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CNN TONIGHT

GOP Delegate Battle; Will Rubio Stay In The Race?; Countdown To Super Tuesday; Trump Leading GOP Delegate Count; Trump: 'There's No Violence' At Rallies. Aired 11p-12a ET

Aired March 14, 2016 - 23:00   ET

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


[23:00:41] DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Counting down to Super Tuesday and voters will begin lining up in just a few hours. This is CNN tonight, I'm Don Lemon. By this time tomorrow, nearly 60 percent of GOP delegates will be allocated and the whole thing could come down to winner take all contests in Florida and Ohio. Could this be the last chance for Republican powers at be to stop Donald Trump? And on the Democratic side, can Hillary Clinton deliver a knockout blow to Bernie Sanders, to the Sanders campaign?

I want to bring in now CNN's Rosa Flores in Ohio and Sara Murray who is in Florida. Hello to both of you. Rosa, first, is Trump worried about winning Ohio? Is that why he's there tonight?

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Don, the answer is yes, absolutely. Right now in the polls, Kasich and Trump are head to head and every single vote counts. That's why he was here. In fact, he flew from Florida, held this event here at this venue, you can see people breaking down the stage behind me, and then he flew right back to Florida. But we've got to mention this. Lately, in the past week, all of the Trump events have been overshadowed by protesters, probably the most explosive in Chicago at the University of Illinois where protesters and supporters clashed. They threw punches at each other, leaving a police officer bleeding and also leading to the cancellation of that event. So what happened here today in Ohio? Something very different. The Trump organization controlling the message. Hear this. They asked supporters, attendees, to park about seven miles from this location and then they screened those attendees and bussed them to this location. So did it work? Absolutely. Not one disruption during tonight's event. Donald Trump speaking about Ohio and how it should be a big win for him but again, the bottom line, Ohio means big for Trump because this could mean that he gets his rivals out of the way, including Kasich, and for Kasich, of course, it could be a big win. He could change the narrative of this campaign if he wins big in his home state.

LEMON: And Rosa, we did see Sarah Palin out stumping for him in Florida. Tell us about that.

FLORES: Sarah Palin was out in full force and in full color as well. As expected, typical Palin, she had some colorful words for protesters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SARAH PALIN, FORMER GOVERNOR OF ALASKA: We've needed a revolution and we found our revolutionary! Donald J. Trump is that revolutionary. What we don't have time for is all that petty punk ass little buggery stuff that's been going on with these quote unquote, protesters.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FLORES: Again, the Trump organization controlling the message, bussing attendees to the venue here in Ohio to avoid clashes between supporters and protesters. Don --

LEMON: All right, Rosa, thank you.

Sara, on the eve of his home state's primary, how confident is Marco Rubio?

SARA MURRAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, he and his campaign are still insisting that they have a good shot to win here in Florida but, of course, they are facing a very steep, uphill climb and it was really telling to see Marco Rubio at his events earlier tonight because he was very reflective, not only on sort of where he has come during this campaign, he expressed some regrets about some of the language he used against Donald Trump, about sort of getting down there in the gutter and not appearing as presidential as he wanted to, but he also expressed alarm at the tone that we've heard from Donald Trump and some of the things that he said, including about violence at his own rallies, and he also sort of seemed beside himself saying that humility used to be a virtue and now it seems to be a weakness.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[23:04:40] SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have a culture today where what used to be wrong is now considered right. My whole life I've been told, being humble is a virtue. And now being humble is a weakness and being vain and self-absorbed is somehow a virtue. My whole life I've been told, no matter how you may feel about someone, you respect everyone, because we are all children of the same god.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MURRAY: And Don, we've heard these kinds of comments from Marco Rubio over and over again tonight and it really just gives you the sense that going into tomorrow, he views this not just a fight for his campaign and for the future of his campaign to win Florida, but also as a fight between the values and sort of the conservatism that he holds dear versus what they see from Donald Trump. I mean, there are a number of Republicans that are telling me that not only do they hate the kind of politics that Donald Trump is espousing but they are also kind of afraid of it, Don.

LEMON: Are there signs, Sara, that Marco Rubio may be out if he doesn't do well tomorrow?

MURRAY: Well, his campaign is being very careful to say that that is not the case. They are not saying that if he doesn't win Florida he will all of a sudden get out of the race, but his Super PAC, for instance, hasn't reserved any time on the airwaves past Tuesday. They are really the ones who are bolstering him here in Florida, so that's sort of telling, and just the fact that it is his Super PAC that's spending on the airwaves in Florida, it's not the campaign, tells you that they're having a problem raising the kind of money that they need to keep posting an aggressive stance up against Donald Trump. Of course, that all could change if Rubio pulls out a surprise victory here, but it does give you a sense of sort of the obstacles that he's going to face if he does lose Florida and still for some reason decides to stay in this race. Don --

LEMON: Sara Murray and Rosa Flores, thanks to both of you.

