the polling in the state, up to 30 percent of likely Republican voters remain undecided, Chris, and that doesn't even bring into play the independents who can choose to vote in a Republican primary when they go to those polls.

So there's a lot of ground that can be made up by a candidate in these last 24 hours. How they position themselves and how these attacks on Marco Rubio continue during that period is going to be a very interesting element to watch -- Chris.

CUOMO: Phil Mattingly, spot on. Chris Christie certainly took it to Rubio. What will that mean for him? The plus-minus. Was he too strong to get, you know, support now? Was he too strong? That's the plus-minus on that. The unknown vote here in New Hampshire is what looms largest in every poll.

[09:05:09] And again, like you just said, Phil Mattingly just told us something that's very important and unique here in New Hampshire. Different than Iowa. Same-day registration. You can cross parties. You can do that in Iowa, too. But it was a caucus. Remember this is a primary. So it'll be a tougher read, could be a bigger impact.

Phil Mattingly, thank you very much.

Carol, to you.

COSTELLO: All right. Should be very interesting in New Hampshire tomorrow.

Chris Cuomo, we'll get back to you.

In the wake of the heavily criticized debate performance, Marco Rubio is back on the campaign trail himself. The Florida senator kicking things off last hour in Amherst, New Hampshire, the first stop in a jam-packed schedule throughout the state today.

But as Rubio returns to the trail he may find an uncomfortable reminder of the debate waiting for him in the form of Marco Robotos.

(LAUGHTER)

COSTELLO: There they are. They are members of a liberal group called American Bridge. They're dispatching what they say are backups that are, quote, "program full of talking points to fend off the press while they fix their version's glitches."

Joining me now to talk about this, Eric Fehrnstrom, former senior adviser to the Romney 2012 campaign, and Errol Louis, political anchor for New York 1 News and CNN political commentator.

Thanks to both of you.

So, Eric, I will begin with you. Rubio has embraced this attack on Barack Obama. We've heard him say it over and over and over again. As a former campaign adviser and communications director, is that wise?

ERIC FEHRNSTROM, FORMER SENIOR ADVISER, ROMNEY 2012 CAMPAIGN: Well, this is called owning your mistake. Look, you know, I don't think there were any clear winners coming out of that debate so the media decided to create a loser and that's why we're hearing so much about Marco Rubio's repetitive debate answers.

There were some rather bold things said at that debate. Donald Trump said he wanted to bring back waterboarding. Jeb Bush said that he would launch a military attack to stop a North Korean missile test. And yet we're talking about Marco Rubio being too repetitive in his answers.

You have to ask yourself, why is that happening? It's happening because if Rubio finishes second in New Hampshire to Donald Trump, then it means it's going to make it much harder for candidates like Jeb Bush, John Kasich and Chris Christie to go forward. So they're kind of uniting against Marco Rubio.

COSTELLO: Very interesting. So, Errol, do you agree with Eric?

ERROL LOUIS, POLITICAL ANCHOR, NEW YORK 1 NEWS: Absolutely. They have to try to stop Marco Rubio because he is moving up. He is surging. I would add, though, that what Marco Rubio is doing is not just making lemonade out of lemons but it is a really basic communication strategy. I mean, in 1992 how many times did we hear Bill Clinton talk about -- remembering a place called hope, the town that he grew up in, or, you know, earlier you had Ronald Reagan talking about a rendezvous with destiny.

You know, you get your line, you speak your line, and you repeat it. How many times do we hear Barack Obama talk about we're not the red states, or the blue states, we're the United States. He was saying that since 2004. And every time he went before a crowd, I mean, I witnessed this in person on the campaign trail. They wanted him to say it again and again and again.

So Marco Rubio is giving a part of his base exactly what they want to hear. And I don't think he can say it too many times.

COSTELLO: So, Eric, you don't think that Chris Christie -- you know, Chris Christie said it was a game changer. You don't think that's true?

