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Ted Cruz Scores Big on Super Saturday; Bernie Sanders Wins Kansas and Nebraska; CNN to Host Democratic Debate in Flint; China Sets Goal for Economic Growth; Second Round of Peace Talks for War- Torn Syria; Vatican: Sixteen Executed by Gunmen in Yemen; Family of Environmental Activist Says She was Assassinated; SpaceX Successfully Launches Another Rocket. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired March 6, 2016 - 04:00   ET

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


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[04:00:00] GEORGE HOWELL, CNN HOST: Ted Cruz scores big on Super Saturday and appeals for unity to stop Donald Trump, but the front- runner got his share of victory too and warn that any attempt to skip (ph) a Republican Party may lead to defeat in November. Plus, democrat Bernie Sanders celebrates wins in two states while looking ahead to the next round.

And living a dream that may never be realized, a heart-tugging story of an 8-year-old who is dying -- who's dying wish rather, is to be sheriff for a day. From CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world, I'm George Howell. "NEWSROOM" starts right now.

A very good day to you. We start this hour with the results of Super Saturday and another big day on the road for the White House, and what a day for Ted Cruz. The republican candidate had gained momentum in his claim that he is Donald Trump's strongest challenger. Cruz won both Kansas and Maine while trump took the states of Louisiana and Kentucky.

And for the democrats, Bernie Sanders got two big wins in Kansas and Nebraska keeping his campaign alive. But Hillary Clinton maintained her lead winning in the state of Louisiana. Fresh off those wins, Ted Cruz called on republicans to rally around him to take on Donald trump.

He says that his campaign is the party's only hope to win the White House in November. Also, pointing out a recent straw poll from the major conservative conference known as CPAC where Cruz came in on top.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: By any measure, Kansas and Maine and the CPAC National Conference of Conservatives are all very different groups of voters, and to see strong, strong wins across the board is very encouraging and I think what it represents is republicans coalescing saying it would be a disaster for Donald Trump to be our nominee and we're going to stand behind the strongest conservative in the race.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Donald Trump is pushing back though against this idea of republicans blocking his path with a third party candidate. He says doing that is just handing the election to Hillary Clinton.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If they run a third party or an independent party, if they do that, it will make it impossible for the republican candidate, on the assumption it's me or anybody, to win. If that means losing, that means that Hillary Clinton, who should not be allowed to run because of what she did with the e-mails, should not be allowed to run.

But on the assumption -- on the assumption that they did that, it would be impossible for the republican to win and obviously the independent or third party could not win. So, the democrats would have an absolute free run, probably you wouldn't even campaign because it would be impossible to win.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Here is a closer look at the numbers. You can see that Ted Cruz edged out Donald Trump on Super Saturday. Marco Rubio fell behind at a distant third and Rubio is also far behind in the race at large where Trump still carries a lead into several major upcoming contests. For his part, Trump is taking greater aim at his two rivals, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. He's even urging one of them to drop out of the race entirely. Here's Jim Acosta with details from West Palm Beach, Florida.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump declared victory at two of the four events that were up for grabs after winning in both Louisiana and Kentucky. Donald Trump said that that was a testament to the organization that he's put together in this campaign and also the movement that he's leading in this country.

As for Ted Cruz who also won two states on this Super Saturday, Trump said the victory for Ted Cruz in Maine was due to the fact that he was born in Canada. AS for his other big rival in this race, Marco Rubio -- Donald Trump suggested that he should drop out. Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I think Marco -- Marco Rubio had a very, very bad night and personally, I'd call for him to drop out of the race. I think it's time now that he drop out of the race. I really think so. I think it's probably time, you know -- I don't think tonight he can get up and rant and rave in all he did great. He comes in third, he comes in fourth. Every time he comes in third or fourth he says, you've got to be able to win, and he has not been able to win and I think it's time he drops out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Trump also defended the level of discourse he's bringing to the campaign saying that the occasional scuffles that break out of his rallies are due to the fact that his events are larger than those of the other candidates. Jim Acosta, CNN, West Palm Beach, Florida.

[04:05:02] HOWWELL: It's of no surprise here, but it doesn't seem like Rubio will be taking Donald Trump's advice there. In fact, he is planning on a big win in his home state.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There will be more delegates awarded in Florida than basically every state that voted tonight combined because it's a winner-take-all state. The states that voted on tonight are important. We're going to leave tonight with more delegates than we had yesterday.

I've explained repeatedly that this is a proportional process and every night that we have caucuses like there were tonight in three states, we continue to pick up delegates. Now, there are clearly states in which some of my opponents do better than in other states because it fits the profile that they've targeted. We understood that.

