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CNN TONIGHT

Countdown To South Carolina Primary; Trump: Boycott Apple; Marco Momentum; Washington Mourns Justice Scalia; Polls Open At 7AM In South Carolina; Neck-And-Neck In Nevada; Sanders Vs. Clinton; Morgan Freeman Endorses Hillary Clinton; Remember Harper Lee

Aired February 19, 2016 - 21:00   ET

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


[21:00:02] ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: -- thanks very much for watching. If you missed our Town Halls with Republican candidates this week, you can see both tonight starting at 10:00 eastern. right now, "CNN Tonight" with Don Lemon.

DON LEMON, CNN TONIGHT HOST: Voters in South Carolina about to go to the polls in the primary that could reshape this race.

This is "CNN Tonight." I'm Don Lemon.

The campaigning is fast and furious tonight with GOP hopefuls making their final pitches.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCO RUBIO, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If you elect me president of the United States, you'll never catch me apologizing for America around the world.

TED CRUZ, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If we elect Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders or some other socialist, we will see the Supreme Court lost for a generation.

JEB BUSH, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You can't say crazy things when you're running for president. You can't talk trash when you are running for president. You have to be mindful of the fact that you are running for a job that people look up to you.

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You've got to go out and vote tomorrow. I don't want your money. I don't want your money. We want your vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are neck-and- neck and hours ahead of Nevada's Democratic caucuses. There's a lot going on this Friday night, so here to discuss Hugh Hewitt, you know what I'm going to say, he's the host of "The Hugh Hewitt Show". What is this it's our Friday night date? Welcome to debate.

HUGH HEWITT, THE HUGH HEWITT SHOW HOST: And I bite you bet.

LEMON: Next time maybe some wine or something that would be great. Well let's discuss this week's events, OK, Hugh President Obama, former President George W. Bush, the Pope, all criticizing Donald Trump this week. Now Trump is calling for a boycott of Apple. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: First of all, Apple ought to give the security for that phone, OK? What I think you ought to do is boycott Apple until such time as they give that security number. How do you like that? I just thought of that boycott Apple.

Here's the thing, first of all, the phone is not even owned by this young thug that killed all these people. The phone is owned by the government.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So he's saying that Apple should be -- should allow, you know, the phones to be opened by the government for the terrorist like in San Bernardino and on and on. Is this an unprecedented week in American politics, Hugh?

HEWITT: It really is and I would point out that each of the five of the six top GOP had a good moment this week. Donald Trump had a very fine town hall last night with Anderson Cooper. He had that's helped by the Pope in many respects by putting immigration back up front which is his number one issue.

He was bank killer as always, he's a quite a performer and I think he's hit on something with this Apple issue. I got to disclose. I own apple. I'm an unhappy owner right now and they ought to turn it over, but he had a good week.

Marco Rubio getting the Nikki Haley endorsement. Huge deal down there. Moreover, he has a secret weapon, Don, this is news for your CNN viewers tonight. Connor Shaw who is 17-0, he's the winningest South Carolina -- University of South Carolina quarterback in recent memory came out and endorsed Marco. He's also the Cleveland Browns quarterback. So you got that going for him number 9, Connor Shaw.

They had huge crowds with Tim Scott and Trey Gowdy going around.

LEMON: Yeah.

HEWITT: But Ted Cruz was assisted in a sad sort of way. No one wanted Antonin Scalia to go and depart this coils but if talk is about the cord, only one candidate has argued nine times in front of him and that is Ted Cruz.

And then, of course, Jeb Bush had brother W. come down as enormously popular there. And I'll close by noting John Kasich had that hug. No, I didn't see the hug until late last night, but it's a powerful moment. And it's a narrative reinforcing moment.

So five out of six had great moments this week in a volatile election where Ben Carson is also -- I did two hours of radio before coming over here. He's got his hard-core supporters, they're not for turning. So I was pretty good in my predictions the first two. I'm not making any prediction about tomorrow, Don, it's too volatile.

LEMON: Are you reading my notes or you're reading my mind, because I was going to ask you. I mean what's going to happen. You have to give me something, Hugh Hewitt.

HEWITT: I'll tell you this. I think Marco Rubio is going to finish second and that's the first I've said it anywhere because of the -- because of interesting things like Connor Shaw. Little things that are coming and the ARG poll has Marco Rubio with a big boost. but Donald Trump leads in every poll.

LEMON: So you have Trump as number one?

HEWITT: Yeah, he's got the RealClearPolitics average at 30.2 percent, so ARG but Ted Cruz has a ground game. So it's going to be a very tough-fought race. Jeb Bush on the show tonight, Don, and there is a little bit of deflation going on.

