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LEGAL VIEW WITH ASHLEIGH BANFIELD

Reviewing CNN's GOP Townhall; Examining the Democratic Contest; Discussion on White House Strategy for Supreme Court Nominee; Criminal Justice Reform. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired March 30, 2016 - 12:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:32:13] ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Last night's CNN Town Hall was just that. It's not a debate. It was nothing face to face. In fact the three Republican candidates didn't appear on stage together.

Now, we don't know if they really saw each other behind the scenes either.

But Kasich, Trump and Cruz got about an hour each on camera to take audience questions. And then also try to sway voters who still may be undecided.

OK, that's all the good stuff. But more than once, these guys were a little bit fuzzy with the facts. That does not escape us.

Here's CNN's Tom Foreman with a few of those fuzzy moments.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN BROADCAST JOURNALIST: Ted Cruz went after both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton saying they promoted bad policies in the Middle East and effectively encouraged terrorism.

TED CRUZ, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Egypt was handed over to the Muslim brotherhood, Mohamed Morsy. The Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist organization that was profoundly harmful for U.S. National Security interest.

FOREMAN: There's no question that the administration here was happy with the long-time ruler Hosni Mubarak was pushed out. And yes, the Muslim Brotherhood for a period of time did take control there. This is an Islamist group that believes that government should be controlled by religious principles. And some governments in that area consider it a terrorist organization, including the Egyptian government.

But U.S. State Department has an official list of foreign terrorist groups, 59 of them and the Muslim Brotherhood is not on that list and never has been.

So for Mr. Cruz to suggest this is an official terrorist group that is simply false. Donald Trump said he is not self-funding his campaign the way he said he was for a period of time. But he did trivialize the idea of any outside money.

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm in for about $35 million right now. The small loans, that people that spend $17.50 or $250 even $1,000.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Have you solicit on your website?

TRUMP: No, I sell hats and ...

COOPER: Sure, but you do solicit donations on your website?

TRUMP: No, I don't really think so. I think ...

COOPER: No, you do, you have ...

TRUMP: Its peanuts.

FOREMAN: Its peanuts, that's the word he uses, peanuts. Well this is nothing like the kind of money that other campaigns have raised. Nothing like that, but the Federal Election Commission said he has taken in $9.5 million from this outside donors. That's about a quarter of his funding to this point. I've had peanuts before. They don't cost that much, what I'm trying to say is claim about this is trivializing of it, is simply false.

And John Kasich got right to the point. He said if Republicans want to win in November they better look at him closely.

JOHN KASICH, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In virtually every national poll, I am the only one that beats Hillary Clinton consistently. In fact in the last poll that came out I was up 11 points.

FOREMAN: We took a look at the numbers and six national polls in the past couple of weeks say, yes, Kasich can defeat Clinton 4 to 11 points. Our CNN ORC poll found he would beat her by about six points as better than Trump or Cruz.

[12:35:12] Now that said, he doesn't really have a path to the nomination right now except through a contested convention. And a lot can change before our general election. But for the time being we will say what he told us here in this town hall meeting is true about that.

If you want to find out a whole lot more about all the things we checked out, go to cnn.com/realitycheck.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: Tom Foreman and his team up all night and doing some fantastic work. I encourage you to check out The Reality Check on cnn.com, it's awesome.

Hillary Clinton, live in New York right now. Bernie Sanders, just wrapping up a rally live in Wisconsin. And it may seem like Hillary Clinton is looking ahead to the general election with a brand new T.V. ad. And guess who it is going after?

You got it, the Donald. New York's his turf, but does her focus on New York, a state where she is expected to do well tell a different story?

Why Sanders says yes next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:40:31] BANFIELD: I want to take you live to the Apollo Theater in New York City, in Harlem to be exact where Senator Hillary Clinton, former secretary of state, is speaking in front of an extraordinarily fired up crowd. She's been talking about children and health and what her record was like when she was a senator in New York.

Let's listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: ... Eight million children across America. So when any candidate comes before you, that candidate owes it to you to be clear about how we're actually going to deliver.

Now, my opponent and I share many of the same goals. But some of his ideas for how to get there won't pass. Others just won't work because the numbers don't add up. And that means people aren't going to get the help they need and deserve. And that's what this is supposed to be about.