We've continued to play the delegate math in this campaign because we understand this is going to be a very different kind of primary where the delegates are going to count. That's why I'm here tonight in Puerto Rico. That's why we're going to continue to campaign in Florida but we're also going to go to other states.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: So, Trump currently leads Rubio in Florida in the latest Quinnipiac poll, 44 percent to 28 percent. Now, let's take a closer look at the democratic race. Even though Bernie Sanders may have won more states than his rival on Super Saturday, Hillary Clinton still dominates when it comes to delegates.

She has now snagged more than 1,100 delegates that include super delegates, and Bernie Sanders has 479 -- 2,383 delegates are needed to clinch the nomination. Sanders and Clinton arrived in the state of Michigan before those Super Saturday results came in. That is where the democratic primary is to be held on Tuesday, and both candidates say they are confident.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're very proud that tonight we won in Kansas with a good vote, won in Nebraska with a good vote, and we think we're going to do well in Maine tomorrow. But no matter, we think we're going to do very well here on Tuesday in your great state. But no matter who wins this democratic nomination, I have not the slightest doubt that on our worst day we will be infinitely better than the republicans on their best day.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There is no barrier we can't break down if we stand together and work together. That is my pledge to you. I am asking for and hoping to receive your vote on Tuesday because I know if I am your democratic nominee, I will make Detroit a central issue in this campaign. I will make Flint a separate issue in this campaign. I will make Michigan's comeback a story of resilience and success in this campaign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Michigan -- Flint, Michigan and workers front and center for these democratic candidates. We get more now from our senior political correspondent Briana Keilar with a breakdown of Super Saturday for both democrats and how the Clinton campaign feels going into that next contest ahead.

BRIANA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: The contest may have been in Nebraska, Kansas, Louisiana, but both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders here in Michigan ahead of the CNN Debate Sunday and the key primary in this state on Tuesday. Both of them attending the Michigan Democratic Party dinner where Clinton congratulated Sanders and didn't take him on too sharply.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

H. CLINTON: Today democrats caucused and voted in Louisiana, Kansas, and Nebraska. I want to congratulate Senator Sanders for running a strong campaign. I am thrilled we're adding to our pledge delegate count. I'm grateful to everyone who turned out to support us. But now all eyes turn to Michigan. And I can tell you this, we're going to work for every vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: And as Secretary Clinton referenced there, she and her campaign are stressing her delegate lead over Bernie Sanders, that he may have picked up more states than her on this Super Saturday, two to her one, but she picked up more delegates. They're also stressing that her margin over Bernie Sanders is bigger than any one that Barack Obama had in 2008. Implicit in that, they are asserting that Bernie Sanders cannot best her. Briana Keilar, CNN, Detroit.

HOWELL: So, let's recap what was a very busy day this Super Saturday. Bernie Sanders keeps up the pressure on Hillary Clinton. Ted Cruz is rallying to emerge as the Trump alternative. To talk about it all let's bring in Jacob Parakilas live from London. Jacob is the assistant head of the U.S. and Americas Program at Chatham House.

Jacob, always a pleasure to have you with us. So, let's talk first about what came off as a very strong day for Ted Cruz against Donald Trump following that brutal debate that we're going to watch and also Trump deciding to skip CPAC and Cruz coming out on top of the straw poll. What are your thoughts about how this plays out moving forward?

[04:10:08] JACOB PARAKILAS, ASSISANT HEAD, U.S. AND AMERICAS PROGRAMME: This primary has gone through a number of different narratives on the republican side and the -- the sort of underlying aspect of it all has been when is it going to turn into a two-man race. And I think today you're beginning to see the emergence of the possibility of a sort of two-man Donald Trump/Ted Cruz race for the republican nomination.

Now, it's difficult to see how Cruz could actually accumulate the full number of delegates he would need to win on the first ballot at the republican convention. But you have the possibility of actually having a floor fight at the convention, which is something that hasn't happened in modern American history.

HOWELL: Wait a minute, you know, I can hear the Rubio camp saying, "hey, wait a minute, don't count us out," because Marco Rubio is counting on Florida, you know, determined to stay in this race. What do you see?

PARAKILAS: It's -- it's difficult to see how Rubio could overcome even Cruz at this point. I mean, if you look at what the Rubio camp was saying, they were talking about the number of places that they beat Cruz without mentioning Donald Trump. So, I really don't see what Rubio could do aside from sort of build up to the point where he and Cruz could jointly contest Trump's nomination at the convention.

But it's just difficult to imagine sort of Rubio superseding Cruz's delegate count at this point and being the strong -- the sort of obvious alternative to Trump.