Let's discuss all of this now. Matt Lewis of "The Daily Caller" is a senior contributor and the author of "Too Dumb to Fail". CNN political commentators Kayleigh McEnany and Margaret Hoover. Hello to all of you. Again, to some of you, at least one of you. Matt, you say tomorrow is the most important day in the election season so far. Are you nervous?

MATT LEWIS, AUTHOR, TOO DUMB TO FAIL: No, I don't get nervous about that. But it is. I think it's the most important because, look, if Donald Trump wins both, then I think he's going to get the delegates he needs to clinch the nomination. If he loses both states, I think it's very likely we have a contested convention, and if he wins one state and loses another, as I suspect he probably will, then in that case, the muddle goes on. So it's a chance for Trump to close it out or for the empire to strike back.

LEMON: Kayleigh, is Kasich in Ohio Trump's stiffest competition yet, do you think?

KAYLEIGH MCENANY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: No doubt about it, because Ohio has 66 delegates. It's an enormously important state in that sense. It's a winner take all, and this is a very popular governor. He has a 62 percent approval rating. But Trump's strong point there is hitting Kasich on NAFTA. This is a region of the country that has been hurt with manufacturing jobs and saying, your jobs have gone overseas. I'm here. I'm your anti-free trade person. So, yes, it's his strongest competitor. He still has a shot. But even if he loses Ohio, going forward, if he wins Florida, he only needs (ph) 50 percent more of the remaining delegates. Many of the states coming forward are winner take all states so he's in a very strong position if he walks off tomorrow just with Florida.

LEMON: You don't seem to agree with that.

MARGARET HOOVER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well I just disagree on the point that Ohio has suffered economically under Kasich's term as governor. I mean, Ohio did very well because of the auto bailouts, and frankly, because of natural gas. The huge boom in that part of the country, while the rest of the country was really enduring really terrible unemployment rates, Ohio was buttressed because of this growth, this explosion in the energy industry. Kasich has the ground game. Kasich has the political infrastructure. Kasich has the, get out the vote and party apparatus, so I think Kayleigh's right, that's the one place where I think we can have confidence that Donald Trump can be able to be stopped. It certainly doesn't look that way in Florida. But the question is, then what? I think Matt's right, the muddle goes on. Republicans have to think clearly about what they're going to do. What happens to the never-Trump movement? Because it really started as a pro-Rubio, pro-mainstream Republican movement under the guise of being anti-Trump. But do mainstream Republicans go with Cruz or do they sit out this election or find a protest candidate?

LEMON: All right. Let's move on. Those are good questions but I need to talk quickly about Florida. Who wins Florida? Because Florida is in play as well.

HOOVER: You want my guess?

LEMON: Yes.

HOOVER: I mean, the voter's have got to decide but it's looking like Trump right now. And I have to say, those numbers -- this is just analysts. Marco Rubio's numbers seem to have really dropped over the weekend and a Monmouth poll that came out said, 22 percent of people think that the violence in Chicago actually helped Donald Trump over the weekend, not hurt him.

LEMON: Go ahead, Kayleigh.

MCENANY: There have been six polls that have come out in two days. Donald Trump is ahead astounding in all of them, in most of them by 20 points. The question to me in Florida tomorrow is not, does Donald Trump win, it's does Ted Cruz beat Marco Rubio in his own home state? Do you know how monumental that would be? If Marco Rubio not only lost but lost to both Trump and Cruz, it would mean more credence to this narrative of, it's an outsider election, where even the outsiders beat Marco Rubio in his own home state.

LEMON: Matt, what happens -- Kasich wins Ohio, Trump wins Florida, and then Cruz comes in second in Florida and Rubio comes in third in his own home state?

[23:10:03] LEWIS: Well I don't think that's going to happen. Look, Cuban-Americans in south Florida are historically difficult to poll. I think Marco Rubio is going to do better than people think. I think Trump wins Florida.

LEMON: Do you think he's going to win it?

LEWIS: No. I think Trump wins Florida but I think Rubio does better than people think. And I have to say, I'm very proud of him. If you watch -- you played that clip of him earlier, where he's talking about, you know, he had gotten off and sort of talking about Donald Trump's hand size or whatever, this is the Marco Rubio, if he goes out, he's going to go out in style. It is what it is, but I think he's going to hold his head high with the comments he's making and I think he's right on track right now.