FEHRNSTROM: No, I don't. And I don't think it's necessarily going to benefit Chris Christie either. Christie started off as the original angry candidate. Right? For those of us who remember his 2009 campaign for governor. He was the Republican key note speaker at the last convention, he was endorsed by the largest newspaper in New Hampshire. He adopted as his slogan telling it like it is.

But the candidate who is more satisfying to the angry voter this year is not Chris Christie, it's Donald Trump. So Chris Christie may be taking out his frustrations on Marco Rubio but the person who really doomed his campaign is Donald Trump.

COSTELLO: So what about the happy warrior, John Kasich, Errol? He's saying that, you know, these attacks on Rubio will help him?

LOUIS: Well, John Kasich has a lot of different things that may or may not help him. I think the thing that's going to help him the most is that he's the governor of Ohio, a state that all Republicans recognize as a must-win state. You know, there's been a lot of sort of quiet talk that what Kasich is really doing is running for vice president or running for the number two slot on somebody else's ticket.

If he has any shot at all it should play out tomorrow for him. So either a second place or a surprisingly close third place for him keeps him in the game. Other than that I think we are talking about the convention and possible vice presidential nod at best for Kasich.

COSTELLO: So, Eric, I just want to touch on something you said about Donald Trump and waterboarding. Because he said he believed in waterboarding and worse. The moderators didn't follow up and say, what are you talking about? What do you suppose Donald Trump was talking about?

[09:10:04] FEHRNSTROM: Well, he was asked about that after the debate in the spin room and he refused to specify exactly what he had in mind. But look, you know, in this year, Trump can get away with it. I -- you know, like in every New Hampshire election independents are the key to the voting. They're over 40 percent of the electorate, single largest voting group. Right now Trump is winning one-third of those independent voters. And guess who's right behind him. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. Those are your three top finishers in Iowa.

COSTELLO: All right. We'll see. Eric Fehrnstrom and Errol Louis, thanks to both of you.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, Bill Clinton on the trail and on the attack accusing Bernie Sanders supporters of being sexist and labeling the Vermont senator dishonest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When you are making a revolution you can't be too careful about the facts. You're just for me or against me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:15:02] CUOMO: All right, so put down my drink here, clear my throat, and talk some politics with you. Bill Clinton is going after Bernie Sanders.

The former president unleashing a verbal assault on his wife's rival accusing Sanders of a lot specifically being sexist and saying that the senator's health care plan can't work and that labelling him dishonest and hypocritical. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL CLINTON: When you are making a revolution, you can't be too careful about the facts. You are just for me or against me. Anybody takes money from Goldman Sachs couldn't possibly be president.

You heard that sort of in the last debate, didn't you? Well, after that CNN report yesterday, he may have to tweak that answer a little bit or we will have to get at the candidate.

But -- that was funny. I can tell you get online and go look. I practically fell out of my chair when I saw it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: All right, we have with us now CNN senior Washington correspondent, Jeff Zeleny. Look, President Clinton is one of the best on the stump. When he is out there for Secretary Clinton, his wife, it is a different calculus of plus/minus. We saw play out in 2008. The question is how will it help and how will it hurt this time?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: I think everything he -- he is the best. He is doing things for a reason here. He is trying to shake voters and get their attention to look and scrutinize Senator Sanders' record just a little bit more.

He has a big history here, of course. But I went back and looked at the '08 video. It is different in that respect because Barack Obama is different. Bernie Sanders is not Barack Obama.

But no question that Bernie Sanders has gotten under their skin at least somewhat. The Sanders campaign has put out this statement this morning.

Let's take a look at this. "It is disappointing that President Clinton has decided to launch these attacks. The race has changed in New Hampshire and elsewhere in recent days here."

So the point of that is this race will go on for a long time here. Bill Clinton knows that and he believes that it is time to inject a bit of reality into that.

When he was talking about that CNN report, there was a report that Eric Bradner, our colleague had yesterday, that Bernie Sanders has been attending a lot of fundraisers himself over the years in Martha's Vineyard and elsewhere where there are lobbyists and people from Goldman Sachs.