Politico is basically throwing dirt on his casket. They have got two stories up tonight that says he's going to be out of the race by thus time next week because he's out of money and his staff are circulating resumes. Not the kind stuff you want to see.

John Kasich, though, all he needs is 8, 10, 12 percent.

LEMON: Hugh, can we go back to Jeb Bush ...

HEWITT: You bet.

LEMON: ... and we'll get to John Kasich. So why are you saying that, because, you know, do you know for sure that Jeb Bush is out of money? I mean can -- is this a death nail? We don't know where he's going to place coming up.

[21:05:08] HEWITT: Well, I asked him a telling question an hour and a half ago. I asked, governor, are you in this at least through March 15th. And I think this is a direct quote, "That's my plan." Well, you know, what, that's not what someone whose plan says. Someone says absolutely 100 percent. I am going all the way to Cleveland.

And so it kind of reinforced the Politico narrative that I expected more of a pushback on that. Sort of a poker tell, that's what my seasoned ears heard was a bit of weariness on Jeb Bush's part at the same time he's going to play it in Nevada, he's going to play it tomorrow and miracles do happen.

LEMON: OK. So listen, he was, he was very personal, personable last night in the town hall. He came off as very likable. He does he came off, really honestly as someone who doesn't have a mean bones in body.

HEWITT: I agree.

LEMON: So you're sensing a change in him and his campaign. HEWITT: Yeah.

LEMON: And I mean listen your gut, you have a very good gut. What is it telling you?

HEWITT: It's telling me that Jeb does not see a path forward if he does not finish in the top three and beat Marco Rubio. And Marco Rubio has got this enormous surge going on. I'll also say that some of the votes Jeb Bush was counting on, I've got to bring back my governor from Ohio. I haven't endorsed in this race in Switzerland I just try and call it like I see it. But I've known John Kasich a long time.

That movement, that hug that occurred yesterday, that kind of stopped Jeb's nice guy move. If everyone is looking for the nice guy, John Kasich just got the nice guy vote.

LEMON: With the hug, right?

HEWITT: With the hug. It's an amazing, I know you're playing it right now. I think it could be a guarantee of a place on the ticket.

LEMON: It's up right now while you're talking about it. And so what's his best scenario? I mean what his, is this his next opportunity? Or when is his next opportunity to prove that he isn't a one-hit wonder vote?

HEWITT: He does well in Mississippi, 15 percent. He goes to Michigan and does 25 percent. He wins Ohio. And John Kasich won 86 out of 88 counties in Ohio in 2012. He won my hometown of Warren, Ohio, which never votes for a Democrat. I thought the world was going to come to end. I thought a meteor was going to hit my hometown. It's a steel town. It's a car town. John Kasich won that.

He's going to win Ohio so his get able had chips and if we get to that open convention, which, you know, Rick Wilson calls the unicorn being ridden by a bare naked leprechaun. He's can able a lot of chips, so you could see a Cruz-Kasich or Rubio-Kasich, you can see a lot of weird stuff going on. But Donald Trump remains ahead in every national poll, save one.

LEMON: So let me asked you that and so -- what's the one they don't ask you question?

HEWITT: "The Wall Street Journal" NBC poll.

LEMON: Yes, the one that came out earlier this week. So listen he -- if Trump wins tomorrow, can anything stop him?

HEWITT: Oh, sure. You know, you got to show that you have a ceiling above 45 percent that you can't win with 30 percent and expect the field to fall over. He's got to build on that.

And I'm told Donald Trump this on the air and I'll tell him when he came in Houston and in Miami in the second debate. When you've got negatives as high as he's got, how do you overcome that? And I think he has answers. He wins states that no one else can win.

But he's got to make that sale, and he's a pretty good salesman and, you know, he can sell a lot of people on Democrats and Independents crossing over to vote for Donald Trump. I do think he made a mistake in suggesting president Bush lied about WMD.

LEMON: So how do you think he did last night? You mentioned (ph) that ...

HEWITT: He did great.

LEMON: You think he did well when the guy asked him, said, hey listen, you know, you called our former president, and I respect him a lot. Do you want to take that back. You called him a liar.

HEWITT: I think he did. And the only thing that Donald Trump can do which is to deflect it four time, they talked to Anderson. And Anderson Cooper, began my show tonight because I was impressed this is blowing smoke at CNN. I don't work for you guys, I don't have to do this.

But Anderson ran one of the hardest interviews that I think I've ever seen it was three-four, a voluble charismatic, big time center stage interviewee, you've got breaking news during the day, the Pope, the Pope ...

LEMON: Right.

HEWITT: ... arguing with your interviewee. And then at the middle of the debate comes the buzz feed story which, you know, I hate to get run with stuff that I haven't read about.

LEMON: With Howard Stern, right?

HEWITT: Yes, so it was like the triple Axel that he landed completely well. So hats off to Anderson.