LEMON: All right. Everyone stay with me. When we come right back, could an open convention be the worst of all possible worlds for the GOP and is there a third-party candidate waiting in the wing?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Just hours from now, the polls are going to open in five states holding primaries on Super Tuesday.

Back with me now, Matt Lewis, Kayleigh McEnany, and Margaret Hoover. So we've been going back and forth about this math and strategy and, what's going to go on here and what happens here, so, what is the plan B? Because everyone keeps saying, at least, many people in the Republican Party, we need to stop Donald Trump. So what is the plan B here, Matt?

[23:14:45] LEWIS: Well look, if Donald Trump doesn't get the requisite delegates he needs to clinch the nomination, then it goes to the convention and that means he will not have gotten the majority of the delegates which means that the majority of the delegates could coalesce on a second ballot -- if he's not able to get enough, there will be a chance for him because there are some delegates that are actually undeclared, and he can try to get them in the first ballot. If he doesn't get them, it's fair game to try to wrest it from him.

LEMON: OK, good. Let's talk about that. Because we were talking about in the break. Many people say, OK, then it would be stealing it from Donald Trump. But if he actually doesn't have it, then it's not a steal, right?

LEWIS: Right. Exactly.

LEMON: Kayleigh, you don't agree with that?

MCENANY: I completely disagree with you, Matt, because here's the thing -- if Donald Trump ends with the most votes, if no one has more votes than Donald Trump, he has the moral mandate to win this election, more Republican voters, independent voters, people who have spoken have spoken on behalf of Donald Trump than any other candidate, so explain to me how any other candidate -- (CROSSTALK) explain to me how any other candidate, who is shy of having the most of the people's votes has a stronger moral mandate than would Donald Trump.

LEMON: Margaret has some explaining to do. Go ahead, Margaret.

HOOVER: I got this. Look, you can come in and you can blow up the Republican Party, but you can't blow up the rules before the rules have played out. Everybody agreed to put themselves forward for the Republican nomination under the rules that 1,237 is the majority. And if you move the goal post before and say that this has been wrestled from you, you're just changing the rules of the game to suit your own status. If he's a strong enough and if he's this strong enough leader, he'll win the 1,237. You shouldn't have to worry about that.

MCENANY: It shouldn't be about jockeying for delegates, because here's the thing. This is why you're seeing so much anger in the Republican Party, because forever, you've had the establishment saying, well this is the way it works. We'll jockey for delegates. If your guy wins -- LEMONS: But this is about delegates, Kayleigh.

(CROSSTALK)

MCENANY: It is about delegates, but it should be about the voice of the people and this is the problem people have had with the Republican Party. We don't care what you think, voters. We care what the delegates think.

HOOVER: But Kayleigh, do you agree or do you not agree that we all decide that we're going to play a game according to a certain set of rules, and we're going to have a presidential contest and election according to a certain set of rules, and then we subscribe to those rules and we follow those rules. We don't change the goal posts before we get to the end.

MCENANY: I was sitting with a bunch of pundits who were bragging about how the rules are made in April, how they look forward to making some of these rules in April. Many of these rules are made --

LEMON: Let Matt get in. Matt, go ahead.

LEWIS: I was just going to say, I think this is indicative of a larger point. I believe in the rule of law and that's what this is. These are rules. And by the way, the only way that somebody could steal the election from Donald Trump would be is if a majority of the delegates decide on somebody other than Donald Trump at the convention. Those are the rules.

MCENANY: Matt, but the rules about -- the rules of what plays out in the convention -- the rules that are played out in the convention, many of them are made just before the convention. We call that an ex post facto law, if we want to talk about rule of law. It's barred in the United States from doing that.

LEMON: Last word on this. Last word on this, Margaret, and then we're moving on.

HOOVER: What we're discussing, none of the rules are going to be changed now. All of the rules are clear. This is an open, clear, and transparent process. Brokered implies that there are back room deals and that somebody is going to oversee this process. It's not. Contested is what everyone is hoping on. And contested is an open, transparent, and breathable process.

LEMON: Let's talk about the headlines now, the violence that's been playing out at some of the Donald Trump events. Do you think that's going to have an effect tomorrow night? Is it going to help or hurt him tomorrow?

HOOVER: Look, I think evidence has shown, at least some very preliminary polling has demonstrated that it has actually helped Donald Trump solidify his support.

LEMON: Do you think he's to blame, at least partially, for some of the violence at his events? HOOVER: I think there is no way you can detach his rhetoric and the

tone that he's set from the top -- tone comes from the top in all of these campaigns, from the way this is playing out.