HOWELL: Jacob, let's talk the democrats. Bernie Sanders, you know, we now hear him pivoting talking more about taking on Donald Trump really than sparring against Hillary Clinton though Clinton maintained the lead with delegates. What does Sanders have to do to keep up his momentum?

PARAKILAS: Sanders would have to massively expand his -- his vote amongst non-white parts of the democratic block because every state Sanders has won has been -- have largely white and very liberal and that's not necessarily a demographic that's true for the upcoming big winner-take-all states. So, he actually sort of has his work cut out for him. He needs to do very well in the big democratic strongholds in Michigan and in Florida and California to come.

Clinton's got a very strong delegate lead. She also has a strong establishment report and you're seeing that in her tone where she's talking more about sort of the general election and trying to be accommodating and gracious about Sanders rather than attacking him as she did earlier when I think she was a bit more worried about the challenge after New Hampshire.

HOWELL: You know, just a few days ago we heard Mitt Romney come out very strongly against Donald Trump making the case there. And we just heard Donald Trump seemingly concerned about this idea of a third party candidate. He basically says that, you know, if that were to happen, the republicans would hand the election over to the democrats. What do you make of it? PARAKILAS: I think the idea of a third party candidate is interesting.

I think it would be incredibly difficult to do at this point. Ballot access laws would mean that a third party candidate at this point would almost certainly have to run a write-in campaign. Now, Donald Trump can threaten that because he has almost universal name recognition at this point. Everyone everywhere knows who Donald Trump is.

So, if he says I'm running a write-in campaign then he could probably-- he probably couldn't win the election but he could probably throw. He can get enough votes and to guarantee a democratic win. It's difficult to see who the republicans could put up as a sort of independent republican on a write-in candidate who would threaten Trump. So, I'm not sure how plausible that is.

HOWELL: Jacob, just quickly here, the view from outside the United Sates for those that are watching this election process take place -- about the two front runners -- what are the two feelings about Donald Trump for the republicans and Hillary Clinton as it stands now for the democrats?

PARAKILAS: There's a lot of concern about Trump, I mean, people are worried about his bellicose rhetoric. They worry in Europe particularly about the extent to which he would maintain traditional American alliance commitment in the extent to achieve and sort of swap those out for a more of a transactional view of America's role in the world. Clinton is much more of a known quantity. I think she has seen as more -- representing more of a continuity with Obama than a significant step change of any kind.

HOWELL: Jacob Parakilas live for us in London. Jacob, thank you so much for your insight.

PARAKILAS: Thank you.

[04:15:00] HOWELL: Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders will face off in the debate stage once again in the CNN Democratic Debate. It is live from Flint, Michigan. CNN's own Anderson Cooper will moderate that debate. It is at 8:00 p.m. Sunday here on the East Coast, 1:00 a.m. Monday in London, only here on CNN.

You're watching "CNN NEWSROOM." It has been a painful legal and emotional battle for the families of those on board Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Ahead, how the victims are being remembered two years after.

Plus, a camp designed to hold 1,500 refugees at the Greek border is now overflowing with tens of thousands of migrants all hoping to cross into Macedonia. It is 4:15 on the east coast this hour. You're watching "cnn newsroom" live.

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PATRICK SNELL, SPORTS ANCHOR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Patrick Snell with your CNN World Sport Headlines. Starting off in the Premier League with perhaps the most pivotal (inaudible) job in living memory and the odds is even between second place Tottenham and Arsenal and (inaudible) thriller of a match but draw the results neither once within their quest to try an reel in the foxes. And Leicester would take full advantage of the opportunity by beating Watford 1-0.

The vital goal coming from the Algerian Riyad Mahrez for the visitor's 15th Premier League goal of the season sending Leicester's traveling masses into delirium less than (inaudible) five points clear atop the table. In Germany, where Borussia Dortmund had a great chance to make the league more Bundesliga title a good deal more interesting. Victory on Saturday. They're on best ((inaudible) would have taken them to within two of Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich, but this would end goalless. A disappointing game. A classic good of a game with both teams having to settle for a point. Arturo Vidal was closest to a winner when he hit the woodwork for the visitors. Even Dortmund's start striker Pierre Emerick Aubameyang failed to score.

And just a day after UEFA confirms goal line technology will feature in the season's European Champions League final, international football's rules governing body has approved testing of video technology to help match officials. Experiments will be carried out over a two-year period ahead of any final decision. That's a look at your sport headlines. Thanks for joining us. I'm Patrick Snell.