So Bernie Sanders has attended these as well to help the party. So Bill Clinton believes that Senator Sanders has not been scrutinized quite as much as --

CUOMO: How much purchase do you think that attack gets? That Bernie --

ZELENY: Zero. Because people - if you are a Bernie supporter you believe what Bernie is saying.

CUOMO: And going after his health care plan fair play. You always can scrutinize other people's policy decisions as part of the competition. What about this main allegation? Bernie, you are getting dirty. Is that fair? Is there some there, there or not?

ZELENY: I think there is a bit of there, there, because Bernie Sanders has said, look, I'm going to have this positive campaign. I've never waged a negative ad in my life. True, but the advisers to Senator Sanders are a little more aggressive and he is himself.

So you know, there is a lot of negative stuff on both sides there. So I think Bill Clinton is right in the sense that the Sanders campaign has not been 100 percent utopian positive especially some of those supporters.

And some of those sexist comments online, on Reddit, on other things, they call them the Bernie bros, the Clinton campaign calls him that.

You know, these young guys and others who have some sexist comments out there about you are only supporting Hillary Clinton because she is a woman and some other things.

Bernie Sanders yesterday with Jake Dapper on CNN, he disavowed and said I don't want their support. So it is a little bit sort of nasty out there.

CUOMO: Anybody who knows social media knows that it is a toxic crucible of negativity. I think that is one place where you do get a little bit of cushion between people who say they are for you and actual supporters. It is interesting how this dynamic has changed as the polls have tightened.

ZELENY: The Clinton campaign believes if more women come to their side, they could actually do much, much better here in New Hampshire. They are only down a few points they believe among women. That's why we are talking about this right now.

CUOMO: Although on the Sanders side they tell you young women came out for him in huge numbers in Iowa and has momentum here and elsewhere. So we are going to have to see how it plays out.

That is the beautiful part, Carol, is that you crunch all the numbers and get out there and talk to people and listen to these campaigns, and at the end of the day, it means nothing because the votes come out and then that is -- are you just waving me off, Carol Costello? I think you waved off my point.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I didn't wave off your point. I swear I did not. I was just --

CUOMO: I saw you wave me off.

COSTELLO: We have to stretch for just a second. I am interested in these Bernie bros, right, because supposedly been trolling like political blogs or political types who write online and saying some nasty, nasty things.

[09:20:12]CUOMO: Look, there's no question that they are out there. Jeff Zeleny is 100 percent right, but you remember we know this. Carol is a beloved figure. I am not.

I will tell you something that on social media you do have to distinguish between the people who are out there just hating as a sport and negativity versus organized efforts from actual campaigns.

There can be a lot of misinformation about that on the ground. But on social media it is fair to give a little bit of cushion.

ZELENY: No question at all. I have noticed some Bernie Sanders supporters are some of the nastiest on Twitter. When you post something like that so I think the Sanders campaign he has not said anything like this. If he would we would call him on it. He has not done anything like this.

CUOMO: Sometimes you deserve the benefit of the doubt especially when it is not coming out of your mouth unlike Carol Costello who just clearly waved me off. She said shut up it is my show. I give it back to you with apologies.

COSTELLO: No, I did not, Chris Cuomo, but thanks to you both for stretching. It was very effective because Karen Finney is here now joining me now, senior spokesperson for Hillary for America.

KAREN FINNEY, SENIOR SPOKESWOMAN, HILLARY FOR AMERICA: I heard that.

COSTELLO: Welcome, Karen. Let's talk about what Bill Clinton said at that campaign rally. He has been restrained until now. Bill Clinton said about Bernie Sanders when you are making a revolution you can't be too careful with the facts. Is this a sign that your campaign is worried about Sanders not just in New Hampshire but beyond?

FINNEY: I think there is a couple of things. Obviously, President Clinton is a passionate advocate for his wife. The truth is that there has been hypocrisy that we have seen. For example, Senator Sanders' health care plan.