LEMON: Matt --

LEWIS: Mega dittos there. Absolutely. Look, Trump -- by the way, anytime anything negative happens in the news, like if there's a riot, if there's a shooting, whatever it is, it helps Trump because he's the chaos candidate. He feeds off of anything that is negative. So yes, those -- the violence, the protests help Trump, and yes, of course, he has some responsibility, some culpability. He's creating a hostile work environment for journalists, by the way, by targeting them quite often, and also this toxic environment that encourages violence. Get him out of here, get him out of here, take their coats away, I'd punch him, you know how we used to handle those guys in the old days? That's what he says.

LEMON: Kayleigh --

MCENANY: The violence we're seeing, largely, there have been three isolated incidents with regard to Trump supporters. The violence we have seen play out over this weekend is a problem of the left. We saw on Friday, the left shut down a rally. Thousands of people show up to strifle the first amendment rights of Donald Trump and his supporters to congregate. We saw, over the weekend, go read "The Washington Post", the police had to use pepper spray to disperse fighting among protesters, and finally we saw a protester lunge at Donald Trump. We've seen violence coming from the left. That's problematic, and most people see that.

HOOVER: Here's the problem. That's not happening at Kasich, Rubio, and Cruz rallies, it's happening at Trump rallies.

MCENANY: Because they're not front-runners.

HOOVER: Really? Because it never happened with Mitt Romney and it never happened with John McCain. There is something different with Donald Trump.

MCENANY: He's a threat because he's changing the party. He's changing the party.

HOOVER: It's his rhetoric, Kayleigh, and it's irresponsible and it's making us more polarized.

MCENANY: No.

[23:20:07] LEMON: All right. That's going to have to be it. Thank you very much, everyone. Up next, one of the protesters who was at Trump's tense rally in Chicago on Friday night, why does he think, who does he think, excuse me, is to blame for the chaos? We'll ask him, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: Donald Trump says there's no violence at his rallies, but as we all saw on Friday night, scuffles, pushing, and shoving broke out between Trump supporters and protesters at his rally in Chicago which ended up being canceled.

Ja'Mal Green is a protester who was there and he joins me now. Good evening to you, Ja'Mal. What was your involvement in those protests we saw on Friday night and what did you want to accomplish?

[23:24:33] JA'MAL GREEN, COMMUNITY ACTIVIST: Well you know what, when we first saw that Donald Trump wanted to come to town, our automatic thing was we wanted to go and express our first amendment right. We wanted to express that we don't want this man to be president. But not because of his policies but because of his character, because of the way he's talking about Muslims, Hispanics and women. We just do not see that as fit to be president. So we went to the rally to express our first amendment right and that was the only thing that we wanted to do. We did not go there trying to be violent. We were just trying to tell the people why this man should not be president.

LEMON: Right after those scuffles, Donald Trump spoke to me live here on Friday after he had to cancel that rally. This is what he told me about the protesters. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: These were very, very bad protesters. These were bad dudes. They were very rough, tough guys, and they did a lot of damage before they were taken out, and they weren't taken out on stretchers, frankly. They weren't. They ended up doing damage. Nobody talks about them. Nobody mentions when the protester's a violent protester, and that happens, and it happens, not often, but it happens. And when it does, I will talk about that protester much differently than I talk about most, where we just have fun.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: He says that these were bad guys. If you were there, meaning you, what do you think?

GREEN: That is not true. We had pastors there, we had people of all colors and races who were actually there to peaceful protest. Look, this is Chicago, Don. We've been doing this for four months, protesting against Ron, protesting against Anita Alvarez, and for the most part, we have been peaceful. So he got things wrong when it comes to this city.

LEMON: Were you peaceful -- listen, I know Chicago very well. Were you peaceful on Friday night, Ja'Mal?

GREEN: We were peaceful. Don, when I say that he had his own people, his own supporters, some of his supporters were trying to be violent, they were yelling in our faces saying, make America white again, they were telling us, get out of the country, and then even when he canceled the rally, we had people that were going through the hallways pushing and shoving us because they were mad that he canceled the rally, but we still did not let it go further.

LEMON: So you didn't start any of the violence on Friday?

GREEN: No. No. No violence was started on behalf of the protesters.

LEMON: OK. Are the protesters provoking these confrontations by going inside of these rallies disrupting them, inflaming an already very tense environment? Do you feel partially responsible for the chaos that was caused?

GREEN: No. Not at all. Because these people were going in there to express their first amendment right. See, Donald Trump is the one that's creating this type of culture. He's telling his people, oh I'll pay your legal fees. Letting people punch people in the face. What if this was back in the day, people would be able to just knock them out. These are the type -- this is the type of culture he is creating. This is not something that we are going in with an intent of.