LEMON: Yeah, and he is a great journalist, and this is CNN, as they say.

By the way, the man who asked Donald Trump about former president George W. Bush where he is going to speak to us -- we're going to speak to him live in just a moment. Hugh, have a great Friday night. Thank you.

HEWITT: You got me, let me give you a prediction. I don't want to do that Don. You get it.

LEMON: OK, yeah I got to you, you said Rubio second, Trump one.

HEWITT: Yup.

LEMON: Yeah, all right and you even talk about Jeb Bush's future.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Thank you sir, I appreciate it.

HEWITT: All right.

LEMON: All right Washington paying tribute tonight to Justice Antonin Scalia, more than 3,000 mourners, including members of Congress. You're looking at live pictures now streaming by to view the casket. President Obama, Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama also paying their respects. That was earlier today.

[21:10:01] A funeral mass for Justice Scalia will held tomorrow at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The justice's son, the Reverend Paul Scalia will deliver the homily.

Vice President Joe Biden expected to attend as well. CNN's coverage of Justice Scalia's funeral begins tomorrow 10:00 a.m. with Wolf Blitzer and Jake Tapper. Make sure you tune in for that.

When we come right back here on this broadcast, just hours to go until South Carolina's Republican primary. What do the voters think of all of this? I'm going to talk to two people who have been on the fence and see if they have made up their minds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Republican voters in South Carolina heading to the polls just a few hours from now to cast ballots in the GOP primary.

Joining me now, two of those voters, Sherry Burriss and Oran Smith. Each asked Donald Trump a question last night at CNN's Republican Town Hall in South Carolina, just a very good questions and we're glad to have you here on a Friday night.

Sherry, to you first. Let's start with you, OK. So, you told Donald Trump that you admire his strength but you have concerns about his tone and his self-control. So, let's listen to some of Donald Trump's answer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: But we need a certain toughness. Look, we have ISIS chopping off people's heads, Christians heads, everybody else's heads, drowning people in cages you've never seen. This is like medieval times.

We need a certain toughness. I know that Hillary said, I don't like Donald Trump's tone. Tone?

[21:15:04] They are chopping off the heads of people. This hasn't happened since medieval times. We need a certain toughness and if we don't have the toughness, we're not going to end up with a country. You know, we're going to let people come into this country. There are going to be ISIS or ISIS related and we're going to have problems like you've never seen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So when I interviewed you last night I think what you said is you understood where he was coming from, correct?

But it wasn't exactly the answer you were looking for. But I do know Sherry that you voted today. Did that answer play a part in your vote and who you voted for?

SHERRY BURRISS, UNDECIDED VOTER: You know, I think it did. Obviously, I'm not going to reveal who I voted for, but it did help me make a decision that I could get comfortable with the two candidates that I was deciding between.

So, to me, I feel like that, you know, anyone who takes this office is going to have to be a fast learner no matter what especially someone who has been on the outside. So I think if he does get elected, then he's going to have to tone it down a little bit. And I think he's already started doing that. And that was really my main purpose in asking the question.

I don't know that he could have really answered it any clearer. It's really going to be telling in how he conducts himself going forward.

LEMON: I think I kind of know where you were going, where you went when you, you know, voted but anyway, I don't want to say. Oran, you told Donald Trump ...

BURRISS: You don't really know.

LEMON: I don't know, I don't know, but it just sort of gives me an idea and I won't press you on it because it's your right. You don't have to tell anyone who you voted for and I respect that.

BURRISS: I'm comfortable with the people that I think South Carolina is going to vote for.

LEMON: OK. Oran, you told Donald Trump that in the last debate when he said George W. Bush lied to get us into the Iraq war, it stung you deeply. You asked if he'd be willing to rethink that and here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Well, a lot of people agree with what I said. And I'm not talking about lying. I'm not talking about not lying. Nobody really knows why we went into Iraq. The Iraqis did not going to -- it was not Saddam Hussein that knocked down the World Trade Center, OK.

COOPER: What you said was they lied. They said there were weapons of mass destruction. And there were none and they knew there were none, there were no weapons there.

TRUMP: Well there were a lot of people that think that. There were a lot of people that they look like bottom line, there were no weapons of mass destruction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: All right so Oran, you've whittled your choices down to two candidates. Did that answer play a part?

ORAN SMITH, SOUTH CAROLINA PRIMARY VOTER: Well, first of all, let me paraphrase Graucho Marx. Sometimes a question is just a question. I mean ...

LEMON: Yeah.

SMITH: ... coming out of the Greenville debate, that's was the number one question on my mind. It was a very personal question. I said it hurt deeply. It cut me deeply. That was the nominee of our party the last time, and that's was a pretty serious accusation to say he was a liar.

