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Donald Trump Rally in Rhode Island; Obama Sending More Troops to Syria to Fight ISIS' Clinton Focus on November, Sanders Fights On; Can Kasich Help Cruz Stop Trump with Deal. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired April 25, 2016 - 13:30   ET

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


[13:30:00] DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & CEO, TRUMP ORGANIZATION: Dramatic. You know the truth? I heard he was a good debater in college. And you know what, he might be, but in college, they don't interrupt you every 15 words like I do with him. OK, but you know what? He said, we want a debate. Donald Trump is afraid to debate. You know, the flourish and everything else. And here's what happened.

(SHOUTING)

TRUMP: We do need Trump.

Thank you, honey. Thank you, babe. Thank you. Thank you.

(CHANTING)

TRUMP: Thank you, Rhode Island. Thank you.

Hey, now I'm glad I came up to Rhode Island, right? You know?

(CHEERING)

TRUMP: No, but I have to tell you this before I get back to his debate because I don't think he's a good debater, if you want to know the truth. But let me just tell you. I have friends in Rhode Island. So they were calling me saying when are you coming up? So I'm all over Pennsylvania. I am all over every place, Maryland, went to Delaware. An amazing trip. Went everywhere. They said, when are you coming up? He said, I love Rhode Island. We're not scheduled. This was two days ago. I said, what do you mean? It's not that big a state. I said, but it's my people. These are great people. I don't care. I don't care.

(CHEERING)

TRUMP: Now Cruz was coming up. You know what happened. Cruz was coming up and he cancelled. Remember that he cancelled. He was coming up two days ago. He cancelled his trip to Rhode Island. So I not only didn't cancel, I said, I don't care what your schedule says. I don't -- oh, you. Look at that beautiful baby. I love to hear babies cry a little bit. It's fine.

But let me tell you, I said I don't care what the schedule is. I couldn't care less. We're going to Rhode Island. So they put it in. Now I got to make two or three of these suckers.

(CHEERING)

TRUMP: So let's see how I feel now at the end of the day. It won't be good because we're going right now. Pennsylvania, same thing. We have massive crowds. Massive rallies. Same thing. And honestly, I want to thank all of those people because when the car drove up, you people are all in here, nice and comfortable. But when the car drew up, there were thousands of people in the road with Trump signs, saying we love Trump, and just get the word to them.

(CHEERING)

TRUMP: Get the word out there.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: There he is, Donald Trump speaking in Rhode Island today making his pitch, really going after John Kasich and Ted Cruz, his Republican presidential rivals, saying he was actually happy when he heard they had gotten together to work and prevent him from the magic number of 1,237 delegates by focusing in on respective states.

Judson Phillips is still with us, he's the founder and president of Tea Party Nation, and a Ted Cruz supporter; and Katrina Pierson is still with us, the national spokesperson for the Trump campaign.

Let me get your reaction. He had harsh words for the man you want to be the next president. Ted Cruz, called him, as he always does, Lying Ted Cruz. Pathetic, weak, all of that. You're reaction?

JUDSON PHILLIPS, FOUNDER/ PRESIDENT, TEA PARTY NATION & SUPPORTER OF TED CRUZ: Lying Liberal Donnie strikes again. He said Ted Cruz supports the Trans-Pacific Partnership. I don't know how many times Senator Cruz has to say he opposes it before it will finally sink in to Donald Trump. Except maybe Donald Trump lives in a fact-free world. And I love the part he's was going Ted Cruz isn't a great debater. Really? Donnie, if he's not a good debater and you're so good, why don't you take Ted Cruz up on his offer to debate you in Indiana? I think because Liberal Donnie is scared of a debate.

WOLF: Katrina, is he scared of another debate?