LEMON: You're saying you're going there to express your first amendment right but actually he's saying that you are going there to thwart his first amendment right because he's the one who is speaking and you're trying to shut him down.

GREEN: Well you know what, we both have first amendment rights. He's trying to forget about the other part of the first amendment right and that's the right to assemble. And the right to address --

LEMON: To peacefully assemble.

GREEN: Right. And we were peacefully assembling. So we have our first amendment right and he had his, and he chose not to come, so he didn't exercise his first amendment right, Don.

LEMON: I have so much I want to get to if you can answer quickly, Mr. Green, I want to ask you, are you concerned that someone could get badly hurt or even killed?

GREEN: In the rally, yes. Especially because of what he's saying. You know, he is -- he's a man with a lot of influence and the fact that he's saying, I'll pay your legal fees and, you know, the things that he's saying on the podium is sickening and hopefully nothing bad does happen but this is the type of culture that he's going to start seeing going forward because of what he's saying on the podium.

LEMON: Donald Trump has blamed Bernie Sanders supporters for the protests. You are a Bernie Sanders supporter. Has Mr. Sanders, Senator Sanders, instigated this in any way?

GREEN: No, no, no. This has nothing to do with Senator Sanders' campaign. He had no idea I was going to be attending. This has something to do with the tone that Chicago sets. We've been protesting for four months. Chicago sets the tone against politicians. We protest against Rahm Emanuel, we protest against Anita Alvarez, and we protested against Trump. It's something that we do, Don.

LEMON: I want you to listen to what Bernie Sanders said to CBS yesterday about his supporters going to Trump events. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: No, not to disrupt rallies. And Trump -- look, I won't shock you, John, by telling you that Donald Trump lies a whole lot. I mean, he calls me a communist. That's a lie. To suggest that our campaign is telling people to disrupt his campaign is a lie. We don't. We have millions of supporters and some of them will do what they do. But our campaign has never, not once, organized any effort to disrupt Mr. Trump's rallies or anybody else's.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So Sanders says his supporters should not provoke any violence at the rallies. Do you think his supporters will listen to that?

GREEN: Definitely.

[23:30:00] Because that's not the -- I saw firsthand on Friday, his supporters were simply expressing their first amendment right.

LEMON: Are you worried that these tactics could backfire because there's a Monmouth University poll that is out that 22 percent are more likely to vote for Trump after the violence at the rally was cancelled and only 11 percent are likely to vote for him. Do you acknowledge that these protests maybe hardening and increasing his support?

GREEN: I disagree with those polls. And you know how we feel about those. I think that people will start to look at Donald Trump for who he is and say, hey, why are those people protesting at his rallies? Like why -- do they actually believe that he is racist. Why don't they believe he is a racist and look more into it and not want to vote for him?

Because a lot of -- even his supporters, Don, real quick, even his supporters, I'm not going to generalize, he has some supporters that do not believe that he is racist, that have not seen certain comments that he's had. And I have had honest conversations with him. But if his supporters actually look at the things that he is saying at the podium and the type of culture that he is creating, they would back off.

LEMON: Yes. I think I know the answer to this. I have to go but I he clinches a nomination, you are going to keep protesting up until November?

GREEN: Listen, Chicago sets the tone. So if Donald Trump wants to come back to Chicago, he'll see what we do.

LEMON: Thank you, Ja'Mal Green. Appreciate you joining us.

GREEN: Thank you, Don.

Up next, an Ohio voter who questioned Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders last night at CNN's Democratic town hall. Did their answer change his mind?

Plus, will anti-Trump Republicans flocked to the Democrats in November?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:35:27] LEMON: We're just hours away from Super Tuesday round three. And voters in Ohio are among those voters casting ballots. One of those voters joins me now, Dr. Amit Majmudar, took part in last night's CNN town hall in Columbus, Ohio.

Good evening to you, doctor. Thank you for coming on.

DR. AMIT MAJMUDAR, QUESTIONED CLINTON AND SANDERS AT TOWN HALL: Good evening, Don. It's a privilege to speak with you.

LEMON: At that town hall last night you got a chance to ask both candidates the same question. Let's listen to your question.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAJMUDAR: I'm a son of immigrants. My parents, both citizens now, have done very well in this great country and so have I. But as a one percent ethnic and religious minority, witnessing the rise of Donald Trump, for the first time, my family has started feeling a little uncomfortable here and, frankly, a little bit scared. If Donald Trump secures the Republican nomination, I'm going to have one mission heading to the ballot box, which is to keep him from taking office. Which Democratic candidate is going to be better at helping me with that? Somebody who cannot just condemn him, which is easy, but defeat him?

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Good question.