So there's no conspiracy about the question. Nobody put me up to it. It was all me. It was all me in the heart being hurt by that debate in Greenville. So I'm not sure I got everything I wanted as far as an answer. I was encouraged that he backed up a bit on that. He didn't come completely off of it, though, did he?

LEMON: Yeah. He didn't really answer your question about the lying part. But I mean, was it -- my question was to you, though did it play a part in you whittling it down? Because as I understand, you have decided -- the decision is between two people, for you.

SMITH: Yeah. Well, you know, I've met with Donald Trump before and very impressed with his candidacy. And I am going to vote tomorrow as early as I can, and I've got it down to a couple. And I don't know, I guess I probably have to make him number three now. He's probably out of my top two just because I think it showed some questions about his loyalty to the party that he's running under.

LEMON: Yeah, he said to you, he didn't think he was going to said I'm not going to get your vote. I remember him saying that. So what are people's ...

SMITH: Yeah, well, I want to -- can I defend him a little bit there?

LEMON: Get it, yeah absolutely?

SMITH: I was in the audience. Yeah, I was in the audience and that was sort of there was an interplay going on with the audience. And he was sort of saying that's mostly to the audience. I think that's was for their benefit more than mine because, you know, he seemed a little irritated, but once I've sat down, I'm not sure that he was giving me the evil stare.

LEMON: What are people saying to you about your questions? Are they discussing it? Are you out and about town? Sherry, you first, so the people talking about what you asking them questions?

BURRISS: Yes, they are. And I've gotten a lot of good responses from people. I think most of the responses they were very glad that I asked the question. I think the majority of people had the exact same feeling that I did. One of a person -- a lot of people I don't know contacted me and said, you know, I really wanted someone who's got private sector experience, but I had the same concerns that you did. I'm glad you asked the question.

I don't know that everybody feel that he directly answered it. And I don't feel that way either, but I think that it was something that needed to be said out loud and I was glad that I got the opportunity to do it. So I felt good about the responses that people had.

[21:20:12] LEMON: Oran, do you think there were conversations with people and that if they changed minds last night?

SMITH: Well, this is very unscientific, but most of the people I've heard from out and about today in the streets of downtown Columbia have been very supportive. You know, you are probably not going to walk up and somebody and tell them you didn't like what they said.

But I've had a lot of support from folks I've run into. I learned a lot about social media though in the last 24 hours. Wow. You can really light up Twitter in a negative way and find everything you've ever done analyzed if you ask a tough question to a presidential candidate. So that's a lesson learned for sure.

LEMON: Yeah.

SMITH: I wouldn't know anything about that.

BURRISS: I feel the same

LEMON: Yes. That's was sarcasm by the way.

SMITH: Yeah.

LEMON: Thank you, Sherri, thank you Oran. Have a great weekend and we appreciate you taking time to come on.

SMITH: Thank you.

BURRISS: Thank you very much.

LEMON: Donald Trump claims that he was against the Iraq war before the conflict started, but was he? We're going to debate that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[21:25:08] LEMON: Republicans in South Carolina start casting their votes tomorrow morning at 7:00, 7:00 in the morning. Donald Trump still leading in the polls.

Let's discuss now. Kayleigh McEnany, Republican writer and commentator who is a columnist for Above the Law. She was here last night, now, she's gone. Democratic Strategist Maria Cardona is with me as well. McKay Coppins is here, senior editor at Buzzfeed. He's the author of "The Wilderness" deep inside the Republican Parties, combative contiguous chaotic quest to take back to the White House and Republican Strategist Margaret Hoover who was a member of the George W. Bush, George W. Bushes White House staff and a veteran of two GOP presidential campaigns. That took about 10 minutes of this conversation. Margaret, to you first. If Trump wins tomorrow, is he going to run the table you think as he likes to say?

MARGARET HOOVER, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: There's a very strong possibility that that's exactly the case and that's exactly what's has the Cruz camp, the Rubio camp and every other Republican in the country that isn't the 30 percent and Kayleigh, quite nervous frankly because winner takes all states start on March 15th.

And so, you know, they're just proportionately battling (ph) up little by little. If this war of attrition on the guys were on the other end and if the field has not winnowed by March 15th, Donald Trump's inertia, his earned media campaign, all of the momentum that's gone into this it's frankly means that's quite likely Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee.

LEMON: Are you finally coming -- are you finally saying ...

HOOVER: You know I did in Iowa? It took me going to Iowa to realize ...

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Why did it take Iowa?

HOOVER: Because I was on maternity leave before.

LEMON: OK, that's right. You know, you can't think about it when you are on maternity leave.

HOOVER: I wasn't really plugged in.