KATRINA PIERSON, NATIONAL SPOKESWOMAN, DONALD TRUMP PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN: I don't think Donald Trump is afraid of anything. I think that's been quite clear all along. And it is fair to say that Senator Cruz does support TPP. In fact, it was Senator Cruz who actually did an op-ed with Paul Ryan pushing for TPA, which is fast track for all of Obama's secret trade deals. Senator Cruz himself on other pieces of legislation has said, a vote for cloture is the same as a vote for the bill. And TPA was exactly that. It was cloture not just for the Pacific agreement but the services agreement, including back-door amnesty. And these types of trade deals coming up that Senator Cruz pushed for fast track on include agencies that allow corporations to sue governments when they implement regulations that hurt their profits. That is obscene and it is absurd. And Senator Cruz pushed with Paul Ryan to push that measure. BLITZER: Go ahead.

PHILLIPS: First of all, Senator Cruz voted for Trade Promotional Authority and then he said he regretted the vote, opposes it now. And by the way, something Katrina needs to understand, I would hope she would understand this, that Trade Promotional Authority is not the same thing as the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Trade Promotional Authority passed about two years ago. The Trans-Pacific Partnership is lingering in Congress where hopefully it will die a very violent and ugly death in Congress. But they are completely different things.

WOLF: I give you the final word, Katrina, and then we have to go.

(CROSSTALK)

[13:35:05] PIERSON: That's exactly what I said about cloture. And what I do know, the reason why Senator Cruz pulled back from TPA is because every single Senate district in the state of Texas, in Austin, voted for a resolution unanimously opposing it. He had no choice but to back off of it.

BLITZER: Katrina Pierson and Judson Phillips, we'll continue these debates down the road. Thanks so much to both of you.

Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, they all hold primaries tomorrow, another Super Tuesday. We'll be live from polling stations in all of those states. We're going to bring you special all-day coverage right here on CNN.

Also coming upping the pressure on ISIS. President Obama announces plans to send 250 more U.S. troops to Syria. What role will they play?

And one of the commanders leading the fight against ISIS standing by to join us live from Baghdad in the Middle East.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:40:07] BLITZER: The United States is adding another 250 troops to the war against ISIS in Syria. They won't be involved in combat, U.S. officials say. Instead, their role will be strictly advisory.

President Obama made the announcement today in Germany on this, the last day of his European trip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They're not going to be leading the fight on the ground but they will be essential in providing the training and assisting local forces that continue to drive ISIL back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Let's bring in our senior international correspondent, Nick Paton Walsh, who is joining us now in Turkey along the border there.

Nick, this is a five-fold increase in the number of U.S. troops on the ground now in Syria. Was 50 Special Operation forces, now another 250. What's the strategy here?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think they'll be involved in the air strikes hitting ISIS pretty hard. They continue to be effective. They increase in frequency. And I think all of this is focused on what ISIS called a council of the self- declared caliphate, and that's Raqqa, a key city there. They'll be able to rally the Syrian Kurds who are doing a lot of fighting on the ground against ISIL.

But the really important part of the strategy here, Wolf, is that Raqqa is a Syrian/Sunni Arab town where ISIS gained control and the U.S. is very clear it needs to have Sunni/Syrian Arabs in the mix to move into the town if they see military success in pushing ISIS out. There's not been as many as the Americans want to see around in this stage with the vital Sunni/Syrian Arab rebels and perhaps the Special Forces are in there to make the military more cohesive and better cooperation with the Syrian Kurds and to be sure there's enough ready in place if, for example, they saw rapid overnight success trying to move against ISIS in Raqqa. That's one of the key fears, particularly in Turkey, where I'm standing. The Turks are very wary of the Syrian Kurds that are considered to be allies of their Turkish Kurdish enemies here, of them being too successful so far. So these Special Forces are designed to be sure whatever occurs on the ground in the fight against ISIS has been better communication and cohesion.

250 doesn't sound like a huge lot but it's a five-fold increase, as you say, and I think they'll bring them a lot of capabilities that could really speed things up on the ground, particularly given how ISIS is substantially on their back foot right now, particularly in Syria -- Wolf?

BLITZER: Nick Paton Walsh, on the boarder there with Syria. He's in Turkey. Nick, thank you.

I want to talk about all of this with Colonel Steve Warren, the spokesman for the anti-ISIS coalition that the U.S. has established in Iraq. He's joining us from Baghdad right now.

Colonel, thank you very much for joining us.

What's behind this decision to increase these U.S. troops who will be on the ground in Syria?