MAJMUDAR: And -- and other than the usual negative rhetoric and attack ads, none of which have worked so far, what are three specific points of your anti-Trump game plan?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So what did you think of their answers? Did either candidate's answer sway you one way or the other?

MAJMUDAR: You know, initially when I first heard candidate's answer, I kind of tilted ore towards Secretary Clinton's answer because it had a certain amount of grit and war weariness when she said, you know, that they have been going after her for 25 years and nothing had stuck so far.

But it was really when I, you know -- afterwards, I went over the transcript of their responses that, you know, problems in their answers started coming out. And I started sort of detecting that they may not really understand their adversary fully.

LEMON: Donald Trump has told me in the past, when I have asked him, that he is the least racist person you ever want to meet, that he just wants people who immigrate here to do things the right way, the way your family did. And after all, his wife, Melania, is an immigrant. Do those things not ring true to you? And, if so, why not?

MAJMUDAR: You know, I think those things do ring true. And I absolutely think that there has to be, you know, an efficient and appropriate dignified way for people coming into this country to be citizens and legally. And I think that, you know, as the best way for that to happen is legally, of course. But I think that there's a disconnect, as one would imagine, between what he is talking about, you know, to you and the rhetoric of his rallies and of his speeches. And it's that rhetoric, which is trying to narrow the definition of what American is and that is the problem that I have with Donald Trump.

LEMON: Can you -- I want you to talk about your family a bit more because you said in your question that your family feels uncomfortable and scared. When you talk about this together with your family, can you share with us what they say and what they think can happen?

MAJMUDAR: Right. And I think that the main problem here is that -- and I think when historians talk about what is happening right now, they are going to point this out, which is that all of the sort of shaming mechanisms associated with political correctness, left, right and center across media outlets, wherever you want to look, all of that was triggered appropriately when Donald Trump started making statements about Muslims, about Mexicans and so on and so forth. But what didn't happen is that Trump and his base were not shamed by it. And what is truly frightening is that Trump is incapable of being shamed and someone who is incapable of being shamed is capable of doing anything and that is what is most frightening about it.

LEMON: So you said your number one goal would be to prevent him from becoming president. The polls show that both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton defeat Donald Trump in the general election matchup. Since you say that you have that one mission at the ballot box, do you think -- which one do you think is more likely to beat him than the other?

MAJMUDAR: You know, I don't know -- I guess I --

[23:40:02] LEMON: You liked Hillary Clinton's answer.

MAJMUDAR: Yes, I do. But I would argue that I don't think anyone really knows the answer to that question, who is more likely, who is not more likely because so much can happen between now and the actual election that any predictions we make now are basically, you know, we're just reading clouds right now. And I do know that whoever is running against him, if he secures the nomination, is going to have my vote and I would feel comfortable, I think, voting for either Democratic candidate against Trump.

LEMON: What about a Republican candidate? Because you were named Ohio's first poet Laureatte by Ohio Governor John Kasich. John Kasich has been trying to stay above the fray in this race. Would you consider supporting him for president?

MAJMUDAR: Absolutely. And I think Governor Kasich has just done a very admirable during this really difficult time. It's a tough time I think to be a Republican candidate and he has really made me proud to be an Ohioan. It has made me proud to be associated with his name as his (INAUDIBLE) by him because he really has stayed above the fray. He has stayed noble in a time when nobility is in short supply.

LEMON: Listen. I got few seconds left here so pardon me for this. But if you had a chance, you spoke to the Democrats directly last night. What would you say to Donald Trump? You can speak to him directly.

MAJMUDAR: I have got nothing to say to him because the less he speaks, the happier I am.

LEMON: Doctor Majmudar, thank you. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it.

Now I want to bring in Nina Turner, a surrogate for Bernie Sanders. Also CNN contributor Bakari Sellers and political strategist Angela Rye. Good to have all of you on this evening.

So first off, we just heard from one of the questioners from last night's Democratic town hall. Those have been so (INAUDIBLE) in their debates and their town halls and input their questioning. Are they getting the campaign that they deserve? First you, Bakari, since I screw up your name.

BAKARI SELLERS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, thank you. Bernie Sellers is a new one right now.

(LAUGHTER)

SELLERS: No. I think that the American public is getting a robust discussion from Democrats. I mean, last night, Hillary Clinton took on issues of war and peace. She took an issue at the death penalty and fracking. Bernie Sanders had to talk about his plan for free college and tuition. We are talking about trade, robust trade proposals on each side.

So yes, I think the American people are getting the discussions that they deserve on the left side here. And I do think that both candidates going into November with a very robust chance at beating Donald Trump. I look forward to both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton having an amazing chance to beat Donald Trump in November.

LEMON: Angela, are they getting the conversation, the campaigns that they deserve?