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HOWELL: Devastating agony and grief, that is what the last two years have been filled with for the families of those on board Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Two hundred thirty-nine people lost their lives on that flight. Relatives have found few answers since that Boeing 777 disappeared on its way to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. And now some families are taking the last opportunity to sue the airline before the deadline on March 8th.

Relatives are also hoping that this piece of debris that you see here that was found off the coast of Mozambique might uncover some clues as to what happened to that plane. In Malaysia the MH370 victims were remembered in an emotional ceremony. Saima Mohsin has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[04:20:00] SAIMA MOHSIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Family, friends and well wishers are gathering here today to mark a day of remembrance for the 239 passenger and crew members on board flight MH370. Kuala Lumpur, of course is where the plane to come from bound for Beijing. It didn't arrive at its destination. It's where their loved ones were last seen.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, today's the 6th and I'm recalling what Patrick did on the 6th and then tomorrow I'll remember what he did on the 7th. You know, as she went for a safety (inaudible). And then I will remember on the 8th the call coming in and all that. So, it's all replaying -- it's rewinding in our brain back and that's tough, but, you know, I'm trying to stay strong.

MOHSIN: The family members are also taking this opportunity to launch a petition search on. They're asking people to re-evaluate and re- investigate the disappearance of Flight MH370. Their concern that once current search zone of 120,000 kilometers in the deepest southern Indian Ocean ends, the search may end with it and they may never find the plane or their loved ones.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's been talk about them stopping the search at the end of June early July and we are not ready for them to stop searching. We want the search to go on. We think that giving up right now will be premature -- so unprecedented, so bizarre. They have to be willing to take unprecedented steps so they may not normally look for a plane for this long but this is an unprecedented event and they need make uncommon steps, unprecedented steps as well to recover the plane.

MOSHIN: Each of these balloons has someone on board Flight MH370's name attached to them. These are for the 12 crew members, the rest for the 227 passengers on board whose families are still hoping they might turn up. And that is why events like this are so important for them, to raise awareness, to keep the greatest aviation mystery alive, perhaps hoping that it's a mystery no more and they find the plane. Saima Mohsin, CNN, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: A make shift camp along the Greek border keeps getting bigger and bigger as hundreds of migrants continue arriving every day hoping to cross into Macedonia. A drone captured these aerials that you see here over the camp showing hundreds of tents that are huddled along a rail line at the border.

Macedonia has imposed tight restrictions on migrant crossings. There are more than 10,000 migrants stranded at the camp which is designed to hold 1,500 people. CNN's Arwa Damon caught up with some of the migrants at the camp to see how they're coping with the many challenges there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The children will find anything that they can to actually be able to play with. That game is called the bus. This is the situation as it exists along the Greece-Macedonia border where the kids will do whatever they can the way children always do with their phenomenal resilience to try to entertain themselves, but it is always phenomenally difficult on the parents. There are upwards of kind of thousand people that are currently stuck here.

Macedonia has reduced the numbers being allowed through to about a few dozen a day and only Iraqis and Syrians. And this is largely because other countries that are meant to be receiving the refugees and the migrants are saying that they simply at this stage cannot take the numbers or cope with the influx. But by simply shutting down the border it has resulted in this massive expansion that we are seeing here right now. All of these brightly colored tents were donated by various different organizations because the aid groups that exist here quite simply can't handle the sheer volume of people that have been built up here at what is now a bottleneck. And you can see other families getting ready for the night. It does

get bitterly cold out here at night, and then the long line of people waiting to get food. A line that they sometimes spend an hour, if not two in it just to get a sandwich and everyone who we've been speaking to here says they can deal with just about anything. It's the uncertainty of it all that makes it so difficult. Arwa Damon, CNN, on the Greece-Macedonia border.

HOWELL: Always appreciate Arwa's reporting there. Tens of thousands of refugees from Syria have crossed the sea from Turkey to Greece in just the first two months of this year. And for many, that journey was dangerous and it was a nightmare.

[04:25:00] UNIDENTIFIED MALE (TRANLATED): We were about 60 people. We did not want to go on the boat, but they got us on it. In the middle of the sea the boat started sinking. I called the Greek coast guard. A few boats arrived. They saved my siblings. The driver is the one who sank the boat.

HOWELL: Omar told us after the boat started sinking, the Turkish Coast Guard rescued his five younger siblings and took them to turkey while the Greek Coast Guard rescued him and his mother and then took them to Greece. Now, after nearly two weeks of separation the family was finally reunited in Greece. A happy ending thankfully to what was certainly a scary and dangerous ordeal.