Now, my opponent says, well, we're just not thinking big enough. Well, this is New York. Nobody dreams bigger than we do. But this is a city that likes to get things done. And that's what we want from our president too. We need a president who will help break down all of the barriers holding back Americans not just some.

I take on a back seat to no one in taking on income and equality.

I know how important it is to close the gap to rebuild the middle class. But I will tell you this, it is also important to take on racial inequality and discrimination in all of these forms.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: The senator has had this crowd fired up for some time now. But before she took to the Apollo Theater, I got to tell you, I think I shared my commute to work this morning with the senator, I saw a motorcade going by not far from the Apollo and I think it may have been her.

She's pretty busy. She had a campaign ad that was released. And when you see it, yeah, she's running against Bernie Sanders for the nomination. But when you see this ad it really looks more like she is running for president against Donald Trump. Take a peek.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: When some say we can solve America's problems by building walls, banning people based on their religion and turning against each other, well, this is New York and we know better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: Aha, the ad is only running in New York. And it doesn't show or even mention her Democratic opponent Senator Bernie Sanders. It didn't say Trump either, but that was a Trump rally where the guy got cold cocked.

Jeff Zeleny, our Senior Washington Correspondent is live in Harlem right now.

So New York's primary is April 19th. That may seem like a long way off but it really kind of sounds like she's pivoting in to a general contest and not so much worried about Bernie Sanders. Is that wise at this point?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Not quite, Ashleigh. If you really think about the sub text of that ad there about Donald Trump, what the Clinton campaign is really trying to do is remind New York Democrats of the stake of this election. They're trying to show she is the strongest Democratic candidate to run against him.

So that ad actually is all about Bernie Sanders. It doesn't mention in of course. But that's the sub text of why she is running this ad. And you heard Senator Clinton speaking just a few moments ago. We took all of that live.

She is directly drawing sharp contrast with Bernie Sanders. She still very much has Bernie Sanders on her mind here. Talking about his plans don't add up, his free college and other things. So there's no doubt they're operating on a dual track strategy here. But it's true that the Clinton campaign has Bernie Sanders front and center on their mind.

He is campaigning in Wisconsin today, he thinks he may win Wisconsin some Clinton campaign officials agree with him. So that's why the New York primary is so important and that's why she is doing a Trump ad to take on Bernie Sanders. To try to show Democrats she is the strongest possible candidate.

BANFIELD: Yeah, one of the biggest of the states.

So you know what happens when Donald Trump feels like he's been targeted by anybody. He turns his laser focus on that person. I can only imagine that the Clinton campaign is ready for some push back after the ad.

ZELENY: In fact, just a few moments ago in Wisconsin, Ashleigh, he did push back. But more in a mocking tone. He said that Hillary Clinton can't win.

[12:45:01] He said that regardless if he wins or loses, he's going to live on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington. You saw that little clip as part of her ad about the big hotel he's building in Washington. He said, look I'm going to live on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington. Of course that's a joke. But he got some digs in Hillary Clinton. But I think that is just the beginning, Ashleigh.

You're right, whenever he is provoked he pushes back. I think that is something that going to be expected. The Clinton campaign is just fine with that. They're fine engaging him like that. That is going to show that she is, what they believe is the stronger of two democratic candidates. Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: Yeah, it's not like they haven't been watching what's going on next door in the Republican contest, as one by one he has failed so many of his opponent this way.

Jeff Zeleny, I will let you get back to covering that event, it looks very energized, should we say.

ZELENY: It is.

BANFIELD: ... in Harlem, New York.

And by the way, Jeff mentioned it but Bernie Sanders is taking a poke at Donald Trump and other wealthy Republicans such a short time ago without actually naming Donald Trump.

He's campaigning in Kenosha Wisconsin. And he asks the voters there to put themselves in the shoes of military veterans looking at the field of candidates they see right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERNIE SANDERS, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Saddens me very much to see those men and women who put their lives on the line to defend democracy are now looking at a situation where billionaires are able to buy elections. That is not democracy that is oligarchy. And we have got to stop that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: No one say his crowds aren't fired up, that's for sure. Senator Sanders turns his attention to New York tomorrow. He's got a rally planned in the Bronx.

Coming up next, convicted drug offenders getting out of jail and meeting with President Obama today to talk about what the transition in to reality has been like. And still dozens more who are behind bars just got some really good news. Life no longer means life, at least for these guys.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:51:03] BANFIELD: Got some breaking news for you. President Obama right now is meeting with people who were once incarcerated and previously received commutations of their sentences.