ANGELA RYE, POLITICAL STRATEGIST: I think absolutely I have to agree with Bakari on the Democratic side of the aisle. We are talking about real issues. No one is talking about hand size or screaming over each other or acting like kids that can't play together in a sandbox. We are talking about real life issues and I think that it is typical

of what happens on the Democratic side of the aisle. You know, the other thing is when you look at the fact that this is the anniversary week of the GOP autopsy report, and that thing is still dead. They still don't have the issues right. They are still not talking about immigration. They still just minority bind power in this country. There are so many things that they don't tackle that we deal with every single day and that's absolutely why our candidates are competitive.

LEMON: Nina, I want to move this conversation forward with you. There's a new super PAC ad airing nationally over Trump's comments about women. Here's part of it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bimbo.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dog.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Fat pig.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Real quotes from Donald Trump about women.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A person who is very flat-chested is very hard to be a ten.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would look her right in that ugly face of hers. Look at that face. Would anyone vote for that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She had the hype, she had the beauty. She was crazy. But these are minor details.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I like kids. I mean, I won't do anything to take care of them. I'll supply funds and she'll take care of the kids.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, it really doesn't matter what they write, as long beautiful and piece of (bleep).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That must be a pretty picture you dropping to your knees.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Nina, should we have seen these sorts of things, these sorts of ads coming months ago?

NINA TURNER, FORMER OHIO STATE SENATOR: I mean, that is just ridiculous. It causes us to pause in this country to have someone who is running for the presidency of the United States of America to carry on like that and say such words, not just about women but as senator Sanders says, often on the trail he has insulted almost every group in this country. It is very much unbecoming of the presidency of the United States of America. But I will say that my Republican colleagues -- and I do agree with

the good doctor when he said that the only Republican that has tried to stay above the fray, who has stayed above the fray is Governor Kasich, our governor. But, you know, what Mr. Trump is doing is really ramping up the latency and the negativity that is part of human nature and the ugly racial history in this country as well.

And so beyond Mr. Trump, I will continue to argue that he has a responsibility. But as a nation, we have to face the fears and the -- just the cries of the people in terms of painting other people as the other. He really is dividing this country and it's unfortunate. And I think what is more unfortunate that he is not standing alone. That there are millions of people who want to stand by his side and see him become president.

[23:45:32] LEMON: Yes. Well, Angela, you know, we have heard -- actually, I'm going to ask this of Bakari. We have heard from voters on the campaign trail that they like that he tells it like it is. He's not D.C. They like that style. Are those types of comments, you know, while discussing to some, it is part of Trump's appeal.

SELLERS: Unfortunately, it's very distasteful. As much as I have to worry about Donald Trump, my angst goes up even higher for the people who support him and these comments. Tonight, me and my stepdaughter were able to have dinner together. And to look at a 10-year-old young African-American girl and know that she is going to have a very difficult ladder up but it is even going to be more complicated if Donald Trump as a president and using language like that. I mean, it just - it gives you - it makes you take a step back. And when you hear that and I see that I'm on TV with Nina Turner and Angele Rye, you know, strong women who have made it this far, if Donald Trump becomes president of the United States, how many steps farther back do we take?

LEMON: Bernie Sanders likes to say that he doesn't run negative ads. If Bernie Sanders becomes the nominee and run against Trump, would that have to change, Angela?

RYE: Well, I don't think he would have to go negative. He could just go truthful just like that ad where those literally were his words about women. It plays by itself. There's another "New York Times" video today comparing how the president deals with protesters at his rallies versus how Donald Trump deals with protesters at his rallies. The words are in black and white, Don. It's as clear as day.

And Bernie Sanders wouldn't have to run negative ad. All he would have to do is use Donald Trump's words against him. And I know Nina Turner earlier mentioned John Kasich and the fact that he stayed above the fray, but I would argue that he's complicit in this because he has not pushed back and challenged it. I would argue that Marco Rubio has complicit it because, sure, he pushed back and he was jabbing like a kid playing a dozen with their homeboy on the playground instead of saying this has to stop. Now all of a sudden it has to stop because he's probably going to lose tomorrow.

But it's too little too late. And so much has been done that's violent and dangerous for people who look like me and I just don't appreciate it. It's time for all of them to really deal with what have created and it existed far before Donald Trump and his rhetoric. This is a problem that they created with the tea party in 20 states.

LEMON: Everyone, stay with me. When we come right back, I want your Super Tuesday predictions. Don't go anywhere.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:51:38] LEMON: The next 24 hours could be the key to this election.

Back to talk about what will happen this super Tuesday. It's almost Super Tuesday in a couple minutes. Nina Turner, Bakari Sellers and Angela Rye. Not Bernie sellers but Bakari Sellers.