COL. STEVE WARREN, SPOKESMAN, ANTI-ISIS COALITION IN IRAQ: Wolf, thank for having me.

This is about capitalizing on the success that we've already seen. As you know, there were 50 Special Forces, troops sent there several months ago, and their presence really made a difference. What they did for us was two things. Number one, they helped us to see and understand the battlefield. And number two, they advised the Syrian forces who are actually doing the fighting. So those two things combined really was an exponential increase in our ability to do things. Through them, we were able to capture the dam. Through them, we were able to capture the critical town of Shidade (ph). We'll find things that work and we'll do more of them.

BLITZER: The president said they won't be involved in any combat role or part of operations going after targets. Are they strictly there as advisors? And how dangerous is it for 300 American troops inside of Syria?

WARREN: Well, let there be no question, they're going to a dangerous place. Syria is a very dangerous place. That said, they are operating behind the front lines. There's no intention of these forces getting involved in fire fights or even being in a place where they could potentially be shot at. Their role is to advise the Syrian opposition leadership on how best to coordinate their fighting, how best to synchronize with the coalition air power that we've provide, and also giving them some tips on how to expand and grow the size of their force, reaching out to Arabs, helping them with some advice on how to set up training camps, these types of things.

WOLF: There's going to be about 300 U.S. troops on the ground in Syria. Right now, the U.S. has built up the forces in Iraq. What, about 5,000 American troops in Iraq right now, still about 10,000 in Afghanistan right now. What's your assessment? How many more U.S. troops will be deployed to try to destroy ISIS in Syria and retake Mosul, which ISIS has now controlled for more than two years inside Iraq?

[13:44:58] WARREN: Well, it's important to remember that it's going to require indigenous local ground forces to really do the fighting. And of course, we'll have to advise and assist and enable as required. For example, the secretary announced it will bring some Apache attack helicopters to bear in the near future or help liberate Mosul, but this is about having local forces fight the fight so that the victory that comes is a victory that will stick.

And let's be clear, we're fighting an enemy that is a threat to us. We have killed dozens if not more than dozens of terrorists in Syria and Iraq actively plotting to attack our homeland. They are plotting to attack America. They are plotting to attack Europe. So this is an important fight. The fact that we're in it, I think, tests to how important it is.

BLITZER: I assume you saw the story in "The New York Times" today that the U.S. is now expanding its cyber warfare offensive against ISIS. This could be a major development. What can you share with us about this new chapter in cyber warfare again ISIS in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere?

WARREN: This is an important development. We've seen this enemy use the cyber domain to great advantage, to their own advantage, and we have come to the decision that we cannot longer let that stand. This is another arrow in the quiver. It's simply another weapons system, from their perspective, but we believe it's one to cause this enemy significant problems. Now he's not going to know who he's talking to or what's being said. We look at expanding this. We can't get into too many details, but know this, our cyber warriors are the best in the world. They come from right here in America.

BLITZER: Colonel Steve Warren is the spokesperson for the anti-ISIS coalition, joining us live from Baghdad. Colonel, thank you very much for joining us.

And coming up, Hillary Clinton sets her sights on November, even as Bernie Sanders vows to fight on and on. How Super Tuesday tomorrow could shape the race going forward. We have details. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:50:30] BLITZER: She's not measuring the Oval Office but Hillary Clinton is starting to work on a list of possible running mates. Hillary Clinton keeping an eye on the latest round of Super Tuesday primaries tomorrow, five of them, and also looking ahead to the general election. At a get-out-the vote rally last hour, Clinton took aim at Donald Trump on the economy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: Donald Trump says wages are too high in America and doesn't support raising the minimum wage. And I have said, come out of those towers, named for yourself, and actually talk and listen to people.

(CHEERING)

CLINTON: Don't just fly that big jet in and land it and go make a big speech and insult everybody you think of.

(LAUGHTER)

And then go back get on that big jet and go back to, you know, your country clubhouse in Florida or your penthouse in New York. I somehow don't think that puts you in touch.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: For his part, Bernie Sanders admits he faces an uphill climb in the race in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination but he is by no means giving up. He reminded supporters today why his campaign is different from Hillary Clinton.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS, (I), VERMONT & DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I do not have a super PAC.