LEMON: OK. McKay, let's -- can we talk about this because this was a big deal yesterday. Big deal today really because Trump repeatedly claims that he came out against the Iraq war before the invasion but your team, at BuzzFeed as we know uncovered this Howard Stern interview some back in 2002 saying otherwise. Take a look at this.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

HOWARD STERN: Are you for invading Iraq?

TRUMP: Yeah, I guess so. You know, I wish it was -- I wish the first time it was done correctly.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

LEMON: OK. So, McKay it was like -- I guess so, but, I mean, is that another ...

MCKAY COPPINS, SENIOR WRITER, BUZZFEED: Rousing endorsement of the idea, but certainly an endorsement. I mean look, because you have to remember and put this into context of Trump saying for months and months that he was against the Iraq war when every other Republican was for it pointing to that fact is kind of proof of his sensibility and savvy when it comes to matters of foreign policy. And I think the other thing that the team, my colleague Andrew Kosinski is leading this kind of effort to investigate this. The other thing that they found is that there's very little, if any, evidence of Trump actually saying on the record in public that he was opposed to the war in 2002 or 2003.

KAYLEIGH MCENANY, REPUBLICAN WRITER AND COMMENTATOR: Not true.

COPPINS: So, put those two things ...

MCENANY: Not true.

COPPINS: ... together, it's very difficult for him to support this claim. I mean look, he just -- we just listen to a clip of him saying, "Yeah, I guess so." I don't care how rousing that is. That is saying, "Yeah, I guess it's a good idea."

LEMON: Kayleigh and then Margaret. Go ahead, Kayleigh.

MCENANY: OK, yeah. No, that's not true. First you said, you know, Donald Trump was not against the war when every Republican was for it. That's patently false because as of 2004, Hillary Clinton was for the Iraq war.

In fact, Hillary Clinton was for the Iraq war up until 2007 when she was still saying it was a good idea. John Kerry was for the war. All of the Republican senators virtually were for the war and while they were, Donald Trump was saying repeatedly on the record on Bill O'Reilly's Show and "Esquire" magazine elsewhere in 2004, just a year after the invasion that it was a very bad idea.

LEMON: Margaret?

MCENANY: Donald Trump was against this when everyone else was for this.

HOOVER: OK, Kayleigh, that -- what's you're saying maybe true but that -- I mean, let's not deflect the fact he said he was never for going to Iraq. And PolitiFact every news organization, they have all done exhaustive research on every statement that Donald Trump made leading up to the Iraq war and no one can find anything that he made a public statement or any sort assertion that he was not in favor of the war in Iraq. So, what you're saying maybe true. That's not what he's saying.

LEMON: OK, all right, stand by, everyone because I want you this -- he was asked about this Howard Stern thing about this last time on CNN in the Town Hall and the again this evening on Fox news. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I think I heard he's say ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

TRUMP: ... and that was long before the war started. And it was a very like, I guess so. That was -- Howard is a friend of mine. That was the first time that I was ever asked about it. It was the first time. And I should have said, I guess so.

And then seven, eight, nine months later I guess the war started. By that time I had already gone that I was absolutely opposed to it. In 2003, that you see that I was opposed to it because that's when articles start to coming out.

Remember also, I wasn't a politician. Nobody really cared what I thought about the war. Nobody would really ask me. I guess Howard might have asked me at that early point, but that was long before the war started.

[21:30:04] By the time I had a chance to think about it, it was -- I was against.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: I need to let Maria get in here then everybody can chew around this. So Maria, how do you think this is going to play with South Carolina voters? I mean -- and should his camp be concerned about this?

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: It doesn't matter, Don. If there's anything that we have learned in the last nine months is that whatever Donald Trump says or didn't say, it doesn't matter to his supporters.

He will say the moment that he is asked, whatever he's going to say, and his supporters will believe him. And the more that all of us on this panel, that the media, that BuzzFeed, that whoever uncovered that interview goes at him to say he lied. He was wrong. Whatever Ted Cruz says, whatever Marco Rubio says will only make his supporters love him even more.

LEMON: Margaret?

HOOVER: The only finer point I would put on that Maria is -- because I don't want to belittle his supporters. I mean, it's not that his supporters necessarily believe him either. I think what it means is it just doesn't diminish his esteem in their mind.

CARDONA: I absolutely agree with that.

MCENANY: No, but he's been consistent. He's been ...

CARDONA: Go ahead, Kayleigh.

MCENANY: There's been this false narrative that's continually perpetuated that Donald Trump is somehow changing his policies all throughout his campaign. He has been the one candidate in this campaign that has been consistent and take ...

COPPINS: Come on.

LEMON: That was -- OK. So that was a huge bone of contention last night, Ana Navarro. We all remember that moment. You know, Ana was being Ana.

HOOVER: Kayleigh went to Columbia to protect herself.

LEMON: Yes, I thin what you said Margaret.