We know that independent outside health care experts and other economists have evaluated that plan and said, you know, the numbers just don't add up. Some of these things may end up costing more than what they are telling you about.

How about the ads here in New Hampshire where people's images were used without their permission. They were specifically asked the campaign to stop using that. I think the president was pointing to some of those things that we have seen on the campaign trail.

COSTELLO: There is no doubt that things are getting nastier between the campaigns and for those women who support Hillary Clinton things are getting interesting. Over the weekend, for example, Gloria Steinem said younger women are supporting Clinton because that's where the boys are. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GLORIA STEINEM, JOURNALIST: When you are young you are thinking where are the boys? The boys are with Bernie.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I said that.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on.

STEINEM: No, I wouldn't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: So Steinem later apologized for that remark. You had former secretary of state, Madeline Albright, she said, "There is a special place in hell for women who don't help each other." You know, younger women don't like to be patronized. Are these comments hurting?

FINNEY: Look, both of these women have been first in their careers and obviously they have strong feelings. I've heard former Secretary Albright talk about that a number of times before. They have very strong feelings about it, but I just want you to point out, these are two women supporting Hillary, but we can't control what they say, obviously.

COSTELLO: You can disavow what they say because they seem to be pitting the older generation of women against the younger. That is never a good thing, frankly.

FINNEY: But Carol, I would put this to you. I would like to see the Senator Sanders campaign disavow comments that Ben Gelis has making since he endorsed Senator Sanders specifically talking about Saturday in South Carolina. Horrendous comments and misinformation about Hillary Clinton's record on criminal justice reform and the death penalty without recognizing or acknowledging that Senator Sanders actually voted to expand death penalty at the federal level when he voted for the 1994 crime bill.

(CROSSTALK)

FINNEY: I would like to hear his campaign disavow those comments and tell the whole truth about that.

COSTELLO: Shouldn't Hillary Clinton come out and totally disavow what Gloria Steinem and Madeline Albright said?

FINNEY: Look, she talked about it yesterday in a couple of interviews. Again these are women who are passionate advocates. They support Hillary Clinton. We can't really control what they say and again this is how --

COSTELLO: But again you can disavow what they say.

[09:25:10]FINNEY: They feel very strongly about having a woman president. I would point to something that Gloria Steinem said which was talking about women in power and how men tend to get more power as they get older and women don't always.

I think there are some realities here of sexism, but the point is these are women who are passionate advocates. We can't control what they say. They are very passionate about women.

They have been first throughout their careers. They know a little something about what that is like and have feelings about it.

Let's also talk about I would like to see Bernie Sanders disavow comments being made by Ben Gelis where he is not telling the whole story about Hillary Clinton's record on social justice and the work done throughout her life.

Certainly as her time as senator against racial profiling and sentencing disparities and what she is talking about now in her presidential campaign not only about criminal justice reform, but also how you invest in communities of color. I would like to hear some more information there, too.

COSTELLO: All right, I have to leave it there. Karen Finney, thanks for joining us this morning.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, he is a loser. That is not coming from Donald Trump. It's Jeb Bush's attack against Trump.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right, so put down my drink here, clear my throat, and talk some politics with you. Bill Clinton is going after Bernie Sanders.

The former president unleashing a verbal assault on his wife's rival accusing Sanders of a lot specifically being sexist and saying that the senator's health care plan can't work and that labelling him dishonest and hypocritical. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON: When you are making a revolution, you can't be too careful about the facts. You are just for me or against me. Anybody takes money from Goldman Sachs couldn't possibly be president.

You heard that sort of in the last debate, didn't you? Well, after that CNN report yesterday, he may have to tweak that answer a little bit or we will have to get at the candidate.

But -- that was funny. I can tell you get online and go look. I practically fell out of my chair when I saw it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: All right, we have with us now CNN senior Washington correspondent, Jeff Zeleny. Look, President Clinton is one of the best on the stump. When he is out there for Secretary Clinton, his wife, it is a different calculus of plus/minus. We saw play out in 2008. The question is how will it help and how will it hurt this time?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: I think everything he -- he is the best. He is doing things for a reason here. He is trying to shake voters and get their attention to look and scrutinize Senator Sanders' record just a little bit more.