This is "CNN NEWSROOM." Still ahead, Super Saturday. It's now over, but the battle is just heating up for the state of Florida. Very important for Marco Rubio. A preview of that critical winner-take-all state is ahead.

Plus, an attack in Yemen leaves more than a dozen people dead including four missionaries. We will hear what Pope Francis is saying about this horrendous crime. Live from Atlanta and around the world this hour, you're watching CNN Worldwide.

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[04:30:00] (HOWELL: A warm welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. You're watching "CNN NEWSROOM." Good to have you with us. I'm George Howell. The headlines we're following this hour.

Super Saturday brought some mixed results in the U.S. presidential race. Republican's Ted Cruz and Donald Trump each won two states as both candidates look to narrow the race to a one-on-one contest.

Meanwhile, democrat Bernie Sanders stayed alive with two wins of his own, but Hillary Clinton still managed to extend her lead when it comes to delegates.

China has set a goal for its economy of an annual growth rate of at least 6.5 percent. The announcement came from China's premiere at the opening of the National People's Congress in Beijing. He warned though that China faces difficulties ahead giving the country slowdown in economic growth. The U.N.'s special envoy for Syria says a second round of peace talks for the war-torn country will begin in Geneva on Wednesday. A fragile cease-fire is now in its second week. A rights group says during the truce's first week, a 135 people were killed in parts of Syria where the cease-fire is being observed.

The Vatican says gunmen have executed 16 people including four nuns in Yemen. This attack happened on Friday at an elderly home in the port city of Aiden. The pope is condemning the killings as, "senseless and diabolical."

America's Choice 2016 and Super Saturday is now in the books. The next big prize for the U.S. Republican presidential candidates, it is the state of Florida. A winner-take-all state and rivals Donald Trump and Marco Rubio both held rallies there on Saturday competing for the 99 delegates that are up for grabs. Florida's primary will be held on Tuesday, March 15th and of course, we'll follow it. Donald Trump is currently leading there, but anti-Trump movements are spending millions of dollars to make sure he doesn't take that state. CNN's Kyung Lah has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We're doing really well in Florida.

KYUNG LAH, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Trump's target, Florida -- a crown jewel for the GOP frontrunner in less than two weeks until the states winner-take-all primary -- the anti-Trump movement is spends monstrous amounts of money targeting the billionaire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Former students say Trump University was a scam.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAH: Flooding Florida this week, a slew of coordinated attack ads from multiple political action committee, pouncing on his failed businesses like Trump University. To this, $1.5 million ad buy on alleged business tactics.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trump entrusted convicts to help him run his company.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAH: And there's more. This ad part of $1.75 million in ads paid for by the main group attacking Trump, the American Future Fund.

STUART ROY, AMERICAN FUTURE FUND SPOKESPERSON: There is no doubt that we, again, we're on a compressed time frame and that it's very urgent that we focus now and to be in politics you have to be optimistic and we are optimistic that it's going to work.

LAH: Well you think people in Florida are going to buy that, the anti- Trump movement?

GIL DEZER, PRESIDENT OF DEZER DEVELOPMENTS: I don't see that the negative noise is going to fall -- it might fall on to deaf ears because people here, who are Trump fans, are really Trump fans.

LAH: That's why Gil Dezer believes the ad campaign will fail in Florida. Dexzer is admittedly biased -- business partners and friends with Trump for years. Dezer developed these high rises that carry the billionaire's name.

DEZER: Okay, so this project is called the Trump Grand. Trump Towers, Trump Towers 1, 2, 3.

LAH: Towers that went up during the 2008 housing meltdown.

Are you panicking during this time?

DEZER: You know what, there was a few sleepless nights but I wouldn't ...

LAHAT: Dezer credits the Trump brand for bringing in international investors and saving his Miami area property. Not every Florida investment led to a windfall, but for decades, the states skyline has grown with tens of millions in successful Trump brands. According to Federal Election Commission filings, Trump made $15.5 million at his Mar-a-Lago Resort. $50 million at Trump National Doral. Marco Rubio may be Florida's senator, but the republican establishment and the endorsement of the state's largest newspaper.

RUBIO: We have some states awaiting for me in the next few days, but then we're coming to Florida.

LAH: But Trump's business partners say Trump is Florida's investor. The decade's long work that supporters believe is more potent than any attack campaign and may pay off in two weeks.

Do people in Florida really see Donald Trump as a local man, as somebody who's going to make a difference?

DEZER: I think he's a Florida guy as much as he's a New York guy.