HOOVER: No, I mean, that's -- but Kayleigh, I mean, you can assert that, but the facts simply don't support that assertion.

MCENANY: It's true. It's true. You know, what I see ...

HOOVER: OK, I mean ...

CARDONA: But, here's the other thing I think that's happening sort of to your point, Margaret, and I think you'll like this, Kayleigh. He was also actually very honest in one of those answers when he said, "Look, I wasn't a politician. I had nothing to do with voting for it or against it." He said that in the Town Hall.

That I think is a breath of fresh air in terms of honesty and his supporters will say, "Absolutely, he has no responsibility for it one way or another."

LEMON: OK, before you respond Kayleigh, I need you guys to -- hang on. I have to get to a break. We're going to ask -- we're going to continue our conversation on this.

We're also going to talk about him calling for a boycott of Apple and we're going to talk about the Democrats as well. We'll fit all of that in. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[21:36:28] LEMON: All right. So, I'm back with my panel now. Kayleigh McEnany, McKay Coppins, Margaret Hoover and Maria Cardona.

So here is my question. If anyone can fight with the Pope and, you know, and have it not hurt him so far, doesn't appear to be hurting him, can Donald Trump, McKay Coppins, make a boycott of Apple happen?

COPPINS: I don't know, I mean, I was actually talking to somebody who was looking at the demographics of the average Trump supporter and kind of comparing and contrasting with the consumers of Apple products. There isn't as much overlap as maybe a successful boycott would require, although, we know by now that no one should ever doubt the power of Trump's bullhorn.

LEMON: OK.

COPPINS: I do think that Trump uses these moments better than any other candidate, you know. The feud with the Pope was kind of, in a way a master stroke, whether it was deliberate or not.

A lot of the people I talked to, down here in South Carolina were Evangelicals said, "Look, frankly, not only do we not care about what the Pope thinks, because we're Evangelicals and we're not Catholics, we specifically don't like this Pope who has been very outspoken on certain kind of social justice and liberal causes."

And Trump, I think, as we look forward to South Carolina, the SEC primary, you know, hurting the feelings of Catholics, particularly kind of moderate or liberal Catholics is not going to hurt him much.

LEMON: OK, all right, let's move on now. Let's talk about the Democrats while we have some time left.

Maria, to you first, Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, neck-and-neck in Nevada, I want you to take a look at this moment, it's from last night's Democratic Town Hall.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I know that Senator Sanders has also attacked President Obama. He's called him weak. He's called him disappointing. He tried to get somebody to run against him in the 2012 election in the primary.

And, you know, I just don't know where all this comes from. Because, maybe it's that Senator Sanders wasn't really a Democrat until he decided to run for president. And he doesn't even know what the, you know, last two Democratic presidents did.

And I'm, you know what -- well, it's true. It's true. You know it's true.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Wow. Maria, who wins in Nevada?

CARDONA: That's going to be a nail-biter. I think she will pull it out. I've talked to some folks on the ground, who say that she is a little bit ahead.

Obviously, anything can happen. And caucuses are notoriously difficult to poll. But in the polls that we have seen, we've seen that the numbers are favorable for her in terms of the hardcore caucus goers and the people who say that they are 100 percent going to go in caucus. She wins those.

But again, Bernie Sanders has been great at getting young people, getting new people in. So we'll see what happens. I love that both of these candidates are going for the African-American vote really hard, they're going to for the Latino vote very hard.

As a Latina Democrat, I couldn't be happier that both of these candidates are really competing for that vote while the Republicans are essentially giving us a Heisman Trophy move.

LEMON: Go ahead, Margaret.

HOOVER: You know, it's -- for Bernie Sanders at this point, Don, it's almost a win-win. Right? He's basically closed the margin. I mean, Hillary Clinton's internal polls in Robbie (ph) move quick just five weeks ago, we're showing internally they were 25 points ahead of Sanders. That is essentially closed over the last five weeks.

So even if he does lose, it's still a win for him.

LEMON: Right.

HOOVER: He's closed the gap with the Goliath. And he's the David, she's the Goliath.

And, you know, she needs huge turnout numbers in order for this to happen. I mean, she needs turnout numbers on a order of 2008 and she needs to win the majority of Hispanics, the majority in two to one Hispanics, same proportion that she won also for African-Americans is in 2008.

[21:40:10] So, it's a heavy lift. Fortunately, the team on the ground is the same as in 2008.

LEMON: The question is -- and so, is the fight, you know, because the fight has been for African-American and Latino voters. But, it is fight also for Independent voters.

I wonder, Kayleigh, because if you -- I think Bernie Sanders ...

MCENANY: Definitely.