He has a big history here, of course. But I went back and looked at the '08 video. It is different in that respect because Barack Obama is different. Bernie Sanders is not Barack Obama.

But no question that Bernie Sanders has gotten under their skin at least somewhat. The Sanders campaign has put out this statement this morning.

Let's take a look at this. "It is disappointing that President Clinton has decided to launch these attacks. The race has changed in New Hampshire and elsewhere in recent days here."

So the point of that is this race will go on for a long time here. Bill Clinton knows that and he believes that it is time to inject a bit of reality into that.

When he was talking about that CNN report, there was a report that Eric Bradner, our colleague had yesterday, that Bernie Sanders has been attending a lot of fundraisers himself over the years in Martha's Vineyard and elsewhere where there are lobbyists and people from Goldman Sachs.

So Bernie Sanders has attended these as well to help the party. So Bill Clinton believes that Senator Sanders has not been scrutinized quite as much as -- CUOMO: How much purchase do you think that attack gets? That Bernie

--

ZELENY: Zero. Because people - if you are a Bernie supporter you believe what Bernie is saying.

CUOMO: And going after his health care plan fair play. You always can scrutinize other people's policy decisions as part of the competition. What about this main allegation? Bernie, you are getting dirty. Is that fair? Is there some there, there or not?

ZELENY: I think there is a bit of there, there, because Bernie Sanders has said, look, I'm going to have this positive campaign. I've never waged a negative ad in my life. True, but the advisers to Senator Sanders are a little more aggressive and he is himself.

So you know, there is a lot of negative stuff on both sides there. So I think Bill Clinton is right in the sense that the Sanders campaign has not been 100 percent utopian positive especially some of those supporters.

And some of those sexist comments online, on Reddit, on other things, they call them the Bernie bros, the Clinton campaign calls him that.

You know, these young guys and others who have some sexist comments out there about you are only supporting Hillary Clinton because she is a woman and some other things.

Bernie Sanders yesterday with Jake Dapper on CNN, he disavowed and said I don't want their support. So it is a little bit sort of nasty out there.

CUOMO: Anybody who knows social media knows that it is a toxic crucible of negativity. I think that is one place where you do get a little bit of cushion between people who say they are for you and actual supporters. It is interesting how this dynamic has changed as the polls have tightened.

ZELENY: The Clinton campaign believes if more women come to their side, they could actually do much, much better here in New Hampshire. They are only down a few points they believe among women. That's why we are talking about this right now.

CUOMO: Although on the Sanders side they tell you young women came out for him in huge numbers in Iowa and has momentum here and elsewhere. So we are going to have to see how it plays out.

That is the beautiful part, Carol, is that you crunch all the numbers and get out there and talk to people and listen to these campaigns, and at the end of the day, it means nothing because the votes come out and then that is -- are you just waving me off, Carol Costello? I think you waved off my point.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I didn't wave off your point. I swear I did not. I was just --

CUOMO: I saw you wave me off.

COSTELLO: We have to stretch for just a second. I am interested in these Bernie bros, right, because supposedly been trolling like political blogs or political types who write online and saying some nasty, nasty things.

[09:20:12]CUOMO: Look, there's no question that they are out there. Jeff Zeleny is 100 percent right, but you remember we know this. Carol is a beloved figure. I am not.

I will tell you something that on social media you do have to distinguish between the people who are out there just hating as a sport and negativity versus organized efforts from actual campaigns.

There can be a lot of misinformation about that on the ground. But on social media it is fair to give a little bit of cushion.

ZELENY: No question at all. I have noticed some Bernie Sanders supporters are some of the nastiest on Twitter. When you post something like that so I think the Sanders campaign he has not said anything like this. If he would we would call him on it. He has not done anything like this.