(CHEERING)

SANDERS: I do not represent Wall Street or the billionaire class. I don't want their money.

(CHEERING)

SANDERS: Secretary Clinton has chosen to raise her money a different way.

(BOOING)

SANDERS: She has a number of super PACs. Last reporting period, a major one, listed $25 million in special interest, $15 million from Wall Street.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Let's bring in CNN chief political analyst, Gloria Borger; and CNN chief political correspondent, Dana Bash.

Gloria, he doesn't seem to be letting up at all in going after Hillary Clinton. Maybe after New York, there was supposed to be a little change in tone but he's still pretty angry.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: I think Bernie Sanders is going to be Bernie Sanders. He has enough money to continue as long as he wants. And I think his end game here is really to shape the Democratic agenda, going forward to shape the platform, to tell Hillary Clinton that in the Democratic platform he wants a $15 minimum wage, not a $12 minimum wage. She's sort of been inconsistent on that issue. He's going to raise money for liberal candidates. I don't think this is the end of Bernie Sanders even if he doesn't get to the magical number that he needs at the convention. She can block him because she has a lot of juice on the platform committee but I think she's going to try to work with him to keep his people supporting her.

WOLF: All the young people who support him, she needs them if she's the nominee if she's the nominee.

In Pennsylvania, the biggest prize tomorrow, take a look at this. This is the NBC News/"Wall Street Journal"/Maris poll, shows Clintons with a 55 percent to 40 percent lead over Bernie Sanders in Pennsylvania. That is a pretty impressive lead.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: A very impressive lead. And look, the bottom line is that already going into in tomorrow it is going to be very tough mathematically for Bernie Sanders to even come close to getting the nomination. I think going into -- what are we calling it? Spring Super Tuesday tomorrow, he would need like 82 percent of the remaining delegates and the remaining contests which is not --

(CROSSTALK)

BORGER: Near impossible.

BASH: I mean, mathematically possible but not going to happen. So I totally agree with Gloria that this is and has been about keeping his message alive, and he's done frankly brilliantly. And, you know, she has -- if she doesn't get it, she has to get it. She needs to make sure to keep his supporters in the fold and not just supporting her but feel like they should be energized about her candidacy because she will embrace some of the ideals he pushed forward. BLITZER: Gloria, I want you both to react to the latest word, it's

dramatic, both of Donald Trump's two opponents are cooperating to try to prevent him from reaching the magic number of 1,237 on the first round.

BORGER: The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right? So you understand from their point of view why they're doing this, right? Because this is the Hail Mary pass. Cruz needs to do well in Illinois or it could be game-set-match for him so he really needs this. But you can also see -- I don't know if you agree with me, Dana -- but it could backfire. You're playing into the narrative that this race is rigged.

BASH: Totally.

BORGER: And you're also assuming that all of these Kasich supporters naturally go to Cruz, and that's not necessarily so if you look at the polls.

(CROSSTALK)

[13:55:04] WOLF: Take a look at Indiana, which is a week from tomorrow. Kasich's now abandoned Indiana and leaving it to Cruz to fight one on one against Donald Trump.

And I think Gloria makes a good point. Will all of those people who might necessarily have voted for Kasich now automatically go to Cruz or are a lot of them go to Trump?

BASH: Not necessarily. Some could go to Trump. And it's important to note that Kasich isn't doing what Marco Rubio did back when he was running, which is to say to his supporters, vote for the other guy. Kasich is not saying that. He's saying, if you want to support me, vote for me.

But let's just kind of put it in context. This split-the-map strategy is months in the making. I was told early March that Mitt Romney was called in to try to do this. The Cruz people were really reluctant. But he did so poorly in New York and realizes it is Indiana or bust, he had to agree to do this.

BLITZER: Important development. We'll see what happens.

Guys, thanks very much.

That's it for me. I'll be back 5:00 p.m. eastern in "The Situation Room."

For our international viewers, "Amanpour" is next.

For our viewers in North America, NEWSROOM with Brooke Baldwin starts right after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:00:14] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, here we go.