LEMON: ... is essentially, you know, they are saying that this is going to be a third term for President Barack Obama. But, in an interview with B.E.T., Bernie Sanders is accusing Hillary Clinton of cozying up to President Obama to get African-Americans to vote for her and that's a pretty heavy charge.

MCENANY: It is and, you know, I definitely agree with you. Independents are key to this. You know, Bernie Sanders -- it's so interesting what he's doing. If he can stay by and win some of these close states and make his way to the nomination, he's positioning himself in a very good place because the president is very unpopular and for Bernie Sanders to take this rogue outsider approach in some ways similar to Donald Trump, that positions and very well for a general elections because Hillary Clinton is going to have a lot of explaining to do to the American people that she's not just going to be a third term of the Obama administration.

LEMON: So, Hillary Clinton scored a big endorsement with South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn -- to Jim Clyburn, the highest ranking African-American in Congress. Do you think that support is going to help reverberate over to Nevada, McKay?

COPPINS: Well, I think that it could. The thing that, you know, in Nevada, it's more about turnout with Latinos, although certainly the black vote matters. But, Latinos are really the kind of the whole game in a Democratic caucus in Nevada. And both campaigns have actually invested significant resources in turning out Latinos and, you know, hiring some of the top Latino, you know, political operatives and consultants.

So I think that, you know, that could help. I did just see a report that when the endorsement was announced, there were a lot of Bernie supporters in the crowd, and there wasn't a hugely enthusiastic response.

But, I do think that -- look, South Carolina is where that's going to help and I think that -- and if Hillary does have a firewall, which it's looking increasingly, you know, I'm increasingly skeptical of that. But, if she does have a firewall, it might not be in Nevada. It's probably more likely ...

LEMON: But, if she loses in Nevada, what does that mean, I mean, for South Carolina -- excuse me, South Carolina, it's Friday -- and the race and beyond? Maria, you are the perfect person to answer that.

CARDONA: Well, sure. It will be much more difficult for her because Bernie will have the wind at his back. We'll have more momentum than he has now going into South Carolina. Now, she does have huge numbers of advantage in South Carolina and that transcends the African- American vote of all ages.

You know, we all have this narrative that Bernie Sanders is doing incredibly better than her ...

LEMON: OK.

CARDONA: ... with Millennials, but with African-American Millennial, she wins.

LEMON: I appreciate ...

CARDONA: It's going to be more difficult for her, but it's not going to be impossible.

LEMON: Last word, thank you all. Thank you all.

HOOVER: Thanks, Don.

CARDONA: Thank you Don.

LEMON: Coming up, Hollywood's Voice of God endorses a candidate, while Morgan Freeman is speaking out for Hillary Clinton.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[21:46:57] LEMON: When Morgan Freeman speaks, that was mine and people listen.

And not only because of that iconic voice of his major voice, one of the greatest actors of our time is not only speaking out on election 2016. He also is a playing a role in this election. And here's my exclusive interview with Morgan Freeman.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: First of all, welcome. You decide to make these series of ads in support of Hillary Clinton. This is an endorsement?

MORGAN FREEMAN, ACTOR: Well, yeah. I have to pick somebody, and she's been my choice since she decided, yes, I will go.

LEMON: All right. Let's take a look at the ad.

FREEMAN: Her church taught her to do all the good you can for all the people you can for as long as you can.

After law school, she could have joined the high-priced law firm but instead, she worked to reform juvenile justice in South Carolina, exposed racism in Alabama schools, registered Latino voters in Texas and provided legal aid to families in Arkansas.

Her life's work has been about breaking barriers, and so would her presidency.

LEMON: That's very powerful. Why did you decide to do this?

FREEMAN: This is coming down to the wire. I think it is a very, very important election, not that all of them aren't.

But, we when situation in the world today where everybody is sitting on some kind of a powder keg and there are too many people have matches if you know what I mean.

So, whoever is going to be part of the world leadership is going to have to have some serious knowledge and smarts, and I think because of Hillary's background, her knowledge, her proven abilities ...

LEMON: With foreign policy, as the former secretary of state.

FREEMAN: Exactly.

LEMON: So, this is about -- for you, it sounds like this is about trust, who you can trust.

FREEMAN: Yes. Yes, absolutely.

LEMON: I want you to look at this. This is an exchange from a questioner from CNN's recent Town Hall with Secretary Clinton. It's about the trust issue. Take a listen.

TAYLOR GIPPLE, IOWA CAUCUS-GOER: I've heard from quite a few people my age that they think you're dishonest. But I'd like to hear from you on why you'd feel the enthusiasm isn't there?

CLINTON: I've been around a long time. People have thrown all kinds of things at me.

And, you know, I can't keep up with it. I just keep going forward, they fall by the wayside.

They come up with these outlandish things, they make these charges. I just keep going forward because there's nothing to it.