So Nina, I have to ask you this. (INAUDIBLE), he is a pastor backing Donald Trump told a rally today that Bernie Sanders has to quote "got to get saved, got to meet Jesus." The anti-defamation league responded saying neither Bernie Sanders or any Jew needs to be saved. What we do need presidential campaigns without bigotry. That's a mike drop right there.

It is 2016, Nina. Were you surprised by this?

TURNER: Really, I am. I mean, give me a break. I mean, in this country, people have a right to worship the way that they believe best suits them. So it definitely makes no sense to me. A lot of people subscribe be to different religion in this country. So I just - I have no words for that.

LEMON: Bakari, that is a mic drop, isn't it? That was a great response.

SELLERS: That is a mic drop. That's the burns I believe from South Carolina, too. So it is another one of those moments where I just have to shake my head (INAUDIBLE).

RYE: You should be. I don't know where he's from.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: So listen -- so, tomorrow is a big day. The Democrats have 691 delegates at stake tomorrow. So where is Bernie Sanders going to win? Nina, that's for you?

TURNER: Yes. I think he's going to do very well in my home state. I mean, we certainly made one million calls just today. Today will be our one millionth call that we made. So I'm really excited about that. He's really closed the polls. Excuse me. Closed the gap between him and Secretary Clinton in this state and Illinois. So I think -- I'm praying for a Michigan miracle.

LEMON: A Michigan miracle.

TURNER: Yes. LEMON: OK. Bakari, let's say Bernie Sanders wins Illinois and maybe

even Ohio. So where does that leave Secretary Clinton?

SELLERS: It still leaves her with a very good night. Delegate-rich night tomorrow night. The Democrats are fighting for Florida. Expected - it is 246 delegates up for grabs and I expect Hillary Clinton to have --

LEMON: Are you spinning, Bakari? Is that a spin? It's still great.

SELLERS: No. It's a fact. Listen --

TURNER: That's true.

SELLERS: Listen, it's a fact. I mean, she will do well in North Carolina. She will do well in Virginia. The democratic map from Texas to Florida all the way up to Virginia will be owned by Hillary Clinton. And Ohio, Illinois and Missouri are going to be very close. And after tomorrow, Don, after tomorrow, we only have three states left that are delegate rich. We only have New York, California and Pennsylvania. So the map in the road to dot for the nomination for Bernie Sanders, it slims down exponentially.

LEMON: Angela, Bernie Sanders, the campaign scored a victory by winning a lawsuit in Ohio that's going to allow 17-year-olds to vote in the primary. You say Hillary Clinton should have joined that lawsuit. Why?

RYE: I do think so. I think that we have talked throughout about her kind of seeding the youth and millennial vote. And I think that has been a challenge for her throughout. We have seen gaps from, you know, Bernie Sanders winning 80 percent to her 20 percent. It was a great opportunity for her to say, I care about you. I'm not just going to fight for you after I win the presidency. I'm going to start fighting for you and your vote now. Particularly in Ohio where, of course, Senator Turner is familiar, where John Kasich has done everything he could to suppress the vote. And so, this was an opportunity to say, there's no voter suppression here. Democrats will stand for that. We're going to stand together because your vote matters.

[23:55:11] LEMON: Nina, in Illinois, for example, Bernie Sanders doing well among white voters and Hillary Clinton is going to need a strong showing among minority voters to keep that state. We have talked about how Hillary needs to work on the youth vote. But does Bernie need to work on his appeal with minority voters?

TURNER: Well, he is, Don. And I think it's just truly, you know, a misconception. I mean, again, we cannot forget that he is a senator from Vermont. He has not had a national profile in the same way that the secretary has and he is covering great ground. I mean, he was at a (INAUDIBLE) institution Baptist church about two Saturdays ago here in Ohio. He has been traveling, you know, in most of the southern states. He has been there. And I've been there with him and other African-American surrogates too. I mean, his entire history, though, speaks to -- he doesn't have to

make things up. He doesn't have to say one thing in front of one audience and say another to another audience. His history from being a young 22-year-old even up to today shows that he believes in works for social justice and what is right for the working poor and middle class in this country. But he is working very hard, make no mistake, to earn those votes, both in the African-American community and Latino community as well.

LEMON: Nina gets the last word tonight. Thank you, everyone. See you soon.

RYE: Thank you.

SELLERS: Thank you.

TURNER: Thank you.

LEMON: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:00:08] LEMON: That's it for us. Thanks for watching. Make sure you stay with CNN for complete coverage of all the Super Tuesday results tomorrow.

"AC 360" starts right now.