And today, while that's happening, the White House also announced it has commuted the sentences of the 61 more people.

CNN White House Correspondent Michelle Kosinski joins me live now with more.

What's the bigger message here Michelle.

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Ashleigh, and this was kind of an unexpected announcement today. It wasn't on schedule, it just kind of popped up.

But, you know, that the president, as one of his legacy items is really wanted to focus on criminal justice reforms. It's one of things that the White House keeps mentioning to, it's something that does have bipartisan support.

One more item the president thinks he can work on in the time he has left as president. So you look at these 61 non-violent drug offenders whose sentences he commuted today. A third of those people had been sentenced to life in prison.

And you look at possession with intent to distribute cocaine. A lot of them were crack offenses. Because remember some of these people had been sentenced 10 years ago, 20 years ago, back when sentences for crack cocaine were inordinately long compared to sentences involving other substances.

So the White House wants to target some of this what they call outdated sentences based on outdated laws, and target some of these individuals. And when you look at the people that he's meeting with today at a local restaurant, these are seven people. Not all of their sentences were commuted by President Obama. Three of them were. Others were by other Presidents. But they all have inspiring stories.

One woman, for example, started college four days after she had her sentence commuted. Now she works as a public defender in Atlanta. Ashleigh?

BANFIELD: Yeah, interesting stuff. So she was working on trying to help them get more productive lives when they get out as supposed to, you know, thinking back in to a recidivist pattern what so many others do.

Michelle Kosinski, thank you. Appreciate it. Beautiful day at the White House. Look at that.

The first Republican senator to meet with the Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland has a couple of things to say. In fact, he's slamming his own party's leadership, saying that the process needs to work and that the senate should hold a hearing.

But will his message make any different to those who are digging in and taking a stand?

That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:57:22] BANFIELD: No, signs yet. But any more Republican senators are budging on President Obama's nomination to fill the empty seat on the Supreme Court.

There's a nice live, beautiful picture of crystal blue day on Capitol Hill. Looks quiet, doesn't it? There's not a lot of meetings going on. But there are some.

Today the nominee, Federal Appellate Judge, Merrick Garland set to meet with two more Democratic senators. But so far only one Republican has even decided to sit down with him. And that Republican is Mark Kirk of Illinois.

That Republican is also facing a very tough re-election fight in a blue-leaning state. So maybe that makes more sense now.

CNN's Manu Raju is witching Judge Garland's progress such as it is on Capitol Hill.

I have heard this, I think Politico has described it as a game of inches for the administration. So would this first meeting be the first inch?

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: That what's -- that what the White House certainly hopes. They think that pressure will mount there'll be more defections and eventually that this nominee will be confirmed.

But I can tell you that really there are not much movement on the Republican side. Mark Kirk as you mention is in a very difficult re- election race, probably the most vulnerable Republican in the country right now. And he wants to show independence from his party leadership. And that's why yesterday when we talked to him before his meeting with Merrick Garland, he took some shots at his party's stance on this issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK KIRK, (R) ILLINOIS: We need for rational adults open-minded consideration of the constitutional process which in Judge Garland is part of.

I think when you say, I'm not going to meet with him and all that it's too closed minded.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: Now the hope for the democrats that more endanger senator start to break ranks. But we're really not seeing that at this point.

Senators from New Hampshire, from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, who are in very difficult re-election races do not want to consider this nominee. Maybe they are willing to meet with him, but not to actually vote -- certainly not to vote for him. So really a tall order to see Merrick Garland confirmed this year.

BANFIELD: I would say a tall order to get a whole bunch more meetings on the agenda, too.

All right, Manu Raju, thank you. Hope you get some time outside today. It's lovely.

We're going to continue to watch the race for the White House today as well. There's a lot of campaigning going on in Wisconsin and also here in New York. So the live shots will be fast and furious throughout the day. And make sure you stay tuned to CNN for that. My colleague Wolf Blitzer has been extraordinarily busy preparing a spectacular show for you and it gets underway right now. Thanks for being with us today.

[13:00:07] WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. I'm Wolf Blitzer. It's noon in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It's 1:00 p.m. here in Washington D.C., 7:00 p.m. in Brussels, where you're watching --