They throw all this stuff at me, and I'm still standing.

LEMON: Do you think it's a good enough answer because of the polls show she has a trust issue, she has a trust issue.

Number one, is it a good enough answer, and in your mind, do you think that she has a trust issue?

FREEMAN: Well, not with me, she doesn't. I don't know.

[21:50:03] I can't that she doesn't, because are your needing some cases people is to say it just put it out there and it gets legs. The Clintons have been being beat down ever since. Way back.

So, she just is going along with that legacy that she's inherited over the amount of time she's been in politics, which is a long time.

I think this is just made-up stuff, just, you know, political hog wash.

LEMON: You know, the primary coming up in South Carolina? And you said that, can you, this is more about trust to you because South Carolina the big thing is she's got to win the African-American vote. If she doesn't get the African-American vote, Bernie Sanders doesn't get the African-American vote, then they are, you know, it's toast.

But for you, this goes beyond that. This is again an issue of trust for you and that's why you are supporting her.

FREEMAN: Yeah. There was no -- I don't think there was such a thing as a black vote, as a political monolith, you know. That's not going to be the way it works this time.

LEMON: People need to figure out who they can trust, because at this point in time, got, whoever is going to be in control of the Senate, you've got the Supreme Court nominee and the person who is going to sit in the White House.

And as you said, these all elections are important, but this one may be the most important that many of us will vote on in our experience in our lifetimes.

FREEMAN: Exactly. I'm a little fearful. And when you get to that point, you need to stand up and start talking, you know. So, that's why I'm here. People are talking about race and gender and all that and that is always going to go on in these contests.

But, really it's not about that. It's about who can do the job. You have to just stop and think who can do the job.

And we have our shot at getting a very qualified person who happens to be a woman in the number one job.

LEMON: You've seen a lot of presidential campaigns. Is there anything that stood out to you that makes you want to like shake your first at the television or?

FREEMAN: Makes me laugh. I'm not going to call any names, I'm not going to lay out anything, but it makes me laugh.

LEMON: It's funny to you?

FREEMAN: It's funny.

LEMON: Did you ever think that we'd be at this point politically?

FREEMAN: No. No, no, no. I mean, who would?

LEMON: What's at stake in this election?

FREEMAN: What isn't? Safety? I mean, trust, security.

The fact that we have this disparity in incomes, that always brings things to a shaking point.

There will be a revolt as a result of that. That's really I think what Bernie Sanders is riding on, that sense of revolt that too much of the country's wealth is squeezed into too smaller space.

LEMON: Yeah.

FREEMAN: Because without a middle class, without people being able to make a decent living, we don't go anywhere. We don't grow, we don't thrive.

Yeah, here in these cities in terms of where the money is concentrated, it's fine. Go out into Heather land (ph), go to where people are just walking the streets wondering how am I going to get past this month, you know.

LEMON: It's an honor.

FREEMAN: Thank you.

LEMON: Thank you. Always good see you. Come back.

FREEMAN: You, too. You know why?

LEMON: Why?

FREEMAN: You're a good looking kid.

LEMON: Wow, thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you sir. It's indeed a pleasure.

FREEMAN: OK.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: And I will take that from Morgan Freeman. Make sure you stay with CNN this weekend for our in-depth coverage of the South Carolina Republican Primary and the Nevada Democratic caucuses. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[21:58:13] LEMON: If you missed any of our two-night GOP Republican Town Hall you, can see the whole thing in just a moment here on CNN.

But before we leave you tonight, I want to say a few words about Harper Lee. She died earlier this morning at the age of 89.

Fifty six years, after the debut of the book that become an instant American classic, "To kill a mocking bird," you know the story.

And Atticus Finch Southern Lawyer goes up against small town racist to defend a black man falsely accused of rapping a white woman.

His young daughter Scout learning indelible lessons about courage as she watches her father fight a losing battle.

To kill a mocking bird, a 1962 movie is one of my favorite movies ever. Gregory Peck won an Oscar for his role as Atticus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREGORY PECK, ACTOR: Oh men, pretty gets in there equal. I have no idea that is to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and our jurist system. That's no ideal to me. That is a living, working reality.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: If you haven't seen that movie, see it now.

Just last year an earlier and controversial draft of the books titled "Go set a watchman" was published to mixed reviews but the poet surprised winning "To Kill a Mockingbird," is the enduring legacy of Harper Lee. Millions of Americans still read it every year.

And if you grew up in the south like I did, mocking bird is something very special.

Today, President Barack Obama and First Lady, Michelle Obama paid a tribute to Harper Lee and her master piece saying this, "Miss Lee changed America for the better and there is no higher tribute we can offer her than to keep telling this timeless American story to you're students, to our neighbors and to our children and to constantly try in our own lives to finally see each other."

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