CUOMO: Sometimes you deserve the benefit of the doubt especially when it is not coming out of your mouth unlike Carol Costello who just clearly waved me off. She said shut up it is my show. I give it back to you with apologies.

COSTELLO: No, I did not, Chris Cuomo, but thanks to you both for stretching. It was very effective because Karen Finney is here now joining me now, senior spokesperson for Hillary for America.

KAREN FINNEY, SENIOR SPOKESWOMAN, HILLARY FOR AMERICA: I heard that.

COSTELLO: Welcome, Karen. Let's talk about what Bill Clinton said at that campaign rally. He has been restrained until now. Bill Clinton said about Bernie Sanders when you are making a revolution you can't be too careful with the facts. Is this a sign that your campaign is worried about Sanders not just in New Hampshire but beyond?

FINNEY: I think there is a couple of things. Obviously, President Clinton is a passionate advocate for his wife. The truth is that there has been hypocrisy that we have seen. For example, Senator Sanders' health care plan.

We know that independent outside health care experts and other economists have evaluated that plan and said, you know, the numbers just don't add up. Some of these things may end up costing more than what they are telling you about.

How about the ads here in New Hampshire where people's images were used without their permission. They were specifically asked the campaign to stop using that. I think the president was pointing to some of those things that we have seen on the campaign trail.

COSTELLO: There is no doubt that things are getting nastier between the campaigns and for those women who support Hillary Clinton things are getting interesting. Over the weekend, for example, Gloria Steinem said younger women are supporting Clinton because that's where the boys are. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GLORIA STEINEM, JOURNALIST: When you are young you are thinking where are the boys? The boys are with Bernie.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I said that.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on.

STEINEM: No, I wouldn't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: So Steinem later apologized for that remark. You had former secretary of state, Madeline Albright, she said, "There is a special place in hell for women who don't help each other." You know, younger women don't like to be patronized. Are these comments hurting?

FINNEY: Look, both of these women have been first in their careers and obviously they have strong feelings. I've heard former Secretary Albright talk about that a number of times before. They have very strong feelings about it, but I just want you to point out, these are two women supporting Hillary, but we can't control what they say, obviously.

COSTELLO: You can disavow what they say because they seem to be pitting the older generation of women against the younger. That is never a good thing, frankly.

FINNEY: But Carol, I would put this to you. I would like to see the Senator Sanders campaign disavow comments that Ben Gelis has making since he endorsed Senator Sanders specifically talking about Saturday in South Carolina.

Horrendous comments and misinformation about Hillary Clinton's record on criminal justice reform and the death penalty without recognizing or acknowledging that Senator Sanders actually voted to expand death penalty at the federal level when he voted for the 1994 crime bill.

(CROSSTALK)

FINNEY: I would like to hear his campaign disavow those comments and tell the whole truth about that.

COSTELLO: Shouldn't Hillary Clinton come out and totally disavow what Gloria Steinem and Madeline Albright said?

FINNEY: Look, she talked about it yesterday in a couple of interviews. Again these are women who are passionate advocates. They support Hillary Clinton. We can't really control what they say and again this is how --

COSTELLO: But again you can disavow what they say.

[09:25:10] FINNEY: They feel very strongly about having a woman president. I would point to something that Gloria Steinem said which was talking about women in power and how men tend to get more power as they get older and women don't always.

I think there are some realities here of sexism, but the point is these are women who are passionate advocates. We can't control what they say. They are very passionate about women.

They have been first throughout their careers. They know a little something about what that is like and have feelings about it.

Let's also talk about I would like to see Bernie Sanders disavow comments being made by Ben Gelis where he is not telling the whole story about Hillary Clinton's record on social justice and the work done throughout her life.

Certainly as her time as senator against racial profiling and sentencing disparities and what she is talking about now in her presidential campaign not only about criminal justice reform, but also how you invest in communities of color. I would like to hear some more information there, too.

COSTELLO: All right, I have to leave it there. Karen Finney, thanks for joining us this morning.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, he is a loser. That is not coming from Donald Trump. It's Jeb Bush's attack against Trump.

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