LAH: That's one man's opinion. A latest Quinnipiac university poll does show that Trump is leading Rubio 44 percent to 28 percent. But here's an important number to note, in that very same poll, 30 percent -- 30 percent say that they haven't made up their minds yet. They could shift their opinion, shift which candidate they decide to support. Florida very much in play. The Rubio camp continuing to say they believe their senator will win his home state.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Thanks to Kyung Lah for that report. Now, people out on the campaign trail, they have heard Donald Trump refer to the once held captive Army Sergeant Bo Berghdal as a traitor. Here's a sample of what Mr. Trump has said in front of big crowds.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[04:35:00] TRUMP: Six beautiful young people were killed, looking for Sergeant Bergdahl, right. So, -- and we knew that he was a traitor because we had a general and colonel interviewing all of the people that he worked with.

HOWELL: Now, Bergdahl's lawyer is asking to meet with the republican front-runner. Earlier, I spoke with his attorney, Eugene Fidell by phone about it.

EUGENE FIDELL, BOWE BERGDAHL'S ATTORNEY: We'd like to interview him about that. He's made himself a witness and this is simply what you would do if you knew that there was somebody who potentially had information about the case. In fact, Mr. Trump comments, in addition to being defamatory, I think brings a serious question as to whether my client can get a fair trial, which he's entitled to under the due process clause of the U.S. Constitution. So, I think it's very critical that we meet with him. I hope he'll meet with us. I don't know if he will. If he doesn't, then we'll ask for a court to order him deposed.

HOWELL: The attorneys focused there on Trump's comments that Bergdahl being a traitor and that he should be executed. He's facing court martial on charges of desertion.

More now on the democratic race for the presidential nomination. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have been busy fighting it out for voters in the state of Michigan. They're battling for the winner-take- all 36 delegates in the state's primary on Tuesday and they will face off in a CNN debate in the city of Flint, Michigan, Sunday evening at 8:00 eastern time. Clinton and Sanders have condemned the massive drinking water contamination situation in that city lead-poisoned water, basically in that city, it's changed the water's -- after the city changed its water source I should say to save money.

Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton extended her lead a bit with a big win in Louisiana on Super Saturday, but Bernie Sanders won Kansas and Nebraska. And as our senior Washington correspondent Joe Johns reports, Sanders is hoping for another big win in the state of Michigan.

(BEIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE JOHNS, SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Bernie Sanders appearing on Super Saturday at Macomb Community College in Michigan, the very same school where Donald Trump had appeared just one day before. The campaign said the senator's appearance was not in reaction to the Trump appearance, however, during a speech here, Sanders did talk about a CNN poll that shows he would beat Trump in a general election match-up.

SANDERS: The American people know that togetherness, standing together trumps divisiveness. The American people know that community helping each other trumps selfishness. And most importantly, the American people know and every religion teaches us this, that love trumps hatred. JOHNS: Sanders also talked about Flint, Michigan, the site of a water

crisis and the scene of the CNN Democratic Debate on Sunday night and he once again called on Michigan's governor to step down over the issue.

SANDERS: When you have that kind of dereliction -- dereliction in duty, I think the governor should do the right thing and resign.

JOHNS: Sanders may be fighting an uphill battle here, but he needs to make a strong showing in the primary on Tuesday. Joe Johns, CNN, Warren, Michigan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: The mayor of Flint, Michigan tells CNN's Brianna Keilar that she hopes to hear solutions from Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in the upcoming democratic debate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAREN WEAVER, MAYOR OF FLINT, MICHIGAN: What I really want to hear them talk about, you know, some solutions to this. That's one of the things we're looking for because we've been dealing with this situation for such a long time that it's time to move past and know we continue to need water and we continue to need filters. But we've really got to look at some long-term solutions and what it is the people of Flint deserve to have as a result of what's happened to them.

KEILAR: What might some of those solutions may be because it does seem on the campaign trail that there is certainly a lot of bringing awareness to the issue but there isn't really a lot of talk about solutions.

WEAVER: Right. And the solutions are, we need some money. We need money and we need to put services and supports in place for our kids and families that have been impacted by this. Those are the solutions. We've got to get the money because we know Flint doesn't have the money to deal with this crisis and we need money from the state and we need some money at the federal level. We need help.

KEILAR: You have said that it is up to Governor Rick Snyder if he is going to resign or not. Do you still feel that way?

[04:40:00] WEAVER: You know what, it's been interesting because things have been coming out and coming out, and so we're looking to see, you know, what does he know and when did he know it? That's what we want to know because we want anybody that knew things to be held accountable for what's happened to the citizens of Flint.

Right now, I've been really focused on trying to get some money from them, you know, we need some money because we have infrastructure issues that are going on. We have services that kids need so, I'm really focused more on that. But you know what, as information comes out, whoever needs to be held accountable should be and that's all we've ever wanted. (END OF VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Switching now from politics to the pineapple express, bringing some much-needed rain to the state of California. The question though, will it help the drought?

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: That's a good question. They've got a long way to go in California and don't you love our weather terminology? The pineapple express.

HOWELL: Got to love it.

VAN DAM: I'm going to do you all a favor and show you what it means and why we call it that in just one second. But first, take a look at these beautiful, beautiful images coming out of the Sierra, Nevada mountain range in California. This is what I like to see. Now George, full disclosure here, I'm a snowboarder so I like the snow and I want to see more of this fresh, white stuff on the ground because that extends the skiing season through at least April, maybe even into May.

Take a look at my radar because it is lighting up like a Christmas tree. I say that because you can see just the heavy convective bands that are moving through the central portions of California at the moment indicating some pretty hefty precipitation. This is the first round. There's another round off shore that our radar can't pick up just yet. It will move on in, but the pineapple express.

Here it is. It's almost like a fire hose dousing the western parts of the U.S. and all of its moisture originates across the tropics near Hawaii. See that shading of blue extending all the way from Hawaii to the west coast? That's the area that's bringing us our tropical influence, our tropical moisture. So, this is very moisture-laden air Pacific moisture, and that is what's being brought into the western half of the United States that potentially could be a drought buster, but we don't want to get ahead of ourselves just yet because we've got a long way to go.

It's been a well-advertised drought in California five years strong. So, it's going to take some serious work. But it could put a dent in it for sure. How much rain are we talking about? Well, we have localized spots in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, maybe six to ten inches, over three feet of snow though for the higher elevations. That's impressive stuff. Good news for the reservoirs as well because so many of the cities like Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, depend on that summer snow melt.

San Francisco you could see three inches are more of rain over the next seven days and that bodes well with the kind of prediction centers well above average rainfall for the next six to ten days, that's good news. All right, I said I'm a snowboarder. I'm going to bring you to Vail, Colorado, where Shaun White just took home the grand prize for the U.S. Burton Snowboard Championships. This is the halfpipe competition and there it is. That is why that man is on top of his game and the best in the world at this sport, throwing all kinds of tricks and looking amazing as he does it.

HOWELL: Could you even imagine the wind?

VAN DAM: That just, you know, you've got to have a couple of screws loose there because if you misplace your snowboard, you are in some serious pain.

HOWELL: Derek Van Dam. Thank you so much.

VAN DAM: All right George.

HOWELL: You're watching "CNN NEWSROOM." We'll be right back after the break.

[04:45:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: Welcome back to "CNN NEWSROOM." I'm George Howell. In Yemen, four nuns and a dozen other people are dead after gunmen stormed an elderly home in the port city of Aden. The Vatican official says the killers burst into the facility, then went room to room handcuffing victims before shooting all 16 in the head.

The Pope swiftly rebuked the attack as senseless and diabolical. For the very latest on this, let's go live to journalist Hakim Almasmari live from Sanaa, Yemen. Hakim, it's good to have you with us to talk about this terrible tragedy. What more do we know about this attack?

HAKIM ALMASMARI, YEMENI AMERICAN JOURNALIST: Incredible. Hundreds of thousands are mourning in Yemen today after this tragic attack that killed people who were loved by many Yemeni especially those in Aden. They were considered family. These nuns where help -- have been helping these elderly citizens for the last couple of years, many years to come and were very much loved. This attack was so tragic that even Al-Qaeda condemned this attack and denied any responsibility.

According to the governor of Aden, this attack holds the hallmarks of Isis and this is not something new to us because it's not a secret that Isis has strong control over many parts of Aden right now and many checkpoints in Aden today are even controlled by Isis themselves. So, this is all because of the political turmoil that has happened in the country due to the nonstop Saudi war in Yemen that has basically left no government in many parts of the country and caused many civilian deaths over the last 11 months.

The U.N.'s toll is over 2,800 while government tolls here are exceeding 8,000 civilians killed over the last several months. This is causing a huge crisis politically, economically and also hunger crisis in Yemen.

HOWELL: And as that conflict continues, there are many civilians, Hakim, that are caught in the middle obviously. We'll stay in touch with you to get the very latest on what's happening, but this after a brutal attack there. Hakim Almasmari, we appreciate your reporting there. Thank you.

In Honduras, the family of an environmental activist said that she was assassinated and they say that she was targeted for protesting environmental destruction by large mining companies. Thousands of mourners attended a funeral on Saturday for Berta Caracas -- Caceres I should say -- the mother of four was gunned down on Thursday, one day before her 45th birthday. Her brother says two masked men entered the house and shot her multiple times.

You're watching "CNN NEWSROOM." Still ahead, a young boy whose life will be cut tragically short gets a chance to live out his dream. Stay with us.

[04:50:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SNELL: I am Patrick Snell with your CNN World Sport headlines. Leicester City keep to find those who may still be doubting after Saturday's 1-0 victory over Watford. They are now 41 points better off than they were at the same stage last season. The (inaudible) solo goal coming from the Algerian Riyad Mahrez for the (inaudible) 15th Premier League strike of the season sending Leicester's traveling masses into delirium. The (inaudible) men have nine away victories now from 15 (inaudible) five clear atop the table. Earlier in the day, second place Tottenham and third place Arsenal clashing in the most pivotal north London derby in hopes to close the gap on Leicester, but both would have to settle for a point. Arsenal were leading 1-0 before a huge moment in the match when the gunners Francis would be shown a red after a second yellow. Spurs would take full advantage through Toby Alderweireld and Harry Kane to make it 2-1. But the Chilean international Lexie Sanchez would level things 2 all, it would finish.

From England to Spain, where Real Madrid hosted Celta Vigo in Saturday. Real desperately looking to try and close the gap at the top of the table and did so in stylist manner with Cristiano Ronaldo on songs (inaudible) has seven with four in bag in the 7-1 demolition of Celta Vigo at the Bernabeu. It took his league tally to 27. And this latest hat trick for him now moves him on to 36 for the club. It all comes one ahead off the mercurial Argentine Lionel Messi. That's looking at your World Sport headlines, I'm Patrick Snell.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Five, four, three, two, one, zero. Lift off.

HOWELL: Latest space exploration company, Spacex, it has successfully launched another rocket, but landing them is proving to be quite the challenge. The rocket carried a satellite that would provide internet services to remote parts of the Asia Pacific region but an attempt to land the rocket on a platform at sea failed. Mastering re-usable rockets is a goal of the commercial space industry to try to keep costs down.

We want to end this hour with a very special story. It's about a terminally ill child who dreamt of one day becoming a sheriff's deputy for the day. Through the kindness of others that wish was granted. Bo Koltnow from affiliate WMFZ has this report.

BO KOLTNOW, WFMZ REPORTE: Right away, it's easy to say 8-year-old Kaleb Holder loves everyone.

KALEB HOLDER: You smell good. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

KOLTNOW: And the law, which is part of the reason Lehigh County Sherriff Joe Hanna stepped aside to swear in the Allentown boy.

HOLDER: I, Kaleb Holder ...

JOE HANNA, LEHIGH COUNTY SHERRIFF: Okay, do solemnly swear.

HOLDER: Do solemnly swear.

KOLTNOW: As sheriff for the day.

HANNA: Congratulations, sheriff.

HANNA: Going through this medical malady that he has, it really, it touches your heart.

KOLTNOW: Kaleb suffers from the rare disease adrenoleukodystrophy or ALD.

JANELLE DALY, MOTHER OF KALEB HOLDER: They're going to lose their abilities to walk, talk, see, hear, everything.

KOLTNOW: Mom Janelle Daly says by June Kaleb will be in a vegetative state and probably won't see his 9th birthday.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you want to turn the lights on in this car? Turn this one over.

[04:55:00] KOLTNOW: But today is about giving Kaleb the experience he'll never be able to live. This included a ride in the cruiser meeting, and in Kaleb's fashion, hugging ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't get hugs from the deputy sheriffs.

KOLTNOW: Lehigh county's top judge. And what courtroom experience wouldn't be complete without --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's good.

(CROSSTALK)

KOLTNOW: Kaleb also received gifts from the department. Family friend Deputy Richmond Penn said Kaleb has always shunned superheroes for the real life version.

RICHMOND PENN, LEHIGH DEPUTY: Every time I come from work he's excited, you know, if I come in my uniform. So, he's really into just policing and civil service.

KOLTNOW: So, this was Kaleb's chance to inspire those who inspire him.

DALY: He can feel what it is like to be a police officer or sheriff, you know, before he passes. So, it means a lot that he has that opportunity to have that experience. HOWELL: Everyone should get a chance to live out their dream. Very

happy for Kaleb. The news continues after the break. Stay with us.

(COOMERCIAL BREAK)

CRUZ: With Donald Trump as our nominee, in all likelihood Hillary wins.

[05:00:00] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No doubt it was a Super Saturday for Ted Cruz in the republican race for the White House, and of the democrats, Bernie Sanders did enough to make ensure that Hillary Clinton won't get it all right away